It's great to see you here on our Astro Blog at Astrology on the Web. The first thing you'll need to do: add us to your favorites right now before you forget. There's no way you'll absorb everything we have to offer in just one visit... There's new material each and every week!
Scorpio Solar Festival. The Full Moon for Scorpio (the full moon at Taurus 10º30') occurs on the 2nd of November 2009 at 19:16 UT and 2:16 PM EST in the US. This is 6:16 AM AEST, (Sydney time) on Nov.3. Malvin says that Scorpios cop a bad rap in astrological circles and they are constantly looked at askance for their brooding nature and supposed 'antics', to use a polite term. In fact, most of the Scorpios I know are down-to-earth and fun-loving, but there is the sting in the tail if you cross them. Check out the Scorpio Solar Festival.
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Libra Solar Festival. Malvin Artley, our regular esoteric commentator examines the subtle meaning of the Full Moons in Aries and Taurus for 2009 in a new, if somewhat delayed pair of articles. Due to commitments and other factors he was unable to write the Libra article before the event this year, and because he was on retreat for the better part of October, he was late sending the Scorpio article, so we have received both letters together. These are Libra's Full Moon and Scorpio's Full Moon, as the Moon is full in the sign opposing the Sun. The full moon of Libra (the full moon at Aries 11º10') occurs on the 4th of October 2009 at 06:11 UT and 1:11 AM EST in the US. This is 5:11 PM AEST, (Sydney time). The full moon of Scorpio (the full moon at Taurus 10º30') occurs on the 2nd of November 2009 at 19:16 UT and 2:16 PM EST in the US. This is 6:16 AM AEST, (Sydney time) on Nov.3. It's pretty profound stuff. We have set the Libra article first, so check out the Libra Solar Festival, and now the Scorpio Festival is also on line.
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The Warrior Turns...! On December 20th, 2009, Mars, the mighty Warrior, reaches his retrograde station at 19°42' Leo, in preparation for a period of retrograde motion in Leo that will last until March 10th, 2010. The first beginnings of the effect take place from October 17, as Mars begins to slow, so prepare for issues to cloud in the Mars Shadow, especially if you have strong Fixed Sign placements in your chart. The Fixed Signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Scorpio is likely to be particularly hard hit, as Mars is the traditional planetary ruler of Scorpio. Mars fires your emotions and energizes your passions, but also powers your mental endeavours and communicative skills. Mars describes male relationships and associations, risk-taking inclinations, and the physical challenges you are likely to encounter. Mars endows powerful energy and an indomitable will to succeed, but can mean accidents, injuries, anger, rage, warfare or other forms of violence! Check out Mars Retrograde.
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Happy Halloween! Our light-hearted modern festivity on Oct. 31 of ghosts and ghoulies, frights and feast, trick or treat, has much more serious (and scary!) origins in the ancient Celtic Feast of the Dead. This festival has survived, due to its connection with the archetypal energies that it evokes and due to its more recent connection with the Christian festival of All Souls, which the Church has instituted as a substitute for this pagan celebration. Given that Mars is slowing towards a rare retro phase and Saturn is changing sign to Libra, more gremlins than usual might be on the warpath! Check out Halloween.
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Moon Wobble's Last Blast. Did you hear about the massive asteroid explosion over the coastal town of Bone, in Sulawesi, Indonesia? No, I thought not. It occurred on Oct 8 with the force of 2–3 times the Hiroshima atom bomb – just as the moonwobble began its dance. Imagine the media fandango if this happened over New York, London, or Paris! Or even populated places closer like Jakarta, KL, or Bangkok. Hmmm. The failure of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge on Oct 30 scared commuters as 5000 pounds of iron fell on the traffic, and a mag. 6.8 quake hit Amami Oshima off the Japanese south coast. Well in the meantime, we have restored our PHP forecast pages at last, but now we find that our PHP contact forms have failed. So if you have been trying to contact us, or subscribe, please forgive the lack of response. We hope to have them back on air this weekend. In the meantime, look up the news on Moon Wobble.
