Lynda Hill's Sabian Symbols

Lynda's Lectures in San Diego and Laguna Hills, CA in July

Super Special Event!! - join Lynda for a special weekend topped off with Sunday picnic in Balboa Park and visiting Elsie Wheeler's gravesite.

San Diego Astrological Society presents Lynda Hill 

Lecture - Sabian Symbols Oracle: Degrees of Consciousness - Friday, July 10, 7:30 p.m. Joyce Beers Uptown Community Center, 3900 Vermont Street, San Diego CA 92103 (Hillcrest)
Check out the SDAS website for details of this lecture and the workshop

Our July speaker, for both the Friday night lecture and a Saturday workshop, will be Lynda Hill who is regarded as one of - if not THE - world's leaders in Sabian Symbol research and expertise. You’ll be able to see how astrology AND the Sabian Symbols are one of the best tools for self awareness, insight and discovery.  

Lynda says that she is thrilled to be presenting for the San Diego group in this, her 25th lecture tour of the States. In this lecture, she will explore with us the birth of the Sabian Symbols, the life of Elsie Wheeler and the astounding story of how she came to give birth to the Symbols right here in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

She will talk about how the Symbols give us a brilliant and amazing tool for understanding the degrees of the zodiac, bringing depth, clarity and meaning to life; they bring insight into the hologram we call life. They illuminate the degrees, but can also be used with astounding accuracy as an Oracle. In this lecture, Lynda will show you how to use them as an Oracle. Whatever your level of proficiency in astrology, whether total novice, beginner or seasoned professional, you will learn how to apply this wonderful tool in your life and in the lives of friends and clients. Her writing and presentation styles are captivating!  The cost of the lecture will be $15 for members and $20 for non-members. 

SAN DIEGO WORKSHOP WITH LYNDA HILL

The Sabian Symbols as a Hologram Workshop Saturday, July 11, 9:30-5:00 p.m. Location:  Sleepy Hollow Canyon View Club House:  4201 Sixth Ave., San Diego.

In this workshop, Lynda will teach you how to use the Symbols in astrology charts and how to work with them to reveal so much more about any chart you are working with. The Symbols work in a holographic way and bring all of the 360 degrees to light. You’ll learn how the degrees interact with each other, how to interpret a chart using the Symbols and you’ll learn more about your own chart. Bring your chart along with your progressed chart to get the most out of this workshop. By the end of the day, you’ll know more about yourself, the challenges and gifts in your chart and how to apply the Symbols in your everyday life. Lynda will also use examples of famous people and events to illustrate. 

Workshop Fees and Registration:  Fees are $55 for non-members, $45 for members.  Please make out checks to SDAS and mail to SDAS, 1010 University Ave., PMB 1772, San Diego, 92103-3395. If you get lost call Jim Hennum (619.) 299.4633.

Southern California Astrological Network (SCAN) presents Lynda Hill

Lecture - Sabian Symbols Oracle: Degrees of Consciousness - Wednesday, July 8th, 6.30pm
Polly's Bakery Cafe, 23701 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 - 949-380-8383. Lecture is $8.00 for members and $12.00 for non members.
Check SCAN's website for details.

Special! At both lectures and the workshop, Lynda’s brand new Sabian Oracle program on CD (with 400 jam packed pages and a special Oracle selection feature) will be available for $30. There will also be copies of Lynda’s 1995 handy purse-sized book The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle (these will soon be sold out) - these are $20. Both come with a set of Oracle Cards.

Lynda will also be available for consultations. Email sabiansymbols@gmail.com for details.

Special event! To make the weekend very special, bring lunch and join Lynda for a picnic in San Diego's Balboa Park - birthplace of the Sabian Symbols -  for a talk on Elsie May Wheeler (the spiritualist medium who gave birth to the Symbols), followed by a very special visit to Elsie's gravesite. Email sabiansymbols@gmail.com to register your interest in this wonderful day.

Bio: Lynda Hill, Dip Astro (FAA), has been a professional astrologer for more than 18 years. 2008 marked her 24th lecture tour of the States, in addition to the many lectures she has conducted for astrologers and the public in Australia, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada. Lynda is the astrologer for Take Five Magazine, and writes astrological commentary for publications all over the world. She divides her time between Sydney's beautiful Northern Beaches and the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains when she's not traveling the world delivering lectures.

Flying High or Trying to Escape Reality: The Cancer New Moon

Happy Solstice to all! and may the new Moon bring you all kinds of great possibilities

I'll need a magic carpet to get out of this one! Donald Davis

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Albert Einstein

What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet. Woody Allen

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. Henry David Thoreau

Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly. Batman costume warning label

Happening on June 23 in Australia and June 22 in the United States, June's new Moon is the first of two to occur in Cancer. The Sabian Symbol for June's Cancerian new Moon is Cancer 2: A Man on a Magic Carpet Observes Vast Vistas Below. July's Cancerian new Moon, on July 22, is right at the end of Cancer and is a solar eclipse on the Symbol of Cancer 30: A Daughter of the American Revolution. More on that one closer to the time.

Babies in Sunbonnets: June's Sagittarius Full Moon

"I am May.   See May's sunbonnet.  It is my sunbonnet. Do you see May ?   Do you see the Sunbonnet Baby ?"

"I am Molly.  This is my blue dress.  See my pink sunbonnet.   I am a Sunbonnet Baby.  Who are you ?"

The Sunbonnet Babies Primer, written by Eulalie Osgood Grover, published in 1902, was illustrated by Bertha L. Corbett and revolved around the adventures of Molly and May, two little girls whose faces were completely hidden by large sunbonnets.

This month's Sagittarian full Moon is on June 8 in the US and June 9 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol is Sagittarius 18: Tiny Children Playing in Sunbonnets. The children in this image appear to be looked after, protected, sheltered from bad elements and difficulties, whilst being able to play, be creative and live like children are meant to live.

This is a beautiful image, one that should have people feeling safe, secure and looked after, and many will feel this way, but, unfortunately, not all are likely to be feeling that way right now. Still, this image says that we must strive to protect the innocent, the young or the naive, protect and shelter them from harmful or damaging elements that may rob them of their peace and quiet, their ability to be creative and enjoy life.

May's New Moon: Gemini 4: Holly and Mistletoe Bring Christmas Spirit to a Home

Love is like the wild rose-briar;
Friendship like the holly-tree.
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms,
But which will bloom most constantly?
Emily Bronte

"Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed almost over Harry's head. He jumped out from under it. "Good thinking," said Luna seriously. "It's often infested with nargles."
J.K. Rowling

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
Calvin Coolidge

May's new Moonfalls on Sunday May 24 on Gemini 4: the Sabian Symbol for which is Holly and Mistletoe Bring Christmas Spirit to a Home. It is to be noted that the recent Mercury retrogradeoccurred on Gemini 2: A Nervous Gentleman, Dressed in an Elaborate Santa Claus Costume, is Filling Christmas Stockings Secretly. What's with the Christmas theme? you may ask. Well, it appears to me that we're being asked to invite more and more love, kindness, caring for loved ones and family members and generally more sharing and caring into our lives. Obviously, these values are not just reserved for Christmas, but, hopefully, should be played out on a continual basis.

The Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune Conjunction: Healing and The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. Mark Twain

We should let our godliness exhale like the odor of flowers. We should live for the good of our kind, and strive for the salvation of the world. Alexander Crummell

Big doesn't necessarily mean better. Sunflowers aren't better than violets. Edna Ferber

We're all in this together and everyone is important. Dale O'Brien

Like cures like. Samuel Hahnemann

You already have the precious mixture that will make you well. Use it. Rumi

People have been asking me to comment on the Jupiter Chiron Neptune conjunction. This feels like less of a transit and more of a social movement. These planets together bring quite a story to our collective unconscious and stir us up in one way or another. And rightly so - this IS a big story. The Sabian Symbol for the conjunction is Aquarius 27: An Ancient Pottery Bowl Filled With Fresh Violets. This is a beautiful Symbol, one that evokes purity, softness, kindness, thoughtfulness and provides us with a link to things that feel old, worthwhile, enduring, stable, beautiful, romantic. Chiron, Jupiter and Neptune are all rather 'healing' planets, or at least linked very strongly to spirit and the spirit realms and their healing possibilities.

Mercury Wretchrograde! It Could Be Bah-Humbug, But I Reckon Bring On the Gifts!

I'm walking backwards for Christmas,
Across the Irish Sea,
I'm walking backwards for Christmas,
It's the only thing for me.

