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Sabian Symbol for the
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Ottawa, Canada and
Washington DC, USA:
Oct.14, 4:02 PM EDT
London, UK:
Oct.14, 9:02 PM BST
Sydney, AU:
Oct.15, 7:02 AM AEDT
Read more about the Sun-Moon cycles.
Read more about how you experience ARIES energy in your life.
Aries is the sign of beginnings. Aries is new, fresh, out front and in yer face. It is the sign of the individual, the pioneer and the lone wolf (er—ram). Aries is considered the first sign of the Zodiac, and it therefore has to do with initiation, instigation and the courage to leave the old behind and move into the new. To understand this Full Moon, it helps to understand the deeper nature of Aries. (Although Aries likes to do things quickly, there is a lot to talk about at this Full Moon!)
The Sabian Symbol ("What's a Sabian Symbol?") for the very first degree of the Zodiac shows the essential nature of Aries: "A woman just risen from the sea. A seal is embracing her." This image seems reminiscent of the story of Venus' birth. She rises fully formed from the sea foam where Uranus' genitals have been thrown after Saturn castrates him. Venus, the goddess of gentle beauty was born from an act of violence. Among other things, it is a symbol in which good can come from bad and new beginnings can offer fresh hope.
As Dane Rudhyar discusses in (An Astrological Mandala),
this is a symbol of rising consciousness. Emerging awareness
must separate from the waters of the unconscious. The seal embracing
the woman is a
mammal that evolved from being a sea creature into an
air-breathing land creature, yet who later returned to the sea. By
embracing the woman, the seal represents the urge to stay with what is
familiar and to "return to the womb" rather than venture
consciously into the unknown.
This symbol illustrates the struggle we all go through when emerging into new awareness. By moving into something new, we must leave behind the cushion of ignorance and face a new—possibly awful—truth. The temptation to turn around and dive back into our previous unconscious state can be great, and our animal nature is only to glad to help us remain in a world of instincts, impulses and simply being in our creaturehood.
Consciousness requires the courage to encounter that which lies beyond that instinctual realm, into the world of choice and consequences. We become initiated into a state where we can no longer entirely blame something or someone outside of ourselves for what happens to us. We become conscious co-creators in life. This evolves in stages, of course, but Aries represents the initiation into another layer of that emerging consciousness.
So what are we becoming conscious of? Ourselves, for starters. Being in Aries, the time is ripe to become more self-aware and to allow an impulsive expression of the Self to arise like Venus from the waves of the deep. We are also becoming aware of each other. The Full Moon is an opposition between the Sun and Moon. The opposition aspect is where two planets have moved as far apart from each other as they can get, and then turn and observe each other from a point of separateness. This is a condition of maximum (potential) awareness. The Aries Moon turns and sees the Libra Sun. Libra being "other people," we are seeing each other in a new way. Others around you act like a mirror to reflect something about you. Not that this is an invitation to narcissism—not everything is about you. Nevertheless, you can learn something about both the other person and about yourself through your interactions.
There are a number of influential factors in this emerging awareness. One is Neptune which forms an exact Wedge aspect configuration with the Sun and Moon. It is not enough to simply say, "Gee, look at you looking at me." There is far more at stake here than mere self awareness or social interaction. There is a potential to fulfil a higher purpose, to exercise your compassion and to become aware of participating in something greater than yourself.

Not all that is happening now can be known clearly. There is a lot going on that is beyond simple consciousness or will power—yet we are required to be conscious participants in this great flow of life. On the other hand, there may also be confusion about what is happening or which direction to go with it. Neptune may offer a greater context within which to measure your alternatives and understand the possibilities before you. However, this could also be based more on fantasy and wishful thinking that might burst like a bubble with it comes up against the hard wall of reality. An open yet objective mind is the key.
