The Daily Astro for July 16, 2013

by Valerie Sylvester

 

TODAY’S ASPECTS: 

The Moon enters Scorpio, a water sign, at 10:24 AM EDT, venturing into the Grand Trine Zone. This powerhouse includes the Moon and Saturn in Scorpio, Jupiter and Mars in Cancer, and Neptune in Pisces. The Sun and Mercury are also in Cancer, Chiron is in Pisces, and the North Node is in Scorpio. That’s a LOT of water energy.  I think the best way to describe what’s going on is to invoke the concept of “magical realism”. I studied Spanish in college and our assignments included reading a variety of books by Latin American writers. Many of these had elements of magical realism. The setting would be very down-to-earth, people would relate to each other in recognizable ways, as in most novels, but all of a sudden you’d realize one of the main characters had died many years before yet he or she was still a major force both in the plot and in the lives of the other characters. It’s like psychic bleed-through where the ghosts of the past are alive and inform the present. That’s where this configuration leads us. Doors are opening on many levels, and some can only be perceived with the inner eye. It’s a question of awareness. Venus quintiles Saturn at 10:41 AM EDT.  The Moon trines Mars at 2:14 PM EDT, followed by a Moon/Jupiter trine at 6:43 PM EDT, a conjunction to Saturn at 7:00 PM EDT, and finally, a trine to Neptune at 7:10 PM EDT.  Since all of these aspects are tied in some way to the Grand Trine pattern, I’m grouping them together.

The Venus/Saturn quintile tells us not to be afraid to express our talents. Appreciate yourself. Go out and make something that’s beautiful and useful. This is a Master Craftsman/woman aspect. The Moon/Mars trine urges us to go after what we desire, and gives us a pep talk so we’re comfortable enough to venture out of our comfort zone. The trine to Jupiter brings in a sense of optimism and maybe a sneak peek at our destiny, too. We feel we’re finally breaking out/breaking through in order to access the best version of our future. Be positive; expect the best. Visualize what you want; call it to you.  What’s your siren song?  How can you live an enchanted life?

By the time the Moon conjuncts Saturn later in the day, we’re able to measure progress and take stock. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you didn’t get everything on your list done today. Take some time to work out your strategy for the rest of the week.  Figure out where you need to retrench, rethink or reconfigure (Mercury is still retrograde).

The Sirens return as the day wanes and the Moon trines Neptune at 7:10 PM EDT. Take some time to recharge tonight. End the day in a quiet and contemplative mode. Sleep, rest, meditate, dance, draw, paint, sing, channel, commune with creatures great and small, create, contemplate, swim, bathe, immerse, dream…all are favored this evening.  Don’t forget to spend a little while picturing your ideal future. Draw a triangle, focus intently on it, visualize it as alive, flowing, filling and refilling with cleansing waters.

Remember:  Whatever you’ve invested with the biggest emotional charge is what will manifest, so be very conscious of what you’re drawn to, and if you’re obsessing about something or someone (quite possible with that Moon/Saturn in Scorpio conjunction), decide if it’s worth all the attention you’re lavishing on it.

THE SYMBOLS:

Sabian Symbol for today’s SUN: “A dark shadow or mantle thrown suddenly over the right shoulder.”

Kozminsky Symbol for today’s SUN: “The setting Sun reflected from the sea in such a manner that the reflected rays interlace with the solar rays.”

The Keyword for the Sabian Symbol is: “Destiny . “

The Keyword for the Kozminsky Symbol is: “Impressions.”

Today’s Sabian Symbol relates to the idea of the “mantle of power”, the sudden obligation that cannot be ignored or rejected. We can see this idea in action when a leader is assassinated and the second-in-command is suddenly elevated into a position of power. It can indicate an unexpected ascent due to circumstances beyond an individual’s control. This calls to mind Uranus energy, and Uranus is stationing retrograde right now. It official retrogrades tomorrow at 1:20 PM EDT. Once the mantle is donned, the chosen one must fulfill obligations, take responsibility and prove to be a good leader.

Since most of us aren’t likely to be asked to take over the reins of government, it may indicate that something comes up that we weren’t really ready for and we’re wondering if we can handle it. We’re being asked to step up and do what needs to be done. Of course, with today’s Saturn/Moon connection, we may feel the weight of that obligation and worry whether we’re good enough. The down side of this Symbol reads like a corrupt dictator—someone who’s gone power-mad or abuses the sacred trust he/she has been granted. In extreme cases, this can indicate delusional behavior (a negative manifestation of the Moon/Neptune trine, for sure!) There is something karmic about this Symbol (note that the key word is “destiny”), so today’s energy may have us replaying past events or experiencing a little déjà vu, even in everyday situations.

The Kozminsky Symbol reiterates the water theme of today’s Grand Trine in water signs, but introduces the Sun (fire energy) and the idea of reflection and mirroring (Neptune/Moon dynamic). This Symbol is related to receiving impressions and to psychic abilities, and any of you with many planets in water signs know how receptive you are to subtle signals from the universe. The time when the Sun sets but before absolute dark is considered to be a magical period in many traditions, a time when it’s easier to access knowledge.  It’s a crossroads zone, where we travel from one phase to another.

This Symbol tells us we must learn to only accept positive influences or we will absorb too much negativity–our abilities will be clouded with projections or fears. It’s about learning to distinguish the shadow or reflection from the thing itself.  Sometimes we can be hypnotized by a fleeting image and invest it with more power than it should possess. As the water relates to the soul or unconscious, as we develop we can successfully unite our spirit with the fire of consciousness and awareness (the Sun).

 THE  DAILY DRAW:

6 of Wands / Tower

“Pyrrhic Victory”.  Maybe the battle was won, but whatever you did or however you did it sowed the seeds of defeat. This pair is like the early stages of a war, where one side wins for a while, but because their strategy is flawed, they ultimately lose the war. It could also be that once they won they assumed that was the “natural order”, got a swelled head, and lost focus. This could be the “mantle of power” ruler illustrated in today’s Sabian Symbol, who thinks that since he/she has the mandate, they don’t have to do anything other than let others admire them. It also can illustrate a situation where it seems as though the powers that be will remain in favor long-term, but the reality is that the situation is disintegrating, rotting from within.  Think of court intrigue, rebellions and revolutions being fomented, discontent building until it explodes outward. This pair definitely has a “reversal of fortune” vibe on both the macro and micro level. People may find they got what they thought they wanted, but after a brief honeymoon period it turned to utter disaster. Sometimes we spend a long time chasing after something, only to discover when we get it that it’s not what we thought it was!

This Symbol pulls in the ongoing Uranus/Pluto energy pattern of major change and the destruction of major institutions of society. Add in the upcoming Uranus retrograde, and mirroring the Sabian Symbol, it makes me wonder whether there will soon be news of a huge shake-up in leadership and the downfall of a once-powerful ruler or governing body. The ultimate victory is freedom and enlightenment, and that’s why the Tower has to fall.

–July 16, 2013