Houses

Capricorn/Cancer

Cancer is the most teachable of the signs because it is the one most willing to learn, as well as the most spiritual. The question is, through what authority and/or system is this learning to occur? Capricorn rules authorities. This individual thirsts to learn (Cancer) but from whom or through whom (Capricorn), and to what end?

This individual needs contact with the RIGHT AUTHORITIES, meaning ones that will guide him in the right way, a way that will encourage his eventual autonomy and ability to make choices for himself. An EMPOWERING AUTHORITY, and not just a DICTATOR. An authority who encourages FREEDOM OF CHOICE and responsibility to oneself rather than blind devotion to the authority.

One of the biggest dangers in this person’s life is the potential of aligning with the wrong authorities, the wrong agendas and policies which will lead to a false sense of security, and then defensively clinging (Cancer) to these seemingly practical but ultimately limiting and retarding belief systems. For that is, on one level what Capricorn is — a set of rules and guidelines used to map out our way forward.

Cancer is the sign of the crab, which has an exoskeleton. Capricorn rules the whole skeletal structure of the human, which is an endoskeleton. Cancer is all about growth and expansion, whereas Capricorn is about essentializing and distilling. Cancer seeks security (and finds it through an outer skeleton or shell), and Capricorn seeks what will work, that is, a way of living and being that is viable, and, in its own terms, practical.

Cancer is the most feminine of the signs, Capricorn the most masculine. Cancer is the archetypal mother, Capricorn the archetypal father. This person is seeking a grand synthesis of those energies. And finding it will spell, for him, empowerment.

When Chiron in a chart forms an aspect to another planet, the following interpretations will help you to tune in to what the significance of that aspect is. Remember that squares manifest the energy in the most challenging and dynamic way, that oppositions signify the energy manifesting in the process of relating, and that conjunctions give the combination of Chiron with another planet a creatively unique quality.

Chiron/Sun

Letting go of all things of lesser importance and focusing on what is most important in spiritual terms. Ability to clearly differentiate between what is truly important to oneself in terms of ones personal evolution and what the world/culture/social milieu deems important.

The process of ceasing to base one’s self worth on outer or superficial criteria and to perceive ones importance as a being assisting in world change and the spiritual process of others.

Allowing the deeper meanings of things to emerge by not placing the projections of one’s ego on them. One has the ability to assist others in the discovery of their life’s meaning and purpose.

Bringing to light those ideas and energies which are exactly what is needed to heal those around one, and often doing this without consciously knowing it.

Chiron/Moon

Allowing oneself to be guided by instinct, or, when one does not do this, suffering due to ones inability to act on ones instincts. Transcending the dramas of family and learning to love family without being controlled or negatively influenced by them. The quest for and finding of the spiritual family. Letting go of the past. Seeing the past in a spiritual light, which helps to release regrets.

Because one has difficulty in finding security in outer and material things, one is guided toward finding security in identification with the greater self and the protection coming from higher forces.

The ability to move through emotions, especially those that have become stagnant and fixated. The Chiron/Moon combination can mean the clearing of the emotional body, and the exorcising of the ghosts of the past. Learning to find security in fluidity rather than rigidity.

Chiron/Mercury

Leaving behind ideas that hold one in a rut while embracing and assimilating ideas that assist one to evolve. Communication with Angels and other beings beyond the physical realm, whether one realizes this is happening or not, the communicating often happening in ways that one does not expect. Having a sense of the right thing to say that will heal a situation and bring others together. Having the right ideas at the right time come to one due to one’s ability to listen to messages coming from beyond.

Chiron/Venus

Ability to appreciate how all situations – even ones we would usually think of as negative — can further ones spiritual growth. Seeing beauty in people, things and situations that others might not recognize as beautiful, and helping others to enjoy that beauty.

Being a soothing presence to all those around one, a kind of healing balm, even when one may not be trying to do so. Helping others to be at peace and to enjoy life, as well as to see their own personal beauty and worth.

Chiron aspecting Venus helps to heal selfishness by coming to a deep understanding of its root cause, which is fear.

Alignment of aesthetics with the highest aspect of spirituality. William Blake had a Chiron/Venus conjunction.

Chiron/Mars

Assertively reaching out to those who need help and healing, often doing this in subtle, indirect ways that can be quite effective. Working to build a new world order. Ability to transform destructive energies into constructive ones, as well as to apply destructive energies where they are most needed to clear the way for something higher.

Ability to get to the heart of a conflict and hence resolve it or direct it along positive lines, rather than arguing in circles. Having the confidence to not hold back when one senses what one needs to do. Ability to act on impulse without having to have a mental or logical justification to do so.

Chiron/Jupiter

Instinctively knowing how to uplift others and how to dispel depression. Encouraging people to proceed along their spiritual path even through difficult situations and disheartening conditions. Intuitively knowing how to give someone just the sort of encouragement that they need. Ability to instinctively synthesize and harmonize ideas and to perceive the hidden connections between different events, energies, etc. Ability to make others feel included and cared for, so that no one is left out or left behind. Ability to help others find prosperity and to tap in to the abundance of the universe.

The healing power of excess — taking something to its ultimate extreme is a means of bringing it into a higher awareness and finer balance. James Joyce had Chiron conjunct Jupiter.

Chiron/Saturn

Disengaging from involvements which inhibit or frustrate one’s personal growth (even though this may take a long time, or be a long, slow process). Understanding fears more deeply, which assists in the process of letting go of them. Learning to heal fears by drawing on the powers of beings beyond the physical.

Having a clearer and clearer perception of the blocks that people place in front of themselves for the purpose of retarding their spiritual growth.

Entering into the Silence so that one can contact angels, ascended masters and other spirit guides. Learning how to not react to negativity, and therefore being able to avoid the karma resulting from doing so. Awareness of the truth that all problems encountered are for the purpose of furthering one’s spiritual evolution, and unless the lessons offered by them are fully learned, the same problems or variations of them are likely to reoccur.

All of the above indications for Chiron/Saturn tend to become stronger and more possible as ones grows older.

Chiron/Uranus

Ability to be openminded and because of this to see things in a new way. Sudden messages coming from beyond, often manifesting in an unexpected or surprising form. Recognize and interpret omens, signs, and portents. The ability to heal feelings of being alienated, isolated, or cut off. Helping others to bring out their unique gifts and talents and to accept and value their own uniqueness.

Chiron/Neptune

Subtle sensing of the presence of helping intelligences, and ability to tap into them for guidance. Seeing beyond others’ negativity, shortcomings and weaknesses into the perfection of their soul. Ability to transmit love to others in a subtle, hidden, or indirect way. Helping other to recognize other realms of reality. Being a refining and uplifting influence wherever one goes. Tuning others into magic and beauty.

Chiron/Neptune will create life situations that help one to overcome unrealistic idealism,
addictions, and fantasies that may be retarding one’s spiritual growth. It can help one to use one’s imagination as an instrument for healing.

Chiron/Pluto

A strong compulsion to overcoming egotism and to see it for what it is – fear-based. Feeling strongly urged, even pushed, by forces beyond oneself to grow by transcending one’s limitations. The process of learning how to let through messages from beyond, as well as to accept them and act on them. Strong, persistent impulses that one must eventually follow.

Chiron/Pluto heals the striving to acquire power for selfish reasons, and helps one to use power
to encourage, guide, and assist others in their spiritual growth.

Chiron/North Node

A compelling need to connect to positive energy and to spirit guides. An urgent need to clear past karmas and to resolve issues of the past so that one can more forward. A need to understand one’s attachments to the past and how those attachments are fear-based. Needing to seek out people who are willing to grow and evolve with oneself. A need to connect with people who will accept the love one has to give. Tension between oneself and others caused by others unwillingness to grow or change.

Often the source of this tension is hidden. Sometimes one has great problems with others that are hard to define. The only way to solve these problems is to trust in one’s instincts and to be receptive to answers coming from deep inside oneself or from spirit guides.

Chiron/Ascendant

The need to see oneself as able to connect with spirit guides and angels. The compelling urge to base one’s self-confidence on one’s spiritual self rather than materialistic, passing or ephemeral things. The need to reject the limiting projections that others impose on oneself.

Chiron/Midheaven

The need to be receptive to messages coming in from the universe. One’s career needs to involved giving unconditional love to others. Any career in which one is not contributing to positively changing the world will tend to bring one misery and frustration. The need to not be attached to ones reputation in the world, to not be concerned if it is negative, and to not be too intent on trying to keep it positive.

The need to recognize oneself as a spiritual authority, and to use that authority positively by helping others to grow in consciousness.

Chiron/Ceres

Ability to distinguish healthy needs from destructive desires and addictions. The power to perceive what is truly nurturing, and what is not. Intuitively knowing what others need, and having the ability to intuitively give them that.

Chiron/Pallas

Healing of one’s deepest fears. Ability to feel the hidden order of the universe that lies beyond the outer illusion of chaos. Ability to sense when anyone is repressing something, in denial, or avoiding something. Ability to find wounded or sensitive areas in others and to bring healing energy to them.

