February 2017 – Joan Porte

How Do Planets Get Their Names

Let’s take a moment away from universal problems and look at the way planets and their moons get their names.

Once the dominance of the Arabic era over Science ended, stars received the names of classical gods. Asteroids, initially thought to be stars, received feminized names of gods when the distinctions between the two became clear.

Moons of most planets have the names of the Greek counterparts to the Roman gods. The exception? Anyone versed in Astrology knows it has to be quirky Uranus. Only Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, have the names of Shakespearean characters. John Herschel, son of Uranus’ discoverer William Herschel is responsible for this diversion. We know how rebellious Uranus can be!

We name comets after their discoverer or a person the discoverer designates. However, they always receive names of a person.

Speaking of Lunar Eclipses…Trump was born on Lunar Eclipse

We just experienced a lunar eclipse on Friday. Astrologically, eclipses galvanize energy. During a lunar eclipse the Sun is on one Node and the Moon conjunct the other making the spiritual and emotional karmic energy in the chart extremely intense. The North Node indicates the soul lessons we should be learning in this lifetime. The South Node shows our past life or karmic indicators.

A person born on a lunar eclipse should study the balance between the rational element of their personality and that which is emotional. Born with the Moon conjunct the South Node, a person faces the necessity to balance the emotion nature they used with great ease in the past. Are those emotional energies stuck in the past or are they moving forward?

Since the eclipse is Lunar, the Moon takes a prominent role. Either the person will be rocketed out of the past emotional patterns or embrace them more deeply. It is better to use the energy of the eclipse during your lifetime to learn new emotional responses to boost you into new awareness.

That brings me to Donald Trump who was born during a lunar eclipse with the Moon just one degree away from his south Node. Raised with privilege and advantages, he had the opportunity to explore, learn and reevaluate his base emotional responses. Coming from lifetimes of Sagittarius he is used to telling people close to him that he knows how to take care of their needs. In fact, his entire campaign mantra of “I alone know” how to do any number of things was a testimony to his past lives.

Of course, the universe wants us to move forward. There is evidence that at one point Trump was much more progressive. However, he knew that he could only gain his ultimate prize, the presidency, by becoming the authoritarian leader so beloved by the evangelical Republican base. By reverting to that emotional safety of his South Node, Sagittarius and repeating past life patterns of being the one who has all of the knowledge, he did succeed.

Was his decision beneficial for his soul progression? Hardly. Reverting to our South Node, stops all lessons and growth. Was his decision beneficial for this incarnation? It depends on your measure of success. He won what he sought. However, at what cost and ramifications? Sadly, we are about to find out.

Friday – Lunar Eclipse – Time of Action:

This Friday February 10, the Earth will position directly between the Sun and Moon causing a lunar eclipse. This is a penumbral eclipse meaning the Moon will go through the outer band of the shadow of Earth caused by the eclipse. An umbral eclipse is deeper but all lunar eclipses are a time to initiation action.

Astrologically, an eclipse is a time of activation. We need to go inside – to the dark side, if you will – and understand where we are stuck. Whatever mechanism you use to get in touch with your inner fears and knowledge work to help you understand where the stagnant energy resides.

For this eclipse the Moon is in Leo, the sign of creative emergence. Leo wants attention and asks you to express your creative, productive and sexual energy in a way that makes an impact. Whatever house your Moon transits during the eclipse illustrates where you can improve. For me the Moon will be the tenth house, the house that pushes us into the government and social arena. With all of the protesting I have been doing, this surprised me but obviously, I need to hone that energy even more – and I believe it is being less scattershot in my protest. I need that Leo energy of the Sun to direct my approach as sharply and direct as one of its rays.

Knowing the house placement of your transiting Moon during this eclipse will help bring you to a place of positive action.

People in Eastern North America, and all of Central and South America, will have the best view of the eclipse. The Moon will “rise” at 5:33 PM Eastern time. You should be able to see it dim and turn gray as the full eclipse occurs.