Well I got that wrong.
One of the fun parts about basing a prediction on a single indicator is that the result is binary, it either works or it does not.
I couldn’t have been more wrong about the way the transit of Venus through Capricorn and Aquarius was going to play out.
The change candidates both took enormous leads, and the establishment candidates have really struggled, which is precisely opposite to what I said would happen!!.
So, the Ascendant ruler (venus) is not the defining factor in primary election results.
What I did notice, is that both McCain and Obama had to emphasize their experience over that period, with McCain billing himself as the “experience” candidate, and Obama mostly answering the charge of inexperience, though the latest result in Ohio and Texas might mark a turning point in his effectiveness on that issue.
I can see how Venus visiting Saturn’s homes (Capricorn and Aquarius) was important in the campaigns, but rather than determine the nature of the vote (which is what I expected it to do) it determined the nature of the debate. If I expected the candidates who represented the establishment positions to do best on their “natural positions” in the debate, I now know better.
That being the case, as Venus enters Pisces, ideology should dominate the debate until March 20.
We live and learn
Take Care
Rod
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Presidential Election 2008
Election 2008
UPDATE: While much of this prediction was filled with the wishful thinking that accompanies many astro forecasts, I have left it up because I need to remember what it is that I got wrong. There are more recent posts on eclipses, for which I hold more hope, and I'llleave some of the ancient stuff until I have learned more about using it.
The Capricorn ingress, regardless of where you live in the world, had the Sun tightly conjunct Jupiter (the voice for change) and Mercury (attention to details), both of which had just entered Capricorn.
For the USA, the Capricorn ingress determines America's fortunes for the first quarter of the year.
In my (very experimental) brand of mundane astrology, the Sun represents the “image” and often the perceptions of a nation.
The Sun overpowers both Jupiter and Mercury in this quarter, and draws energy, attention, and influence from them.
Jupiter in Capricorn is trapped in Saturn’s (conservative reality) coldest and darkest domicile. Jupiter is unable to affect real change, unable to do very much, however transits of favorable planets through Jupiter’s domiciles (Sagittarius and Pisces) are going to give it a little shine and a bit of influence in what is otherwise a challenging quarter (and year for that matter) for those wanting to challenge the status quo.
Mercury in Capricorn is not as hamstrung as Jupiter, and is well accustomed to handing its influence over to the Sun. Mercury is deeply influenced by Saturn
So why are Obama, (the democratic voice for change,) Huckabee, (the bible-belt’s voice for change), and McCain, (the republican wild-card) having strong early showings if Jupiter is so badly placed?
The answer is probably found in Venus (queen of values and valuables) in transit over the quarter. Venus adds a bit of shine to whatever she touches in transit.
In the Capricorn ingress chart, Venus is in Scorpio, which is by no means her favorite place to be. However, in Warrior goddess (rising before the Sun) mode with her ruler in really bad condition (Mars retrograde in Cancer), she’s having a better time in Scorpio than usual.
Venus, emboldened with a sense of power and urgency, enters Sagittarius, the diurnal domicile of embattled Jupiter, and so she invigorates Jupiter for a brief season. Now remember that Jupiter is handing its influence over to the Sun, the perceptions and image of the nation, for the duration.
The long and short of it?
The “voice of change” will have two surges of popularity this quarter, the one we are experiencing now, which ends around January 24, and another around March 12 through March 20. The intervening period will see “establishment” candidates surging forwards.
This suggests that Clinton is likely to win Super Tuesday, and probably the Democratic nomination.
The GOP is harder to pick, but I think Giuliani will have a stronger showing than expected.
From the March 20 equinox to the September 22 equinox, the perceptions of the nation will be split. The administration will manage to avert a recession, however this delay in the inevitable will make things much tougher in 2009. The administration will “look good” overall.
In the meantime, the momentum for change will take on a life of its own, strong in the minds of the people and in the media, however no longer influecing the reputation and perceptions of the country.
It is interesting to note that Pluto returns to Capricorn for the first time since the inception of the US, meaning the entire world, and the US in particular, is in the process of redefining the word “establishment”. By September, Pluto will be back in Sagittarius. We will get a glimpse, however, of what these two can accomplish when they share Saturn’s nocturnal domicile.
I’m expecting some instability over the summer as the people become increasingly frustrated over their own power being eclipsed by the overwhelming influence of America’s political and religious institutions.
With the Fall Equinox on September 22, the final crunch for the presidential election is due. The GOP will pull out all stops, the debate will turn vicious and it will be about illegal immigration and social justice. The rhetoric will get really twisted and weird, it will pitch American against American, but the election will go, convincingly, to the Democrats.
So there you have it. From what I can see at the moment, Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States. I don't particularly endorse her candidacy, but I think she'll take it regardless of what I think.
Take Care
Rod
UPDATE: While much of this prediction was filled with the wishful thinking that accompanies many astro forecasts, I have left it up because I need to remember what it is that I got wrong. There are more recent posts on eclipses, for which I hold more hope, and I'llleave some of the ancient stuff until I have learned more about using it.
The Capricorn ingress, regardless of where you live in the world, had the Sun tightly conjunct Jupiter (the voice for change) and Mercury (attention to details), both of which had just entered Capricorn.
For the USA, the Capricorn ingress determines America's fortunes for the first quarter of the year.
In my (very experimental) brand of mundane astrology, the Sun represents the “image” and often the perceptions of a nation.
The Sun overpowers both Jupiter and Mercury in this quarter, and draws energy, attention, and influence from them.
Jupiter in Capricorn is trapped in Saturn’s (conservative reality) coldest and darkest domicile. Jupiter is unable to affect real change, unable to do very much, however transits of favorable planets through Jupiter’s domiciles (Sagittarius and Pisces) are going to give it a little shine and a bit of influence in what is otherwise a challenging quarter (and year for that matter) for those wanting to challenge the status quo.
Mercury in Capricorn is not as hamstrung as Jupiter, and is well accustomed to handing its influence over to the Sun. Mercury is deeply influenced by Saturn
So why are Obama, (the democratic voice for change,) Huckabee, (the bible-belt’s voice for change), and McCain, (the republican wild-card) having strong early showings if Jupiter is so badly placed?
The answer is probably found in Venus (queen of values and valuables) in transit over the quarter. Venus adds a bit of shine to whatever she touches in transit.
In the Capricorn ingress chart, Venus is in Scorpio, which is by no means her favorite place to be. However, in Warrior goddess (rising before the Sun) mode with her ruler in really bad condition (Mars retrograde in Cancer), she’s having a better time in Scorpio than usual.
Venus, emboldened with a sense of power and urgency, enters Sagittarius, the diurnal domicile of embattled Jupiter, and so she invigorates Jupiter for a brief season. Now remember that Jupiter is handing its influence over to the Sun, the perceptions and image of the nation, for the duration.
The long and short of it?
The “voice of change” will have two surges of popularity this quarter, the one we are experiencing now, which ends around January 24, and another around March 12 through March 20. The intervening period will see “establishment” candidates surging forwards.
This suggests that Clinton is likely to win Super Tuesday, and probably the Democratic nomination.
The GOP is harder to pick, but I think Giuliani will have a stronger showing than expected.
From the March 20 equinox to the September 22 equinox, the perceptions of the nation will be split. The administration will manage to avert a recession, however this delay in the inevitable will make things much tougher in 2009. The administration will “look good” overall.
In the meantime, the momentum for change will take on a life of its own, strong in the minds of the people and in the media, however no longer influecing the reputation and perceptions of the country.
It is interesting to note that Pluto returns to Capricorn for the first time since the inception of the US, meaning the entire world, and the US in particular, is in the process of redefining the word “establishment”. By September, Pluto will be back in Sagittarius. We will get a glimpse, however, of what these two can accomplish when they share Saturn’s nocturnal domicile.
I’m expecting some instability over the summer as the people become increasingly frustrated over their own power being eclipsed by the overwhelming influence of America’s political and religious institutions.
With the Fall Equinox on September 22, the final crunch for the presidential election is due. The GOP will pull out all stops, the debate will turn vicious and it will be about illegal immigration and social justice. The rhetoric will get really twisted and weird, it will pitch American against American, but the election will go, convincingly, to the Democrats.
So there you have it. From what I can see at the moment, Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States. I don't particularly endorse her candidacy, but I think she'll take it regardless of what I think.
Take Care
Rod
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The political year ahead, Ypsilanti
For the first quarter of the year, Ypsi’s fortunes are determined by the Yule ingress chart of 2007 (December 22, 2007, 1:08:14 am).
Unfortunately, this ingress chart is a real mess as far as getting anything productive done is concerned. While the Moon’s dominance of the MC should bode well for the Mayor and City Council, its 8th house position and its complete lack of dignity or direction bode very ill. With Mars in Cancer, retrograde and close to the MC, the dominant issue is “a battle lost”. While I’d like to say “get over it guys”, they stopped listening to me a long time ago, when I came out against their ill-fated tax.
With any luck, the Mayor will get accustomed the new reality as the quarter progresses, and we can look forward to better things from him later in the year.
The people are dominated by Venus who is in turn dominated by Mars. With a focus on resources and how to make the best use of them, the people appear to be getting on with the job, while the Mayor and City Council are “crying in their beer”.
Grass roots groups also appear somewhat scrambled and disorganized, we should expect to hear more from those organizations (and perhaps any organization that might evolve from the SCIT campaign) later in the year rather than this first quarter.
The income tax campaign served to galvanize a bunch of strange bedfellows into the opposition campaign; it will be interesting to see what comes of it.
In March, the ingress of the Sun into Aries (March 20, 2008, 12:48:49 am) marks the beginning of the astrological year. This particular Aries ingress chart is effective in Ypsilanti from March 20 until September 22, when the Libra ingress chart will become effective for the remainder of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009.
There is a nasty event of some kind brewing for City Council early in May. This is likely to shake the council at its foundation, and the community is likely to hear about it a week or so later.
The City Council is looking much stronger during the Spring and Summer. It looks like they might actually “get a clue” and start listening to the grass roots. There is likely to be a large conference of some kind in mid-late June, the sort of thing that will bring the City and the grass-roots to the same table to really hash-out the issues. The devil will remain in the details, there will be no perfect solutions from this to-and-fro, but it represents a step in the right direction. The people need to be ever vigilant to make certain that their interests are well represented. There is a possibility that City officials may try to paint a more severe position than is actually warranted.