Chiron/Juno

The healing of addiction to control. Learning to live with uncertainty and confusion, knowing that eventually clarity will come. Helping others to learn how to flow with life and all its seeming imperfections and loose ends.

Chiron/Vesta

Ability to make a space for spirit, and to clear away useless details and meaningless or petty tasks and involvements to bring in a breath of fresh air and room to grow.

 

Deeper Insights Into the Sun/Jupiter Combination

Tyler’s closest-to-exact square is between Sun and Jupiter. He and I were talking about the process of de-stressing the energy field, that is, clearing out blockages, so that one might eventually experience the fulness of one’s own consciousness, in other words, enlightenment. He said he was tired of hearing how it took time, maybe years, to reach enlightenment. “Why can’t it happen instantaneously?” he asked.

I told him that from what I’d read about it it could happen instantaneously. And I sensed that what was really going on was that he knew in his heart that of course, enlightenment could be instantaneous, and that he was frustrated that he hadn’t found a way to that.

And though I don’t know him that well, I never felt I quite saw the Sun/Jupiter square at work in his personality. But his yearning for enlightenment is a perfect example of it. The Sun signifies one’s goals, and enlightenment is the biggest goal of all, I would say the root goal. And Jupiter is enthusiasm. And Tyler certainly has enthusiasm for the goal. But the fact that his Sun and Jupiter are in square signifies that there is a challenge or conflict surrounding this enthusiasm for goals – the point being that the square can potentially turn destructive. In his case it could mean that excessive enthusiasm for the goal could evoke a negative reaction – of what sort, I’m not sure, but I’m guessing frustration, or maybe exhausting himself by ceaselessly and desperately trying different means to reach the goal, but to no avail.

The fact that this is his closest-to-exact square, means it is his biggest challenge. The healing of it, I think, is to be found by allowing himself to HAVE his great enthusiasm for goals, but not to allow the enthusiasm to chaotically spill forth to the extent that it defeats itself, that is, causes him to do TOO MUCH or go TOO FAR and thereby frustrate or inhibit the reaching of the goal.

Uranus is within one degree of his Jupiter, meaning that it also squares his Sun. Uranus signifies the quest for ultimate freedom and the ability to be utterly true to one’s dharma. Uranus’s rebellious urges can and do often backfire, destroying the chances for the freedom that Uranus is seeking. What ultimately redeems Uranus is INSPIRATION – the ability to act out the urgings of one’s pure creativity, unadulterated by the ego and its defenses. And so it is in this inspirational way that Tyler is wanting, needing, and trying to direct this tremendous enthusiasm (Jupiter) for the Ultimate Goal.

 

The First House

The first astrological house signifies IDENTITY — this is the keyword that the famous astrologer Marc Edmund Jones gave to it.

What is the nature of identity? Seen in spiritual terms, it’s an illusion — our means of manifesting in the realm of phenomena. The difference between a healthy identity and a pathological identity is that when healthy our identity is flexible, that is, capable of change, and is an instrument and vehicle for the expression of the Light of Pure Consciousness, a lens focusing that light in the physical world. A pathological identity is something we cling to obsessively and addictively, needing desperately to convince ourselves and others that we are someone special as a compensation for deep feelings of worthlessness.

Identity is a mask, but one we have to wear as long as we are living in the realm of relativity. The question is, does our mask express the energy of our divine self, or are we so caught up in the illusion of it that it divides our consciousness from our core?

Any planet in the first house bears the stamp of our uniqueness. A person with Mercury in the first house, for instance, has their own unique way of expressing ideas. They identify themselves as communicators and thinkers, and also as a go-between or messenger — a facilitator.

What we most need, when it comes to dealing with planets in the first house is not to become to attached to them, that is, over-identified with their functioning. I have Mars in the first house. My uniqueness comes out in what I do, and how I assert myself (Mars). But I need to be careful not to over-identify with what I do. I AM NOT WHAT I DO.

It is very important to realize that the first house signifies the most superficial aspect of our being, just as our current identity is only the outward manifestation we are currently wearing.

The first house is our surface. Many people reject it for this reason. “I am not a surface person,” they think, “I am a deep and sincere person.” The problem is that the surface is what others see of us, especially in their initial encounters with us, and so our surface/identity is really a means of communication. It can either reflect who we are inside, or it can hide our true self. What we ultimately need is to form our identity in such a way that it works for us as we navigate through live, rather than thwarting us in what we are trying to do.

Example: With my Mars in first house, I can come across to others as aggressive, sometimes provocative. I have had people say they were initially turned off by me because of that. Then when they got to know me, they saw that my aggressiveness was due to my having a passionate nature, and that I had many other qualities other than the surface aggressiveness that they initially saw.

So the first house is easily misread as being the whole of the person, when really its only a surface to which people readily stick labels. With Mercury in the first house a person may seem flexible, or maybe flighty or fickle. But this is an appearance, and not necessarily a reality.

One of the most difficult planets to have in the first house is the Moon, for the Moon is receptive and vulnerable. Moon in the first house tends to form their identity around who others want them to be — they are very receptive to the needs of others and of adopting the identity that is expected of them. My advice to them: choose your companions, friends, and long-term partners carefully, for you are a mirror and they will shine their energies into you. Think of them as food you are taking in. Are they nourishing for you, or poisonous to you?

Also, the Moon is always where we tend to have perceptions that are distorted by feelings. Moon in first house may identify with something one day, and then the next day identify with something different, depending on their mood.

You may also think of any planet in the first house as the role you will tend to play in life. I am SOMEONE WHO GETS THINGS DONE, AN ACTIVATOR (MARS). Venus in first house plays the role of PEACEMAKER, ARTISAN, OR EASY-GOING GUY — OR MS. ALLUREMENT. Jupiter is THE ENTHUSIASTIC ONE — ALWAYS UP, ALWAYS SEEMING TO BE FULL OF POSITIVE MOTIVATION. It can be a problem if a Jupiter in first house person becomes depressed, because their depression will have this seemingly optimistic overlay — people may have a hard time believing they are really depressed.

Saturn in first house can come across as critical, cold, rigid, or overly serious, when maybe they really aren’t this way, or at least are not meaning to appear to be this way. Saturn here can be frustrated about who they are, or how they look, or about any aspect of themself. They need to learn to be patient with themselves and to let go of negative attitudes about their appearance, as well as how others react to them. They need to become aware of the negative things they are identifying with, and work diligently to unhook themselves from those limiting and negative self-concepts which they have built.

Saturn simply will not stand for anything less than complete alignment with spirit. The Saturn in first house’s road to true happiness is to stay at the center of the truth that they are a spiritual being, and that the life they are living is for the purpose of spiritual growth.

Pluto in first house can be difficult. The person cannot exist in a state of stasis — there is always a feeling that they must be growing and transforming. Any identity they try to take on can feel limiting, restrictive, and unreal. They can become over-identified with whatever role they adopt in life, but will always feel compelled to ultimately GO BEYOND any identity they take on. Also, others may place heavy expectations on them, for Pluto is PRESSURE, and although they may experience this pressure as coming from outside themselves, its true source is always FROM WITHIN.

So those are some thoughts on the first house for right now. May all your masks help you to joyfully play your role, and be easy to take off — when the time comes.

Sun in First House signifies a person who easily plays the role of authority and/or important person in life. This individual realizes the potential use of surfaces, that is, how the most superficial level of anything may serve them.

Surfaces may help to reveal what is within, or they may obscure what is deeper. The First House Sun has the ability to create surfaces which lead one into more profound levels of whatever they pertain to, and which are truly appropriate in a spiritual sense for whatever it is they cover. I speak here of the First House sun expressed positively.

Negatively, First House Sun is so egoically involved in outer appearances that they would just as soon have their own surface and the surface of whatever they create obscure what is within (whenever it serves their own selfish purpose, making their outer appearance and mannerisms serve as instruments for getting attention and feeding their own selfishness. This position can be a master of arrogance, and can sometimes come across as haughty even when they don’t mean to be.

Think of the First House as a face — for the first house does in fact rule the head. A positive First House Sun is like a face glowing with love, vitality, and radiance, reflecting the spiritual being within. Or, negatively speaking, like a face on which makeup has been carefully applied to obscure all flaws, or a mask, whose purpose is to attract attention, sway one’s opinion, and hide the true identity of the person behind it.

One way of symbolizing the first house is that it is like a label on a bottle, that tells what the contents are within. Uranus in First House is like a label that keeps falling off, or keeps changing, or is illegible. Who is this person, anyway? They are naturally full of surprises — can change suddenly. Uranus in First House often rebels against being defined or categorized at all. No matter how conservatively this person might try to appear, there will always be an aura around him or her of strangeness or uniqueness. This means that others will tend to have a strong reaction to him or her. Some may feel fascinated by this individual, feel compelled to try to figure him or her out. Others may feel threatened, sometimes not even knowing why.

