Well, what an astounding time to be on “Spaceship Earth”! The astrological pictures for this month technically started off with the New Moon in Virgo (Aug 30th), which planted the “seeds”  of a VERY “power-packed”  month to come.  And that promise has been more than fulfilled as we  fast approach this Full Moon in 22 degrees of  Pisces on September 15th… …the Autumn Equinox on September  22nd …. and the New Moon  in Libra on  Sept 29th.  We have “weathered” hurricanes, earthquakes, political machinations, the CERN particle accelerator, and another 9/11 anniversary, all in the past few weeks. We are definitely moving at the speed of light! As of this writing, the Southern portions of the U.S., as well as our neighbors to the south, Haiti and Cuba, have experienced two very intense hurricanes, Gustav and Ike. Obviously, “global warming” is becoming a reality that can no longer be ignored. However, instead of dealing with solutions, the media tends to feed mass fears, and they have been spinning hysteria and panic into monumental proportions over these last two storms. In the future, we will learn to rely more and more on our intuitive senses, and our practical “grounding” skills, and less on the electronic media. This is the lesson of Pisces/Virgo.  Our lives may depend on it.
 Both hurricanes, synchronistically, seemed to span the time periods between the Democratic and Republican conventions.  In light of last month’s two major eclipses, this seems highly symbolic! What MAJOR “winds of change” are blowing through our collective psyche at this time? What do we need to “clean up” at this time? What is REALLY worth keeping in our lives? Is “material” security ever really secure?? As we watch oil prices soar and dip, “established” monetary giants collapse and bail, home and property lost and foreclosed, we are being asked to look at how and what we have created in the material world ….What is REALLY of value in our lives?  The New Moon in Virgo last month symbolizes “separating the wheat from the chaff”….this is a time to be particularly discriminating about what ideas, information, and values you allow into your life, for Virgo is a very practical sign. It’s not  only about criticizing what we don’t like, it’s about figuring out what you do want and then taking the responsibility to manifest it in your life. If you don’t, someone else will step in to fill the void and take that choice away.

September 15th Full Moon occurs in the sign of Pisces at 5:15AM EDT. As we know, the Full Moon is the culmination or “cresting point” of the 14 day wave cycle which begins with the previous New Moon cycle. To recap briefly, the themes brought up with the Aug 30th New Moon in Virgo: Virgo, the sign of Mother Earth, shifts our focus to practical matters, especially in relation to our bodies, our health, our Earth, and how we are caretaking or squandering our energy and our resources. On a psychological level, create boundaries for yourself. "Weed out" toxic people, places, and things from your life. If an old habit has become burdensome, let it go! Virgo encourages purity in mind, body and spirit. It discourages co-dependent behavior. If your environment it toxic, do something to clean it up. If your relationships are toxic, see where you can "clean them up". Take a practical action, and take Responsibility for yourself. It will do a lot for your Spirit!

The sign of Pisces, is the sign that rules Neptune, and is associated with the great cosmic ocean of life, the collective karma, spiritualism, compassion, Christ consciousness, art, music, mysticism AND physics, psychic healing, and( interesting), petroleum and the oil  industry!
The “shadow” side of Pisces brings up victimization, collective fears, escapism, spiritual “fog”, CHAOS, religious bigotry and “scape-goating”.
Expect to see ALL of these issues in the forefront of the news over the next two weeks. Look for major themes to also revolve around food, housing, energy shortages, and price gouging rather than the total death and destruction and lack of  humane response that we saw with Hurricane Katrina. It is no accident that Texas and the Gulf region are associated with big religion and big oil! We are also seeing major humanitarian efforts being mobilized by churches and religious groups going to Haiti and Cuba for emergency relief.
Politics, economics and religious boundaries will all become “blurry” until humanity can understand the deeper meanings of self –love and self-responsibility.

