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.

Capricorn's Moon [part two]:
Capricorn Solar Festival
Subtle Meanings of the Full Moon in Cancer 2006

Malvin concludes his stufy of the Full Moon in Cancer for 2006. This is Capricorn's Full Moon, as the Moon is Full in the sign opposing the Sun. He examines the aspects and the esoteric truths revealed.

A Sign of Choice

There are two signs where choice is of paramount importance. Most people recognize Libra as one of those signs, but perhaps not many would see Capricorn as a sign wherein choice must be made. Both of those signs have Saturn as one of their rulers. We will not deal with Libra here, except to say that the choices and readjustments made in Libra lead one to the Mount of Initiation in Capricorn in future cycles. Capricorn itself has been called 'The Sign of Periodic Arresting'. It is called thus because once a goal has been achieved, no further movement is possible. It could be likened to the discipline of an athlete who attains the peak of their performance levels and can push the body no further. How can one ascend higher than the highest mountain peak? With Saturn by itself and the focus of the chart, this will be a year wherein we will need to take time out and 'arrest' ourselves, so that we might see the steps ahead with more clarity and give our systems a much-needed pause and a recharge. Capricorn is the sign most known for Initiation-the pinnacle of human attainment for a given cycle of the Soul. The way of Initiation is arduous, though, and periodic rest and repose is needed. We will talk much more about this aspect of Capricorn in the Chinese New Year letter.

It is said that Capricorn shows us all the best and all the worst of humanity. It is a sign of extremes, like Libra in its early development, so it shows what is possible at either end of the scale of human endeavor, material or spiritual. This is another reason why Capricorn is a sign of periodic arresting, because extremes are never desirable in the life of the Soul. The nature of karma, which the ruler of the sign (Saturn) represents, is one of constant adjustment and choice, often through restriction, so that the plan of the Soul for one's life works out the way it is intended. Life is a constant replay of cycles of effort, arresting and decision, then leading to renewed efforts. It is for this reason that New Year's resolutions always fall within the domain of Capricorn. Each year we find ourselves making a renewed effort along some line, whether we are conscious of doing so or not. It is for this reason, too, that the Masters throughout the world enter into deep contemplation during the Capricorn interval, so that the energies of the world can be adjusted to fit more in line with the purposes set forth by the Lord of our World during the three major spiritual festivals of Aries, Taurus and Gemini.

Chinese Year of the Sleeping Dog (Fire Dog)

As we look inward, if we have not already, what do we need to do to adjust our lives so that we will live a more loving and soulful life in 2006? To begin with, we do need to take a respite if the past year has been difficult, if such an action is possible in our busy lives. 2006 will be a year of inner work and retreat in many ways. It is the Chinese Year of the Sleeping Dog (Fire Dog), and this describes the subjective state of the year. However, inner repose and poise is not a passive state to the one who knows how to make best use of energy. The Chinese also have an old, yet familiar, aphorism: In doing nothing, everything gets done. It is simply another way of stating the occultly obvious-in inner silence and focus all things are energized, given potency and assured of success. As always, the subjective rules the objective. In that simple statement we have the key for the work of all people of goodwill in the world for 2006, for there will be quite a lot happening externally about which we can do nothing. Yet, in the silence of the Soul's rhythm and energy we can direct outcomes in a way that no amount of outer rushing about will ever accomplish. In the midst of outer chaos, go inward, reflect and see your course true. With that, let us have a look at the astrological dynamics for this solar festival of Capricorn.

A More Pleasant Moon

This full moon will be a more pleasant one for most than many in recent memory, except in the political sphere, where it is likely to wreak havoc. It will be a great time for all creative pursuits, but not so great for affairs of the heart. In it, we find the following aspects in evidence. The Sun is conjoined with Venus. This will serve to bring people together and to foster many unions between groups, individuals and goodwill for people in general. Venus is the magnet of the heart in Western astrology, and it shows us the relations between people and to our own higher Self. It is also the highest ruler of Capricorn, so the conjunction with the Sun is highly significant in this figure, as it points to a greater 'serve' of Capricornian purpose than usual. The Sun/Venus conjunction is semisquare to Uranus, indicating that many of the unions formed will be unusual in some way, or may be fraught with minor tensions due to the need for one or both parties to be more independent than usual. This is not perhaps the best of combinations for affairs of the heart to flourish. If they do start, then they are likely to start suddenly and are just as likely to end as suddenly as they start. It is an aloof combination, but that makes it useful for more business-like or political partnerships. The need here is for people to be able to give each other breathing room, but to be able to express what has brought them together at the same time.

Uranus is at the apex of a standard yod, with a Saturn/South Node sextile at the base. This yod points to sudden and often unexpected ends of situations and partings that would otherwise go according to plan and even be fated. It also points to people from the past entering into situations in unusual or disruptive ways. This is given further credence by the fact that Uranus is sesquisquare the Moon in this figure (emotional shocks and emotional independence). It also signals the emergence of unusual or strongly independent women.

