Today is Tuesday July 26, 2011. The Gemini Moon is moving toward balsamic or extreme waning phase, heading for the Leo New Moon on Saturday. Mercury is slow and powerful right now, moving a little over half a degree a day as it gets ready to station retrograde one week from today. That, incidentally, happens to be the day the federal government runs out of money unless somebody figures out how to get the mule to move.
Mercury slowing down puts an emphasis on the mental sphere, and with any luck your mind is feeling focused. But if you’re not, that’s understandable enough: Mars is in late Gemini, which accentuates an argumentative mentality, and it’s opposite the Galactic Core. I view the Core as a kind of spiritual source or homing signal. It’s always calling us, inviting us, reminding us of what is possible as we live our lives on the edge of the spiral. Mars in late Gemini (180 degrees opposite the core, which is in Sagittarius) seems to have an ‘unspiritual’ feeling that wants for balance and a sense of ethics. It can have an ‘anything goes’ feeling to it, or that queasy sense you get when you meet someone for whom the ends justify the means.
In the summer months, on a clear night we can see the center of the galaxy, or at least see the streak of stars that show us approximately where it is. I think that has a reassuring feeling. In winter, the galaxy is missing from the night sky, which in part accounts for the wistful sense of longing or loneliness that time of year. Now we have Mars opposite the galaxy, which can be stirring up that feeling, and leading to a potential state of mental imbalance unless you can keep your spiritual (which means loving, purposeful) focus. On Earth, getting along is not a luxury of happiness or survival — it’s a necessity.
Mars going over the South Node of the Moon (it’s still nearby, but separating from the node by just two little degrees) seems to have demonstrated the potential results of clinging too closely to ideology, or not seeing the contradictions in one’s own argument. Listen to yourself, and study your sent mail folder, and see if there aren’t any opinions or positions you would consider softening. Let’s say you’ve taken a hard line with someone, or on an issue; reconsidering your views now could save you the need to make an embarrassing reversal of position in a week. Stick to the truth and you’ll be fine. Meanwhile, there are two sides to every story, and even if one of those sides is total bullshit, it’s good politics and simply humane to listen and acknowledge the other point of view, or at least the person expressing it. There’s always something you can learn; and listening to people’s arguments is the best way to refute them if that’s what you’re aiming for. But these days try if you can to get beyond absolute concepts of right and wrong.
Also, if you’ve said anything that is a little (or a lot) less than true, working that out sooner rather than later would be well advised. Mercury changes signs from Leo to Virgo Thursday, and when it does, it will be in opposition to Neptune. Mercury in Virgo opposite Neptune in Pisces is a classical setup of fact versus fantasy. Simple accountability, accounting and documentation will win the day. This holds true for what you believe. There are two sides to every deception — someone deceiving someone, and someone else who accepts the falsehood, often knowing they’re doing so. Beware if you’re accepting something that’s not true simply because it’s convenient to do so.
One last thought for the day: with Mercury slowing down, slow down your spending. Everything you want will still be there in a month when Mercury stations direct.
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Hi Burning!!Hi Hi HI!!
that means Hi fr. Hawaii, where I am right now!
in fact, I just picked another amazing mango right outside my window, in the tree! and….if I listen closely, I can hear the ocean.
yep. Hawaii, TX.
wow- thanks so much for the clarification, (btw). although I hope you and I would be able to take it up into the proverbial tree house and be friends no matter what (really, I am super good at laughing at myself and seeing other points of view), I appreciate you writing that.
It was a good thing it happened though, in retrospect, I needed to take some time and sort out a bunch of feelings & stuff, and get back to the fair & balanced Sadge. I have a huge propensity to take things way too personally, part of that is being (too?)sensitive, part of that is old crap fr. being yelled at constantly, and part of that is really being dedicated to given others a fair shake. meaning I always look to myself first as to “what I am doing, what have I done, I f-d up again?” when there is a problem. problem is that often I don’t extend that fair shake to myself.
although I AM really actively working on that. it’s hard. I won’t lie. plus add to that is the online, ‘chat’, ‘comment’, etc. environment which is an art in itself as far as I’m concerned. meaning: conveying your message w/the tone, inflection, emphasis, you want and still flowing with your dynamic style. and then mixing in quirky humorous elements. ’cause I have to be having FUN or what the f am I doing here???..(raised eyebrows). (eyes darting back and forth).
I know it sounds pretty bizarre, but logging on here and commenting on PW in the first place was an experiment for me at first. I am really connected to my physical environment, and am communicating with it all the time through smells, sights, interactions w/ people and animals, plants and stuff. and I had/have huge reservations about the possibility of having genuine interactions with people through the Internet that I don’t know, and mainly, the issue that I can’t see their body language. this is not easy for me to admit, since I would love to say that I can be as carefree and superficial as the next person. and I mean superficial in a literal way, not a derogatory way. superficial in a light, graceful way; in a way I admire others for, actually, as if they are floating above ground in their social interactions…
not always having to plumb the depths all the time.
sometimes I feel like I can’t even go get a cup of coffee without a trench being blown into the ground in my wake….
anyway, I’m still learning how to negotiate/practice this whole genuine online persona thing Under the Influence (of myself- cheerful but deep, yah. + quirky, yah.) in relationship w/others w/out getting Lost in the trench- or assuming everyone’s psychic.