Jupiter in Capricorn in the 2nd house rules the ascendant (the people) from the sign of its fall. As we have already discovered in Ypsi, this year is a time for coming to terms with the excesses of the past and making sober, responsible plans for the future.
The people are going to feel somewhat awash over the Spring-Summer season, not yet secure in “the way ahead”, yet feeling the need to get something concrete going that will set the city’s financial path on a more secure footing. Resisting the desire for a “quick-fix” will be difficult.
Grass roots groups need to solidify their positions over the Spring and Summer, as it will be up to them to supply balance and call for sobriety from the Council in the fall.
With the arrival of Fall comes the chart (September 22, 2008, 10:44:46 am) that will carry the city through the end of 2008 to the Spring of 2009.
By this time, the Mayor and City council are likely to be on the path towards a new plan. This plan will be supported by the people, however it is entirely unrealistic in its execution.
It will be the job of grass roots groups, again, to bring reality back to city hall. This should not be difficult to do, but it needs to be done. Wishful thinking has created our current mess, and wishful thinking will bring the city further undone if it is left unchecked.
The chart makes a strong reality check necessary, and it also makes it possible. The good folks of Ypsi know deep down that the way ahead requires a strong dose of realism. This does not mean that they are going to like it when it is dished out. It may be that those calling for realistic solutions will feel like they are bashing their head against the wall, however they will prevail. There is a great deal of strength to their position, though they will be unpopular at first with both the general public and the council.
The November elections will serve to put the burden for the city’s future squarely in the lap of the people.
To sum up, the year ahead will be strongest for all concerned in the spring and summer. The habit of unrealistic idealism in City Council is hard to break, but the increasing strength of grass roots organizations towards the end of the year will have greater effect.
I hope everyone enjoys a happy and prosperous 2008.
Take Care
Rod
Unfortunately, this ingress chart is a real mess as far as getting anything productive done is concerned. While the Moon’s dominance of the MC should bode well for the Mayor and City Council, its 8th house position and its complete lack of dignity or direction bode very ill. With Mars in Cancer, retrograde and close to the MC, the dominant issue is “a battle lost”. While I’d like to say “get over it guys”, they stopped listening to me a long time ago, when I came out against their ill-fated tax.
With any luck, the Mayor will get accustomed the new reality as the quarter progresses, and we can look forward to better things from him later in the year.
The people are dominated by Venus who is in turn dominated by Mars. With a focus on resources and how to make the best use of them, the people appear to be getting on with the job, while the Mayor and City Council are “crying in their beer”.
Grass roots groups also appear somewhat scrambled and disorganized, we should expect to hear more from those organizations (and perhaps any organization that might evolve from the SCIT campaign) later in the year rather than this first quarter.
The income tax campaign served to galvanize a bunch of strange bedfellows into the opposition campaign; it will be interesting to see what comes of it.
In March, the ingress of the Sun into Aries (March 20, 2008, 12:48:49 am) marks the beginning of the astrological year. This particular Aries ingress chart is effective in Ypsilanti from March 20 until September 22, when the Libra ingress chart will become effective for the remainder of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009.
There is a nasty event of some kind brewing for City Council early in May. This is likely to shake the council at its foundation, and the community is likely to hear about it a week or so later.
The City Council is looking much stronger during the Spring and Summer. It looks like they might actually “get a clue” and start listening to the grass roots. There is likely to be a large conference of some kind in mid-late June, the sort of thing that will bring the City and the grass-roots to the same table to really hash-out the issues. The devil will remain in the details, there will be no perfect solutions from this to-and-fro, but it represents a step in the right direction. The people need to be ever vigilant to make certain that their interests are well represented. There is a possibility that City officials may try to paint a more severe position than is actually warranted.
Jupiter in Capricorn in the 2nd house rules the ascendant (the people) from the sign of its fall. As we have already discovered in Ypsi, this year is a time for coming to terms with the excesses of the past and making sober, responsible plans for the future.
The people are going to feel somewhat awash over the Spring-Summer season, not yet secure in “the way ahead”, yet feeling the need to get something concrete going that will set the city’s financial path on a more secure footing. Resisting the desire for a “quick-fix” will be difficult.
Grass roots groups need to solidify their positions over the Spring and Summer, as it will be up to them to supply balance and call for sobriety from the Council in the fall.
With the arrival of Fall comes the chart (September 22, 2008, 10:44:46 am) that will carry the city through the end of 2008 to the Spring of 2009.
By this time, the Mayor and City council are likely to be on the path towards a new plan. This plan will be supported by the people, however it is entirely unrealistic in its execution.
It will be the job of grass roots groups, again, to bring reality back to city hall. This should not be difficult to do, but it needs to be done. Wishful thinking has created our current mess, and wishful thinking will bring the city further undone if it is left unchecked.
The chart makes a strong reality check necessary, and it also makes it possible. The good folks of Ypsi know deep down that the way ahead requires a strong dose of realism. This does not mean that they are going to like it when it is dished out. It may be that those calling for realistic solutions will feel like they are bashing their head against the wall, however they will prevail. There is a great deal of strength to their position, though they will be unpopular at first with both the general public and the council.
The November elections will serve to put the burden for the city’s future squarely in the lap of the people.
To sum up, the year ahead will be strongest for all concerned in the spring and summer. The habit of unrealistic idealism in City Council is hard to break, but the increasing strength of grass roots organizations towards the end of the year will have greater effect.
I hope everyone enjoys a happy and prosperous 2008.
Take Care
Rod
Monday, November 19, 2007
When "not doing" is more important than "doing"
Retrograde Mars
November 15, 2007 (12 degrees 27 min Cancer) – January 30, 2008 (24 degrees 5 min Gemini)
UPDATE: For the record, the Mars retrograde period was the period in which the US government enlisted the support of the Sinnis, and there was relative peace in Iraq
For anybody with birthdays in the retrograde Mars period, (late Scorpio, all of Sagittarius and early Capricorn) this coming year should offer opportunities to be rid of self-defeating patterns. There will be less luck for these good folk as far as getting things off the ground is concerned. The caveat for this period will be the times that the Moon is in Scorpio or Aries, which gives these uncomfortable bed-partners (Moon and Mars) a chance to actually work through their differences rather than pushing forward in spite of each other.
Cancer is the sign of Mars’ fall. It is as though Mars is visiting a country in which it is considered an open enemy. Its every move is watched, it is unable to move about freely, it is not quite in prison, but it might as well be.
Mars in Cancer is somewhat hamstrung. When it is retrograde as well … lets just say its just no fun for Mars at all. What it does mean, however, is that those folks who wish to broker a truce, or perhaps even put an end to a war, will have an easier time of it now than at any other time. Unfortunately, I don’t think our national leaders want this, and I doubt they’d listen to me, even if they did read my blog. It means our local leaders could, if they wanted, bury the hatchet after a long and dirty campaign over the City Income Tax. Personally, I think the Ypsilanti citizens enjoy the conflict too much to let that happen, and city leaders aren't inclined to listen to me either, though some of them occasionally read this blog.
On a more personal note, those folks trying to dispense with self-defeating patterns will do better under the current Mars retro transit. We should break out or New Year’s resolutions early, because January and February will see Mars in Gemini before it returns to Cancer in March, and the chances of holding our resolutions firm in January, after Mars has been doubly frustrated in Cancer, are pretty slim.
Mars’ retro stretch in Gemini is likely to mean more dialogue than action, however it will be easier to get things done while Mars is in Gemini than when it is in Cancer. Mars has no “dignity” in Gemini, but it has no “debility” either. It can do basically what it needs to, while being mindful that it is in Mercury’s turf. Mindfulness is never high on Mars’ list of priorities, however in signs in which it is without dignity, it tries to mind its manners.
Expect things to get easier from January 30 to March 4, then Mars goes back to being somewhat frustrated in Cancer until May 9, 2008, when it enters Leo.
Mars is retrograde in Cancer from November 12 through December 31, when it enters Gemini. It stations in Gemini on January 12 and begins moving forward, and re-enters Cancer on March 4.
For the larger retrograde cycle (including the shadow), Mars entered its “shadow” on September 16 (as the Sun applies to Mars in a Square aspect), it entered Cancer on September 28, it stationed to retrograde on November 15, it enters Gemini in retrograde motion on December 31, it turns direct in motion in Gemini on January 30, 2008, it enters Cancer in direct motion on March 4, 2008, and exits its “shadow” on April 5, 2008, (as the Sun separates from Mars in a Square aspect.)
All up, the retro Mars period will be marked by those things that are not done, rather than by those things that are done. The wise will use this to their advantage.
Take Care
Rod
November 15, 2007 (12 degrees 27 min Cancer) – January 30, 2008 (24 degrees 5 min Gemini)
UPDATE: For the record, the Mars retrograde period was the period in which the US government enlisted the support of the Sinnis, and there was relative peace in Iraq
For anybody with birthdays in the retrograde Mars period, (late Scorpio, all of Sagittarius and early Capricorn) this coming year should offer opportunities to be rid of self-defeating patterns. There will be less luck for these good folk as far as getting things off the ground is concerned. The caveat for this period will be the times that the Moon is in Scorpio or Aries, which gives these uncomfortable bed-partners (Moon and Mars) a chance to actually work through their differences rather than pushing forward in spite of each other.
Cancer is the sign of Mars’ fall. It is as though Mars is visiting a country in which it is considered an open enemy. Its every move is watched, it is unable to move about freely, it is not quite in prison, but it might as well be.
Mars in Cancer is somewhat hamstrung. When it is retrograde as well … lets just say its just no fun for Mars at all. What it does mean, however, is that those folks who wish to broker a truce, or perhaps even put an end to a war, will have an easier time of it now than at any other time. Unfortunately, I don’t think our national leaders want this, and I doubt they’d listen to me, even if they did read my blog. It means our local leaders could, if they wanted, bury the hatchet after a long and dirty campaign over the City Income Tax. Personally, I think the Ypsilanti citizens enjoy the conflict too much to let that happen, and city leaders aren't inclined to listen to me either, though some of them occasionally read this blog.
On a more personal note, those folks trying to dispense with self-defeating patterns will do better under the current Mars retro transit. We should break out or New Year’s resolutions early, because January and February will see Mars in Gemini before it returns to Cancer in March, and the chances of holding our resolutions firm in January, after Mars has been doubly frustrated in Cancer, are pretty slim.
