The Moon is at home in Cancer. The Moon is the ruler of Cancer, and planets in their own sign are strong. This Moon is a big one, too. The Moon’s orbit around Earth is an ellipse, with one side 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other. The point of closest approach is called perigee, and that is where the Moon will be this weekend.

We may be prone to retreat and dwell in our emotions and feelings. Listen to your innermost feelings and the messages which will surface.

Mercury is stationing retrograde in Aquarius at the same time as the Full Moon. When a planet is retrograde, the energy is turned inward. Mercury may be operating in a different way from the normal, and his messages may be more clearly perceived.

In Roman mythology, Mercury was the messenger from the gods to humans. He also brought dreams to the mortals. With his winged sandals he was able to travel between the worlds, resembling in this the Norse god Odin. The Norse mythology also mentions the messenger Hermod, the son of Odin. Hermes was the Greek counterpart of Mercury. He was the god of roads and borders. Stone pillars called herms were used to mark borders and placed outside houses for good luck.

Jupiter has just recently entered Aquarius, the sign of brotherhood. Besides Jupiter and Mercury, Chiron, Neptune and the North Node are now there. The archetype of Mercury/Hermes, together with his brother Apollo, is said to represent brotherly love.

In the Full Moon chart, asteroid Hermes conjunct the Sun emphasizes all Mercurial themes. Among other things, Mercury/Hermes was the patron of liars. Some other chart aspects are bringing the themes of honesty and truth into focus, too.

The Moon is in conjunction with Varuna, a classical trans-Neptunian object and a potential dwarf planet on a long, near-circular orbit around the Sun. Varuna is named after the Hindu deity Varuna, who in art was depicted as a lunar deity. Due to his association with the waters and the ocean, he can be identified with Roman Neptune, and in astrology thus with the 12th house matters like the dream world and the unconscious. Varuna deals with matters of truth, lies and keeping agreements.

Venus in Pisces is in exact conjunction with a trans-Neptunian binary Borasisi. Borasisi generally relates to the theme of lies and living by the untruths that make one happy. Specifically in conjunction with Venus (desire for comfort) in Pisces (dreams and denial), pay attention to this kind of tendency.

The symbols of Mercury are the caduceus staff and a lyre. The lyre at first was made by Mercury/Hermes from a tortoise shell. He gave it to Apollo, who is said to have taught Orpheus on it, and after he himself had invented the cithara, he gave the lyre to Orpheus.

In Sagittarius, right at the Galactic Core, is asteroid Orpheus. At the bright core of our galaxy there is a supermassive black hole and a lot of dark matter. This is another metaphor for the 12th house and the unconscious. We may perceive the effect as something which is coming from outside us but which really is within us, in other words the Jungian concept of shadow. The shadow arises from the depths of the unconscious. It is dark material bursting into light. It is instinctive and irrational, but not evil, unless we try to push the dark issues away. The shadow may also be a great source of inspiration.

In mythology, Orpheus was a magical musician and poet. His lyre and sweet voice could charm even wild animals and make rocks and trees dance. When Orpheus¹ wife Eurydice died, Orpheus descended to the underworld. His songs were so beautiful that Hades agreed to allow Eurydice to return to the world with Orpheus. There was just one condition: he must not look back on their way back to the surface. Nonetheless, Orpheus looked back and lost Eurydice again.

In astrology, Orpheus is often associated with sorrow, sense of loss and grief, but also with sad or sweet music and lyrics. This aspect asks you to listen to the melody reaching from your core.

The Sun-Moon opposition is squared by two important minor planets, 1992 QB1 and Eris. Their last conjunction in the series of three was already about a year ago, but they both move so slowly that the conjunction is still within about one degree.

1992 QB1 was the first trans-Neptunian object discovered after the Pluto-Chiron binary system. The discovery was the first proof of the existence of the Kuiper Belt. Eris was the first object classified as a
dwarf planet. Eric has described QB1 as the cosmic bridge aspect, opening the way to those who need assistance or who are not fully initiated. Eris is representing the shadow feminine.

