Our condolences and love go to the victims of the tidal waves and earthquakes that have devastated the Kashmiri, Central American and Gulf areas. May they and their families find strength and courage.
 Malvin Artley has been a practising astrologer for more than 10 years. He is an
accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers.
Malvin is the author of Bodies of Fire: An Exploration of the Lesser Chakra System. He has authored numerous articles and was a member of the faculty of the University of the Seven Rays, a non-profit organization dedicated to the teaching of the Trans-Himalayan tradition as expressed through the books of Alice Bailey, Helena Blavatsky and others.
His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His
special interests are the human subtle energy system and all
the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all
aspects of Chinese occultism. He has done extensive work with Chinese
astrology and the cycles they use and seeks to synthesize the great
Western and Oriental systems on such matters.
Malvin lives in Adelaide, South Australia. He also works in the engineering trades and sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.
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Libra's Moon [part two] :
Libra Solar Festival
Subtle Meanings of the Full Moon in Aries 2005
Malvin Artley concludes his esoteric examination of the Libran Moon for 2005. He argues that as always, Libra carries the tone of choice, of partnership and of living according to higher Law. It would pay us to be mindful that we have an opportunity here to tap into the higher aspects of conscious soul choice, and in a way that is not normally in evidence at the Libra festival. The call for unity, sharing and commitment to goodwill is very strongly marked for this Libra interval.
Conscious (Soul) choice is especially important in this particular Libra phase, both because of the clearing that has been wrought through the Virgo t-square and because this full moon is an eclipse, which intensifies the effect of any full or new moon. The Libran festival full moon for 2005 takes place at 12:14 PM GMT on the 17th of October. It will not be as intense a full moon as recent ones have, but that in no way lessens its importance in this cycle. Balance, which Libra also represents, is not always an easy process. With that, let us examine the dynamics of this full moon of Libra.
The symbol for the degree of the Sun reads thus:
The sight of an autumn leaf brings to a pilgrim the sudden revelation of the mystery of life and death. – 25 Libra
Even the smallest everyday occurrence has the potential to trigger revelation in one's life. Every experience also has the capacity to bring one a sense of transcendence above the material concerns of life. To the one who moves in timing and in oneness with the rhythm of the Soul every little episode in life is a teaching aid to a further understanding of the grand plan in which we play our little parts. Hidden in this symbol is a recognition of cycles, especially the timing of life and the passage from it into greater freedom and service upon the moment of death. Also contained in it is the realization of one's placement in time and the season of the Soul in which one is living at the moment. These are the possibilities presented to us at this Libra festival, along with the usual suspects of partnerships, choices and living according to a higher Law. We will also come to know more about the reasons behind the dramas of life and death that are brought into our lounge rooms via the media every day. Revelation has the Soul implicit in it, so we should watch and listen very carefully this month for the inner Voice that is the Soul.
The full moon axis makes a t-square (which is very common) with Chiron as the apex point. Chiron as the apex of a t-square brings its share of discomfort, but it is not a major pain like a Saturn or Pluto apex (like in the Virgo moon) would be. The only other aspect Chiron makes in the chart is to Mars, which is a trine. On the whole, Chiron is strengthened by that trine, so the painful side that is usually attributed to Chiron will not be in evidence so much. This is much aided by the fact that the Sun is conjoined with Jupiter, giving a much greater sense of expansion and a magnanimous nature to the mix. This full moon should foster some good and abiding relationships, especially when we consider that Venus is trine to Saturn. This will not be a full-on party/disaster full moon. It should, however bring rewards for those who have given much and who live in an inclusive manner. For those who are honorable, honors will be bestowed through this full moon. There is always a warning with Chiron, especially when there are squares or oppositions to it, not to be careless or flippant with people because the possibility for inadvertent wounding is always magnified with such aspects.
The Sun is sextile Pluto, meaning that powerful alliances can be formed. If there are disasters that are to occur in the Libra period then the cooperative nature of Libra, along with the Sun/Jupiter conjunction, will bring a lot of aid very quickly and should greatly help relations between nations. This is always the silver lining in a disaster. Although people suffer and die, the ones left behind should live in a better world as a result – if not immediately, then further into the future. If ever there was a full moon to show it, this one shows the possibility of uniting in common cause and of seeing the reality of goodwill along nations. It sounds almost idyllic, and I know the realities are far from that, but some very good seeds for future cooperation and good relations can be groomed under the impulse of the 2005 Libra festival. The worst-case scenario is that the Sun/Jupiter conjunction will act as gasoline on the fires that are already burning in international relations and the lower, more extrme elements of Libra would come out. I opt for the brighter future.
The symbol for the Moon supports and also counterpoints what has just be delineated and reads thus:
The possibility for man to gain experience at two levels of being. – 25 Aries
Most all of us lead double lives. We live in the material realms, identified with them for the most part. Yet, the reality of our being is that this plane of existence is illusory and the true nature of our being is something much more potent and all-encompassing than what we know here. We get glimpses of these expanded realities from time to time and we are reminded then of the reasons for our faith and our belief in a higher Power. In this eclipse, the reading for the Sun's symbol stands in front of the Mon's symbol and all but blocks it out. The revelation of life and death stands in the way of the realization that there is no life or death – only passage from one state of consciousness to the next. Both of the solar/lunar degrees speak of some sort of revelation. It is possible for the two to be as one vision. Life as a human being does not have to be “either/or” (i.e., life as material or life as spirit). It really should be both and simultaneously. That is the goal, anyway. But, what has all this to do with current world events and how does it relieve a grieving, striving world? This last question brings us to an aspect that has been dogging us for a while now – the Saturn/Neptune opposition.
