Cardinal Cross

Mars in the news: The Opposition and Blood Moon

marsAstrological Mars is retrograde right now and moving much more slowly than it normally does (from our perspective on earth).  Consequently, its impact is more intense with a heightened feeling of aggression and inspiration towards action.  Mercury entered Mars’s own sign of Aries yesterday which adds additional fire to the mix and adding excitement and perhaps a few arguments to interpersonal communication everywhere.

Mars of course is instrumental in the upcoming Grand Cross of planets in the cardinal signs of Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn, so this barrage of intensity will not be letting up any time soon.

So it’s an interesting coincidence that Mars will be opposite the Sun in the sky Tuesday evening – an event that happens only once every two years or so.  A week later, on April 14th, Mars will at its closest point to Earth, making both of these evenings an ideal time to observe Mars in the sky.

The color of Mars is red, and when Mars is near the earth it appears as a red ball in the sky.  At the same time that Mars will be at perihelion, it’s closest proximity to earth, the Moon will be approaching fullness (the Full Moon actually occurs on April 15th but will be nearing fullness on the 14th).  This Full Moon is likely to appear red as it is eclipsed by the Sun, prompting it to be called a Blood Moon, and Mars will appear adjacent to the Moon as a second fiery red body in the sky.

All of this occurring at the time of the Cardinal Grand Cross has lots of people fearing the worst, and the idea of the Blood Moon has sparked the imaginations of fundamentalist bible readers across the globe. […]

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By |2022-09-13T12:28:52-04:00April 7th, 2014|Planetary cycles|11 Comments
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New Year, New Moon!

Photo by Steve Matteo

The beginning of 2014 brings us a powerful New Moon in Capricorn, with a Grand Cross in the cardinal (action) signs.  Cardinal signs are initiators – they inspire leadership and movement and are just the thing to motivate the kind of goals and dreams that the New Year tends to foster.

This New Moon is a Supermoon (this term is in common usage today but was actually coined by astrologer Richard Nolle) because it is at its closest point to Earth.  It’s typically the Full Moons that bring about the greatest emotional exposure, but a Super New Moon can open up doors to new changes that are otherwise closed to us.

Capricorn is the sign of achievement and structure – stability, success and the trappings of success. Capricorn is the climber, and driven to produce something that will last.  This New Moon gives us an opportunity to manifest our dreams into the material world.  The Sun, Moon and Mercury are all tightly conjunct, and the presence of Mercury helps to translate our longings into ideas.  The addition of Pluto in the tight formation intensifies the power of Will and if we can focus that Will, magic can happen.

Mars in Libra squares the Capricorn planets, and some frustration or irritation could result.  Jupiter in Cancer is also involved, enlarging and expanding our desires and our need to break away from any shackles we have found ourselves in.  Uranus in Aries completes the Grand Cross, shattering paradigms and providing a window to break free if  we will only open it.  The Uranus/Pluto square is a powerful driver here, but now we have a team of other planets helping to facilitate the process of breakdown and […]

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By |2022-09-13T12:29:05-04:00January 1st, 2014|Moon|4 Comments
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Summer eclipse season is coming

Solar eclipse 2011, lunar eclipse 2011

Image from NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, 2003. Solar and lunar eclipses occur when the Moon is either full (opposite the Sun) or “new” (conjunct the Sun), and one of the lunar nodes is located within 15 degrees of a conjunction to the Moon.  As you’ve probably heard me say before, the astrological impact of an eclipse comes from the presence of the lunar nodes.

The nodes of the Moon are points in the sky where the Moon crosses the path of the Sun as it is observed from Earth.  They are not actual astronomical bodies, but instead serve as signposts to show us where we have come from and what we need to leave behind (South, or descending Node) and the direction in which our soul is taking us (North, or ascending Node).  The Nodes represent the crossroads between the Soul (Moon) and the Spirit (Sun) with the physical incarnation (Earth).  Powerful stuff!

Typically there are two pairs of eclipses in a year, with two eclipses in each pair.  This summer brings three separate eclipses:

  • Solar eclipse June 1st at 11 Gemini
  • Lunar eclipse June 15th at 24 Sagittarius
  • Solar eclipse July 1st at 9 Cancer

The last time there were three eclipses in the summer was 2009 and you can read more about that here.

Although eclipses have been feared for thousands of years, unless you follow Vedic principles there is no need to fear an eclipse period.  Eclipses tend to reveal and expose aspects of our lives which are hidden and which need to be brought into the conscious realm in order for us to develop and progress.  This isn’t always fun, but the end result is worth any momentary […]

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By |2011-05-25T06:44:53-04:00May 25th, 2011|Astronomy, Moon|Comments Off on Summer eclipse season is coming
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Full Moon in Aries, September 23 2010

Aries Full Moon September 2010The Full Moon occurs on September 23rd at 5:17 am Eastern time in the sign of Aries, balancing the Sun which has just entered Libra.  Full Moons occur when the Moon is in opposition to the Sun, and oppositions require that we learn to balance opposite forces.The Aries/Libra polarity is itself concerned with finding balance and harmony (Libra) while staying firmly rooted in our own individuality (Aries).  Me and you, this and that, here and there – all are differences that need to be brought into balance under the Aries Full Moon, but the Aries emphasis is on the need to maintain our sense of individual purpose.
This is the Harvest Moon that occurs very close to the Equinox (in this case, just one day later).  The chart for the Full Moon brings together the separating cardinal planets for one more dramatic moment, although this will not in any way approach the intensity of the summer. Still, with the Moon at zero degrees Aries where it is at the very beginning of the zodiac, there is an initiation here that must be attended to. Both the Sun and the Moon are in a close square to Pluto, and Pluto demands that we surrender and shed the old skins we are hauling around with us that no longer fit the persons we have become. The Aries Moon, especially at zero degrees, is very ready to begin something completely new and let go of any hesitation or fears that may have taken over our lives.
The Full Moon chart has an unaspected Mercury in its own sign of Virgo, reminding us that we are adaptable creatures with the ability to use the mind […]
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By |2010-09-23T12:01:00-04:00September 23rd, 2010|Moon|Comments Off on Full Moon in Aries, September 23 2010
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