New Moon in Scorpio: The Annoyingly, Frustatingly Undead

Well isnt it a lovely day out, I think ill take a stroll toooohhhhh ZOMG ZOMBIEESSSS!!!! Quick, close the door!! Wait, open it again and let me inside! Oh, screw you man, i went to your bar mitzvah! Ok, seriously, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY OPEN THE MOTHER#%*$ING DOOR!!! Thank you! Whew that was close!

Ok, now that we've thouroughly wet ourselves (ill never be able to hear a moan again), lets move on to the Main Event: Starzina! Oh wait, wrong website... Anyways, down to business. And speaking of business, your humble Astrologer got a shiny new job! Yes, yes, thank you dear readers. Now dont fret, I will still release these jewels of pure undiluted wisdom as often as they are needed, so I assume I have some catching up to do.

Now: The lunation- Super Scorp! The Sun and Moon meet in Scorpio today, unleashing the zombies of your unfinished lessons, the vampires of lost loves, and the wraiths of promises not kept upon the unsuspecting people. Sounds fun, no? Suprising no one, the Scorps are the first ones to rush into battle, but suprisingly, they fall relatively easy to the invaders. This causes all assembled, even Aries, to quake in fear. The Geminis are long gone at this point, but not even making it a block away before their not-so-little white lies catch up to them. Leos stand bravely to their boasts, trying to scare them away, but they succumb as well. It ends up being a massacre. All that is left is one lone Virgo to clean up the mess.

Cheery, no? Well, get your steel undies on, It is Scorp after all! And there will be no quarter for bullshit this time. Oh no guys, you had your chance to make the necessary changes on your own. Now you get to deal with Scorpio. And there shall be a reckoning.

For those of you who have been paying attention, however, this is it: where all the lingering crap is burned away, leaving you gleaming and golden. There's a catch though: You are going to have to walk into the fire.

"Oh no" you say, "he's finally lost it and gone off the deep end. Too bad, he was pretty funny. And kinda cute. Oh well, time to go before he offers us some Kool-aid, Sheila (there's always a Sheila)" And then I say "No no no, hear me out before you walk out into the Zombies". "Pffffft, Whatever. I'm outta here!" because you are the last Valley Girl, and run out to meet your doom. The rest of you lovely readers, do you want to know how to walk through fire without being burned?

Enough doom and gloom. Lets get to the Astro!

The Sun and Moon- The new moon starts out with an opposition to Jupiter, showing us that change is only going to happen if we have faith, both in ourselves and whatever higher being or plan you choose to trust (as for me, I choose Math) and stay optimistic. Look to your left, and you will see a sextile to Pluto, further pushing the transformative, cut-through-the-merde vibe to the extreme, and standing with you in the challenge. He's on your side, ask for his help (Did you know Hades never had a temple in Greece? Too bad they tried to shut him out, they didn't know what they were missing). There is a sextile to Hebe, so you might find yourself stuck in the role of servant to someone else; swallow your pride, bide your time and wait for the opportune moment. Hekate is active again, helping us create exactly what we want. A conjunction to Atlantis warns of abusing your power, try to keep to yourself and not get involved in any drama/power struggles.

Mercury- Also in Scorpio, late Scorpio at that! Where does the time go? A conjunction to Oh-so-sexy Venus and Amor tells you exactly where your head is at: Love- deep, intense, dirty nasty love. Watch out though, a square to Nessus warns of what can happen when there is any sort of trickery or not respecting someone's boundaries. Tread lightly.

Venus- Our girl is also in late Scorp, causing her usual havoc. A square to Mars causes serious friction. Lots of energy, harness it to further your aims. A sextile to Pandora ensures that you will be making a splash! A square to Sedna can leave you feeling frozen, like you're less than human. Take some time for yourself and come back to the world of the living. Another square, to Siwa, can make it hard to know exactly what you want out of life, but trust that you will get what you need. When in doubt, dont ask! Finally, a conjunction to Sauer can leave you ready to go off, given the slightest provocation. Exercise caution.