Mars’ retro stretch in Gemini is likely to mean more dialogue than action, however it will be easier to get things done while Mars is in Gemini than when it is in Cancer. Mars has no “dignity” in Gemini, but it has no “debility” either. It can do basically what it needs to, while being mindful that it is in Mercury’s turf. Mindfulness is never high on Mars’ list of priorities, however in signs in which it is without dignity, it tries to mind its manners.
Expect things to get easier from January 30 to March 4, then Mars goes back to being somewhat frustrated in Cancer until May 9, 2008, when it enters Leo.
Mars is retrograde in Cancer from November 12 through December 31, when it enters Gemini. It stations in Gemini on January 12 and begins moving forward, and re-enters Cancer on March 4.
For the larger retrograde cycle (including the shadow), Mars entered its “shadow” on September 16 (as the Sun applies to Mars in a Square aspect), it entered Cancer on September 28, it stationed to retrograde on November 15, it enters Gemini in retrograde motion on December 31, it turns direct in motion in Gemini on January 30, 2008, it enters Cancer in direct motion on March 4, 2008, and exits its “shadow” on April 5, 2008, (as the Sun separates from Mars in a Square aspect.)
All up, the retro Mars period will be marked by those things that are not done, rather than by those things that are done. The wise will use this to their advantage.
Take Care
Rod
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Well, I got one right!!
A resounding defeat for the income tax – the prediction.
Just for the record, the NO vote received more than 2 votes for every YES vote.
Regular readers will know I have been extremely busy for a month or more. I had not taken a close look at the ingress chart, nor had I looked at the election until Sunday night.
Thankfully, this election is probably the easiest prediction I have ever attempted.
I used an ancient but easy technique that was used for a thousand years or so to determine events within a specified timeframe.
The MC of the ingress chart represents the existing government (always), and in this case it was ruled by Mercury.
In real time, Mercury did a retro transit, and was back to the very same degree and minute, on the day of the election, as it had occupied in the moment of ingress. This presented a curious factoid that left me feeling that there was no progress at all coming about from the Mayor’s camp. That it directs (by the ancient method, this is not a commonly used direction of any kind) to the 8th house (house of death among other things, certainly not a fun place to be) of the ingress chart made it pretty clear the Mayor was likely to suffer a defeat.
In the September ingress chart Jupiter is extremely strong in the sign opposite the MC, and on the business side of the IC. This represents the opposition to the Mayor, [SCIT in this case] in a strong and favorable position, nestled in the house representing the heart and soul of the community.
The strongest planet in the chart, by leaps and bounds, is Jupiter.
Moreover, the MC is in the house of Jupiter’s detriment, and Jupiter is in the house of Mercury’s detriment (remember Mercury is the ruler of the MC). This sets the stage for a binary battle, one winner, one loser, nobody negotiating with anybody, and no half measures.
Now, when we direct Jupiter (using the same ancient obscure method) it lands firmly, exactly, on the MC during the eve of the election. The MC is the most powerful political point in any chart.
There was no doubt in my mind after looking at all of the above that SCIT would achieve a solid NO vote. The Mayor (representing the yes vote) would suffer a defeat.
I have not researched the direction method I’m using well enough to publish it. I’d hate to lead people up the garden path with mis-information (gods know there’s plenty of that in Astrology already).
The most difficult part of this method is working out which planet represents which party for the period of time in question.
I think the most telling part of this analysis is that the SCIT folks have turned a corner, and that this victory ushers in a new era in Ypsilanti politics. This election marked a huge and possibly deadly blow for the group of citizens who have steered Ypsilanti politics since the early 90’s.
Take Care
Rod
Just for the record, the NO vote received more than 2 votes for every YES vote.
Regular readers will know I have been extremely busy for a month or more. I had not taken a close look at the ingress chart, nor had I looked at the election until Sunday night.
Thankfully, this election is probably the easiest prediction I have ever attempted.
I used an ancient but easy technique that was used for a thousand years or so to determine events within a specified timeframe.
The MC of the ingress chart represents the existing government (always), and in this case it was ruled by Mercury.
In real time, Mercury did a retro transit, and was back to the very same degree and minute, on the day of the election, as it had occupied in the moment of ingress. This presented a curious factoid that left me feeling that there was no progress at all coming about from the Mayor’s camp. That it directs (by the ancient method, this is not a commonly used direction of any kind) to the 8th house (house of death among other things, certainly not a fun place to be) of the ingress chart made it pretty clear the Mayor was likely to suffer a defeat.
In the September ingress chart Jupiter is extremely strong in the sign opposite the MC, and on the business side of the IC. This represents the opposition to the Mayor, [SCIT in this case] in a strong and favorable position, nestled in the house representing the heart and soul of the community.
The strongest planet in the chart, by leaps and bounds, is Jupiter.
Moreover, the MC is in the house of Jupiter’s detriment, and Jupiter is in the house of Mercury’s detriment (remember Mercury is the ruler of the MC). This sets the stage for a binary battle, one winner, one loser, nobody negotiating with anybody, and no half measures.
Now, when we direct Jupiter (using the same ancient obscure method) it lands firmly, exactly, on the MC during the eve of the election. The MC is the most powerful political point in any chart.
There was no doubt in my mind after looking at all of the above that SCIT would achieve a solid NO vote. The Mayor (representing the yes vote) would suffer a defeat.
I have not researched the direction method I’m using well enough to publish it. I’d hate to lead people up the garden path with mis-information (gods know there’s plenty of that in Astrology already).
The most difficult part of this method is working out which planet represents which party for the period of time in question.
I think the most telling part of this analysis is that the SCIT folks have turned a corner, and that this victory ushers in a new era in Ypsilanti politics. This election marked a huge and possibly deadly blow for the group of citizens who have steered Ypsilanti politics since the early 90’s.
Take Care
Rod
Monday, November 05, 2007
Income tax to be defeated
Income tax to be defeated
crossposted on Out-Of-The-Woodwork
I have a strong astro-hunch that the city income tax will be soundly defeated tomorrow. Mundane (political outcomes prediction) is not my specialty, though I am researching that field.
My educated hunch, then, is that the tax will be defeated. I think many members of the Mayor’s support base will come out to vote, but will vote no.
[update: The income tax was soundly defeated by 1144 votes, 2240 NO to 1096 YES]
I’m not pretending to be impartial on this issue, I have been firmly against it for years.
Ypsilanti faces tough challenges in the housing and business markets, without facing the extra burden of an income tax. It’s a bad idea, there will never be a good time for it in this community.
The cuts that have to be made (with or without the tax) can be made without cutting police and fire services.
The tax is being proposed by the folks who masterminded the Water Street debacle, a sorry blight on Ypsilanti’s landscape that will cost taxpayers 32 million dollars, and is currently home to many derelict buildings, several flocks of geese, and squirrels, groundhogs, and water rats of unknown number.
These are the same people campaigning for Ypsilanti’s future.
These people are well intended, but severely challenged in the delivery department. If Water Street is anything to go by, then Downtown Detroit, Flint, and Hamtramck are going to look prosperous and inviting compared to Ypsilanti’s future under these clowns.
Take Care
Rod
crossposted on Out-Of-The-Woodwork
I have a strong astro-hunch that the city income tax will be soundly defeated tomorrow. Mundane (political outcomes prediction) is not my specialty, though I am researching that field.
My educated hunch, then, is that the tax will be defeated. I think many members of the Mayor’s support base will come out to vote, but will vote no.
[update: The income tax was soundly defeated by 1144 votes, 2240 NO to 1096 YES]
I’m not pretending to be impartial on this issue, I have been firmly against it for years.
Ypsilanti faces tough challenges in the housing and business markets, without facing the extra burden of an income tax. It’s a bad idea, there will never be a good time for it in this community.
The cuts that have to be made (with or without the tax) can be made without cutting police and fire services.
The tax is being proposed by the folks who masterminded the Water Street debacle, a sorry blight on Ypsilanti’s landscape that will cost taxpayers 32 million dollars, and is currently home to many derelict buildings, several flocks of geese, and squirrels, groundhogs, and water rats of unknown number.
These are the same people campaigning for Ypsilanti’s future.
These people are well intended, but severely challenged in the delivery department. If Water Street is anything to go by, then Downtown Detroit, Flint, and Hamtramck are going to look prosperous and inviting compared to Ypsilanti’s future under these clowns.
Take Care
Rod
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Mercury retro-what?
I’m Back!!
Ye gods, what a time to go off-line for a bit! . I’ve changed phone companies and had to change my phone number, but at least now I can hold a two-way conversation on the telephone at all times (I know, you’d think that would be standard… but when the provider couldn’t fix the problem after 3 months, it was time to move on).
I noted with some amusement that a recent astrological newsletter has mercury retrograde for 7 more days than it actually is and has Mars going retro early and finishing early. Maybe the author should double-check his facts under retrograde Mercury? Everybody else has to, and being an astrologer makes one more susceptible, (not less susceptible), to astrological snafus.
Correct dates for the coming retrograde transits according to Michelsen’s Ephemeris are
Mercury Direct - November 1, 2007 – (23 degrees Libra)
Mars Retrograde - November 15, 2007 - January 30, 2008
Uranus Direct – November 24, 2007
Saturn Retrograde – December 19, 2007 – May 2, 2008
Mercury Retrograde – January 28, 2008 – February 19, 2008
Busy doesn’t begin to cover the last month and a half for me, and the madcap mayhem that found its way into the lives of my friends under this transit… well yeah, I really should have warned you all about this, but there is only so much I can do in a day.
As usual, writing occupies most of my time in Mercury retro, I find the focus invigorating, but it takes it toll on the rest of my life. Did I mention that I can be a wee bit obsessive?
My first astrology course was successful. I’m not sure who learned more, my students or I, but we all seemed to come away a little wiser for the effort. I had taught the course for a solitary student first (to write the basic material), then for a small class in my home (refined the basic material for the class just completed) and with a little further refinement, it’ll be ready for the general public. I’ll be looking to run the course in the local community colleges, and perhaps even online, in the near future.
I’m also putting together a “celestial mechanics” paper that I will make freely available online. Celestial mechanics is fundamental to good astrology, and is probably the least understood component of astrological theory. It involves some basic science, all of which makes a lot of simple good sense, but requires a lot of explaining. More importantly, the meanings of many points in the Astrological chart can be traced directly to their roots in celestial mechanics.
So, yes I have been busy, but now its back to business as usual with Mercury going direct, today, in Libra.
