The other day when I was out doing my laundry, an aging Baby-Boomer said to me, “When are you gonna take your Bernie sticker off your car?” I looked at him and said, “Never.” He started in on me about how Bernie was leading a ‘60s style revolution (yes, indeed he was) and the kids just didn't step up. I was stunned. So I said, “That's not true at all.” I said perhaps it was that the establishment just wasn't ready for such radical change all at once. But he persisted in his belief that the revolution didn't happen or won't continue (based on his ‘60s experience perhaps?). And he blamed it on the very people who were trying to make change happen. A bit disgruntled if you ask me. I wish I could give him some faith in us.
This encounter is a perfect example of the background energies supporting this upcoming Pisces Lunar Eclipse. While they've moved beyond their 7 squares after early 2015, we're still experiencing the backlash of the Pluto in Capricorn/Uranus in Aries waxing square. This is the energy of a crisis of action. The Hero's Journey. The overcoming of obstacles. The setting down of strong roots and sending out of strong shoots.
These two powerful energies—Pluto as lord of Death & Rebirth and Evolution and Uranus, the Great Awakener, the Revolutonary, the Idealist—began a new cycle in 1965-66. Like a New Moon, they joined together, and a seed was planted. A seed of Revolution and Evolution. And instinctively, many of us understood that we had to revolutionize and evolve ourselves to know where this new re-birth was headed. And because of that inner search, many hippie Boomers turned to self-examination, spiritual seeking and health, rather than to power, corporate climbing and government. (And of course, many didn't.)
But now we see that if we are to establish a just and healthy world culture, we have to get involved in the governing structures of our world. Our environment knows no boundaries. We have to make this very big change together. We have to choose to consciously evolve. We have to bring our greater self-awareness into service to the world. For while people can take to the streets to demand justice and change, those people we choose to govern for us have to be of us. If we're going to take responsibility for our world, we need to get involved in it. (And that goes for me, too!)
The other big celestial event that is still rippling through our collective psyches is the waning Saturn in Sagittarius/Neptune in Pisces square, which had its third and final exact square last Saturday, September 10th. This waning square symbolizes a crisis in consciousness, where we have to choose what knowledge and meaning we want to bring forward into the next cycle. It's up to us to determine what is important to our own soul's journey. And it will be different for each of us. These two planets began their new cycle in February 1989 in Capricorn: imagination and spirituality. Facts and boundaries. How do we reconcile these so very different energies? What have you been learning about your beliefs since 1989? Have you arrived at some idea of your own Truth? Check the houses these planets are affecting your birth charts for clues about what you need to do now.
Saturn challenging Neptune echoes the theme of the waning square, because both Sagittarius and Pisces are signs of cosmic law, belief and faith. So this square has us shifting through our beliefs, looking at our truths and illusions, discerning what Truths we will stand up for. Will we bully and bluster about our beliefs as if we owned the truth or will we stand firm in what we hope for and believe in?
Here is the celestial picture of what this man was experiencing when he made his demand of me. He felt disillusionment that the Bernie revolution didn't happen, just like in the ‘60s (Neptune in Pisces). He has lost faith and he stood up for that lost faith by picking on me for my Bernie bumper sticker (Saturn in Sagittarius). What he doesn't know is that this time the revolution is going to take hold, because we not only have the heavenly energies on our side, we also have lots of old hippies helping the younger hippies just like Hans Solo helped the young freedom fighters in the new Star Wars. Together we now have enough people to 'radicalize the middle' in the next 4 years. Everyone wants a better life. Some of us have to go out in front and encourage the rest of us to participate in making it happen.
Change is inevitable, but now it is a matter of life and death as the Earth's climate spirals out of control. I look at my 1-year-old grandson and my friends' grandchildren and it isn't fair of us to leave them a dying world. That's where our society is heading and our leaders don't seem to care. So it is up to us to care, not only for our children's children's sakes, but to honor Mother Earth and restore balance. A life out of balance created this mess we find ourselves in. Let's help bring it back into its original balance and blessings.
To help us do that (and since the Goddess always works in 3s), Jupiter is leaving Virgo overnight and entering Libra in the early morning hours of September 9th, 2016. Jupiter, or the Greek Zeus, is the supreme god who brings blessings and luck, a wider perspective and understanding, peace and justice when society moves to the rhythms of the cosmic order. Too often, he is also used to justify the societal order of the day. But in going back to his archetypal roots, Jupiter is the King of the Gods, the Great Benefic father-god, who stands for upholding the laws and keeping the peace in fairness and equality. On an energetic level, Jupiter represents expansion, curiosity and higher knowledge. Or too much of a good thing!
Jupiter in Libra enjoys a much easier relationship with this cardinal Air sign than it did in Earth-bound Virgo. Jupiter's lust for expansion, his curiosity and his vision are better suited to Libra's social interchanges—heaven knows we need more social justice and economic equality in the world. The revolution has just begun. Jupiter in Libra might tilt the scales of justice back to a more balanced state. And there is hope that Jupiter will manifest his better qualities, since Saturn (which is exalted in Libra) is in Jupiter's sign of Sagittarius, the great Lawgiver. Symbolically, they're living in each other’s homes and can use their energies more freely and compatibly, which helps with their upcoming sextile—an aspect of intellectual openness and inventiveness. If you've been wanting to figure out where you are headed, these two energies—of expansion and limitation, of higher knowledge and responsibility, of spirit and form—will be more in synch with each other through next winter. And throughout next year, Jupiter will engage that Pluto/Uranus square, highlighting the need to social renewal.
