Mostly an archive

You can find me on Twitter where I mostly write lunar forecasts in a much gentler tone than I used to. Twitter isn't a great format due to brevity, but I'm figuring myself out. One day I will be writing again, I just have to reconnect with my muses.

Published in 2019, this article about late astrologer André Barbault's planetary cycle index blew my mind, changed my worldview, made me want to study mundane astrology more. For those who don't know, Barbault predicted a pandemic breaking out in 2020 – which we now know as covid-19 – back in 2011. Per this method, they project the pandemic's end in 2024, and the latter half of this decade is slated to become better.

The annual numbers calculated for the Barbault Index use a basic method of measuring cyclical synodic phase relationships between two heavenly bodies (e.g., say, of the Sun and Moon to each other in their 28-day cycle from New Moon to First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter, to the next New Moon).

Astrologers use this basic monthly, synodic cyclic relationship between the Sun and Moon as a schematic template that relates to every creative and growth process. Measuring the angles from the faster-moving body (in this case, the Moon) to the slower or stationary body as this cyclic relationship unfolds (the Sun), yields basic information about differing stages of natural cycles of becoming. These cycles and stages correlate with the organic growth process: a seed is planted at the conjunction of the two heavenly bodies (0°), it germinates and grows in progressive phases of: creative support (60°), crisis in becoming (90°), ease of transition (120°), correction (135-150°), and a peak in objective realization and fulfillment at opposition (180°).

There is not nearly enough room on Twitter to talk about the upcoming eclipse in Taurus. Sometimes I can sum up the lunar transits with a cute little phrase and other times I can't because there's a lot going on with our lovely Moon. This eclipse definitely falls into the latter category, so let's talk about it.

The first thing to know is that this lunar eclipse, which shows a culmination of events, is the first of a series of Taurus-Scorpio eclipses that will last throughout 2022, until the spring of 2023. The upcoming eclipses in December will mark the close of eclipses in the Gemini-Sagittarius axis. In order to understand what this means in the context of this eclipse, we have to look at what we know about the sign axes, their elements, their quadruplicity, their polarity, and any shared themes.

Taurus and Scorpio speak to themes of accumulation and removal. Taurus is the domicile of Venus and the exaltation of the Moon. Scorpio is the domicile of Mars and the fall of the Moon. Scorpio is associated with excretory systems in the body, ruling the lower intestines and genitals. Scorpio has associations with wastewater systems and the waste removal in general. Scorpio in particular has associations with the bathroom, pools of stagnant water, and bogs. Scorpio is decay and the ways we deal with decay, whether we utilize it or let it amass. In stark contrast, Taurus has themes of aggregation and growth. Taurus rules the neck and esophagus, which is the means of how food goes into the stomach. The entire digestive system is not equipped to handle expulsion frequently, with expelled stomach acid taking a tremendous toll. Taurus is associated with agriculture, stables, cattle, pastures, and cottages. Our working themes are: intake and outtake, growth and compost, accumulation and removal, storage and waste.

With this knowledge, we can piece together that some motifs we might see in the next year are food waste, big agriculture's impact on the environment, the pandemic's effect on workers in agriculture and food production, conversations on compost, garbage removal, and recycling, the carbon footprint of our supply chain, among many other possible topics.

With Taurus and Scorpio being fixed signs, any relevant conversations tied into the associated themes are not going to be new ones. We will moreover see stories develop for issues that we already know exist, but continue to be increasingly relevant. With this coming eclipse being a lunar eclipse, once again we see that new issues are not coming to life, we are instead seeing the culmination of issues.

Now that we've covered our bases with the upcoming themes, let's talk about this particular lunar eclipse. Luna will aspect every single planet. In order, here are the aspects she will make once she enters Taurus:

A square to Saturn in Aquarius

A trine to Venus in Capricorn

A conjunction to Uranus in Taurus

An opposition to Mars in Scorpio (which happens immediately after Luna separates from Uranus)

A sextile to Neptune in Pisces

An opposition to Mercury in Scorpio

A square to Jupiter in Aquarius

A trine to Pluto in Capricorn

And finally, because this is a lunar eclipse, an opposition to the Sun in Scorpio

Think of all of these aspects as a town hall meeting, where Luna is leading the discussion. Each aspect represents an exchange she has. The planets represent people, with the outers representing larger trends and archetypes and the inner planets being more personal, close to home issues. You may see yourself represented by the Moon, or perhaps you are represented by one of the people she has an exchange with. Luna has resounding agreements with Venus and Pluto in Capricorn. She establishes common ground with Neptune in Pisces. Moon and Uranus are arguing for the same causes in Taurus, in wildly different ways. Luna has heated conflict and tensions with Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius, but they have the upper hand being in the overcoming position. The meeting concludes with power struggles from Mercury, Mars, and the Sun in Scorpio.