The good news is that although there is much volatility around this Full Moon due to the Uranus/Pluto aspects, there are many beneficial cosmic patterns operating as well.  Neptune is trine Mercury,  which means that the “ruler “ of the Right Brain is in a very positive aspect with the “ruler” of the Left Brain!  Mind “meets” Matter! There is a tremendous opportunity now to link our dreams with our reality, and to have the Faith that our efforts will bear fruit!
The “volatile” planet Uranus at 21 degrees Pisces is EXACTLY conjunct the Moon and opposite the Sun in the sign of Virgo.  Uranus is the “wild card” of the zodiac, so once again, things are never what they seem!  There may be major “breakdowns” or “breakthroughs” depending on where you choose to place your focus.  Uranus is the “Great Awakener”, and depending on where it is falling in your personal birthchart, you may expect some “unexpected” news. You may be feeling the need to “break away” from confining circumstances or people, or feeling rebellious in general. Freedom is the operative word here.
Because the sign of Virgo is involved, it necessitates being MORE aware of your body. The electrical circuitry of the body has a tendency to “overamp” with Uranus, and feel “hot” or anxious,  so please be sure to drink plenty of water, get some sleep (even if it is sporadic), and remember to BREATHE!!  This is the perfect time to have “bodywork” done…..chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, reiki, yoga,  all respond well to the electrical vibration of Uranus within the subtle body/aura.

EXACTLY  on September 12th  to Sept 20th,  the Sun  is in opposition to Uranus and square to Pluto (very challenging and  intense aspects, which denote great electromagnetic and sub-atomic upheavals). Pluto actually moved DIRECT on Sept 8th and with it, the great collective “tidepool” swirled forward once more.
During this time, scientists in Switzerland announced they were finally going to activate the CERN particle accelerator in search of the “big bang” and “god particle”! Can we really create anti-matter? Worm-holes? Black holes? Play God?  Or is this the most mechanistic “out-picturing” of a creation with no Heart that we could possibly come up with?  Not “if”, but “when” we are “shifting” out of the 3rd dimension is the question, and this planetary configuration holds a major key!

RECAP OF THE PLANETARY PICTURES  of Sept 7th & 8th!
I feel that it is important to reiterate a few important issues brought up by last month’s eclipses. New horizons and projects appear as Jupiter in Capricorn stations direct on Sept 7th, giving the "go ahead" to projects in the works since May 9th. In Capricorn, Jupiter tells us that anything is possible, if we are willing to persevere, and it is for our highest good. The urge to take a big forward is accelerated by Pluto's station direct on Sept 8th.  If we have used the previous retrograde phase (as well as the powerful eclipse cycle of August) to upgrade or terminate whatever was not working in our lives, be prepared for a big leap!
As previously stated last month, Jupiter and Pluto both signify governments and the rise and fall of world leaders. There has been so much activity on the “world front” and the chessboard of political gamesmanship (both international and national) that it could take an entire book to chronicle it all! Once again, last month’s eclipses (and those going back to Feb 2008) have set powerful “outer” events into motion….the “key” is to remain detached from collective fear-mongering, hate-mongering, and “scape-goating”. Politics is tied very much to our emotional bodies…..clear your emotional field, and you make decisions based from your Higher  Self, not knee-jerk reactions which are totally manipulated by forces “outside” of yourself. Own your projections, deal with your “shadow”, and the “big baddies out there” disappear.
We now stand on the “cusp” of a monumental “shift”, but there are “smokescreens” out there trying to distort and distract our attention from what is truly important:
 There exists the possibility of experiencing quite dramatic shifts in perception over the coming days. Neptune's close conjunction with the Full Moon at 24 degrees Aquarius (and opposite the Sun) turns up the volume on our right brain, amplifying our intuition and our capacity to envision our highest hopes and dreams. The planet Neptune rules the ocean, dreams, visions, the unseen dimensions of consciousness, and reminds us that we are all connected and all One.  Pay close attention to your eyes in particular. They may feel more sensitive as your third eye begins to open. You may "see" light differently, or perceive flashes of light or shapes behind your eyes. These sensations are the opening of your third eye indicating that it is time to spend less time in front of your computer screens, and more in meditation, yoga, or nature. Listen to music, play, dance, paint, draw, read your tarot cards, sleep in and DREAM.....do whatever puts you in a more open receptive state to "hear" the psychic messages that this eclipse will hold for you. The more consciously we embrace Neptune's spiritual and artistic side, the less likely we are to experience the "fog”, chaos, and disappointment that sometimes accompany it. Honesty, integrity, and the truth all come under close scrutiny...lies will not hold up under the Aquarian vibration. Be very clear and open in all your relations. If you have placed people up on pedestals, they may fall from grace. We will see many more political scandals and intrigues come to light. "The truth shall set you free" is the theme of these August eclipses.