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Neptune Turns Direct. On November 4, 2009, Neptune in Aquarius turns stationary direct after months of retrograde motion through the zodiac. This releases some cosmic pressure, though Neptune remains effectively stationary till the end of the month, conjunct the fortunate fixed star, Sadalsuud. Much of the confusion, delusion and deception that has dogged the world in recent months will begin to be clarified. The principle of Neptune is the dissolution of boundaries, as such it represents any energy or any person or any state of mind which does this. High Neptunian states of mind include: receptivity, inspiration, spirituality. People operating at this level will display: sympathetic understanding, charity, and self-sacrifice. The lowest include: impressionability, delusion, illusion. People operating at this level will display: confusion, deception, and paranoia. Neptunian events are usually chaotic in nature and often bring misery, grief, and bereavement in their wake. This mighty force usually operates beneath the surface, but can be brought into the forefront of consciousness when affected by significant transits from the visible planets – as it has been recently in the oil crisis and the floods, hurricanes and storms that have so grievously affected certain parts of the world. More from a previously published article by Ian Thurnwald on Neptune in Aquarius.
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Saturn Enters Libra. Saturn is one of the most powerful astrological forces in our solar system. The stern Lord of Karma sets the tone of our lives over extended periods of time, as he takes two and a half years to transit one sign of the zodiac. The last 2½ years have seen Saturn ploughing through Virgo, bringing the joys of the great financial crisis and a general sense of restriction. Those born in the periods when Saturn occupied Virgo (1919–1921; 1948–1951; 1977-1980) have been experiencing the Saturn Return, a difficult and often awkward phase, when issues from the past have demanded resolution. On October 29, 2009, this massive force changes signs to Libra, the sign of his exaltation, where he will remain until April 7, 2010, when he slips back in retro mode to revisit Virgo till July 21. Then (leaving Virgo at last for 29 years!) he shifts back to Libra, remaining on the Scales until October 2012. This will awaken a great change in the world; one which hopefully will see big improvements in the year ahead, especially once Jupiter enters Pisces in January 2010. Saturn will therefore be concentrating the attention of those with Saturn, Sun or Moon in Libra (and in the other Cardinal Signs: Aries, Cancer and Capricorn) in a quite substantial way over the months ahead! Saturn previously occupied Libra in the years Oct.1921–Sep.1924; Aug.1951–Oct.1953; and Sep.1980–Nov.1982, so folks born in those periods are now entering their own Saturn Returns. My commiserations. We will be presenting an in-depth analysis of the trends in the near future, but the general malaise has prevented prompt action on that front as yet. In the meantime, check out Saturn.
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Is Safe Sex Really Safe?? Sex is good for you – it's official – medical science says so, everyone wants it and billions of dollars are made through talking
about it and selling it in one form or another. However, in the world of bioenergy – where we look at what's happening to your energy and how it affects your life – things aren't quite so simple. Stephen Kane, our very own Energy Doc, takes a challenging look at the nature of sexual interaction, "foreign energies" and the concept of empowering relationships. Ask yourself, Is Safe Sex Really Safe??
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Love Sign Compatibility Fixed! Well, at long last I have managed to repair the coding on our AstroMatch Compatibility sector and it seems to be working. Ugh. Very geeky. I should point out that this is our very own, all original compatibility system, nothing to do with a company called AstroMatch. The name is a coincidence. Check out your Love Sign Compatibility on our AstroMatch Compatibility Test!
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Moon Wobble Hits Hard. The latest update on the world of Astrology on the Web sees our PHP based forecast pages up and running again, but we still can't restore the AstroMatch Compatibility sector. Hopefully it will be working in the morning. It's a rough patch for the world at large too, with many evils being visited upon the disaster-prone areas, thanks (in part) to the Moon Wobble. I notice that the insurance companies and governments are spending millions trying to predict such things as tsunamis, earthquakes and floods, etc etc. They would be wise to take the Moon Wobble into consideration. Send a few million my way and I'll be happy to help! Look up the news on Moon Wobble.
