 When I write my astrology commentary in a forum like this by definition it has to be written in more general language that highlights planets, signs, houses and aspects with significations that everyone can relate to in archetypal ways. In a personal one-on-one consultation there is an opportunity to be more specific because I’m focusing on an individual and am able to do detailed client-based homework. The beauty of astrology is that because we are each born at specific places and times the movement of the planets will affect us differently based upon the condition of planets, signs and houses in the natal chart.
Yesterday, I made a general comment about the planet Mars being at the last degree of Libra and one of the ways that placement could be used in a positive way. In thinking of the planet/sign combination I wrote the following: “Actively pursue all forms of art and beauty. Take action to do something culturally enlightening through the day and night.” Mars is the warrior planet having to do with taking bold, assertive action and usually lights a fire under us for better or worse. Mars is also a malefic planet associated with war, violence, anger, rape and toxic masculinity/femininity. Libra is the sign of beauty, balance, harmony, art and partnership specifically the “opposite” or “other”. Libra is a war sign as well for in order to bring peace, balance and harmony into a situation there must be some sort of conflict into which Libra must insert itself. When a planet is at the last degree of a sign it often expresses itself in more extremely archetypal, sensitized and heightened ways. It screams out “pay attention to me!” Mars at the last degree of Libra would push the style of that sign towards an over the top manifestation. Knowing I had tickets to the Metropolitan Opera last night to see Puccini’s TURANDOT I had that in the back of my mind when writing the post. It would be a good pursuit for most people in a general way whether actively pursing an artistic endeavor or attending one. Here’s where the magic comes in when you’re able to get more specific. My Ascendant is at the last degree of Libra, where Mars was transiting last night. Whenever a planet crosses the angles (First, Fourth, Seventh or Tenth house cusps) things actively happen and manifest more noticeably as symbolized by one of the many meanings of the planetary/sign combination. The Ascendant (first house cusp) is particularly sensitive to ones personality, environment and ability to take action and give birth. Below are two paragraphs copied from the Wikipedia page describing the plot of the opera TURANDOT. When I read them I was overwhelmed by the astrological synchronicity and became full of wonder. The opera is an extremely archetypal expression of Mars at 29° of Libra. Here is a description of Princess Turandot’s opening Aria of female vengeance: “In the aria, Turandot explains that she conceived the three riddles as a test for any prince who might want to marry her. She explains that in the same palace, countless generations ago (thousands of years ago), a reigning Princess Lou-Ling was conquered by the King of the Tartars, raped and murdered. In particular, she dwells upon the Princess' final crying out and her moment of death at the hands of a man. Based on the memory and the concept of that crying out having been carried down through the many generations to Turandot herself, she resolves to avenge that death by imposing it on all men who fail in the attempt to marry her. She warns the prince that if he fails to answer any one of the three riddles, he will die. The climax of the aria occurs with the word "grido" ("outcry" or "crying out") and clearly Turandot is reliving and personifying the last moments of her ancestor, its outrage and its long awaited vengeance. Though Puccini first became interested in the subject matter when reading Friedrich Schiller’s 1801 adaptation, he based his work more closely on the earlier play Turandot (1762) by Count Carlo Gozzi. The original story is one of the seven stories in the epic Haft Peykar - a work by twelfth-century Persian poet Nizami (c. 1141-1209). Nizami aligned his seven stories with the seven days of the week, the seven colors, and the seven planets known in his era. This particular narrative is the story of Tuesday, as told to the king of Iran, Bahram V (r. 420–438), by his companion of the red dome, associated with Mars.” In review: Mars is energy in action, war, violence, murder, rape, revenge and killing. Libra is the sign of art, beauty, balance, marriage and harmony. The 29th degree is the grandiosity and extreme expression of the planetary/sign combination. Because Mars was crossing the sensitive degree of my Ascendant last night it connected me to the event in a personal way. All the Mars/Libra manifestations described above had access to enter my immediate environment. Luckily I was able to experience this energy positively through the vehicle of great art whose subject matter had to do with all the unsavory Martian energies described above, yet presented in the most grandiose artistic vision. And the cherry on top to the sundae is that I was treated to both front row, stage center seats and dinner at The Met Grand Tier restaurant. So it was truly an elegantly high style night celebrating the Libra energy and sending it out with a bang!  Full Moon in Aries. This is a big one full of many, many realizations of furtive issues and challenges that have been ruminating for a very long time and can finally move ahead, directly and boldly into forward motion. There’s a new vision at hand based upon an awful lot of analysis, tears, purging and transformation.
This is due to the illumination that a full moon inherently brings, combined with the sign of Aries which signifies new beginnings and vision, at the degree of squaring transiting Pluto, who adds the element of unclogging the toilet bowl of life and loosening the grip of stuck shit and bile that has coagulated. Many lessons have been learned, some very painful and difficult and it’s time to lick and heal your wounds and move on. Think of yourself as a master plumber that has finally cleared years of built-up muck and grime from the drain or toilet. In a certain area of your life there should be a feeling of clearer breathing. You’ve been waiting to exhale and this is the lunation along with the forward motions in the past two weeks of Pluto, Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter that delivers that fresh air. A certain weight should be lifted. Yet, for some of you the culmination of this lunation combined with everything I described above may be the revelation of things coming to light that have been lurking beneath the surface. Stuff that you were suspicious about lurking in the subconscious in hidden, dark places making you paranoid and worried about trust issues……well, the light in this case is shining and illuminating those secrets and dark places and you may be in for a rude awakening or get confirmation that your suspicions were justified and you weren’t paranoid or crazy, but at least you will finally know where you stand. It’s always good to know where you stand because that provides clarity which leads to action. The overall tag line for this lunation, no matter what is going on in your life is: TAKE ACTION!! |