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Star Rising in the East

The myths and stories associated with my rising sign (the zodiac sign on the eastern of my chart) define the types of experiences that I’ll encounter during my life.

I love a good story? Don’t you?

Especially when the story gives valuable insight about my archetypal mode of living in the world.

I have Cancer rising and so I’ll be looking to the stories and myths associated not only with the Moon, the traditional ruler of Cancer, but also Neptune, the esoteric ruler of Cancer. This means that stories carrying themes of dreams, illusions, seduction, and transformation are important to me. In this regard, The Little Mermaid is perfect although I will want to look both at the original fairy tale and the Disney sugar-coated version, as they have different endings and morals. 

Ariel is a mermaid in crisis. She sets out to win the love of Eric, a human prince, and approaching her task with the innocence of a child, she enlists the aid of a wicked sea witch who does a great Ti’amat impersonation. To achieve her goal, Ariel sacrifices her treasure (her lovely voice ) in exchange for feet only to find that she experiences exquisite agony every step she takes. 

In the original fairy tale, the object of Ariel’s’ desire is immortality and upon her grandmother’s advice, she sets out to achieve this by getting a human to fall in love with her so deeply that his immortality fuses with her being. To this end, Ariel fails miserably and ends up far away from home, unable to return. In the Disney version, Ariel skips the spiritual stuff and, keeping her focus on physical attraction, lives happily ever after. 

Although the Disney message is to follow your dream with all your heart, the original tale warns that not all dreams are created equal and sometimes, the price paid will be too high. I find it remarkable that the Disney version arises from the United States, a Cancerian nation with a strong Neptunian (Hollywood) perspective . Once upon a time, I called that nation home.

But like Ariel, I decided to risk everything and followed my dream, which has led me to living on two different continents. My journey to date has been both rich and informative, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s ‘happily ever after’. 

If you’re interested in learning more about your story and how it relates to your journey, book a complimentary ½ hour slot in my calendar to the right to discover how we might work together.

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Busy Bee

In Taurus, Venus was charmed by simplicity. Now she’s in Gemini, she’s charmed with conversation.

Up and down the airwaves, Venus keeps her stories coming. Equally she’s enthralled to hear your stories, especially if they’re light and easy and, of course, well-told and exciting. Venus in Gemini doesn’t much care if the stories she tells or hears are true, at least true in the sense of verification. That is not the point.

The point is circulation, pollination, and connection. 

Like a bee to the flower, Venus in Gemini is drawn into interchange of all sorts and she’s especially fond of gossip.

Whether her interest is more than a passing fancy depends on the other energies around and from 20th of June until the end of the month (when Venus flirts with Jupiter by opposition), you may be tempted to burn the candle of romance at both ends. The energy will be both big-hearted and warm but trying to be all things to all people is, as we all know, not possible – at least not for long.

  • What are the possibilities, here?
  • Can you say more?
  • If it were up to you, how would it work out?
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The Life of Madonna: an astrological thumbnail sketch

Imagine having a snapshot of the quality of time in your life right now?

There are many astrological techniques offering this opportunity but my favourite one, of classical origin, is called Directing by Triplicity. It provides a quick and easy thumbnail sketch of your entire life which, in my experience with numerous charts, is very accurate. 

Let’s see how this works with Madonna:

SUMMARY:

Madonna’s early life is characterised by wanting to shine but being held back. This time is best spent dreaming about what she wishes to achieve and gaining the skills to accomplish that.  Later, she can expect success in being of benefit to women and women’s issues. The suggestion here is achievement of a high-profile position that comes with a ‘bit of glamour’. In later life, she will turn to more philosophical than practical concerns although this is unlikely to give her the sense of contentment or achievement she seeks. 

