(Inner) King for a Day

Tim West, head cook for DNE's summer dance camp, and Mykuhl (Michael) Henderson, camp co-coordinator, lead a group blessing of the evenining meal. Photo by Eric.

Today is Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. The Moon is in Gemini all day and the Sun enters Virgo at 7:20 am EDT. This may feel like a major breakthrough, and at the very least should offer some welcome relief from tension as the Sun leaves behind both a conjunction with Transpluto as well as an opposition to Neptune. You may have been feeling like you were being squeezed through a ringer, put under a microscope or subject to some unrealistic or unwanted expectations. Now that the pressure is off a bit, slow down and see what you notice.

Earth & water - photo by Eric.

As we noted yesterday, there is a lot going on in the sky this week, in particular Mercury slowing down to a station concurrent with the Mars-Saturn square. Mars in Cancer is concentrated emotional heat. Saturn in Libra describes the structure of relationships, which is coming under pressure to bend and flex with inner emotional needs and desires. Coming up against Saturn’s limits may feel like a collision.

Watch out for the bounce-back if you feel yourself hitting a wall, and consciously look for the soft landing — one that both offers empathy to you and allows you to offer it in kind.

Look inside. Listen to your heart. You may notice that there is a non-linear emotional knowing-ness coming from deep inside you that wants and needs to manifest. These deep emotional currents are telling you about your real relationship with your ideals, potentially showing you both those that may be holding you back (because they belong to the past or someone else) and those which represent your noblest and most refined sense of purpose, which can help you soar into your future.

The mental nature of a Gemini Moon can find you living in your head, and the mutable nature can mean jumping from thought to thought or between thoughts and emotions. Like the Buddhist metaphor of “monkey mind,” there can be a lack of awareness of where these thoughts are coming from or going to, as well as a lack of awareness of the emotional ramifications. The best thing to do to avoid these pitfalls is simply to slow down and observe.

If you do slow and observe, the Sun’s change of signs may be palpable. Like a person who has to perform a border crossing between countries, a planet changing signs can bring up feelings of both excitement and anxiety. Pay attention so you don’t miss anything crucial, and don’t be surprised if details and facts that have been lost in the fog in recent days come into sharp focus.

Before the Sun moves from Leo into Virgo, it makes a conjunction with the fixed star Regulus — “the heart of the Lion.” Regulus is one of the royal stars and over the past week or so we have begun the preliminary process in the US for who is going to be elected ‘King or Queen’ of our country. For the rest of us, this may be a moment to contact our inner king or queen. There is an old Norse saying: Inside each of us is a King, speak to him and he will come forth. You may be able to connect with a nobility of thought or purpose today, or someone who represents this to you, which can be very powerful and eventually lead to success. These royal stars also come with a caution, so be careful not to get too ‘high on your horse’ and become easily offended or fall victim to hubris. Most importantly don’t seek revenge or engage in pettiness with this star. The best revenge really is living well, so take the high road and try to put your best foot forward.

By Gary Caton, with Eric and Amanda

22 thoughts on “(Inner) King for a Day”

  1. Thanks for topic, Carrie. Thanks for astrology Half. Very helpful to me with my Pluto in the 12th. Yesterday (the 23rd) for me another grand daughter was born! Pluto in the 10th, Uranus in the 1st, a reformer with plans to change the world. Born on the day that fracking is getting exposed and the madrid fault is coming into our consciousness, she will have much good work to do. I am excited and hopeful–she carries her mother’s and my genes and our stars (home-birth–powerful mother bear, my dauaghtrer is). Thanks Eric and all PW staff and blog contributer’s–life is fuller and richer for all of us because of …all of us!

  2. “and developing astrological perspectives is in keeping with the spirit of the blog. :)”

    Psychology and sociology are my focuses with a bit of astrology thrown in when I understand it. If posting about my personal journey (in order to share so that others see that they are not alone) is distracting, I can discontinue that. I know astrology is the main focus but I am too much of a novice to post as much about that. :::sheepish grin::::

    I especially enjoy it when people share their experiences so that I can see how the astrology affects them personally. That really helps set the perspective on things for me.

  3. Thanks for the information, Half. Sorry I sound so touchy; I have been doing a LOT of inner work during the past year and a half.

    I read the Pluto/Sun opposition and though some of it applies to me, a lot of it doesn’t. I am not sure why. My moon is in Capricorn conjunct Saturn. Depending on what house system used, they straddle the 5th house cusp or sit in the 4th house just before the 5th house cusp. I have been told that a Cappy moon means a child who was not allowed to be a child. That does fit me.