Mars, the planetary ruler of Aries, is extremely strong right now in its other sign, Scorpio. There is a depth of experience that is around us, and it's not easy to invoke it at will. Mars has no major aspects to other planets, indicating that few roads lead to those depths, and those few are probably hidden, subtle or lurking in the shadows. There is a semi-sextile aspect to Mercury, suggesting that it is through our thoughts, words, perceptions and ideas that Mars will show itself—but probably not very directly or easily. This might come out as an "edge" of annoyance, anger or aggression that lives underneath the words you speak. Or, you might be more reactive or "prickly" than usual. Mars is also in a sesqui-square aspect to Uranus, adding to the irritability, defensiveness or over-reaction. This doesn't have to be all bad, though—this could also stimulate your adrenaline-based behaviour, like courage, assertiveness, physical activity, sexuality and taking action on decisions.
Another major influence in this Full Moon is that fact that Mercury is stationing Direct a mere 24 hours later. The Full Moon will act as a lightning rod for the intense, concentrated Mercury energy. The Mercury station is a turning point in its retrograde cycle. During its retrograde period in Libra (Sep.24-Oct.15) we have seen some pretty dramatic chaos, disagreement, negotiation and communication in many situations, from political campaigning to local transit strikes to disruptions in commerce to intense debate. The financial chaos has led to a mammoth effort of global cooperation and negotiation in the process of trying to find a point of balance and calm, all of which are Libra's specialties.
On a more personally level, you may be struggling with your own "damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't" dilemma that has required you to compromise, negotiate, weight alternatives or appreciate the other person's viewpoint. As Mercury turns direct, it may be possible to arrive at a win-win solution, or at least to approximate this (on a personal as well as collective level). There will likely be a better understanding of what action is needed to make things as fair as possible for all concerned. However, with Mercury semi-sextile to Mars, disagreement may continue to haunt whatever decisions are made.
In some recent discussions fellow Toronto astrologer, Priscilla Costello, mentioned that the Full Moon is exactly conjunct Eris, which is a newly discovered member of our solar system that has been granted "dwarf planet" status. We're just starting to scratch the surface of what Eris is about astrologically. Mythologically, Eris is the Greek goddess of strife and discord. It was she who initiated the events that led to the Trojan War, by tossing into a crowd of beautiful goddesses a golden apple inscribed "To the fairest." You can imagine the cat fight that ensued!
Another Toronto astrologer, Julie Simmons, pointed out that "gold" is a form of money. Anyone noticed any strife or discord in the area of finances and economy lately? Nah, me neither. How about a competition for a prized status being fought by "the best of the best" to determine who will reign as the winner? Nope, not me either. ;-)
Seriously, the recent financial meltdown that continues to have world-wide effects seems to echo this mythological story in eerie ways. And the current campaign for the US Presidency will undoubtedly turn out to be one of the most important, pivotal and influential elections in US history. Barack Obama and John McCain are competing over who will claim that "golden apple" of the US presidency. And no matter who wins the election, they will govern through an extremely demanding and challenging time of restructuring and transformation. The mounting discord in this already strongly divided country could become worse before there is clear evidence of healing (echoes of the Trojan War). This struggle would be a necessary phase of the healing process, like a blister that must first be lanced and drained before the deeper healing can begin.
Here in Canada (where I am), we are also gearing up for a Federal election, which takes place precisely on the day of that Full Moon conjunct Eris! The choice Canadians face in this election is provoking, inviting and confronting the underlying issues of discord and disagreement in Canadian politics, revealing a lot of fragmentation and division in ideologies. Like our neighbours to the south, Canada also faces some difficult choices of how to address today's unique problems, from the economy to the environment to military involvement to the use of resources, to name a few. Do we embrace change by meeting it head-on and risking undue difficulty during the transition? Or do we stick with a more traditionalist approach and risk waking up one day to discover we have done too little too late and our efforts to stave off inevitable problems were in vain?
The way things look as I write this, there likely will not be a clear winner here in Canada. In our party-based political system, we have three major national political parties (Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats) and now a fourth new contender (the Green party), plus a fifth party that focuses only on the province of Quebec (the Bloc Quebecois). And all are jockeying for a dominant or influential position. From the way it has looked leading up to the election, this political recipe is very likely to produce Canada's third minority government in 4 years! That means the governing political party could be brought down by the other parties at virtually any time, plunging us into yet another election. On the brighter side, although certainly born of discord, disagreement and discontent, a minority government also necessitates a great deal of compromise and cooperation.