This is all very interesting in the light of the recent weather patterns and political machinations that have gone on in the past four weeks!

Also, remembering that the asteroid, Chiron, the archetype of the "Wounded Healer" is conjunct the Full Moon (Aug 16th) and the North Node (a karmic destiny point) at 18 degrees Aquarius indicating that a great "healing" is possible in the collective psyche of America. In the natal chart of the U.S, the Moon is in the sign of Aquarius goals and getting past their personal emotional dysfunction.
 It is highly significant that the theme of a woman running for office in this country is once again brought forth from the collective psyche of America. The interesting thing is that we are experiencing this more as a decisive “split” than a healing process. (More on the natal charts of Barack Obama and Sara Palin and the Pluto “shadow” to come…..)

If we look at this from the archetypal level, not the “personality” level, what are we saying about a culture that is looking to “re-integrate” its feminine side. Are we returning to the Goddess by taking better care of the Earth, ENDING WAR and its  needless wasting of lives? Are we capable of feeling respect and compassion for all living things??? Or are we more focused on a “pig with lipstick”??? What is the REAL “smokescreen” here? And as Captain Jack Sparrow would say: “Are we “savvy enough to know the CODE”??!

The planet Pluto at 29 degrees of Sagittarius is making its LAST big “showdown” in the collective psyche from Sept 12 to Pluto recently started its move forward again in the zodiac September 8th. It will be virtually impossible to NOT let go of the past between now and the end of November. If it is NOT your Highest Truth, the Universe will find a way to change it!
We are in the midst of TWO MAJOR PLANETARY CYCLES OF CHANGE …URANUS AND PLUTO… and these are generational cycles! Pluto represents the energy of transformation and evolution from “the inside out”…it takes a slow “alchemical process”, but wherever Pluto touches your chart, you are never the same. Uranus represents “revolution” with lightning-like ramifications.  Picture the World Trade Centers standing one minute, and the next they are reduced to dust. Pluto and Uranus are now in a “cosmic dance” together, like Shakti and Shiva, heralding an era of extraordinary social, political, and global transformation.  If you are inhabiting a “human” body, you are along for the ride on this one….so better be ready!
 Many people are looking at the Mayan Calendar, which has major resonances going on this fall; however, we do not have to look farther afield than our own generation. The “seeds” that were planted in the 60’s (1965-66, in particular, with Pluto and Uranus in Virgo) will be “pushed” to the forefront between the summer of 2009 and 2011.
There is an evo lutionary imperative to “push the envelope” collectively…..and those who have planets in the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) will feel impelled to manifest their vision, especially if they were born during the mid-60’s.

The Sabian Symbols for this Full Moon emphasize the importance of channeling our passion adeptly:
Sun at 23 degrees Virgo: “A Lion tamer displays his skill and character; the need to tame one’s vital energies in order to fulfill one’s destiny.”
Moon at 23 degrees Pisces: “A materializing medium giving a séance; the ability to give one’s own vital energy to substantiate one’s conscious ideals or unconscious desires.

