In the Stars: Transiting Mercury trine Natal Venus

Today transiting Mercury (in Virgo) trines my natal Venus (in Capricorn) AND transiting Mars (in Scorpio) trines my natal Uranus (in Cancer).


Quick Primer/Refresher

• Mercury is the planet of the mind, communication, and short trips.
• Virgo is a Mutable Earth sign, the sign of service and self-improvement, known for being reserved, practical, discriminating, and analytical.
• Venus is the planet of love, beauty, values, and art.
• Capricorn is a Cardinal Earth sign, the sign of achievement and structure, known for being disciplined, acquisitive, and quick to seize opportunity.
• The trine aspect occurs when two planets or luminaries are at a 120 degree angle to each other. This is considered to be a highly favorable aspect. 

In Tarot terms (using Golden Dawn attributions) we have The Magician under the influence of The Hermit making nice with The Empress under the influence of The Devil. Yikes. Okay, this actually sounds like a marriage made in heaven for any creative projects I might want to work on. I'm making jewelry these days, and a Mercury/Virgo - Venus/Capricorn trine provides a lot of supportive energy for that.

Mercury rules Virgo and is very strong in that sign. The fact that both Virgo and Capricorn are Earth signs adds practical, determined, and stable influence to the mix. So my creations are likely to have considerable value and attention to detail. Mutable Virgo incorporates flexibility and Cardinal Capricorn provides initiative.

As they proclaim in those TV commercials -- "But wait! There's more!"

Also today - transiting Mars (in Scorpio) trines my natal Uranus (in Cancer). 

Quick Primer/Refresher

• Mars is the planet of physical energy, the will to win, and the ability to turn ideas into action.
• Scorpio is a Fixed Water sign, the sign of desire, transformation, and power, known for being imaginative, passionate, and intense.
• Uranus is the planet of change and originality. (As an outer planet, it has more of a generational influence than a personal influence, but aspects with transiting personal planets can have an effect at a personal level.)
• Cancer is a Cardinal Water sign, the sign of sensitivity and nurturing, known for being receptive, intuitive, and imaginative.

In Tarot terms (using Golden Dawn attributions) we have The Tower under the influence of Death and The Fool under the influence of The Chariot as BFFs. Interesting couple! I get the impression that they are telling me it's okay to let go of something that I've been clinging to, even if I fear it might be "foolish" to do so. Nothing says "transformation" like The Tower under the influence of Death! The time has come for me to step out in faith, trusting the Universe to provide something even better than what I am clinging to.

Traditionally, Mars rules Scorpio and is very strong in that sign. Scorpio and Cancer are both Water signs, which suggests my attachment to the status quo might be strongly emotional and/or subconscious.

All in all, I'm looking forward to experiencing and working with the energy represented by these two transits and the cards linked with the planets involved.

Transiting Venus Conjunct Natal Midheaven

With Venus about to get up close and personal with my natal Midheaven, I'm going to take this opportunity to address the question many of you have been asking: "What is a Midheaven?"

What? You weren't asking? Well, I'm answering anyway.

First of all, the Midheaven is typically represented in its abbreviated form: MC. In case you're wondering how they got "MC" from "Midheaven," let me hasten to add that another term for the Midheaven is Medium Coeli, which is Latin for "middle of the heavens".

In most House Systems, the MC is the cusp of the tenth house (the "line" where the 9th house ends and the 10th house begins). The MC is the highest point in a chart, which helps us remember that it represents our "highest aspirations" (career, reputation, that sort of thing).

Now, just to create more confusion for you, I prefer to use the Equal House System. When using that system, the MC does not act as the cusp of the 10th house. Instead the MC moves around the top half of the chart, and can land in the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th house, depending on the latitude. In my chart, the MC is in the 9th house.

In any case, the MC always represents career, status, life goal, and public reputation. Not surprisingly, my MC is in the sign Gemini, which rules writers, writing, and communication.

On April 30, Venus will form a conjunction (occupy the same degree) with my natal MC in Gemini. Venus rules love, beauty, values, goals, and art.

A conjunction between Venus and my MC has much to recommend it. What will it be: recognition from my peers? an award? getting a fantastic job offer? I'm nearly giddy with anticipation.

Bringing this around to Tarot, I can use The Empress (Trump 3) to represent Venus (Golden Dawn system). To represent my MC I will use the card associated with Gemini: The Lovers (Trump 6). A conjunction places these two cards side by side, linking arms as they walk in perfect synchrony.

