Have You Investigated Chiron in Retrograde This Summer?

Chiron

We often overlook the power of the asteroid Chiron. Discovered in 1979, this dynamo, named for a powerful centaur (half man-half horse) holds domain over the activities of youth. Astrologically his assignment is to make us away of deep wound buried deep within from youth or before. Locating Chiron in your chart forces you to place a finger on pain that you would rather forget but through which you must transcend in order to heal.

Chiron turned retrograde in early June and will remain in that backward motion in Pisces until November 10. All retrogrades are times to go within and be sure that we are respecting the work that planet requests of us. Retrograde in Pisces, Chiron is asking us to address spiritual wounds.

Look at your own chart and see if Pisces is interacting with one of your natal planets. That adds another level of awareness. Chiron on Mercury directs you to look at your thoughts and words, where a Chiron Venus intersection speaks to creativity and sexuality.

We have a long time of retrograde reflection.  If you are unsure of the Chironic impact on your chart, contact me

The Lincoln-Obama Karmic Connection

As an evolutionary astrologer, the first thing I look for when I start a chart interpretation is the nodal axis. This is the line between the North and the South Nodes. These nodes are actually invisible markings on the Moon where the orbit of the Moon crosses the ecliptic, the path of the planets around the Sun and the Sun’s path on the celestial sphere. I know that can be confusing, but do you remember when you learned about the Earth’s axis in grade school? The Earth rotates around the Sun on that invisible line. Well, the Moon’s nodes are a similar axis. However, for those of us born on Earth, those nodes pack a wealth of knowledge about our past lives and where our soul is looking to progress in this lifetime.

The South Node indicates our karmic past, the influences from those past lives playing out in this lifetime. We will see natural tendencies – things that come easily – in the South Node but also “karmic addictions.”

The North Node indicates where the universe is pushing us to move…where we should be going in this lifetime. Nothing tells me more about someone’s personality, their roadblocks and their karmic gifts then interpreting the Nodes, the rulers of those Nodes and aspects they make to other planets.

When President Obama launched his presidential bid on a freezing February morning at the Old State Capitol Springfield, Illinois where Lincoln delivered the famous “house divided against itself speech” was he just employing brilliant political stagecraft or was he subconsciously harking back to his own “mystic cords of memory?” It was a bit of both. I was always intrigued with the idea that Obama was the reincarnated soul of Abraham Lincoln. What better way to finish his work so terribly cut short then by becoming the first African American President?

It is of interest that both Lincoln and Barack Obama came to national awareness from a political base in Illinois. (Although Obama achieved something Lincoln never could, that is, win a seat in the United States Senate. Lincoln tried for the Senate and was defeated twice. He came to the White House after serving just one term in the U.S. House of Representatives to a chorus of his opponents foretelling the dire consequences of having a novice at the helm at such a dangerous time.) The fact that one transformational speech propelled each to prominence, Obama at the 2004 Democratic Convention, Lincoln at the 1860 Young Men’s Republican Union at Cooper Union Hall is also informative. However, evolutionary Astrology relies on more than just “coincidences” between two figures. Without strong correlations between their charts, without a soul connection, we have nothing more than a list of interesting factoids. #. The proof must be in the stars and their birth charts.

Abraham Lincoln was born on a stormy Sunday morning, February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky around 2:00 AM.  President Obama was born in Honolulu on August 4, 1961 at 7:24 PM (see charts below.)

President Obama’s South Node would need to correlate to Lincoln’s life force with either his Sun or rising sign energy. It does not disappoint. His South Node is in Aquarius in the first house. Abraham Lincoln born on Feb 12 had his Sun in Aquarius. Therefore, his South Node – Barack’s immediate past life force was in Aquarius – correlating exactly to Lincoln’s Sun energy. He was in his immediate past life a person who was born under the Sun sign of Aquarius. That is two direct connections to Abraham Lincoln. Adding an extra connection is it’s placement in the first house. The first house is what has the most influence on our personality- it shows how we project in the world. Someone with a strong first house is someone with a unique personality. Well he has been dead for over 150 years and everyone still knows who Lincoln was. I would say that is pretty darn unique!

Can we reverse the process and look at Lincoln’s North Node to find another correlation with President Obama? We can and it too works. Lincoln’s North Node is in Scorpio, and on President Obama’s chart, Scorpio “opens” the 10th house – the house of government and authority figures. Lincoln’s soul was progressing toward a Scorpio experience. Lincoln’s North Node was in the 11th house – the house dealing with cultivating unique and revolutionary group activities in the social and political arenas. It is safe to say that his soul using the Obama existence is getting to know what is like to move people in a revolutionary group force to change government. He held the Union together now he wants to continue by bringing much needed change to the way it operates.