AUTUMN EQUINOX SEPT 22ND

SEPT 22ND Autumn Equinox( Northern Hemisphere) at 11:45 AM EDT. 
The Autumn Equinox is the exact moment when the Sun enters 0 degrees Libra denoting a time of cosmic, balance and harmony. This has been celebrated since the dawn of mankind as the “balancing of the polarities of male and female”; yin and yang, darkness and light.
In shamanic and earth based cultures all over the planet, this day was ( and is, for many still) commemorated as a major turning point of the year (equinoxes and solstices) and sacred rituals for fertility and abundance are celebrated. It is the time of “harvesting the grain” and celebrating the fruits of the earth. The Community came together as one to honor the Earth Mother.  Children conceived during these celebration times were considered to have “special gifts” of prophecy and healing.
Take the time out of your busy day today to reflect on “all your relations”.  How is your relationship with yourself?  Are you in balance? What would you like to attract into your life in terms of significant other?   Light a candle on your special altar and give thanks for all the blessings in your life, especially for your loved ones. Take the time today to tell your spouse, friend, lover, child or parent how much you appreciate and love them….buy yourself some flowers….adopt a pet…or donate to a shelter…open your heart to Love…...giving and receiving is a delicate balance and does require some practice and lots of patience. Don’t be hard or critical of yourself if you are “alone” and not with a partner at this time. All living things feel love. Lavish your love generously to nature, to God, to children, animals…..to those who have less than you. In no time, your heart will beat to a different drummer, and the Love of your life will hear its call.
 If you don’t have a “special” place or altar in which to do your meditations or journal work, it is very easy to create a ‘sacred space” in your life. Take one corner of a room, preferably quiet, with no computers or TV nearby, as your space. You can place a small plant there, crystals, sacred stones, special “keepsakes”, whatever you like. The idea is to make it “yours”, and even by just standing or sitting there, you immediately remember and feel your connection to Spirit and to Mother Earth. The rest will just “flow”…no judgement…just “be”…..

Mercury Retrograde in Libra Sept 24th to Oct 16th.
 The sign of Libra is all about relationships, and during this retrograde phase, there are four planets in Libra (The Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Mars). Relationship patterns or karma might be repeated…or at least come up to the “light”, since Pluto is still operating in its final phase.  Since Venus Herself is in the sign of Scorpio, there could be a final “clearing out” of jealousy, betrayal, role reversals or erratic financial swings.
Past relationships, people, themes, may all “reappear” in your life, for better or worse.
The good news is that you can really “sort out” and redefine what you want in a relationship, as the Libra New Moon on Sept 29th is also about “attracting” Love into your life.   If you are a Libran, or have major planets in Libra, the themes of Love & Money will demand more of your attention than usual until Oct 14th.  By the end of next month, you may be humming the tune: “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”

New Moon 6 degrees Libra on September 29th at 4:13AM EDT

As mentioned above, the “buzzwords” for this New Moon in Libra are “Love” and/or “Finances”. Since Venus, the ruler of Libra, is falling in 6 degrees Scorpio at the same time.
(synchronistically #6 has to do with relationships and balance), so the concepts of “obsessional love” (fatal attraction??) and themes of loyalty, betrayal, jealousy may also surface, but very covertly…..as in “secrets”. Libra does not like confrontation, but Venus is Scorpio probes beneath the surface to get at the truth. If it is a “past” wound that comes up at this time, it will be released once and for all……no superficial band-aids will work this time. Conversely, if two partners are willing to “share” and come to a mutual compromise (much like a business arbitration), then even the most emotionally intense situations may be resolved and the relationship has the potential for “rising like the phoenix” from its own ashes. This is true for both business, as well as personal partnerships. However, since relationships carry so much of our own psychological  “projections”, the best way to sort out a “problem” in your relationship sector, is to first ask yourself “what is this person, situation, relationship mirroring back to me”?  What are my worst fears concerning this issue?  Am I trying to manipulate someone else because of this fear issue? Or vice versa?
Do I “value” myself enough for another person to really value me? Do I have “strings attached” to loving? (We all do…it is just a matter of becoming consciously aware of where and how we “project” them onto another person that can make the difference between a healthy and dysfunctional relationship.)

If you are not in a relationship, continue working with the energy of the Equinox, as the
Archetype of the “Sacred Marriage” (both inner and outer levels) is still very much present with this Full Moon.
These are tricky questions, but well worth investigating…..and of course, the “silver lining” is that is VERY possible to manifest your heart’s desire at this time…..but be careful what you wish for, as you WILL manifest it!

“Enlightenment is not imagining figures of light but making the darkness conscious.”
(C.J. Jung)

“Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy controls whole continents; who controls money can control the world.” (Henry Kissinger)

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities”. (Voltaire)

Posted by Mary Lomando at Saturday September 13, 2008 I comments I