The just-mentioned aspect is one that causes deep disgruntlement and questioning with regard to spirituality. It brings up all sorts of doubts, fears, frustrations and disillusionment. Disasters have a way of doing that, too. There are fundamental choices being presented to us at every turn now. On the whole, we are all being called upon to re-evaluate what it means to live spiritually and how to integrate that into our lives. How much time each day do we spend with our higher Self, for instance? How do we make allowances for everything we need to do? How do we live a balanced life in a world that seems so out of balance? At the moment we feel frustrated at every turn when we try to address those questions. Yet, we must address them somehow. Revelation will come, as will balance in the world and in life. There will be an intervening struggle until we stop wrestling with our own minds, though. It is the old conundrum of how we make the tea cup let go of our hand. We rush around searching for higher realities and the mysteries of life, only to realize that the answers lie within us all along. It all sounds like New Age double-speak, but the fact remains that many feel trapped by life and they are searching for a more elegant solution to their problems. The problem lies in that fact that, although a change would be nice, there is so much lethargy that our ambitions for a different life just tend to go to sleep on us. It will be thus until Saturn moves away from the opposition.
The Month of the Sleeping Dog
At this point I want to take an opportunity to interject something that will become a regular feature of these articles, and that is the Chinese perspective on many of these matters. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the Chinese astrology, along with the western chart (and not in distinction to it) gives a much fuller interpretation of events and people than is otherwise possible with either system alone. I will begin the process this month by giving an overview of the month in very general Chinese terms. We should keep in mind that the Chinese month starts at the new moon, so the full moon marks the mid-point of the month, and the highest point of the month as well. I will probably find it necessary to do a short new moon letter now for at least a year so we can get a flavor of their months. With that, let's have a look at the month of the Sleeping Dog.
There is another t-square in the chart, with the Saturn/Neptune opposition having mutual squares to Mercury, which forms the apex of the t-square. This t-square warns of self-deception and of problems with finances and business/commerce. It will be problematic for communications and the spin doctors will be out in force. It would be advisable to check into all facts before jumping into things feet-first, because things are not all that they seem this month and the media is likely to be skewed in certain directions more so than usual. Venus is square to Uranus, meaning the two main rulers of the sign are at odds. In a sense, a choice must be made about how we make our choices for some people this month. This also adds a note of high independence in matters of the heart and quite unusual associations between people.
Venus forms a Grand Trine with Saturn and the North Node. Alliances and friendships fostered under this full moon will be long-lasting and loyalties will be maintained. New people will bring added strength to all associations. Mercury is in trine to Uranus bringing some quite original thinking onto the world scene. Libra is a mental sign and discrimination of the positive sort will find added strength under this full moon period. The Moon is trine to Pluto, indicating a deep devotion to ideals, especially when we consider the symbolism for the solar and lunar degrees. Mars is still quincunx to Pluto and retrograde, but the yod from last month is no longer operative, so tensions will be eased in comparison to the last full moon. Still, the need for change – and especially the force of change – is strongly with us as we move toward the December interlude and the direct motion of Mars.
As much as I love trains there is one small problem with them: You never have any choice about where they go. Still, it is good to feel the motion of the cars under you as it rolls along, the communion with the people on board, the shared journey and excitement about the destination. It is also fun to hear about why people are going on the ride and to listen to their own train stories or simply tales of life in general. For most people in the world train rides are simply a way of getting back and forth to work and it is but another necessity in their day that receives scant notice. It never made any difference to me why I was on a train or the type of train it was. The journey was always the best part of the experience for me. Life is like that, too. Yes, the route is predictable by rail, but the Soul is like that, too. There is usually only one main task to perform in one's life, a task set forward by the Soul at the end of the previous life. And, like the journey by rail, the Soul's journey has but one main destination, too. It is for us to discover what that is, though, and no one can really tell us what that is. One of the great joys in life (and also one of the terrors) is discovering just what that purpose is and then to live it to the fullest, sharing the journey with our fellow travelers. We can get off any time we like, even though we might find ourselves stranded for a time until the next ride comes along. But, the final destination is always the same and there is always someone to share it with. Sharing is a big part of why we are here. I know that a little better now after recent experiences.
I hope your own journey through life is smooth and without major hiccups as your life clatters and rumbles along. Hopefully your choices have been such that you have been on the right track (Oh, I could come up with heaps of really bad associations with “the railway of life” here. I'll spare you, thankfully.). Whatever happens, however, I hope you can live your life “as if” and thus fill it with love, faith, inner certainty. The path becomes clearer then, and much simplified. Take time to enjoy the scenery as life goes by, too. It really is a lovely journey, especially when it is shared.
Happy trails!
Malvin
12 Oct 2005
This is the end of the article
Return to the start of The Libra Solar Festival
 Malvin Artley is an accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers. His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His special interests in those fields are the human subtle energy system and all the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all aspects of Chinese occultism.
He sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. These letters are sent out as a gift and a service. If you wish to be added to or deleted from the mailing list please let me know. If you feel inspired to pass them on please do so, but do so without alteration or charge. They are sent to people of many persuasions, not just astrologers. Blessings. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.
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