Just as President Lincoln had a very strong third house – the house of mental ability and communication, President Obama has a powerful conjunction of Vesta, Ceres and the Moon there. This placement signifies the ability to dedicate the self to nurturing people through his ability to express himself emotionally.

These factors when added to the similarities and coincidences joining each man’s life, including the early loss of a Mother and distance from a father, spell out a soul connection. President Obama has Saturn in the 12th house as did Lincoln but its conjunction with expansive optimistic Jupiter mitigates its more negative aspects. He also shares Mars in the eighth with Lincoln, which does not make me happy. However, it is in a less volatile sign of Virgo and there is no negative interception with Uranus.
It is amusing to see that this time around Obama got a Harvard education. It was one of Abraham Lincoln’s great shames that he had a backwoods education so much, so that he forced his eldest son Robert, to go to Harvard and Harvard Law School, although he did not finish the latter. One of the many battles Robert had with his parents was over there constant pressure to get the education not available to them. Barack made it to Harvard Law School and became the first African American President of the “Harvard Law Review.”

Their North and South nodes correlate perfectly. Barack Obama has the karmic benefit of the education Lincoln craved and an even stronger communication house in an incarnation at the time of mass and instant media. He also thankfully has Venus, the archetype of the ancient goddess of love and beauty in the5th house in Moon Child a much less ominous placement than Lincoln’s warrior god of Mars. It is no wonder Barack Obama dreamed of being President when he was in kindergarten. He was cannot wait to get back to work.

Venus, Jupiter, Regulus, A Capricorn Moon and One Extra Second TODAY

If you have a clear sky tonight, look to the West to see Jupiter and Venus “together” (just a couple of million miles apart but in the universe that is together.) The two are in a universal race and we get to watch. However, we know who will win, as Venus is a lot faster than Jupiter and has a much smaller path on the ecliptic to travel – it really is not fair. Thus is the way of the universe. Both are in the flamboyant constellation of Leo and the goal of the race is the star Regulus. (You might be able to see all three of them in the next few days depending on how clear the sky above you is.) Regulus is the brightest star in constellation Leo. I will let you do a little astrological interpretation this time. Venus, goddess of love, creativity and expression and Jupiter, the expansionist, the seeker, the love of growth and knowledge are dancing together in Leo. Leo loves center stage, loves creativity and loves to put a stamp on the world. Don’t forget Regulus, the brightest star in this bold constellation.

How do you interpret the energy in the sky today? In a phrase, I would say – go for it. Look at where Venus and Jupiter are in your birth chart. What house are they in, what are those houses calling you do? Do you have any retrogrades around these planets, are they in retrograde? Are there any negative aspects in your chart in need of a boost of this positive, creative, growth energy?

There is no better time than now. Remember we have one extra second today too! Do not let it go to waste! I

f that is not enough for you, Wednesday will be a full Capricorn Moon. While Capricorn can be too restrictive – think of that energy as helping you make a plan for this creative growth and expansion. Capricorn loves a plan while Jupiter can go off a bit willy-nilly. Spend some time outdoors tonight! Feel the wonderful energy.

Standing Still in the Solstice

We get the name “solstice” from the Latin sōlstitium, meaning to stand still. It is on that day, this year June 21 at 12:39 AM Eastern, that the Sun “climbs” to the highest Northern point, 231/2 degrees from the equator to the aptly named Tropic of Cancer. From there it seems to take a rest, to stand stationary in the sky for a while, before beginning its journey south again. Of course, we know we are moving around the Sun (except for the 20 percent of Americans who still think the Earth is the center of the universe), but it was the appearance of climbing than rest that lead the ancients to call this day the Solstice.

It is at the Solstice that the Sun moves into the constellation of Cancer. Yes, the Sun does move in the galaxy just not around us! Hence, that high point above the equator that marks the Suns highest journey north is the Tropic of Cancer. I love when we bring the universe closer to home and are more in touch with its movements.

The Sun will begin his downward movement back to the equator for the Equinox and then Southward to the Tropic of Capricorn – 23 ½ degrees South of the equator for the Winter Solstice.

Of course, if you are below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere, then this June equinox is the beginning of winter!

Look at Venus and Jupiter

VenusThey are so close to one another in the Western sky in the spicy constellation of Leo! Throughout the month of June, they will be playing tag with one another and be as close together as possible on June 30 – July 1. If you live in an area without a lot of light pollution, be sure to look for them shining brightly all month.

It is the time to fire up the creativity, the love, the romance the money making avenues. All of these arenas are under the domain of Venus, the ancient goddess of love and creativity. (Yes, Venus likes money – diamonds are a girl’s best friend after all.)  If you have been thinking about approaching someone or taking up a new artistic project and it has been stuck in that thinking mode, now is the time to push it into high gear.

