January 2009For the New
Moon Cycle in Capricorn :
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Sabian Symbol for the
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Ottawa, Canada and
Washington DC, USA:
Jan.10, 10:27 PM EST
London, UK:
Jan.11, 3:27 AM GMT
Sydney, AU:
Jan.11, 2:37 PM AEDT
Read more about the Sun-Moon cycles.
Read more about how you experience CANCER energy in your life.
Welcome to 2009! We're off to a great start. Jupiter just changed signs, Mercury is going retrograde and we're close to our first set of eclipses coming up at the end of the month (more about that in the next update). But I'm getting ahead of myself. The more immediate event is the Full Moon in Cancer.
Cancer is about feelings, nurturing, and our need for safety and belonging. Everyone has the primal need to belong somewhere or to someone. If this is withheld, disrupted or unattainable, the resulting isolation and loneliness can affect us very deeply. When that need is fulfilled, it nourishes the soul and gives us a feeling of inner security and well-being.
Safety and security go hand-in-hand with stability, predictability and sustainability: Cancer and Capricorn. Cancer (where the Moon is right now) is a Water sign. As such, it has no form of its own. In order for water to maintain take on a shape and remain whole, it must be placed within a strong container in a stable environment. Cancer is ruled by the Moon which has no light of its own but reflects the light of the Sun. The Cancer part of us relies on connection and interaction with others in order to shine and to sustain our individual "shape."
The opposite sign Capricorn (where the Sun is right now) is an Earth sign – just the substance needed to provide the containment and stability that Cancer needs. "Containment" can be interpreted in different ways. It can be supportive, like putting water into a bowl where it is given form, a place to "belong," yet it can still breathe and be accessible when you want to use it. Or, it can be suppressive, like sealing it in a bottle to hide it away, which means it can't be accessed and it stagnates.
There are therefore pros and cons to the Cancer/Capricorn axis. If we don't have a life that provides a strong enough or stable enough container, we can become ultra sensitive, needy and overly emotional. It's a bit like carrying water in a shallow bowl and our movement makes it slosh over the sides – that's how sensitive we can be to the ups and downs of life, when we don't have enough support in our lives.
It's often tempting to go to the other extreme. In order to protect ourselves when we're feeling that vulnerable, we can shut down emotionally—the equivalent of pouring ourselves into a bottle and sealing it with a cork. This might seem to be the perfect solution, except that (a) we don't have access to our feelings when we need them, and (b) our effervescent spirit can build up a lot of pressure after it's been jostled enough times by life inside a sealed container. Then something relatively small happens and we suddenly blow our cork!
This kind of dynamic is alive at the Full Moon in Cancer. What especially shakes things up is that the Sun and Moon are in aspect to the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Saturn (planetary ruler of Capricorn) has the goal to provide the stability that Cancer needs. Saturn in Virgo is likely to focus on what is pragmatic, healthy and helpful to others, but it can also be demanding and critical which feels harsh to sensitive Cancer.
On the other hand, Uranus has a different agenda aimed toward freedom, spontaneity, and leaving options open for future opportunities. In reasonable amounts, this can be exciting even to our safety-seeking Moon, and it can balance out its emotionality with a bit of detachment and perspective. However, all that excitement could also become chaotic, overwhelming or too impersonal. Uranus can handle this, but it's not usually the Moon's idea of fun.
The Sun-Moon opposition (which is what a Full Moon is), combined
with the Saturn-Uranus opposition, forms an aspect configuration
called a Mystic Rectangle.
("What's a Mystic Rectangle?") The whole effect can
create stress, tension and pressure on the inside, while being
cooperative, upbeat and composed on the surface. At its best, it
can give you the fuel for creativity to be used for anything
from artistry to innovative problem-solving. At its worst, it
could make you feel like a
pressure cooker if you don't find a constructive or
creative outlet for that inner tension. When faced with
stability and chaos, pressure and freedom, it may be necessary
to determine what your needs really are right now and to
prioritize them.
To add to this "interesting" mix of energies, Mercury is very Stationary Retrograde in Aquarius (officially changing directions a mere 25 hours after the Full Moon reaches exact). This could lend a very unusual, innovative and surprising element to the creative mix, but it could also amplify any confusion, over-reaction or impersonal detachment. This is a time to begin a retrospective or introspective exploration of the feelings, creativity, intuition and yearnings that come up for you at the Full Moon.