[update: I heard back from the astrologer who's dates I corrected
The point of greatest elongation (to which your sources apparently refer) is a different thing to the beginning retrograde in [apparent] motion, and Mars will not resume "normal speed"(whatever that actually could mean) until well into February.
For what its worth, Mercury, Venus and Mars do not have "normal" speeds, they are either accelerating or decelerating because we play a type of "orbital tag" with them around the Sun... they may have average speeds, but that is another discussion entirely. Mercury and Venus are either applying to or separating from their respective conjunctions with the Sun, the point at which applying becomes separating (or vice verse) is their point of maximum ecliptic elongation. Mars is another kettle of fish entirely... best I get that celestial mechanics paper done...
Were I to use such points (which I am incidentally researching) then I'd be choosing the moments at which Mercury and Venus match apparent speed with the Sun]
Take Care
Rod
Ye gods, what a time to go off-line for a bit! . I’ve changed phone companies and had to change my phone number, but at least now I can hold a two-way conversation on the telephone at all times (I know, you’d think that would be standard… but when the provider couldn’t fix the problem after 3 months, it was time to move on).
I noted with some amusement that a recent astrological newsletter has mercury retrograde for 7 more days than it actually is and has Mars going retro early and finishing early. Maybe the author should double-check his facts under retrograde Mercury? Everybody else has to, and being an astrologer makes one more susceptible, (not less susceptible), to astrological snafus.
Correct dates for the coming retrograde transits according to Michelsen’s Ephemeris are
Mercury Direct - November 1, 2007 – (23 degrees Libra)
Mars Retrograde - November 15, 2007 - January 30, 2008
Uranus Direct – November 24, 2007
Saturn Retrograde – December 19, 2007 – May 2, 2008
Mercury Retrograde – January 28, 2008 – February 19, 2008
Busy doesn’t begin to cover the last month and a half for me, and the madcap mayhem that found its way into the lives of my friends under this transit… well yeah, I really should have warned you all about this, but there is only so much I can do in a day.
As usual, writing occupies most of my time in Mercury retro, I find the focus invigorating, but it takes it toll on the rest of my life. Did I mention that I can be a wee bit obsessive?
My first astrology course was successful. I’m not sure who learned more, my students or I, but we all seemed to come away a little wiser for the effort. I had taught the course for a solitary student first (to write the basic material), then for a small class in my home (refined the basic material for the class just completed) and with a little further refinement, it’ll be ready for the general public. I’ll be looking to run the course in the local community colleges, and perhaps even online, in the near future.
I’m also putting together a “celestial mechanics” paper that I will make freely available online. Celestial mechanics is fundamental to good astrology, and is probably the least understood component of astrological theory. It involves some basic science, all of which makes a lot of simple good sense, but requires a lot of explaining. More importantly, the meanings of many points in the Astrological chart can be traced directly to their roots in celestial mechanics.
So, yes I have been busy, but now its back to business as usual with Mercury going direct, today, in Libra.
[update: I heard back from the astrologer who's dates I corrected
Hey Rodney,to which I say, when you are dealing with the general public, you cannot afford to play fast and loose with astro-terminology, lest you make yourself, and by extension astrology, look foolish with apparently contradictory information.
I picked those date for the beginning of Mars retrograde and ending of Mercury because I read Erin Sullivans book on retrograde planets and the retrograde effect begins when the planet starts slowing down and ends when it starts moving forward at its normal speed. Sandra Leigh Serio confirmed that we felt the effects of Mercury retrograde when it started slowing down before it went retrograde.
The point of greatest elongation (to which your sources apparently refer) is a different thing to the beginning retrograde in [apparent] motion, and Mars will not resume "normal speed"(whatever that actually could mean) until well into February.
For what its worth, Mercury, Venus and Mars do not have "normal" speeds, they are either accelerating or decelerating because we play a type of "orbital tag" with them around the Sun... they may have average speeds, but that is another discussion entirely. Mercury and Venus are either applying to or separating from their respective conjunctions with the Sun, the point at which applying becomes separating (or vice verse) is their point of maximum ecliptic elongation. Mars is another kettle of fish entirely... best I get that celestial mechanics paper done...
Were I to use such points (which I am incidentally researching) then I'd be choosing the moments at which Mercury and Venus match apparent speed with the Sun]
Take Care
Rod
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Sorry about the silence
Hi folks,
I have been up to my ears in other adventures, my available time has been spent writing lessons (written completely from scratch) for my first ever round of students.
It has been a rewarding challenge, but with the many other priorities in my life, I’m not getting the predictive blogs done at all, and when they return, they will probably look a little different.
My apologies to my readers, I’ll re-start this as soon as my many priorities allow me to give it the time it requires.
Take Care
Rod
I have been up to my ears in other adventures, my available time has been spent writing lessons (written completely from scratch) for my first ever round of students.
It has been a rewarding challenge, but with the many other priorities in my life, I’m not getting the predictive blogs done at all, and when they return, they will probably look a little different.
My apologies to my readers, I’ll re-start this as soon as my many priorities allow me to give it the time it requires.
Take Care
Rod
Friday, September 14, 2007
Disruptive Eclipse
Solar Eclipse (anular) September 11, 2007, 8:44:08 am EDT Ypsilanti, MI USA
The current eclipse occurs in Virgo and replaces the previous solar eclipse in Pisces.
At a very basic level, the subtext of the sun changes from “being served” to “service”.
The western half of the US is going to feel the effects of this eclipse much more solidly than the eastern half. For the Eastern US, there will be a call to spiritual values of service, with some disruption to services, for the west there will be a much more present call to the same values and some disruption to families. I expect there will be some trouble in the west that brings the nation together. Venus in 11 as warrior goddess on the east coast causes me some angst. I don’t think the war is going to end any time soon and I am concerned that something may happen to escalate the desire for it to continue.
The inspiration exists in this chart to do something “new and different”. It will be interesting to see which unconventional ideas turn unto something more concrete.
The eclipse itself will not have a huge impact on this area (Washtenaw County), being that it is in the 12th house and “outside the radar” of most of us.
The 12th house position does, however confirm the “spiritual” sense of this season, and for those of us with a strong metaphysical bent, there should be a noticeable shift in emphasis from the ethers.
Uranus opposing the eclipse means that there will be some disruption to services here (Washtenaw County), but I’m not expecting anything major.
As a new moon chart, the eclipse has Venus in a much stronger position, now in direct motion and rising as “Morning Star”. The people are going to feel its time for action, and the elected officials are going to feel the need to rise to the occasion.
Action over this period will be idealistically based, and community values are going to deeply influence those ideals.
Libra rising gives Venus a stronger-than-usual hand in this eclipse, it represents a great time for bringing people together behind a common cause.
Mercury's first house position means there'll be lots of talk during this eclipse, and Mars in Gemini suggests the talk will be hot headed and angry.
On a national level, the debate about the war will get hotter as one travels west across the country. The East Coast, the debate is ethereal, in the Mid West it becomes a real debate with much greater steam involving major universities and major protests, the Arid west it gets hotter again, however by the time it gets to the West Coast it becomes idealized, and very present.
My sense is that some Texas hot-heads are going to have a lot more sway in this debate than is warranted.
Mexico is in for a much harder time than it has had already.
Sorry about the gloom, I'd have hoped that reason would prevail in a Virgo eclipse, however, not in this one.
Take Care
Rod
The current eclipse occurs in Virgo and replaces the previous solar eclipse in Pisces.
At a very basic level, the subtext of the sun changes from “being served” to “service”.
The western half of the US is going to feel the effects of this eclipse much more solidly than the eastern half. For the Eastern US, there will be a call to spiritual values of service, with some disruption to services, for the west there will be a much more present call to the same values and some disruption to families. I expect there will be some trouble in the west that brings the nation together. Venus in 11 as warrior goddess on the east coast causes me some angst. I don’t think the war is going to end any time soon and I am concerned that something may happen to escalate the desire for it to continue.
The inspiration exists in this chart to do something “new and different”. It will be interesting to see which unconventional ideas turn unto something more concrete.
The eclipse itself will not have a huge impact on this area (Washtenaw County), being that it is in the 12th house and “outside the radar” of most of us.
The 12th house position does, however confirm the “spiritual” sense of this season, and for those of us with a strong metaphysical bent, there should be a noticeable shift in emphasis from the ethers.
Uranus opposing the eclipse means that there will be some disruption to services here (Washtenaw County), but I’m not expecting anything major.
As a new moon chart, the eclipse has Venus in a much stronger position, now in direct motion and rising as “Morning Star”. The people are going to feel its time for action, and the elected officials are going to feel the need to rise to the occasion.
Action over this period will be idealistically based, and community values are going to deeply influence those ideals.
Libra rising gives Venus a stronger-than-usual hand in this eclipse, it represents a great time for bringing people together behind a common cause.
Mercury's first house position means there'll be lots of talk during this eclipse, and Mars in Gemini suggests the talk will be hot headed and angry.
On a national level, the debate about the war will get hotter as one travels west across the country. The East Coast, the debate is ethereal, in the Mid West it becomes a real debate with much greater steam involving major universities and major protests, the Arid west it gets hotter again, however by the time it gets to the West Coast it becomes idealized, and very present.
My sense is that some Texas hot-heads are going to have a lot more sway in this debate than is warranted.
Mexico is in for a much harder time than it has had already.
Sorry about the gloom, I'd have hoped that reason would prevail in a Virgo eclipse, however, not in this one.
Take Care
Rod
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Well, that was fun!
I had the privilege to hear Robert Hand speaking last weekend (September 8th and 9th) and I have to say that he exceeded my expectations for lucidity of thought and approachability of presentation. I always expected Mr Hand to be bright, but brilliance doesn’t always translate to either clear or engaging presentation of the material.
It was reading Robert Hand that gave me a sense that there might actually be something to this “astrology thing” back in the early 90’s when I was still very skeptical that astrology was anything more than light entertainment for the crackpot fringe of society, and a belief system for the feeble of mind. I have since read several of his books and highly recommend them to my students.
Saturday night’s discussion was “Fate and Freewill” and to be perfectly honest, I went along expecting to hear a heap of dry-as-dust arguments with which I am already well acquainted; rehashed and regurgitated to come a middle-of-the-road conclusion (can you tell I spent way too long on e-mail lists a few years ago?).
For those folks (if any) who went to the lecture anticipating simple answers to a seemingly simple question, I guess they may have been under-whelmed.