I've tried walking sideways,
And walking to the front,
But people just look at me,
And... say it's a publicity stunt.

The Goon Show (Youtube vid)

Mercury, that trickster of planets, that elusive and brilliant mind-playing planet, has just gone retrograde again in an air sign - Gemini. Mercury retrograde periods are times when movement forward is littered with "detour" signs and dead ends. Especially in Gemini, the sign that Mercury rules, we want forward movement, not backwards and not sideways. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on what's going on in your life and how you view it, the retrograde periods of Mercury push us to revise, redo, reconsider and go back over things from the past rather than instigating new projects, new ideas, new promises. The past often needs re visioning, and Mercury's retrograde period of 21 days every three or so months gives us that opportunity. It went retrograde on May 7 and will turn direct on May 31.

Getting it Right the First Time: May's Scorpio Full Moon and Mercury Retrograde

The best time to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust. Josh Billings

Accept your genius and say what you think. Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you talk, you repeat what you already know; when you listen, you often learn something. Jared Sparks

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted then used against you. Anonymous

INTERPRETER, N. One who enables two persons of different languages to understand each other by repeating to each other what it would have been to the interpreter's advantage for the other to have said. Ambrose Bierce

May's Scorpio full Moon falls on the evening of May 8 in the United States and around the middle of the day on May 9 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this full Moon is very interesting in the light of the fact that Mercury is just now going retrograde, Mercury retrograde bringing snafus and problems and issues to do with communications, messages and the issue of getting things right the first time. The Symbol is Scorpio 19: A Parrot Listening and Then Talking, Repeats a Conversation He Has Overheard. The following are my Keywords and Cautions for this degree:

April's New Moon: A Bridge Being Built Across a Gorge - You Can Get There From Here

Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting. Karl Wallenda

Faith is building on what you know is here, so you can reach what you know is there. Cullen Hightower

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. J.F. Newton

The hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which to burn. David Russell.

Voyager, there are no bridges; one builds them as one walks. Gloria Evangelina Anzaldua

April's new Moon falls in the evening of April 24 in the U.S. and midday on April 25 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is Taurus 6: A Bridge Being Built Across a High Narrow Gorge. This Symbol speaks of finding creative and concrete solutions to situations. There can be dilemmas or separations to face and at times we may indeed feel like a tightrope walker. As always, it probably pays not to look down but to keep your focus on your trip and your destination.

Venus Goes Direct! And Emerges From the Ocean Yet Again

Life is a quarry, out of which we are to mold and chisel and complete a character. Goethe

For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is. You must see your goals clearly and specifically before you can set out for them. Hold them in your mind until they become second nature. Les Brown

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be. Kurt Vonnegut

I always wanted to be someone, but I should have been more specific. Lily Tomlin

After some forty days, Venus is now going direct and there's the promise of moving forward after this recent rather long period of retracing our steps in many ways. To recap, I said in my Venus Retrograde newsletter:

Venus is retrograde for 40 days. This reminds me of the "40 days and 40 nights" story from the Bible. Jesus wandered in the wilderness, fasting, after which he is said to have been tempted by Satan. It was the number of days in Noah's flood. For more information click here for a Wikipedia page on the number 40.

The Benefit of Rituals, Performing One's Duties and Going by the Book: April's Libran Full Moon

Any ritual is an opportunity for transformation. Starhawk

Rituals are important. John Lennon

Impart as much as you can of your spiritual being to those who are on the road with you, and accept as something precious what comes back to you from them. Albert Schweitzer

I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, and receives new truth as an angel from heaven. William Ellery Channing

April's Libran full Moon falls on April 9 in the United States and April 10 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol is Libra 20: A Jewish Rabbi in a Tiny Room Full of Manuscripts and Books, Performing His Duty. This is a wonderful degree of connection with ancient sources of truth and understanding. Regardless of one's religious or spiritual affiliations, this degree holds that we are to 'do our duty', and to perform society's rituals in ways that suit your sense of center and spiritual conscience.

March's New Moon: A Man Successfully Expressing Himself in Two Worlds at Once

I've been trying for some time to develop a lifestyle that doesn't require my presence. Gary Trudeau

Each of us lives in two realms, the "within" and the "without".Martin Luther King Jr

I'm happy when I'm juggling, but I feel like I've gone from, like, 3 balls to 10 bowling balls. Kirstie Alley

Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When you don't know what harbor you're aiming for, no wind is the right wind. Seneca

The new Moon in March falls on March 26 in the United States and March 27 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is fabulous and rich and contains a lot of promise, diversity and possibilities as it's on Aries 7: A Man Successfully Expressing Himself in Two Worlds at Once.

This new Moon shows the necessity, during these very interesting and testing times, of being adaptable, moving with the times, taking on new information as it arises and being able to focus our energies on the things that are rewarding or necessary, or, perhaps, dealing with the things that just get in the way of what we need to be doing.

A Man Successfully Expressing Himself in Two Worlds at Once shows someone having the ability to be versatile and adaptable. When operating in 'Two Worlds', one's life may seem divided, with divergent responsibilities, needs and urges. But this image implies that this person is 'Successfully Expressing Himself', which shows that this is a time when it is possible, or necessary, to integrate or successful deal with separate or diverse areas of life.

The Value of Love, Compassion, Goals and Teamwork: March's Virgo Full Moon

Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.
Vince Lombardi

One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one cannot make a team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Life begins when you get out of the grandstand into the game.
P.L. Debevoise

The Full Moon falls on March 10 in the United States and March 11 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol is Virgo 21: A Girl's Basketball Team. This degree talks about people teaming up; banding together and working together for a common goal. There's the give and take and taking turns in playing one's role; sometimes you're on the edges of the court and other times you're the star shooter going for the objective to score. In an organized team with rules to follow, everyone has their place and needs to work together. A disorganized arrangement just won't cut it nor will being all over the place or merely working alone.

Of course, we can work alone, but we need our support systems, our teams, our friends and family, those we can count on. Here "A Girl’s Basketball Team" is pictured. They may be lighthearted about their game, enjoying the fun, the friendship, and the sportsmanship. Whether this is a professional or amateur game, there is a need to cooperate with others and to play by the rules to achieve the "Team’s" goals. Some on the team may take the outcome very seriously, like it's a 'life and death' situation. Playing the game to the best of their ability is necessary, as they will be judged by the others in the team, their coach and those on the sidelines. Popularity is often a factor, with some being star players and trendsetters and others merely making up the numbers, there to close the gaps and pass the ball. We all play our part, that's what being human is about; sharing and caring and having a sense of belonging. 

Retracing Our Steps: Venus Retrograde! The Prescription? Invite the Brownies

Venus favors the bold. Ovid

When archaeologists discover the missing arms of Venus de Milo, they will find she was wearing boxing gloves.  John Barrymore

At worst, a house unkempt cannot be so distressing as a life unlived. Rose Macaulay

Few tasks are more like the torture of Sisyphus than housework, with its endless repetition: the clean becomes soiled; the soiled is made clean, over and over, day after day. Simone de Beauvoir

To the man who himself strives earnestly, God also lends a helping hand. Aeschylus

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another. Luciano de Crescenzo

For the elemental creatures go about my table to and fro. William Butler Yeats

Happening only every 18 months or so, Venus is going retrograde on March 6, 2009. Venus will station (seemingly stop) at 15 Aries 27 and retrograde (seeming to go backwards) until April 17 when she turns direct on the last degree of Pisces - Pisces 30. This backwards movement of 16 degrees feels extremely meaningful as the myth of Venus has her born out of the sea, which fits the cusp of Pisces and Aries, the place that Venus crosses over in her retrograde journey.

Seeing the Light and Rebuilding Faith: February's Pisces New Moon

When things are at the worst they begin to mend. Proverb

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present. Francis Bacon

Crosses are ladders that lead to heaven. Proverb.

No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne, no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
William Penn

February's Pisces new Moon occurs on February 25 in Australia and February 24 in the United States. The Sabian Symbol is Pisces 7: Illuminated by a Shaft of Light, a Large Cross Lies on Rocks Surrounded by Sea and Mist. This is an image that inspires feelings of chaos, concern and a sense of misplaced priorities. There is hope, though, and plenty of it; there is 'illumination' from a 'shaft of light'. One needs to focus on the light that can lift one up from the 'rocks surrounded by sea and mist'.

