The Daily Astro for March 8, 2013

by Valerie Sylvester

TODAY’S ASTRO:

We’re in the aura of the Saturn/Pluto sextile (as mentioned in yesterday’s Astro), so don’t get discouraged by the enormity of the challenges ahead. It’s not just you. We’re undergoing a seismic shift and everyone’s feeling a little dislocated. Take advantage of the general relentlessness of this energy to get to work. Just get started and don’t give up. This is a flowing aspect, so even though this heavy-hitter combo is tough as nails, it helps clear the decks of all the crapola that’s collected around us like stalagmites on a cave floor. Encrusted gunk must go!

The Moon remains in Aquarius, where it sextiles the ruler of Aquarius, Uranus, at 10:31 AM EST. It may be hard to focus on what’s in front of us as mentally we’re somewhere else (or want to be, if we can’t get away from our desk, tasks or responsibilities). Write down any unusual ideas that strike out of the blue.

Mercury conjuncts Chiron at 12:32 PM EST, ushering in a time where we finally find  a way to  talk about what ails us and find a way to heal it. It’s a good day for alternative healing of all stripes. It can also signal a major breakthrough in the way we process information and reprogram our minds. At 12:35 PM EST the Moon trines Jupiter. If it’s lunch time where you are, take a break with friends or colleagues and relax, share ideas and have a little fun, especially since the rest of the afternoon takes a rather dour detour. The Moon squares Saturn at 5:09 PM EST and it’s shutdown/shutoff/shut up time as the mood can go gloomy-serious, especially since it’s followed by aspects to Pluto and Mars.

Don’t push hot buttons at the close of the work day, as people won’t find it amusing and you won’t get the reaction you expect (or desire). Remember that everyone is feeling a little vulnerable at the moment, flooded to the gills with seepage from the past. If you see that someone’s hurting, reach out to help. Most of the negative reactions you see happen because people feel no one understands them or their inner struggles.  At 11:11 PM EST the Sun trines the Moon’s North Node and we end the day appreciating our connections with the people we feel understand us from the inside out– our real soul connections.

 

THE SYMBOLS:

Sabian Symbol for today’s Sun: “A master instructing his pupil.”
Kozminsky Symbol for today’s Sun: “A sick man lying at the base of a large stone cross, a greyhound running in the distance.”
The Keyword for the Sabian Symbol is: “ELUCIDATION”.
The Keyword for the Kozminsky Symbol is: “BELIEVING”.

Today’s Symbols, combined, show the intersection of knowledge and faith. The Sabian Symbol is obviously about learning or benefiting from the knowledge of others who possess greater wisdom or experience. It indicates we’re willing to expand our horizons and consider new concepts. This will require a time and energy commitment on our part. Since this Symbol is about the teacher-student relationship, think about where in your life you’ve been the teacher and where you’ve taken on the student role. There’s always a give and take as we share knowledge with others. The down side here is to turn into a pontificating pain in the ass (we’ve all met them!) who thinks he/she has all the answers and doesn’t bother listening to anyone else. It also points to the need to ask a question when you don’t know the answer or can’t find clarity.

This Symbol also relates to the Inner Teacher or any spiritual guides we may have. With Mercury’s connection to Chiron today, it’s psychic osmosis as we absorb information from a higher source. Mercury’s still retrograde in Pisces, which means we’re downloading information in a different way that we’re used to, through signs, symbols, movie-like images, and dreams. It may not have floated up to our waking consciousness yet, but it’s there.

The Kozminsky Symbol has a Mercury connection, too (Mercury moves quickly, like the greyhound, except Mercury has the advantage of those cool wings). The sick man is lying near the stone (the solid and immutable cross speaks of enduring faith even in difficult times). Kozminsky states that the Symbol “denotes one of great faith, which being added to true knowledge, makes man invincible”. So here’s a reiteration of the power of knowledge illustrated by the Sabian Symbol. This Symbol also shows an ability to assimilate information quickly and use that information wisely. There’s also a “keep the faith” aspect here–even though things go south at times, we need to keep going and not allow ourselves to lose hope.  Since the man is sick, healing is emphasized, up to and including “faith healing”.

About that grehound: Dogs generally relate to faithfulness and constancy, and greyhounds are racing dogs, so we’re being urged to keep up the pace, stay in the race and remain faithful to our ideals. It seems to also be an illustration of the power of ideas as they’re disseminated far from their source of origin.

 

THE DAILY DRAW:

Knight of Wands / 6 of Swords

This duo screams Journey to Far-Away Lands. Both cards emphasize motion, moving from one place to another or from one state of mind to another. We’re confronted by the foreign, the exotic; we’re taken to far shores.  This is a Fire and Air combination, so somewhat combustible and energetic. I get the feeling of “speaking in tongues” with these two!

There’s a need to move on from a difficult situation–we can’t remain in place. An inner fire burns which motivates us to take action. It’s not an easy journey, but it’s a necessary one. The Knight, our Fire Guide, sparks our mission and the 6 of Swords shows the force of mind that propels us outward. Since I’m talking about Mercury/Chiron a lot today, this can also be seen the healing journey with Mercury in the role of psychopomp guiding us through the underworld. If you look at the 6 of Swords, there’s water, veiled figures and a guide behind them in the boat, a perfect illustration symbolic of this transformative journey.

 

–March 8, 2013