Mars- Our boy is trining his delightfully wicked sister, Eris, and the two are just going bonkers, getting into as much trouble as possible. Another trine, to Quaoar, further heightens the happy mood, and brings some much needed brevity to all the Scorpio intensity. A great time to engage in any kind of creative pursuits, helped by the amazingly awesome sextile to Saturn.

Jupiter- A trine to Pluto is pushing you to eliminate everything standing in the way of your growth. A sextile to Teharonhiawako amplifies this, and warns you of trusting those who are still to wrapped up in their dramas to be of much help to you. An opposition to to Nemesis is waiting in the wings to take down anyone who so much as thinks a boastful or elitist thought, so stay 100% clean right now, just focus on your own work. A trine to Icarus shows that all you ant to do is just fly away from your problems, and maybe that is in your best interest. If it is, you will know; dont fight it or get bogged down. Just go.

Saturn- Saturn is trying to calm Eris down and keep the situation somewhat contained, and is having a hell of a time with it. He has some help from Mars, but its just too fun to pass up for the warrior. A trine to Memoria brings up all those issues that you have worked through for a final review. Don't get caught up, or you will have to repeat the lesson, in about 27 years.

Uranus- Not a whole lot going on here, just a square to Hades, foraging into your subconscious to bring it out into the light so you can grow.

Neptune- A Square to Okyrhoe shows that this is not the time to try to win any popularity contests, or to bend over backward to please others. Just get in, do your job and do it well, and get out. An opposition to Astraea shows that you feel cut off from the God consciousness, and it is taking its toll. A square to Hephaistos warns that you might try to lose yourself in pursuing a foolish task or aim.

Pluto- Ooooh, last but not least. Pluto is squaring Typhon, dragging out all the monsters from under the bed. You're a big boy now, face your fears. A sextile to Teharonhiawako challenges you to take what you have learned and build something with it. A square to Itokawa warns of the dangers of provoking anyone into taking action, it will backfire. A conjunction to Icarus shows the way out of your situation is in your own mind. Go see a hypnotist, or a therapist who can help you get in touch with your subconscious mind so you can get your answers. Speaking of, MAJOR unearthing of secrets happening now, old mysteries that you gave up on are about to unravel. Be prepared.

All in all, a very promising Lunation if you handle yourself. Just remember, aim for the head.

                                                                                -The Astrogeek


Song(s) of the Zeitgeist-

Grand Trine in Earth: The Great Work

I love this image. Its called the Tabula Smaragdina. To me, Its as close to putting reality in one frame as we can get. 

Super awesome Transit coming up guys, and it is going to be in the air for a while. Right now, Pluto is in Capricorn (as if you needed reminding), and is trining Jupiter in Taurus, exacerbating the whole situation. About to get added into the mix is Mars in Virgo, where he will be hanging out for the next EIGHT MONTHS!! So, there will be so much power in these earth signs, its ridiculous. Think of it like this, The Cardinal Crisis (Spring) was us starting the engine. Then we Tried again (Summer) and again (Fall). We made some headway, but we're sitll where we started for the most part, just a little smarter and a little bruised. Well, now its high time we actually got into gear and started moving.

Confused? Probably. Lets break it down.

Pluto in Capricorn- Here is our main fuel source. This was the impetus to change, and there is no avoiding it. With Pluto, he will win out and break your will if you resist. Accept what he has to offer, but on your terms, and he will respect you for it. This is no quick transit, this is going to last til 2024, so dont expect to get it perfect on the first try. But every time you fail, take a lesson away from it. This will change everything, in the end.

Mars in Virgo- Allright, last time we encountered this placement, Mars was riding to meet Saturn in the latter's seemingly never-ending station of Virgo. Well, now all that merde is going to dredged up again. Get it together NOW, and engage in hyper-clean living, going hard as you can in the workouts, eating right, and being as clear-headed and rational as possible.

Jupiter in Taurus- Jupiter magnifies anything it touches. Right now, hes trying to back out of Taurus and get back into Aries, but will stop just short of shirking his duty. There's no going back now, only onwards and upwards! Harness that momentum and dont stop until you get your reward. Just don't go too overboard, or steamroll anyone who could help you. Your network is key right now.

So we have pure, unabashed Power; vast unbridled energy; and naive faith and optimism sitting on top of a powder keg. What could possibly go wrong?