Personally, I’m very tired of simple answers to complex questions, and it was a pleasure to follow a lucid train of thought through a complex issue and come away with the tools for investigating this, and several other complex issues, further.
The summary of his presentation comes down to “You will be who you are [fate], the question is, how well [freewill] ?”
This is (or should be) the mantra of the humanist astrologer, but it was deeply satisfying to hear an extensive rendition of where this notion came from, and how far back in history it has been held by lovers of wisdom.
On the question of the "desire to believe", a fundamental part of the fate/freewill debate, Hand first pointed out that belief is simply opinion which is held in the absence of [quantifiable] experience. I'm not sure I'd ever thought of it that way.
Sundays workshop discussed the transition from Hellenistic to Medieval astrology. Both forms of astrology have been part of my own research (and finding their way into my work) for the last few years, so I was looking forward to this discussion from a person at the forefront of the translation and interpretation of the ancient works.
The beauty of the current era is that we, today, have more information available to us with which to put ancient astrology together than has been the case for 1000 years in Western Europe.
Again, Hand’s own work in the translation of text and the deciphering of meaning presented plenty of food for thought and answered many of my own questions about which way to implement some of these techniques.
I realize that questions of domicile and rulership, of terms and dignities and triplicities, are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but again following a lucid train of thought through the process of discerning meaning and application from these was both interesting and exciting to me.
I have found that ancient astrology meshes beautifully with post-modern humanism, but it does take considerable work to differentiate the technique from the philosophy.
I am very fond of saying that astrology is always a combination of the physics and metaphysics of its time. Physics doesn’t change much, however our understanding of it is always expanding and therefore changing. Metaphysics, on the other hand, changes almost momentarily, yet is born of archetypal themes that transcend the moments in time in which they were expressed, and perhaps even time itself.
In allowing for both of these complexities, one can gain a great deal of insight from what astrologers once thought, (or more particularly, how they thought) and can discern the techniques that stood the test of time for 1000 years across many political and religious bounds.
I have been working with the above premises for several years now, and was beginning to feel a bit isolated in my viewpoint (because my best resources to date have been “astro-fundamentalists” of one form or another… yep astrology has fundies too, folks).
It was therefore with some relief that, among the concluding statements in an extremely enlightening workshop, Hand came out with this little gem, “I have no problem with being a[n] humanistic astrologer who is applying ancient techniques.” … neither do I Mr. Hand, and the reinforcement is encouraging.
I have always believed that the written word contains only the parts of a person’s thinking that the person is (or was) prepared to defend. We lose so much insight when we “hang on every [written] word” of an esteemed authority, and fail to see what it was that said authority was actually thinking.
I am reminded of a statement I heard during the workshop about fundamentalists believing in the absolute truth of selected portions of bad translations.
Do I agree with all of the conclusions Robert Hand drew? Of course not! However, it was a real treat to “fill in the gaps” on how he arrived at them.
Many thanks to the the Learning Center for Astrological Studies in Lansing, and particularly to Mr. Win Rowe, for making this event possible in our area.
Now… back to our regular program…
Take Care
Rod
It was reading Robert Hand that gave me a sense that there might actually be something to this “astrology thing” back in the early 90’s when I was still very skeptical that astrology was anything more than light entertainment for the crackpot fringe of society, and a belief system for the feeble of mind. I have since read several of his books and highly recommend them to my students.
Saturday night’s discussion was “Fate and Freewill” and to be perfectly honest, I went along expecting to hear a heap of dry-as-dust arguments with which I am already well acquainted; rehashed and regurgitated to come a middle-of-the-road conclusion (can you tell I spent way too long on e-mail lists a few years ago?).
For those folks (if any) who went to the lecture anticipating simple answers to a seemingly simple question, I guess they may have been under-whelmed.
Personally, I’m very tired of simple answers to complex questions, and it was a pleasure to follow a lucid train of thought through a complex issue and come away with the tools for investigating this, and several other complex issues, further.
The summary of his presentation comes down to “You will be who you are [fate]
This is (or should be) the mantra of the humanist astrologer, but it was deeply satisfying to hear an extensive rendition of where this notion came from, and how far back in history it has been held by lovers of wisdom.
On the question of the "desire to believe", a fundamental part of the fate/freewill debate, Hand first pointed out that belief is simply opinion which is held in the absence of [quantifiable] experience. I'm not sure I'd ever thought of it that way.
Sundays workshop discussed the transition from Hellenistic to Medieval astrology. Both forms of astrology have been part of my own research (and finding their way into my work) for the last few years, so I was looking forward to this discussion from a person at the forefront of the translation and interpretation of the ancient works.
The beauty of the current era is that we, today, have more information available to us with which to put ancient astrology together than has been the case for 1000 years in Western Europe.
Again, Hand’s own work in the translation of text and the deciphering of meaning presented plenty of food for thought and answered many of my own questions about which way to implement some of these techniques.
I realize that questions of domicile and rulership, of terms and dignities and triplicities, are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but again following a lucid train of thought through the process of discerning meaning and application from these was both interesting and exciting to me.
I have found that ancient astrology meshes beautifully with post-modern humanism, but it does take considerable work to differentiate the technique from the philosophy.
I am very fond of saying that astrology is always a combination of the physics and metaphysics of its time. Physics doesn’t change much, however our understanding of it is always expanding and therefore changing. Metaphysics, on the other hand, changes almost momentarily, yet is born of archetypal themes that transcend the moments in time in which they were expressed, and perhaps even time itself.
In allowing for both of these complexities, one can gain a great deal of insight from what astrologers once thought, (or more particularly, how they thought) and can discern the techniques that stood the test of time for 1000 years across many political and religious bounds.
I have been working with the above premises for several years now, and was beginning to feel a bit isolated in my viewpoint (because my best resources to date have been “astro-fundamentalists” of one form or another… yep astrology has fundies too, folks).
It was therefore with some relief that, among the concluding statements in an extremely enlightening workshop, Hand came out with this little gem, “I have no problem with being a[n] humanistic astrologer who is applying ancient techniques.” … neither do I Mr. Hand, and the reinforcement is encouraging.
I have always believed that the written word contains only the parts of a person’s thinking that the person is (or was) prepared to defend. We lose so much insight when we “hang on every [written] word” of an esteemed authority, and fail to see what it was that said authority was actually thinking.
I am reminded of a statement I heard during the workshop about fundamentalists believing in the absolute truth of selected portions of bad translations.
Do I agree with all of the conclusions Robert Hand drew? Of course not! However, it was a real treat to “fill in the gaps” on how he arrived at them.
Many thanks to the the Learning Center for Astrological Studies in Lansing, and particularly to Mr. Win Rowe, for making this event possible in our area.
Now… back to our regular program…
Take Care
Rod
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Reality comes a-calling on Virgo
Saturn Enters Virgo, 9:51:57 am EDT Ypsilanti, MI
Saturn means structure, it also means limits and order and reality. Where Jupiter represents faith, Saturn represents religion. Where Jupiter represents commerce, Saturn represents business organizations, where Jupiter represents education, Saturn represents the school board and so forth.
Saturn has a way of bringing things down to earth, and providing the structure and standards without which we cannot produce excellence.
Saturn has finally moved from Leo into Virgo.
Saturn in Leo, like Saturn in Cancer, remained in a nasty mood for the duration. Saturn’s hard pragmatic edge is rubbed up the wrong way by Cancer’s strong nurturing and familial spirit, and Saturn’s mechanical group-think is not fond of Leo’s self-aggrandizement and die-hard loyalty. We’ve had the worst 5 years Saturn has to offer. They are now behind us until Saturn moves back into Cancer when my now 4-year-old is almost 30.
We can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.
For Virgo, the challenge over the next two and a half years will be to "make it real". Virgo tends to dither, Saturn will cure it of that. Mercury will find it has some backbone. Either that, or Mercury will become depressive, finding that saturnine reality is more than it wants to deal with.
This will be a period where the bean-counters will rise to the top and make a nuisance of themselves. We will find more CEO’s appointed with financial and accounting backgrounds.
Saturn in Virgo is great for folks with placements in Capricorn, less fun for those with placements in Taurus, but its not all bad.
Virgo is a mutable sign. The Mutable signs tend to require structure to function, so Saturn here could be a stabilizing influence where the mutable signs are up for the challenge of stability, or a disruptive influence where the mutable signs are content with chaos.
The mutable signs are Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces and Gemini. The planets that rule those signs are Mercury and Jupiter.
Realty comes a-calling... can the mutable signs make up their minds? Will Mercury gain some backbone or wallow in depression? Will Jupiter use the boundaries to achieve excellence or burn itself out in the name of freedom?
It all comes down to the attitude we take to the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
And, after all, the attitude we take to our circumstances is the only freedom that is wholly our own to administer.
Take Care
Rod
Saturn means structure, it also means limits and order and reality. Where Jupiter represents faith, Saturn represents religion. Where Jupiter represents commerce, Saturn represents business organizations, where Jupiter represents education, Saturn represents the school board and so forth.
Saturn has a way of bringing things down to earth, and providing the structure and standards without which we cannot produce excellence.
Saturn has finally moved from Leo into Virgo.
Saturn in Leo, like Saturn in Cancer, remained in a nasty mood for the duration. Saturn’s hard pragmatic edge is rubbed up the wrong way by Cancer’s strong nurturing and familial spirit, and Saturn’s mechanical group-think is not fond of Leo’s self-aggrandizement and die-hard loyalty. We’ve had the worst 5 years Saturn has to offer. They are now behind us until Saturn moves back into Cancer when my now 4-year-old is almost 30.
We can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.
For Virgo, the challenge over the next two and a half years will be to "make it real". Virgo tends to dither, Saturn will cure it of that. Mercury will find it has some backbone. Either that, or Mercury will become depressive, finding that saturnine reality is more than it wants to deal with.
This will be a period where the bean-counters will rise to the top and make a nuisance of themselves. We will find more CEO’s appointed with financial and accounting backgrounds.
Saturn in Virgo is great for folks with placements in Capricorn, less fun for those with placements in Taurus, but its not all bad.
Virgo is a mutable sign. The Mutable signs tend to require structure to function, so Saturn here could be a stabilizing influence where the mutable signs are up for the challenge of stability, or a disruptive influence where the mutable signs are content with chaos.
The mutable signs are Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces and Gemini. The planets that rule those signs are Mercury and Jupiter.