The message of Uranus in First House is, “you can be free and creative with your identity, like I am — you don’t have to be attached to it.” This is the subliminal signal always coming from them. This person can be utterly refreshing, or just disturbing. The person can be unstable, or can be one who is continually shocking people, in both large and small ways, into greater awareness. The last thing they are likely to be is boring.

With Neptune in First House the personality loses its crisply defined edges. They can have a vague, uncertain quality. At their best they being a higher level of exaltation to whatever they contact, they uplift, soften, make gentle, and stimulate the imagination. They cannot help but seem mysterious and otherworldly. Personally this is one of my favorite placements of Neptune. Diana Ross has Neptune here.

They can, though, be difficult to pin down, and they are often misread. Because people often aren’t sure who this Neptune in First House person really is, they will project onto them an identity, assume things about them which aren’t true. Also, they may have a tendency to idealize themselves, that is, to identify with what is lofty, idealistic and exalted, but in doing so lose contact with practical reality. At their finest, this is a person who is willing to be whatever the force of evolution needs them to be, and is ready to consecrate their being to the upliftment of humanity.

So now I’ve given you some idea of the meaning of all ten planets in the First House. Later we’ll move on to the other houses.

 

Gemini, Kabbalistically Speaking

The purpose of Gemini in the cosmic scheme of things is to bring more clarity and aliveness to everything it touches. The problem is that its tendency to jump from thing to thing in a random way can create confusion that results in the exact opposite of clarity — confusion. What Gemini needs is a core purpose, a strong connection to its spiritual center, and when it has this and allows itself to be guided by it then the movement from idea to idea builds harmony as ideas meaningfully play off of each other, rather than being mere jumbles of thoughts.

A deep secret of Gemini is that it has the power to connect with traumas existing in past lives and by being in communication with these to release their energy. We are being constantly influenced by our own karma, most of which exists in our past lives, and Gemini, often without even consciously knowing it is doing so, can feel this and can intuitively go to those pockets of stuck energy and liberate them.

In its most pure form Gemini is about finding the messages that never got delivered and delivering them, so that the information trying to flow through the vastness of all our lifetimes is opened, liberated and freed.

 

Jupiter/Saturn Aspects: The Department of Motivation

The Jupiter/Saturn pair of planets is referred to by Marc Jones as the department of motivation. Jupiter signifies enthusiasm, or positive motivation, and Saturn signifies sensitiveness, or that which causes us to have caution or a sense of reservation when engaging in any activity. Jupiter is expansive, always wanting to spread out, take on more, and ultimately to include everything. Saturn on the other hand is contractive, and economical, spare, desirous of paring down, holding back, using less, and conserving.

I sometimes refer to this pair as the department of morality, for Jupiter has to do with whatever we think is good for us to do or to believe, whereas Saturn signifies those things which we have decided are bad for us, things which we ought to avoid or at least minimize.

Jupiter/Saturn conjunction: This person needs to decide for themselves what it is they need – what is beneficial for them, and what is not. They will not be happy adopting ready-made guidelines for living. They do not readily take in advice or encouragement from others, for they are meant in this lifetime to be self-supporting and self-affirming, rather than dependent on the opinions or moral guidelines of others. The Jupiterian desire to expand is slowed down by the influence of Saturn, and the Saturnian desire for organization and gradual, stable process is encouraged by Jupiter. Hence the person’s progress may be slow, but it will also tend to be steady. This individual is either patient and persevering, or life will present him/her with situations and circumstances which will compel him/her to be so. Of course the house this conjunction falls in becomes all important as the area of life where this slow steady progress will unfold.

Jupiter/Saturn sextile: This person can assist others in being more motivated and disciplined, and needs this same assistance from others. If given the right reinforcement the person can accomplish much. One problem with this aspect, though, is that the person may align themself with people who reinforce their negative traits and beliefs, in which case these might be followed just as strongly. And so picking ones associates carefully is a major need of this aspect.

Jupiter/Saturn square: This individual readily gets into moral conflicts and situations in which it may be difficult to stand up for what they believe in. At worst they may experience a lot of guilt for not doing what they think they should do. They need to beware of being too critical and exacting of themselves, and of turning too many situations into moral dilemmas. At times they may see both sides of an issue as being right, or both as wrong, and then have a difficult time deciding the relative value of each side, and therefore difficulty in making a decision as to how to act. They are being challenged in this lifetime to learn patience, as well as to accept the imperfections of their judgement, knowing that as they grow in consciousness this will improve.

Jupiter/Saturn trine: This person can see anyone’s and everyone’s point of view, and so tends to go along, at least on the surface with anyone who they happen to be around. This can make them seem superficial or insincere, when in actuality they simply do not care to confront moral or ethical issues or turn them into a source of conflict. Often the person with this aspect holds deeply entrenched ideas about right and wrong, but may not voice these to others because of wanting to avoid being challenged. It can be a problem when these staunchly held values are negative, or based on traumas of the past that have produced neurosis. Bringing these negative beliefs to the surface and uprooting them can be a major life challenge.

Jupiter/Saturn opposition: There tends to be a schism in this person between the beliefs held and the actions based on them. Sometimes the person is very idealistic, and though they voice their ideals they don’t really base their life on them. After a time, though (in might even take half a life or more) the individual turns a corner and starts to practice what they preach and to being the process of moving more toward becoming the person they always felt they should be.

No aspect between Jupiter and Saturn: This person is not so concerned with right and wrong in a way that causes any difficulty for them – in other words it can be easy for them to avoid moral and ethical issues. For this reason they may have a hard time disciplining themselves, and they may tend to allow other people to dominate them too much and to determine what they do with their time and energy. They need to stand up more for what they believe, and to practice patience and perseverance in the pursuit of those ideals which their soul tells them are of the greatest importance. My own chart has no aspect between Jupiter and Saturn.

 

A Kabbalistic Vision of Aquarius

According to Rav Berg, in his book “Kabbalistic Astrology,” Aquarius is the most stubborn of all the signs. Interesting. In the past I would have said Taurus, but I understand to a great extent where he is coming from, and as time goes on am inclined to agree with him.
He says that even though both Capricorn and Aquarius are ruled by Saturn, the two signs are very different. Capricorn is the part of Saturn that looks inward back into the solar system toward the Sun. It’s all about limitation. Aquarius, on the other hand, is Saturn looking out beyond itself, toward infinity – toward the stars.
According to the Kabbalists, the Aquarian age started about 400 years ago. They refer to it as the Age of Redemption. Aquarius is the sign of unification – the realization that we are all one – the overcoming of fragmentation. The problem with the negative side of Aquarius is that it tries to achieve this oneness by elimination, negation, or denial. The Nazis thought they could achieve oneness by simply eliminating the Jews. The negative Aquarius of today think they can achieve unity by ignoring poverty, or by going into denial about the problems of ecology and global warming. Unity must be inclusive –we are all part of each other.
An important kabbalistic idea is that in the beginning of anything can be found its seed, which contains all the energy of that thing. The first degree of each sign contains the seed of that sign. In the Chandra Symbols the first degree of Aquarius is the image, “A two-headed calf.” My initial reaction to this symbol was repulsion, for I don’t like the grotesqueness of it. But getting beyond this, there is an important message in that symbol: the calf is, of course, a young cow, or Taurus, which signifies value and worth. The fact that it has two heads means that in every dualism there is value to be found on both sides. Some people think work is the most valuable endeavor in the world, but play is just as important. Whenever we deny anything we create a duality that always comes back to us in the form of karma. And so the only way off this karmic wheel is to see that each side of the duality is there to teach us something we need to learn. Ellias Lonsdale says that the problem with this first degree of Aquarius is that if it contemplates this duality too long it miss the chance to take action, and so must work to keep synthesizing everything in its experience in a flowing way.
And really, this is what Aquarius is all about. This is the seed of Aquarius which will blossom into the new Garden of Eden we are creating here on earth.
My dear friend Linda Defeo just had her progressed Sun move into this degree, so the next year for her is about perceiving two sides to everything and working to bring unity and synthesis into her experience.
I would love to relate to you each first, or seed degree of each sign, and hopefully as time goes on I’ll get around to it. One more thing, though, about the first degree of Aquarius: In the Omega symbol system, the image is “Deciding to die, a vampire walks into the sunlight.” I laughed when I first saw this! What the hell does it mean? Going into meditation, I saw the significance: You know, vampires are very selfish, willing to kill others to serve their own needs, willing to suck the energy of other people to keep themselves going. They’re afraid of the Sun, which signifies divine purpose. In the symbol, the vampire gives up his/her selfishness. Those Nazis I accused of being Aquarians, well, they were certainly vampires. It is now the Aquarian age, and all vampires need to walk into the sun, the sexist vampires, the racist vampires, the elitist vampires, the advertising vampires, the Wall Street vampires, and all others.
By the way, the difference between the Chandra symbol and the Omega symbol is that the Chandra symbols tend to signify the “descendant” of a degree, in other words, they’re like the seventh house of a degree, whereas the Omega symbols are like the Nadir, or fourth house of a degree. So the Chandra symbols show how the degrees RELATE (seventh house) to the outside world, whereas the Omega Symbols show the FOUNDATION or HEART of a degree.
One of the best gems I gleaned from Rav Berg’s vision of Aquarius is that Auarians need to allow themselves to be channels of spiritual energy, rather then focusing on personal glory.
A friend told me recently about Bob Dole relating the story that back during the Clinton Era when national health care was being considered, a group of his fellow republicans talked him out of voting for it saying, “You plan to run for president. Wait until you do and you win. Then you can pass a health care bill and receive all the glory.” Dole said he was very sorry he followed their advice. Thank you, Bob, for your sincerity and willingness to admit a mistake.
…Channels of spiritual energy rather than focusing on personal glory…YES!!!.

