By Len Wallick
So much of the astrology lately has had to do with the aspects (angles) between planets. This big one, of course, is the long 90-degree aspect (square) between Saturn and Pluto in their respective cardinal signs. This, of course, is leading up to the t-square (two 90-degree aspects and a 180-degree opposition combined) when Jupiter and Uranus reach the first degree of Aries in a year or so. Eric, of course, has fingered this as an important significator of the astrological take on the wider cultural phenomena that the year 2012 represents.
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Today, however, your intrepid correspondent is suggesting that the aspects can pretty much be put aside in favor of other things. Every sign has an alchemical element (earth, air, fire and water) as well as a quality (cardinal, fixed, mutable) associated with it.
The combination of element and quality tells you something about the personality of the sign. Taurus, being of the fixed earth combination, for example implies about as earthy as one can get. We place the foundations of nearly all our buildings in the earth precisely because we want them to stay fixed in place. Virgo, on the other hand, being the combination of mutable and earth implies a more paradoxical makeup. Each sign’s particular combination represents both a field of strength and potential for weakness.
In addition, each sign is corresponded with a ruling planet or luminary. In the multiple millennium before the telescope there were more signs (12) than visible planets and luminaries (7), so some planets had to do double duty. Finally, there is a house associated with each sign, the succession of which traces a progression that begins from self and proceeds to expand and evolve. There is a longer story in the houses and rulers but we may leave it at that for the purpose of this missive.
Today begins with the Sun at mid-Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn. The Moon is winding up its second day in Virgo. Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo and it’s retrograding entirely in Capricorn. Saturn is in Libra. Venus is the ruling planet of Libra and it’s currently catching up with the Sun in Capricorn. Mars is retrograde in Leo, ruled by the Sun, which is in Capricorn. Jupiter is essentially void (with some interesting minor planet exceptions) in the twenty-eighth degree of Aquarius, originally ruled by Saturn which takes us back to where all the roads of pre-science planets lead today – you guessed it – Capricorn.
The sign of the goat means something different to each person. Where is it in your chart? What sort of relationships have you had with people born with the Sun in Capricorn? The Moon? The ascendant? Whatever it means to you, if synchronicity is valid, today’s experiences should represent a form of total immersion with the energy and an opportunity to get the feel of and learn the language of that sign and the energy (think 10th house, or, if you want to dredge up something really deep – again a long story- the 7th house). Briefly, the 10th house represents aspirations and goals in relationship to what i can only call our individual audience (those individuals AND institutions whose collective evaluations determine our reputation, our influence, the status of our individuation). It also corresponds to the mid-heaven (MC) or South of a traditional zodiac that starts at the first degree of Aries. The 7th house is more like down in the audience, part of it, in contact with it. If any of you has ever made eye contact with a riot girrl in the mosh pit, you know that potentials associated with the seventh house. It also represents the descendant and the compass direction West.
One other thing, the Capricorn energy field seems to have a yin (or feminine) affinity and that may be the most significant thing of all. Now that we have the feel, let’s add just a bit on today’s notable aspects.
Mercury and Venus have an extraordinarily quick conjunction in Capricorn (moving in opposite directions at a combined speed of over two and a half degrees a day). Please forgive is this does not somehow represent a broom closet assignation during coffee break. And if it does, be safe, OK?
Chiron is in a decidedly non-Capricornian (air to fire) sextile with 1992 QB1. Please look in Planet Waves’ archives from October 16, 2009 with Eric’s recommendation that 1992 QB1 be named Radharani, and we can see in this aspect the growing awareness of a threshold approaching (and a possible connection to the Mercury-Venus quickie). This is reinforced by the fact that Chiron and Cubie are both in meaningful aspect (semi-sextile and square, respectively) to the North Lunar Node, near which a solar eclipse will take place in 10 days – that works out pretty darned neat, huh?
Finally there is a very interesting minor planet conjunction right around the eighth or ninth degree of Scorpio. With Deucalion (the Greek equivalent of Noah), Ceto, Poseidon (both deities of oceanic attribution), Lachesis (the second of the three Fates, the one who determined the length of the string) and Pallas Athene (justice informed by wisdom), all together in the darkness of fixed water there would seem to be something wet, mysterious, trans-formative and mysterious going on. Which leads us to Pluto, and hence back to Capricorn, but then, you knew that was coming a mile away.
