Astro Weather for the Last Week of July

Jupiter retrograde July 23 - November 18, 2010

Jupiter stationed at 9 degrees Pisces, and began its retrograde motion early this morning in the nakshatra of Uttara Bhadrapada. This lunar mansion has the power to bring cosmic rain, varshodyamana shakti. So watch today's tropical storm Bonnie intensify under Jupiter's station and cause BP to pull out most oil spill personnel until the storm passes. (UPDATE on Bonnie.)

Uttara Bhadrapada consists of two stars, Pegasi and Andromedae which form the two legs of the back part of a funeral bed. Like the myth of Andromeda, it signifies the release of bondage, the release of kundalini, the release of life through death -- the deep sleep of consciousness. The deity associated with Uttara Bhadrapada is Ahir Bhudhanya, the serpent of the deep. Watch the media for stories about what is happening deep in the oceans like today's headline that the Deepwater Horizon alarm system was partially disabled prior to the explosion of April 20, 2010.



Jupiter is the planet associated with abundance, wealth and prosperity, as well as spiritual and philosophical wisdom. So how does a retrograding Jupiter effect business and the economy, or our spirit? The retrograde motion draws energy and intention inward, thus increasing opportunity for soul growth. However in the mundane world, Jupiter retrograde can be a difficult time to start a new business venture. The backward motion doesn't support new projects or material goals. It's not about focusing on prosperity, which is usually the domain of lucky Jupiter, but about being aligned with your integrity, beliefs and destiny. It is a time for reflection, and seeing whether your soul is as prosperous as your work. If you do launch a new business during retrograde Jupiter, you may find yourself giving away services to those in need, which can be a good thing in the long run, but frustrating financially. Today's headlines indicated that the European Economy is stronger than expected, and according to President Obama Legislative Victories Show Economy Is Progressing.

Vedic astrologer Joni Patry has a fascinating theory that the stationing points of Jupiter indicate great opportunity for increase in good fortune, windfalls, wealth, and income to those with natal planets at the stationing degree in all the trine-related signs. For example, Jupiter stationing at 9 degrees Pisces would also stimulate 9 degrees of Cancer and Scorpio.

President Obama's natal Mercury, ruler of the 6th house of enemies and 9th house of philosophy and law, is at 9 degrees Cancer placed in the 7th house of partnership and marriage. Jupiter's station in his 3rd house trines and casts a positive glance to both his 7th and 11th natal houses. There could be a boon to his wife like the recent poll showing that she is ahead of her husband in popularity. There could also be a boon to his other partner, the American people. For example, today the president also signed the long-awaited emergency extension of unemployment benefits. The aspect to his 11th house may indicate he benefits from working with groups or with large corporations. Perhaps we will see him show more leadership skill over the powers that be at BP, as well as refocus our attention on the economy.

Jupiter is a key planet for Barack Obama because in addition to its natal neecha banga raja yoga and conjunction with chart ruler Saturn in a mahapurusha yoga, it is also dasha lord. He began the last antara dasha of Jupiter-Rahu in February which runs until the beginning of his Saturn maha dasha in July 2012. Thus the movements of Jupiter (and Rahu) reflects the potential of destiny and karmic change for the president. For example, when Jupiter entered Pisces in May and conjoined Neptune, the modern indicator of oil, the truth about the extent of the oil spill finally came out and the Obama administration came under fire for blindly accepting BP's cover story.

Neptune is also the planet associated with the sublime and mystical, and when Jupiter conjoined it in May we witnessed another sublime spiral in the skies over Byron Bay in Australia as I posted in June's Astroweather. This past May also found the scientific community abuzz with the this image of Jupiter that clearly shows that some of its banded features had disappeared.



In Sanskrit Jupiter is called Guru meaning "the spiritual teacher" or "guide", so what happens to this planet astronomically may present a cosmic lesson for us to unravel astrologically.

