Dear Friend and Reader:
On the night of the Inaugural Ball to celebrate the 44th president of the United States, Michelle Obama arrived wearing a white, off-the-shoulder dress. Reminiscent of both Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan, yet echoing a touch of her own style, Mrs. Obama performed the task of many a queen before her: she communicated to the people through fashion. Juno follows the Sun as it has for about three months now, and Venus in conjoined with Uranus providing us with some powerful feminine archetypal energy which conjures up images of a queen, her duty to the people, and her relationship with art.
The Moon is in Sagittarius now, and will enter Capricorn tomorrow (Jan. 23) at 1:18 am EST. It’s headed towards New phase where it will join the Aquarian Sun in a annular eclipse on Jan. 26. Mercury continues its retrograde course through Capricorn.
To change the subject a bit, but not entirely, I have been thinking a lot about asteroid Juno. Since November 2008, she has been following the Sun very closely. In the chart of the Inauguration, she occupied the midheaven, a presiding queen in the celestial sphere. I am consciously using this flowerly language to describe Juno’s energy, because there really is something about her that suggests “holier than thou.” She is nowhere near as approachable as Venus, who makes it her business to be approached. Whereas Juno is lofty, given to challenges over her integrity, given to arguments and marriage-as-hostage-situations, Venus is attractive, pleasure minded, and loose. As women and men reading this, both of these archetypes are worth reconciling. But where do we see the friendly, sociable queen? The answer lies in fashion.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I love fashion. There is something so receptive and opinion inviting about clothes. Like the plumes of a peacock’s tail, clothing serves as a way to communicate. Opinion, status, health and personal choice all are folded up in the expressive quality of what we wear. The reactions we have over police officers and transvestites both are about the clothes. It’s likely that many of you out there are of the sentiment that whatever the First Lady wears is of no importance. To this I would ask: if a person dressed up as a mime starting talking to you, would you be a little surprised?