Rules with no absolutes

by with 2 Comments Astrological InsightsAstrology and me

I thought that with the approaching retrogradation of Venus (December 19, the same day of the full moon), I could write a little about planetary dignities and relationships.

As usual, I can’t help but observe astrology playing out through my life and perspective. In fact, one of the things that excites me most about the subject is this: being a kind of lens which enables the extraction of meaning.

Some kind of mining meaning?!

Anyway,

It is commonly said that planets in the opposite sign of its rulership or exaltation are in a sort of ‘bad’ placement (for example when the Moon is in Scorpio or Mars in Taurus etc). I have been reflecting on that these days, particularly on how much I disagree with this idea.

I always go on and on about this with my students and fellow astrologers, that you can never tell how an astrology chart will be played out by its owner.

(I was going to write ‘until you meet them’, but not even then I don’t think.)

Human beings are complex creatures, and we might express the inherent symbolism in our charts differently at different times, or in different ways with different people, etc. There is no absolutes and no way to tell anything ‘for sure’ really.

I believe that astrological symbols are best used (when reading a person’s chart) as a way to brainstorm potential meaning rather than narrowing down into absolutes.

So here is an example from my experience to express my point.

Not long ago I was going out with someone who had natal Mars in Scorpio, a planet considered very powerfully placed in the sign of its rulership. That Mars did conjoin Pluto, that is true, but other than that, it only aspected Venus and Sun by sextile, so not massively debilitated.

Anyway, the individual in question did not have an ‘accomplished life’ in a traditional sense, did not harness his discipline (although being a Capricorn Sun as well!) and his trajectory was also somewhat chaotic (perhaps having his chart ruler conjoined Neptune had its influence here too).

The second individual I would like to mention had natal Mars in Cancer, the sign of its fall. This position has a bad rap and there is usually plenty of stories about passive aggression, drama, lack of direction in life, etc. Well, well, well, the man in question happens to have a lot of drive and ambition, had actually accomplished a lot professionally and, on top of that, had a very assertive and direct energy about him.

I truly admired and enjoyed the energy of that Mars in Cancer – assertive in a sensitive and receptive way rather than the coarseness and explosive anger I saw in the Mars in Scorpio person. Would that be true of every Mars in Scorpio or Mars in Cancer individuals? Obviously not.

Personal responsibility and accountability, when it comes to growth and emotional intelligence, still the main thing – much more than planets in exaltation or rulership or detriment.

This is just a simple and small example of how we are better off not making assumptions based on certain placements – the chart and the person that holds it need to be seen in its totality as much as possible. Even through our inevitably limited eyesight… if at least we can be aware of it…

A little on the current Saturn-Uranus square

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsSearch for home

Finally I am coming here to publish my first post since I got my new website. Excitement!

Transiting Saturn square Uranus keeps doing its thing to my MC-IC (plus my natal Saturn) and I can really see the need for coming out into the world in a more authentic and creative way. What is my social role? Also, the question that has been following me for years now, where is home?

In general, when we think about a square between Saturn and Uranus we think about a clash between tradition and progress. From the perspective of mundane astrology this configuration reflects a lot of social unrest for example.

But what does it mean from a more individual perspective?

I think that issues between progress and tradition are playing out within each one of us. The next question to be asked is, are you naturally more of a Saturnian or Uranian character?

Our natal charts will reflect where our preferences are, what kinds of energy we feel more comfortable expressing it. For instance I do have a powerful and prominent Uranus which then relates to how much Saturnian lessons I am having at the moment. I guess that if I had a particular preference for Saturn, Uranus would be prevailing as a transit right now because of its relationship with the unknown in my psyche.

Do you see what I mean?

I’ve heard a lot of people talking about fear as a way to see where your growth is, and a similar principle works here. For instance, if you are more familiar with discipline and structure and tradition, Uranus will be reflecting a time where more balance is needed via exploration, uncertainty and some sort of awakening. On the other hand, if sudden changes, impatience and a low boredom threshold has been the rule, this is the time for you to build a little staying power, patience and discipline.