Lunar Eclipse! February's Leo Full Moon: A Messenger Fulfilling Their Mission

When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.
W. Clement Stone

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't.
Richard Bach

If you love something, you set it free. With homing pigeons, that is absolutely the seminal step you take. One day, you watch them take off and disappear. Almost all of the time they come back. For a child, that is a pretty magical thing. It makes you a better person.
Jim Jenner

February's full Moon is a lunar eclipse. Falling on February 9, it's influence is likely to be felt for several months to come. This is a very powerful eclipse in that Chiron, the Wounded Healer and the archetype of the stories we tell ourselves, is smack on the Sun on this lunar eclipse, which means that Chiron is exactly opposite the Moon. Neptune, just a few degrees on, is firmly in the mix, as well. The lunar and solar lights, representative of female and male energies, are tuning up for a healing and the messages we tell ourselves and others are the focal point of this eclipse, especiallyas the Sabian Symbol for the eclipse is Leo 22: A Carrier Pigeon Fulfilling its Mission.

Solar Eclipse! The Aquarian New Moon: The Birth of a New Creative Impulse

Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. Erich Fromm

We are all cells in the same body of humanity. Peace Pilgrim

The creator, Awonawilona, thought himself into being. Zuni Indian Saying

"Exovo omnia." Everything from an egg. William Harvey

Monday's new Moon in Aquarius is an annular solar eclipse. Partial phases of the eclipse are visible primarily from southern Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. More information click here. A solar eclipse is a concentration of energy and signifies a time of both death and birth - the death of something old and outworn and the birth of something new. It is said about eclipses that the effects last in as many years as the eclipse lasts. This eclipse is 3 hours and 46 minutes, meaning it is laying down seeds that take us past 2012.

This solar eclipse has a very Aquarian energy with Jupiter, Moon, Sun, the Moon's north node, Chiron and Neptune all in that sign. Jupiter's contribution, especially, will magnify it's effects enormously. The Sabian Symbol for this solar eclipse is Aquarius 7: A Child Born Out of an Eggshell. This degree signals the birth of an entirely new, creative and original impulse and it ushers in the urge to individuate and to give birth to our creative and spiritual ideas. It seems that Jupiter has a big hand at our backs; pushing us forward. The Sabian Symbol for Jupiter is Aquarius 5: A Council of Ancestors Has Been Called to Guide a Man.

The Inauguration: Barack Obama's Mountain Pilgrimage

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. Anonymous

First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is. Zen Aphorism

It is the ultimate wisdom of the mountains that a man is never more a man than when he is striving for what is beyond his grasp. James Ramsey Ullman

As Barack Obama is preparing to become the 44th President of the United States, there is a huge gathering of energies in Aquarius, with 4 planets, the Sun, Mercury, Jupiter and Neptune and the Moon's north node and Chiron in that sign. This is a big line up of Aquarian energy and is reminiscent of the flavor of the '60's when there was hope in the air along with winds of change in every direction. Obama being the 44th president feels quite apt as 4 + 4 = 8 which is a power and money number, built on the foundation and organization of the two 4's.

Becoming President of the U.S. has got to be somewhat like climbing a mountain. Interestingly, on every Inauguration Day (Jan 20), the MC (the point ruling status and career) is at Capricorn 27: A Mountain Pilgrimage.

Waiting for That Sailboat: January's Cancer Full Moon

We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting. Samuel Johnson

You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. Don't let yourself indulge in vain wishes.
Rabindranath Tagore

Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it. Jack Canfield

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust

January's full Moon in Cancer is on the evening of Saturday 10th January in the United States and Sunday afternoon on January 11 in Australia (*see note below). This full moon is a very interesting one. Not only is it in Cancer, which is the sign the Moon rules (it speaks of home and family and emotions and mother and sense and sensibilities), but it has some very interesting Sabian Symbols illuminating it. The Sabian Symbol for the Moon is Cancer 22: A Woman Awaiting a Sailboat.

How much of a human life is lost in waiting. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Resolutions, Revolutions and Revelations: 2009 - The New Year!

Change starts when someone sees the next step. William Drayton

January and the New Year always invoke feelings of the need to make new starts and promises; to do better, to strive harder or to 'turn over a new leaf'. Even though time is a man-made construct, we certainly respond to the changes and shifts in gears that the New Year brings.

January is named after the god Janus, the god of doorways and gateways, and also of new beginnings. The Romans believed worshiping Janus ensured smooth endings. His temple in the Forum had doors facing east and west for the beginning and the end of the day, and between them stood his statue with his two faces looking in opposite directions. In Roman art he is portrayed as a porter, with a staff and key in his hands and with two bearded faces placed back to back.

A Veiled Prophet Speaks, Seized by the Power of a God: The Capricorn New Moon

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.
Ben Jonson

But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
Lord Byron

The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have it.
Ernest Hemingway

In medieval times, people thought that evil spirits could enter a person through an open mouth. These days they more often leave that way.
David Deckert

The Capricorn new Moon, happening on the 27th December, is a very powerful one as Mars and Pluto are smack together with the Sun and the Moon, all in the first 6 degrees of Capricorn. We also have Mercury and Jupiter in Capricorn, so that makes 6 planets occupying this rather practical, money and security-oriented earth sign. This is a powerhouse of energy packed-up and backed-up and needing to be released in some way.

It is especially powerful as the Sabian Symbol for the new Moon is one that contains enormous energy in its own right; Capricorn 7: A Veiled Prophet Speaks Seized By the Power of a God. This Symbol makes this new Moon a very strong time to be making your affirmations and intentions not only for the month, but for the year ahead.The message is to get started on your new year's resolutions now as the energy is geared up and ready to go forth.

Celebrating the Harvest vs. Working in a Laundry - Our Choice: The Gemini Full Moon

Life is a festival only to the wise.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.
John Petit-Senn

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Romanian Proverb

Wives are people who feel they don't dance enough.
Groucho Marx

December's full Moon, happening on December 13 in Australia and the United Kingdom and December 12 in the United States, is a big one.

Such an amazing Moon this full Moon, particularly as the Sabian Symbol is one of joy, harvest and celebration in the weeks leading up to the festive season and new year. It should be noted that the effect of the new and full moons lasts into the future. So if you're reading this a little later on you can be assured that the energy and repercussions of it still are in effect for quite a long time to come. The Sabian Symbol for this full Moon is Gemini 22: Dancing Couples Crowd the Barn in a Harvest Festival.

This degree Symbol is about celebrating the warmth and providence of the earth, the joy of nature's harvest, joining with others to celebrate, the reality of rhythmical or seasonal adjustments, agriculture, good old-time values, going out, having fun, listening and dancing to music, barns and dance halls.

Oh Poetry! - Moon, Venus, Jupiter Together in Capricorn

When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy. Samuel Goldwyn

Fortune favors the brave. Virgil

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. Mark Twain

To refuse awards is another way of accepting them with more noise than is normal. Peter Ustinov

I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either. Jack Benny

When I stand before thee at the day's end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing. Rabindranath Tagore

The Moon, Venus, Jupiter conjunction is a wonderful sight to behold. Those in Australia will see it at night on December 1. In the United States, the conjunction will be exact at 10.30am and in the United Kingdom at 2.30pm. The display in the sky will be worth watching the night before and the night after the conjunction. On the Sydney Morning Herald website, they described how the conjunction would look - like an emoticon :). Well, that symbol certainly fits what it describes; it's something worth celebrating and enjoying. This event is celestial in magnitude in terms of bringing good luck, abundance and joy into your life. Certainly thoughts sent out in the next 24 or so hours will have a wonderful wave of energy behind them. What better than Venus and Jupiter together (and throw in the Moon to make the stronger emotional and body connection with us here on Earth).

The Sagittarian New Moon: Playing By the Rules and Opening the Heart

Always keep your composure. You can't score from the penalty box; and to win you have to score. Bobby Hull

If you must play, decide on three things at the start; the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time. Chinese proverb.

How a person plays the game shows something of their character, how they lose shows all of it. Anonymous

Please don't ask me what the score is, I'm not even sure what the game is. Ashleigh Brilliant

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun. Indian proverb

The Sagittarius New Moonfalls on Thursday 27th November and Friday 28th November in Australia. The effects of a new Moon last for about a month and set the tone for the month between this new Moon and the next. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon at Sagittarius 6 is A Game of Cricket.

The trick with this new Moon is playing by the rules of the game, being particular about details, dressing the part if necessary, giving things your best shot, being competitive but also aware of every other player's needs or desires. Cricket games sometimes went on for days, so there's also a need to know when to call a halt, when to draw up the score and accept the umpire's decision and when to claim victory of accede defeat. One is never really defeated in a game of cricket, though, it's more about the enjoyment of playing the game out in the fresh air under the sky, and, hopefully the Sun. One has also to make sure that the outfield is protected - you have your distant bases covered so nothing untoward can slip through; like having your bases loaded in baseball.