 

Mars in Aquarius

Mars is in Aquarius now until the 24th of February, so all of you Aquarians are feeling more assertive than usual, and less likely to tolerate anything in your life that bugs you. Don’t hold back — take action, shovel yourself out from under all those things that don’t really matter to you and go for the gold. Listen to your heart and let it lead you.

And Leos — you’re getting stirred up in the relationship department, and it’s here that you need to make adjustments and do something constructive about any disharmonies between you and those you really care about.

Time for Tauruses to go more public, to be more out there, and to put more effort into career, and time for Scorpios to get to the bottom of things and work on stuff connected with their own security.

 

Mars/Venus aspects: The Department of Efficiency

This is a continuation of the description of the four planetary departments that started with the Sun/Moon pair in blog 37.

The Venus/Mars pair of planets is called, in Marc Jones system, the department of efficiency. It charts the manner in which anything is accomplished. Mars signifies the initiation of any activity, the impulse to do anything. Venus, as its counter opposite signifies the completion of anything. Mars in a sense signifies dissatisfaction, for we do anything because we WANT something, and we WANT something because we find what we have INADEQUATE. Mars never rests – it’s not its job to rest. Mars is, in fact, so restless that if it can’t find something positive and constructive to engage in, it will find something negative and destructive to do. The repression of this destructive tendency is one of the hallmarks of mental and emotional health. When it runs wild, criminal activity can be the result.

Venus is the planet of satisfaction – the coming to a point of being able to APPRECIATE what is, or at least a part of it. We all need to have a certain APPRECIATION of and SATISFACTION in life to keep going. If, though, Venus is too strong, and negatively manifesting, we might be lazy, and not expect much of ourselves in terms of excellence.

I have often jokingly told people that after my death I wish to be remembered for “Sandbach’s Principle.” This is a simple magic formula that has the ability to make one happy with each and every aspect of life, and to rid one of any and all problems. It is so simple that it can be stated in three words: LOWER YOUR STANDARDS. This is actually a Venus joke – it’s what the lazy Venus does when it wishes not to have to put forth Martian effort.

As I did with the Sun/Moon pair, known as the department of vitality, we shall cover the conjunct, sextile, square, trine, and opposition, as well as the lack of aspect between Venus and Mars.

Venus/Mars conjunction: Since there is no space between the planets in a conunction – other than the orb of its inexactness, the conjunction has a feeling of instantaneousness – of everything happening at once, on the spur of the moment, without development, springing forth whole. And so Venus and Mars in conjunction carry the feeling of wanting to plunge in to experience in a totally direct way, without considered what the consequences will be. This can be very exciting, it can be fun, it can be adventurous, but it can also be dangerous, can create messes, can be scary. Marc Jones uses the term “dangerously unrestrained” to describe. I remember once I was at an astrology conference and we were at lunch sitting around a table. A young man was there with long wild blond hair, black leather pants, a tank top and high black boots. He happened to mention that he had a Venus/Mars conjunction. I told him that Jones said it could be “dangerously unrestrained.” “Dangerously unrestrained!” he repeated, and laughing loudly, gave me a wild, devilish look. “I can dig that!” I’ve always carried that picture in my mind of of the Venus/Mars conjunction. I sometimes also refer to it as the Lucille Ball aspect, and frankly, I’ve never checked her chart to see if she has it.

Venus/Mars sextile: These people need assistance (keyword for the sextile) to be efficient. I have a Venus/Mars sextile, so I can speak from experience here. If I don’t surround myself with the right supportive influences, I have a really hard time getting things done. On the other hand, when the supportive influences are there, I can get a great deal done. For instance, right now writing this blog my friend Sandra is the supportive influence keeping it going. She reads it every day. She points out errors to me. She comments on the quality. She tells me what she likes most and suggests when I might write about. I DO NOT WORK WELL IN A VACUUM, and it is she that keeps this activity from happening in a vacuum. Another support is the 6 FOLLOWERS this blog has, so far. Another support is the hope that these writings will be used as teaching tools for astrology.

As a side not I will say that actually I have, between Venus and Mars, a septile aspect. The exact septile is 51 degrees and 26 minutes. The distance between my Venus a d Mars is actually 52 degrees and 49 minutes – 1 degrees and 23 minutes off of being exact. The orb for all the major aspects – conjunction, sextile, square, trine, and opposition – is 10 degrees, unless the Sun as involved, at which time the orb is upped to 17 degrees, or the moon, at which time the orb is upped to 12 degrees and 30 minutes. So we might say that even though I do have a sextile between Venus and mars, MORE SPECIFICALLY the aspect is a septile. This signifies a strong intuitive urge, a nearly compulsive need (septile) at times to accomplish particular things. It in no way negates the sextiles showing that I need SUPPORT for accomplishment, it simply enhances and amplifies it.

Venus/Mars square: This person is capable of accomplishing much, but it may not be easy, for they may offend whoever they have to work with. They may be very demanding in the process of accomplishing something. They may jam the gears of efficiency by their attitude. Sometimes if they push to hard to accomplish something it will actually slow down the process rather than speed it up. As an astrologer, I feel that if I simply tell this to the person, and if they then take it to heart, and work extra diligently to be more diplomatic and to adopt a more flexible attitude, they can become much more adept at accomplishing whatever it is they set out to do.

Venus/Mars trine: The trine’s keyword is MOMENTUM – this is the word that Marc Jones gave to it. He was so very good at keywords. I think many astrology students miss the point of this particular one, though. A BODY IN MOTION TENDS TO STAY IN MOTION, AND A BODY AT REST TENDS TO STAY AT REST. This is the significance of momentum. We could also give the words INERTIA as the keyword for the trine. (The above statement which I place in caps is actually the definition of inertia). In the unenlightened astrology, trines were always thought of as good. This is not right. Trines can have a terrible effect, potentially, for if they manifest in negative or discordant ways, there will be a MOMENTUM to this as well.

The Venus/Mars trine signifies a person who likes things to be accomplished in an orderly fashion. They prefer progress to be slower, because they feel like its safer, steadier, and more to be depended on. They don’t much like a change of direction, especially if it can be justified, isn’t, to their mind needed, or is uncalled for. In essence they are conservative. If you can show them a compelling reason for doing something, they are much more likely to go along with you, and to be supportive of the activity. They like things done on a regular basis, preferably in a formulaic way. Their stability helps to balance out the unpredictable and experimentative ways of the Venus/Mars conjunction.

Venus/Mars opposition: The opposition is where the two planets in question have gotten as far away as possible from each other. They are, in essence, trying to encompass the whole chart. So the Venus/Mars opposition tries to be complete in its efficiency – to account for everything. They can sometimes be nosy, for their efficiency can extend into your life. They need to learn when to quit. Also, since the opposition always signifies the process of RELATIONSHIP, the Venus/Mars opposition needs to be always negotiating its efficiency with others. Letting others know what it is doing, what it is thinking, modifying its acts in such a way to make for greater harmony between itself and others.

Venus and Mars in no aspect: This just simply means a person for which efficiency is not a burning issue. At worst, they are inefficient because they don’t think enough about efficiency, at best, they have the ability to try different ways of being efficient – they aren’t psychologically bound to one method.

I still have to cover the departments of Motivation (Jupiter/Saturn) and Significance (Uranus/Neptune) and then we can look at these four departments as a whole and gain yet more interpretative knowledge from them as we compare and synthesize them.

So now I shall sign off. Have an Efficiently great day!

 

Mercury Retrograde

On December 27th — in two days — Mercury will go retrograde in the 22nd degree of Capricorn. Mercury retrograde is a time when there’s a need to rethink things, maybe to revise our thoughts or the way we are communicating.

An important tool for understanding any particular retrograde period is to look at the degree in which the planet in question goes retrograde. The Omega Symbol for 22 Capricorn is “Sugar falling through a giant hour glass.”

I had to get beyond my negative image of sugar to clearly see the meaning of this degree. Sugar is sweetness, and even though we eat too much sugar in this society, the reason we do it is because we are all desperately seeking the sweetness of life. We have thought we could find it through having more and more things, but have found that consumerism is just an addiction, and like all addictions, causes us to want to accumulate more and more, but without ever feeling truly fulfilled, no matter how much we acquire.