Madonna’s natal chart

DETAILS:

  1. Madonna was born during the day and so the focus is on her Sun.
  2. Her Sun is in Leo, which is in the element of Fire: the classical triplicity rulers for Fire are Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn (in that order).
  3. The first 1/3 of Madonna’s life is thus ruled by her Leo Sun:
    • Because this Sun is in its sign of rulership, is very strong. Here is a child that wants to shine but she struggles to do so.
    • This is because her Sun at 23 Leo does not make an aspect to the angles of the chart and so she’ll have little impact on her environment.
    • Her Sun is also in her 12th house, which suggests that however much she may want to be in the limelight, she remains hidden away.
    • This is a good time to sit tight and plan for the future whilst honing the skills that will take her there.
  4. The second 1/3 of Madonna’s life is ruled by her Jupiter, which is at 26 Libra in her 2nd house: 
    • Although this Jupiter is not as strong is it might be, it is still very strong (by Face and Term).
    • According to the ancient texts (updated for 21st century ideals), this suggests a ‘benefit to women or women’s issues or those who are connected to high profile positions that have a bit of glamour’.
    • The 2nd house placement suggests this manifests in lots of money.
  5. The last 1/3 of Madonna’s life is ruled by her Saturn which is retrograde (moving backwards) in Sagittarius in the 4th house (home and family):
    • This Saturn is neither particularly happy nor unhappy. Saturn is keen to achieve in a concrete sense and in Sagittarius, the focus must be more philosophical than practical. 
    • This Saturn also just misses out on being exalted (by Face and Term) suggesting that Madonna narrowly fails to achieve all that she would like during this period.
    • Saturn is also retrograde (moving backwards through the sky). Although Madonna may want to return to her former glories, she’s is unable to do so.
    • Just like her Leo Sun in the 1stpart of her life, her Saturn fails to aspect the angles of her chart and so her days of making a big impact are over. 

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Remembrance of Things Past

Today, Mercury moves into Cancer where he will remain until the end of June. 

Have you read any part of Remembrance of Things Past, the seven-part novel written in the beginning of the last century by the French author, Marcel Proust?

this is deep psychological stuff

“And as soon as I had recognised the taste of the piece of madeleine soaked in her decoction of lime-blossom which my aunt used to give me (although I did not yet know and must long postpone the discovery of why this memory made me so happy) immediately the old grey house upon the street, where her room was, rose up like a stage set to attach itself to the little pavilion opening on to the garden which had been built out behind it for my parents (the isolated segment which until that moment had been all that I could see); and with the house the town, from morning to night and in all weathers, the square where I used to be sent before lunch, the streets along which I used to run errands, the country roads we took when it was fine.”

Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way

As in the above passage, so as with Mercury in Cancer; memory and the senses are so closely intertwined that information becomes a web of connections resonating on multiple levels of memory.

Whilst this may make for fine literature, it doesn’t usually make for effective every-day communication. This is deep psychological stuff and, quite honestly, not my cup of tea so best advice is whenever possible, pay attention to how you’re feeling as the result of whatever it is that another is saying.

  • What does this mean to you?
  • What wants to happen?
  • Who do you want to be in this situation?
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Imagine…

At 10:03 (GMT not BST) on 3 June 2019, we will enjoy the new moon in Gemini, and what a pleasure this will be.

With this new moon, you have an opportunity to commence polishing your skills on what until now, might have been a long-forgotten talent. Get back in touch with your natural strengths and abilities and ensure that you are always in a position to use them to your best advantage.

Imagine…

Imagine a pianist who has been diligently practicing on her instrument since childhood finally getting her once-in-a-lifetime chance to play at Carnegie Hall. To enjoy a smashing success that night, she needs not only to have learned her craft to the highest standard, but also be able to concentrate on the flow of her music whilst at the same time being attentive to her audience. Most importantly, she must be passionate about her music and utterly able to share that passion. Our pianist has stories to tell, emotions to elicit, and drama to be played out on her keyboard.

Rewards come to she who is well-rehearsed and confident in her performance.
  • What would it take to enjoy such a moment?
  • What plans do you have to make it happen?
  • Which of those plans will you put into action on such an auspicious day?
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Healing Fictions

Each and every ‘story’ that you relate to self or others is a ‘fiction’ in the sense that it is your interpretation of your experience of an external event or series of events.

According to the American psychologist, James Hillman (author of Healing Fiction), coming to grips with this process of fiction-making is healing. Not only does it promote self-acceptance but also self-understanding. This in turn gives you the opportunity to assert conscious control over your actions and decisions.