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Sex, Death and Rebirth. If you want to learn about immortality, seek out a Scorpio. If you are interested in immorality, a Scorpio may be willing to help you out, too! As the blazing Sun enters Scorpio at the end of October 2009, Sue Hopper, a Pisces, has written a wonderful article on the subject of Sex, Death and Rebirth — the essence of the Scorpion heart — which we first published some time ago on this site. Isn't it just the thing to publish again here on Astrology on the Web, since we are soon to enter a fabulous year in 2010 for Scorpio and for Pisces. Now, read on... Sex, Death and Rebirth.
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Depth and Intensity! Seductive Scorpio, the sign of intensity, sexuality and deep transformation, is the eighth sign of the tropical zodiac. As we celebrate the ingress into Scorpio, we are focused on exploring the deep and fascinating world of astrology and relationships. Scorpio, the scorpion, our featured Sign of the month has a magnetic personality, with a sense of personal power which can be both exciting and overwhelming (for gentler souls!). Scorpio people are intensely interested in discovering the deep truths about relationships, spiritual matters and themselves. They love to get to the bottom of things and make great detectives. There's no casual fooling around on the surface with a Scorpio! They want to get to the heart of the matter and soon become impatient with superficiality. Read about Scorpio and all the other signs right here on our website: click here.
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All Hallows' Eve. Samhain. All Hallows. All Hallows’ Eve. Hallow E’en. Halloween. The most magical night of the year. Exactly opposite Beltane
on the wheel of the year, Halloween is Beltane’s dark twin. A
night of glowing jack-o’-lanterns, bobbing for apples, tricks or
treats, and dressing in costume. A night of ghost stories and
séances, tarot card readings and scrying with mirrors. A night
of power, when the veil that separates our world from the
Otherworld is at its thinnest. Mike Nicholls explains that All Hallows' Eve is the eve of All Hallows’ Day (November 1). And for once, even popular tradition remembers that the eve is more important than the day itself, the traditional celebration focusing on October 31, beginning at sundown. More on All Hallows' Eve.
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Moon Wobble Causes Server Dropout...? Many of you will have noticed that all our PHP pages (the ones that hold our daily, weekly and monthly forecasts!) are unavailable. This on top of our Daily FengShui Tip dropping out. Well, DreamHost our ISP fixed the CGI fault that was affecting the Daily Tip, but now we have no PHP! Ugh. Now could that be because the Moonwobble is at its peak? It's not really a natural disaster, but it's bad enough for us! Check out Moon Wobble.
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Jupiter Turns Direct. The cycles of astrology are reflected in our daily lives, as well as informing the patterns of human creativity, whether artistic or musical, social, political or financial. Mighty Jupiter turns retrograde once a year, and on October 13, 2009 he returns to direct motion still in the conjunction with Neptune and Chiron that has dogged us all for months. Jupiter is the planetary Lord of Pisces and Sagittarius, but this massive planet affects us all on his stately journey through the zodiac. When Jupiter turns, it's time to refocus our priorities! Check out Jupiter Turns Direct.
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Why so many Natural Disasters...? The news has been splattered with horrific images this week from the massive earthquakes in Samoa and Sumatra, not to mention other regions of the so-called "Ring of Fire". Scientists say that an undersea volcano is erupting, but we can say that we are now undergoing a powerful Moon Wobble phase, triggering such cataclysmic events. I have now updated the article for 2009, listing disasters associated with the Moon Wobble over the past two years. Be warned! There are more to come this month, as the peak approaches on Oct 18, then at the end of the month as Saturn enters Libra. [Note that now (Oct 5) a massive monsoon flood has occurred in India, one of many upcoming catastrophes foreshadowed by the Moon Wobble.] Check out The Moon Wobble.
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Diwali, Indian Festival of Lights The best-known of the Hindu festivals, Diwali is celebrated throughout India at the New Moon on the fifteenth day of the auspicious month Kartika (october/november), as well as in Indian communities throughout the world. Diwali, from the sanskrit: deepãvali meaning "a garland of lamps", is an accurate description for this remarkable Indian festival of lights. The celebration of Diwali, a moveable feast, occurs this year on October 17, 2009 in the Western, Gregorian Calendar. Read more on Diwali.