Cards are from the Rider Tarot deck (U.S. Games Systems).

To me, The Empress signifies growth, fertility, and fulfilled potential. She represents creative pursuits and satisfaction that can be found from nurturing something to fruition. The Lovers usually suggests to me that a choice must be made. Because we are talking about the MC (career, etc.), I don't think this refers to a choice in a romantic relationship sense. Instead, I may be faced with a choice that could have far-reaching consequences related to my career, status, life goal, or public reputation. I will need to look at the situation from all angles before making a decision.

Numerically we have Three and Six. Threes suggest making progress in goals (growth, expansion), initial completion of Stage 1. Sixes indicate equilibrium and harmony -- "the second perfection," good luck (at least for the time being). Very nice.

All things considered, I'm looking forward to Monday!

First Qtr Moon in Gemini: Tarot Dynamics Unleashed

In Issue 4 of Anna Burroughs Cook's Tarot Dynamics Unleashed newsletter we learn about using the Tarot Card of the Week -- the 8 of Swords -- to explore the potential and possibilities for the week ahead. I encourage you to read the newsletter! Click on the link ("Issue 4" above). Do it now! (LOL)

As Anna explains in the newsletter, the 8 of Swords (Card 62 in the TD system) is linked astrologically with the first decan of Gemini (0 to 10 degrees). Today, we have a first quarter Moon at 10 degrees Gemini, which is why the 8 of Swords is considered to be the Tarot Card of the Week (TCOW).

Quoting Anna:

"With the 8 of Swords as this week’s TCOW, whether directly, (through your own goals, health and/or employer) or indirectly, (through the goals of your significant other, their employer, family, friends, or their health and well-being ) everyone, all over the world will be thinking a bit more, or a bit more seriously about where they want to go in life from here, and how to get there!

The Eight of Swords is NOT predicting a nasty week. Although it DOES warn of some extra work or news coming our way that could upset our day or pre-empt our agenda..."

The newsletter provides a simple spread that can be used to further explore how this first quarter Moon placement might affect our week.

For my reading, I am using the Crystal Visions Tarot by Jennifer Galasso (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

I place the 8 of Swords card face up to represent me and the general mood or tone of the week ahead.

Next I shuffle the remainder of the deck and choose a card to cover the 8 of Swords. As per the TDU system, this card represents "whether it's likely to prove a little easier or a bit more challenging for me to deal with people and matters this week."






And I pulled . . . (drum roll please) . . . 3 of Cups (Card 43)!

In Issue 4 of the TDU newsletter, Anna graciously provides a detailed discussion of how we might interpret various cards that appear as Card 2 in the reading. Here's what she says about Subject Card 3:

"The 2, 3, and 4 of EVERY SUIT indicates an upcoming opportunity, setback or new phase of awareness that will arouse the Seeker’s enthusiasm and confidence, or their selfishness and impatience."

In general, the 3 of Cups comes across as a "positive" card, one that suggests cooperation, sharing, and "Emotional / Thinking, Networking" (from Tarot Dynamics by Anna Burroughs Cook, Kima Global Publishers). With the elemental dignity system I use, Air (Swords) and Water (Cups) are somewhat friendly or neutral toward each other. There can be moderate stress, irritation, or annoyance -- but not outright antagonism.

When I put the 8 of Swords and 3 of Cups together, I get a sense that my thoughts about where I want to go in life from here and how to get there could veer in the direction of cooperative projects or collaboration with another person or persons. Since Swords and Cups are not always 100 percent super-friendly (and because the 8 of Swords warns of "some extra work or news coming our way that could upset our day or pre-empt our agenda"), I need to be aware that a partner or potential partner may not be 100 percent reliable, supportive, and forthright.

Consider the contrasting images on these two cards: an individual bound and blindfolded vs. three people celebrating, dancing, and displaying their emotions. Constraint vs freedom. Tight vs loose. Somber vs festive.

I actually spend a lot of time collaborating with others in several areas on a daily basis, so this is interesting, useful information! The suit of Cups may also refer to family relationships, and some sort conflict or snag related to "getting along with" family members in a specific situation. I tend to be the "sober, serious one" in my family, while my siblings are more carefree.

In the Stars: New Moon in Pisces

Today we have a New Moon in the first decan of Pisces. In honor of that event, I am doing a reading featured in Anna Cook's most recent Tarot Dynamics Unleashed (TDU) newsletter. I encourage you to hop over and read it, then try this spread for yourself!

