Following Saturday’s New Moon conjunct Jupiter, the Moon remains in Leo until it ingresses Virgo Monday at 11:37 pm EDT (Tuesday 03:37 UTC). As of the moment of this writing, the Moon is square Saturn in Scorpio (during which aspect I found my cellphone after three days). By my reckoning, using classical planets and Ptolmeic aspects only (conjunction, sextile, square, trine, opposition) the Moon will be void of course all night and all day Monday until it ingresses Virgo, at which time it becomes rather busy.
Question for classical astrology students — does Moon trine its own nodes count as not void? I have not encountered that particular guideline. Lee Lehman would know. Rob Hand would know. If so, the Moon’s void actually begins once it separates from a its trine/sextile to the nodes at 8:20 am EDT (12:20 UTC). The Moon will also be trine Eris, and sextile Ceres and Vesta.
So this is a special Moon void — you might say that the classical planets are out of the way and Ms. Luna will be resonating with two supreme asteroids (chief executive goddess Ceres and keeper of the devotional flame Vesta, both in Libra) and what is perhaps the minor planet that defines our era in history, Eris in Aries (also conjunct the Moon’s South Node). The Moon is still young in its cycle; I count Monday night as the third night of the Moon, when it will become visible in some places just as it enters Virgo.
The Moon then makes many aspects once that happens, starting off with a simultaneous conjunction to hypothetical Transpluto in Virgo and an opposition to Nessus in Pisces. That is going to focus some energy — perhaps perfectionist, urge for resolution, healing power, something — don’t take on too much. Take one thing at a time. Feel good about accomplishing one thing or understanding one issue.
Monday might feel a little less intense or accomplishment-focused than you want, though this is a truly rare moment to make contact with some of the subtler energies. And don’t worry, once the Moon is in Virgo, you will be all about getting everything done, and you just might.
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Yes I agree Eric, as I said “..Unless you are seeking a change, then the (Venus/Pluto) push will help.”
Yet I still read Venus oppose Pluto (square Uranus) aspect regarding sex, or other where there is an out of balance for example, “expectation of emotions” as a keep aware of our limits and boundaries. In it’s highest energy, where we are in balance of power, but not limiting others choices in expectant ways. To feel powerful, but not overpowering, feel in control but not controlling. And wth Mar’s new energy coming out of Libra and increasingly available to us in Scorpio, I believe Venus oppose Pluto square Uranus will be another reminded for us to utilze this valuable skill of discernment more consciously.
Green-star gazer, your point is well made. I suppose as an adult, you have the option of hopping into a car and head for saner pastures. If you REALLY want to see rudeness in action, try being a high school student. Part of the pleasure of being a teenage Virgo is to know when to keep your mouth shut and walk away before trouble starts brewing. During my freshman year in high school in AZ I saw plenty of fights. To be specific, my high school was called Chandler High School. Chandler is a suburb of Phoenix. The school is located right smack in the downtown. That means that gang activity was rife within segments of the student population. One October there was an gigantic food fight in the front of the cafeteria (The school has an open plaza in the center. Majority of the students eat there.). I got the heck out of dodge and into the building where my next class was. I was sitting at the other end of the plaza and when I saw the food flying I just walked away. Later I found out that a kid participating in the fight was tazed. There was another fight involving students at the Little Caeser’s across the street. Kids go to eat there too. I hated it when students started to yap when the teacher was in the middle of talking. I had no option of just walking out, for that would mean missing key talking points. I dreamed of a big red “SHUT UP” button just appear on my desk. I would have pushed that button til the batteries ran out. However I perservered. One of the positives of natal Saturn trining natal sun perhaps. I am 22 and I thank my lucky stars I graduated knowing that I can choose to align myself with people who respect the wisdom people can bring. No matter how boring the lecture may be. That is one of the blessings of Libra, choice. Once the choice is made, action (Mars).
Thanks Be,
Yes, the Neptunian element is an even trickier passage. You are absolutely right to point that out, thank you!
It’s not that I “blame” Mars not at all, that would be silly. I just see a rise in the expression of aggression and hostility in all sorts of small ways these days and I am weary of it. Even in my small hamlet, rudeness and aggressive behaviours of all sorts are increasingly accepted as “normal”. I don’t like the trend and I don’t like that it goes unquestioned for the most part.
Thanks for your clarity and precision…. much appreciated!