The midpoint between Uranus and Saturn right now is 28 degrees Pisces – the place where some kind of integration can happen between these two principles is, at best, connected with compassion, empathy and serving a higher source. Pisces as the last sign of the zodiac, and with a natural connection to the 12th house, reflects the place where some transcendence can occur. The place where we intuitively know that there must be more to life than its material and ego driven aspects.

I also just thought that 28 degrees Pisces is the degree of Venus’ exaltation! Another pointer to resolving the conflict through unconditional love, creativity, and the importance of relating. Interdependence pops into my mind now.

If you have natal planets at 28 degrees Pisces, or any of the mutable signs (Virgo, Sagittarius or Gemini), it gives further clue for how you can best integrate the conflict reflect by the Saturn-Uranus current square.

Have you checked where this transit is falling in your natal chart yet?

Another short praise to Saturn

by with 5 Comments Astrology and meSearch for home

As I prepare myself to go back to the UK I silently watch the build up of anxiety within.

These sure are strange times that we are currently witnessing.

One thing calls my attention as I watch the symbolism of my transits right now – I have transiting Saturn bang on my IC – and I think about the current situation in both my homes, Brazil and the UK. They were both two of the three countries where new variants of COVID were detected, and I can’t avoid but think about my Saturn-IC transit…

None have done really well in responding to the pandemic, with Brazil being obviously the worst amongst the two. I think that the UK is doing much better now and I see my friends sharing some pictures of the beautiful spring and their happiness anticipating the slow coming out of lockdown that they are about to go through. On another hand, I see Brazil getting worse not only with the rising numbers of people getting the virus but also politically.

Everything seems quite messy now and I don’t know if I can see myself truly settling down here ever.

However, I am not in a rush to make a decision about where will definitely be my home.

For now I have my flights booked (wish me luck!) and I will be heading back to England in less than a month if everything goes right.

Saturn transiting my IC is also square my natal Saturn, an important step in Saturn’s cycle – seven years after our Saturn return we are then called to take up the challenge (whichever challenge relates to when you had the return) a little further. For me it has definitely manifested as career decisions, it was around my Saturn return that I decided I wanted to become a professional astrologer and now, during the first square, it really seems like I am reaping some rewards from my hard work.

I not only feel much more confident about my work, but I am also beginning to slowly be recognised in the astrological community. And I haven’t even reached my progressed full moon yet! (this will happen in a few years time, I wonder what will be happening, but have the feeling that it might be corresponding with finishing my masters)

Anyway, the older I get, the more appreciative of Saturn’s symbolism and principle I am. (as we would expect)

The real solidity, the silent hard work, the true confidence (a different kind of confidence from Mars or the Sun I think, somewhat less cocky perhaps).

Gravitas!

I am finding older people much more appealing right now too, enjoying their silent presence, because the older we get (hopefully if we do the work) the less validation from outside is needed. I simply love that feeling!

So people, do not be afraid of Saturn. Instead, take responsibility for yourself, for your process of growth, and you will then see the magic happens…

Reflections on ‘we create our own reality’

by with 4 Comments Astrological InsightsProfessional Astrologer

Today I was listening to another fellow astrologer doing a live and some thoughts came up regarding what we do and what we say as astrologers as well.

Astrology is very pluralistic, and there are many different ways of practicing it, I can definitely see that. But I can also see, and have read some articles about that too, that in western astrology the ‘psychologising’ is pretty strong, where it is commonly claimed that the internal world speaks much louder than the outer world.

I do agree that enhancing self awareness is a pretty important step towards empowerment and the idea that that which remains unconscious has a very strong potential to become our ‘fate’.

But at the same time, I see the limitations of this way of perceiving reality. I have been watching a couple of documentaries about the cult that was under Keith Raniere’s leadership (who was convicted recently to 120 years in jail) and one of the main things they used to catch people and brainwash them, was this sort of ‘new age’ discourse claiming that you create your own reality etc.

By all means, I am not trying to compare a cult leader to astrologers who genuinelly have the best interest of their clients at heart. Not at all!

I am just reflecting on the potential pitfalls of claiming that we create our reality too much when it comes to illnesses for instance, or trauma in general. I don’t want my clients to feel guilty for having problems that we don’t really understand, even if Saturn is transiting that person’s whatnot, we still don’t fully comprehend why certain things happen in someone’s life the way it does.