Saturn in Virgo is in an exact sextile aspect to the Moon and trine to the Sun. Uranus makes these same aspects to the Luminaries from Pisces. These easy aspects will help us put our intuitive ideas into effect in some practical ways.

References:

Biggest Full Moon of the Year: Take 2

Isabel M. Hickey, Astrology, A Cosmic Science, 1992, CRCS Publications

Wikipedia

Marja-Liisa Niemi-Mattila, Jumalainen Mies, 2008, WSOY

Eric Francis, Water Worlds

Theoi Greek Mythology

Eric Francis, Aries New Moon and the Radha-Eris Conjunction

Martha Lang-Wescott, Mechanics of the Future: Asteroids, 1996,
Treehouse Mountain

Libra Equinox – September 22, 2008, 15:44 UT
Mercury Stations Retrograde – September 24, 2008, 07:17 UT

On the two days of the Equinoxes each year, the length of night and day is equal everywhere on Earth. The word Equinox means “equal night”. This year the Autumnal Equinox, or the Libra Equinox, occurs on September 22. Then days are getting shorter towards the winter here in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Sun enters Libra in the midst of the so-called Mercury storm. Mercury goes retrograde three times each year. Mercury makes its current retrograde station on September 24, two days after the Equinox. The echo phase started on September 4. Echo phase means the phase when Mercury is moving in direct motion through the degrees where it’s about to be retrograde, or was just retrograde. During the few days that surround each exact station, Mercury is moving very slowly, less than one degree per day. This slow period is called the Mercury storm.

In spite of the slow motion of Mercury during the storm phase, it is a period when you need to be particularly aware and careful, as a very rapid shift of energy is taking place. Usually the retrogradation is described as a time when technical devices stop working, communication fails, traveling gets delayed etc.

It is also a time when we tend to be more introspective than usual. Eric Francis has noted that Mercury retrograde works a little like Chiron, revealing the weaknesses in a system in a way that helps us fix them. It can put stress on relationships, and this is especially true now that Mercury is in Libra, the sign of relationships.

In the Equinox chart the Sun squares Pluto. All the so-called personal planets except the Moon, i.e. the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars, are in Libra. This is beneficial, as planets in Libra tend to operate tactfully, in balanced and harmonious way, and several factors in the chart are indicating an emotionally unstable period.

Mercury in its storm phase is in an accurate conjunction with Mars. It can be difficult for Mars in Libra to act initiatively or express anger. Yet the Mercury-Mars conjunction is tightly opposite Eris, named after the goddess of discord, the planet that led to the demotion of Pluto and caused disagreement among astronomers. An opposition is the aspect of confrontation.

In the chart there are several quincunx aspects (an aspect of 150 degrees) related to Centaur planets and trans-Neptunian planets. Quincunxes are irritating aspects that require adjustment. Astrologer Sue Tompkins has described them like “finding, as you are running, that you have a stone in your shoe.�

A Yod pattern is formed when there are two planets sextile to each other, and each of them is forming a quincunx to a third planet. There are two interesting Yods in the chart.

The Mercury-Mars conjunction, showing possibly impatient and sharp communication, is the apex of the first Yod, forming quincunxes to Uranus in Pisces and Sedna in Taurus. Uranus is sextile to Sedna.

The other Yod is formed by Apollo-Okyrhoe-Logos conjunction in Virgo, Neptune in Aquarius and Eris in Aries. The triple conjunction is the focal point of this Yod. Neptune is the planet associated with deception and denial. Cubewano Logos is associated with logic, science and technology. According to Eric, Logos represents the “higher octave� of Mercury. Mercury is the planet of communication, and nowadays a big part of our communication takes place via technical device.

Martha Lang-Wescott proposes that asteroid Apollo may symbolize provocation or going against the odds. It can be very useful allowing one to tackle situations where the odds of success are small.