Realty comes a-calling... can the mutable signs make up their minds? Will Mercury gain some backbone or wallow in depression? Will Jupiter use the boundaries to achieve excellence or burn itself out in the name of freedom?
It all comes down to the attitude we take to the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
And, after all, the attitude we take to our circumstances is the only freedom that is wholly our own to administer.
Take Care
Rod
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Political showdown, Stronger business.
Business and Politics
Lunar Eclipse, 6:35:01 am, August 28 2007, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
(effective as full moon until new moon, September 11, 2007)
As discussed in the astrology post on this eclipse, the subtext of the mood of the people has shifted from “attention to detail” to “spirituality and belief”.
Between now and February, the successful appeal will be made to “something greater than ourselves”. Folks have tired of the details its time to present a big picture.
Locally, the eclipse still favors the voice of opposition, with the leadership feeling trapped and imposing greater burdens on the people as a result.
The people as a whole are largely oblivious to this pending burden.
An active opposition has been stirring the pot for some time, it is now time for that opposition to present its manifesto, to give the people a reason to believe and a reason to implement change.
The leadership is not without strength, and its ability to add unseen burdens to the people is not to be taken lightly. We can expect some “tough talk” from our leaders locally.
This all points to a showdown over the income tax in Ypsilanti. I’ll be interested to hear how it affects other communities in the region.
The strongest appeal for either party will be to the family and the home.
For local business, the difficulties continue, however appeal to “core clientele” and family values will capture the imagination of the locals.
There are stronger indicators for steady cash-flow for those who are bold and prepared to take calculated risks. It is time for some well-thought-out marketing targeting high ideals and old-time values… though wait until after September 8th do implement a marketing plan.
Because this eclipse carries some subtle effect for the holiday season, it is an indicator that the holiday season will be better than expected for local business. In the current climate, that’s saying something!.
Hopefully next week I’ll get this out a bit earlier
There will be stronger business and political indicators from the solar eclipse and from the Libra ingress of the sun.
Take Care
Rod
Lunar Eclipse, 6:35:01 am, August 28 2007, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
(effective as full moon until new moon, September 11, 2007)
As discussed in the astrology post on this eclipse, the subtext of the mood of the people has shifted from “attention to detail” to “spirituality and belief”.
Between now and February, the successful appeal will be made to “something greater than ourselves”. Folks have tired of the details its time to present a big picture.
Locally, the eclipse still favors the voice of opposition, with the leadership feeling trapped and imposing greater burdens on the people as a result.
The people as a whole are largely oblivious to this pending burden.
An active opposition has been stirring the pot for some time, it is now time for that opposition to present its manifesto, to give the people a reason to believe and a reason to implement change.
The leadership is not without strength, and its ability to add unseen burdens to the people is not to be taken lightly. We can expect some “tough talk” from our leaders locally.
This all points to a showdown over the income tax in Ypsilanti. I’ll be interested to hear how it affects other communities in the region.
The strongest appeal for either party will be to the family and the home.
For local business, the difficulties continue, however appeal to “core clientele” and family values will capture the imagination of the locals.
There are stronger indicators for steady cash-flow for those who are bold and prepared to take calculated risks. It is time for some well-thought-out marketing targeting high ideals and old-time values… though wait until after September 8th do implement a marketing plan.
Because this eclipse carries some subtle effect for the holiday season, it is an indicator that the holiday season will be better than expected for local business. In the current climate, that’s saying something!.
Hopefully next week I’ll get this out a bit earlier
There will be stronger business and political indicators from the solar eclipse and from the Libra ingress of the sun.
Take Care
Rod
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Wistful Pisces Eclipse
Relationships.
Lunar Eclipse, 6:35:01 am, August 28 2007, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
(effective as full moon until new moon, September 11, 2007)
As I indicated in the astrology post, this eclipse represents a shift in mood from “attention to detail” to “the big picture”.
In the broadest possible brushstrokes, this is a tough eclipse on self image and self-understanding. It is a much easier eclipse on ideology and spirituality. In a nutshell, this eclipse will suit the self-deprecating religions really well, though those religions that rely on the cult of personality will fare very poorly indeed.
The wise will be learning lessons about personal attachment to spiritual values under this eclipse.
More locally, the embattled self of this eclipse is a big influence for most of the continental USA, the West Coast states having a slightly easier time of it, and the belt of states from Texas to the Dakotas faring worst of all.
Closer to home again, there is a strong sense of guilt associated with this eclipse in the eastern states and up to the group of Michigan counties including Washtenaw, Livingston, Genesee, Lenawee, the eastern part of Ingham and Jackson counties.
The strength of this eclipse locally is found in two key words. One is “my partner” with a subtext of “ideals”. The other is “my family”, with the subtext of “vision”. The weakness of this eclipse is found in the keyword “me”, with the subtext of “details”.
On a positive note, there will be a surge of spiritual yearning, and a strong reinforcement of family values. Many will look to their partners for inspiration and strength. Partners will represent a good filter through which to interpret family rules and regulations. Clear communication is the key to making the most out of this eclipse season.
On the other side of the coin, there will be a lot of folks feeling victimized or belittled by their “significant other” over the next little while. Some will feel that their families prefer the company of the partner than of the family member. There will be a lot of folks longing for better than they have and there will be some who pine for their idealized relationship to the point of not coping well at all.
So, the bottom line for relationships in the local area? If your relationship is solid and secure and mutually supportive, the eclipse presents a time when you can learn a lot more from your partner than you can from yourself, a great time to use the partner as the “mirror”. If your relationship is not so solid or based on competition, its going to get rough for a while. Where there is conflict, it will be based on self-worth, each partner feeling as though the other is making them look or feel bad.
For the single, count your blessings!!!! dream away about the ideal partner if that’s what floats your boat, support your friends where you can. Even the happy, willfully, deliberately single are likely to feel a little pang of loneliness over this period, however, a quick reality check with your friends in relationships should cure you of this.
I’ll get to the politics post tomorrow
Take Care
Rod
Lunar Eclipse, 6:35:01 am, August 28 2007, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
(effective as full moon until new moon, September 11, 2007)
As I indicated in the astrology post, this eclipse represents a shift in mood from “attention to detail” to “the big picture”.
In the broadest possible brushstrokes, this is a tough eclipse on self image and self-understanding. It is a much easier eclipse on ideology and spirituality. In a nutshell, this eclipse will suit the self-deprecating religions really well, though those religions that rely on the cult of personality will fare very poorly indeed.
The wise will be learning lessons about personal attachment to spiritual values under this eclipse.
More locally, the embattled self of this eclipse is a big influence for most of the continental USA, the West Coast states having a slightly easier time of it, and the belt of states from Texas to the Dakotas faring worst of all.
Closer to home again, there is a strong sense of guilt associated with this eclipse in the eastern states and up to the group of Michigan counties including Washtenaw, Livingston, Genesee, Lenawee, the eastern part of Ingham and Jackson counties.
The strength of this eclipse locally is found in two key words. One is “my partner” with a subtext of “ideals”. The other is “my family”, with the subtext of “vision”. The weakness of this eclipse is found in the keyword “me”, with the subtext of “details”.
On a positive note, there will be a surge of spiritual yearning, and a strong reinforcement of family values. Many will look to their partners for inspiration and strength. Partners will represent a good filter through which to interpret family rules and regulations. Clear communication is the key to making the most out of this eclipse season.
On the other side of the coin, there will be a lot of folks feeling victimized or belittled by their “significant other” over the next little while. Some will feel that their families prefer the company of the partner than of the family member. There will be a lot of folks longing for better than they have and there will be some who pine for their idealized relationship to the point of not coping well at all.
So, the bottom line for relationships in the local area? If your relationship is solid and secure and mutually supportive, the eclipse presents a time when you can learn a lot more from your partner than you can from yourself, a great time to use the partner as the “mirror”. If your relationship is not so solid or based on competition, its going to get rough for a while. Where there is conflict, it will be based on self-worth, each partner feeling as though the other is making them look or feel bad.
For the single, count your blessings!!!! dream away about the ideal partner if that’s what floats your boat, support your friends where you can. Even the happy, willfully, deliberately single are likely to feel a little pang of loneliness over this period, however, a quick reality check with your friends in relationships should cure you of this.
I’ll get to the politics post tomorrow
Take Care
Rod
Monday, August 27, 2007
Up-dated links
Updated Links
Just a quick note to let everyone know I have fixed the links for my astrology site, even the old (and somewhat embarrassing) stuff.
Just for the record, I maintain my own sites, so if you come across a dud link on your way through, please let me know
Rod.
Just a quick note to let everyone know I have fixed the links for my astrology site, even the old (and somewhat embarrassing) stuff.
Just for the record, I maintain my own sites, so if you come across a dud link on your way through, please let me know
Rod.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Shifting Sands-Eclipse August 28-Astrology
NOTE: 2008 eclipse is listed in the side-bar, this is the 07 lunar eclipse!!
A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon. If we are up early in the morning (5:52 am) of August 28, we will see the red-moon of the eclipse (provided the clouds allow us the pleasure).
The last total Lunar eclipse I viewed was directly overhead in Adelaide, South Australia, in the June of 2000. It is quite a spectacle as the Moon darkens in the penumbra, then turns a deep red as it rests in the shadow of the Earth for a good long while.
A Lunar eclipse is an interruption to the ability of the Moon to reflect the light of the Sun. (One might note that there is no interruption to the light of the Moon in a solar eclipse, rather it is the light of the Sun that is blocked in that case).
In esoteric terms, the Lunar Eclipse portends a change in the subtle rhythms of the Moon. While every event (full moon, new moon, etc) has its effect based on its chart, the eclipse provides a subtext to the Moon’s influence. The last Lunar eclipse was in Virgo, this one is in Pisces. The subtext of the Moon’s event charts will shift from “dedicated service” to “inflated possibilities”, from “the need to identify” to “the need to include”, and from “the bean counter” to “the politician”.
In predictive terms, a Lunar eclipse is shorter-lived and less significant than a Solar Eclipse. The ancients discussed duration of any season in terms of the ascendant, a fixed ascendant being longer lasting than mutable, and a cardinal ascendant being shortest of all. By that rule, the eclipse will be longer lasting for we in Washtenaw county and points West to the west coast states where the eclipse has Leo rising, Wayne county and points East will have a less durable effect where the eclipse has Virgo rising, and the West Coast will have a less durable effect again where the eclipse has Cancer rising
In personal terms, a Lunar Eclipse effects those with planets on the eclipse axis or on the axis 90 degrees from the eclipse axis, and it represents a major shift in one’s emotional climate. In this eclipse, those axes are 4 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Gemini.