OK. Burning. back to you, dear. bottom line:I’m intense. You’re cool. thanks for talking to me, your unconditionality, let’s go kayaking. or maybe I can shift my sched. to get back on PW Nighttime, chat for real in your presence. Hope you have been having a great Summer on the Great Lakes.
now you Know what the Woof! was about- Pluto…Mickey’s pup!
looking forward to the Leo Black Moon. now there’s some trench-time energy,
have a great day All,
thanks for the space
peace.
Sadge! So good to hear your cheerful voice! Hi…!
btw I was pissed off at dream astrologer that day for calling Jude preachy—not you, babe. Love ya, always, all time, all comments….
read back over sent email—doh!!!!
well, I don’t really know jack about this current astrology-so much so much
(which is why I come here, to try and learn. trying.)
but what’s really perplexing
is I keep seeing all these birds
birds
in these amazing photos. I love them!
reading over other’s comments,
I have to say, and have always known that I wasn’t alone, that many others feel the same as I do, which is simply wonderful.
I realize I can and have been an impish pain on this blog,
but I hope you know it was never ever malicious, it’s just I have a weird sense of humor, that nobody really gets.
at the heart of it,
I am grateful to be here.
you do Great Work, Eric, many blessings upon you!
actually, upon Everyone!
peace.
ps. definitely show us those shoes when you get them!
Eric,
Thank you for providing us with a timely alert to what we are applying towards so that we can be best prepared for the remainder of the week. Anybody who chances to read these words of mine should stop and re-read your words just above. Maybe twice more. Wonderful piece.
Ah, Eric, many, many threads in this post to take with me through the day and the rest of the week and beyond. Thank you for distilling the astrology with events so that there is some clarity.
Getting “beyond the absolute concepts of right and wrong”: A friend from high school, in a fit of pique once told me that he had been waiting ten year to tell me that I “don’t always have to be right”. I was a bit taken aback by his comment (first because he waited ten years to tell me, and then trying to figure out what he meant, and if HE was right). Even when you are right, many times it’s best to keep your mouth shut. Much is lost by insisting on proving that you are right; usually what is lost is what really is the truth (if there really is such a thing that can be discerned as absolute, right or wrong).
At the same time we do need to discern when to speak up, and how to speak up with compassion. (Aside: compassion – another “c” word lacking in DC along with “compromise”.) Compromise can be about “two truths” that need to co-exist (as in deficit reduction and closing tax loopholes). Two sides to a story. Is this the duality of Gemini (one truth) in relation to the tension and pull of opposite directions of Pisces (another truth)?
Mars in Gemini heading for trines to Neptune and Chiron in Pisces: something to anticipate as the week and Moon both wane, and beyond into next week. Is there the possibility of some spiritual healing for the aggressiveness of Mars that seems to have been dominant of late, to be able to compromise with compassion before it’s too late? I don’t know, and I could be “not right” in my astrological “analysis.”
And all of this leads to another lesson clarified during this time of my second Saturn return: doing things the right way versus doing the right thing. Insisting on doing things the “right way” is just as dangerous as insisting on being right. Compassion requires that we do the right thing. Ethics and morality dictate that we do it the right way, if possible. If not, it’s an argument of ends justifying the means (aha, Mars in late Gemini).
As a lawyer, I learned long ago that there are times when the best counsel to the client is often settlement (ie, compromise). Each party will walk away from a settlement both happy and pissed, but at least it was their decision and something wasn’t forced on them by a third person (usually a judge).
To get to a compromise, we have to listen, regardless of our motive for listening (to understand, to refute or to find balance and compromise). As I learned at the Hesychia School in Arizona: by listening, we can enable another to be “heard into being.” The same is true for ideas.
By listening we may be able to discern if the motive of the person speaking is strictly “to be right.” It’s hard to listen these days, especially because it seems that so many are shouting “to be right.” I find it very difficult to listen and/or to speak up when the other person is shouting. And often any response to another’s shouting leads to louder shouting, since “there is nothing more painful to a closed mind than a new idea.” By shouting loud enough, they don’t have to listen and maybe they hope that it won’t be seen for the bullshit that it is.
Well, I guess that leads to the bullshit factor, which is deception in spades. Unfortunately, we have surpassed Marshall McCluhan’s mantra of the “medium is the message” and are so accustomed to being fed bullshit we aren’t aware of it and we even may think it tastes good.
Don’t be deceived by the shouting, or the bullshit (“Looks like, smells like, tastes like shit. Boy, am I glad I didn’t step in it.”). To hark back to a previous post in this blog, notice and choose – choose not to step in it but know that you don’t have to eat it first.
Enough for this day and beyond. Thanks to Eric for so many threads. Thanks to all in the PW blog for your patience in my verbose attempt to follow the connections, weave the threads. And for being my substitute for journaling.
JannKinz
August reneweal notices went out yesterday — I just received this reply.