Sugar, in and of itself, is just food, nourishment. So in this symbol we see that at every moment (the particular grain of sugar falling through the hour glass) there is nourishment to be had, sweetness to be tasted. I remember reading in a book that one Kabbalist said that our job is to think of each moment as a cup which we are filling with good things — love, happiness, appreciation for life, joy, etc., and that if we do this, we will find, at the end or our life, when we look back, a life beautifully lived, that will determine the quality of the future after death. And so Mercury retrograding in the 22nd degree of Capricorn is a time of considering whether or not we are focused in the present, on the moment, to find the sweetness of it. Or are our thoughts too much focused on the past and the future.

Capricorn is the sign of practicality. What the Kabbalist suggested we need to do in living life is ultimately the most practical way of being I can think of. The 22nd degree of any sign always has to do of righting our course, and of making a leap toward where we know we should be.

The degree that Mercury goes back to in its retrograde motion, where it again stops before going direct signifies the goal of the retrogradation — what we were looking for. Mercury will again go direct again on January 16th, 2010 in the 6th degree of Capricorn. The Omega symbol for this degree is, “A woman inventing magical perfumes.” To me this signifies a recombining of energies in a harmonious way to positively affect the world. As perfume fills space invisibly, this degree suggests changing the atmosphere, the basic tenor, or attitude, of things.

If you have a planet that either the Stationary retrograde or Stationary direct Mercury conjuncts or opposes, it will have a significant effect on you, and means that you are needing to rethink how you are using the energy of the planet in question.

 

My Virgo Mars

If you study astrology and occasionally feel like you don’t really understand a sign or planet or house this is a positive thing, for it means that you haven’t closed your mind off to alternative and/or deeper interpretations of that element.

I have been an astrology for over 50 years and as I sit here writing I am feeling like I don’t quite understand Virgo. I could at this moment deliver an hour lecture on Virgo — I literally have that much information in my mind about it. But beyond all this information I’m wondering what it really MEANS.

Virgo is about solving problems. What Virgo most wants is to engage in meaningful work. The keyword for Virgo is ASSIMILATION. This keyword helps to explain the Virgoan desire for purity, for what we assimilate determines our level of purity. If we assimilate clean air, water, and food, we are more pure. If we assimilate toxins, then we become impure and the body has to work to rid itself of them.

Nothing in the body works alone — everything works together. Work carried out in total isolation is fruitless. And so Virgo loves to work with others. If we place Virgo in the first house then we see that the sign that falls on the sixth house is Aquarius, the sign of group support. This signifies that Aquarius is kind of a super-Virgo, that ideally Aquarius should manifest as all people working together to solve any and all sorts of problems.

I think one of the reasons I sometimes feel I don’t completely understand Virgo is because the one planet I have there — Mars — is in the first degree of Virgo. The first degree of any sign has a fresh, innovative and simple quality. So even though I know a great deal intellectually speaking, about astrology, for instance, when I go to actually DO (Mars) someone’s chart I just jump in in highly direct fashion, with that first degree quality of feeling like I know nothing and am seeing it all for the first time. I would say it is an ability to always take a fresh approach (first degree) when it comes to analyzing (Virgo). But it is also this “oh I just got here now what’s going on?” quality of of the first degree that can make me feel like I am always at the beginning of everything, no matter how much knowledge or how many facts I have assimilated. You see Mars is always the question of what to DO, and with me all I can do is just jump in directly and start working (Virgo).

 

Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto has moved into Capricorn recently (on November 28th, 2008), and so this is the focus of transformations now happening on planet earth. It is good to note that when it went into Capricorn, Saturn was in the 21st degree of Virgo. I am noting this because whenever a planet goes into a new sign, we can look at where all of the other planets are to get a picture of what its transit through that sign is going to be like. And as Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, Saturn is then, in this case, the dispositor of Pluto. Saturn’s being in Virgo at the time of Pluto’s entrance into Capricorn means that the theme is going to be the necessity (Saturn) of PURIFICATION, HEALING, REFINING, AND DEALING WITH DETAILS, AS WELL AS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING – all of these things being Virgoan.
Capricorn is a unique sign – the only one whose symbol is an animal that doesn’t exist on the physical level: the goat-fish. Most people think of Capricorn as being a goat, but that’s only the upper half of its body, the lower half is like that of a mermaid. It signifies that Capricorn can climb the heights, just as the goat ascends mountains, and can also navigate the depths, like a deep sea fish. Capricorn is the sign of practicality.
But what is practical. If our purpose in being in a body is to learn non-attachment and reach enlightenment (as I believe) then is it practical to spend all our time trying to gain more money, power, fame, friends, possessions, etc? Or to do anything, such as be in denial, live with delusions or take drugs just to avoid anything which is discomforting.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who, by the way, had Sun in Capricorn one said that most people had no idea how to be truly and effectively selfish. He said that since everything you put out is inevitably going to come back to you, that if you really want to be selfish you’ll help others all you can, shower them with love, and be as generous as possible. Because that will then be what will come back to you. Spoken like a true Capricorn – an enlightened Capricorn.
As I said in my last blog, Capricorn is the sign of limitation. Limitation is not a bad thing, in fact, it’s a wonderful tool for growth. You have probably noticed how, when faced with limitations you tend to figure out ways to make do with what you have. Limitations can stimulate creativity, can help us to concentrate and focus our energy.
Well, with Pluto now going through Capricorn, its time for all of us to get a much clearer idea of what our limitations are, and to decide who we are going to work with them.
Of course, all limitations are illusions. None of us is really limited, in the ultimate sense. That truth, though, is of the sign Aquarius.
Capricorn is also the sign of manipulation. We tend to have a negative association with that word, but if manipulation is engaged in for moral reasons, it can be a good thing. What is yoga, or chi gong, for instance? Simply a way of manipulating ourselves to produce greater health.
Capricorn is also the sign of the Mysteries, meaning those sacred and once secret organizations that used techniques and rituals to further spiritual development. This is the highest form of positive manipulation. It helps us to understand why so many spiritual leaders have been born under the sign Capricorn. Even Christ’s nativity is celebrated when the sun is in that sign.
Right now, (December 8th) until December 24th, Pluto is in the 3rd degree of Capricorn, the third degree carrying the vibration of going to extremes in a rigid way – hopefully as a learning experience. The three can also signify self aggrandizement and being into power and status. It has the strongest shadow essence of any degree frequency, so during this time we might expect to see negative energies coming to the fore — so that they can be released.
From December 24th until January 21st Pluto is going to be in the 4th degree of Capricorn. The four energy signifies finding the right context in which to use abilities, or to apply energy. The four is about manifestion – making something tangible. This seems a likely time for the Nation Health Care bill to pass.
If we move the astrological clock ahead and look at where Pluto is going to be on December 21st, 2012, the date of the great renewal of planet earth, we see that it is in the 9th degree of Capricorn. The Chandra Symbol for this degree is “A woman washes a man’s feet and dries them with her hair.” Feet signify understanding. It is the male understanding that is being purified by the female, or intuitive side. The hair signifies power, for one thing, and also thoughts, as hair comes out of the head. So the intuitive self purifies the understanding of the conscious self. The Omega Symbol for this same degree is “A woman thinks of all the things that have died and rotted to make the soil.”
This signifies the intuitive self realizing the full extent and meaning of every aspect of the past, and how this can provide the fertile ground for the future.
I think as are all going to be very surprised by what is coming in 2012. I do not think its going to be a disaster, or even if disasters of a physical nature occur at or around this time, I don’t think they are going to wipe out humanity.
Many of us are already conscious that we create our reality through our beliefs, that parallel universes exist, and that even the past is subject to change. By 2012 these spiritual truths will become so fully embraced by enough people that a boiling point will be reached and they will have the power to change the world, greatly facilitating the evolution of all.

 

“Rooting for you, Aquarius!”