Western astrologers describe Jupiter retrograde as a period in which we should evaluate how we are not being honest with ourselves. This may be played out on a personal or group level. In Vedic astrology retrograde planets are considered to be more powerful and have an internalizing effect. Retrograde planets are also believed to indicate a karmic result and show an influence from the past. Thus when Jupiter turns retrograde we may have the opportunity to fulfill some karmic debt or clear up affairs from the past. By looking at the degree of where it will turn stationary direct in November, we see that it will be at 29 degrees Aquarius, as it was on May 1, 2010. The lessons will be tied to the events that occurred near that time, such as the Oil Spill, the Australian Spiral, and the Disappearing Bands of Jupiter.

Jupiter turns retrograde in the President's 3rd house of communication, so we may see his power of communication change and slow down. For example today's headline on the Huffington Post reveals his attempt to blame the media role in the reactive firing of Shirley Sherrod over allegations of racism that later proved unsubstantiated. He told ABC news "I've told my team and I told my agencies that we have to make sure that we're focusing on doing the right thing instead of what looks to be politically necessary at that very moment. We have to take our time and think these issues through." This call to slow down and act judiciously very much reflects Jupiter's current transit through his chart. This weekend's full moon at nearly 9 degrees Capricorn conjoins the President's natal Jupiter within two degrees casting a bright light of illumination to his powerful dasha lord. Hopefully he will take advantage of this karmic opportunity to make some enlightened changes that he promised in his campaign.



Full Moon, Sunday July 25, 2010 at 5:37 pm pdt

The Capricorn full moon occurs in the nakshatra Uttara Ashada meaning "the latter invincible one". It is known as the "universal star" and gives humanitarian interests. For example, John Lennon, Deepak Chopra, Robert Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln all were born with moon in Uttara Ashada. Barack Obama's chart ruler Saturn and dasha lord Jupiter are both under the influence of this asterism, and as we have seen he often describes Abraham Lincoln as his role model.

Purva means "earlier" and Uttara means "latter". There are three sets of nakshatras that are paired: Purva/Uttara Phalguni, Purva/Uttara Ashada, and Purva/Uttara Bhadrapada. All three of these nakshatras are represented with symbols of beds indicating areas of relaxation, healing, and sometimes death. Uttara Ashada, is therefore, the latter "undefeated" or final victory. Uttara Ashada has ten ruling deities known as the Vishvadevas or Universal Gods. Their names translate into: goodness, truth, willpower, skill, time, desire, firmness, ancestors, brightness and peak. They are benevolent and the guardians of good. Their power is to grant an unchallengable victory, apradhrisya shakti, as I discussed in the election chart for President Obama.

Within the nakshatra of Uttara Ashada is an older, more ancient and mysterious nakshatra called Abhijit. According to ancient Vedic legend, the stars of this asterism, which are located at the end of the Sagittarius constellation and early degrees of Capricorn, point to the battle ground where Indra and the divine forces celebrated final victory over demonic forces. Some ancient texts describe a 28th nakshatra called Abhijit, whose translation also means "final victory." Although scholars differ on it's exact degrees, it is referenced as 0-12 degrees Capricorn. In the ancient classic The Bhagavad Gita Krishna says: "Amongst the nakshatras, I am Abhijit." Is it a coincidence that the blue star Vega that makes up this nakshatra is connected with Krishna who is always depicted with blue skin. Abhijit is considered a light nakshatra that is auspicious for healing, traveling or starting a business.



My natal south node, Ketu, is located in Abhijit which may explain my attraction for this beautiful star. Ancient Vedic texts describe the time when Vega was the north pole star -- between 10,000-12,000 BCE. According to David Frawley, "Vega may be the other point of light which governs life and spiritual evolution on Earth."

Ancient Egyptians refer to Vega as Maat, the great Egyptian goddess who helped souls move from one life to another. Maat may also refer to a place. In the movie Contact, Jodi Foster travels through a wormhole to Vega and visits with her deceased father. According to Wikipedia the Egyptian sun-god Ra came from the primaeval mound of creation only after he set his daughter Maat in place of Isfet (chaos). Egyptian kings inherited the duty to ensure that Maat remained in place and they with Ra are said to "live on Maat", with Akhenaten in particular emphasizing the concept.