    I have also been experiencing my Chiron return the past year or so as well. I have been doing major life changes during this time from examining my relationships to how I treat my body and myself. I am finding my “voice” and my sense of self.

    I have a ton of planets and asteroids in my natal 4th and 5th houses and I am trying to learn what these all mean in order to get myself on a healthier track.

    Thanks to everyone here at PW, I am able to learn a lot and work on these. :::smiling:::

  4. Just to add, Carrie (since you list chart aspects): Pluto Rx in the 12th – there could be a suggestion here of psychic cleansing as a life theme or coming later on in the life cycle.

    Also, you have Pisces Sun (boundaries themes, where does the self end/begin?) opposing Pluto in (analytical/obsessive) Virgo (oppositions above any other aspect are the ones we tend to go into therapy about and where our projections can flourish).

    Sun/Pluto would be the classic battle between being centred in my self/power and it feeling like there is pronounced risk of being overpowered by outside forces. I would add that from the moment you are born your chart begins to draw experiences to you (particularly moon-wise) – so it is not beyond the pale that the experiences become real early on, when you are not conscious of any dynamic being inaugurated.

    Here is a link expressing one view of Sun opposing Pluto:

    http://www.cafeastrology.com/natal/sunplutoaspects.html

    This just gives a flavour.. 🙂

    P.S. My Pluto is opposite my moon, conjunct Vesta, conjunct Ascendant.

  5. I think I was suggesting that Narcissism is a complex topic, one that can land us into difficulties on a number of levels, and where due caution is advisable, Carrie.

    On the point of astrological assessment, I wished to offer Pluto/Desc as an example of something significant from astrology’s frame of reference; particularly over against clinical (psychological) views, which often get us into the normal/pathological dichotomy from the outset – in fact this was one notable observation that appealed to me, once I got a little deeper into astrology. We could extend from one’s natal Pluto considerations to recognise, in solar chart perspective, that any Scorpionic characteristics of deep hue expressed in another person could be decoded as ‘very dark’ – and that potential IS there with Scorpio. Anyone with sensitivity to control issues may misread these energies (I’m not suggesting for a second that you are, Carrie!) simply that there are many layers and that astrology has something important to say about the awareness part of the piece.

    I am no astrological expert by any stretch of the imagination but I do believe that keeping astrology in view and developing astrological perspectives is in keeping with the spirit of the blog. 🙂

  6. “NPD is a clinical diagnosis that CANNOT be made by a layperson. (Read some of Eric’s work on Narcissism if you wish to take a balanced view, involving the distinctions between ‘N’ and ‘n’, the clinical and cultural variants and the spectrum they are on).”

    I have read those. I don’t care if it is a clinical diagnosis. As the saying goes, “if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is a duck.” At east the characteristics are the same and the effect on me and my siblings is the same and it feels the same and I will no longer be so fast to doubt my own senses and intuitions. Not anymore. And no, it is NOT projection. Several therapists have told me that.

    They (my parents) act like they are, the damage to the family is the same, I am not crazy or always wrong, and I know what to do now to counter it. That’s the epiphany for me and it is healing for me. That’s all I care about for now; one day at a time.

    As for Pluto, mine is 4 degrees 56 min. in Virgo in the 12 house (Rx), opposing Chiron in Aquarius (27′ 52′) and Sun in Pisces (3’24”) in the 6th house, sextile Neptune in Scorpio (9′ 5″ Rx) in the 2nd house, trining Jupiter in Sag (28′ 54″) in the 4th house and inconjunct Venus in Aquarius (2′ 51″) in the 5th house. Pluto is also said to be part of the bucket handle (Uranus in Leo (18′ 25″ Rx) in the 12th being the co-handle) of my chart.

    No clue as to how all that may or may not have anything to do with my childhood or projection or any of that stuff you mentioned.

  7. Just a footnote on Pluto on the descendant to refine even further:

    Those people who fear their own sense of capacity for wielding arbitrary power will go into denial and project that out and therefore they will see other people using power arbitrarily wherever they see key signatures connoted to their own discomforts within past templated experiences.

    Eric, if reading, I was wondering how this observation may be correlated to your delineation of Ixion – and making friends with its reflection of human capacity for anything (both good and bad)?

  8. A few things to note with Narcissism:

    Many victims of Narcissism become obsessed with Narcissists/Psychopaths.

