The Daily Astro for October 29, 2013

by Valerie Sylvester

TODAY’S ASPECTS:

There’s a slew of aspects to the Moon in Virgo today. Some help with concentrating on the tasks at hand, while others…ehhhhhhhh, maybe not. The Moon opposes Neptune at a punishingly early hour (4:52 AM EDT). If you’re awake, just go back to sleep. When you re-enter dreamland, you’ll probably experience some gorgeously technicolor dreams, and you’ll remember something in extreme detail, but the rest may be a blur. Maybe it’s something you really need to focus on right now. At 10:10 AM EDT, the Moon semisquares Jupiter--don’t overstuff yourself on anything, and that includes work, worrying and bitching at other people who don’t live up to your standards. Workaholics will rejoice as the Moon sextiles Scorpio at 12:06 PM EDT and then conjuncts Mars at 4:05 PM EDT. Concentration, focus, determination, motivation, attention to detail–it’s a big ol’ ball of get-it-done. Take advantage of this time period and work like your life depended upon it. And maybe it does, as the big news today is Mercury moving to conjunct Saturn in Scorpio. Mercury/Saturn is not exactly a “fun and games” combination, and with the Moon in Virgo in the mix, it’s all too easy to worry yourself into a depressed state. Don’t succumb to a feeling of futility. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break things down to bite-sized tasks. Remember to take a break for some fresh air. Talk to people who can give you a different perspective, as this crew can lead to tunnel vision (and it’s not one with light at the end of it, either). Since Mercury’s retrograde, “old news” is on the agenda, or it’s time for a rewind in some area of your life. It can also mean that you’re replaying scenes in your head obsessively or your mind’s fixated on something. Stop cranking that gramophone–we have new technology now, even if you are playing the same old song!

The Moon/Pluto trine at 5:49 PM EDT probably doesn’t help in the obsesso-depresso department. Use that energy to go after a stubborn situation that needs a royal smackdown, rather than tearing your own playhouse down. You might have to work really hard for something, but it’s worth it. Things get dicey later on as the Moon inconjuncts Uranus at 6:05 PM EDT. This combo is like those days when you have an insane deadline and only two hours to finish the job, and everyone decides that’s the perfect time to flake out, booby trap your desk, or pester you with totally weird questions that have nothing to do with anything. Get ready to switch to Plan B. Or C. At 12:36 PM EDT, the Moon sextiles Mercury, and if your brains haven’t been turned to mush yet, you’ll be fascinated to discover the inner workings of something or someone. Of course, this could be depressing, as you realize just what you’ve discovered. (Sun parallels Saturn at 12:48 AM EDT). You might need this information later, so just file it away under “life experience/lessons learned”.

THE SYMBOLS:

Sabian Symbol for today’s SUN: “Deep-sea divers.”

Kozminsky Symbol for today’s SUN: “ A winged horse flying over a fortress.” (Influence is: JUPITER.)

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

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

Today’s Kozminsky Symbol features a Pegasus-y horse flying over a fortress. Given that this isn’t just “a horse is a horse, of course, of course” but a godly steed, we’re entering rarefied airspace here. This combo is meant to illustrate the power of the spirit against raw materialistic concerns. It’s about freedom–and inspiring others with a thirst for liberty. Kozminsky says “His nature is free, his thoughts are free, and he desires to see all aspire to true freedom and understanding.” Raise your sights; aim higher. (All this horse and aiming symbology is, of course, very Sagittarian/Jupiterian). Since today’s very much a nose-to-the-grindstone day, here’s a reminder to look up once in a while and catch a glimpse of the sky. It’s kinda pretty, you know?

The Sabian Symbol’s all about immersion. Time to go to the next level. Maybe you have to “hit bottom” to figure out you’ve been swimming around in circles. Don’t give up too soon, keep throwing yourself into the whirlpool. Obviously, this symbol can also be related to exploring the psyche, delving into past lives, researching, or looking for meaning beneath the surface. Maybe there’s something you’ve always wanted to explore–give it a try. The warning here: Sometimes things aren’t what they seem on the surface. Don’t go diving without the proper amount of oxygen in your tank or leap into an empty swimming pool. Watch out for sneaky types. Secrets may be revealed.

THE DAILY DRAW

Knight of Wands / 8 of Cups

Well, this pair puts it on the table. Last call, time to go! The Knight of Wands is about movin’ on down the highway. This is a restless (fire) energy that’s always looking for new fuel. There’s a desire to rush into the future, take that magic carpet ride, and escape the heaviness of the past. It’s time to leave something behind. New adventures beckon, but sadness remains. Before we can soar like the magic horse in the Kozminsky Symbol, we have to give up what’s holding us to the earth. Something’s no fun anymore. We’ve done everything we can think of, but it’s still not working. This pair is about escaping in the nick of time. Something’s over, we just have to extricate ourselves from the situation. If used negatively, it can mean we’re trying to escape a sad situation but rushing right into its parallel. We can’t always escape our past. Used positively, it’s like the deep-sea divers in the Sabian Symbol: put some energy into exploring a previous period that only brought you sadness, depression or loss. Other ideas: Someone leaves the scene under a cloud. A long-distance journey of discovery. Don’t keep putting energy into something that’s over with. Leaving the scene of the crime.