Centaur planet Okyrhoe is named after the nymph daughter of Chiron and Chariklo. She was a prophetess who was transformed into a mare for revealing the secrets of the gods. From the Theoi Project site I learned that in mythology actually there were four other nymphs named as Okyrhoe. One of them was loved by the god Hermes. Two other Okyrhoes appear in connection with either the sun god Apollo, or with Helios, who later became identified with Apollo.

The Moon of the Equinox chart is in Cancer, the sign that the Moon rules. The Cancer Moon is protective and nurturing, but can sometimes be over-sensitive and emotionally fluctuate. Also Venus in Libra is in its own sign, strong and sociable. Jupiter and Saturn are still in solid trine to each other.

By the time of the Mercury station on September 24, Venus has changed signs into Scorpio and the Moon in the late degrees of Cancer in quincunx to Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio.

References:

The Astrologer’s Textbook Of Astronomy by Mary Dowton and Steve Cahill

Eric Francis, Mercury is Always Retrograde, ASR

Eric Francis, Mixed Signals, Bright Ideas: Mercury Retrograde in Gemini, PWAN

Planet Wiki, Eris

Sue Tompkins, The Contemporary Astrologer’s Handbook, 2006, Flare Publications

Planet Waves Daily Astrology & Adventure, Scorpio Full Moon, UAC Update

Treehouse Mountain

Theoi Project

By Kirsti Melto and Eric Francis

Mercury makes its retrograde station on May 26, 2008, in its home sign Gemini. As a metaphor for the current event we can use an image of the wandering shaman who is fetching information from various different levels of consciousness. The Norse god Odin was equivalent for the Roman god Mercury. Odin was a shaman, shapeshifter and truth-seeker, able to fly through the air on his magical eight-legged horse.

Mercury turns retrograde three times a year. In reality the planet’s movement doesn’t change direction, but the experience can have real effects. Usually the retrogradation is described as a time when things seem to go wrong; technical devices stop working, communication fails, travelling gets delayed etc. While all this is true, and it is wise to prepare oneself in advance, this particular Mercury station seems to be offering also another kind of experience.

In the chart the emphasis is in mental air signs and retrograding planets.

Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are the air signs, and they operate on the mental plane and as knowledge gatherers. The Sun, Mercury, Venus and Ceres are in Gemini. Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, and it is the planet of the mind. It rules thinking, communication, commerce and transportation. It is strong in its own sign. Mercury is the messenger of the gods.

Mercury trines the Moon, Chiron, the North Node and Neptune in Aquarius. Chiron has stationed retrograde on the previous day, and Neptune is about to station retrograde within a half an hour after Mercury’s station. Mercury is also forming a quincunx to retrograding Jupiter in Capricorn. Asteroid Iris, named after the female equivalent of Mercury, is retrograding in the air sign Libra.

Mercury squares cubewano Logos in the Mercury ruled sign Virgo, and Logos is also retrograding. We have many outer planets that represent the higher octave of personal planets, such as Neptune being the higher octave of Venus. Logos would appear to be have that relationship to Mercury. Mercury addresses both the spirit of the mind, and its content; it is the medium of communication, and to some extent that which is communicated. All of these attributes can be sensed coming from Logos.

So, we are having a lot of mental energy turned inwards all of a sudden. Look within and pay attention to sensitive messages of your subconscious.

Mercury squares Uranus in Pisces. Uranus is a planet of revelations, intellectual brilliance and genius. Uranus is also sometimes said to be the higher octave of Mercury.

Venus squares Saturn in Virgo. Venus is associated, among other things, with money. Venus square Saturn can hint at difficulties in financial matters. This aspect advices you to be extra cautious if signing contracts or making deals during the Mercury’s retrogradation.

When a planet is retrograde the energy is turned inward: things may be understood on a deep level. Mercury retrograde works a little like Chiron. Barbara Hand Clow writes on her book on Chiron: “Direct planets are electrical, and they cause energy to charge and move; retrograde planets are magnetic and draw energy into the chart. Therefore, when Chiron is retrograde it draws in healing, initiatory and alchemical powers.”