Here is where I think astrologers would do well in keeping a sense of inflation under control, yes, we do have access to information that the majority don’t have. We spend more time exploring certain mysteries that most people have no interest or don’t even know it is possible to explore. But that does not mean that we fully understand what the universe or these mysteries are all about.

You might have a strong feeling about past lives, or whatever, but I don’t think that we should impose our belief system upon our clients in a way that might be causing more damage than healing.

Just a thought…

Solar Arc Direction and inner shifts…

by with 3 Comments Astrology and meInner lifeProfessional Astrologer

Yesterday my Solar Arc ascendant has officially shifted to Capricorn, which will last for the next 30 years, so I guess this is a big deal.

Amongst a variety of prognostic techniques in astrology, Solar Arc direction is the one I don’t use it so often but as a kind of a ‘scientist’ I like observing it.

Apparently, in Solar Arc direction (I would actually consider that in relation to any astrological prognostic technique), when there is a shift in astrological sign like the one mentioned, we better look at what we have in that sign natally to get some clues on how the next 30 years might play out.

I have only Jupiter and the part of fortune in Capricorn, and the sign is also on the cusp of my third house. Natal Jupiter is in a tight trine to my Mercury-Sun conjunction and this seems to have a similar message to the third house cusp thing.

My take is that perhaps this shift from Sagittarius to Capricorn will enable me to move and travel a little less and to focus instead on work and intellectual production.

I also hope that this process will reflect a change from emphasising my Mars (out of bounds) conjoined Uranus in the first house in Sagittarius (square Sun-Mercury) to, the already mentioned, Jupiter.

I feel that I could do not only with learning more about practicing patience, but also and specially dealing better with boredom, something that tend to sabotage many opportunities in my life (for work, relationships, etc).

Perhaps living on the fast lane isn’t for me anymore and I would really like to learn more about taking things slow, learn more about working steadily and patiently towards a goal, and feeling ok with being temporarily bored without the need to act out and create disruption.

(BTW, Solar Arc Pluto is one degree away from my natal Mars… so perhaps learning these lessons are in the cards for me anyway…)

Have you observed a shift of signs by Solar Arc direction in your chart? How did that play out for you? Did it help integrating your natal chart more?

A note on Mars retrograde

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsSearch for home

I officially moved into my flat on Saturday night and yet I feel strange. The current energies seem to be so heavy that I can almost touch it with my hands.

During the day I felt sad, nostalgic, lonely, irritable, I don’t know what else…

Retrograde Mars in Aries is coming up to square Saturn again, followed by a square to Pluto and Jupiter, all in Capricorn. In addition to that, Mercury in Libra is also coming to an opposition with Mars.

We better brace ourselves!

If you feel angry and frustrated the probability is that you are also picking up on these tense, to say the least, energies. Better not to act out unconsciously. This isn’t the best time to set your boundaries, to tell someone off or to go with road rage.

Be cool, be calm, this should be the mantra!

The best we can do with retrograde planets is to go inwards rather than outwards, is to reassess how we express the archetype reflected. In this case, with Mars, how do we deal with anger? How do we express frustration? What triggers irritation? These are some of the questions that are worth asking ourselves now until the end of November. Ask yourself but try not to take action right now as when the planet moves forward again we tend to regret what we did during its retrogradation period.

Wishing you (me included) all peace, patience and calm as much as possible during the most challenging moments until the energies shift again.

Be well everyone.

Mercury Retrograde in the underworld…

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsAstrology and meInner life

Mercury is stationing at 27 degrees Scorpio today and will be moving backwards for the next 3 weeks.

Im feeling an introverted energy in the air compelling to reevaluate and revisit values regarding relationships, sharing and love in general. I think that last week’s new moon in Scorpio opposing Uranus was already calling us to do this work during this lunation, and Mercury retrograde seems to be reinforcing it.

Mercury is stationing conjunct Venus, reflecting the Venusian tone of this cycle of retrogradation.

With Venus and the Sun also in Scorpio I think that we will be able to get in touch with subterraneous intense emotions giving us clues about hidden patterns of behaviour that might be hindering real intimacy and connection with others, and ultimately, with ourselves.