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What Is Body Language? Elena Solomon, a keen student of human nature and the way people interact, is the author of popular relationship book 12 Simple Rules. These days everybody talks about body language – performance experts, life coaches, gossip columnists and dating gurus. But do you know what body language really is? Elena outlines the four most important things you need to know about body language. Check out What Is Body Language?
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Mercury Turns Direct!. Mercury has been retrograde since Sep 7, but he stations at 21° 38' Virgo on Sep. 29, before moving forward and then scurrying back into Libra on Oct. 10th. The station is a good time to make decisions and plans for the future, but we do need to bear in mind that even though Merc is turning direct again, the "Mercury Shadow" period remains active until Oct 18. Experience shows that the effects of the retro period are still marked during the shadow phase. Some of the most characteristic annoyances often occur just after Mercury makes the direct station, while he is crawling forward before picking up speed. Check out Mercury Retrograde.
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Navratna, the Nine Gems. At the moment the world is undergoing a very auspicious period, according to Sri Dattatreya Siva Baba and our friends at AstroVed. This is because a vast amount of positive cosmic energy is being poured into the world from the goddesses due to the phase known in India as Navratri, the Nine Nights (this year between Sep 19 & Sep 27), as outlined on our sister site, Truthstar.com. Since this is a good period related to Nines, I thought that you might like to read about the Nine Gems, which are most potent for astrological remedies! We, as human beings, receive vital rays – subtle cosmic radiation from planets that influence our attitudes, behaviour, and environment. This planetary radiation has a definite impact on our ever-changing psychological dispositions. Stones and gems, coming into direct contact with the skin, exercise an electromagnetic influence over our cells. This article by our own Vedic astrologer, Uma Shankar Shukla, explores the ways in which our lives can be affected by the subtle power of stones. Check out Navratna, the Nine Gems.
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Astrology, the Sacred Art. The priest, the soldier and the prostitute are thought to be the members of the three oldest professions in the world. However popular this myth may be, it is incorrect. There is a fourth 'oldest' profession, one that may in fact be older than the ancient institutions of church, army and brothel. This fourth profession is that of the astrologer! Astrology is a sacred art – and it is a sacred science. In this challenging article, Neil Giles argues that its disciplined study reveals the right path by revealing the turnings of the wheel of life. To act as the Heavens reveal is to take right action, acknowledging the sacred in each moment. Check out Astrology, the Sacred Art.
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Artistry and Charm! Delightful Libra, the sign of harmony, balance, justice and human relationships is the seventh sign of the tropical zodiac. Mercury turned retro in Libra on Sep 8, but has since moved back to Virgo and won't return there till Oct 10. Meanwhile we celebrate the Equinox, marking the ingress of the Sun into Libra, the cardinal Air sign. The key to Libra lies in finding the middle path, the harmonious balancing of the extremes. Our featured Sign of the month is a sign of social charm, artistic appreciation and fashion sense, but one whose innate sense of fairness and balance often leads to a frustratingly long time to make those crucial decisions! The focal point of elegance and chic in the zodiac, Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of love and sensual delight. Librans seek relationship with an avid fascination. Libra lives for love — and style! So much in love with love, Librans sometimes fail to notice how many admirers they are holding on a string... Charming Libra loves exploring every facet of relationship, being always on display and always on the lookout for Mr/Ms Right (even if already involved, love-loving Libra is ready to jump ship should something a little brighter appear on the horizon). Read about Libra and all the other signs, right here on our website: click here.