Not only is Luna very active during this eclipse, she will also conjoin fixed star Algol at 26° Taurus, right before she fully culminates at 27° Taurus. With Algol being so close to this eclipse, it is probable that we will see the archetypes related to this star come up. Algol as a star relates to Medusa's head in the Perseus constellation.

[TW: Rape, victim-blaming]

In Medusa's story, it is said that Poseidon raped her in Athena's temple. In vengeance, Athena punishes Medusa by turning her into a gorgon. I have also seen interpretations saying that Athena did this to protect Medusa, but the common consensus is that this was a punishment. Perseus would later slay her, being guided by Athena to do so.

[End TW]

With fixed star Algol, we see see the tenuous relationship between abusers and victims, often on a systemic level. Abuses can come to light when Algol is highlighted. Vengeance, too, especially in the face of rape or abuse, comes to light. We can see violent deaths and beheading associated with Algol. A most notable example of this was a horary chart that William Lilly cast asking how Archbishop of Canterbury would die, where the archbishop died via beheading. Algol is a seemingly grim star, but there are also themes of protection and of primal rage in there as well. Algol can be a powerful ally, but she, like all celestial energies (especially in her case), must be respected as a sovereign, a being to build a relationship with rather than just asking her to do your bidding. With this being said, the eclipse would not be a great time to initiate a working relationship with her. You may leave her offerings but leave the serious workings for better astrological weather. 

Please remember that eclipses are not good times to create or consecrate talismans, nor are they good electional times. Eclipses are great times to clean your space and to rest. In the case of this eclipse, here is a fabulous article from Kaitlin Coppock on what rituals are appropriate for north node eclipses. 

I'm not saying planets in debility are the best thing ever, but they get soooo much shit even when they can be constructive. I would bet that our currently young generation of Saturn in Cancers will someday do great work helping out homeless people, prisoners, the elderly, immigrants, families.

A planet in detriment is a planet that knows what it's like to work without the resources it needs at its disposal. When that planet's energy takes form constructively, that can look like someone helping others in similarly shitty situations. A planet in fall is a planet that knows what it is like to be suppressed. When that planet's form is given constructive energy, it can help others who have been similarly suppressed and help them find their voice.

In mundane astrology, you can still see planets in detriment doing good work. When we had the Venus-Sun cazimi in Aries, where Venus is in detriment, New Zealand saw legislation passed that gave parents who had just miscarried time off of work to grieve.

This year I applied for a general scholarship to NORWAC and included a lengthy reason for how the scholarship would help. I figured I didn't get it because months passed without hearing back. Yesterday I got an email offering me a partial scholarship!!!!!!!!!

Words cannot express my joy here. I thought an astrology conference would never happen for me. Moving the conference online for safety reasons and having most of the cost relieved is a huge, huge sigh of relief. I can't express the rollercoaster of emotions: the disappointment of thinking I'd never get to go to a conference because of so many factors keeping me out, and now going to the excitement of being able to participate. It's a tremendous honor. I don't know if I'll get to go in the future but at least I get to go this year when it's being hosted online.

In order to see how the traditional rulerships play out, you have to be able to conceive of what the traditional rulers look like in both their domains. Jupiter is expansive and spiritual, grandiose and connected to the world. We know how that plays out when Jupiter is in Sagittarius. Because Sagittarius is a fire sign, it's a very loud, exuberant expression.

But we modern astrologers lost touch with how planets express in two signs – namely Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. How does Jupiter look in its nocturnal domain, Pisces? Well, because Pisces is a water sign, it's going to be much more subdued than Sagittarius is. Jupiter in Sagittarius is preachy and very interested in outward displays of faith and belief. Meanwhile, the Pisces expression is not interested in proselytizing, at least not to others. The focus goes inward when Jupiter is in Pisces. Jupiter becomes much more intuitive and we can really see Jupiter's visionary quality come out when it's in a water sign. Daydreaming? We know Jupiter is an idealist no matter what. Sagittarius has big ideas and concepts they want the world to hear — hence, fire, because fire radiates. Pisces takes that idealist quality and instead of projecting it (because water does not radiate), it turns that idealism inward and yes, this manifests as daydreaming and deep contemplation.

As for confusion? I would attribute that characteristic of Pisces to modern associations of Pisces to Neptune. Unless Mercury is in Pisces, there isn't much to be confused about. Jupiter is very concerned about unity and the big picture which doesn't jive with the analytical, nuanced Mercury.

