{"id":21996,"date":"2010-02-01T06:06:47","date_gmt":"2010-02-01T11:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/?p=21996"},"modified":"2010-02-01T10:03:26","modified_gmt":"2010-02-01T15:03:26","slug":"planetwaves-astrology-for-feb-1-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/daily-astrology\/planetwaves-astrology-for-feb-1-2010\/","title":{"rendered":"Present With the Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Len Wallick<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are reading this, you have survived the weekend with its unique Full Moon and the re-exacting of the Saturn-Pluto square. Please feel free to enrich us all by sharing the insights you gained in the comments section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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This week we step onto new ground astrologically, but in the fashion of last week’s blogs, it may do well to start off looking at the big picture. Of course, the square between Saturn and Pluto continues. Given that these are outer planets of slow apparent motion and not forgetting the fact that this is a cardinal point phenomenon, this aspect is operative over a period of years, forming a background.<\/p>\n

One other astrological relationship has been around so long we seem to have taken it for granted – the mutual reception between Neptune (in Aquarius) and Uranus (in Pisces). Now that we are nearing the end of that collaboration, we will take another look at it later in the week along with Jupiter’s applying sextile to Pluto.<\/p>\n

Continuing the longer view, the long-time-coming conjunction between Chiron and Neptune will be exact on the 17th, although we have been feeling it for quite a while. Finally, this is the week when Imbolc, Candlemas and\/or Groundhog Day, depending on your cultural orientation are observed in the Northern Hemisphere. In both hemispheres the mid-point between seasons is exact this coming Thursday.<\/p>\n

Today, Jupiter opposes Vesta and Venus conjoins Nessus. Those two aspects are part of and flow into the bigger picture, so let’s start with Imbolc and come back to them.<\/p>\n

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The cardinal points–the first degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn–split the zodiac circle into four equal pieces of pie, one for each season. The middle degree of fixed signs–Aquarius, Taurus, Leo and Scorpio–are referred to as cross-quarter points because the the connecting lines form a cross that divides the pie into eight equal pieces. Eric has repeatedly observed that the cardinal points are expressed as a “personal is political” phenomenon and that the middle of each season resonates with that. Like the previous event of Samhain, also known as Halloween, the re-exacting of the Saturn-Pluto square is concurrent. This co-incidence has provided an opportunity to expand our consciousness to perceive all time and space as the same thing, present in the here and now. This finds further expression in the transits and aspects of this week.<\/p>\n

The festivals associated with this time have in common the image of a sacred fire that is associated with the Sun, shadows, thresholds and prognostication. Ground Hog Day is the most mundane expression of this phenomenon. Candlemas (or “candle mass”) is the Christian co-option that takes it a little deeper by heralding the lengthening days with the use of candles and representing the purification of Virgin Mary as a way to subsume the ancient Celtic patron of Imbolc, Brigid the Light-Bringer.<\/p>\n

In legend Brigid was born at sunrise as her mother was walking over a threshold. This state of being in-between connects with the seminal meaning of a cross quarter as being a time when the doors that separate are open to the here and now. Brigid is also associated with the sustenance of sacred flame, which connects with the cachet of the asteroid Vesta, and healing which resounds with the ambiance of the centaur planet, Chiron. Finally, she is also known to be the Gaelic goddess of poetry and smith-craft, two avocations that have come to be associated with men.<\/p>\n

This takes us further, over a gender threshold and connects us with two brilliant comments from this space last week. The first being Eric’s blog last Thursday<\/a> intuiting “the infusion of a transgender theme” as associated with the applying conjunction of Chiron and Neptune published with a photograph of an open door. The second being the cogent comments appended to my own blog on Thursday<\/a> by wandering_yeti which advocated against the “kind of either\/or thinking” that inhibits men and women from realizing their common humanity. Thus the experience of this recent Full Moon is continued here and now.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to today. The so-called Vestal Virgins were the only female priests of ancient Rome. They were subject to the authority of no man, making them the notable exception from the restrictions of Roman law. Their duty was to maintain the sacred fire. In this role we find unification with the person of Brigid. The main-belt asteroid Vesta has long been a favorite subject here at Planet Waves. In the August 14, 2009 blog on Woodstock it was connected with “the creative fire within, and in the world”.<\/p>\n

Vesta holds the key to resolving the “often injured, burdened and confused sense of our sexuality” through devotion. Now in opposition to Jupiter, the symbol of masculine preeminence in the Greco-Roman pantheon, the door is opened for our common creative fire to bring resolution to what’s called the “Western distortion” that divides the human race. This, in turn leads us to today’s second notable aspect.<\/p>\n

Nessus is one of the minor planets referred to as centaurs. In astrology, the current consensus seems to be that centaurs represent “shadow material” (past traumas preserved as current psychological baggage) and the awareness of which can result in resolution. Here we find mythical connection with the shadow of the groundhog. It other words, it’s an auspicious time to look at our shadow material. Nessus specifically has been correlated with the subject of taking responsibility for the trauma of abuse endured so that we do not pass it on by abusing others.<\/p>\n

Nessus in Aquarius, the sign of the collective implies Eric’s well-founded assertion that we all have been abused and that this can serve as a ground for healing each other even as we heal ourselves. Venus conjunct Nessus in Aquarius holds the promise of bringing us to our senses. What we have in common should serve to bring us together, not divide us. The force of attraction that Venus symbolizes now finds opportunity to bring us together into harmony with the awareness that the oft-used ability to wound each other can be turned the other way. First in conscious and aware restraint. Finally, through the ultimate, enduring and proactive power of love. And that’s a fine way to start a month.<\/p>\n

Offered In Service<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Len Wallick If you are reading this, you have survived the weekend with its unique Full Moon and the re-exacting of the Saturn-Pluto square. Please feel free to enrich us all by sharing the insights you gained in the comments section. This week we step onto new ground astrologically, but in the fashion of … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":537,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21996"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/537"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21996"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21996\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planetwaves.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}