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Mercury Retrogrades Back to Virgo. Mercury has been doing the backstairs tango in Libra since Sep 7, but now he has stumbled back into Virgo, the sign of his exaltation. Intellectual distractions and mixups over important details under the New Moon are in the wind. This lunation is by and large fortunate, but is notably conjunct Benetnash, ominously named Alkaid in Arabic, which is associated with death and mourning, war and natural catastrophes. Orators will express their ideas fluently, which should inspire bold plans for the future, but we should remain skeptical, as the great strength of Virgo is analysis and discrimination. We must all adopt a sense of personal responsibility that can (and will) move us into new life, new possibilities, new realities. Look for alternatives that are practical and to the point. Mercury turns direct again at 21° 38' Virgo on Sep. 29, returning to Libra on Oct. 10th. Check out Mercury Retrograde.
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How Does Astrology Work? In this newly updated part of our What Is Astrology series, Rob Tillett writes that our bodies react to the world in ways which are still barely understood. He says we constantly interact with our environment on many levels, from the sub-atomic to the metaphysical. These physical, mental, emotional, even spiritual, levels of interaction vary in depth and intensity according to our character and training. Our world is really much more like a marvellous mind than a mere machine! Check out How Does Astrology Work?.
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Glossary Updates. It's Virgo time, so I have been spending time updating and improving our Astrology Glossary lately. This is a sort of a cross between a dictionary and an encyclopædia, one which concentrates on the weird and wonderful terminology of astrology and other arcane fields, such as alchemy and the occult. It sets out to explain the meanings of these words, in a useful, simple way – though some entries can be relatively lengthy if I have not yet had time to write a full article on the subject. My fixation on the glossary is no doubt a consequence of my progressed Sun having moved into detail-oriented Virgo and forming the conjunction with my natal Saturn at more or less the same time as I have been experiencing the joys of my Saturn Return, which is nearly over, thank heavens! Virgo is known for concentrating on the nitty gritty details, sometimes at the expense of the Bigger Picture (a famous interest of Leo, the previous sign), but I hope this is a valuable addition to our site. Check out our Glossary of Astrological Terms.
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Michaelmas, the Christian Equinox Festival. September's Equinox in much of Europe marks the traditional end of the harvest, when sickles and scythes slash and snip in the reaping of the grain. Astrologically, the Equinox marks the beginning of the sign Libra – the exaltation of Saturn, the grim reaper! On September 29th, Michaelmas (pron: "Mickle-mus") is the Christian Harvest Feast marking the Equinox, held in honour of St Michael the Archangel, one of the principal angels in the Christian heavenly host. Check out Michaelmas.
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The Equinox. Well, we are into September now, which is the month of the Equinox, the balancing point of the year, marked by the entry of the Sun into Libra on September 22 at 21:20 UT, marked in the Christian Calendar by Michaelmas, the Feast of St Michael the Archangel, on September 29 (the Equinox is a phase not a moment). Those of us in northern climes are about to celebrate the harvest in one way or another as examined by Mike Nichols in Harvest Home (the pagan fest on Sep. 25) – even though the agricultural mythos is little more than a folk-memory for those who dwell in the switched-on mega-cities of the 21C. Those of us in the southern hemisphere are throwing out the woollies and preparing for the influx of spring! How's that for a mixture of metaphors...? Click for more on the The Equinox.
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Harvest Home. September 25 is known as Harvest Home, a celebration of the Autumn Equinox [in the Northern Hemisphere – ed.]. Mike Nichols explains that this day, one of the four traditional "quarter days", is marked in the Christian Faith by the Feast of Michaelmas on September 29. It is the second of the three harvest festivals of the Pagan year: the first, Lammas on August 1 and the last, Samhain on October 31. Despite the bad publicity generated by Thomas Tryon’s novel, Harvest Home is the pleasantest of holidays. Admittedly, it does involve the concept of sacrifice, but one that is symbolic only. The sacrifice is that of the spirit of vegetation, John Barleycorn. Occurring one quarter of the year after Midsummer, Harvest Home represents mid-autumn, autumn’s height. It is also the autumnal equinox, one of the quarter days of the year, a Lesser Sabbat and a Low Holiday in modern Witchcraft. Click for more on Harvest Home.