Joining me for this reading is Tarot of a Moon Garden (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.).

In the TDU system, the Tarot Card of the Week is the Eight of Cups (linked with the first decan of Pisces). Therefore, for this spread I place that card face up. It represents me and the general mood or tone of the week ahead.

Anna Cook tells us that the Eight is one of three cards (8, 9, and 10) that indicate "an upcoming opportunity, setback or new phase of awareness that will inflate or deflate the Seeker’s sense of future stability, optimism, understanding and sense of achievement. . . . Like the 8th House in Astrology, our 8’s can provide clues concerning the stability of the Seeker’s future with anything or anyone that is important to them, such as health, source of income, or the health and prosperity of those they care for."

The suit of Cups is associated with the element Water, representing emotions, relationships, and the subconscious.

After placing the Eight of Cups upright, I shuffle the cards, pull one, and place it face down across the Eight of Cups. This card signals whether it’s likely to prove a little easier or a bit more challenging for me to deal with people and matters this week.

I pulled The Magician.

In their book Numerology and The Divine Triangle (Schiffer Books), Faith Javane and Dusty Bunker assign the planet Mercury to The Magician card and the planet Mars to the number One (Mars rules Aries, the first sign of the zodiac). The energy of these two planets combined is fiery, creative, intellectual, and focused. The Tarot Dynamics system describes The Magician as a card of Self-Reliance, the ability to handle or confront anything.

So what happens when the energy of The Magician meets the energy of the first decan of Pisces (Eight of Cups)?

From an elemental standpoint, I see a challenge and the potential for instability. Water (Cups) and Fire (Mars) are antagonistic toward each other. Water (Cups) and Air (Mercury) are neutral toward each other. I get the feeling that I could be frustrated if I attempt to demonstrate self-reliance, creativity, and control with my trademark Sagittarian impulsiveness, impatience, and excessiveness. 

The mutable Water sign Pisces is famous for being emotional, impressionable, imaginative, and intuitive. Not only do we have a New Moon in Pisces, but Neptune (modern ruler of Pisces) is conjunct the Moon, creating additional Pisces Power.

In my dealings with people and matters this week, I will probably need to tone it down, mellow it out, and/or go with the flow rather than leading a one-person parade. I need to take care that I don't come across as an overly ambitious control freak who relentlessly pushes her own agenda, disregarding other people's feelings and opinions. I can be sensitive and considerate when I want to.

At the same time, if I can channel  that fabulous Magician energy properly, I may be able to use Water and Fire to create steam, a powerful force.

It also occurs to me that these two cards may represent the opposite of what I just described. In other words, I may be the one whose dreams get quashed by someone wielding his Magician's wand a bit too energetically. If so, the key is probably to relax, listen, and seek whatever benefits and truths I can find in the situation.

In the Stars

On February 8, transiting Mercury in Aquarius will form a trine with my natal Neptune in Libra.

Quick Astrology Primer/Refresher

• Mercury is the planet of the mind, communication, and short trips
• Neptune is the planet of dreams, imagination, illusions, and spiritual urges
• The trine aspect occurs when two planets or luminaries are at a 120 degree angle to each other. This is considered to be a highly favorable aspect.

I'm going to expand In the Stars to include a bit more of a Tarot presence by showing the cards associated with Mercury and Neptune. It's important to remember that there is no "universal" system for this. Many readers use the associations developed by the Order of the Golden Dawn (OGD), but that is by no means the only system in use. At the moment, I enjoy comparing the OGD attributions with those presented by David Thornton.

Mercury: Both the OGD and Thornton associate Mercury with The Magician.
Neptune: Neptune is not in the OGD system presented in Book T because it had not yet been discovered when that system was first developed. These days, many systems associate Neptune with The Hanged Man (associated with the element Water in Book T). Thornton links Neptune to The Moon card. (Side Note: Neptune rules the sign Pisces, which Book T associates with The Moon card.)

I actually like all of these associations in this situation, so I'm going to pull The Magician to represent Mercury and both The Moon and The Hanged Man to represent Neptune. The traditional Rider-Waite-Smith cards represent the Mercury and Neptune trine.

The triangle in the middle is the symbol for the astrological trine. So in this scenario we have The Magician making nice with The Moon and The Hanged Man. Hugs and kisses all around. The noticeable effects of this trine may begin on February 7 and linger through February 9.






Since the trine is such a beneficial aspect, I am asking the cards:
How can I make the most of this harmonious transit?