Chiron is in conjunction with Neptune, which rules vapours. In a chapter named “Mutations of mercury” in The Metal – Planet Relationship by Nick Kollerstrom, the author mentions: “What chemists call sublimation can well be shown with mercury. This is a process whereby matter transforms directly from the solid into the vapour state without passing through the liquid condition.” This is a bit like a description of this chart. He also writes: “Mercury is widely used in idustry as a catalyst — either as itself, a metal, or in complicated organic compounds. A catalyst helps to bring about a reaction while remaining itself unchanged at the end of the reaction.”

Let Mercury act as a catalyst and bring in the healing powers of Chiron!

By Eric Francis and Kirsti Melto

EQUINOXES and solstices begin the seasons and take us to a new phase of our lives. They are the times when the Sun turns a corner and makes a 90-degree angle to either the equator or one of the tropics (Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn). In the case of an equinox, the Sun’s rays are at 90 degrees to the equator, and the length of night and day is equal everywhere on Earth. The word equinox means “equal night.”

When the Sun enters Libra, it is crossing one of the Cardinal Points (which are the first degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). The cardinal points are highly sensitive points, bringing the message “personal is politicalâ€? with events that tend to connect us to the larger events and movements in society around us. They are also natural turning point sin our lives. In the Northern tradition the cardinal points are represented by guardian dwarves called Nordri, Ostri, Sudri and Vestri, who held up the four “corners” of the cosmos.

Libra in particular is a point of rebalancing. Its image is of the scales of justice; its tarot card is Justice or Adjustment. Libra reminds us that one of the highest personal virtues we can attain, or at least strive for consciously, is fairness. A little fairness goes a long way. As with any cardinal sign, Libra is one that needs to take initiative. Aries is a potent sign of getting things going, but it tends to lack confidence. Half of the astrological cycle has passed by now, and Libra is the place where we find our confidence and the ability to make decisions.

The ascendant of the Libra equinox chart above, cast for The Hague, Netherlands (per Planet Waves tradition of casting global charts for that city), is in Scorpio, a sign ruled by Mars and Pluto. Mars and Pluto happen to be in an aspect at the time of the equinox — an opposition, which happens for a few days once every two years. Here, we have the two aspects of Scorpio — desire and the evolutionary impulse — facing off. We tend to think of them as being different. We tend to think of desire as being the thing that rules our lives, or that is the root of all suffering; of evolution as good and desire as something we need to get under control. Could it be that these two aspects of Scorpio contain one another? We can give desire the job of leading us to freedom as well as to anything else.

The Sun is squaring Pluto in this chart (it was exact earlier in the week, so this is called a separating square), which for its part is conjunct the Galactic Core. The Sun, Mars and Pluto form a T square. What is interesting and not revealed in conventional charts is that currently, on the Gemini side of this aspect, Mars is conjunct a centaur (Chiron-like planet) called Cyllarus. This has a panicky feeling, as if that sharp arrow depicted by Mars could come flying at random out of anywhere.

But this is taking place in Gemini. There is another side to the story that we might be missing entirely: “fate,” as we call it, does not always strike us down; just as often it lifts us up or redirects our path. It’s just that we tend to miss this second kind of cosmic move and get more caught up in the first. The arrow of Mars could be that of desire, it could be that of being chosen for a purpose, and it could be a sign that it’s time for a significant transformation of your life.

If you “trans-form,” make sure you remember to “trans-substance” too: form is not enough. A change in form needs to reveal something on the inside, something that may have been hidden by the old form. That something is the content of who you are, your ideas, your feelings, your sense of reality. Most of us walk around with a split personality; we are one person to the world, and someone else to ourselves.