For Scorpio the process of maintaining or reclaiming power is of paramount importance, and a very common tactic for preventing loss of power and vulnerability is by, willingly or unwillingly, stepping into psychological games with others. Manipulative techniques might be necessary in order to get what one wants, but at the same time, is a huge obstacle for what Scorpio mostly craves and needs: deep connections where one is able to be truly seen.

At the time of my Saturn return, my progressed Moon entered Scorpio, making a conjunction to my ASC, and that was the first time that I became consciously aware of these games we play with people in order to hide our heart and true motives.

I suddenly began asking myself what was the point on doing that, on saying no when you really mean yes, and that kind of stuff. I realised that we must make an effort in order to be real so people can also have a chance to be themselves, and as a result, a genuine relationship might be born…

Now with Mercury retrograde in Scorpio I feel the echoes of that time coming back, slightly different, but bringing up a similar theme nevertheless. I am a different person, in a different situation, living a distinct phase of my life, but Im a witness of the fascinating spiral cycles of growth reflected by astrological symbolism.

It never fails to amuse me!

The astrologer Steven Forrest in one of his books, or maybe in an article I can’t fully remember, wrote that Scorpio stands for (radical) psychological honesty. I think that keeping this idea in mind, just like a mantra, during this Mercury retrograde could be of great help to us all…

The dark side of the Moon

by with 2 Comments Astrology and me

This is another one about or based on astrology’s fluidity.

I’ve been tracking my progressed moon since 2012, when I started officially studying astrology at the LSA. I wanted to check and see for myself how each shift from houses or signs would be reflected in my life.

Recently my progressed moon has moved from Capricorn into Aquarius, forming a square to my natal Pluto in Scorpio. I went from to do lists and working full time plus studying, (basically from being ultra busy), to freeing myself and spending a lot of time with an aquarian friend who also happens to have his natal moon conjunct Pluto.

Interestingly, with the progressed moon making that square to my natal Pluto I’ve observed how entertainment has been taking a darker tone for me… I have been reading ‘The dark of the soul’ written by Liz Greene on psychopathology in the horoscope and I just finished watching a tv series called ‘The Act’ with Patricia Arquette.

The series is based on real facts about this girl who was raised by a mother who suffered from ‘Munchausen syndrome by proxy’, also known as ‘Factitious disorder imposed on another’, according to wikipedia a ‘condition where a caregiver creates the appearance of health problems in another person, typically their child’ in order to get attention and sympathy from others.

The girl was confined to a wheel chair and basically forced to pretend that she had a whole myriad of health issues that she did not have. And as she starts growing up, wanting to get a boyfriend and look beautiful etc, problems start arising between her and her super, over the top, protective mother and the girl end up finding a way to assassinate her and break free.

This is such a crazy story, in so many levels, and in my opinion reflective of an extreme manifestation of Moon-Pluto contacts in astrology. I have tried finding their astrological charts to look into the symbolism and compare to the story, but it has proven to be quite difficult with unreliable birthdates etc.

Myth seems to mix up with reality rather often, but this is a case where the devouring mother mythic theme is overwhelmingly powerful.

Liz Greene talks about the conflict between the rational ego and the ‘instinctual energies of the unconscious’ saying that: ‘particular individuals are like safety valves for the pressure that builds up. They are the scapegoats and vessels for what is, in effect, a collective madness.’

I wonder if that is what happened in that story, or if at least there was an element of that.

The importance of developing a strong and healthy ego, capable of mediating unconscious material that seems to well up into consciousness is paramount in the process of becoming an individual. And according to Greene, with more individuals comprising society the less likely that there will be a collective psychosis breaking out like in nazi Germany for example.

This is a very interesting idea, and timely for the current weird political climate. By developing healthy individuality we can contribute with less collective madness.

 

 

Uranian impulses

by with 10 Comments Astrology and meInner life

I’ve been reading Liz Greene’s book ‘The Art of Stealing Fire’ about Uranus and already had some powerful insights on the archetypal energy that the planet represents. She starts by saying that in her perspective, contrary to what we find in many astrology text books, there is nothing individual about Uranus. According to Liz Greene all of the outer planets represent collective yearnings and impulses that are best mediated by a strong (healthy) ego rather than the person being identified/possessed by it.