Also, traditional rulerships make the most sense. The Sun and Moon each have their own sign, but Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn each have two signs: one diurnal expression in fire or air, and one nocturnal expression in earth or water. In order to break out of the mindset of outer planets in modern astrology, it takes a lot of uncoupling of outer planets association that were just given to Scorpio, Aquarius, and Pisces.

I'll leave you with this image, which changed my life as an astrologer. Everything clicked after I saw it. The larger scheme made so much sense. I hope it resonates with you.

As I’ve come to understand traditional astrology more, I have been perplexed by what meanings I could ascribe to the Sun. Neither malefic nor benefic, associated with vitality but ascribed the quality of “barren”, I couldn’t make sense of it. What I knew was visibility and spotlights, authority, leaders, and traditionally an association with the mind (the Moon, in contrast, ascribed to the body). I feel my chart contributed to my lack of understanding of Sol: Sun in Libra, in fall, in the 8th whole sign house, averse to my chart ruler. There was a distinct lack of awareness and I knew it. I didn’t know how to see Him.

I had an awakening a few months ago. I spent a week connection with Sol by using Sphere + Sundry’s Oil of Sol in Leo. My insights were astounding. I learned how Sol relates to gifts of creativity and of well, insight, of the spirit’s connection to our capacity to learn and share information. Sol relates to that feeling of invigoration after you learn something new, that transmission of energy. The sun radiates energy, it exudes, and the light is a form of communication with spirit. The moon absorbs that light and makes it grow or recede – perhaps this is how Luna was traditionally ascribed the qualities of writing and transmission.

When someone learns new information and excitedly passes it onto you, that is solar in nature. That neural forging, that personal connection made to the learned material, that is Solar energy. When you feel new information become a part of you and it becomes integrated in your life, that is Sol.

Here is a sidetrack that gets me to the heart of this post: I really enjoy Tori Amos’ music. She is my favorite musician by far – I find her connection to her music, her instrument, to be powerful. Her connection to her music is spiritual, and she attributes this to The Muses. I will allow her words on The Muses to speak more to what they are.

“You do have to be ready when [The Muses] show up, and that’s not an easy task. I think it sounds easier than it is. Other artists have talked about it—the idea of pulling aside on the freeway. I know that I’ve had to just stop conversations, because I’m not going to get it if I don’t quickly write it down, or record it. People who know you get that that’s kind of how it is, but people that don’t know you can think it’s kind of dramatic. But I find that if I don’t write it down, then I just can’t remember it, not in the form that it’s being given.”

Petrusich, A. (2020, April 26). Tori Amos Believes the Muses Can Help. Retrieved December 19, 2020, from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/tori-amos-believes-the-muses-can-help

“There are some people who think that they write their songs, and you know what, maybe they do, but I don’t. I co-create.”

Gresko, B. (2020, May 18). Tori Amos is Always Listening to The Muses. Retrieved December 19, 2020, from https://lithub.com/tori-amos-is-always-listening-to-the-muses/

“And I looked out the window and it was just a moment when this music was coming and I wasn’t writing it. That doesn’t happen all the time, but it was happening this morning. It was just one of those things where I thought, “Yeah. The Muses. They’re still there.””

Azzopardi, C. (2020, July 03). Tori Amos Meets the Muses in Quarantine. Retrieved December 19, 2020, from https://www.glossmagazine.net/2020/07/tori-amos-meets-the-muses-in-quarantine/

In mythology, Apollo taught The Muses. Apollo is a Solar figurehead. Although traditional sources don’t often consult the mythology in ascribing meaning to planets, I think it is a helpful tool in delineating the archetypes involved.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge that I am writing this post about Sol without consulting texts on it. This is experience based. I consider my experience valid but if you find this post to be a stretch, then by all means feel free to skip this post.

Back to Sol: that creative force, that moment of neural connection, of passion and vibrance, that is to me, Apollo and The Muses. Those forces that inform creation, the foundation of people’s life work, even in day to day life, when people create, they create because The Muses call to them.

In myself, it is enlightenment. I remember moments of realization, of frantically writing things down and drawing them out so I can understand my newfound knowledge fully. I remember in college when I would read a dense text and then somehow know what I was saying, know how to communicate that knowledge in my own way. I remember being 23 and sitting down and realizing something about the Moon and the Sun in astrology – how the phases are connected to the signs that each are in – and I drew it out to understand. Some of the posts on this blog have come from my connection to The Muses. I could not understand without making contact with Them.

I'm actually reading a book on Lot of Fortune and Spirit, so I'll get back to you once I'm done with that book!