The Daily Astro for September 23, 2013

by Valerie Sylvester

TODAY’S ASPECTS:

Today’s a strange day. The Moon is in Taurus, in a long Void-of-Course period from 3:13 AM EDT today until it enters Gemini early tomorrow ( 3:34 AM EDT. ) That’s a 24-hour “time out zone”, a mini-vacation on some levels. Since the last major aspect is the Moon sextile Jupiter, we’re in Lotus Eater land today. Jupiter amplifies, and it’s in Cancer talking to that Moon in Taurus, so take some time to appreciate the near and dear ones. Enjoy what you have! Give thanks for the good things. Take care of your body: rest if you need it, eat properly, get a massage. Don’t go overboard today. That Jupiter/Moon connection is very psychic. You may feel you can finally “connect the dots“. Think celestial architecture/ grand design. The Sun’s in Libra, the Moon’s in Taurus, and both are ruled by Venus, so we instinctively seek harmony, balance and moderation.

While you’re trying to be all zen today, you may have to batten the hatches against the slings and arrows of general bitchiness. Mercury opposes Eris, the Moon parallels Mars and then inconjuncts Mercury (all before noon EDT). It’s easy to get triggered or lured into snarkfests. Since the Moon’s Void-of-Course, we can hope nothing will come of it, but play it smart and don’t grab at the bait, or you’ll wind up with your paws in a nasty ol’ steel trap. (“Oh the shark has pretty teeth, dear”, indeed.) Sun in Libra can negotiate without pissing people off, and Moon in Taurus knows the value of everything and won’t budge if it smells a bad deal. Do the Venus dance, glide peacefully by and you’ll avoid the shipwreck scene.

The Moon clashes with Pluto at 3:55 PM EDT, which is followed by a Moon/Uranus hookup at 7:39 PM EDT and the Moon contraparallel Venus at 9:08 PM EDT. Volatility rules as people are afraid they’re going to have to give up their “stuff”. And you’d better believe they’ll fight to the death to protect it, or just flake out and turn totally uncooperative. Like I said earlier, appreciate what you have; don’t lust after what you don’t, or think someone else is going to give you the keys to the kingdom today. It ain’t happening.

Asteroid Juno is on the verge of going direct tomorrow, and she’s in Aquarius, so get ready to hear the roar of the crowd. The mythological Juno had a husband who was a serial philanderer (Jupiter = king of the gods = excess), but there was always hell to pay when she discovered his infidelities. In Aquarius we’re dealing with groups of people and social movements. Somebody’s mad as hell and isn’t going to take it anymore, and we may hear from them as Juno stations.

THE SYMBOLS:

Sabian Symbol for today’s SUN: “A butterfly made perfect by a dart through it.”

Kozminsky Symbol for today’s SUN: “ A lion with his paw on his heart, above a square.” (Influence is the SUN. )

The Keyword for the Sabian Symbol is: “ARTICULATION.”

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

Both of today’s Symbols are creature features, and also present the idea of pinioning or piercing. The Kozminsky Symbol is connected to the Sun and depicts a lion, so we’re in Leo territory, home of the lion-hearted. Squares in astrology are stress aspects that often precipitate action. 4s relate to solidity, all things fixed (Leo is a fixed sign, as is Taurus, sign of today’s Moon), manifestation into form, and building from the ground up. The lion with his paw on a heart, according to Kozminsky, symbolized that “the affairs of the heart bring bitterness, but sweetness may come from pain.” The symbol emphasizes the ability to learn from difficult experiences or establish a new foundation once you’ve finally learned the lesson. Divine suffering or sacrificing for love of others or to purify the heart. This symbol reminds me of the 3 of Swords card in the tarot. Once the pain of the past is released, we can finally move forward.

The Sabian Symbol is another illustration of transformation through pain. The butterfly is a symbol of the soul, so we’re dealing here with a soul-shattering experience, something that utterly changes us. This can indicate a sudden revelation, psychic flash, or any kind of intense spiritual experience that has a profound effect on our lives. The shell remains, but the soul has moved on. Through suffering we achieve some kind of enlightenment. It can herald the completion of a cycle, the death of the old. We can find clues to the past by studying perfect representations of that period. The “free at last” feeling. Self-awareness. The first step that leads to a totally different way of life. Being “on display” in some way for the edification of others–are you a “perfect specimen”? On the down side it can indicate excessive “martyr” behavior, unnecessary sacrifice, being “pinned down” by attacks from others (see above for more on this topic), or being paralyzed, unable to move forward. Beauty on ice; the form is there, but the spirit is missing. Lacking the “essence” or core.

THE DAILY DRAW:

3 of Wands / King of Pentacles

“The Master Builder”

The Moon’s in Taurus (Earth sign) today, so it’s fitting I’ve drawn the Big Daddy Pentacle card. Every empire starts somewhere, and these two cards show the progression. The 3 of Wands is the “start-up” phase, our starting point. We gather resources, knowledge and strength to prepare for the launch process. Take advantage of anything that’s offered to you , as it will lead to future growth. Look for creative ways to expand. Do something no one has done before; express yourself in your own unique fashion. The 3 of Wands is like “early returns” in an election. It may look good, but only time will tell if the candidate takes the contest. The King of Pentacles is the power player who’s worked hard to earn the position. Bankers, the “money men/women”, financiers and other powerful and influential characters are all King of Pentacles types. If you need money or other resources, it may be time to get financing or borrow in order to expand. Life gets better as the years go by. Learning the value of things (back to our Taurus Moon again). There’s a warning here, though: don’t get greedy. The King of Pentacles can get stuck in the Midas trap. It can indicate early inspiration and creative activity that calcifies later in the cycle. Fear of loss can make us hold on for too long and lose out on new opportunities for growth. Fear of losing drives us; we’re afraid to risk anything.