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius….” A song of hope, an ode to a future full of potential, when brotherhood and understanding will bloom. Yeah? Well here we are in it. How does it look? Did we forget about the negative side of Aquarius? I don’t remember anyone mentioning that racism, sexism, and elitism are Aquarian, but they certainly are. Aquarius is all about groups and group dynamics, and not just positive ones, for Aquarius can also be a gigantic forest of misguided notions.
The whole question with Aquarius is, are we going to realize and live the truth that we are a spiritual group that is made up of all humans, all animals, in fact all life forms, even ones we haven’t encountered yet? Or are we just going to be fragmented into an endless array of special interest groups, each only concerned with what can further its own ends. Aquarius is the tension between openmindedness and all-inclusiveness on the one hand, and rigid opinions and misguided visions of reality that further the cause of the few only.
The Nazis were Aquarian – let’s not forget it. The sign Aquarius is highly capable of living by twisted notions and self-aggrandizing myths.
Ever heard of the Earth Point? It’s the point exactly opposite the Sun – the shadow that the earth casts on the zodiac when the sun shines on it. The earth point signifies karma that needs to be cleared, shadows that are actually the stuck places that need illumination. When the Sun is in Aquarius, the earth’s shadow is cast in Leo. The astrologer Ellias Lonsdale says that each sign tends to fall prey to the disfunctionalities of its opposite sign. And so Aquarius is tending to be brought down, de-spiritualized by the negative energy of Leo. The Nazis had their leo-esque figurehead: Adolph Hitler. Most politicians are the Leo tools of the dark side of Aquarius.
We cannot come into the highest and most positive energy of Aquarius until we have overcome the little self, the isolated limited ego, which is the worst aspect of Leo. If you bring your pride and arrogance to Aquarius, you stifle its energy. The only way that Aquarius can come into its full potential is if Leo is willing to surrender its ego, becoming a mirror filled only with the light of spirit.
Aquarius is the Water Bearer, and as such should be the energy that distributes life-giving and life-fulfilling energy to ALL people, slaking the thirst for union with spirit. Water is the element of emotion, and at worst in the sign Aquarius, the emotions can be repressed and frozen – remember that the middle of Aquarius is the middle of winter. If we put Aquarius on the ascendant, Cancer falls into the sixth house, so it is the Cancer energy, the emotional energy, that needs healing, in terms of Aquarius. Emotions stagnate when they are repressed.
I am dismayed by astrologers who have thrown out the traditional ruler of Aquarius – Saturn – in favor of Uranus. To me Saturn is the ruler of Aquarius, and Uranus a sub-ruler. Aquarius can be pulled between these two energies – the Saturnine desire to play it safe, be cautious, and stick to the old methods, and the Uranian desire to be free and innovative. The problem with Aquarian biases and fears – in other word its Saturn side – is that Aquarius tends to always think that it’s being open and reasonable, and always has a justification for its rigidity.
May we please now get on with the business of creating the glorious Garden of the True Aquarius on earth? Even Rush Limbaugh is invited – if he can learn to behave himself.

 

Saturn in Capricorn

Capricorn may be the most polarized of all the signs, for it rules practicality, which is one of the most loaded words in our language.

Loaded because since we are here to evolve our consciousness, then what is most practical is anything that will support us in that process. The problem is, if the Capricorn individual lacks spiritual awareness, then what seems to be most practical will be such things as amassing as much wealth as possible, meeting the expectations of others so that one may fit in to current social standards and hence use them to further one’s materialistic ends, and in general to engage in any activity which both serves the ego and keeps fear at bay.

Capricorn is the sign most aware of what works and what doesn’t, as well as the relative degree to which any technique will yield desired results. In short, Capricorn is the sign of manipulation. This is a difficult word for many people because they read negative overtones into it. The fact is that manipulation needn’t be sociopathic. It is possibly to manipulate for positive reasons.

When a person has Saturn in Capricorn (one of the signs which it rules)in their natal chart, he or she is highly sensitized to how the world works, the ins and outs of social mores, and what behaviors are considered acceptable and unacceptable in various social groups and sub-cultures. All of these “rules of the game” are experienced as limitations and restrictions that may be oppressive, on the one hand, but on the other creatively worked with for the purpose of getting to wherever one is going.

Aye, there’s the rub — just exactly where is this person going? It all depends on their level of evolution and awareness of the true nature of reality. If their goal is solely to maneuver the labyrinth of the physical world in an attempt to create comfort for themselves while avoiding pain and suffering they may over time become highly adept at this. But there is never going to be true fulfillment for them until they awaken to the true goal of life.

Once they see that evolution is the key to a meaningful physical embodiment then they can access their true power, for Saturn in Capricorn is a potential master of spiritual technologies, of the ability to find and employ techniques that can profoundly further spiritual growth.

Its all about getting on with what is really and truly, in hard core terms, practical.

 

The Second House

The Second House signifies loss and gain. There has been a tremendous emphasis on the Second House as ruling money — which is to be expected in a society dominated by consumerism. There are many Christians, Jews and Moslems in America, but the dominant religion of the USA is Money — this is the God with the greatest number of devotees.

But the Second House is far more than just money — it is our energy, and time, and most importantly, our values — whatever ideas and concepts we are attracted to and so deem to have worth.

These ideas we find valuable may be practical, or not. They may be notions and/or involvements which we feel have value but which others may deem to be worthless. Loss, ruled by the second house, may be voluntary, as it is when one freely gives something away, or it may be forced upon us by fate and circumstances. By the same token gain may be something we work to obtain, or may be something that happens without effort, something just laid in our lap. No matter how loss and gain happen in our lives, they are always karmic — we deserve what we get, or don’t get. There are no victims, and there are no winners who don’t deserve to win. This is the essence of Kabbalistic teaching.

In a sense, the Second House is the most Kabbalistic of them all, for Kabbalah means to receieve — TO GAIN. The question Kabbalah raises is, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH WHAT WE RECEIVE? There are two choices — keep it all, or at least as much of it as you can, for yourself. Or: Receive with the intent of sharing. It is this RECEIVING WITH THE INTENT OF SHARING that keeps the flow going — insures our further receiving from the Great Source. It is the EGO, living the illusion of being separated from the light that wants to keep as much as it can.

It is the God Within that shares. Sharing leads to enlightment. Greed leads to suffering. It is on this basic structure of these truths that the fabulous intricacy of the Kabbalah is embroidered.

Let’s start with Sun in Second House: What is most important in life to this person is to feel that they have something of value to give — that what they have is important. The great beauty of Sun in Second House is that this person has an inate ability to bring worth to light — to see the value in things which others may have overlooked.

The Sun always signifies the desire to set up hierarchies — that is, the desire to have what is most important at the center, and then to rank everything else around that in a spectrum that goes from what is most valuable to what is least. So long as what is at the center of Sun in Second Houses’s reality construct is positive, that is, spiritually viable, Sun in Second House will be a light to all around it, helping others to see their own value and worth, and the hidden gold all around them.

If Sun in Second House falls prey to the addiction of egotism, then their own selfishness becomes their center, and the whole goal of life becomes the attempt to convince everyone around them that they are better than everyone else, and that what they have is more important than anything else. This position can lead to arrogance about ones own values.

The big question here is, what is the nature of possession? Since we’re going to die, it seems that everything we might call our own is really only being rented for awhile. STEWARDSHIP means TAKING CARE OF WHATEVER COMES UNDER OUR SWAY OR JURISDICTION. Stewardship is a reality, ownership is an illusion. But if Sun in second house becomes lost in the illusion of its own ego, the responsibility of stewardship is lost.

Really its like this: The Greek and Roman astrologers called Saturn the greater malefic. But the Sun, when manifesting negatively is what I would call the GREATEST MALEFIC. It’s just energy. A lot of energy. And as you know, energy can be used to express love, and it can also be used to destroy the world. And it can never be said enough that the astrological chart does not show the person’s level of evolution. It can’t — for a cockroach and a human can have the same chart. So you, as an astrologer never know if a person is going to use their energy positively or negatively. You cannot tell from a chart how many past lives a person has had, and to what extent they have become wise from them.

Moon in Second house has, at its emotional center the need to be able to give and receive. The instability of the Moon creates, in this placement, a sense of fullness, at times, a feeling of abundance, and at other times a feeling of emptiness and/or loss, as well as potential fears of being abandoned by prosperity. The best way to handle Moon energy always is to let it flow, to stay open and connected. This person needs to share what they have, and they need to do so as they feel guided to. These cycles of emptiness and fullness that are felt need to be moved through easily and with relaxation, trusting always in the truth that whatever they need will come to them.

The Moon is always the energy in the chart where a person tends to be the most subjective, and hence have difficulty seeing objectively what is going on. Moon in Second may sometimes feel worthless, or at least underestimate what they have to give. Or they might overestimate their resources – all depending on their mood of the moment.

One thing you can be certain about with the Moon, though, is CYCLIC CHANGE. If this person is having financial problems, they could and probably will change rather soon. By the same token, when finances are going well, this also could soon change. With the Moon it is not easy to plan for the future, and so financial planning doesn’t come easily with this placement.

One of the finest things a person with Moon in second house can do is to use what they have to nurture other people.

Mercury in Second house

This placement of Mercury seeks to assess the value of all ideas. Through all its communication it seeks to gain ideas of worth so that they might be shared with others who find them valuable, or used in such a way as to make them more valuable.

Mercury’s highest attribute is clear communication, and resourcefulness in finding solutions to problems. Mercury in second has the ability to find unexpected uses for ideas, to place an idea in a context that will maximize its worth.

At worst the Second House can create a rigidity in Mercury, due to the desire to arrive at values that are unchanging and can be depended upon. This can cause Mercury to use its cleverness to find ways to uphold values that are selfish, dogmatic and/or deluded. This occurs when Mercury falls prey to fears.