. . . . er, pus not puss!/be
Green-Star-gazer, it is heart-breaking that society’s abandonment of the veneer of politeness seems to be the new normal. Nastiness is not everywhere, I’m pretty sure, but it IS prevalent in all forms of media, social or otherwise, 24-7. Mars will be Mars, to the best of his ability, in any sign, but when opposed by Eris, or even worse, when he was squared by Pluto and Jupiter + opposed by Uranus earlier this year, the unconscious and buried fears (under society’s politeness) surfaced, thanks to Uranus and Pluto, and then Jupiter’s exacerbating and emotionalizing of those fears, well, he fought back.
If I were to blame a planet for the dissolution of politeness (and I doubt I’d do that) it would be transiting Neptune. At least in this country, his presence in the U.S. Sibly 3rd house of communicating, shortly after the election of Pres. Obama (and the accompanying Saturn opposition to Uranus), dissolved any boundaries between polite and impolite conversation. It dissolved any restrictions in programming (including what children viewed) and advertising on television, the most common source of news and entertainment. It opened the floodgates for the likes of Rush Limbaugh to give voice to those subconscious fears. Neptune’s conjunction to the U.S. Sibly Moon (and warrior goddess Pallas) left many of us feeling vulnerable and because of that, defensive.
Mars has only been in Libra since last December and, as good as he is, he couldn’t dismantle a way of discourse between societies and individuals in 8 months time (don’t tell him I said that!). At least not without a lot of prep time from other, greater gods than he.
Please don’t give up on the lovely Libra qualities we all admire just yet. This is just the oozy, puss rising from the toxins in the snake-brain survival instincts we humans have buried in our DNA. Mars is the surgeon bringing it all to the surface and he, of all the gods, sure doesn’t want to lose the Venus civility and charm that Libra provides. Although this is the sign of “when diplomacy fails we go to war”, it still takes an awful lot of trying to find balance to arrive at that decision.
be
I like the thought about the time-out Holly. LOL. I had a boss that gave us a group talk because there was so much vocal concern over the number of employees who had been fired in a short time-frame. He gave about 10 examples of how we fire ourselves. He wasn’t too big on time-outs either – just went straight to the termination. For every time I am angry about something, I can probably think of two or three ways I helped escalate the problem.
The lack of respect people have for each other existed LONG before Mars entered Libra. Wars were actually fought on US soil. And to defend Mars here, it is not the responsibility of a planet millions and millions of miles away to babysit human being and administiring time outs. We may be feeling the aggression no doubt, but we are the ones who have to catch ourselves when angry, calm down, and act in a more dignified fashion. Think of what will happen if planets WERE controlling us, it will be a comical act to be sure. The point was to use this time to proactively make a change, no matter how small. For every negative story on the nightly news, there are 10 times as many positive ones. Besides, major media outlets LOVES bad news, no matter how silly they appear to sane people. Just switch it off and explore your community. Devote time to your community and see how respectful, calm and happy people truly are. If you look at it this way, Mars in Libra was a positive moment.
Thinking optimistically.. I will personally give the new Mars energy a chance. He is just getting out of the gate into new territory and expression. I feel there was a rebalancing of the male/female balance of energies over the 8 month transgression through Libra. With greater awareness, including the many global political examples added by Be (thank you Be) comes transformation eventually, always. But may take some time. Especially when we are talking of a shift of such deep patterning, it may be expressed adversely for those not so open, or accepting of change. And i think that represents is a large number of people on this planet. Believe it’s what we may have been seeing and experiencing of this last period and may continue on for a while, or until everyone finally gets the memo anyway!
This may not be a popular view of things, but what I’ve noticed about the Mars in Libra dance is that decorum, sensitivity, vulnerability and just plain courtesy went down the drain. Wars and the threat of wars seemed to displace what remnants we had of diplomacy (Libra’s realm par excellence). I now see that aggression and hostile language now is accepted as “normal” behavior. Carry a gun into Dennys? no problem. Threaten a pedestrian because you nearly run them over but you have a license to carry, no problem. The increased level of righteousness, aggression and hostility in the media and in the goings on of ordinary life seems to have been re-defined and codified as “the new normal” before our eyes and without any checks and balances or questions asked. The softness and values of Libra and Venus seem lost to our collective now.
Why is it that people don’t want to acknowledge that this Mars in Libra passage seriously messed us up?