You may be wondering about the title of this post. Well let me tie it all together- It refers to alchemy, the science of self-discovery and transformation through the study of nature and life. And you thought it was just about gold...

Anyway, in alchemy, the key study was the Philosopher's Stone, a material that could heal your body, eliminate the need for food, confer wealth, lift your mind to new heights, and transform you into something far greater than a human being. The study of the making of the Stone was called the magnum opus, or The Great Work.

To acheive the ultimate goal of its creation, first you had to know how to transmute (change the world around you through changing yourself). But before you could transmute something, first you had to know what it was you were transmuting, in its entirety. You had to study it, know it, accept it as it is. Then you had to apply the same principles to yourself. Then, and only then, could you transmute the object; and in so doing, also change the world around you through changing yourself. Its all very Plutonian.

Once you learned transmutation, you gather you materials. Bring together the best ingredients that will combine well together to achieve the desired result. Burn away the impurities and distill them to their base natures. Transform them into a lighter form, removing more impurities. Bring back into a solid, a purer form, yet still not complete. Add something of yourself, set your intentions, and observe the experiment. This is key. Repeat. At this point, the stone should be complete. And using it, it is an extension of yourself, and the perfect tool to help create your reality.

Now this is not a instruction manual to the Creation of a Philosopher's Stone. There are billions of materials that claim to do that that you can peruse at your leisure. No, this is a lens on how to view an astronomical phenomenon, and a helpful analogy to put into perspective its effects on our lives.

And that, in a nutshell is what is happening during these insane times. We are the Great Work. We are being refined. 

Now what does this have to do with you, dear reader? Well, this is not over, and the process if long and arduous. But you can take it into your own hands. You are an ingredient, an integral part of the equation. You know what else you are? Conscious and totally in control of your own development. So walk into the fire, on your own terms.

A lesson here: another major alchemical symbol is the Phoenix. When it was time to be reborn, it would build a pyre for itself, and willingly go to the fire, burning away the old body. What would be left is an egg, containing the same bird in a brand new body. Same as the Stone. Same as us. When we walk into the fire ourselves, we are purified and reborn.

That's what Pluto is there for, the final lesson. The secret is it will only work if you believe it will. Otherwise the Stone is just a rock.

Full Moon in Aries: A Glorious Victory

Alright guys, are you ready for this? Are you? ARE YOU? I CANT HEAR YOU! GET PUMPED!! 

Ok, now that that's out of my system, lets talk about this Moon. Its going to be intense guys. Think the (2nd to) last hurrah of the Cardinal Crisis (anyone else sick of hearing that yet? no? Ok, its just me). This time, we are firmly in Saturn's territory, and by god it is a sprawling empire where everything just works. A veritable utopia. Now if only we could do something about those pesky barbarians at the gates calling themselves protesters, demanding equal rights, fair wages and such....

The Sun/Moon- I come bearing (mostly) good news! Well, the Sun is sitting in a conjunction to lush Haumea, trying to escape from the drudgery, if just for a day. Take some time for yourself, but dont run away from your problems, face them head on. Conjunct the Moon, on the other hand, is Bienor, ramping up the emotional intensity and the drive to push one's boundaries. A sextile/trine to Cupido leaves you stung by Cupid's Arrow: Love and harmony are definitely on the brain. A trine/sextile to Sappho further acknowledges this, adding that you want to surround yourself with those of like mind and heart. A sextile/trine to Siwa shows that the time of stumbling around in the dark is over. Prepare for illumination, and some definite insight, if not answers. Also, this is a fantastic time to break down and tackle any nagging problems that have, so far, been insurmountable. A sextile/trine to Industria helps you in that regard, while you may want to escape your obligations, It should be pretty easy to keep pressing on, and actually accomplish a lot! A square to Dionysius does not help anything however; avoid overindulging. Last but not least, A trine/sextile to Damocles indicates that the danger that was hanging over your head last cycle has eased, and while you're not out of the woods yet, go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief (quick, while Saturn isn't looking!).  