Canada's election takes place within a day of the Mercury station. The last time Canada had an election on a Mercury station (although somewhat different transits) was Oct.25.1993, which had rather bizarre results. It produced a clear majority government but with the official opposition party being the Bloc Quebecois, a party whose primary agenda is to protect the unique interests and promote the sovereign separation of only one province: Quebec. The right-wing Progressive Conservative party, after 10 years as the governing party, was also reduced to a mere 2 seats out of 295, reflecting the fury Canadians felt about how many issues had been handled. At the same time, this election also saw the dramatic rise of an ultra-right-wing party (then called the Reform party), which later evolved into the Conservative party that currently governs Canada. There are some intriguing parallels here!
It will be very interesting to see how this current election plays out, with the next government being "conceived" on a Full Moon conjunct chaotic Eris and Mercury being stationary direct in Libra. I suspect the outcome could be quite intense, probably as a minority government with a division of political parties that is more evenly fragmented than before. Mercury stationary in Libra could create an atmosphere of indecision due to not being able to agree how to be fair to all concerned, and of course, each party having a different vision of what that fairness would look like. On the other hand, this would also necessitate even more extensive cooperation, negotiation and strategic alliance. I imagine the resulting effect could range from a manipulative political cold war, at worst, to a gradual but diplomatically balanced progress, at best.
Finally, the Saturn-Uranus opposition continues to pull into closer alignment, now being only about 2½ degrees from exact (which happens on Nov.04—the day of the US election!). Saturn is the "establishment," the status quo, the tradition-oriented approach that resists fast change and trusts that the structure and policies of the system will meet the needs of its members (read: trickle-down effect). Uranus is the "new order," the revolutionary, the future-oriented approach that seeks to break free of the restrictions that keep us trapped in the past rather than moving fearlessly toward greater potential.
With these two in opposition, they are at maximum separation and prone to objectification and polarization. In other words, it's easy for us to swing to one extreme or the other—the progressive versus the conservative. This dynamic is certainly being played out in the US election campaigns, as well as in Canada, where the population seems increasingly divided between those who believe the best future lies in breaking new ground and trying new solutions to old problems, versus those who believe the best solutions lie in getting back to basic values and supporting the traditional structures and institutions in society.
The Saturn-Uranus opposition is also interacting with some very significant transits that were happening in the mid-1960s, including another Saturn-Uranus opposition (but they were in opposite signs to where they are now) and the Uranus-Pluto conjunction. It was these transits especially that galvanized the sweeping, radical changes of the 1960s. The approaching Uranus-Pluto square (reaching its first exact pass in 2012) is also bringing us to a turning point in the changes that began with the conjunction in the 1960s. Whatever is in store for us through the coming years will undoubtedly be cathartic, transformative and anything but dull! (More about this in future updates.)
To bring this back to our Aries theme: Aries is about beginnings, yet a Full Moon is about fruition and results that emerges from prior development. In short, we are at a crossroads, both personally and collectively. We have a choice: we can take a risk and move forward into the unknown, or we can attempt to retreat back into the security of what we have now. There isn't one simple answer here—if you're not yet able to breathe the air, it's probably best to stay in the waters of gestation until you're ready to be reborn. On the other hand, to stay in the womb too long is to die, or it can merely prolong the inevitable while increasing the pain and struggle.
With Pluto in Capricorn dawning on the horizon (a major shift in collective consciousness, to be sure), it may come down to whether you cooperate with or resist the inevitable. By embracing the approaching birth, we have a better chance of having a say in how it unfolds. By resisting it, we may only amplify our sense of powerlessness. With Mercury stationary in Libra, indecision could be an obstacle—that "deer in the headlights" kind of paralysis, when you feel overwhelmed and incapable of knowing which is the better choice. That's when you need to take some time out to talk to someone about what you're struggling with (your astrologer, for instance).