The symbol for the degree of the Sun rules the figure, since it is a solar festival, and it reads:

A store filled with precious Oriental rugs. — 25 Capricorn

This produces an emphasis upon the aesthetic side of material pursuits, the pursuit of quality over quantity, the need to look past monetary concerns in the obtaining of whatever is needed for the fulfillment of commitments brought about through the impulse of this full moon, the use of the best that culture has to offer in the fulfillment of life and the preciousness of artistry and the ability to think aesthetically and abstractly in the solution of life's challenges. This last point is made clearer by the next aspect pattern.

There is a rather unusual 10th Harmonic square formed by the Sun/Venus/Moon axis and the nodal axis. The Sun is quintile the North Node, the Moon is quintile the South Node, and both luminaries are in tredecile aspects to their respective opposite nodal quintile points. It is a beautiful configuration and points to very unusual, sometimes fated and sometimes upsetting meetings between people. People will be coming in and out of our lives in strange ways until the next full moon, and we will need to call upon aspects of ourselves not normally in evidence to deal with them properly. In world affairs this square can spell disaster because the masses do not respond well to this type of energetic. However, if dealt with properly, the results can bring great beauty into one's life in the form of enhanced relationships. The preceding square is made more potent by a quintile triangle composed of the Moon, Mars and the South Node, the Moon being at the summit of the triangle. This will serve to take people away rather suddenly and in unusual ways, and it will focus upon the symbol for the Moon in this figure, which reads:

A willful man is overshadowed by the descent of a superior power. — 25 Cancer

Seen in a positive light, this triangle will bring powerful people to the fore who possess the keys that will enable the elegant ending of restricting and outmoded circumstances. In the negative, this will bring forward powerful people who will be a very disruptive influence upon all that they touch, exacerbating already tense situations and bringing about violent confrontations. This latter dynamic is made all-the-more telling by the next aspect set.

There is an applying t-square formed by a Mars Jupiter opposition with Neptune at the apex. It will be more or less exact on the 18th of January when Mars completes the square with Neptune. Jupiter completes its square of Neptune on the 27th. This t-square might best be described as one of 'overwhelming rhetoric', 'messianic overshadowing' (but not in a positive sense) or 'reckless fantasy'. It can be an insidious and reckless t-square and its handling demands a firm adherence to facts and figures and a very healthy skepticism towards all ideas put forward by leaders of all sorts at this time. This will not be a good month for signing contracts or for launching projects. It is absolutely brilliant for all artistic work, however. Saturn is retrograding to a close opposition with Chiron—the 'heartbreak opposition'—by the next full moon, just before Valentine's Day. It will be difficult to give substantial structure to relationships during this period, and feelings will be easily hurt the closer the opposition becomes. Be careful and loving with loved ones for the next couple of months, at least. Otherwise, talk, talk, talk! All communications are favored under the auspices of this full moon. Jupiter and Mercury are sextile, and Mars and Mercury are trine. Again, this is brilliant for all creative work. This full moon cycle will be a great time for all artists and journalists.

A Simple Resolution

I usually look back over my life every year at this time and make some resolutions, some of which I keep, some of which turn out to be unnecessary and some of which I should not have made in the first place because they prove to be inappropriate or unrealistic as the year unfolds. This year, however, I decided to get back to basics, as the saying goes, and just adopt some simple precepts—words that were given to me as aphorisms to live by when I went through the initiations that go along with becoming a Reiki therapist—words that all of us could take a leaf from and yet all-too-often forget in the heat of a moment. They are as follows:

Just for today I will give thanks for my many blessings.
Just for today I will not worry.
Just for today I will not be angry.
Just for today I will do my work honestly.
Just for today I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing.

Just for today.......and every day. Spiritual life is like a foundation of stones, laid side by side a little bit every day, and great care is taken with the placement of each stone. Just for today, I lay a course of stones, and each day after. Each passing day sees the growth of a beautiful edifice if the plan of one's Soul is adhered to with care. And when the mountain of stone is complete and we ascend to the top and survey the land over which it is built, then we see the plan in its fullness and a great deal more. We see that our own plan is interrelated with so many others, that our own mountain is very similar to many more that are around us and that everyone is building their own set of stairs to the summits of their lives.

The Mountain, the Person and the Path

Capricorn is the mountain and the person, the path and the one treading it. The two are inseparable. So, when you reach the peak experiences of your life and the final stones are laid, stop and have a look around. Enjoy the view for a bit and find appreciation for what others have done as well, in their own way. We are not so different from anyone else. Though the way can be difficult, we all do it together, even if we seem separated in the process. The best that we can do and be is the greatest gift and legacy we can leave to the world in our passing. Take pride in what you do. The task is well worth the effort! The path we lay and the foundations we build are the gifts we leave for the future.

I hope your blessings are many in 2006.
Malvin.
9 Jan 2006

This concludes the article.

Return to the start of The Capricorn 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.