I’d like to expand a little on the Moon’s void (with the classical planets) course but right on course with Ceres and Vesta. Since December (or even earlier) these sister symbols have been traveling together, mere degrees separating them. This month, on July 5th, they finally made a conjunction aspect, a rare thing indeed. Over the course of several months they began to lock step with the transits of north node and Mars; at some points they were acting almost as one unit. Four bodies circling the Earth combining their messages into one message with various subjects and events manifesting this group expression of energy.
Depending on the aspects they made and what a chart represented (full and new moons, eclipses, etc.) and what else was being emphasized in those charts, the Sisters were tireless, relentless in their expression; that of raising consciousness regarding the devaluing of the Feminine in societies.
It was the end of May and there was a New Moon in Gemini. This Sun-Moon conjunction squared Neptune in Pisces who, in the previous month, had slipped into a new degree with the symbol of a girl blowing a bugle. All sky eyes had been watching, waiting, enduring the Cardinal Cross activities in April, not noticing Neptune’s sleight of hand.
I recollect a lot of mis-information, mis-understanding, deceit and the like going on after that Gemini New Moon. What was under the radar re: that New Moon was that is was when Saturn and Uranus began to come into orb of their “almost” quintile that would follow. At that New Moon in Gemini, Vesta, (2 degrees from Ceres) was opposite Uranus in Aries. Ceres at 18+ Libra was semisextile Saturn at 18+ Scorpio. The two sisters had the attention of the two rulers of Aquarius along with Mars, now direct, who ruled the signs they occupied, and who would be closing the gap of 7 degrees separating him from the goddesses he shared the sign of Libra with. No planets were in Aquarius at that time either.
Something else about that new moon in Gemini chart; it featured a grand water trine between Jupiter (understanding the big picture) and Saturn (institutions) and Chiron (healing). That was on May 28, 2014.
Here is just one example of how Ceres and Vesta, in the sign ruled be Venus were operating their power at that time. In May, the U.S. House of Reps. authorized $41 million to “test and prosecute backlogged rape kits”, some going back as far as 30 years. “The Senate has yet to act, but Worthy (Prosecuter Kym Worthy, Detroit) is hopeful that more money will be coming from Washington.” She says in an article in TIME, Issue Jul 28, 2014, Vol. 1184, #4, “I call sexual assault the stepchild of violent crime”, and “There needs to be global shift, a culture change surrounding[rape].”
Astrologer Dane Rudhyar’s wonderful book “An Astrological Triptych” assigns each of the 12 signs a test and for Aquarius it is “The Test of Discontent”. Here is a bit of what he says:
“To transform and regenerate the patterns of custom and tradition is a thankless task, even for the most able and most careful. And to renew oneself through the performance of a life of social responsibility and leadership is a work that requires the utmost watchfulness and the most unflinching determination, as well as resilient strength of character and mind.”
Each of these attributes can be related with one or more of these gods who rule Aquarius and/or one of the goddesses who travel with Mars and the north node.. . . . . .
Transform and regenerate (Uranus), patterns or custom and tradition (Saturn) thankless task (Saturn, Ceres, Vesta), most able and most careful (Saturn), social responsibility and leadership (Saturn), resilient strength (Saturn, Vesta, Ceres) of character and mind (Aquarius)
The full moon in Aquarius should highlight many of the issues that Ceres, Vesta, and the other goddess have worked so hard to bring to the fore in recent months, if not years. I will be watching for them and hope you will note them when they present to your consciousness.
be
yes the other way to experience mutual reception is as a hostage situation – I think that is what most people end up with
Holly and Eric,
Veeeerrry interesting stuff about Mars/Libra/Scorpio Saturn… As a Libra with strong Scorpio elements in my chart I have found both Saturn in Scorpio and Mars in Libra – and now Mars in Scorpio – extremely intense and life changing in so many ways, especially the retrograde periods. And it is interesting how much of this energy is getting parsed into male/female perspectives as well. Are we (individuals and the society/world at large) resisting the “mutual reception” that we should be engaging with?
Many ways to read Venus opp Pluto though I think that all good sex with real contact changes a person, every time it happens. Venus Pluto makes a visceral opening for that…for full expression and recreation. Vesta provides the element of ritual space and the potential for a detached alternate point of view.
Yeah, but Venus oppose Pluto regarding sex..I guess would warn, don’t seek too much intensity or expectation of emotion or may lead to a crash. Unless you are seeking a change then the push will help.
