New Moon on Monday Astrology

I’ve been planning to get back to my blog with the Vernal Equinox for a long time, and that included putting a daily birthday/astro-information up on my facebook page.  Of course I never actually looked and planned ahead to find a good birthday to use first.  

A couple of days ago, I decided Holly Hunter would be an awesome person to start up again with.  She’s all feisty and forward and a fantastic example of a haute Aries but …. . we don’t know what time she was born.  She was born on March 20, but the Sun spent part of that day in Pisces, and part of it in Aries.  

So I look at the Astrodatabank.  Plenty of great people to use for the birthday thing:  Mr. Rogers.  Mr. goddamn Rogers!  Except… we do know what time he was born and it was on March 20, but when the Sun was still in Pisces.  Anybody remotely interesting:  same thing.  

People born on the cusp aren’t just “cuspy”.  They are born in one sign or another.  The Sun moved into Aries at 4:02 am this morning (pacific daylight time, that would be 7:02 am on the east coast). So babies born between 12:00 and 4:01 am would have a Pisces Sun, and anybody born after that, an Aries Sun.  The Sun is always in one sign or another.  

I have a wonderful friend whose birthday is today.  Talk about feisty.  And fun and rad and full of energy and always moving, forward, go go go.  She spent her whole life thinking she was a Pisces, and that wasn’t making too much sense.  She’s an Aries of course, born on March 20, but after the Vernal Equinox had arrived. (Sometimes the Sun even waits til March 21 to change signs, that’s why you see the dates of the signs fluctuate in horoscope columns.) 

I also have friends who thought they were one sign their whole lives and then found out that no, actually they were the other one.  A Scorpio who thought she was, and fully identified being, a freewheelin’ Sagittarius this entire time.  A Gemini who believed he was a totally comfortable Taurus, completely dumbfounded that he was supposed to be this talkative, double-sided, completely different way.  

(In both cases, they have their Mercury in the previous sign, and so their thought processes are very Sagittarian and Taurean, respectively.  It makes perfect sense they’d identify with the sign of their Mercury - Mercury represents how you think and communicate.)   

If you were born on the cusp, and know what time you were born, it’s cake to go to astro.com and find out whether you’re one sign or another.  Choose sides.  

X 

22 December 2011

Jupiter represents expansion. 

It’s big and buoyant and generous and ready for anything.  Jupiter brings growth to the planets and points it touches.  That can mean luck but also just exaggeration. 

Jupiter is always optimistic. 

The glyph for Jupiter is the crescent of spirit over the cross of matter: 

Jupiter rules Sagittarius, the 9th sign, and the 9th House, which is the House of higher education, foreign travel, philosophy, experience and beliefs.  Religion falls in the 9th House.  So does Rock and Roll. 

Jupiter typically spends about a year in each sign, and begins a new cycle every 12 years.  Your Jupiter Return, the beginning of the cycle is always an auspicious time. 

Jupiter in your chart shows where you do things way big.  It can also be where you’re lucky - not necessarily in windfall ways, but where it seems like something’s always looking out for you.  But remember, that luck can easily be turned into exacerbation of a problem if the energy is directed in the wrong ways. 

Since Jupiter typically spends a year travelling through each sign, people who were born in the same year will most likely have Jupiter in the same sign.  

Here are some absolutely oversimplified ways Jupiter might manifest through the signs or houses: 

Jupiter in Aries (or the 1st House): Big Personality

Jupiter in Taurus (or the 2nd House): Expensive Taste

Jupiter in Gemini (or the 3rd House): Big Talker

Jupiter in Cancer (or the 4th House): Big House

Jupiter in Leo (or the 5th House): Epic Creativity

Jupiter in Virgo (or the 6th House): Health Nut and/or Hyper-Organized

Jupiter in Libra (or the 7th House): Epic Romance

Jupiter in Scorpio (or the 8th House): Big Inheritance

Jupiter in Sagittarius (or the 9th House): Big Adventure

Jupiter in Capricorn (or the 10th House): Big Responsibility

Jupiter in Aquarius (or the 11th House): Utopian Beliefs

Jupiter in Pisces (or the 12th House): Epic Empathy

Right now Jupiter is about to turn from retrograde to forward motion at the first degree of Taurus- more about that tomorrow.  Jupiter will remain in Taurus until June of 2012. Wherever (what House) Taurus is located in your chart is where you’re about to see a big growth in your circumstances. 

Get Lucky, 

Adeline

21 December 2011

The SUN enters CAPRICORN tonight at 9:30 pm (pacific standard time). 

Capricorn is the Cardinal Earth sign. It’s ambitious and conservative and it likes results.  Ruled by Saturn, Capricorn is sober and serious - but it also has a wonderfully sarcastic side. Capricorns can be some of the funniest people you know.  

Capricorn rules the 10th House - the house of reputation and career and authority figures.  It’s very concerned with success, and it wants to demonstrate that success in outward ways.  Capricorn is all about working hard to achieve things.  Capricorn earns it. But Capricorn also has a slightly magical side.  It’s represented by the Sea Goat, a creature from fairy tales. It’s just incredibly choosy about who it shares that with.  