Yet, with Saturn balancing out Uranus in their opposition, reckless or impulsive choices could easily lead to crashing headlong into reality. Although we're moving toward a new future, we must still start with where we are in the present. We also need to preserve the learning and strength accumulated from the past. We can't just "throw the baby out with the bathwater."
If you have planets or points in your
Natal chart that coincide with these major transits, you too are
starting to go through changes, growth and turning points in
your own life. It is strongly recommended that you learn more
about these energies and how they affect your personal chart.
Awareness is the key to being able to work constructively with
these energies, rather than just feeling like they are working
you. Find out how you can get a
personal reading with me. Luckily, the current economic
meltdown has a silver lining—you can take advantage of the low
Canadian dollar! Since my prices are in Canadian dollars, US
clients, for example, will save about 15% because of the
exchange rate! And if you're already a client of mine, you will
get an extra 15% discount for the rest of October!
Contact me for prices.
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Faith in the bountiful blessings of
the Universe is within reach under this transit...but then, so
is the fantasy that you will be magically granted anything you
wish for. Hope, optimism and imagination spring eternal right
now, which can bring some relief from any depression or
discouragement you might be feeling. Your creativity can become
very inspired under this transit. Your sense of self could also
get an infusion of uplifting vision. And you experience a sense
of mission, feeling that you are truly a Child of the Universe.
There is potential to lift you out of the ordinary and into the
sublime -- spiritually, creatively, romantically or
compassionately. Enjoy it while it lasts, but before you make
changes based on what might feel like a permanent condition,
remember that this is mostly a temporary influence and you will
still have to live within the bounds of the physical world after
it passes. Don't make overly optimistic promises now, that you
will have to fulfil later when the euphoria wears off. ![]()
For up to a week before and after
today, you may experience mental intensity, confusion, and
miscommunications or changes in your outlook. After being
Retrograde since Sep.24, Mercury is now taking a slow turn to
resume Direct motion. These past 3.5 weeks have challenged you
to rethink and rehash things that required some fine-tuning or
revision. The Direct station can be a time when clearer
decisions start to emerge from the issues and struggles you've
encountered during the retrograde period. Or, it might turn your
perspective around so that you're seeing your situation fresh
again. Over the next couple of weeks, while Mercury is still in
the Shadow ("What's the Shadow?"),
your brain may feel a bit like it's gradually waking up after a
deep sleep. During this time, you can gradually put into
practice the learning and knowledge you've gained from your
retrograde "dreams" and moonlight visions. It will take time to
get fully back into sync with the Mercury direct energy. So,
take it slow, one step at a time, and untangle yourself one
strand at a time. ![]()
What does healing mean for you right now? What wounds do you carry that are ready to be healed? These might be physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual or social. Or perhaps there is a situation in your life that probably can't be completely resolved, but could probably be managed with the right strategies? Or, maybe you are in a situation where you feel you have to be something you're not, or where you don't seem to entirely fit in with the surrounding environment. This is a time when these issues are likely to be more prominent than usual. You might find people who can help you work through these areas. Or, perhaps you will encounter people who bring out that woundedness in you by aggravating those wounds somehow, giving you the dubious but authentic opportunity to learn more about what you need to heal and get past those problems. Remember that Chiron heals by giving you a nudge in the direction of the problem, rather than away from it, so if it seems like things are getting worse, you may be closer to finding a remedy than you realise. Try looking at the situation from a different perspective.