I am using two decks for this reading because I don't want to keep those three Major Arcana cards out of the reading, yet I want them in front of me as I shuffle and pull my answer from the deck.

The Universal Waite is going to tell me how I can make the most of this harmonious aspect. Drum roll please... and we have...

TEMPERANCE

This is rich! I love it! In the OGD system, Temperance is associated with Sagittarius, my Sun sign. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the Greater Benefic. Who better to advise me on how to make the most of a trine?

My keywords for Temperance are moderation, balance, and blending of energies.

During this transit, I can capitalize on a harmonious mixture of mental, emotional, and spiritual energy -- a balance between intellect and intuition. This would be a great time to write (Mercury) something based on a dream (Neptune) or put wild imaginings (Neptune) into words (Mercury).

Under this transit, my logical side is less likely to find fault with my imaginative, other-wordly side (and vice versa). Instead, these two powerful components of my Self will find common ground and actually appreciate what the other brings to the mix.  Here there is compromise and an opportunity to benefit from a powerful "whole" made up of parts that often clash or compete.

The Magician hands the Temperance angel the chalice from his table. Temperance fills another chalice with water from the Moon-lit lake. The angel blends the contents of these two chalices skillfully as The Hanged Man looks on in approval. This makes his sacrifice worthwhile.

For additional Astrology/Tarot insights, skibble on over to the Tarot Dynamics web site and read the premier edition of Anna Cook's newsletter!

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My guests today on In the Stars:

• The Rider Tarot Deck (conceived by Arthur Edward Waite; published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)
• The Universal Waite Tarot Deck (drawings by Pamela Colman Smith, coloring by Mary Hanson-Roberts, conceived by Stuart R. Kaplan; published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

In the Stars

I use astrology mostly for birth charts, not for everyday predictions or guidance. However, I think that probably needs to change. So from time to time I'm going to ask the cards for assistance in dealing with a particular transit that seems especially interesting or challenging to me.

Chart courtesy of Astrodienst

On February 3, Transiting Mercury in Aquarius will form a square with my Natal Moon in Taurus.

Here is a quick, abbreviated astrology primer/refresher, for those who need it:

• Mercury is the planet of the mind, communication, and short trips
• The Moon represents our emotions and subconscious.
• The Square aspect occurs when two planets or luminaries are at a 90 degree angle to each other. This is considered a difficult aspect. I usually remember that by thinking of the expression "square off against."

So basically, as Mercury moves through the sky on February 3, it will form a challenging aspect with the Moon's position in my birth chart. Think of it as Mercury (the mind) and the Moon (the heart) having a bit of an argument. They are not inclined to be supportive of each other at this time. Mercury is a fast-moving planet, so it's not going to stay mad at my natal Moon for very long (the exact square will last only about a day, although I may also experience some of its effects the day before and/or after). During that time, I may need to deal with emotional issues related to the areas ruled by Mercury.

I asked my Tarot of the Animal Lords, "What will help me deal successfully with this Mercury-Moon square?"

I laughed out loud when the cards provided their answer: THE HERMIT.

That's it! Hole up in a cave and don't come out until the transit is over! Not practical? Okay, let me think. . .

First of all, The Hermit is associated in the Golden Dawn system with the zodiac sign Virgo, ruled by Mercury. I have Virgo rising in my birth chart, so Mercury plays a powerful role for me every day. Virgo is a sensitive, critical sign. It's easy to see how the Virgo part of my personality might get into a tangle during a Mercury-Moon square.

Second, as a Major Arcana card, The Hermit suggests that there is a larger lesson I need to learn, not just for use during the Mercury-Moon square. This idea is reinforced if I use the system developed by David Thornton, in which The Hermit is linked to the planet Saturn, planet of lessons and limitations.

In Tarot of the Animal Lords, The Hermit is a black bear. As in more traditional decks, this card represents the importance of solitude and spiritual searching in the quest for wisdom.

What I see in this card is that I can deal successfully with the Mercury-Moon square by allowing time for solitude and meditation (a mini-hibernation, if you will), and by keeping any tendencies toward hypersensitivity and criticism (or hypersensitivity *to* criticism) under control. I need to be aware that what I write or say may not come from my rational side. My thinking will be strongly influenced by my feelings, possibly even arising from my feelings about the past. Avoiding emotional "knee jerk reactions" is an especially good idea at this time.

Tarot of the Animal Lords

by Angelo Giannini

Lo Scarabeo