On the positive side, Jupiter has just gone into Aquarius. (Yay!!) Jupiter has a hard time in Capricorn (the sign it just left), being forced to fit all those wondrous possibilities into the narrow boxes of Capricorn's realistic plans. If you felt last year like you were struggling to hold onto hope or imagine new possibilities in your life, you may find it easier this year to envision a better, brighter future and find new meaning in life. With Jupiter now in progressive Aquarius, ideas and solutions that venture outside conventional boundaries are likely to hold more promise than following the same-old-same-old formulae. It's not a magic pill, but at the very least Jupiter in Aquarius can help you keep your spirits up. Let it inspire you!
And finally, there is a Yod aspect configuration involving the Moon sextile Saturn, pointing at Neptune with Chiron huddled close behind. The Full Moon asks us to get a handle on our emotional needs, figure out what we need to provide a healthy container for our tender insides and what's really important to us. However, the Yod to Chiron-Neptune warns not to be so overly optimistic, visionary or idealistic that you lose touch with either your ordinary personal existence or your grip on plain old reality.
Watch for signs that you might be secretly or unconsciously harbouring the wish for some magical person to sweep into your life and solve all your problems. More to the point, look even deeper to see if you might be leaning a bit too far into the land of magical thinking (and in danger of falling face first into the muck). On the other hand, is it possible you are focusing so firmly on the personal or practical level of your life that you're missing or dismissing an opportunity to open your mind to new or greater possibilities? These realms�the personal, the practical and the spiritual�need to stay flexible to balance each other out for best results.
A personal astrology reading is a powerful way to explore and discover new possibilities that could improve your life. Your chart can shed light on how you're being hard on yourself and ways to forgive and nurture yourself. Contact me to find out more about a personal reading.
Mercury now goes retrograde for the next 3+ weeks. For up to a week before and after today, Mercury is moving very slowly or stopped during the station. During this time, you may experience intensity, frustration, confusion, miscommunications, or feel like you're getting bogging down in your progress. Mercury retrograde is usually a time when it is best to rethink, rehash, reflect, and tie up old loose ends, rather than begin new ventures. It is typical for new insights and information to emerge later in the retrograde cycle that you didn't anticipate, which can change the whole picture. Because of this, it is usually advised to avoid making final or permanent decisions (e.g., signing contracts or putting new projects into action), during the retrograde and even up to 2 weeks after Mercury goes direct. However, it is an excellent time to do fact-finding, research and investigation to prepare for major decisions, which are usually best put off until well after Mercury goes direct. In the meantime, while Mercury is retrograde, expect the unexpected, and leave lots of extra time when planning your schedule (to minimize any disruptions from delays and complications). Stay flexible; for example, it's common to have to reschedule appointments. Do some things that use your intuitive, creative, non-rational mind for a while until Mercury goes direct again.
Mercury is retrograde in Aquarius,
which can bring up thoughts and ideas that are way off the
beaten track! With Mercury's usual conscious thought patterns
turned inside out under the retrograde, you might get anything
from very weird dreams to brilliant new ideas to thoughts that
are scattered and fragmented. Your attention span might be a
little short and you could easily feel bored with anything that
seems ordinary, monotonous or too limiting. You might also feel
frustrated and overwhelmed because you feel a need to stretch
your thoughts and perceptions beyond your usual horizons, yet
feel trapped by the demands of day-to-day life. On the other
hand, you might find you are able to spontaneously reach beyond
your usual limits and view life from a totally different angle.
Ideas may explode suddenly in your mind and words could burst
out of your mouth. You might be tempted to say things for shock
value or to break down a wall of resistance that you perceive is
in your way. Write down your best ideas to process and develop
later.
This is a great time to apply yourself
to serious work. You may feel especially self-sufficient and
independent, with a strong and clear sense of self and purpose.
There is support for your ambitions as long as you stay grounded
and practical in how you approach them, which should come easily
right now. Your ability to cooperate and feel comfortable with
authority figures is likely to be high, along with your capacity
to embrace your own authority and make solid decisions. This is
a time when you are more likely to feel grounded and deal with
problems in a practical, decisive way. Your energy may be more
serious than "party animal," but even if you are in "party mode"
it will be easier to realistically know your limits and not
overdo it. If you've been waiting for the right time to move
forward with or manifest a project or plan that you've been
putting together (or wanting to), this could be the time when
that happens. The final launch or manifestation may or may not
happen now, but you will probably be able to at least move
forward in some important steps.