This is the final pass of
three—Jun.02,
Aug.10 and Oct.16—although it is within orb from
March to December of this year. Interestingly, this seems to
coincide with the onset and development of the current economic
crisis in the US which has affected economies word wide. Perhaps
this means things will start to level off and stabilize a bit by
the end of the year. On the other hand, this combinations of
energies could bring a sense of shared suffering with others. At
its best, this could encourage greater empathy and compassion
for those who have been hit hard by financial troubles. At its
worst, it could create a feeling of being alone with your
suffering, making you feel like you just want to retreat into a
dark cave somewhere until it's all over. This final pass can
bring a resolution to whatever your experience has been these
past several months, especially in terms of suffering, struggle
and having to juggle different experiences in a balanced way. ![]()
Venus focuses her passion on
truth-seeking, philosophical exploration, a lust for knowledge,
spiritual intimacy, music in foreign languages and multicultural
social discourse. It is a time to explore the meaning that your
close relationships bring to your life, and the value that you
bring to the Significant Others in your life. It is also a time
when you might seek to increase your income (or your spending --
careful!) and expand your potential for material wealth and
self-worth. You will likely find that negotiations, interactions
and transactions work best when you apply spiritual values to
them and keep the big picture in mind. You may also find
yourself involved with people and transactions that involve
other countries, cultures, languages and travel. There could be
a teaching-learning element in your dealings with people, so aim
for the highest good of all concerned. ![]()
Your sense of purpose is potentially
strong now, being able to tap into a deeper level of energy and
determination. Your personality may be more forceful now, which
can be great if you need to make a strong impression but perhaps
not so much in situations requiring delicacy or subtlety. You
have greater ability to see below the surface of things now,
although it may not be as easy to put it all together and
understand what it all means. It can be possible to unearth
secrets or get at the core of unconscious patterns (yours and
others'). However, you'll have to work to harvest the fruit of
these potentials, and some of the insights and benefits may not
become apparent until later. ![]()
Using your chart, we'll work together to find clarity, get you grounded and find the best path through your situation.
Find out more here or contact me for more details.
Happy Solar Return to all Scorpios!
While the Sun is in Scorpio, we all get to explore our passions
and probe the secrets within our depths. There is an intensity
to the Scorpio experience that goes right to the core, and
Scorpio challenges you to take a closer look at how that
intensity manifests in your psyche. What are you passionate
about and what fires up that passion? What events and
experiences have brought you to "rock bottom" and then turned
the tide to rejuvenate you back to a new lease on life? What
people, causes, beliefs or physical things are so important to
you that you would even risk death for? What secrets do you
harbour inside, even from yourself? Posing these hypothetical
questions doesn't mean you'll bring it on! But doing so can help
you tap into the Scorpio experience to understand better how you
experience transformation and touch the deepest heart of life
itself. The danger is in becoming so obsessed with your passion
that you neglect the practical realities. Or, you could become
stuck in the "dark side" of transformation and letting go of the
old, that you forget that figurative death and transformation
are meant to lead into rebirth in order to complete the cycle.
During this time, celebrate the endings in your life. Honour the
hard times when you have had to face painful losses. And take
passionate pleasure in the things that pull you out of your
routines and make you feel alive. In some way, they have all
allowed you to survive, thrive and grow. ![]()
It starts with Saturn in Virgo opposite Uranus in Pisces, which pits the traditional and realistic against the unconventional and visionary. The idea is to see each clearly with their particular gifts and shortcomings, while allowing each to balance out and complement the other.
Then we have Jupiter in Capricorn, which is in trine aspect to Saturn and sextile to Uranus. Jupiter is like a friendly mediator, being able to see the positive qualities of both sides of the opposition. Taking a practical approach with principles and truth can help to keep the extremes from becoming rigid adversaries. It can also help to acknowledge the benefits and advantages of taking a disciplined, grounded and mature approach to struggles between opposites.

Then we have 3 different planets moving across the Scorpio midpoint between Saturn and Jupiter, bringing more friendly mediating energy. Mars goes over that point first (Oct.22-Nov.06), with a message that Jupiter's pragmatic principles are all fine and nice, but there is also room for passion, enthusiasm and listening to your instincts. Then the Sun moves into that zone (Nov.04-17), encouraging you to draw on confidence in your personal power to ride out any stress or confusion you might feel. Then Mercury (Nov.13-19) brings depth of perception to detect the hidden messages between the words people speak.
The Cradle configuration can show a creative and optimistic way of dealing with stress and conflict. Jupiter contributes hope, optimism and perspective. Mars instils courage, energy and the ability to endure intensity. The Sun radiates self-esteem, confidence and a sense of self that can outlast whatever problems are in your path. And Mercury brings awareness, ideas and the ability to give a voice to your deeper feelings and intuition.