Here are some absolutely oversimplified ways planets and points might manifest when they fall in Capricorn (or the 10th House, or have significant contact with Saturn):

The Sun: Most Likely to Succeed

The Moon: Serious Side

Mercury: Conserves Words

Venus: Natural (Earthy) Beauty

Mars: Workaholic

Jupiter: Hard Luck

Saturn: Great Expectations

Uranus: Question Authority  *Uranus was in Capricorn between 1988 and 1996 - so if you were born during those years you probably have this placement.  

Neptune: Blurred Boundaries *Neptune was in Capricorn between 1985 and 1998 so if you were born during those years you most likely have this placement.

Pluto: Fixing the Cracks… Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008.  Before that, it hadn’t been in the sign since the American Revolution.  Pluto in Capricorn has everything to do with the things our world has been going through these past four years, especially the money stuff.  Lots more on that to come. 

Hold Your Head Up High, 

Adeline

‘

14 December 2011

Here’s Keef and Mick.  

Mick’s a Leo, Keith’s a Sagittarius.  Leo and Sagittarius are both Fire signs, and Fire has everything to do with rock and roll.  

Fire signs are passionate.  They’re creative and warm and generous and spirited.  They can be self-centered, they’ve got spark, they’re, you know… fiery.   

Leo’s the Fixed Fire sign.  It’s prideful.  It’s ruled by the Sun and it Gets Seen.  Mick Jagger’s the epitome of the Leo vibe.  Mick even struts when he sits.  

Sagittarius is the Mutable Fire sign.  It’s adventurous.  It’s ruled by Jupiter and it wants to experience things.  Sagittarius goes All the Way.   Keith Richards is a rad example of a Sagittarius.  He’s L I V I N.  

There are three signs of each element: one Cardinal, one Fixed, and one Mutable.  (3 Qualities x 4 Elements = 12 signs). 

Aries is the Cardinal Fire sign.  It’s Impulsive.  It’s ruled by Mars and it pushes past whatever it has to.  Aries does not fuck around.  Aretha Franklin is an Aries, so is Elton John.  

The three Fire signs have plenty in common, but they express it in different ways.

Back to the Stones:  Brian Jones was a Pisces (duh.), Charlie Watts and Ron Wood are both Geminis (the opposite sign to Keith’s Sagittarius), Mick Taylor is a Capricorn and Bill Wyman’s a Scorpio.  

LIVIN, 

Adeline

7 December 2011

Mercury is the messenger.  That’s a role that can take lots of forms:  journalists, postmen, bike messengers, anyone with information is a Mercury figure.  

Mercury is asexual, it is not completely feminine or masculine.  The astrological glyph for Mercury is just like Venus, with a hat: 

Mercury rules the 3rd House of Communication.  The 3rd House is also where you find your most familiar environment: your siblings and neighbors and the borough where you live.  That also includes elementary education and short-distance travel, calculators, computers and cars - things we use every day.  Mercury talks, it learns, it’s curious. 

Mercury spends anywhere from a few weeks to two months in a sign.  Mercury travels very close to the Sun at all times.  It speeds up and gets ahead from time to time, and slows way down and gets behind at least three times a year, but it’s never more than one sign away from the Sun.  The conjunction is the only aspect Mercury can ever make to the Sun. In a birth chart, you either have Sun conjunct Mercury, or you don’t. 

Mercury in your chart shows how you communicate.  

Here are some absolutely oversimplified ways Mercury might manifest through the signs: 

Mercury in Aries speaks before it thinks. 

Mercury in Taurus is slow to speak. 

Mercury in Gemini talks with its hands. 

Mercury in Cancer is gentle and introverted. 

Mercury in Leo is dramatic, every communication can be a display. 

Mercury in Virgo is grammatically correct. 

Mercury in Libra is social.  It’s a charmer, but somewhat superficial. 

Mercury in Scorpio (or in close aspect to Pluto) is investigative, it digs deep. 

Mercury in Sagittarius (or in close aspect to Jupiter) is loud and candid. It tells the Truth. 

Mercury in Capricorn (or in close aspect to Saturn) is reserved, it spends its words wisely. 

Mercury in Aquarius is smart and strange. 

Mercury in Pisces sees beneath the surface of things.  

*

Mercury is in the middle of a Retrograde at the moment.  Mercury slows down three-four times a year just before moving in apparent reverse motion for three weeks at at time.  Remember, Mercury has to do with our most immediate environment. Mercury Retrogrades are times to slow down, go back and retrace our steps so that we can firm up details.  They actually work to our benefit once we get past the frustration. Mercury will return to forward motion on December 13.  

If you think of the planets as archetypes, as characters in a movie or a play - Mars is the macho guy.  He’s the strong buff warrior, he’s male to the max.  The universal symbol for “man” is the same as the glyph for Mars: 

Mars rules Aries, the first sign, and the 1st House of Self.  Mars is me me me.  Mars knows what it wants and sets out to get it.  Mars is energy and muscles and super fast cars.  Mars is anger and sharp things and sex drive and blood.  Mars is impulsive, Mars moves.  