The eclipse is in Pisces and Virgo. For the Moon in Pisces, we look first to Jupiter, who is strong in Sagittarius and moving forward. This is a strong eclipse, made stronger wherever its key elements (Moon, Sun, Jupiter) are angular (Houses 1, 4, 7, 10). The Moon’s domicile, Cancer, is empty and marks the 12th house cusp in Ypsilanti
For Sun in Virgo we look first to Mercury. By the ancient rules for rulership, Mercury is too close to the Sun to be its ruler. (the reasoning behind that is that Mercury cannot be seen with the naked eye when it is within 15 degrees of the Sun, the distance between Sun and Mercury in this eclipse is 12 degrees). We then look to its term ruler, which is also Mercury. We then look to its Triplicity rulers which are Venus (day), the Moon (night) and Mars (participating). Of these three, the Moon is the strongest, and the Moon we have traced back to Jupiter
In the Sun’s domicile, we have Saturn and retrograde Venus. This means that our Virgo Sun has strong jovial tendencies, however it is hampered by both Venus and Saturn.
While it is always prudent to look at the Sun and the Moon in these charts, this chart is clearly dominated by the Moon, and by Jupiter. The Sun has an air of amplified frustration attached to it, while the Moon has an air of dominance attached to it. These properties are important when considering house placements.
So, lets look at this chart for Ypsilanti and Washtenaw County.
The first thing we notice is that the Ascendant of this chart is 29 degrees 57 minutes of Leo, which is 3 arc minutes from the first degree of Virgo. The eclipse has Virgo rising at Bellville and points east, and Leo rising at Willow Run and points west.
The next thing we notice is that this chart has Saturn in the 12th house, but less than a degree form the Ascendant. This means that Saturn is in the first house for points West of Lansing and Jackson.
Basically, this chart has characteristics which make it unique in our little part of the world. We have Leo rising and Saturn in the 12th for this eclipse.
This eclipse will have folks in a buoyant, confident mood, finding great strength in the home and in familiar patterns.
While the mood (Moon) is strong, the actual well being of the people (Ascendant) is in much poorer shape. This produces, all up, a sense of “my-way myopia”, the sense that “my way” is the right way, even if “my world” is falling apart.
The eclipse will also have leaders imposing heavy burdens on the people according to the equal MC chart. The ruler of the MC would be Venus except it is retrograde, which leads us to Saturn as the term ruler. Saturn is in detriment in Leo and is in the 1st MC house. The burden imposed has the potential to generate long-term resentment.
All areas of the US where either Leo or Virgo are rising for this eclipse will experience some disarray and hardship under this eclipse, however the strength of family and core values will keep spirits up. The band of states from Texas to the Dakotas are possibly in for some really difficult times.
More on politics and relationships shortly
Take Care
Rod
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Mars Hoax 4 years running
The Mars Hoax
I got an e-mail this year, for the third consecutive year running, that tells us Mars will be closer to the Earth on August 27, than it has ever been for 60,000 years… one such e-mail even gives the mistaken impression that Mars would look like a full moon.
Yes folks, it is a hoax. It began in 2003, when Mars and Earth did make their closest encounter for 60,000 years or so.
At that time, Mars was particularly bright in the sky, but at no time in recorded history has Mars been close enough to appear as big as the Moon. By our current understanding of celestial mechanics, Mars the size of the Moon is improbable in the extreme. If such a thing were to happen we’d have bigger fish to fry, and an Internet brouhaha would pale in significance.
Snopes has the official line for the debunk.
Right now, if the clouds ever clear, you will see Mars rise at about 1 am in the constellation of Taurus, being the brighter red spot beside Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull) and a little way down from the Pleiades (looks like a string of pearls dropped in the sky above Taurus).
This year, we make our closest run with Mars in the period from November through all of January, during its retrograde transit.
The hoax is harmless enough, but I like to keep the record straight.
Take Care
Rod
I got an e-mail this year, for the third consecutive year running, that tells us Mars will be closer to the Earth on August 27, than it has ever been for 60,000 years… one such e-mail even gives the mistaken impression that Mars would look like a full moon.
Yes folks, it is a hoax. It began in 2003, when Mars and Earth did make their closest encounter for 60,000 years or so.
At that time, Mars was particularly bright in the sky, but at no time in recorded history has Mars been close enough to appear as big as the Moon. By our current understanding of celestial mechanics, Mars the size of the Moon is improbable in the extreme. If such a thing were to happen we’d have bigger fish to fry, and an Internet brouhaha would pale in significance.
Snopes has the official line for the debunk.
Right now, if the clouds ever clear, you will see Mars rise at about 1 am in the constellation of Taurus, being the brighter red spot beside Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull) and a little way down from the Pleiades (looks like a string of pearls dropped in the sky above Taurus).
This year, we make our closest run with Mars in the period from November through all of January, during its retrograde transit.
The hoax is harmless enough, but I like to keep the record straight.
Take Care
Rod
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Little did I know
Little did I know…
When I wrote about the opposition being quiet over this moon (August 12, 2007), I was hesitant to say “silenced” which is implied by Mercury’s square to the MC while very close to the Sun, especially with Mars in Gemini (Mercury’s domain) being ruler of the MC.
So what happened?
In Ypsilanti’s Heritage Festival, the parade is a who’s who of community movers and shakers, a “big day out” for the folks who make up the heart and soul of the city.
In Ypsi’s political landscape, there is a group known as Stop City Income Tax (SCIT) who is a bunch of citizens who are sick to the teeth of the way the city has been run.
This group, like many others, applied for a position in the parade. They were granted that position on August 9th by the co-chair of the committee running the parade. SCIT received their place and their confirmation in writing.
On August 15th, under this new moon, SCIT received a phone call from the Heritage Festival Committee saying that they couldn’t appear in the parade after all, this is, of course, after they had spent $750.00 gearing up for the parade.
The strong implication about town is that City officials leaned on the Committee to have the SCIT folks banned.
In effect, the City silenced their opposition by having them banned from the parade.
As I said in the blog, the “silence” is short lived, and it is my firm belief that this will make the SCIT cause stronger in the long term.
Of course, the lack of a parade presence is not enough to actually silence these folks.
Next time, when it looks like “silenced” maybe I’ll say it instead of the safer, more passive “quiet”.
UPDATE: This move by the Heritage Festival Committee gave SCIT coverage in both the Ann Arbor News and the Detroit Free Press, and they marched in the parade anyway.
The attempt to silence these folks backfired in a big way.
And perhaps that's the true strength of the square between Mercury (which is obscured by the Sun and therefore powerless) and the MC. I doubt that I could have called it this way ahead of time, but it is fascinating to watch it play out.
Take Care
Rod
When I wrote about the opposition being quiet over this moon (August 12, 2007), I was hesitant to say “silenced” which is implied by Mercury’s square to the MC while very close to the Sun, especially with Mars in Gemini (Mercury’s domain) being ruler of the MC.
So what happened?
In Ypsilanti’s Heritage Festival, the parade is a who’s who of community movers and shakers, a “big day out” for the folks who make up the heart and soul of the city.
In Ypsi’s political landscape, there is a group known as Stop City Income Tax (SCIT) who is a bunch of citizens who are sick to the teeth of the way the city has been run.
This group, like many others, applied for a position in the parade. They were granted that position on August 9th by the co-chair of the committee running the parade. SCIT received their place and their confirmation in writing.
On August 15th, under this new moon, SCIT received a phone call from the Heritage Festival Committee saying that they couldn’t appear in the parade after all, this is, of course, after they had spent $750.00 gearing up for the parade.
The strong implication about town is that City officials leaned on the Committee to have the SCIT folks banned.
In effect, the City silenced their opposition by having them banned from the parade.
As I said in the blog, the “silence” is short lived, and it is my firm belief that this will make the SCIT cause stronger in the long term.
Of course, the lack of a parade presence is not enough to actually silence these folks.
Next time, when it looks like “silenced” maybe I’ll say it instead of the safer, more passive “quiet”.
UPDATE: This move by the Heritage Festival Committee gave SCIT coverage in both the Ann Arbor News and the Detroit Free Press, and they marched in the parade anyway.
The attempt to silence these folks backfired in a big way.
And perhaps that's the true strength of the square between Mercury (which is obscured by the Sun and therefore powerless) and the MC. I doubt that I could have called it this way ahead of time, but it is fascinating to watch it play out.
Take Care
Rod
Friday, August 17, 2007
Retrograde Hysteria...
Then, there’s reality…
So, what happens when you HAVE to do something under a retrograde transit, like a friend who is looking for work in a tough job market under the current retrograde Venus, and gets an offer that will keep body and soul together for a while?
You take it.!!! It may not be “the perfect job” but its a whole lot better than no job. With retrograde Venus I’d be cautious about getting too attached to it, but as a job to keep your hand in your career and food on your table, and the word “determination” emblazoned on your résumé, take it!!!
Its not as if any time short of next February is going to be much fun for exciting new opportunities anyway, but February is a long way off if you’re not working!! So take the job, any job, and revisit the career when things are little better.
The retrograde transits are times of “heightened scrutiny” by the planets. Lots of stuff comes to light under these transits, and with Venus it is about values and valuables.
If you are in business, you have to continue to do business, sign contracts, make important decisions and generally continue with your business regardless of what the planets are doing.
Don’t take financial short-cuts under a retrograde Venus. Make sure your transactions happen properly and in order. Make sure the folks you do business with are heading in the same direction. Its all about being aware of what’s going on, its not about putting your life on hold until the planets are more favorable.
There are very few folks in the world who have sufficient independent wealth to be able to put their lives on hold while the planets have an "attack of the vapors"... for the rest of us, it’s a matter of making the best out of what’s available, and being aware of what might happen.
Having said all of that, it is true that I told my buyers agent the dates that I would and would not sign to buy my current house based on retrograde Venus and retrograde Mercury. Am I superstitious? No! But I do know how much this house means to my wife and myself, and I had no intention of signing on a day that would have me question the value of our decision.