The Moon in Aquarius makes a sesqisquare (135-degree) aspect to the Sun, and a semisquare to the Aries Point — both of which could be considered trigger aspects. The Aquarius Moon is genuinely friendly but prone to spending too much time in its own head. The humanitarian ideals of this Moon need to be expressed tangibly and in ways that are both idealistic and able to be documented.

The Moon is in conjunction with Neptune and Chiron, standing nearly exactly between the two. The Moon, positioned like that, suggests we are trying to decide whether we want to wake up or go back to sleep. The ongoing development of the Neptune-Chiron conjunction in Aquarius represents a slow coming to terms with the fog that has enveloped the Western world: the fog of war, of technology, of mood-altering drugs, of the distorted collective values we hold. Chiron acts like a focusing lens when put into aspect with Neptune, and though this conjunction will not be exact until Feb. 17, 2010, we are seeing the beginnings of it now.

The Moon closely sextiles Jupiter. This is what I would call a healthy relationship to luck, to potential, and to the need to expand. The sextile says, expand incrementally rather than wildly. Use leverage rather than effort.

The Sun in Libra and Venus in Leo are in mutual reception. (Note, there is an old rule that says that they can’t be in mutual reception unless they are in an exact aspect, which they are not, but we still take this as a mutual reception, in spirit if not in form.) When two planets are occupying one another’s signs, the planets in question can in a way switch places or roles; they are bound with a kind of shared role or obligation. Venus opposes Neptune tightly. In any situation where love seems fogged over by idealism or an unrealistic perspective, there is a second perspective offered, and that begins with focusing on oneself and then oneself in relation to others.

Venus opposite Neptune, for its part, calls for either surrendering to what may seem like an improbable possibility, or striving for clarity and awareness at every turn of events. The two do not have to contradict. Of note, Sedna is forming a T square to Venus and Neptune, suggesting that we remember to keep our hearts open even when we are in love.

Jupiter in Sagittarius is closely conjunct the Great Attractor, a point in the sky that brings out polarities, heightens awareness and gets us to look at our real opinions. Both Jupiter and the Great Attractor tend to have a magnifying effect on things they touch. Note that in Sagittarius we are also in the warm-up of several major events, including Jupiter square Uranus and Jupiter conjunct Pluto. Jupiter contacting outer planets can bring great leaps forward in wisdom and technology, though these days you would have to open your eyes to see it.

This is a strong chart and there is one more factor emphasizing the strength of it. The Sun opposes the Centaur planet Bienor at the Aries Point. Bienor completes the T square formed by the Sun, Mars and Pluto as a Grand Cross. Bienor is a small Uranus-crosser discovered in 2000. There is not much told about Centaur Bienor in mythology. The name Bienor means “Strong One” and from Ovid’s Metamorphoses we also know that Bienor was tall. Bienor attended the Lapith king Pirithous’ wedding with other Centaurs. Centaurs and the Lapiths started to fight and Ovid describes how Pirithous’ friend Theseus leaps upon the back of Bienor, and how Bienor gets killed by Theseus.

The death of a Centaur symbolizes transformation and healing and offers us a possibility to move to another level of awareness. In this case, we have a fitting metaphor for the idea of transforming that human quality known as strength. In short, do we put our strength to work for us, or against us? Always a good question to ask.

Mercury Retrograde Warm-up

Mercury’s pre-retrograde echo phase begins on Sept. 21 at 23+ degrees Libra. Mercury makes its retrograde station on Oct. 12 at 9+ degrees Scorpio and starts going backwards until it reaches 23+ degrees Libra again on Nov. 1, then stations direct.

This retrograde takes us from a water sign to an air sign. Mercury is not often retrograde in water signs, though it has been recently. Most people I’ve heard from have found them to be particularly challenging, but I think many of the challenges involve learning to be clear about what we feel, and connecting that clarity to words. In truth, how often do you say what you feel? And how much trouble and disappointment does it cause you that you don’t? Mercury in Libra sextiles Pluto and trines Mars. This says that you can speak and you won’t drop dead or cause the economy to collapse if you do.