Mercury- Mercury starts out with a trine to Neptune, muddling your thoughts a bit, but helping you get closer to that elusive insight you're hurting for right now. An opposition to (in my humble opinion) the coolest object ever, (not to mention one that gets almost no recognition) 1992 QB1, highlights the disconnect between what you are expressing in your life and your basic morality and what is "right". Seriously, watch this one; Its a major theme of this season. What you say, and how you said it WILL come back to you (not necessarily a bad thing. Stay in tune with who you are, and defend it). A conjunction to Apollon indicates the awesome potential for creative pursuits. A square to Vulkanus can leave you slightly perfectionistic about the quality of the work (you wouldn’t believe how many times I had to edit this post), but dont get too caught up in that. Another square, to Pallas, can leave you guessing as to what the best choices to make could be.  A sextile to Hebe can leave you feeling as though you are playing second fiddle in your life, bust out and make a new paradigm. A conjunction to Photographica urges you to focus on the details of the situation. Another conjunction, to Atlantis warns about misusing your abilities and not getting too big for your britches.

Venus- Our girl has shot into Scorpio, donning stilettos and enough mascara to put Liz Taylor to shame. Deep work is the name of the game this time, nothing less will do. A sextile to Crantor helps you put those Zombie relationships to end, quickly and coldly, like a surgical strike (and not a moment too soon, either!). Another sextile to Orcus reminds you to watch what you say, and not to go back on your word, or it will not go well for you (I'm talking to you, Gemini!). A Trine to Hekate takes you to the crossroads, and asks you to choose which direction you want to take in your life. A Square to Persephone can leave you feeling as though you are trapped in the Underworld, waiting on someone to rescue you. Look around and save yourself! Further encouraging the self-reliant savior vibe is a sextile to Icarus; Take flight!

Mars- Our boy is still soaking up the rays in Leo, playing out his rock star fantasy. He's relatively quiet this time, only aspects to speak of are a sextile to Zeus, ramping up his ego and show-offy style; and a trine to Lilith, who is dead set on being nothing but trouble. Enjoy.

Jupiter- Whew buddy. The big ol' windbag is got a lot on his plate right now. Retrograde in Taurus, the poor guy just wants to be left alone to watch his soaps, but noooo, there’s always some urgent matter that only he can solve. Its not easy being king, i suppose. Starting out with a dramatic sextile to Cyllarus, we find ourselves caught up in the relationship issues we've been dealing with for a while, coming to a head. Be careful not to get carried away in your feelings of self-importance or you will find yourself a target. Detach! Another sextile, to Kronos, helps you get back to the important work that you have been avoiding/putting off. Seriously, no more mucking around, just get it done. A square to Vesta can leave you seriously drained, and in need of rest. Take time for yourself, but don’t let yourself become despondent. A sextile to Eurydike can leave you feeling like the situation is out of your control, but that is only if you let it. Be the master of your life! A trine to Siva can have those around you asking for a lot, but i promise that you can handle it.

Saturn- The King of the Titans is in his element right now. A trine to Nessus shows us that not all is as it seems, watch yourself. Another trine, this time to Thereus, can leave you waiting for the right moment to strike. Don’t miss out, though. A conjunction to Rhadhamanthus helps you there, judging the most opportune moment. Be careful not to be too rigid though, or you might miss a minor detail, like trampling over someone who really wants to help you.

Uranus- The sideways punchline is still acting like a prima donna, refusing to work with anyone until all (his?) needs are met (yes, a full scale replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in white chocolate. GO!). A trine to Chariklo brings some much needed compassion to the table, reminding us that we’re not all that different, and we’re all stuck here together. A square to Hades reminds you of your duty, even when you want to take to the streets and change the world. Another square, this time to Hekate, reminds you that once you stop letting your fear rule you, and shout out loud what you actually want out of life, you get it. Not a moment before. Yet another square, to Eros, reignites those fires of passion that you keep trying to squelch. Don’t deny your human needs and desires. The last square, to Sphinx, tells us that the mystery is not ready to be unraveled, but that doesn’t mean you should stop digging. A trine to Sisyphus can leave the whole effort feeling like an uphill battle, but maybe, just maybe this is the time when the boulder doesn’t fall back down. A sextile to Hephaistos has your mind in full-on work mode, having no time for anything else. A trine to Burney, named after the little girl who named Pluto, can provide that stroke of genius that helps to bring in something brand new to share with everyone. Finally, a sextile to everyone’s favorite trickster, Hermes, indicates how brilliant you can be RIGHT NOW, and not have to answer to anyone for it.  