Many channeled teachings and ancient legends describe some of the oldest root races that originate from the star system of Vega. According to the legends, survivors of some galactic calamity escaped to Pleiades and Sirius, and eventually established an interstellar portal with the earth. In Energy Blessings from the Stars Virginia Essene describes Vega as beaming gifts of sound healing to the earth. The connection of Vega with sound healing with the Vedic tradition of the flute playing Krishna originating in Abhijit are intriguing. See what music moves you under this full moon.

Aspects to Neptune and Uranus

As we are painfully aware in the US, the BP Oil Spill is the most devastating news headline of the year and is represented astrologically by the Mars(Skanda)-Neptune opposition which I discussed in previous posts. There are some new astrological aspects coming up that may indicate more trouble beneath the seas and abroad.

Mercury, the planet of thinking, commerce, and communication opposes Neptune, the ruler of oil, on July 26, 2010. Although a Mercury-Neptune opposition is not volatile, it does indicate there may be plenty of confusion as to whats going on. On the same day Saturn makes an opposition to Uranus which is in exchange, or parvartana yoga, with Neptune. Saturn-Uranus oppositions can bring obstruction (Saturn) to unique self-expression (Uranus). It may also indicate blocking attacks involving Uranium (Uranus).

But the most intense and volatile aspect of the week is the Mars-Uranus opposition on July 30, 2010, closely followed by a Mar-Saturn conjunction on July 31, 2010. Mars may trigger what Saturn tried to block, or there may be some stop-start quality to events. Western astrology Robert Hand describes the Mars-Uranus opposition in his book Planets in Transit:

Most commonly it makes you strike out rashly against people who seem to have held you back in some way or angered you consistently in the past. Or you may suddenly act impulsively to escape duties and obligations that circumstances have imposed on you. Most frequently this transit signifies the explosive release of tension through sudden anger against someone. . . on the other hand, this transit can represent a time when your efforts to liberate yourself from unnecessary and inhibiting restrictions start to succeed.

Two days later Venus enters its sign of debilitation further inhibiting conciliatory conversations and diplomacy. While it makes for beautiful evening sky watching, Venus will not be up to full power to keep the demons at bay.



So it seems the last week of July may bring an explosive shift to the Gulf of Mexico, or possible terrorist attacks. But the station of Jupiter in Uttara Bhadrapada promises healing and wisdom, and light of the full moon in Uttara Ashada promises final victory. Let's hope these positive forces out weigh and cancel the aspects. Focus on the spiritual wisdom of Jupiter and ask the Vishvadevas to help humanity.



Namaste!

UPDATE:
North Korea ramps up threats against military exercises. North Korea "will legitimately counter with [its] powerful nuclear deterrence the largest-ever nuclear war exercises to be staged by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet forces," the state-run KCNA news agency said.

UPDATE: Hugo Chávez breaks diplomatic ties between Venezuela and Colombia

July Astroweather 2010

July begins in the middle of an eclipse period. An eclipse is defined as an astronomical event in which one celestial object moves into the shadow of another. Here on earth eclipses of the sun and moon occur in pairs every six months as the north and south nodes of the moon, Rahu and Ketu, align with the full or new moon. The two week period between the eclipses is often filled with dynamic shifts and changes that have an effect on the following six months -- until the next eclipse period. The upcoming week may be intense, dizzying, and eye-opening for many of us as we shift up a notch on our spiraling and evolving paths.



As I discussed in the June Astro Weather post, last week's full moon lunar eclipse in the nakshatra of Mula heralded the opening of the King Tut Exhibit in Denver, with its symbolic display of funerary art. Under the light of this shadow moon, stories of King Tut's missing penis made headlines. Even Stephen Colbert was intrigued by the missing phallus. Besides the sensationalized mystery of why it is missing, it is intriguing because during the lunar eclipse the Sun was in the nakshatra of Ardra, which is associated with the constellation of Orion and the fixed star Sirius. These stars correspond to the Egyptian goddess Isis, and her husband O-Siris, who was also known for missing a penis. Osiris is a god of resurrection and Lord of the Underworld.