Because it signifies communication, Mercury is a planet engaged in the process of connectedness, and so much value is created through meaningful connectedness. So Mercury here can be clever and resourceful in finding ways to make money and/or to invest it, as well as connecting ideas in new ways to discover new value in them, or even to present ideas in new ways that bring out unsuspected aspects of them.

Venus in Second House

This placement loves things, both tangible objects as well as concepts that it deems beautiful. It even loves to have time to itself, and loves having and feeling energy. At worst Venus here can be attracted to too many things, and so it may be hard to decide which of them will be focused on to the exclusion of the others.

Often with this placement one finds collectors of one thing or another. This position also stimulates connoisseurship and the cultivation of taste and aesthetics. At best it can find value and beauty in things which others may not see as beautiful or of worth.

This position can enhance selfishness if the soul is inclined toward that. The antidote to this is to emphasize more the value of giving, which, if Venus is spiritualized can be brought out as one of Venuses highest traits.

 

Some Notes on Aries

The one thing Aries most needs is clear and strong alignment with its instinct. When Aries has this, any and all problems can be confronted and worked through in a way that leads onward and upward into higher states of consciousness.

The problem is, that when Aries is overshadowed by neurotic loops, then the connection with its clear instinct is disrupted, and we find Aries creating conflicts and confrontations that go nowhere. Aries truly is the sign of confrontation but the irony of this is that the neurotic Aries will tend to manufacture crises which actually are serving to protect itself from what it REALLY needs to confront.

Aries expresses the truth that sometimes it is better to act without thinking. It instinctively knows that thinking can get in the way, whereas impulse, when inspired by pure, unadulterated creativity, can carry one into greater aliveness.

Aries also has a way of demanding that things be simple. It is not that it is incapable of perceiving complexity, it is that it carries in it the magic of being able to look through and beyond complexities. Being the farthest sign from Libra, it is the sign freest of faltering, wavering uncertainty – all the back and forth considering of options that Libra engages in. And as Libra is the sign of aesthetics, Aries is too busy exploring the South Pole and fighting starvation and frostbite to have any time to concern itself with the fashionability of its winter wardrobe.

Aries is the primitive, the basic, the “lets get on with it, no matter how sticky or difficult or inconvenient things are. JUST DO IT!”

The primitivism of Aries can be wonderfully refreshing, and feel eternally new. It can take some old and worn-out idea or concept and through its magic express it as if it were something just discovered for the first time. It is the breath of spring. And when people say that Aries is not good at finishing things, I say, first of all, that that is not the job of Aries, and that second of all, the very concept of finishing things is often nothing more than an empty formality and an illusion.

Unfortunately, it is one of the signs most likely to commit murder as well as suicide. Not all simple solutions to problems are the best ones.

Aries is currently investigating string theory and parallel universes.

 

The Sun in the Houses

The sun is, in kabbalistic terms, the planet capable of generating the greatest amount of negativity. You may be surprised at this statement, but the Sun, negatively speaking, signifies one’s ego, which, according to the kabbalist is the source of all darkness in the world. The word kabbalah means “to receive,” and it is the ego which wishes to receive for the self alone – hence generating all the strive, negativity, and discord that has ever been or ever will be in the world. The key to aligning oneself with spiritual energy is to give what one receives – to give time, energy, love, compassion, concern. In this way, we become like God.
So the Sun is also a source of good – it is life-giving, warm, illuminating. In the natal chart it signifies true meaning and purpose. This is what we need to strive to live up to, rather than allowing our demon, which is our ego, to stagnate in the addiction of it’s greed, which can never ultimately be satisfied anyway.
Specifically it is the point in the zodiac exactly opposite the Sun that is the place where the earth is casting its shadow on the zodiac. In the natal chart this is the point where we are anchored in earth energy – a place where we need release and redemption so that we move forward in our evolution. This earth point represents the darkness of the self, that is 180 degrees – as far as one can get – from the light of the sun. If we can redeem and liberate the energies of this earth point, it frees our Sun to shine spiritual light into the world.
Another way of looking at this is to know that wherever your Earth Point is that is where you have been hanging out in past lifetimes, and so where karma needs to be cleared to free you up in this current life.

Sun in First House: When the Sun is in the first house, the earth point is in the seventh, signifiying that we need to overcome habitual patterns of relating – patterns that feed our need to feel important and prevent us from growing. Sun in first house is capable of being very egotistical, and the Earth Point being in the seventh house means that this person will draw to themself relationships that feed their strong, self-centered self image.
The Sun in First House is capable of clear definitions of whatever it encounters. As the first house rules identity, Sun in first at best radiates a spiritual identity untarnished and unshadowed by anything lesser, and helps others to also find this spiritual identity in themselves.
The first house is capable, at worst, of great superficiality, and so Sun in First House can signify a person who place primary importance (Sun) on outward appearances. They can at times have a larger-than-life quality, or come across over-blown or histrionic. They can have a strong craving for attention. On a higher level of evolution this will become a craving to point out what is truly and spiritually important to others, the light of the Sun shining through the surface appearances of the first house.

Sun in Second House: With the Earth Point in the 8th house we have been limited too much by others expectations and demands, and by their energies in general. What we have is all-important to us, and to truly see what it is, what our talents, gifts, and abilities are, we need to let go of the limits imposed by the values of other people.
There is so much around us that is of worth, that has incredible value and potential, but whose value we don’t see or recognize. Sun in the Second House is here to shine light upon what is valuable. At worst, the second house is poverty and loss. The Sun here carries the message that wealth and abundance are all around us. What we need to do is recognize this, and then to use this wealth in ways that cultivate and protect it, so that it can be shared and used as a means to help us toward our goal of enlightenment.

Sun in Third House: Here the person realizes the importance of the every-day and the mundane as a potential expression of spirituality. The Japanese culture loves to turn everything around itself into art – to infuse the mundane with vibrancy and meaning. The Japanese psyche probably has Sun in Third House.
The immediate world around us is magical, vibrant, and full of life, and Sun in Third House can see that and communicate it to others.
If Sun in Third House is to be a mere expression of ego then we find a person who wants to call all the shots in terms of how things are done and who tries to rule the immediate environment around him/herself. Also one who may communicate in a self-important manner.
The Earth Shadow in Ninth House signifies the need to overcome a rigid or negatively biased world view and to clear away the self-imposed limits of our understanding.
At best this placement awakens communication, and helps it to be more meaningful and purposeful.

Sun in Fourth House: With the Earth Point in the Tenth House we may feel we are “above it all” or at least want to be there, so we can avoid having to deal with the earthly realm. We may also have had status in the past, or been sure of our place in a hierarchy, and this felt safe and secure, though it is now limiting – a shadow that needs to be dispersed. We now need to involve ourselves in limited human patterns. Its time to let ourselves sink into what is simple and basic, and to become a part of the world, for the world needs our light.
There can be a lot of joy coming from being within limitations – knowing that those limitations are not real, and are only temporary. So make yourself at home in the density of matter here – allow your gifts to be shared in a common, basic way – which will have a powerfully healing effect on others.
This person has the power to bring the past to live and to find meaning in it. they might be a historian. They also have the ability to bring a sense of unity and purpose to any family or group of which they are a part.

Sun in Fifth House: In past lives we got used to being one with everybody and to joining forces with others. In this life we need to be more individual and to express ourselves, without allowing that to be dampened or restricted by what the group thinks, or the input of our friends. Also, we need to experiment and not worry about the outcome.
Sun in Fifth House signifies the importance of play. In the world of today, play is something that us usually highly superficial and little more than a wasting of time and energy. Sun in Fifth innately knows that high-quality play is the source of creativity, vitality, and healing joy.
This individual derives her/her vitality from creative activity and experimentation. At worst they are egotistical about their children and other products of their creativity, and make bad parents because they are so self-involved, which, of course, can produce children with ego problems. At best they see each of their children as individuals and respect and attempt to foster that individuality.

Sun in Sixth House: In past lives we have been caught in the rapids of experience, carried along in a great sweep of energy that seems against our will. Now there is a need to rise above chaos and create a laboratory in which one can work and produce. With Sun in Sixth, we need a clearly defined context in which to exert ourselves and solve problems. We place a lot of importance on being productive and finding ways to overcome problems.
As long as the person can let go of egotism they can work with others in a meaningful and purposeful manner. They have the ability to bring hidden problems to light, and to more clearly elucidate problems already known.

Sun in Seventh House: This person needs meaningful relationships, not just ones engaged in for pleasure or superficial companionship. They also need relationships through which they can explore their depths, and will ultimately feel unfulfilled by mere surface relating. Because of Earth Shadow in First House we may be stuck in old ways of seeing ourselves which in turn can limit the possibilities of our vitally relating to others. We need to let go of those stuck places, let go of any biases we have concerning our identity so that we can find ourselves more fully and deeply through our relationships.
The Seventh House signifies opportunity. Sun in Seventh can be more aware of opportunities than other people, and help others to see new opportunities.