Astrologically, your Moon is the key to this process.

The Moon stands at the gateway of your psyche and the material world.

In the Neoplatonist cosmos, the Moon stands at the gateway of your psyche and the material world. As the result, your astrological Moon not only mediates between experiences and the meaning that you give them, but it also provides a wealth of information about the symbols and metaphors that inform your inner world.

For example, my Moon is in Gemini.

My stories – or ‘fictions’ – must be light and lively. It’s only to be expected that I will embellish and embroider the facts. If there are dark and/or scary bits,  I’ll ignore them. It’s pretty much a given that to the extent difficult emotions are involved, instinctively I’ll run the other way.

  • However, if my Moon were in Scorpio, the scary bits and difficult emotions would be just my cup of tea; they could probably dominate my every story.
  • If my Moon were in Capricorn, my story could take on a paternalistic, moralising tone.
  • With Moon in Pisces, my story would centre on my (confused) emotional response.
  • But with Moon in Leo my story would centre on whatever flatters me most. 

It’s not just your Moon’s zodiac sign that effects your fiction-making but also its house placement. My Moon is in the 12th house, where is symbolised (amongst other things), my instinct for self-sabotage. Little wonder when I sense rejection or criticism, I instinctively clam up and slip away even when, rationally, such action is not in my best interest. By contrast, if my Moon were in the 1st house, I would be so self-focused  that I probably wouldn’t care if you were listening or not; my overwhelming need would be to dominate every situation.

Finally, the aspects your Moon makes to other planets in your chart necessarily also colours your perception:

  • For example, I have Moon square ( in hard aspect) to Mars. My fiction-making is often peppered with phrases belying anger and frustration.
  • But if my Moon were in an easy aspect (trine or sextile) with Jupiter, my story would be warmly optimistic; my default perception might be that all is ‘right with the world’.
  • By contrast, if my Moon were in a difficult aspect (square or opposition) to Jupiter, my story would likely be wildly unrealistic; my default perception would be  something along the lines of ‘when it comes to luck, why do I always draw the short straw?’

By paying close attention to my own stories, I become more aware of how instinctively I’m most likely to experience any event.

Say, for example, that I have an argument with my husband. With my Gemini Moon, my tendency is to avoid difficult emotions. With his Scorpio Moon, my husband interprets this as ignoring his feelings (Moon), which (Scorpio) are very important to him. He likely expresses criticism because his Moon is square – hard aspect – to his Mercury, or mode of communication. I clam up and slip away. With his Moon in his 5th house (house of recreation and sport), my husband might even take pleasure in this result. This leaves me to fuss and fume (anger/frustration) in private (seclusion is a 12th house thing) building up layers of resentment, which won’t make our next argument go any easier.

Yet when I can accept that regardless of how I’d like to perceive the event, difficult emotions are integral and inevitable in any argument,  I can acknowledge my husband’s response, allowing him to feel that he’s been heard. With practice, this will new approach should short-circuit the rest of what was once an inevitable outcome and instead of fussing and fuming, I can take pride in my accomplishments.

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Astrological Coaching – How does it work?

Underpinning my own brand of astrological coaching, is the Narrative Coaching Model, which is itself based on a clever mix of existential philosophy, literary theory, and object-relations psychology.

I’ve studied with Dr David Drake

The model formats the flow of coaching conversations during our sessions together, addressing and readdressing four distinct specific phases as needed:

  1. Situation– this phase is all about identifying what’s happening for you right now. Astrology is invaluable here because it quickly hones in on what aspect of your current situation most urgently needs your attention. In this regard, there are a variety of fantastic astrological techniques to choose from but the quickest and most reliable is to focus not on your sun, but on your moon.
  2. Search– this phase is all about exploring what you would like to be different in the future. Having figured out what is not working now, you consider what might work instead. During this phase, you’ll identify serious possibilities for change as well as honestly assessing both your ability and commitment to making it happen. Astrology keeps you on track, ensuring that you’re true to yourself and your personal values and not wasting time on things that, at the end of the day, don’t really matter.
  3. Shift– this phase is all about making change happen. For example, if in the past you were XYZ and have decided that you want to be ABC, then you’ll need to understand exactly what needs to be done to reach your goal. Try out different strategies in real time. Discard those that don’t work and polish up those that do. Whilst it is true for everyone that practice makes perfect, what size and shape that practice takes is different for everyone and here, again, astrology weighs in by helping you to quickly identify your personal strengths and use them to maximum advantage. 
  4. Sustain– this phase is taking your new positive change patterns back in your every-day world, actually trying out your strategies and assessing how they fare. Change of any kind is never easy and you’ll still need support . Astrology is invaluable in helping to launch the ‘new you’ at the just right time and in just the right way.
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Changing Direction

Today, the Sun and Mercury have moved into Gemini and the atmosphere could not be more communicative, but communicative in a special way because the planetary ruler of Gemini is Mercury.  According to ancient wisdom, when communications got stuck, the god Mercury was invoked to shift them in a completely new direction.

For the next few days, you can do the same and here’s how to make this energy work to your advantage.

Let’s assume that you’ve been discussing something with someone and they are fixated on a point from which you’d like to move away. Use the following word pattern to adroitly change the ‘subject’ to that of your choosing:

‘The issue isn’t x (their point), it’s y (your point) and that means ABC.’ Finish the sequence by directing a specific question to the other person about ABC, eliciting their experience on the subject, and you’re on your way.

Rintu Basu, Persuasion Skills (Black Book)

For example, you want a new car but your partner keeps on about the cost. Gently (matching his conversational tone and style), say something along the lines of ‘the issue isn’t how expensive is the car, darling, but about the pleasure it will give you – imagine all the additional space you’ll have to store your kit for our camping trips. Where would we go first, sweetheart, how about that place you love in Cornwall?’

Conversation changer: ‘this isn’t about x (his point), but y (your point) and that means ….’

This works equally well in the office:

For example, assume your boss has just given you a new project that will, in your view, take up too much of your time:

‘I agree with you that the new project is very important, sir/madam, and the issue isn’t that I should take charge of it but instead that, as you say, it is done as quickly as possible. This means that because I have so much on my plate at the moment, it would be better if someone else takes the project. Now, sir/madam, who on our team , in your opinion, would be the best choice – I know, how about A or B? What do you think?’

… try it today and see how it works and, remember, practice makes perfect!
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Make Magic with the Full Moon

At 21:13 (GMT not BST), we will enjoy the full moon in Scorpio.

When you discover the place in which you feel truly at home – you’re in a unique position to move into your own and quite literally ascend to your throne.

Happiness is not about reaching the castle gate, but instead the magic of finding it. 

Yet how often do we spend the better part of our lives searching for the perfect place (or job or relationship) only to discover we’ve been trying to fit into places and situations where we do not (and never will) fit?

By the light of this full moon, you have an opportunity to find the place where you truly belong, even if it’s only in your dreams. Once you know where it is – what it looks like – how it feels – you can move toward it in real time.

  • As you move toward your most inspired goal, what do you notice about who you are becoming?
  • When was the last time you were in a situation like this?
  • What would your heroine do next?
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What’s the weather?

Now Mars is in Cancer.

For the last month or so, the seas might have been choppy – Mars in Taurus didn’t want to get angry, but fuelled by Uranus, which stirs up even the smoothest waters, it had little choice.

Now, until the beginning of July, the energy is different, albeit not exactly better. In fact, in many ways, the seas might even get stormier.

Mars, the red planet, rules both anger and action and we all need a bit of both for a healthy life. But in Cancer, Mars is fighting in the sign of the crab and if you’ve ever watched a crab scuttling in the sand, you’ll know it never goes anywhere directly. Not only that, but Cancer is a water sign and so this scuttling crab (with its painful pinchers) is operating in the realm of emotions.

So, if during this period you’re feeling that you or another are being a bit touchy, it’s worth investigating more closely the underlying emotional weather – but please do be careful. 

  • What seems to be the trouble?
  • What’s your game plan?
  • Is it time for action – or not?