A White Dove Flying Straight and Fearlessly Over Troubled Waters: The Taurus Full Moon

Lift me like an olive branch, be my homeward dove.
Leonard Cohen

Yeah we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars, and the sun.
John Lennon

I always liked the story of Noah's Ark and the idea of starting anew by rescuing the things you like and leaving the rest behind.
Zach Braff

November's full Moon is a very powerful one. Happening on November 13, it is in an exact t-square with Neptune. This can bring idealism, hope and enlightenment or confusion, mixed messages or a sense of abandonment. Of course, how you respond depends on what's happening in your life.

The Sabian Symbol for the full Moon is Taurus 22: A White Dove Flying Straight and Fearlessly Over Troubled Waters. The "White Dove" is a reassuring symbol of messages regarding peace, hope and redemption. It shows a clear mission that needs to be fulfilled, sometimes without worrying about any personal consequences. Noah sent out a White Dove from the Ark. It flew "Straight and Fearlessly Over Troubled Waters", bringing back an olive branch, a sign that landfall was near and redemption was at hand.

Lynda's Daughter Jess in Chicago for Obama's Big Night

Daughter Jess and her partner David are driving across the US to report back to Australia about the election - pre and post. Click here to read about their adventures.

Breakthrough! - the Uranus Saturn Opposition Heralds the End of an Error

Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection - Virgo 3 -the progressed full Moon of the United States chart set for July 4 1776 at 5.10pm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.

We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; and God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be our teachers and guides.
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you... Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.
Saint Francis de Sales

We forget to pray for the angels and the angels forget to pray for us.
Leonard Cohen.

Wow, what a time it's been. The world has turned somehow, it's turned in a new direction and it feels like a breath of fresh air and a new page of history is in the making. The progressed Moon for the chart of the USA is Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection - what a fabulous degree! In the next week or so, the progressed Moon goes onto Virgo 4: Black and White Children Playing Happily Together. 

Gold Rush! November's Scorpio New Moon

All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost. J. R. R. Tolkien

Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are worth the risk. Shirley Hufstedler

He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has. Henry Ward Beecher

Gold will be slave or master. Horace

November's new Moon on Tuesday 28 October in the United States and Wednesday 29 October in Australia has a particularly Scorpionic theme - the Gold Rush. The Sabian Symbol is Scorpio 6: A Gold Rush Tears People Away From Their Native Soil. 

The Gate Opens to the Garden of All Fulfilled Desires: October's Aries Full Moon

When the doors of perception are cleansed, Man will see things as they truly are, infinite. William Blake

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. Alexander Graham Bell

Be an opener of doors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Opportunities multiply as they are seized. Sun Tzu

Paradise is always where love dwells. Jean Paul F. Richter

This Aries full moon, happening on the 15th October in Australia and the 14th October in the United States, is one of promise, a desire for happiness, hopes and dreams for the future, along with a need to find one's place and part in the greater scheme of life. The full moon occurs at 21 Aries 50 - the Sabian Symbol for which is Aries 22: The Gate Opens to the Garden of All Fulfilled Desires.

As this is an Aries full Moon, we're being asked to analyze our own desires, our own wants and needs - although, as usual, we have to allow for and integrate the needs of others. It seems that the trick with this full Moon, with the Sun in Libra, is to keep one eye focused on what's expected of you, but to also make sure that you're not sacrificing your needs, your wants, your desires in order to keep others happy. If we're so busy caring about what others want, need or demand of us, we can miss our opportunity to slip into that place that truly rewards us in so many ways.

Feeding Chickens and Protecting Them From the Hawks: September's New Moon in Libra

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop

Power is no blessing in itself, except when it is used to protect the innocent. Jonathan Swift

If this country is to survive, the best-fed-nation myth had better be recognized for what it is: propaganda designed to produce wealth but not health. Adelle Davis

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. Edward R. Murrow

The new Moon on September 29 highlights an issue that many have been talking about - how to protect the innocent, our families, our homes, our livelihoods. This has been a very interesting, if not distressing, period of watching and waiting and observing - what will happen with the financial situation going on in the world - particularly in the US? Well, from my observations, particularly this Wall Street bailout - it is likely to be exactly more of the same - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Of course, in this world of opportunity, we have gateways and opportunities to move past the limitations of lack - but for many this period could see their lives adjusted in terms of their financial situation and their possibilities for the future. The Sabian Symbol for the Libran new Moon is Libra 7: A Woman Feeding Chickens and Protecting Them From the Hawks.

The Lion Tamer and the Spiritualist Medium: September's Pisces Full Moon

 What does mysticism really mean? It means the way to attain knowledge. It’s close to philosophy, except in philosophy you go horizontally while in mysticism you go vertically. Elie Wiesel

The act of contemplation creates the thing contemplated. Isaac D’Israeli

Faith is power to believe and power to see. Prentice Mulford

Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible. Frank Gaines

Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment. Lara Gassen

September's full moon in Pisces has a rather Piscean image. It's Pisces 23: A Materializing Medium Giving a Seance. This is an image of strong sensitivity to the fields of energy around us. It can bring up the need for a good radar about what's going on in and around us; to sort out the real from the imagined, the truly desirable from one's desires, the obtainable from the unobtainable and to sort out the future from the past.

The trick with this full Moon is to be able to decipher, decode, deconstruct and decide what's real and what's not. This is a powerful full Moon as Uranus is smack in amongst it, riding side-saddle and it's rather electric and 'what's in it for me?' attitudes can clash with the softer side of Pisces, causing overreaction, bluster, storms of all kinds and the desire to run amok and make things better or different or 'your way' against sometimes overwhelming opposition.

It's not all bad, of course; it can be a marvelous freeing up of stuck or earthbound energies. There is indeed, as Elie Wiesel said, a need to go vertical - to head for truth and justice and clarity, leaving behind the past and forging to new opportunities.

Removing the Veil - the Sun/Saturn Conjunction

 

When the disciple knows Saturn as the God who offers opportunity and does not only feel him to be Deity who brings disaster, then he is on the path of discipleship in truth and in deed and not just theoretically. 

Alice Bailey

Whatever limits us we call fate. Ralph Waldo Emerson

There was the Door to which I found no key; There was the Veil through which I might not see. Omar Khayyam

How does Saturn enter, except by forcing its way in? James Hillman

If you've been feeling stressed, weighed down, not listened to, like you've run into too many brick walls, tired, unsatisfied and unrewarded, welcome to the land of Sun/Saturn. Of course, as Alice Bailey says in her quote above, Saturn can be the God who offers opportunity, the trick is to know how to make that ol' disciplinarian Saturn work for you and not against you.

The Sun/Saturn conjunction occurs on September 4 in Australia and September 3 in the States.

Learning the Steps of the Dance: August's Second New Moon

Life’s a dance, you learn as you go, sometimes you lead and sometimes you follow. Don’t worry bout what you don’t know, life’s a dance…. you learn as you go. Katie Schrimsher

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.
Faith Whittlesey

I don’t try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself. Mikhail Baryshnikov

Will you, won’t you Will you, won’t you Will you join the dance? Lewis Carroll

August's second new Moon falls on 30th August in the United States and on the 31st of August in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is Virgo 8: A Girl Takes Her First Dancing Instruction. This degree speaks of the need to know when to lead and when to follow, along with being open to the lessons that life brings. It's a wonderful degree of freshness and newness combined with pleasure and romance. The Virgo factor asks for accomplishment, order, practicality and attention to detail. This new Moon contains the promise of a period of swift learning, particularly if you're open to what life is instructing you.

Lightness of Being Vs Carrying the Load: August's Lunar Eclipse

Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world.
Hans Margolius

A bird never flew on one wing. Proverb

I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work and my God. Helen Keller

August's lunar eclipse occurs on the 16th in the United States and on the 17th in Australia and New Zealand. Lunar eclipses are full moons with a much stronger twist and their effects last far into the future. Many say that the effects last up to nine months. My observation is that it can be far longer than that, especially if your chart is being aspected by the eclipse, or, if a major event happens in your life in the weeks before or after the eclipse.

The Sabian Symbol for this lunar eclipse is Aquarius 25: A Butterfly With the Right Wing More Perfectly Formed.

It was Marx who famously observed that everything is connected to everything else and the Sabian Symbol for this month's partial lunar eclipse brings to my mind the concept of the Butterfly Effect.