Offered In Service
LW: good show! I very much enjoyed this writing submission of yours. Feel it, indeed! my own humble offering-much of what is coming smacks to me of older cautionary legends some refer to as Atlantis and Lemuria. I am reminded that each of us contributes our energies on this stage/plane/dimension of existence and most importantly each of us has the opportunity to pay attention and do something differently one moment at a time.
maybe a trip to the broomcloset isn’t a bad idea once in a while…strictly speaking from a balanced and fair health perspective…*winks*
dear B & Len,
i did find a bit o’cappy on the cusp oh-my 12th house. so yes, aye am A-representin’. for the moment eh! as all ways, boots ahhh-gOgOl (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGSKul7JksE). cheers ;)!
Patty – Thank you. i do believe you are on to something valid. Please allow me to pass on one hard-earned tip. When my Reiki master informed me that i had completed my training one side effect is that i became highly intuitive. All of a sudden i just knew stuff. The problem is that i feel into the trap of interpreting intuituitive knowledge through personal story. That got me into a lot of trouble. Decided to learn astrology as a check and balance (along with the I Ching) that would get me out of my story. Sent an e-mail to Rob Brezny asking for a way to learn, he referred me to Eric’s blog and the rest is…in process.
Yes, the threshold thing does seem to be in play. However, i attempt to orient myself from a place of responsibility and service. Learning lessons rather than teaching them.
Also, in total agreement with you about the President. Would not want to be in his shoes. Don’t know how he does it day-to-day. Seems the First Lady is also in a tough spot. You can bet she knows what’s up and yet she handles it with a level of grace, wisdom, wit and restraint that few humans are acquainted with.
Len, I am intrigued too, but I want to know more about this. I’m relating on a very personal level to the October 16 astrology, and with the way it worked out, I have a sense that there is a universal sort of healing about to take place, only not how anyone can imagine. It feels very 12th house – like something horribly unspeakable that is about to dealt an awakening type of education. Did you ever feel like you were part of something that was meant to teach someone else a lesson, only you didn’t want to be part of it but you couldn’t escape? That is how this feels. Wouldn’t want to be mr. president right now either – a good man who has to teach some hard lessons to people that have it coming.
I’m not much a believer in coincidence these days.
strimilarue – BK is right. Even if the sign is intercepted, even if the house is empty (a rarity now that we know about the minor planets), Capricorn is there somehow in everyone’s chart. You are most welcome. Great boots.
BK – thank you for your kind expression of resonance. As Wayne and Garth might say, it’s not astrology that’s mental – it’s me. I’ll remember your advice and try to be out of my mind (not a stretch) when i’m given the kind permission of Eric, Anatoly and Fe to express myself here.
Len,
This was more than just informing, it was positively entertaining! My gosh, an Aquarian explaining how to get the feeling. . . .of Capricorn, no less. I hope you will do more of this kind of writing. Sometimes astrology, as much as I adore it, can get brutally dry and, well, mental. It made me stop and, er, think. Think about how this day was so dramatically (?) Capricorn and how it felt.
Most of this day I wondered what kind of aspect was putting me into a funk, only to discover there was none. But as I think back on it now, after reading your piece, I realize that patience was being demanded of me, a truely Capricornian talent. Or a Saturnian one, whatever. it was also a day of delayed gratification, and no, not the Mercury rx – Venus kind you spoke of. (That was very cute by the way)
So my thanks to you for your inventiveness you clever boy; please keep up the good work. And tell stormilarue that her capricorn is not missing. Perhaps overlooked, but definitely present somewhere in that chart of hers.
be
capricorn is amazingly missing from my chart, but some of my nearest and dearest are the loveliest of goats (all femme i just realized). and while it’s been (many) moons since i was rioting in the mosh pits, i’m wearing my favorite (purple) combat boots today in solidarity. thank you mr. wallick.