I know a midwife who would like to set up a practice. I suggested she hold off until Venus is direct. Midwifery is her life’s work. Setting it up under retrograde Venus would be less than clever. My suggestion? Wait until Venus is in forward motion, and a long way from the Sun. Venus is better in Leo than in Virgo and so forth.
And that is the difference. When a transaction is part of the hum-drum of life, the forward and retrograde motions of the planets give us some insight into how to conduct our business. However, when we are setting up a new venture to which we are deeply attached, it is THEN that we want to make certain of the motions of the planets. The job we get under retro Venus may not be ideal, but it will keep us fed.
I hope this makes sense of what retrogrades mean, and more importantly, what use we can put them to.
Take Care
Rod
So, what happens when you HAVE to do something under a retrograde transit, like a friend who is looking for work in a tough job market under the current retrograde Venus, and gets an offer that will keep body and soul together for a while?
You take it.!!! It may not be “the perfect job” but its a whole lot better than no job. With retrograde Venus I’d be cautious about getting too attached to it, but as a job to keep your hand in your career and food on your table, and the word “determination” emblazoned on your résumé, take it!!!
Its not as if any time short of next February is going to be much fun for exciting new opportunities anyway, but February is a long way off if you’re not working!! So take the job, any job, and revisit the career when things are little better.
The retrograde transits are times of “heightened scrutiny” by the planets. Lots of stuff comes to light under these transits, and with Venus it is about values and valuables.
If you are in business, you have to continue to do business, sign contracts, make important decisions and generally continue with your business regardless of what the planets are doing.
Don’t take financial short-cuts under a retrograde Venus. Make sure your transactions happen properly and in order. Make sure the folks you do business with are heading in the same direction. Its all about being aware of what’s going on, its not about putting your life on hold until the planets are more favorable.
There are very few folks in the world who have sufficient independent wealth to be able to put their lives on hold while the planets have an "attack of the vapors"... for the rest of us, it’s a matter of making the best out of what’s available, and being aware of what might happen.
Having said all of that, it is true that I told my buyers agent the dates that I would and would not sign to buy my current house based on retrograde Venus and retrograde Mercury. Am I superstitious? No! But I do know how much this house means to my wife and myself, and I had no intention of signing on a day that would have me question the value of our decision.
I know a midwife who would like to set up a practice. I suggested she hold off until Venus is direct. Midwifery is her life’s work. Setting it up under retrograde Venus would be less than clever. My suggestion? Wait until Venus is in forward motion, and a long way from the Sun. Venus is better in Leo than in Virgo and so forth.
And that is the difference. When a transaction is part of the hum-drum of life, the forward and retrograde motions of the planets give us some insight into how to conduct our business. However, when we are setting up a new venture to which we are deeply attached, it is THEN that we want to make certain of the motions of the planets. The job we get under retro Venus may not be ideal, but it will keep us fed.
I hope this makes sense of what retrogrades mean, and more importantly, what use we can put them to.
Take Care
Rod
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Astrology August 12, 2007
New Moon
August 12, 2007 7:02:24 pm EDT
Ypsilanti, MI USA
Effective until full moon (eclipse) August 28, 2007
The Sun dominates this chart, being both the sect ruler of the nativity, and in its own domicile, and in the 7th house, and the dispositor of the ascendant ruler (Saturn).
This is a 7th house waxing moon, though it shares its degree with the 8th equal house cusp from the ascendant, throwing some emphasis on the 8th. In the 8th we have Saturn and Venus, closely conjunct, while Venus is retrograde.
There is not much point trying to say something cheerful about retrograde Venus meeting with Saturn. A combination of disappointing values and hard reality in the house of death, intimacy and mysterious behavior is just plain unpleasant.
The individual, and the people as a whole, are both represented by the ascendant, which is in Aquarius and is ruled by Saturn in Leo in the 8th.
The 8th provides the basis for the “rumor mill” discussion in the political post, and for the “intimacy” discussion on the relationships post.
In the MC chart, the New Moon is brought to the 7th cusp, as are Saturn and Venus. The Saturn /Venus conjunction is very tight, and the combination bring an unmistakable air of hard-nosed dryness, the hard light of reality shown on what we thought were our core values. It is this feature in the MC 7th that brings the “values issue” to the attention of the partner in the relationship post, and gives the wise leader pause about being too hasty about the silence of the opposition.
The silence of the opposition is shown by Mercury, who is very close to square the MC in the 7th cusp position, however he is also very close to the Sun, and is therefore overshadowed and overruled by the personalities involved. His strong presence implies calculation behind the scenes. Mars in Mercury’s domicile in the 4th MC house adds to the air of secrecy and covert behavior.
With a generally disgruntled disposition to the ascendant, the people are going to be grumpy and hard to please.
There is a strong possibility that Ypsilanti will lose one or two of its famous “sons or daughters” during this moon.
Jupiter in the 11th Ascendant house adds to the power of the rumor mill, while mars in the 5th opposes it from a position of diminished power.
Jupiter’s position in the 10th MC house makes for a strong couple of weeks for leadership decisions, however the opposition from MC ruler Mars in the 4th should not be ignored, or it will fester into something more damaging.
I hope that the new format makes this a better tool for everyone.
Take care
Rod
Relationships August 12, 2007
Relationships
New Moon
August 12, 2007 7:02:24 pm EDT
Ypsilanti, MI USA
Effective until full moon (eclipse) August 28, 2007
Singles
While the desire to have a fling looks appealing right now, its probably the worst time of all to get into a lasting relationship. There are likely to be a lot of reactionary “flings” from folks in long-standing relationships. Having a little fun is one thing, getting tied up in someone else’s domestic mess is very much another.
Keep it fun. Keep it simple. Keep it happy. Keep it open and on the same page. If it looks like getting complex, drop it like a hot potato.
For those of you looking for “the right one” keep looking until at least September 8. Things are not what they seem right now. There’s not a whole lot of joy on the horizon until February 2008.
Couples
This has been a tough few months for many relationships in the county, and this fortnight is not going to be much different.
Couples of every stripe are going to feel a distinct coldness in the intimacy department. The other partner is likely to feel distant and cool. This is crucially important, because both partners are likely to see it in the other.
Those who are questioning the values of their significant others are going to find the issue is being projected, loud and clear, into the other partners ear. What you thought was a secret gripe, and perhaps even a taboo subject, is about to be dropped into your partner’s lap.
It is best you are prepared for this. Get a grip on the issue, get a firm understanding of what needs to be said, and how you might breach the subject; then watch for the tell-tale signs that your partner knows something’s up.
There is a lot of latitude here for you to handle this gracefully, but it is going to require a bit of work. Avoid strident judgment (You do this or you don’t do that because you are a despicable human being.) Instead, try bringing it down to the basic facts without assuming any motive on the other person’s part. (Something is causing a problem here, and this is what it looks like from my end).
Of course, it takes two to tango, and your partner is likely to have this same type of issue brewing where you are concerned. Be prepared for a judgmental blow about your own behavior, though with any luck, your partner will prefer the non-judgmental style mentioned above.
For couples not in crisis, the general sense of cool in the intimacy department will still be felt for the couple of weeks, you might want to lend a hand to those who are in crisis.
Actions are going to speak louder than words this couple of weeks, finding the common ground between yourself and your partner will be a key to success. The temptation to shoot off at the mouth will cause problems if left unchecked.
Families and businesses
The same things apply in business and families as they do in personal relationships, however the issues are less likely to be about values and love, and more likely to be about money and malfeasance.
There are issues, which are usually private, that are about to come out into the open, and there are discussions to be had around boardroom tables and dining room tables alike.
Again I will iterate, avoid strident judgments. Each person needs to get their own perspective out in the open without passing judgment, or assuming they know the motives of another. Those leading the discussion need to bring a consensus of group mind, but the wise will avoid taking action unless the situation is crystal clear, and the action absolutely necessary.
Take Care
Rod
New Moon
August 12, 2007 7:02:24 pm EDT
Ypsilanti, MI USA
Effective until full moon (eclipse) August 28, 2007
Singles
While the desire to have a fling looks appealing right now, its probably the worst time of all to get into a lasting relationship. There are likely to be a lot of reactionary “flings” from folks in long-standing relationships. Having a little fun is one thing, getting tied up in someone else’s domestic mess is very much another.
Keep it fun. Keep it simple. Keep it happy. Keep it open and on the same page. If it looks like getting complex, drop it like a hot potato.
For those of you looking for “the right one” keep looking until at least September 8. Things are not what they seem right now. There’s not a whole lot of joy on the horizon until February 2008.
Couples
This has been a tough few months for many relationships in the county, and this fortnight is not going to be much different.
Couples of every stripe are going to feel a distinct coldness in the intimacy department. The other partner is likely to feel distant and cool. This is crucially important, because both partners are likely to see it in the other.
Those who are questioning the values of their significant others are going to find the issue is being projected, loud and clear, into the other partners ear. What you thought was a secret gripe, and perhaps even a taboo subject, is about to be dropped into your partner’s lap.
It is best you are prepared for this. Get a grip on the issue, get a firm understanding of what needs to be said, and how you might breach the subject; then watch for the tell-tale signs that your partner knows something’s up.
There is a lot of latitude here for you to handle this gracefully, but it is going to require a bit of work. Avoid strident judgment (You do this or you don’t do that because you are a despicable human being.) Instead, try bringing it down to the basic facts without assuming any motive on the other person’s part. (Something is causing a problem here, and this is what it looks like from my end).
Of course, it takes two to tango, and your partner is likely to have this same type of issue brewing where you are concerned. Be prepared for a judgmental blow about your own behavior, though with any luck, your partner will prefer the non-judgmental style mentioned above.
For couples not in crisis, the general sense of cool in the intimacy department will still be felt for the couple of weeks, you might want to lend a hand to those who are in crisis.
Actions are going to speak louder than words this couple of weeks, finding the common ground between yourself and your partner will be a key to success. The temptation to shoot off at the mouth will cause problems if left unchecked.
Families and businesses
The same things apply in business and families as they do in personal relationships, however the issues are less likely to be about values and love, and more likely to be about money and malfeasance.
There are issues, which are usually private, that are about to come out into the open, and there are discussions to be had around boardroom tables and dining room tables alike.
Again I will iterate, avoid strident judgments. Each person needs to get their own perspective out in the open without passing judgment, or assuming they know the motives of another. Those leading the discussion need to bring a consensus of group mind, but the wise will avoid taking action unless the situation is crystal clear, and the action absolutely necessary.
Take Care
Rod
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