Jupiter rules our spiritual, philosophical and religious growth. When combined with Venus, she pushes us to find new creative spiritual avenues. Is this the time to take the weekend course in journaling? Or perhaps you want to spend the weekend in the warm June air, drawing the sky or planting a sacred garden. Do not limit yourself. There is nothing big, expansive Jupiter hates when we box her in.

Kick in that imagination!

The sky – no the universe – is the limit.

Not done with Saturn in Scorpio?

No worries, it will retrograde back into Scorpio from its current position of zero degrees Sagittarius on June 14 and will stay there until August 1. Poor Saturn, he gets the blame for so much in Astrology. He is the old taskmaster – the bad guy who makes us eat our broccoli. (I happen to love broccoli but you get the picture.) Saturn says, do your homework, clean you room, get it together, keep working and keep your eye on the goal.

moon_full_moon_clouds_veil

In retrograde, Saturn brings a larger dose of guilt and self-doubt.  It is when we “should all over ourselves.” I should do this and that better, I should meet that deadline, I should work harder, etc. Our fears of letting others down or of not filling our responsibilities – can get a bit out of control.

When this happens in Scorpio, we beat ourselves up about and face consequences regarding, money, personal resources, power, and relationships.

So this could be the summer of beating ourselves up OR we can take a quick assessment of these areas. Am I handling my money well, am I saving, and I overspending? Am I in control of and using my power wisely? Do it now and then tell Saturn I am spending my summer at the pool because I did my homework!

Full Sagittarius Moon – Grab a Book

If you are on the East Coast – the Moon is now full – it went full at 12: 19 PM on June 2.  With the Sun in Gemini, the Moon is in the opposite sign of Sagittarius. The Gemini-Sagittarius axis is one of learning and communication. Gemini wants to grab the headlines and keep moving and Sagittarius is all about sitting down with a reference book and gleaning every drop of information.  This Moon passage is all about balancing those two urges.

Keeping in mind that Gemini’s ruler, Mercury, is still in retrograde, I am opting on the side of deep learning. Use this Full Moon to work on gathering deep knowledge on a topic that you may have long been avoiding.– Sagittarius is the seeker of truth and will go to the ends of the universe to find it.

The challenge she hands to Gemini is not just skim the “bold text” but go deep, find perspective, analyze the details and facts and see things from many sides. Find that book, take up that course; you can even read them by the light of full Moon with the lovely name of “strawberry moon” because it is the time of strawberry picking!

Mercury will be retrograde from May 18 to June 11 in the sign of Gemini

Yes, I said those dreaded words – Mercury in retro in her ruling planet. (Cue the spooky music.) However, I want to look at this in a different way – one without fear. Maybe we need a time to break away from communications and find another form of entertainment. We are so hyper-connected, we live and die by the computer, the phone, the — you name it. Maybe Mercury needs to make our communications go a bit loco for a bit just to remind us that there is a world beyond our screens. So those missed messages and appointments and computer episodes can be the universes way of telling us to walk away from all of that and go take a walk in the May air!

Be on guard for the “loose lip syndrome” during this time. This happens when you reply to the wrong email and or thinking you are talking to someone and you are really addressing someone else.  Take that also as a call to walk away, breath and enjoy other aspects of life!

 

 

GET YOUR TAURUS ON – May 16

The Moon will join the Sun in Taurus and will be making a flowing aspect to Neptune. If you have been hiding those paints, embroidery needles or any other artistic material under the bed with the promise that you will bring them to light on that illusive “someday,” now is the time to rescue them.

 

mixed media: colored pencil with watercolorcourtesy of Arlenew.com

Ruled by the creative muse, Venus, Taurus knows how to make the world prettier, whether in the house or in the garden. Neptune loves photography and is no slouch in any creative arena. Use her ability to escape reality to dream up the image of what you want to achieve. You can find the perfect spot for the rosebush. Yes, you can close your eyes and image the perfect color for the blanket you are crocheting. Dream it – believe it – make it. You have Venus on your side.

Scorpio Full Moon – May 3 –

With the Sun in Taurus, the sign of comfort, values, resources and self-worth – and the Moon at its fullest in Scorpio, the great transformer – it is a perfect time to contemplate value. What do you value? What is your value? Do you value yourself enough or too much, perhaps?

Because Jupiter will still be in fiery Leo and forming a T Square to the Sun and Moon, we can take this to a deeper level. This will activate our desire to question spiritual and religious values. Therefore, our questions need to revolve around beliefs. Are they antiquated for you now or do they still service your inner needs?

Perhaps the best question to ask this full Moon is – What is sacred to me? It can’t be any easier than that!