Women's March


The Goddesses in the Sky Were as Active as Those on the Ground

The many Women's Marches around the world - and particularly in the United States - this past weekend had strong support from the skies. Most obviously and directly, the Scorpio Moon was in a grand trine with Vesta in the sign of Cancer and Venus, Mars, and Chiron in Pisces (actually, in the lead-up to the marches on Friday, the Moon was also trine to Pallas Athene in Pisces).

The Moon is of course Western astrology's dominant symbol of the feminine, and Scorpio is an inherently self-protective sign - hence the feminine standing up for itself. Pallas Athene is the goddess of wisdom, but she holds a sword, not a book, letting us know that that the truth will come out, one way or the other.

Vesta is a complex astrological symbol. On the one hand, she seems to resonate naturally with the sign of Virgo and the purity and restraint associated with the sign of the virgin. Yet as Demetra George points out, there is a strong sexual component to Vesta. As we combine these two apparently disparate views of Vesta, we recognize that she
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stands, in part, for women in control of their sexuality (in every way).

In the sign of Cancer, home sign of the Moon, Vesta speaks to women's roles on many levels, but in the context of the Women's Marches, it makes sense to think of reproductive rights. Vesta was also trine to Lilith in Scorpio, and Lilith is generally understood to be a symbol of the empowered woman, sexually and otherwise.

The group of planets in Pisces seem to announce the need to push beyond boundaries. Among other things, I would assume the Piscean energy contributed to the very large number of people attending the marches, as well as to the publicity they received.

Of course, the planets don't play sides - they set the stage for our endeavors but we do the acting. The Piscean planets also fueled the reactions and disinformation from the new government in the U.S. (and they also seem to have sparked the controversy around Madonna's remarks about the White House).

In the background, we have another set of astrological aspects that have much to do with how we walked into our current situation. The ongoing conjunction of Uranus and Eris in Aries is certainly an aspect that is creating potential for all manner of havoc - and that conjunction was especially active back in June of 2016, when the Saturn/Neptune square was at a peak - Donald Trump won the Republican nomination soon afterwards, and Bernie Sander's campaign ended (or was torpedoed) in June.

Ceres, the 'earth mother' planetoid (I don't like 'dwarf planet') was an important part of that conjunction last June. She seemed to be reminding us of the precarious position we are in as regards our planet. Things sometimes get worse before they get better, she seemed to be saying - and sometimes they just get worse, if that's the road we choose to go down.

This past weekend, Ceres was square to Vesta but trine to Saturn and Juno in Sagittarius. This seems to be saying something along the lines of, "There are problems far beyond your (very legitimate) concerns - if the Earth goes down, all your political questions become moot." That's not to diminish the political and social concerns, but to place them in context.

The Quiet Times...

When nothing is happening, it may be a good time to use astrology

We're coming into the new moon this week - typically a quiet time of the month. The four or five days before the new moon and the two or three days after are usually a time of lower energy, and it is just this lower-energy period that offers an almost perfect time for meditation, reflection - and astrology.

It's at the new moon that we slow down enough to process information, and it's also the time when we plant seeds for the future. Think of it - wouldn't you rather be gardening on a cooler, more subdued day than on a day when it's blazing hot, or when there were high winds and rain?

The new moon offers us the opportunity to step back from our lives, to reinvest our energy, or to divest of things that no longer serve us. It's at such a time that an astrological consultation can have the most value, because we are ready to listen, to decide, and to prepare for action.

By contrast, at more active times of the month like the full moon, we may be driven by concerns and feel compelled to get answers and make decisions, but we might not have the patience to really listen and evaluate. I have many good consultations with clients during the time around the full moon, but I notice that it seems easier to listen and accept a broader viewpoint nearer to the new moon.
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The moon's void of course is another good opportunity for most types of astrology consultations. When the moon is void, we typically have a bit of a break in the action - even if it nearer to the full moon. This break also allows us to step back a bit and see things without compulsion to find one particular answer. It's a good time for an initial consultation, or to do a transit update for the next six months to a year.

There are some limitations to what can be done with the moon void. It isn't a good time to elect the date for an event, for example, and some types of questions can't be answered. Yet astrology is at it's best when it is giving information and perspective so that you can decide what to do, not giving specific answers.

Whether you get an astrological consultation, meditate, or just spend some time with yourself, try to make the most of the quiet times when - astrologically speaking - less is often more.