The butterfly effect is a term referred to in Chaos Theory to describe how extremely small variations can affect giant systems, and complex systems, like weather patterns. The term "butterfly effect" was applied in Chaos Theory to suggest that the wing movements of a butterfly might have significant repercussions on wind strength and movements throughout the weather systems of the world, and theoretically, could cause tornadoes halfway around the world. See Wise Geek for more information.

Early Morning Dew Salutes the Sunlight: August 1 Solar Eclipse

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope. Bern Williams

One may not reach the dawn save by the path of the night. Kahlil Gibran

The darkest hour is just before dawn. Thomas Fuller

The morning pouring everywhere, its golden glory on the air. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This month's new moon is a total eclipse of the Sun. Occurring on August 1, the path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in Canada and extends across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia, and China. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes northeastern North America, most of Europe and Asia.(See NASA's site for more details).

With the Olympics starting on the 8th August, it is rather telling that this eclipse stretches across China. This could portend all kinds of happenings at the Olympics - I imagine some will be surprising, some less so and rather more predictable. Certainly I can't imagine how some athletes are going to cope with the smog and the shocking air quality, not to mention the strains hanging in the air around China's policies towards Tibet and their business dealings with Sudan (and blind eye to what's happening in Darfur).

Certainly the big issues at this Olympics is the issue of human rights. A symbol that is commonly seen in relation to human rights is the white dove. At the opening ceremony of the Olympics, after the cauldron is lit, doves are released as a symbol of truce; all people coming together in peace and harmony. With all the concern about these Olympics with human rights issues, protests and the issue of people having the right to protest, terrorists attacks, who's going to attend and who's going to boycott, etc, it's insightful to note that Chiron, the 'wounded healer' and the story teller is on Aquarius 20: A Big White Dove Bearing a Message. It will be interesting to see just what the message of these Olympics will be. Certainly, a lot of concerns about human rights and abuses are being swept under the carpet. Note that the Olympic flame is also a major component of the meaning of the Olympics and the Moon's North Node, a karmic point, is on Aquarius 19: A Forest Fire Finally Quenched. The image shown to the left is the Olympic dove seen on the background of flames. How synchronous that the Beijing Olympics has Chiron and the North Node on the Sabian Symbols of the Dove and the Fire.

Interestingly this eclipse is called a 'midnight Sun eclipse' as it will be visible in places that have a midnight Sun (in the case of this eclipse, those countries that are close to the Arctic circle).

This solar eclipse is in Leo. It may be called a 'midnight Sun eclipse', but the Sabian Symbol is Leo 10: Early Morning Dew Salutes the Sunlight. One could wonder what the "early morning dew" in China might be composed of. 'Particulates' is sadly one word that comes to mind.

Mars also throws out an interesting challenge, not only to the Olympics, but to the world at large. The Sabian Symbol is Virgo 19: A Swimming Race - the keyword being 'competition'. Playing by the rules of the game are also inherent in this degree, although Mars likes to throw some curve balls. Right before the opening ceremony of the Olympics on August 8, Mars is on Virgo 23: A Lion Tamer Rushes Fearlessly Into the Circus Arena. Apart from the obvious that athletes from all over the world will be in the 'arena' - and the fact that they need to be in control of their energies, well rehearsed and well-trained, all kinds of wild, and, possibly untamed, energies are likely to be flying around. Mars will be directly opposite Uranus on Pisces 22: A Man Bringing Down the New Law From Mount Sinai. Laws and regulations and prohibitions are likely to be thick on the ground. The Chinese have apparently allowed three small parks well away from the Olympic arena for people to protest. They have to register with the authorities first, of course. No protesting here, nothing to see, move along. I'm driven to draw a parallel to the Christians and the lions. While the 'Christians are wrestling with the lions', the corrupt officials of the empire are twiddling their thumbs or making further plans for domination.

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. Traditional proverb

One can draw hope from the fact that the Olympic's chart set for August 8 has Venus on Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection.

Ascent in Consciousness: July's Capricorn Full Moon

First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is. Zen Aphorism

It is the ultimate wisdom of the mountains that a man is never more a man than when he is striving for what is beyond his grasp. James Ramsey Ullman

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. Basho

July's Capricorn full moon falls on the 18th and promises to be interesting and challenging and confronting and uplifting and cleansing - and probably all at the same time.

The Sabian Symbol for the full moon is Capricorn 27: A Mountain Pilgrimage, which brings a sense of spiritual retreat, striving for a destination or a desired outcome, wanting to surpass previous efforts, the desire to leave behind the complications and complexities of life in order to reach for something better, higher, purer, more rarefied perhaps.

The Mountain Pilgrimage is a wonderful image, especially for a Capricorn Symbol as it fits in with the archetype of the mountain goat, the image of Capricorn. (It's interesting to remember that Elsie Wheeler, the spiritualist medium who gave birth to the Sabian Symbols in 1925, did not have any conscious awareness of the sign or degree of the zodiac she was seeing when she described the images she saw in her mind's eye for the Sabian Symbols. This shows, again, how astoundingly amazing the Sabian Symbols and the method of their birth was).

It seems that, at this full moon, there is, or needs to be, a bit of "mountain goat" in all of us. We have to be sure-footed, persevering, able to withstand the rigors that life puts in front of us, prepared for our journey and taking it willingly, being and staying on the path, and, often, having to or choosing to go without some of the things or comforts we normally have in our lives. We are often asked to have expectations, but to let go of them at the same time - quite the paradox. 

Recognising Greatness Within: July's Cancer New Moon

A little body often harbors a great soul.
Romanian Proverb

Every man is a divinity in disguise.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

We hear about the birth of a child and ask questions like, "What did she have? How much did it weigh?" and "Does it have any hair" The Athabaskan Indian hear of a birth and ask, "Who came?"
Lisa Delpit

Where are you searching for me, friend? Look! Here am I right within you. Not in temple, not in mosque, not in Kaaba nor Kailas, but here right within you.
Kabir

He whose face gives no light can never become a star.
William Blake

The Cancer new moon occurs on July 2 in the United States and July 3 in Australia and Europe. The Sabian Symbol is Cancer 12: A Chinese Woman Nursing a Baby Whose Aura Reveals Him to be the Reincarnation of a Great Teacher.

Dane Rudhyar, the astrologer whose work popularized the Sabian Symbols, said of this degree that it's "The promise to all men that God may take birth within their souls".

You Can Get There From Here: June's Sagittarius Full Moon

We are told never to cross a bridge till we come to it, but this world is owned by people who have “crossed bridges” in their imagination far ahead of the crowd.
Anonymous

The bridges you cross before you come to them are over rivers that aren’t there. Gene Brown (Meaning: don't sweat the small stuff.)

If you destroy a bridge, be sure you can swim.
Swahili Proverb

June's Sagittarius full moon is one of assurance and reassurance. It's about knowing that there's links, bridges, possibilities and passageways that will allow us to cross over to where we want to go and to where we need to be. The Sabian Symbol for the full moon is Sagittarius 28: A Splendidly Built Bridge, a Heritage of Unknown Ages, Still Spans the Beautiful and Wildly Primitive Stream.

A Conversation by Telepathy: June's Gemini New Moon

To the query, “What is a friend?” his reply was “A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” Aristotle

I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time. Bill Watterson

I waited and waited, and, when no message came, I knew it must be from you. Ashleigh Brilliant

June's new moon is one of communication, clairvoyance, telepathy and being in tune, not only with one's self but with others. The Sabian Symbol for the new moon is Gemini 14: Two People Living Far Apart in Telepathic Communication. Like most of the Sabian Symbols, this image has morphed over the years with Dane Rudhyar's version being Bridging Physical Space and Social Distinctions, Two Men Communicate Telepathically, while Marc Edmund Jones stuck to Elsie Wheeler's original version - A Conversation By Telepathy. Whichever version you prefer, this new moon speaks of communication - getting your point across - breaking through barriers that keep you separate from others and going deeper and deeper into your clairvoyant and communication abilities.

Dane Rudhyar, in his 1973 book An Astrological Mandala, says of this degree "... a time comes when the individual can transcend the limiting boundaries of culture and ego. An effort should then be made to enter a realm of consciousness in which the communication from mind to mind can take a more direct form, because the minds then operate within the One Mind of humanity. It is then as if two cells in a human body were communicating to each other, perhaps through some kind of invisible nerve channels, or, as it were, from nucleus to nucleus by means of vibratory resonance."

In my book, I have the Symbol as "Two People, at Widely Different Points, Are in Conversation With Each Other by Means of Telepathy". As you can see from the various readings of this Symbol above, the idea of this Sabian Symbol is one of communicating, it is about communicating whether you're "Living Far Apart" or in the same room as each other.