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Virgo Solar Festival. Virgo is the sign that describes the process of what would best be called 'spiritual gestation', for it is through this sign that we receive the spiritual 'tools of the trade' as it were, and begin the long process of training and work (for which Virgo is renowned) which leads us ultimately to the door of liberation from this world, or the cycle of life and death. 'Liberation' is but another term for 'birth' into a higher state of being, even though that state of being has been with us since the very dawn of our days so many eons of time ago. The Virgo Solar Festival marks the Full Moon in Pisces on September 4th (or Sep 5 in Australia). Malvin Artley explains the hidden meanings implicit in this fabulous Full Moon, so click for more on the Virgo Solar Festival.
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The Healing Power! Healing Virgo, the sign of analysis, criticism, purity and fine discrimination, is the sixth sign of the tropical zodiac. As we celebrate the ingress into Virgo, we are focused on exploring the deep and fascinating world of astrology and relationships. Virgo, the Virgin, our featured Sign of the month, is loaded with taste and discrimination – and is not frightened to tell you about it, either! A cautious lover, Virgo's need for stability and refined enjoyment means that admirers should step carefully. Virgo, ruled by communicative Mercury, more than anything loves to chat and talk about it. However, once your favourite Virgo (male or female) has opened up to love, he or she is capable of great heights and depths. Just be sure to keep the environment tidy and the bathroom clean! May Virgo bring sexual healing to us all! Read about Virgo and all the other signs right here on our website: click here.
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The Antiscion. The Antiscion (pl. Antiscia; Antiscions) of any given planet is a point equal in distance on the opposite side of the equator to the planet's position, effectively the "shadow" of a planet. Once held to be a powerful fortitude equivalent to sextile or trine, this is rarely considered by modern astrologers, perhaps because it is a geometrical abstraction, rather than a real rock. However, the current interest in ancient and mediæval astrology has inclined some of us to take another look at what had been previously dismissed as obsolete techniques. I have drawn up a Table for calculating Antiscions, based on the work of noted astrological authority, William Lilly. This is mainly of antiquarian and technical interest, so brave astrologers, read on, and decide about The Antiscion and its counterpart, the Contra-Antiscion.
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Mercury Retrograde. It's time for a turnaround, I'm sure you'll agree. The cosmos does too, because this year there are four Merc Retro phases in place of the usual three! We are now heading for one and at 04:46 UT (Universal Time), on Monday, September 7th, 2009, Mercury the cosmic trickster turns retrograde at 6°13' Libra, in the sign of the Scales, sending communications, travel, appointments, mail and the www into a general snarlup! The retro period begins some days before the actual turning point (as Mercury slows) and lasts for three weeks or so, until Sep. 29, when the Winged Messenger reaches his direct station (in Virgo). At this time he halts and begins his return to direct motion through the zodiac. Everything finally straightens out on June 14, as he passes the point where he first turned retrograde. Mercury retrograde gives rise to personal misunderstandings; flawed, disrupted, or delayed communications, negotiations and trade; glitches and breakdowns with phones, computers, cars, buses, and trains. This period brings travel snafus and missed appointments of all kinds. Documents can go astray. Be sure to carry a diary and refer to it often. Check out Mercury Retrograde.
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Cancer/Leo Solar Festivals. Malvin Artley, our regular esoteric commentator examines the subtle meaning of the rare set of three eclipses surrounding the Full Moon in Capricorn for 2009. This is Cancer's Full Moon, as the Moon is full in the sign opposing the Sun. The full moon of Cancer (the full moon at Capricorn 15º24'), a lunar eclipse, occurred on the 7th of July at 09:39 UT. This was followed by a solar eclipse from the new moon in Cancer 29°27' on July 22nd at 02:36 UT, then the full moon in Aquarius 13°43, Leo's Solar Festival on August 6th, with a lunar eclipse at 00:40 hrs UT. Phew! Eclipse points generally stay active for several years, thus they can be activated many times. An 'activation' results in the precipitation of an event. Eclipses bring about change and life-changing events, often in a way that ordinary planetary transits or progressions will not. Eclipses often indicate major turning points in one's life. Read more on the Cancer/Leo Solar Festivals.