This aspect can make you quite
talkative and your mind flooded with ideas. Be careful you don't
blurt out any secrets! Your stream of consciousness ideas can
flow abundantly right now with optimism and visionary
possibilities. Write down your best ideas for later development,
since you may be having too much fun playing with ideas, to stop
and make them manifest. Basic perceptions and simple
communication can provide food for thought that feeds your
greater understanding and philosophical insight. Your point of
view expands to identify opportunities, possibilities and the
broader implications of what is happening around you. You might
get a flash of vision, insight and inspiration. You could be
called upon to form an opinion, consider a different viewpoint,
expand your knowledge, or make a judgement call. Your conscious
awareness is open to spiritual experiences right now.
Happy Solar Return to all Aquarians!
While the Sun travels through Aquarius, we all have a chance to
explore our rebellious, individualistic and futuristic Aquarian
nature. This heralds a time to explore beyond the status quo and
conventional reality, beckoning you to reach out to the lost
threads of who you are. You may become more aware of your
individual uniqueness and your part in the Great Collective --
both your surrounding community and the Collective Unconscious.
In order to fulfill the unique fingerprint of your life's
purpose, it is sometimes necessary to be rebellious,
spontaneous, and to be open to the unexpected. You might become
aware of the need for these qualities under this transit. There
is always a constant tension between the need to conform to
society's formula of what works best versus the need to step off
the main path to explore new experiences, and both are equally
necessary to the health of both the individual and the greater
community. Archetypally, it is in Aquarius that we encounter our
personal experience of the battle between "the needs of the
many" versus "the needs of the few." During the Sun's adventure
through Aquarius, be open to the ways that this dynamic operates
in your life. What can trigger or inspire you into rebellion or
going against the conventional flow of the world around you?
What will motivate you into being a team player, when you apply
your energies to support or defend "the needs of the many?" What
visions of the future do you see when you are in either mode of
being? This is a time when you may have the opportunity to
observe and learn about both sides of yourself -- the part that
feels like it's "me against the world" and the part that feels
like a part of that world.
When the Sun conjoins Mercury
Retrograde, there is a new beginning in the areas of awareness,
communication, use of information and exchange of ideas. This
may or may not be heralded by a recognizable event or
experience, although for a day or two your consciousness may
shift. Your awareness and mental concentration may take a dip
into the unconscious, becoming unusually murky and muddy, or it
may rise into ultra-consciousness and become suddenly clear and
lucid (afterwards returning to the usual Mercury retrograde
fog). A new awareness or perspective on what has unfolded during
the retrograde cycle thus far may surface now, or an unworkable
attitude or perception of these events may fall apart under the
weight of new information. This shift of awareness may be
obvious or subtle, sudden or gradual, but this transit marks a
turning point in the Mercury retrograde cycle. It also marks a
time when mental awareness often goes further underground, for
the rest of the retrograde period, making it a little harder to
operate objectively and rationally in the outside world. Spend
some time in your right-brain, intuitive, non-rational mind,
which can coax your mental creativity and inventiveness to the
surface.
Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn,
which can create a very serious mindset. It might be a bit of a
struggle to maintain your optimism, especially if you keep
trying to escape that seriousness by pretending it doesn't
exist. If you have a tendency toward depression, this transit
might bring that up to some extent, so it might be a good idea
to be prepared for this with a list of coping strategies (things
you can do that make you feel better about yourself). This can
be a good time to slow down and lower your expectations a little
-- not because you don't deserve better or because you're giving
up, but because you're willing to be gentle with yourself and
simplify your life a little. On the other hand, this can be a
great time to apply yourself to some productive work on a
project or goal you have. If you're facing a situation in your
life that requires you to "get real" and get results, this
transit can be a resource for that.
You have an opportunity to move
forward through inspired action. This can bring creative problem
solving to any conflicts or challenges that are currently in
your life. Now is the time to think outside the box and
experiment with trying out new responses, actions and
directions. It may be easier to be spontaneous and even to act
"out of character." If this is something you easily go overboard
with, you might want to find ways to channel this
constructively. The idea is to be refreshingly spontaneous, not
recklessly impulsive. On the other hand, if you have trouble
kicking up your heels and being free and unfettered, this
transit can be used to get you moving a bit better. If you don't
use this energy constructively or consciously, you might wind up
feeling somewhat erratic or restless. Find something exciting,
inspiring or unusual to spend your energy on.