From my book The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle: 'This Symbol shows that lines of communication can still be established if you can’t be near a friend or loved one. It seems that you have bonds with another, perhaps with many people, that are unaffected by distance or frequency of communications or visits. When you are unable to be together, it is possible for you to remain connected through sending messages from your mind and heart. You could also be feeling as though you are receiving messages from or about them, but are afraid to pay attention to them. If you have been receiving clairvoyant flashes or premonitions, don’t block them, as it is highly likely that they are trying to tell you something worth listening to. Society often frowns on things concerning psychic matters; but don’t allow yourself to submit to other people’s disapproval and opinions. Trust your intuition, both in the sending and receiving of messages. You may feel isolated or unable to physically bridge the gap between yourself and someone special. Try to set aside a time of the day or night when you can meditate on each other. Let your heart tell you that you are always in their company and there is no need to feel alone.'

The Keywords for this Symbol: Conquering space and time limitations. Psychic and mental communication. Sharing and thinking the same ideas. Knowing what is felt or thought by others. Feeling connected regardless of physical contact. Being on the same frequency. Mediumship. Telepathic communication. Conversation. Direct lines of communication. Mind reading.

So, amongst other things, this Symbol speaks of communicating, sharing, sensing, feeling, mind reading, etc.

Amazingly, Mars in Leo at Leo 14 completely backs up this theme. Further, this degree is sextile (60 degrees apart) the degree of Mars is Cherub-Like, A Human Soul Whispers Into Every Receptive Ear, Seeking to Manifest. This a Symbol of the desire to be heard and taken seriously. This ‘Human Soul’ is trying to find a ‘Receptive Ear’; someone who will listen to or understand what’s being said, perhaps to spur others to take some kind of action. Something that has been waiting to be ‘Manifest’, said, heard or realized could come out quite suddenly.

From my book, The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle: There is likely to be a deep realization that will transform your life on some level. The time may not be quite right, but it is coming soon. Your creative or spiritual talents are attempting to come through into conscious expression. Listening to your inner voice, and heeding messages from others, can lead you to the next level of your life. On the spiritual level, this Symbol shows the movement of the ‘Soul’ to new possibilities and opportunities. On the more everyday level, it can imply that in order to find those who wish to join our process or task, ideas need to be communicated in a quiet and suggestive manner, rather than being loud and demanding. Often when there’s a new idea in the air, many people seemingly come up with it at the same time. This can be rather astounding; it’s time for this new thing to ‘Manifest’ and those that are ‘Receptive’ to the message will hear and respond. However, if the messages coming through are not clear, intelligent, or useful, it may lead to wild-goose chases and extremes of behavior. Parts of the mind can come tearing out – wishing to make themselves heard or known. Discriminate between what’s important and what’s not. Listen to messages, something is seeking expression and needs a vehicle to be able to ‘Manifest’. Are you the “vehicle”?

Further to this rather intuitive or clairvoyant or all seeing theme is Uranus on Pisces 23: A Materializing Medium Giving a Seance.

From my book: Many things can be ‘Materialized’ in our lives; they can come seemingly out of nowhere. They may be messages, voices, noises, stories or episodes from one’s life. Objects can be ‘Materialized’ as well; we can conjure them up. Sometimes it can cause confusion, other times enlightenment. Realizing that one can create their own reality and the responsibility implied can lead to the belief that just about anything is possible in one’s life. The things that are ‘Materialized’ can be tangible and rewarding things, however, there should be some caution as sometimes they can have more to do with drama and show rather than having any real or lasting substance. Sit with any new impressions you may be receiving until you understand the authenticity or depth. If you have to do something or perform in front of people, rest assured that with the right attitude and a little preparation there should be no problem. You may have the talent and the ability to make things up as you go along. Energy can feel as though it is coursing “through you”. Notice the physical evidence that leads you to realize, see or “hear” messages. Certain words standing out in a newspaper or magazine, words of a song that bring messages, something special noticed in a photo or other image, etc. Pay attention to these messages and allow them to inspire you to connect with whatever and whoever is guiding you. Aspects of personality can erupt, at appropriate or sometimes inappropriate moments. How much is true in this situation and how much is made-up or imagined?

Venus is on Gemini 13: A World-Famous Pianist Giving a Concert Performance. This Symbol speaks of the need to not only be rehearsed and talented, but also to be willing to share your talent and abilities with others. One needs to be confident and secure in what you do, to feel that you have something of merit to offer to the world.

The ruler of Gemini is Mercury, therefore Mercury is in high focus in this Gemini new moon. Mercury is retrograde (meaning that it appears to be traveling backwards through the zodiac). The degree of Mercury in this new moon is Gemini 20: A Cafeteria With an Abundance of Choices. This Symbol speaks of the need to be discriminating about your choices, to be careful of what you choose to nourish, feed and fulfill you. It can be rather confusing in this day and age with all the choices we have before us, and, particularly with the number of choices we have, this is a time to be thoughtful about the choices we make; about what we reach for, what we can afford, what will nourish and satisfy our appetites.

The major theme of the Symbols for the Sun, Moon, Mars and Uranus are all rather clairvoyant and all seeing. What is it that you can bring through into your life now? What is it that you need to learn or share with others? What messages are you receiving through the ethers (sometimes continually)? What talents, messages and insights do you have that you could share with others?

This Gemini new moon seems set to be a meaningful one and one that could teach us many things about ourselves and others.

Straight to the Source: An Addendum to the Scorpio Full Moon

This month's full moon in Scorpio has the Sabian Symbol of Scorpio 1: Tourists on a Sightseeing Bus. Of course, we're all tourists in life in one way or another, and this month it can be interesting to observe our lives. In fact, observing one's life and the way one 'is' in life, your souvenirs - those things you pick up and take with you, etc, can be illuminating, interesting and insightful. What are the snapshots of your life? How often do you take them? Do you reflect on your journeys and what it took to get you to where you are now?

The Symbol for the Sun in the full moon is Taurus 1: A Clear Mountain Stream; we are asked to stay on our path, determined and positive about the flow of our lives and ready and prepared for what might come on our journey. We 'mix it in' with people all the way, we become more and more strong as we journey downstream to join in with others and spread out in life with others, becoming more and more somehow integrated into the great outside world as we continue along our path.

Spectators in a Strange World on a Journey of Wonder: April's Scorpio Full Moon

The more I traveled, the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends. Shirley MacLaine

The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust.

The universe as we know it is a joint project of the observer and the observed. Teilhard de Chardin

The full moon on Sunday April 20 is a particularly powerful one. In Scorpio, it is likely to bring up all kinds of powerful and intense responses and events in and around us. The Sabian Symbol for the full moon is Scorpio 1: Tourists on a Sight-Seeing Bus.

This full moon ensures that there's much to be seen and heard and learned and integrated into our lives by observing what's going on around us, taking things in, assimilating what's going on in our environment as we pass through it. Sometimes we need a tour guide on our journey's; whether it's a journey to the shops or to the Moon. We often take pictures of the terrain we're traveling in, whether they're actual photographs or snapshots that fill our minds. Also, we gather souvenirs; things that give us pleasure or merely prove that we've been somewhere. The main thing with this degree is to really take a good look at your life, but the trick is to be a participant, not just a spectator. One has to 'connect in' with one's environment, people, country, role in life, etc. Who are you on the 'Bus' with? Who's a fellow passenger, a fellow traveler, and who do you invite along on your 'journeys'? What is the vehicle you're traveling in? What is worthy of noticing and what's not? By observing, we learn and assimilate things of great value; we become more rounded, more able to cope with the things that life holds in store for us, or, indeed, throws at us.

As Yogi Berra, the great American baseball player and manager said 'You can observe a lot by watching'. Such profundity!

Two Spinsters, Two Realms, Two Guardian Angels - it's a Big Pairing of Energies at this Aries New Moon

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I think most people will agree with me when I say that the energy of the last week or so (heck of the last few years!) has been pretty weird, fractured, unwired, a bit cranky, over-the-top, or frazzled. This is largely because the Sun, in Aries, and Mars, in Cancer, have been squaring off against each other, giving people either a big burst of 'me-first' energy or a depletion of the adrenals (probably both). Then there's always the issue of bumping heads.

To top it off, we've had the Sun, Mercury, the Moon and now Venus squaring Pluto. So much for diplomacy, so much for people being nice to each other, so much for holding one's thoughts and emotions without having an implosion. Still, there's big changes afoot and many people are feeling them, some intellectually feeling it, others spiritually but many on a visceral level.