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The Tale of Two Testimonies. Astrology deals with the forces governing the conditioned, material world. Spirituality seeks to express the world of the Divine energies that underlie our being. Vedanta is the Indian school of thought that holds that only the spiritual essence (brahman) is truly real and all else is an illusion (maya). Ram Ramakrishnan outlines his thoughts on the measurability of the spiritual qualities and the idea that both spirituality and materialism logically lead to liberation. In the light of the Vedantic school of Indian thought, it seems inevitable. Can this be so? Read on, and decide in The Tale of Two Testimonies.
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Astrology on the Web. We have been undergoing something of a grim time here in recent months, due no doubt to the fact that most of us are suffering the depredations of sad old Saturn. I have to apologise for the slowness of response that we seem to have been exhibiting, but the Saturn Return is heavy, especially when as in my case, the planet of sorrows returned to direct motion recently in a partile square aspect to my Mercury in Gemini. Saturn governs karma, sorrows, old age, hard-to-shake and chronic debilitating illnesses, restrictions, poverty and the like. Mercury rules among other things communication, the lungs, commerce, and hermetic mysteries including astrology. All of these have suffered. It has been difficult for anyone in the generations born in the periods when Saturn occupied Virgo (1919–1921; 1948–1951; 1977-1980) who are now experiencing this difficult and often awkward phase. I have been ill, Neil has been ill, Lili has been ill, the Firecat has been ill, etc etc. And we are all, um, broke. Virgo in general has been hit pretty badly (the so-called Gen X has Pluto in Virgo), so if you have Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Virgo or Pisces, Gemini, or Sagittarius, my sympathies! The Great Financial Collapse has hit us too (it first started when Saturn entered Virgo). Some of you will have noticed that I am now doing the dailies, as I have been for some months now, because Maria is no longer writing them for us. At some stage we hope to have her back! Also, if you have been waiting longer than expected for your reading, I will set about getting up to date ASAP. The movement of Saturn into Libra later this year (October 29) will release some of this stress, but no doubt will bring others, as it awakens the Cardinal Cross, which lies at the basis of astrology and indeed of almost all religions. More of this in a forthcoming article (if I survive...!).
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Lunar Eclipse Number 2 (in Aquarius). Normally, eclipses come in pairs, a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse. Rarely however, there are three eclipses in a row, and this year we experience that phenomenon. The third eclipse, on August 6 (00:40 hrs UT; 10:40 AM Sydney time) – August 5, (7:40 PM, Washington time) – at 13°43' of Aquarius, is also penumbral, and again, according to Fred Espenak, will be invisible. It deserves attention because the eclipse Sun is in the same degree as the Sun in President Obama's precessed Solar Return! This may see his emotions and desire for public approval overwhelm his innate spiritual sense and focused individuality, which has brought him to his current exalted position. Read more on the the Lunar Eclipse.
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Leo the Lion On July 22 the shining Sun strides into Leo, the sign of courage, determined pride and a sunny disposition. As we celebrate the ingress into Leo, the fixed fire sign, we are focused on exploring the deep and fascinating world of astrology and relationships. Leo, the Lion, our featured Sign of the month has enough personal charm and physical magnetism to make Lions and Lionesses the centre of everyone's attention – which of course is very much to their liking! As the Sun enters this noble sign, brilliant, even revolutionary ideas abound in preparation for the upcoming Solar Eclipse in, guess what? Leo! As an ardent lover, Leo's enthusiasm and passion must be returned in equal measure, for the big cat may become bored and dissatisfied with a less-than-ardent partner. A weak partner invites Leo to completely dominate the scene, a situation which is less than ideal for both parties. Lions need to keep their egos under control, even when surrounded by admirers and sycophants. Read about Leo and all the other signs right here on our website: click here.