That’s what it looked like — Leo Moon trine Eris in Aries. Sounds great for sex. Moon trine Vesta would be a plus — the element of ritual.
There could be something to that; nodes DO count when considering a Moon’s void-of-course starting point. Today at 8:10 AM EDT, the water was cut off (our condos have a shared water source) without any written or verbal warning. On a work day. I know because my water was running at the time. So you say that Eris was the next contact for the Moon after passing the nodes?
be
http://planetwaves.net/news/table-of-essential-dignities/
Actually nodes are handled in the oldest astrological documents; note their association with Gemini and Sagittarius from this 2000+ year old document.
Nodes are not by any stretch classical planets so I would think the Voidness of Moon stands …. thank you for taking my call, I’ll listen for your response(s).
mm.
ps: I’m not a classical astrology student for that matter 🙂
One interesting fact of Mars in Libra was its mutual reception with Saturn in Scorpio, as Saturn is exalted in Libra, where Mars was. This connected the cardinal grand cross to Saturn.
I think that Amanda Painter called it when she said that Mars in Libra would create the first transgendered planet. There has been Mars getting the ‘female experience’ of Venus-ruled Libra (with the help of that mutual reception). There is something of a social puzzle with the sexes not understanding one another’s point of view and this resulting in many issues of fairness and questions surrounding justice.
Mars in Libra provoked many conversations.
There is a need for mutually receptive points of view if any discussion is going to happen. We now have Mars ‘in its own point of view’, which interestingly happens to be in feminine (but Mars-ruled) sign Scorpio.
This might by WAY off topic but I have to say this. It’s about Mars. And where he is placed. Simply, the warrior is fighting for the truth (Scorpio). For that is what the 8th house is about, no? I have no doubt Mars hates being in Libra, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t learn something in the first place. One of the ideals Libra stands for is justice. Mars had to learn what is fair or false. Now that he knows, he can put it into practice with a passion. The warrior fights with justice in mind to search for the truth. Saturn is already in a 2 1/2 vacation in Scorpio dredging every last secret the people in charge would rather keep hidden. (Snowdon anyone?). Both are in Pluto’s home sign. Who in turn is giving the traditional systems, banking, politics, governments (Capricorn) the what for. Now armed with this newfound sense of truth, both Mars and Saturn will team up at the end of August to give Pluto the news. For Scorpio sextiles Capricorn. Once Pluto goes direct with news in mind (get your popcorn out), prepare for some fireworks!
Another exciting tidbit, I believe Mars enters Capricorn on October 26th, joining a fully awake Pluto (just in time for elections!). Mars is exalted there. By the time Nov. 4th rolls around the sun will be in Scorpio was well. Supporting Saturn. Sextiling Mars and Pluto. So if you are willing to play this astrology, it will pay off big time. (We’ll need lots of popcorn).
..It might be a little late on the east coast, but if you’re on the west coast U.S., there’s a kick-ass view of Saturn, Mars, and Spica, right in front of the constellation Scorpio. It’ll last,.. so check it out if you get a chance in the the next few nights..
🙂
Jere
I appreciate your VOC Moon info and for looking deeper into the surface facts as you’ve done in this post. This has been a huge player for me over the years, more specifically a forbidding one. Painted into innumerable corners, I’ve had to consider new ways of looking beyond its traditional “nothing-shall-come-of-this” meaning… and have actually leapfrogged over a few voids to my desired accomplishment. (Not the “performs somehow” moons, either.) So, your consideration of the nodes here I find very valuable.
Many thanks –
Rob
Thanks Eric. Ceres and Vesta, are conjunct natal moon 27+ degrees Libra. So Ms Moon will sextile 3. Is there a name for this type of personal aspect?
I have planned a complete day of pleasure, following my intuition to chase potential a dream. Have no clear idea of orchestrating the finer details of the deal or, what may come of it. I do know it feels good to allow the explore. Likewise, it sounds like with the current cosmic alignments of your report bring a perfect energy to aknowledge and be open to the mystery of the flow and up for the adventure. Energies will be released soon enough..
Perfect for me. The moon is currently in my 12th house sun-wise. Venus is there at 22+ Leo. I will be scheduling for classes in the coming week. Also my sister heads to Nepal on Tuesday. She is two years younger than me. She is a Leo. With Jupiter in Leo, it will go very well. I am the oldest of 5 kids. According to birth order: Virgo, Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio, and a Libra. Mom is a fellow Scorpio and dad is a Cancer.