Well, this new moon is set to be an interesting one, as is the few days that lead up to it. Occurring on Sunday the 6th April, it's one of those Symbols that gives one pause for thought - literally. The Symbol is Aries 17: Two Prim Spinsters Sitting in Silence.

Curiously perhaps, we have quite a lot of two's going on in this new moon. We have Mercury, the planet of communications, communicating and talking, on Aries 7: A Person Successfully Expressing Them Self in Two Realms at Once and Saturn on Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection.

Good Vibrations - Ascension and Easter and the Libran Full moon and the Equinox; it's the Whole Box and Dice

Imagine all the people living life in peace.
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one.
John Lennon.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mohandas K. Gandhi

HAPPY EASTER!

What a big Easter! We have the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere (the Autumn Equinox in the southern), a big full moon on the weekend and International Astrology Day on the 21st as well.

This full moon is a real doozy, with Pluto forming a very tight grand cross with the Sun and the Moon and Mars, this promises to be a very dynamic Easter and one certainly pregnant with meaning and intensity, and very likely, change. The Sun is on Aries 2, the Moon on Libra 2, Mars is on Cancer 7 and Pluto is on Capricorn 2. This adds a real punch to emotions and events this weekend. Indeed, as with any full moon, it indicates elevated feelings being felt for some time to come. This time appears to be a particularly momentous time, with all that's going on globally - Tibet, Iraq, Sudan, the United States, all over the world, we are seeing major changes and it seems that we have to change with these changes.

The Sabian Symbol for this full moon is one of ascension and transmutation. It's at Libra 2: The Light of the Sixth Race Transmuted to the Seventh.

In the Gigantic Tent: A Revival or a Dust Up? The Pisces New Moon

March's New Moon in Pisces brings up some very interesting issues and ideas. Falling on March 7 in the United States (March 8 in Australia), the degree is Pisces 18: In a Huge Tent a Famous Revivalist Conducts His Meeting With a Spectacular Performance... Shades of the U.S. Presidential race with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain slinging it out, making pronouncements, making promises, evangelizing, and talking up a storm. All of these candidates speak like they are promising a new world, a greater sense of freedom, more opportunities, greater wealth, etc.

The 'Revivalist' Symbol above was how Dane Rudhyar quoted this degree in his 1936 book The Astrology of Personality; he rephrased it as he did many of the Sabian Symbols. Later, in Rudhyar's 1973 book, An Astrological Mandala, Rudhyar wrote this degree as In a Gigantic Tent, Villagers Witness a Spectacular Performance. The original Symbol, as seen by Elsie Wheeler in 1925, was a far simpler phrase - A Gigantic Tent.

Marc Edmund Jones had, earlier, in 1931, written the degree as The Celebrated Revivalist Has Erected His Huge Tent, Which is Now Warmed by Music, Lights and the Smell of Sawdust.

I prefer these 'Revivalist' revisions to Elsie Wheeler's original as it seems to reflect Pisces 18 very well, although A Gigantic Tent can also bring up images of revivalists, evangelists, religious gatherings. It can also, as well, bring up the issue of boxing matches and circuses... going by what's happening in the media in the States we're seeing those things every day through the main stream media.

Whatever Symbol wording we prefer, this Sabian Symbol describes what we've been seeing again and again in recent times, especially as Uranus was on this degree for several months during 2007 and again for the last month.  

A Large White Cross and Guardian Angels: February's Lunar Eclipse

February's lunar eclipse (falling on February 20 and February 21, depending on where you are in the world) is well-placed for North and South America as well as Europe and Africa. Observers along North America's west coast miss the early stages of the partial eclipse because it begins before moon rise. Alaskans in Anchorage and Fairbanks experience moon rise during totality but bright evening twilight will make it difficult to view the event. Western Europe and northwest Africa also see the entire eclipse. Further to the east (east Africa and central Asia), the Moon sets before the eclipse ends. None of the eclipse is visible from eastern Asia or Australia. For more information go to NASA's site - click here.

Notice the red star? That's where the eclipse is most visible How interesting that Fidel Castro resigned just a few days before this eclipse? What happens next for this region of the world will be interesting to watch. It certainly seems time for the U.S. to revise relations with Cuba - as what's happening between the two nations is a relic from the Cold War. To see Cuba freed from the embargo and repressions placed up on it would be a wonderful thing. I've never been to Cuba, but I hear it's a wonderful place with wonderful people.

Which brings us to the Sabian Symbol for this total lunar eclipse - Virgo 2: A Large White Cross Dominates the Landscape. This Symbol seems to be saying that a lot of the old relics from the past that are no longer relevant, no longer serving the people, no longer providing growth for the world, are likely to be falling away - crumbling and dissembling. One can hope! Of course, when things are dying, sometimes a strong resistance to change makes for a struggle before there's actually any progress. It will be fascinating to watch Barack Obama's progress in the Presidential race and what arguments and slurs are bought up against him by the conservative establishment...

We do, however, have the grace and benefits of the degree following, Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection, this Symbol will be felt quite strongly by some as a way out of difficult or repressive energies.

Yes, We Dared to Dream: Sorry Day Moves a Nation Forward Towards a Healing

We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.
Aboriginal Proverb

Those Australians who take our hands are those that dare dream of an Australia that could be.... will you take our hand? Will you dare to share our dream?
Dr Evelyn Scott, Chairperson, Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (2000)

SORRY DAY

The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998 - one year after the tabling of the report Bringing them Home which was the result of an inquiry into the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

One of the recommendations of the report was that a National Sorry Day should be declared. Sorry Day offered the community the opportunity to be involved in activities to acknowledge the impact of the policies of forcible removal on Australia's indigenous populations.

A huge range of community activities took place across Australia on Sorry Day in 1998. Sorry Books, in which people could record their personal feelings, were presented to representatives of the indigenous communities. Hundreds of thousands of signatures were received. People could also register an apology electronically.

On Sunday 28th May 2000 more than 250,000 people participated in the Corroboree 2000 Bridge Walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge. This walk was in support of Indigenous Australians and was organised by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (now known as Reconciliation Australia) a Federal Government initiative to promote greater understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The event highlighted the issue of a lack of an apology by the Commonwealth Government to the Stolen Generations.

Sorry Day was an annual event between 1998 and 2004.

Super Tuesday and The Dark Side of the Moon: Where's the Masquerade? February's Annular Solar Eclipse

Eclipse!
All that you touch and all that you see  
all that you taste, all you feel
and all that you love and all that you hate
all you distrust, all you save
and all that you give and all that you deal
and all that you buy, beg, borrow or steal
and all you create and all you destroy
and all that you do and all that you say
and all that you eat and everyone you meet
and all that you slight and everyone you fight
and all that is now and all that is gone
and all that's to come and everything under the sun is in tune but the Sun is eclipsed by the Moon - Pink Floyd - Eclipse - Dark Side of the Moon

February's annular solar eclipse*, happening on February 6 or February 7, depending on where in the world you are, is a doozy - it's a big one, even though it's not a total eclipse of the Sun. It's a doozy largely because of the enormous Aquarian energy and the fact that it happens right when Super Duper Tuesday is happening: when 24 States of the United States get to vote on their choice of Democratic and Republican candidates.

Super Duper, alright. In the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, many people (read: those that take the time to vote) get to exercise their democratic right to choose who next takes the reins of government... although, going by the last two elections, one wonders who's holding the chains of the Diebold machines now. If it's still the Republicans, a lot of brown stuff could hit the fan... but then, as it is, eclipses can provoke that kind of accident in all areas of our lives.

Happening every 6 months or so, eclipses are interesting power-houses of energy. This particular annular solar eclipse's path crosses Antarctica, south eastern Australia, New Zealand and some parts of the South Pacific. This solar eclipse is very Aquarian, with (in order) Chiron, Mercury, Moon, Sun, Neptune, Vesta and the North Node all in that sign. THAT is a lot of Aquarian energy. Where does this eclipse fall in your chart? Look to that area of your chart to find where Aquarius resides as that will show where adjustments or changes are best made or where the energy is likely to be played out in your life.

*An annular eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun. Hence the Sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon. From Wikipedia

Mars Goes Direct and Mercury Goes Retrograde - But Are We Coming or Going?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl,
year after year,
running over the same old ground. What have we found?
The same old fears - wish you were here. 

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Just as Mars (the planet of action, assertion, anger and motivation) starts to go forward after 75-or-so days  wandering in the retrograde wilderness, Mercury (the planet of communication, connections, messages and thinking) flips us the finger and signals that it's time for another 3 week period of wandering around, going over the same old ground... what will we have found? The same old fears? Wish YOU were here?