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Lammas Night. As the rule of the Lion approaches, we traditionalists, witches, peasant folk, nostalgic tragics, astrologers and general antiquarians must prepare ourselves for the celebration of Lammas on August 1, known in Ireland as Lughnasadh. It is one of the four traditional cross-quarter days, this time celebrating the first wheat harvest (Lammas = "Loaf-Mass") and signalling the end of summer in the Northern Climes. Mike Nichols, an authority on all things pagan, explains that its true astrological point is fifteen degrees of Leo (the avatar point), but that tradition has set August 1 as the day Lammas is typically celebrated. These cross-quarter days, or High Holidays, were communally celebrated during the "Age of Faith", having been reassigned by the Church from already established, astrologically-based pagan festivities. More on Lammas.
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Important Solar Eclipse in Cancer. The second solar eclipse of 2009 is a total eclipse of the Sun, at the New Moon in Cancer on July 22nd. This eclipse will be visible over a wide pathway that allows millions of people in Asia and the Pacific to see it. It will therefore be of considerable significance, as the more visible the eclipse, the more powerful its effects on us earthlings. Over the years, experience has shown us that old things come to an end (or are overthrown!) under a solar eclipse and a new beginning can be made. This very significant eclipse is unusual in that it is flanked by two lunar eclipses and also marks the movement of the Moon's North Node into Capricorn (and South Node into Cancer). Check out the Solar Eclipse.
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Moon's Nodes Change Sign. The Moon's Nodes are a powerful karmic force in the zodiac, which change sign every 18 months or so, marking profound changes on the world. This current change of sign moves the Dragon's Head into Capricorn, the sign of the Sea-Goat, marking a new set of drives for the world, as dark Pluto, Lord of Transformation, is retrograde but settling into Capricorn too, for the first time since 1788. As the Fiery Dragon swoops from his Aery heights to settle on solid Earth, we are due for a rapid realisation of karmic debts that have accumulated and must be repaid before this cycle ends. Read more on the effects of the Moon's Nodes changing Sign.
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Lunar Eclipse at Guru Purnima. The eclipse of the Moon has traditionally been viewed as a bad omen, for it can awaken irrational responses. However, the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on July 6th/7th, 2009 occurs at 15°24' Capricorn in conjunction with the Behenian Fixed Star Vega, a star of luck in politics, generosity and artistic talent, while the Sun is on the fortunate stars Canopus, known for changing evil to good, and Sirius, the bright star of ambition, pride and impetuosity. Overall the outlook under this eclipse is favourable, but not much more significant than a regular Full Moon would be, except for the fact that this Full Moon marks the very fortunate festive day of Guru Purnima, when powerful Goddess energies sweep our planet to revolutionise our money karma! Check out the Lunar Eclipse.
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Hard on the Outside?The Solstice is upon us again, bringing us under the reign of creative, nurturing Cancer, the sign of deep emotions, family feeling and a moody, moon-ruled mind. Cancer is the fourth sign of the tropical zodiac. As we celebrate the ingress into Cancer, the cardinal water sign, we are focused on exploring the deep and fascinating world of astrology and relationships. Cancer, the Crab, our featured Sign of the month has a sensual, caring and nurturesome approach to life. Cancerian people love to travel, but they are always deeply attached to home and family. Cancerians are very emotional, but they can seem to have a hard shell, which protects the tender inner world into which they can retire without any warning. Cancerians are moody, for they respond most readily to the phases of the Moon. They are adventurous and passionate lovers, but they have a strong sense of ownership, so flirts beware! Their inclination is to gather their friends and family about them and surround them with a thick protective castle wall, for the Cancerian is naturally acquisitive and loves to build up wealth and security. Read about Cancer and all the other signs right here on our website: click here.
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Astrology and Astronomy in Iran and Ancient Mesopotamia. Iran (formerly known as Persia) has been in the news lately. But did you know that there has been a continual stream of development in astrology and astronomy there since prehistoric times? In fact, since the birth of civilisation! In a burst of scholarship to mark the solstice, social anthropologist Massoume Price examines the origins of astrology in the ancient culture of Mesopotamia and Iran, which form an almost uninterrupted continuum up to the present day. She explains that astrology originated in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China – and is still popular today. Check out her excellent article on Astrology and Astronomy in Iran and Ancient Mesopotamia.
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