Sun in Eighth House: Patterns are something we have and with the Earth Shadow in the Second House, we may have patterns that feel safe, but which hold us to a limiting and restrictive track. We take for granted that these patterns are valuable, but they aren’t – they’re burdens, and we need to come into the awareness (Sun) that we need to let them die (Eighth House).
Sun in Eighth House yearns for meaningful change, vitalizing change, and constant renewal. As we allow ourselves to die to the old and embrace the new we are taking into places we never expected. To do this we need to overcome the fear of loss (Earth Shadow in Second House).

Sun in Ninth House: With Earth Shadow in Third House there may be a tendency to aimlessly run around from thing to thing, collecting information but never synthesizing it or drawing conclusions. Sun in ninth has the ability to see the whole picture more clearly, to get an overview, and to understand life in depth. This can be done if we can come out from under the baggage of random thoughts and jumbled input of the third house.
At worst one’s egotism manifests in one’s beliefs – thinking that one’s religion, for instance, is the only right and true one. Or being moralistic in a judgemental way so that one can feel one is better than others.
Ninth house Sun has the ability to see and explain the meaning of life, and through doing so to expand the knowledge and perceptions of other people

Sun in Tenth House: To live fully and vitally the individual must overcome the weight of the past and past karmas (Earth Shadow in Fourth House). Earthly life can be experienced as a burden that limits and constricts in a killing, suffocating way. It does no good to conflict with all of this – the only way out of it is to drop it, just let it go, so that we can be a clear vessel for the channeling of spiritual energy.
In the story of “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy throws the bucket of water on the witch and she melts, we witness the negative authority – the witch, who is the “boss” (Tenth House) suddenly dissolved. Then Dorothy becomes the boss, the leader. She has disburdened herself of the Earth Shadow in Fourth House.

Sun in the Eleventh House: We have the ability to uplift the energy of groups, to make their activities more vital and meaningful. We can help them to find purpose, and/or to deepen their purpose, and help them to see more clearly the direction in which they need to move. We may become the leader of a group, or at least can be a strong guiding force for others. We naturally shine a beacon that illuminates the future, which helps to dissipate all fears and feeling of gloom concerning what is to come.
To allow all of this to happen we need to overcome the fear of taking risks (Earth Shadow in Fifth House), and allow ourselves to go out on a limb and make sacrifices to fulfill our dreams. Also, we need to get beyond our personal ego so that we are more able to dynamically connect with others.

Sun in the Twelfth House: With Earth Shadow in Sixth House we may be too mechanistic in our approach to working and solving problems, and if this is so it is because we fear our depths, fear being swamped, inundated, drowned by them. If we are too focused on utilitarian considerations we may neglect or ignore what our intuition is trying to tell us – which is exactly what we should be focusing on. If we aren’t sure of what we’re doing we’re probably on track, because it is not our dharma to hide in predictability and “life as usual.”
We have a powerful ability to help others, often in ways that we and they don’t expect, probably because they are beyond our conscious ken and are coming from deep psychic impulses. The more we can surrender to our instinct and dedicate ourselves to listening to spirit, the more we will be guided by the evolutionary currents that desire so much to work through us.

 

Uranus/Neptune Aspects: The Department of Significance

The Uranus/Neptune pair of planets is referred to by Marc Jones as the Department of Significance. This pair has to do with the individual’s relationship to society and to their fellow human beings as a whole. Uranus signifies a person’s most unique and individualized traits, as well as where he or she in life needs freedom, needs to be independent so that his or her special gifts can be nurtured. Neptune on the other hand has to do with the connections between all of us, and our obligations to help and uplift each other. It is interesting that Uranus was discovered in 1781 – very near the time of the American and French Revolutions – a time when people were gaining more personal independence. Neptune was discovered in 1846, about the same time as the first spreading of Marxist ideals.

Uranus/Neptune conjunction: Note: because these planets move so slowly, their major aspects between each other will last for about 10 years. Uranus and Neptune were in conjunction from 1817 – 1827 and again from 1987 – 1998.

These people tend to get extremely immersed in whatever they are into and can even neglect personal needs in trying to fulfill ideals they think are going to help society at large. They see possibilities of social evolution with a fresh eye, unclouded by the doubts of the past, and so can give others new hope and desire to grow and evolve. They manifest a whole-hearted desire for social progress.

Uranus/Neptune sextile: This happened from 1850 – 1859 and again from 1962 – 1971. These people are very anxious to get people to work with each other, to share social responsibilities, and to have everyone use whatever talents they have for the purpose of social betterment.

They want to expand human connections for the purpose of world growth and the furthering of the security of everyone. There can be a tendency, though, with these people to think that whatever progress the world is making is enough, so long as there is at least some progress being made. They may adopt an unrealistically optimistic view of what is happening and thereby actually slow progress through avoiding the differences and conflicts between social groups.

Uranus/Neptune square: This happened from 1866 – 1875 and again from 1950 – 1959. These people really want to get big things done, or at least want to see grand and momentous things accomplished in the world by themselves and/or other people. They have big expectations when it comes to social evolution. They can be so into their own rights and privleges, though, that they become jealous of what others have.

They are often very hard-working, possibly excessively so, and expect others to be the same way. These people can be very adept at handling social conflicts, as long as they can keep their personal and selfish interests at bay. The square between Uranus and Neptune produces a crop of hard-core individualists.

Uranus/Neptune trine: This happened from 1879 – 1887 and again from 1934 – 1944. These people tend to be satisfied with their place in life, and want, primarily to enjoy whatever they can. They tend to feel that if things are going along in an OK direction that this is fine. They can lack a bigger, grander vision of the future. At worst they can become very elitist, and selfish as well, and from this vantage point just watch the world go by. They need to get out of these sorts of ruts and always be looking toward a fulfillment that goes beyond what they already have.

Uranus/Neptune opposition: This happened from 1902 – 1912. These people are aware (keyword for opposition) that things in the world need to change in a very fundamental and basic way. But they need to avoid rushing into difficulties in an attempt to remedy them without enough forethought, plan, or staying power (this is a manifestation of negative Neptune energy). On the other hand, they also need to avoid being destructively critical of people in power and of institutions (a manifestation of negative Uranus energy). There is a need with this aspect to integrate ones urge to help the world (Neptune) with one’s need to help oneself (Uranus).

Uranus/Neptune in no major aspect: This can signify a person who isn’t particularly interested in the flow of world events, human social evolution, and the stresses and strains of world history. At best, though, this freedom from these concerns can allow these individuals to pursue their spiritual evolution in their own free way and to make contributions to the world in many different ways, depending on the person. At worst it can signify a tendency to insulate themselves too much from the evolutionary currents of humanity as a whole.

 

Uranus and Bridge Building

Wherever Uranus is in a natal chart is a place where that person has a unique and original approach to life. Of course this may or may not be something that the person has cultivated. It is to be found, though, that the area of life signified by the house which Uranus is in can become an area of isolation, due to the fact that Uranus cares not for what is accepted, time honored, or taken for granted in society, and so especially does not fit in with conservative or traditional notions.

The negative karma of this can be alienation, and the way to prevent this from causing discord in one’s life is to work to build bridges between the Uranus energy and the rest of one’s world, without repressing any of Uranus desire to innovate or create.

For instance, if Uranus is in one’s 6th house natally one has a unique approach to problems and how to solve them, meaning special insights into pathologies, for instance, and unique approaches to healing methodologies that might be used. But one needs to realize as well that others have their approaches and solutions, and so the challenge becomes how can one integrate one’s own creativity in this department into the lives of others in such a way that it will be accepted.

 

Uranus in the 1st House

Uranus in 1st house resists all definitions, labels, and categories. Whatever role it plays it does so in its own unique way, bringing to all standard and accepted roles something new, different and unexpected.

The individual with Uranus in 1st house evokes strong reactions from those people who interact with them. People who are open-minded can very much enjoy how the Uranus in 1st house person encourages them to rethink how they see the world, but people who are conservative and intent on maintaining the status quo can find the Uranus in 1st house person upsetting, unpredictable, and disturbing.

One of the beauties of this Uranus position is the way a person with it can quickly throw off one role and adopt another. If one way of being starts to feel too limiting to them they will find another way. This independence of identity means that in all their relationships they need a lot of room to change, and to interact with people who will appreciate their unpredictability and innovative spirit.

Symbolically Uranus is freedom and the 12th house rules prisons, so Uranus in 12th is a very polarized combination that can yield dynamic results.

It has to do with finding unforeseen and surprising ways out of situations that are limiting and restricting. The 12th house signifying confinement means that Uranus here can see all situations of confinement in new and unique ways, and it is upon the basis of these insights that it generates its original exit strategies. Of course all of this is likely to be carried out intuitively and instinctually, and can arise to the conscious mind suddenly, through the vehicle of inspiration.

Other people may experience the individual with Uranus in 12th house as subtly and/or indefinably upsetting, as being an undermining influence. Of course this undermining may be exactly what is needed, even though in scares people who cling to old and stagnant structures.