Mars typically spends about two months in each sign* and takes about two years to complete a tour of the zodiac.  Mars is pure energy, gumption, motivation.  If you focus your energy wherever Mars is travelling through your chart at any given time, you’re sure to get the good results. 

Mars is slower than the rest of the personal planets, but it’s still a personal planet. Where Mars is in your birth chart shows not only where you tend to put your energy, but also how you go about getting the things you desire.  Mars in combination with other planets in your birth chart can bring conflict, but also enormous drive and spark.  Ie.  if you have Mars conjunct your Moon in your birth chart, you might have incredibly impulsive emotions, or angry emotions.  If you have Mars trine Jupiter you might have infinite reserves of energy to use toward building your own personal empire. 

Again, Mars in a personal birth chart shows how a person goes about getting what they want.  Venus attracts, Mars courts.  It also shows what kind of temper you have.  

Here are some absolutely oversimplified ways Mars might manifest through the signs:

In ARIES, Mars has an impulsive temper and tends to show off to get what it wants. 

In TAURUS, Mars is slow and steady and subtle - but doesn’t let go until it gets what it wants. 

In GEMINI, Mars has more of an intellectual temperament and uses wit and intellect to get what it wants. 

In CANCER, Mars has a subdued temper, it protects and cares for what it wants. 

In LEO, Mars has a dramatic temperament and is beyond generous with what it wants. 

In VIRGO, Mars is careful.  It tries to make things perfect for what it wants. 

In LIBRA, Mars has a balanced temperament and becomes the perfect match for what what it wants in order to get it. 

In SCORPIO (or in close aspect to Pluto), Mars is intense and probing. It finds out absolutely everything about what it wants, and then devises a scheme to get it. 

In SAGITTARIUS (or in close aspect to Jupiter), Mars is enthusiastic, it makes big moves. 

In CAPRICORN (or in close aspect to Saturn), Mars is ambitious and works to get what it wants. 

In AQUARIUS (or in close aspect to the planet Uranus), Mars is kind of a contrarian. It does whatever it wants to get what it wants (and lots of the time, it works).

In PISCES (or in close aspect to Neptune), Mars seems to have a weaker temperament, but it can also have enormous spiritual energy and drive.  Mars in Pisces morphs into the thing it wants.  

*Mars is currently in Virgo for an overextended, 8 month stay (due to a retrograde that begins in mid-January).  Mars Retrogrades only once every couple of years and, for me at least, it always seems more noticeable than when other planets Retrograde.  Keep your eyes out.  Venus, too, only retrogrades every couple of years and will be doing so in the Spring of 2012.  

/AL

22 November 2011

The SUN moves into SAGITTARIUS at 8:08 am (pacific standard time). 

Sagittarius is the Mutable Fire sign.  Sagittarius is all about adventure and experience and exploring and the great outdoors.  Sagittarius is one of the most independent, freedom loving, freewheelin’ signs of the zodiac.  Ruled by Jupiter, Sagittarius wants to be everywhere.  It’s associated with preachiness and sportsmanship, and if you ask me, it’s totally about the rock and roll. Sagittarius is loud and free and not at all the kind of energy people don’t notice.  

Sagittarius rules the 9th House, the House of higher education, foreign travel, philosophy and beliefs.  Sagittarius is faith and the glass half full.  Sagittarius is all about the journey and the good times. 

Here are some absolutely oversimplified ways planets might manifest when they fall in Sagittarius (or the 9th House, or when they have significant contact with Jupiter, the sign that rules Sagittarius): 

The Sun:  Student of Life.  

The Moon:  Needs to be Free.  

Mercury: Blunt Words. 

Venus: Loves Adventure

Mars: Desires Adventure

Jupiter: Hot Air Balloon

Saturn: Strict Beliefs

Uranus: Freedom Lovin’ Humanitarian.  (The planet Uranus was in Sagittarius from 1981 to 1988 so it’s likely a lot of you have this placement.  It just occurred to me you might be the generation that helps save us all… )

Neptune: Loud Art.  (Neptune was in Sagittarius from 1970 to 1985 so yeah, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you have Neptune in Sagittarius, as do I.  Neptune in Sagittarius = the children of the Baby Boomers)

Pluto: Destruction and Rebirth of Beliefs …This is a hard one, because it’s so close.  Pluto was in Sagittarius from 1996 through 2008 - so we’ve all just gone through it together.  But think about the way the world was in 1996 compared to 12 years later. I think it’s fair to say we were all a whole hell of a lot more optimistic (Sagittarius) before the transit of Pluto through Sagittarius.  (The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland… ). George W. and  9/11 happened during this time, and that transformed (Pluto) everything we believed in (Sagittarius).  It was also connected to religious beliefs (Sagittarius).  Speaking of “beliefs”, pop-metaphysics like The Secret and What the Bleep do We Know also had some epic success with Pluto (power) in Sagittarius (beliefs). *Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008 in ways that are completely obvious (the transformation (Pluto) of the Establishment (Capricorn). 

Bon Voyage, 

Adeline