Yes, over the same old ground. As Mercury goes retrograde, Mars is getting set to go forward over the same territory it has been retrograding over since mid November last year. If you want to refresh your memory about Mars retrograde read this: Retracing the Steps of Mars and Getting it Right. Well, did we get it right? We have the opportunity to retrace those steps between now and the first week of April. What have we learnt? Have we reached out for others as Mars was asking; extending our hand, our heart, our selves? Have we had our hand slapped or our heart broken?

Sometimes, no strike that, often with Mars retrograde, our motivations, objectives and impulses are taken the wrong way, we take the wrong turn OR we stay where we are when we should move. Perhaps we're being taken for granted, not speaking up, whatever - it all builds up until it explodes in a big volcanic way, leaving just remnants of our lives, our selves, our past, or whatever it is that we've been sowing the seeds for. How's the harvest looking? Well, it seems that we won't know for a little while... all the while we've got to keep planting, keep plugging, keep being our authentic selves because Mars will take a shot at us unless we aim for just that. Mars went a bit haywire, ungrounded or split while going backwards in the last degrees of Gemini and right now it's going forward again through those last 6 degrees of Gemini. Right now, Mars is on Gemini 25: A Man Trimming Palms. This seems to be telling us to get cracking with maintaining our lives, to do the essential maintenance, caring for one's possessions, weeding out the unnecessary and getting rid of those things that are hanging on way past their use-by-date. We have to clear away  remnants of the past that clutter or sabotage in order to get a fresh, clean slate - a fresh, clean image.

So, now, at the beginning of February, Mars is starting it's slow climb through Gemini and into Cancer. Along the way, in the weeks leading up to March 5, Mars is rewriting the rules in the sign of Gemini. We may be feeling the effects of the cold (being 'left out in the cold' or 'getting a cold shoulder'); and things being in a rather stagnant state, we'll be looking far afield at vistas foreign to us. At this time we'll need to remember where we are in order to let ourselves (and others) off the hook. Another important message from Mars is  not judging people by how they look, dress, carry themselves. Our tendency to do this is largely superficial at this point in our evolution - the essence of a person can't be told by external appearances as there's often far more going on beneath the surface.

The trick is that Mercury is now retrograde, right when Mars goes direct (forward). However, even though the universe seems to like to play tricks on us, Mercury and Mars are in rather harmonious aspect to each other (120 degrees - a trine), which means that they do have a sense of communication - at least in the early days of the retrograde (late January and early February).

Mercury went retrograde on January 30 at Aquarius 24: A Man Turning His Back on His Passions Teaches Deep Wisdom From His Experience. This degree can show the need to conquer one's base nature, to come to terms or to learn something through experience and maturation - we've come a long way and learned much, and now we have to integrate those lessons and feelings into our core self. We have to accept various aspects of ourselves, sort out what's working and what's acceptable, and integrate those elements into our lives so our lives are more authentic, more meaningful, even a good example for others.

Mercury will be retrograde until February 19 - giving us the chance to once again be analyzing our lives and sorting out what's worth keeping and what's not. The usual warnings apply to Mercury retrograde; be wary of what you commit to, what you sign, how you operate machinery, how you interpret the messages you receive (or don't receive), the signals you're giving off...

Epidemics, Lightning and Desertions: Things Sure are Interesting - January's Full Moon

My sources are unreliable, but their information is fascinating.
Ashleigh Brilliant

We are more apt to catch the vices of others than their virtues, as disease is far more contagious than health.
Charles Caleb Colton

Good, the more communicated, more abundant grows.
John Milton

This month's full moon is bound to have people thinking about what's going on in their lives and in the lives of those around them - it's certainly a period of peak feelings and experiences and a time when we need to remember to count our blessings as we set to work on what needs to be kept, changed, jettisoned or avoided like the plague.

The Sabian Symbol for this full moon is Leo 2: An Epidemic of Mumps. Well, what could that possibly mean? Loads of things: Things getting out of control, hysterical feelings, the need for immunity, medicines and cures, discovering the truth of situations and acting accordingly, common threads that link people and places, infections diseases and emotions, gossip - sometimes rampaging gossip that hurts and inflicts wounds, stories that get out of control, rashes and skin problems, rumours and fears, the cat let out of the bag, vaccinations, the need for hygiene, outbreaks, hiding one's self away for fear of contagion.

Yep, Greg can't come out to play, he needs to rest and recuperate, to reflect on his life perhaps, to segregate himself from others, to heal himself and build up his health, fitness and immune system so he can get back into the real world... although licking his wounds may be quite a task!

This degree Symbol does contain some good, as all degree Symbols do. This one is one of the more 'negative' degrees, but it does promise some good - what about infectious laughter? What about being overcome with feelings of love and blessings? An epidemic will spread whatever is in the air - so what's in the air around you? What are you promoting? What are you breathing in every day? What are you sensitive to? What are you immune to? What do you need to protect yourself from? What stories do you tell yourself and others that lead to things getting out of control?

Strong Defences vs Leaky Boundaries - January's new moon in Capricorn

Use power to curb power. Chinese Proverb

I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. John Adams

The empires of the future are the empires of the mind. Winston Churchill

The price of greatness is responsibility. Winston Churchill

This month's Capricorn new moon falls on January 8th and it's quite a fascinating one. The Sabian Symbol for this new moon is Capricorn 18: The Union Jack Flies From a New British Warship. Warships conjure up a sense of being on patrol, checking one's parameters, asserting one's domination, fighting for flag and country, beliefs, etc.

This Symbol is about the need to defend one's ideals, lifestyle or culture from outside influences. It is important to show one’s power, but also to continually renew one's strength. This can be a show put on for others, but also an affirmation of safety for yourself and those who are in your circle of influence or protection. If there is a threat from outside your boundaries, or from within, there needs to be a swift response to snuff it out. However, if anarchy erupts within the ranks, political ploys may be used such as the concept of “divide and rule”—the political rule that government is more easily maintained if factions are set against each other and not allowed to unite against the ruler. Distrust or disrespect for “authority” can lead to problems with people branded traitors. Having confidence in your ability to hold, maintain and protect your own “turf” will ensure others do as well.

Flying High or Escaping Reality - the Cancer Full Moon

 Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a fabulous New Year in 2008!

I'll need a magic carpet to get out of this one.
Donald Davis
The power of thought - the magic of the mind!
Lord Byron
Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly.
Batman costume warning label.

The last week of December always brings with it a lot to do; housecleaning, shopping, cooking, accommodating the needs of family, etc - there's always a lot to get done.

This December's full moon is bound to bring up all kinds of mixed emotions, particularly as it's smack on Christmas Eve - a time when thoughts and emotions and resources are usually stretched to the limit. It's also a time when everything that hasn't been done is attempted at the last minute when a lot of people are under the same stress with things to do, places to go, things to buy, people to see. This is a particularly charged up full moon as it's conjunct (together with) Mars and exactly opposite Jupiter. This is what one could call an 'inflated' full moon; inflated with emotions, energy, expectations and desire, particularly a desire for expansion and the good things in life. Generosity of spirit is definitely on the cards with this line up - Pluto, Jupiter, Sun and Mercury all opposite the Moon and Mars... quite a chorus of main characters!

Blinkers or Turning a Blind Eye? The Sagittarius New Moon

"I am May.   See May's sunbonnet.  It is my sunbonnet. Do you see May ?   Do you see the Sunbonnet Baby ?"

"I am Molly.  This is my blue dress.  See my pink sunbonnet.   I am a Sunbonnet Baby.  Who are you ?"

The Sunbonnet Babies Primer, written by Eulalie Osgood Grover, published in 1902, was illustrated by Bertha L. Corbett and revolved around the adventures of Molly and May, two little girls whose faces were completely hidden by large sunbonnets.

This month's Sagittarian new moon is on Sagittarius 18: Tiny Children Playing in Sunbonnets. The influence of this new moon will last right through this month and into next month, indeed next year. The children in this image appear to be looked after, protected, sheltered from the bad elements and difficulties that may be around them or out there in society, whilst being able to play, be creative, live like children are meant to do.

This is a beautiful image, one that should have people feeling safe, secure and looked after, and many will feel this way, but, unfortunately, not all are likely to be feeling that way right now...  Still, this image says that we must strive to protect the innocent, the young or the naive, protect and shelter them from harmful or damaging elements that may rob them of their peace and quiet, their ability to be creative and to enjoy life.