    NPD is a clinical diagnosis that CANNOT be made by a layperson. (Read some of Eric’s work on Narcissism if you wish to take a balanced view, involving the distinctions between ‘N’ and ‘n’, the clinical and cultural variants and the spectrum they are on).

    Astrology has its place when you consider the natal chart too, especially relating to our own perceptions and projections. Examine your Pluto, particularly if it is proximal to the descendant. Pluto is a bit like the Sun’s outer moon – the most far flung object at the edges. The Sun is your ‘I will’, your personal sense of being in your power. Pluto therefore represents the arbitrary power, least under my influence, out of my control. That is why it is the stuff of obsession and a deep sense that I might be helpless to impose my will. With Pluto on the descendant you may give your power away, or you may fear that it is being taken from you (projection). In other words, because it CAN happen in reality too, a complex can emanate of learned helplessness that is pushed onto ‘my oppressor(s)’.

    Should a person come under the influence of such power dynamics in their personal reality, especially while in their formative psychology, it is not impossible to go into ‘agreement’ with the complex and become an ‘inverted’ Narcissist. In fact, living in close to any pathology will confuse the boundary and the behaviours through time.

    The Narcissist will often sadistically withhold love in order to punish or correct their victim for failing to meet their need. Eventually, the victim will ‘learn’ that their love is taken and nothing given back – the victim learns to withhold real love from the narcissist – having to learn to pretend in order to pull this off (just like the narcissist pretends). The narcissist doesn’t notice or care about this as long as the victim keeps supplying. The victim has to cut off emotionally to survive the contact, but the pretense produces an inversion which becomes geared to ‘winning the game’ and/or securing things back from the narcissist through covert means – extracting through guile, resources to survive the soulless contract.

    Please, do not take clinical NPD as the same as Narcissistic tendencies. If you are interested in the topic then research thoroughly – but try to do so in as dispassionate a way as possible! The whole arena is murky, with many pitfalls and dangers of projection, (among other things).

    Narcissists are also masters of extracting sympathy from others and recounting stories of woe to get folk on side – it is their core business. Watch carefully for red flags. (They can’t resist boasting and mocking, convinced they are successfully pulling the wool over the eyes of the ‘suckers’ they are misleading).

    Why do I have these angles on the subject? That may be down to Pluto conjunct my descendant…!! 😉 There is more but I don’t wish to take us further off topic..

    Half

  10. DarkMary,

    Thanks and yes that’s how it feels; validating. Both my parents are NPD so I have a bit of a road ahead. My husband always believed me but then, his mom is NPD too so it is no wonder that he does. I believed him too for the same reasons.

  11. Carrie,
    My former partner’s mother is pathologically narcissistic, too. I spent a lot of time with her mom and understand how crazy-making that behavior is. I really marvel at how C survived her childhood with such a loving heart intact. The truth is that she turned the psychological abuse inwards and struggled with an eating disorder (she just tried to disappear) for over ten years. She had long recovered from the eating disorder by the time we met, but she is still healing from damage inflicted by her mom (and her enabling dad.) When a psychologist who saw her mom for grief counseling after her dad died three years ago, the psychologist confided to C that her mom was NPD. The psychologist said that C’s mom was literally not even capable of feeling empathy. C, like you, felt relieved and somewhat vindicated, but also enormous sadness. C went through an entire grieving process in coming to terms with having her experience so thoroughly validated. For years I think I was the only one who understood how what a cruel, manipulative liar her mom is. Everyone meets C’s mom and thinks she is the most charming woman imaginable.

    Anyway, I am happy for you that you have found some clarity. I realize the road you have ahead will not be easy, but I wish you much support and love.

  13. Thanks Fe. I love that! The subsantial amount of Virgo in my (Scorpio) chart looks forward to the stimulation/coronation! x

  14. Regarding the Entry Into Tripoli by the Rebels, and as a tip of the hat to Sun’s entry Into Virgo, the chart for the Bombining of Tripoli (PlanetWaves March 20) has the Moon at 27 Virgo 53 (the people?) conjunct Gaddafi’s natal Neptune (illusions) at 27 Virgo 05, rx. Today transiting Ceres (providing nourishment) stands at that degree.

    Gaddafi’s natal chart also has Pluto in Leo (4+) sextile Saturn in Gemini (3+) and they form a yod to transiting Pluto at 5 Capricorn 01 rx as he prepares to station direct in mid September. Not really sure how to read that myself.

