by Lynn Hayes. This is written for Eastern time zone - please adjust accordingly for your own part of the world.
The Moon continues its harmonious travels through Aries as it forms a sweet and healing aspect with both Chiron at around 9 am EST and Neptune at around 1 pm, activating in a much more personal way the heart-opening effect of the Chiron/Neptune conjunction.
The process of opening the heart is not always an easy one - in order for the heart to open sometimes the armor with which we shield ourselves must break away and that process can be painful. This is Chiron's role - to help us to shed blockages and open up feelings that have become numb over the years. The Moon today brings this process to a personal level that can help us to feel more free and more alive.
The sextile to Neptune is the last aspect the Moon will make, and it will be Void of Course between 12:51 pm EST and 10:33 pm when it enters Taurus and our need for security and serenity will take precedence.
...according to
this article in the Saudi Gazette (thanks
Elsa):
Belief in astrology and the casting of horoscopes are in clear opposition to the letter and spirit of Islam. It is really the empty soul, which has not tasted real Iman (belief) that seeks out these paths. Essentially these paths, represent a vain attempt to escape Qadr (predistination). The ignorant believe that if they know what is in store for them tomorrow, they can prepare for them today. In that way, they may avoid the bad and ensure the good. Yet, Allah's messenger was told by Allah to say: " I possess no power over benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills."
Now I have no desire to bash someone else's religion, and all scriptures are subject to interpretation. We know that in the 8th and 9th centuries when sacred knowledge was stifled in the West by the Catholic Church, it was the Arabic astrologers who rescued the sacred arts, translating the ancient Greek works into Arabic, and their wisdom,such as the Arabic Parts (including the widely used Part of Fortune), is taught to this very day ..
Astrology is banned by the major religions that seek to put power over individuals into the hands of a priestly class. As we know, astrology has the potential to help us to recognize personality traits and inner conflicts which limit us and keep us from serving the Divinity of our choice in a fully conscious and present way, not to mention living a life of joy and fulfillment.
by Lynn Hayes. This is written for Eastern time zone - please adjust accordingly for your own part of the world.
Planetary weather is quiet in the morning, and then the Moon brings us a delightful series of harmonious transits. The Moon is in Aries, where she is energetic, forceful and independent. Our physical energy is likely to be higher now, especially under these very positive and auspicious planetary interactions. In the early afternoon we will begin to feel the opening and expansion of a sextile of the Moon to Jupiter which culminates at around 3 pm, and then the Moon forms a conjunction to the lovely Venus just before 7 pm.
The Moon conjuncts Venus nearly every month, but NASA reports that this encounter is somewhat unique:
(1) Venus is at maximum brightness: magnitude -4.6. The planet is twenty times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. It is so luminous that it can actually shine through thin clouds and cast subtle shadows on the ground.
(2) As seen from North America, the Moon-Venus separation is only a little more than 1o. Stick up your thumb and hold it out at arm's length. Venus and the Moon will fit comfortably behind the thumb-tip. Tight conjunctions like this are the most beautiful of all.
(3) Not only is the Moon a crescent, but so is Venus. A small telescope pointed at the glittering planet will reveal a slender 20%-illuminated disk.
The article goes on to explain why Venus is brightest when it's in the crescent phase. Because astrology views the planets from our perspective on Earth, I would argue that unlike the Moon, whose effect on humans is stronger when in the Full phase when it is opposite the Sun, Venus has a stronger effect when it is brightest.
Venus and the Moon both represent the Divine Feminine in astrological symbolism: Venus is the goddess of love and beauty; the bringer of artistic talents and a love of comfort and luxury. The Moon is both the divine nurturing force and the inner child, requiring safety, security, and the expression of our deepest feelings. When the Moon and Venus combine, our emotions and our sensibilities merge in a fountain of creativity and love for those around us.
Venus is particularly strong right now because it is slowing down in preparation for its retrograde turn next week. We'll be talking more about that over the next few days!
by Lynn Hayes. This is written for Eastern time zone - please adjust accordingly for your own part of the world.
The Moon and planets are quiet this morning, but the Moon is void of course, meaning it will make no aspects to any other planets, until it moves into Aries at 4:24 pm. Void Moon periods are good for relaxing, taking stock, making plans. They are not as useful for beginning a new project or doing something that requires sharp mental focus.
Mercury is approaching a conjunction to Mars now that will perfect (make the exact conjunction) next Tuesday. Between now and then there is a great deal of mental energy and the potential for verbal flareups as the god of War interacts with the Messenger planet of communication. Both planets are in Aquarius right now - the sign of intellectual brilliance and new ideas - making this an excellent time for planning and developing new strategies.
The heightened aggressive energy that is moving in with the Mercury/Mars combination will begin though when the Moon enters Aries this afternoon and there is a general shift towards a greater need to defend one's boundaries and assert one's authority. This will be exacerbated when the Moon forms a square to Pluto later this evening, culminating at around 10 pm EST. Pluto intensifies everything that it comes into contact with, and with the Aries Moon square to Pluto there is a dramatic intensification of emotional momentum and the need to assert ourselves. On the positive side though, the depth that Pluto offers gives us an opportunity to see deep within ourselves into our inner motivations and processes.
This intensity will lighten up tomorrow as the Aries Moon harmonizes with Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Mars.
by Lynn Hayes. This is written for Eastern time zone - please adjust accordingly for your own part of the world.
The effect of the New Moon may still be around for the next couple of days - not everyone experiences lunar events the same way, and not all of us experience them consistently even in our own lives. They will typically have a stronger effect on us when they aspect a planet or point in our own chart. In any event, there is a fresh new energy today after the Sun and the Moon aligned in the early degrees of Pisces yesterday.
The Sun opposes the nurturing planet Ceres this morning, which is an interesting symbol for the beginning of Lent today (Ash Wednesday). Ceres rules over issues relating to how we nurture and care for ourselves, including our relationship to food, and Lent marks the beginning of a lengthy period of abstinence. The Sun today illuminates areas where we may find it difficult to feed ourselves - whether physically or spiritually.
Mercury is moving into alignment for a harmonious dance with Venus today which will culminate at 8 pm EST. There is a lightness to our thoughts and conversations, and our relationships with others will be easier than usual. We may find ourselves wanting to engage in creative mental pursuits rather than anything overly intellectual, and our sense of romance is likely to be heightened.
At the same time though, the Moon will set off the opposition between Saturn and Uranus which will create some internal dissonance that could leak out into our external world. This influence will begin late in the afternoon and peak late at night and into the early morning. Watch your dreams!
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