The warm receptivity of Venus can
become somewhat cool, detached and unpredictable when combined
with Uranus. This is a good combination for carrying out a
dispassionate strategy, or for networking with acquaintances and
associates. It can also be a time when you might liberate
yourself from old connections -- for example, choosing to end
a relationship, stepping away from an outworn friendship, or
being open to experimenting with new kinds of connections with
people. It can also be a time of impulse spending, or wanting to
use your resources and finances for a humanitarian purpose.
Finances may become a bit unpredictable or unstable -- either
bringing income when you didn't expect it, or spending it when
you may or may not have. Whether you want to liberate your own
life or someone else's, this is a time when freedom and
independence become the focus of pleasure. Experimentation is
also tempting, and while this can be invigorating, it might also
leave you with consequences you hadn't anticipated. Embrace your
spontaneity, but don't divorce your judgment.
Discover your best potential for the year ahead!
Select from...
• Forecast Reports
• Solar Returns
• Natal Reports
• Relationship Reports
• Daywatch Calendars
Confidence, optimism, leadership,
vision and well being characterize this transit. Your
self-esteem and self-awareness can be wide open now. Your sense
of being part of something greater than yourself may be vivid
and bright. And you may have increased ability to identify and
act on opportunities around you, which can bring you "lucky"
prospects. On the other hand, if you have difficulty embracing a
positive sense of self, or if you shy away from believing you
are a treasured Child of the Universe, then this transit might
stir up those difficult feelings to the surface. You could wind
up trying to compensate with over-confidence, arrogance, blind
faith, or gambling on what are realistically poor prospects. The
trick is to tap into the spirit of who you are. Let go of blame
and instead apply some honest yet compassionate assessment. Let
your spirit shine brightly out to the world, but not so brightly
that you blind yourself or others by your own light. Consult a
trusted friend for feedback or advice if in doubt. This is a
great time to expand your horizons, whether that is through
travel, by learning something new, by sharing your knowledge
with others, or by exploring the Meaning of Life.
This is a great time for disciplined
action that can produce grounded, specific and stable results.
If you have a project that needs to push ahead to the next step,
you may find this is a good time to do that. If you want to make
progress with your ambitions, goals and plans, this can be a
good time to make plans or to take action. You are likely to
feel "together," capable and strong, giving you a serious, calm
and realistic confidence. It's usually easier to control or
restrain your more volatile emotions, and present yourself as
someone who is stable and on top of things. This transit can
bring sustained physical energy that doesn't burn itself out
quickly and can pace itself for lasting endurance. Remember that
the effects of this transit typically last only about a week or
two, so make the most of it!
There are realities to face and deal
with, probably related to the way you handle relationships
and/or finances. This is a time when you start to see a return
on your investments -- literally or figuratively. This could be
an investment of energy, cooperation and good faith in a close
relationship, or it might be the long-term development of a goal
requiring financing or resources. It can be a time when "the
bill comes in" and you are required to "put your money where
your mouth is" and make a deeper commitment to that investment.
Or, you might have to admit that the results are not what you
had hoped for and you must decide whether to continue or
reinvest your energies elsewhere. In other words, this is a time
when something might come to an end or your situation becomes
more stressful because you have some hard choices to make. The
key is to take a long hard look at the realities before you --
is it worth it to continue in the direction you're going? What
is required if you decide to take it to the next step? The
situation may demand effort, but there's also a more solid
footing waiting on the other side.
It is possible now to take a balanced
approach to conflict, problems and projects that require effort.
This can combine both a gentle touch and firm action;
sensitivity and forcefulness. Negotiation and interaction with
others could be aggressive and determined now, but also balanced
with sensitivity and style. Any expressions of anger,
frustration or discontent are more likely to be tempered with
fairness, moderation and composure. You'll have to apply some
effort to get these opposite energies working in sync together,
but the potential and opportunity are there more-so than usual
now.
Next Update: SOLAR ECLIPSE - NEW MOON in AQUARIUS - January 26, 2009. Available by Jan.26.
� 2009 Wendy Guy. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied without the author's written permission.