Trying to See Level at Sea Level

This singular object encountered today on my beach walk with the dogs caught my attention. In fact, aside from the intense need for love, it was the only thing that has caught my total attention all week. In other words, it is really hard to focus one’s attention at the moment. We are being pulled in a multitude of directions all swinging from the axis of one planet, Jupiter, the expanding leader.

Mercury (retrograde now for three weeks until May 3) is conjunct Uranus in the sign of Aries the warrior, adventurer, explorer and risk taker. Mercury in traditional astrology has to do with communication in all forms and in the classical world was the messenger of the gods. He is our thinking realm, as well as what we say or sing or play or write. And Mars, our energy, direction, ambition and drive is in Mercury’s sign, Gemini. So there is some transference and a lot of processing of where we are or not (home with Ceres or elsewhere?) and our need to express that. Uranus, planet of freedom and independence, snuggled up to Mercury this week, supports and encourages an exploration to other dimensions, as well as promoting restless minds. Whether in reaction to Trumpism or off with space shots, we are looking beyond our usual boundaries. We are entering a new world and whether we want to go there or not, we are forced to go. 

The current planetary stresses are complex and multiple. Ideology confronts stability at home. The urge to move into other dimensions of mind (i.e. the internet - the current drug of choice for the millions) is hard to ignore. And yet this past month has also reignited our need for love and sharing, for community and connection in an actual physical reality, as Venus joined the planet of healing, Chiron. 

This image of a seedpod lying on the beach today somehow encompassed what is going on. We are in the midst of renewal here in the Northern hemisphere. However, spring appeared to be late, and it did not feel like renewal, it has felt tough and hard and battered. April in Paris was confrontational, not romantic. But within the hard carapace of the external, there is always the soft tissue of new life. It needs nurturance and personal devotion and our being alert. Our future is not washed up on shore - that was the past. Our future is as partners moving into the new cycle.

Snow Moon Eclipse

Full moon eclipses usher in a period of leaving the past behind for awhile. Present Earth concerns rise to the fore and push forward looking more for progress than for reflection on what has been. With this monthly opposition taking place in Leo (moon) and Aquarius (Sun) the arena is all about the realm of the masses eclipsing the realm of the leader. Or, in other words, the rule of democracy eclipsing the rule of the monarch.

Toward the end and after yesterday's snowstorm I watched the bird feeder activity with great interest. Everyone was cold and hungry and eager to take care of themselves after hiding out in the hedges for hours. Finches in large number, chickadees, sparrows, nuthatches, woodpeckers and more were vying for a place at the feeder. But heading the lot was one immature bright red male cardinal who dominated the area. He even patrolled at the entry to all the food and chased the others away, though there was plenty for everyone. He wouldn't even let the female cardinals join him at the feast. They all let him get away with it for awhile until another large bird challenged him and they pecked beaks repeatedly until the cardinal backed down. At that point, the rest of the crowd broke in and grabbed what they could and the cardinal never got back the position he had held so forcibly at first. He sat to the side, seemingly chastened, and watched the frenzy. Nor did the other large bird take up a position of dominance. He fed with the rest, knowing that food was the essential thing, not dominance.

These next two weeks until the new moon eclipse on February 26th should be quite interesting as well. The eagle will be challenged.

Loving Kindness, January 21, 2017

A time of extraordinary events continues to unfold with sometimes alarming rapidity lately. The world is going through a prolonged period of adjustment to new technologies as well as a parallel dramatic change in the weather as Earth goes through adjustments as well. Whether man made or cosmic makes no difference - for the changes are happening now to our planet and to all of us. We are being awakened and sleep is not an option. 

So I was glad to see that the astrology for the Women’s March looked promisingly peaceful with Venus and Mars united by/with Chiron, all together in Pisces. Venus and Mars encounters are most always a time of passionate emotion and can be quite glorious. United by Chiron, the wounded healer of myth, the energy of the day could not have been more loving in its inclusiveness and its need to express the healing energy of love. Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac and holds the highest expectation for spiritual union between self and other. In essence that union is mother and child, which is all of us. 

The millions of women (and men and children and babies) who marched on Saturday did not know what they were going to experience. They went because they were compelled to participate in shared self expression. Even those who were motivated by anger and frustration were transformed by the power of union of purpose. We were all fed up with a belligerant divisiveness thrust upon us that we do not feel ourselves. We had to come together peacefully to express that and we did, all over the world. 

It is important to remember that every one of the people who marched knew at least 10 or 20 or 100 more people who would have liked to be there too, but couldn’t. Perhaps they were having their knees or hips replaced, or needed to. Perhaps they were working or caring for children or elders or the sick. Perhaps they were afraid to be themselves and exercise their rights to free speech. Perhaps they were dying. There were many, many more millions of people marching with us on Saturday in their hearts.

Thank you Venus. Thank you Mars. Thank you Chiron. Thank you Cosmos. Thank you for showing us that loving kindness is possible, that we can stand shoulder to shoulder to shoulder with 400,000 others and not be afraid, but smile at everyone and be kind to one another. We showed the world, and ourselves, what is possible. And that is PEACE.