The Daily Astro for August 17, 2012

The day begins with the Sun in Leo sextile Saturn in Libra, followed by the Moon sextile Saturn, so both of our luminaries, the Sun and Moon, are happily stabilized by the rock-solid and astutely calibrated awareness of Saturn in Libra. Being creatively cautious and realistically optimistic is the order of the day. We finally feel we can catch up with work or projects and feel a sense of accomplishment, especially after the jangly cacophony of yesterday’s aspects. The Leo New Moon, (11:54 AM EDT), sextiles Mars in Libra, giving us an energetic boost. Think about what you’d like to create and how you’d like to bring more warmth and balance into your life over the next month. Since the Moon is void of course for a few hours after the New Moon (until it enters Virgo at 8:33 PM EDT), it might be best to wait to implement some of your plans until the Moon settles into Virgo, when you’ll feel more grounded, ready to organize and tackle each and every detail without breaking a sweat. Distracting aspects from the Moon to Neptune and Mercury to Pluto could lead us to jump to some strange conclusions (or invade our dreams with fancifully menacing images) in the post-midnight hours.
Sabian Symbol for today’s Sun: “A large camel crossing the desert.”
Kozminsky Symbol for today’s Sun: “Two hands clasped under a floral crown.”
The Keyword for the Sabian Symbol is: “Adequacy”.
The Keyword for the Kozminsky Symbol is “Comradeship”.

The Sabian Symbol, depicting a camel crossing the desert, is a signifier for being self-contained or self-sufficient. Camels survive harsh arid environments through adaptations their bodies have made to survive (the humps are fat reservoirs, they can drink great amounts of water in a short time, and can go without water for long periods) . The camel is a service animal, used for carrying people and goods. This imagery relates to Saturn; idea of working hard, persevering, carrying burdens, and being prepared and organized are all Saturnian themes. One thing to guard against is becoming too weighed down or burdened by what you’ve taken on, or becoming so self-enclosed that you don’t let other people assist you in lightening the load. The Kozminsky Symbol emphasizes the Saturn in Libra theme of order, balance and peaceful conditions attained through proper guidance and the help of friends and associates working together. “Maintaining order” or “beauty in order” is the goal, and by doing so, being able to provide a quiet time and space for reflection. The crown image also reflects the Leo Sun and Leo New Moon energy; the birth of enlightened rulership (or self-governance).
Born on August 17:

Richard, Duke of York, Francesco Albani (Italian painter), Pierre de Fermat (mathematician/”Fermat’s Last Theorem”), King John II of Poland, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coberg-Saalfeld (mother of England’s Queen Victoria), Menelik II (King of Ethiopia), Mir Mahoob Ali Khan (6th Nizam of Hyderabad), Frederick Russell (developed typhoid vaccine), Eric Drummond (1st Secretary General, League of Nations), Samuel Goldwyn (movie producer), Clara Wichmann (German feminist/anarchist), Charles I (Last Emperor or Austria-Hungary), Marcus Garvey (“Back to Africa” movement), Monty Wooley (actor), W. Mark Felt (Watergate’s “Deep Throat”), Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. (Son of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt), Larry Rivers (painter), John Hawkes (writer), Jean Poiret (actor/writer), George Melly (singer/critic), Luther Allison (guitarist), Boog Powell, (baseball), Hans Vandenburg (Gruppo Sportivo), Gary Tally (Box Tops), Sib Hashian (Boston), Robert Joy (actor), Kevin Rowlands (Dexy’s Midnight Runners), Kathryn C. Thornton (US astronaut), Judith Regan (book publisher), Colin Moulding (XTC), Jonathan Franzen (author), David Koresh (Cult leader, Branch Davidians), Belinda Carlisle (GoGos), Steve Gorman (Black Crowes), Mikhail Botvinnik (chess champ), V.S. Naipaul (novelist), Bernard “Bernie” Cornfeld (financier), Kurt Hiller (Orienburg concentration camp survivor/fought for German gay rights), Hildegard of Bingen (mystic/author/abbess/poet), Tarja Turunen (Nightwish), Matthew Manning (author/psychic), Ike Quebec (jazz saxophonist), Larry Ellison (CEO, Oracle Corp.), Barthelemy Thimmonier (invented first sewing machine), Llewellyn George (publisher), Ed Sanders (The Fugs), Ada Falcon (tango dancer), Posdnuos (rapper, De La Soul), Anthony Zwiker (producer, CSI TV shows), John Townley (author/astrologer), Ken Kwapis (film/TV director and screenwriter), Columba Bush (wife of Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida), Jullian Fellowes (actor/director), Antonio Botto (modernist poet), John Hay”Jock” Whitney (publisher, US Ambassador to UK), Donnie Wahlberg (singer/actor), Robert DeNiro, Sean Penn, Mae West, Jiang Zemin (President of China), Maurreen O’ Hara (actress), Thomas Hodgkin (19th century pathologist), David Reed Bromstad (HGTV designer, “Color Splash”), Jim Courier (tennis champ)

Today’s 2-Card Tarot Draw: Ace of Cups/3 of Wands
“Seeking the Holy Grail”. This is a journey of the heart. The Leo Moon emphasizes the opening of the heart and finding the road we’re destined to travel on. We learn what our mission is, and realize we need to accept the task whole-heartedly. There’s a rush of feeling as we connect with this deeply inspiring energy–let it wash on through!

–Valerie Sylvester, August 17, 2012 —