However, there's also a fine line between creative coping and
inability to face what's really going on. The Cradle can also
show potential for denial or difficulty dealing with problems,
by using the "positive" energies of the trine/sextile planets
(Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Mercury) to avoid the stress of the
Saturn-Uranus. For example, it might be easier to
believe you are 100% right, rather than both you and the other
person having something of value to say. As a result, you might
impulsively lash out to intimidate,
blame or even attack anyone who says otherwise. Another example:
you might feel you need to question everything you believed to be
true. It could be tempting to assume that the inconsistencies or
faults lie only within
you, rather than considering that contradictions lie in all people,
including the ones you respect or admire. This could be an
opportunity to learn how to accept that
maybe life isn't as stable or predictable as you thought it was—which
isn't necessarily a bad thing. ![]()
For up to a week before and after this
date, you may feel a bit like you're caught between worlds—the
spiritual versus the physical, the mental versus the emotional,
or the outer objective world versus your inner subjective
experience. Chiron has been retrograde since May.25, giving us
time to assess the places in our lives that need healing and to
discover the ways that we might be wounding ourselves or others.
This includes physical health issues, emotional vulnerability
and mental perspectives that create more problems than they
solve. As Chiron turns direct, everything we have learned over
the last five months becomes ready to be applied over the coming
three months (while Chiron is still in the
Shadow). Right now, you
might find you reach a decision or turning point about issues
you have wrestled with since May concerning goals, career,
expectations or authority. If these issues have been stressful,
this might come out now in the form of health problems, so it's
a good idea to be gentle yet disciplined with yourself in this
area. It could be a time of ambiguity, feeling like you're
caught in a whirlpool that mixes up possibilities with
limitations. Or, you might experience some clarity, as the
paradoxical coexistence of realities and potentials on the path
before you come into clearer focus. Either way, it is a time
that can be magical because of its ability to bridge the gap
between what is and what might be. ![]()
Your mental focus and communication now get an injection of healing energy. Cynicism and depression may soften now, as you become more receptive to a more optimistic viewpoint. If you have been caught up in escapism or "stinkin' thinkin'" (thinking you're more in control of your impulses than you really are), you may now find some relief and healing. Mental argument and critical "self-talk" can now find some reconciliation and acceptance that brings some peace of mind. You have increased ability to find the right words and understanding to help others with their problems. Compassion and empathy may be more accessible because you can identify your own experiences with what you see in others. You might also find someone who can give you good advice or support about your own problems -- possibly a teacher or mentor -- or you could become this to someone else.
This is the last of 3 passes:
Sep.12,
Oct.04 and Oct.26. ![]()
The United Kingdom goes back
to Standard Time today. If that's where you are, turn
your clocks backwards one hour. ![]()
It may be time to confront issues in
your life that involve how/why you get hurt by others, how you
yourself hurt others, and how healing can take place in either
of these situations. Your awareness of this may due to a
conflict in your life, but this can be a valuable learning
experience for you, more-so than usual. Part of the problem may
be that you need to tread your own path but are avoiding this
for whatever reasons -- perhaps circumstances compel you to
satisfy others' expectations, or perhaps you are still
struggling to muster the courage to find and walk your own path.
Whatever the reasons, this transit may give you a push that will
help to steer you in a healing direction, possibly by showing
you how and why the path you have been on does not lead to where
you want to go. If you start to feel overwhelmed, take some time
out from the stress to get re-centered and grounded. ![]()
There is potential for optimism,
cheerfulness and increased energy during this transit. You will
probably have to go after it (rather than it just falling into
your lap), but you can probably increase your mood and energy
level by applying a bit of effort. Your self-confidence and
general attitude can improve, although be careful you don't
become so caught up in feeling good that you ignore common
sense, caution or realism. This is a good time to consider the
moral, philosophical or greater implications of your actions,
and then make adjustments to bring your behaviour into alignment
with your beliefs, aspirations and ideals. ![]()
Photo for the New Moon Sabian Symbol from MorgueFile.com.
Next Update: NEW MOON in SCORPIO - October 28/29, 2008. Available by Oct.28.
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© 2008 Wendy Guy. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied without the author's written permission.