    When the bombing of Tripoli began Saturn was at 15 Libra 03 rx and now stands at 14 Libra 20 and will reach 15 Libra on August 30th.

    Now as the transiting Moon moves through Gemini it has been conjunct Gaddafi’s natal Uranus, Saturn, Sun, and at the moment is conjunct his Black Moon Lilith and will in a few hours conjunct his Mercury at 24 Gemini 02rx, and even later his Jupiter at 29 Gemini 19. At the time of the bombing, the Moon’s south node was at 28 Gemini and squared the (Bombing chart’s) Sun at 28 Pisces 44, opposite that previously mentioned Moon at 27 Gemini 53 which was conjunct Gaddafi’s Neptune (which squares his natal Jupiter!) Yeah, it was just before the full moon.

    Gaddafi’s Mercury took a hit from the Lunar Eclipse on June 15 as the Sun and south node were conjunct it and the eclipsed Moon opposed it. At that time (6/15/11) Juno was conjunct the degree where Mars was at the time of the bombing of Tripoli (19+ Virgo) and she was accompanied by transiting Atlantis, both of whom I believe provided the news of what was going on via Twitter and email.

    On September 12 there is a Full Moon with Sun at 19+ Virgo opposite Moon at 19+ Pisces; the Sun will be in the south bending (release). Saturn will be at 16+ Libra and he will be accompanied by Juno and Atlantis so I expect more ‘social media’ type info to be provided. (Juno connecting, Atlantis abundunt technology)

    By the way Gaddafi has a natal Cancer Mars (25+ degrees) and the Full Moon chart on 9/12 has Mars at 25+ Cancer.
    be

  15. Talk about breakthroughs! THANK you Gary, Amanda and Eric for this timely article.

    Last night I realized that my mother has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. My Dad has it too. I am my mom’s scapegoat and my younger brother is her golden child. This website describes her exactly except for the physical abuse and cruelty:

    http://daughtersofnarcissisticmothers.com/characteristics-of-narcissistic-mothers.html

    There is finally a name for the crazy-making life I have lived. There is finally a reason for why I have felt so bad about myself all these years and why I never felt like anyone believed me.

    This is so freeing. And to save myself, I am going NO Contact with her and if possible, with my NPD dad as well. My kids can hardly wait for me to do this. My husband’s mother also fits NPD and that’s why he and I believed each other; we both lived through this nightmare as their scapegoats who could never do anything right. We both felt unloved and unappreciated and neglected. His younger sister is also the golden child and his father is an enabler.

    This will not be easy to disengage from her or him but I have to for my (and my family’s ) sanity. My family all have been hurt by her and neglected by my dad to the point that they want nothing to do with any of my relatives. My older brother (he passed away in 2008) was also NPD. I had it from all three of them.

    Time to stop being the victim and start living MY life.

    My younger brother has been the golden child so long he thinks very little of me so it is unlikely that he will remain in my life My grandmother is the one who will be hurt but she is 97, what can I do other than protect myself and my family? She will not understand and will likely blame “the Devil” for getting to me but I cannot keep up the pretense any longer; it is time to stop being what they want and start being who I really am. And who I really am is NOT a bad person.

    I can finally be myself! No more living a lie, no more feeling like a failure, no more doubting my intuitions! This is cathartic, scary, freeing, extremely relieving and painful all at once.

    The door opens and life awaits.

  16. patti.16:

    Regulus is also slowly moving from the last minutes of Leo into Virgo. It’s been in Leo since before Jesus and Julius Caesar, its entrance into Virgo is a few months away, but we’re talking early 2012. Regulus in Virgo will place it in a mutable sign quartet with the other fixed stars.

    Looks as though the regent replacing the Leonine king will be the Virgoan Queen!, and for a couple of millenniums! Time to light one’s female fire.

  17. I like the reference to Regulus. There was a post a few weeks ago that got me reading about fixed stars in astrology and I think it is really fascinating and enlightening and adds a unique dimension to PW (was it always here and I just missed it?). Talk about the bigger picture of astrology…a whole sky’s worth! I admit, though, it sometimes leaves me feeling a little weary at how much there is for a lay(wo)man to learn 😉

  18. Well said, and well timed. My downstairs neighbor started hammering on something at 7:30 AM EDT. And I may be off by a few minutes! Astrology is so dependable, and thank you dharmk, for your correction. . . you could have fooled me.
    be

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