In her words: ‘Human nature, without individual consciousness and reflection, cannot contain Uranian vision, which tends to break loose and overwhelm the powers of individual reason and individual feeling.’

I resonate with that, and looking back in my life I feel that there were many moments where I unconsciously had a reaction based much more in ideas and visions rather than how I was truly feeling. I feel that the masculine has somehow overpowered the feminine in me over and over again, especially before my Saturn Return in 2012. (Uranus is conjunct Mars [my chart ruler] in the first house, square Sun/Mercury in the 10th, and opposite Chiron in the 7th).

Further in the book, on Uranian people’s difficulty in expressing feelings, Greene says : ‘Something inside keeps saying, “Don’t get stuck in all that emotional glue, keep the door open so you can leave if you have to.” (…) I think Uranus shuts itself up, because the expression of personal feeling binds us to other people, and the daimon wants us to be ready with our luggage packed and our tickets and passports in our hands.’   This quote really summarises how I dealt with attachments many times, wanting to suddenly break them and just walk away. There is a strong impulse in me that feels pretty much like what she describes in the book.

It has been a journey making this part (the one represented by the strong Uranus in my chart) conscious and stopping identifying with it as ‘myself’.

At the moment, for the last three years,  I have attracted a partner that is also highly Uranian and he somehow had been carrying a lot of the rational, logical, removed from human emotions type of inclinations for me. It’s just recently, after we separately went to see a jungian therapist astrologer, that it somehow dawned on me what was going on. (or at least one layer of it all!)

So now, even finding this book by Liz Greene in a shop in Glastonbury for a very good price seems to be reflecting this new understanding that perhaps Im ready to embrace… I don’t know. But I silently stop blaming him for the lack of ‘human connection’ in our relationship.

Words for catching up

by with 2 Comments Astrology and meInner lifeSearch for home

Pluto is making its lat exact square to my natal moon for the whole month of November and I feel like I’ve been very busy.

There is a lot that I would like to do, but at the moment most of my energy is concentrated in rebuilding the material structures of my life.

I’m also putting some of my energy into socialising and sharing myself with others, especially with my boyfriend.

Yes, a lot has happened and I haven’t really broken up the relationship with the sagittarian guy I’ve met at the festival during the summer. After much turmoil (especially during the intense month of September and early October), and presenting many challenges to each other, our bond seems to be becoming more solid.

This is proving to be a deeper relationship.

I can’t be bother to pretend being something that I’m not and even when I sometimes unconsciously try reliving some of the old patterns of behaviour he stops me right away by openly challenging me.

He doesn’t let me fall asleep.

Two days ago I bought couple of floral remedies and I am really interested in taking some kind of course or going for a workshop to learn more about it.

They truly fascinate me and I can easily imagine them becoming my next obsession..

I started taking centaury (one of Bach remedies).

The medium I’ve met at a healing centre in Holland during my travels last year who told me I should have that one.

In five minutes she was able to summarise what was one of the main reasons for many of my issues. That was impressive and her words echoes in my mind still.

It felt like an important part of the puzzle was given to me on that day. My search had become a little clearer.

About 10 days ago I watched a webinar about Pluto with Liz Greene.

She is truly brilliant.

One of the tips she gave us was to track down the transits from Pluto to your natal chart, even the ones that happened before you were born, and see what was happening in the family. In this way, she said, we could perhaps achieve a better understanding of what Pluto means to us, of how we experience this archetype in a more personal way. (She says that Pluto is connected with a collective instinct in order to survive.)

With Pluto, she said that, “Events carry a feeling of fatedness, necessity, the unfolding of a previously invisible pattern, unforeseen consequences of earlier choices made not only by oneself, but by one’s family or the collective.”

And further down she said that ” all Pluto transits carry with them an impersonal or collective impetus toward survival through transformation that is archetypal and lies beyond one’s own personal issues.”

Depending on which planet is being touched by transiting Pluto we can have clues on what kind of contribution we are bringing to the collective “impetus to survive”.

The process is so deep and multi layered that I can’t express very well all that has, and still is, happening in my psyche.

But hopefully I will be writing a bit more from now on..