Neptune- A trine to Apollon can leave you positively inspired right now, take the time to do some creative work. An opposition to Hebe can reinforce those feelings of being put upon, and performing your duty when you really want to do something more in tune with who you are. If it feels right, do it! Its always easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission. Another opposition, to Arachne, can highlight an area of your life where you believe you are better than everyone, even the Gods! Now, this may well be true, but stay humble. Now's not the time to brag and boast, unless you're particularly fond of starting over and building from the ground up. A square to Orpheus can also be a factor here, stay in tune with who you are, and above all else, DO NOT LIE or obfuscate the truth in any way, shape or form right now, especially not to please someone else. Stay 100% above board here, and you will be fine.

Pluto- Not much to say here, everyone's favorite dwarf seems to be hanging back, letting us do this to ourselves. A sextile to Teharonhiawako can bring you up against those who are jealous of what you have made for yourself, and might try to sabotage it. A square to Aphrodite can definitely stoke your passion, try to channel that passion into other areas of your life that are starting to feel a little stagnant, and watch the awesome happen.

Alright guys, that's all i have for you right now. Now, if you dont mind, im going to go enjoy the fantastic day outside, and stop thinking about the stars for a bit. Til next time!

                                                                                                 -The AstroGeek

P.S.- Go buy a consult, you're putting me through school!

Your Tune of the Zeitgeist-

                                                

TNO Watch: Quaoar

What's up guys? How we doing on this world-shifting day? Really, that bad? Well, here's an Upbeat little TNO to bring your day up. May I introduce 50000 Quaoar, the dancing fiend of the TNO family.

The Science: Quaoar was discovered in 2004, and was at the time, the largest object found in the Solar System since Pluto, despite being 1/3 of the size of our Lord of the Damp Underworld (1/15 the size of the Earth), hence the special designation of 50000. He was also the first TNO to be observed and studied directly using the Hubble Space Telescope images, using a new process called Point-Spread Function. This process was also used to confirm the size and diameter of Eris. It has a higer albedo than that of Earth's Moon, and is one of the brighter TNOs. Quaoar is classified as a Cubewano, part of the same family of objects as Makemake and Varuna. It has a nearly spherical orbit, and does not cross the orbit of Neptune. It does have a tiny satellite, named Weywot.

The Myth: Quaoar was named after the Creator of the Tongva people, an Native American race primarily located in the Los Angeles region, where the Palomar Observatory is located. In the myth, there was Quaoar and the void (chaos, darkness, what have you). He became sad that there was nothing else, and began to sing the song of creation. He sang, danced, and whirled around, creating the Sky and the Earth, who joined in the dance, and together they brought the Sun and Moon into existence. The quintet then created the plants, animals and humans. After doing so, Quaoar took a step back, presumably pleased with his work, and retired to the Heavens.

Why He Matters: Well, aside from the obvious connection to dancers, there isnt really a lot to glean from the myth, so lets take it a part and see what we can come up with. What is his motivation? Quaoar was motivated by sorrow, and lonesomeness, very human feelings. He was faced with a choice: Do Nothing or Do Something about it. First he started singing, to drown out his sadness, and started to work on making something for himself, and others to share his life, making it a bit less lonely.

Jonathan Dunn suggests that “Quaoar seems to signify creation, procreation, demanding, trying experiences, being placed under a microscope, viewing less attractive aspects, flaws or complexities, scientific activities; also, questioning, constructing, clarifying, revealing, creating abstract mental models, a spirit of discovery, the big picture.”

Bearing all this in mind, we could really use some Quaoar right now, as we are struck by the sadness that arises out of everything we knew changing and shifting around us. As we are struck by this change, the only thing we find security in is change. So while you feel like you have nothing, or that you are losing everything, get up and dance, and while you're at it, create something new for yourself.








Image courtesy of http://g1wallz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dancing-guy.jpg