Under a Mercury echo or retrograde, make your commitments consciously and carefully. Be mindful of who you are and how you bring yourself into your interactions. Ask questions, but listen to the questions that other people ask — this will often give you more information than interviewing someone.

Aries Full Moon

Full Moon in Aries – Sept. 26, 2007, 19:45 UT

The Libra equinox is followed within a couple of days’ time by a Full Moon in Aries. The Moon at 3+ degrees Aries is conjunct the Aries Point and the Centaur planet Bienor. The outer planets are pretty much occupying the same placements as they were at the time of the equinox. The Grand Cross formed by the Sun, Mars, Bienor and Pluto is still valid. The Moon makes an exact trine to the Centaur planet Pholus at 3+ degrees Sagittarius. Mercury sextiles Pluto and Venus trines Eris, the exact aspects taking place during the two days between the equinox and the Full Moon.

In the Full Moon chart, Mercury and Mars have both proceeded into the demanding last degree of a sign. Mercury is in Libra about to enter Scorpio, which takes place on the day following the Full Moon. Mars enters Cancer on Sept. 28, only a couple of minutes before the midnight UT.

This could bring big news, as activity in the cardinal signs often offers, though the revelation is that the most important strength we can possess is emotional strength.

The Sun at 25+ Aquarius is aligned with the Saturn-Neptune opposition and opposing asteroid Sphinx at 24+ degrees Leo. The Sun-Neptune conjunction is at the midpoint of Venus and Mars. Both Venus and Mars are in quincunx to retrograding Saturn and thus form a Yod with Saturn.

The Sun is semisextiling asteroid Urania exactly to the minute, semisquaring the Moon, sextiling the Galactic Core and asteroid Lilith and trineing the conjunction of Juno and centaur planet Echeclus.

The Moon is forming a sextile to the stationing Mercury and the following aspects to other planets: a semisextile to asteroid Toro, a novile to Neptune, a quintile to Venus, and a quintile to the conjunction of Juno and Echeclus.

Mercury is on the North Node together with Uranus, Ceres, and Venus. Mercury quintiles Pluto, squares Toro, and forms a novile to Eris.

Venus opposes cubewano Logos, squares asteroid Eros, sextiles Mars and Sedna, forms a novile to Chiron, and semisextiles Eris. Venus and Eris are in parallel.

Mars forms an Earth Trine with Sedna and Logos. Mars semisextiles asteroid Eros, squares Eris, and forms a sesquisquare to cubewano Chaos. Saturn squares Sedna and forms a Fire Trine with Eris and Eros.

Jupiter, plutino Ixion, and cubewano Quaoar are in conjunction. Jupiter and Ixion are in parallel. Jupiter and Quaoar square the lunar nodes. Ceres is on the North Node. Asteroid Psyche is retrograde on the South Node. Uranus squares Ixion on the Great Attractor. Jupiter trines centaur planet Asbolus and quincunxes cubewano Varuna. Jupiter, Varuna, and Pallas form a Yod. Pallas, Psyche, and Asbolus form another Yod.

Neptune forms an exact quincunx to Logos, a square to Sedna, a sextile, to Eris and a septile to Pluto. Juno and Echeclus sextile Pluto and Orcus trines Pluto.

Chaos = 6 Gemini 22 r
Nessus = 8 Aquarius 20
Toro = 10 Sagittarius 09
Ixion = 13 Sagittarius 20
Psyche = 15 Virgo 53 r
Asbolus = 16 Aries 22
Varuna = 16 Cancer 33 r
Quaoar = 17 Sagittarius 29
Sedna = 19 Taurus 12
Logos & Zoe = 19 Virgo 43 r
Eris = 20 Aries 21
Eros = 21 Sagittarius 14
Sphinx = 24 Leo 23 r
Urania = 25 Capricorn 06
Lilith = 25 Sagittarius 26
Echeclus = 27 Libra 34 r
Orcus = 28 Leo 03 r