And what better way to enter a sign than to have that sign's Mistress there to greet him. Libra's ruler, Venus, is also in Libra now, blessing Jupiter's arrival with the gifts of beauty, diplomacy, cooperation, connection, wisdom and love. Libra is concerned with relationships and more equality between the sexes. This will be a great year to work on all our relationships. Venus is opposite Eris and Uranus in Aries, using her persuasion to transform chaos into meaning—the arts are always a good way to make that happen. Venus is accompanied by the 9 Muses in Libra, so connect with your Muse and share your vision with the world.
Let's intend, for the next 13 months while Jupiter travels through Libra, that the Scales of Justice will be balanced, that the laws of our lands will be fair for all of us and that our leaders wield the tool of diplomacy rather than the weapons of war.
May holy Aphrodite guide Jupiter to judge our actions with mercy and compassion.
So Mote It Be!
Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, September 18, 2016
So now that we understand the background energies, we can look at the lunar eclipse coming up this Friday. This Pisces Full Moon is called The Harvest Moon because it's the closest full Moon to the Autumn Equinox (on September 22) and helps give more light for bringing in the harvest. The other interesting fact about the Harvest Moon is that since it rises near the Equator (near the horizon) it rises right around sunset for a few days, so it looks like the Full Moon lingers. Go out and look!
This Harvest Moon is also a penumbral eclipse of the Moon, meaning that the Moon only moves through Earth's outer shadow. It's very subtle and barely discernable. But the energies between Sun and Moon are still disrupted and so, as with all Full Moons, we become aware of things that we've been unconscious of, finally letting go of what no longer serves life. With the Earth's shadow kissing the Moon, perhaps we really need to look at our collective shadows—the greed, violence, entitlement, exceptionalism and waste that our first world civilization spews out along with its pollution.
The Sabian symbol1 for the Sun at 25* Virgo is: A simple testimonial given at a wartime funeral, before the guns are picked up once more. We honor our war dead (even while we do not take care of our veterans) with a proclamation of a job well done amidst danger. Perhaps this symbol encourages us to recognize and honor those parts of ourselves which have sustained us through the 'dark nights of the soul' we've all experienced. Sometimes even our shadows help us endure when nothing else can. But now that part of our life is over and we have to continue to grow more aware of what we hold as Truth. This is an image of someone who is willing to stand up for Truth, even in the face of death.
The Sabian symbol1 for the Moon at 25* Pisces is: After drastic reforms, a purified clergy officiates anew. This seems to indicate a renewal of spiritual ideals after releasing hypocritical blockages to true insight into ourselves. If we are going to find our Truth, then we have to see those shadows which have kept us blind to our unconscious actions.
The Pisces/Virgo axis of the zodiac brings together Spirit and Matter, Heaven and Earth and Masculine and Feminine energies, engendering growth and understanding. This Full Moon, aside from being eclipsed, also holds together the energies of Chiron in Pisces, Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Mars in Sagittarius.
The Sun in Virgo is joined by Mercury retrograde on Monday September 12th, initiating a new cycle of intelligence that can illuminate some of the answers we've been searching for. It's a great time to unite head and heart to come up with innovative solutions to outstanding questions. And both Mercury and the Sun square Mars in Sagittarius on September 12-13th, helping us bring some of those truths to light.
The Moon in Pisces is conjunct Chiron, showing us the deep wounds we all bear from a patriarchal culture that shames us into unworthiness rather than blesses us for our uniqueness. With the help of Sun/Mercury, we can begin to name and release some of those wounds. The pain they caused us can be released so we can go into the future without shame or blame. Once you've released old limiting beliefs of unworthiness, you can let yourself be filled with Joy! For Joy is our divine inheritance.
Mars, which has been in Sagittarius since early March (except for its retrograde back into Scorpio from late May to early August), squares this eclipsed Full Moon, challenging us to become spiritual warriors in life, standing up not only for our personal truths, but also for our collective well-being. Mars' will power, courage and need for action are the tension points between the Sun and Moon. What will we do with the knowledge this lunar eclipse sends our way? Listen to your dreams. Open to your intuition and your mind's musings. Things that you've kept hidden from yourself will set you free.
Two planets station (change direction) just after this Full Moon eclipse. On September 21-22, Mercury turns direct at 15* Virgo: A mirror and a faceted bottle of perfume.1 Mercury's message is to look at things from different perspectives. A mirror shows us another view of ourselves while the facets of that perfume bottle reflect light at different angles. Perhaps to get the whole picture, we all need to look at things from multiple perspectives.
Pluto stations direct on September 26th at 15* Capricorn: In a hospital for the poor, a children's ward full of playthings. Pluto in Capricorn has really opened our eyes to the inequality within western society. Regardless of what we Americans think, we do have our own 'royalty'--the royalty of the wealthy, which isn't so different from the aristocrats of old Europe. As Pluto finishes up this retrograde half-way through the sign of government and finance, social institutions and our place in society, we are given an image of compassion for the new life that often feels powerless. Perhaps now, the Collective Unconscious of Pisces will be validated instead of rejected and made irrelevant. Perhaps, the will of the people will override the will of the few.
And of course, we celebrate Autumn Equinox in the northern hemisphere on September 22, while in the southern hemisphere you're celebrating the return of Spring. The day of balance between day and night is struck once again. In the Fall, now the days will shorten and the darkness will grow. These are the days where we once again have choices to make. What will we save from this year's harvest to sustain us over the winter months? What projects want more work? What inner desires still need to be met? When we release our old limiting beliefs, what is set free to blossom? As one of my favorite pagan chants for Equinox says:
Onward we go round the spiral
Touching darkness, touching light
Twice each turn we rest in balance
Make choices on this night
Make choices on this night.
1. Steve Eardley, The Revised Sabian Symbols. 1982.