Ancient Egyptians viewed the fixed star Sirius as a giver of life for it always reappeared at the time of the annual flooding of the Nile. When the star sank in the west and disappeared from the night sky, it remained hidden for 70 days before emerging in the east in the morning. This period was viewed as a time of death and rebirth. The Egyptians designed their funeral ceremonies to reflect this phenomenon. When an Egyptian king died, his body was mummified, then interred in a pyramid or other tomb. By custom, burial took place 70 days after death, when the king was "reborn" in the stars. As Sirius was involved in this eclipse, it points to the period of its helical rising, July 3 - August 11th, the possibility that a king may undergo burial rites.

During this eclipse period many themes of death and the underworld have surfaced in the media and mass consciousness. It is no coincidence that the vampire blockbuster The Twilight Saga opened the third installment aptly named Eclipse during this time. We also witnessed intense riots and political protests at the G20 Summit in Toronto, where an unusual 5.0 earthquake shook the ground three days earlier. Tropical storm Alex threatened to push the spilled oil into the northern Gulf, but turned towards Mexico instead. The stock market may be taking another dive dubbed a "death cross."



And more frightening discussions of the BP oil spill fulfilling an apocalyptic prophecy with an upcoming event that could cause the deaths of 1.5 - 3 billion people.



Thus the effects of Rahu on this full moon lunar eclipse seem to have amplified the collective fear of our death urge. Rahu is sometimes described as the enemy of the moon, or negative Moon. Rahu as Negative Moon brings negative mental states such as psychosis, paranoia, illusion and trance. My personal experience of this lunar eclipse was a positive one as it effected benefics in my own natal chart. I attended a transcendent yoga class that surprisingly brought me back to the root (Mula) of my essence and that night I experienced significant dreams.

New Moon, Solar Eclipse July 11, 2010 12:40 pm PDT
The next phase of this eclipse period is the new moon solar eclipse on July 11, 2010 at 12:40 pm PDT. July's eclipse is the second solar eclipse of the year, but unlike the January 15th partial Rahu eclipse, this one will be a total Ketu eclipse. In Vedic Astrology Ketu is described as the enemy of the Sun, and as the Negative Sun may bring self-doubt, lack of confidence and self worth, or its opposite megalomania. As opposed to Rahu's affliction of the mind, Ketu can afflict the body. Ketu is a moksha-karaka, indicator of liberation from the cycle of birth and death, and it performs this function through dissolution. Thus we may expect to see sudden disease or cataclysmic events that dissolve the body and bring unexpected deaths; leaders may be less effective to make confident decisions; countries may find themselves dissolving political ties; or a delusional leader may incite a volatile incident.

During this new moon solar eclipse both the Sun and Moon fall in the sign of Gemini in the 7th nakshatra of Punarvasu. The nakshatra Punarvasu consists of two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, above the constellation of Orion. Many ancient cultures saw these stars as twins or lovers, but ancient Vedic seers interpreted them as a "quiver of arrows. And these are no ordinary arrows. Punar means "to repeat" or to "return" and these arrows function like boomerangs, or divine astras, that magically return after fulfilling their function or mission. Their perigee is the moment they hit their target, but that is not the end as the arrow must bring its rewards by returning. Thus Punarvasu symbolizes renewal, regeneration and endless beginnings. What ever we set our intent for under this influence is bound to be a completed mission. So perhaps this new moon eclipse will offer the opportunity for all of us to reach for our magical arrow, send it off with well planned intent of requesting sacred space for movement and abundance to be generated not just for ourselves, but for all earth kind.

This benefic nakshatra is is ruled by Aditi the Mother of a group of solar deities called the Adityas. The Adityas protect against various diseases, and belong to the Devas, a generic term for divine beings. They are: Ansa, Aryman, Bhaga, Daksha, Dhatri, Indra, Mitra, Ravi, Savitri, Surya, Varuna, and Yama. Surya is the deity associated with the Sun and as he is being eclipsed, his energy may not be as powerful during this time. Surya is an indicator of kings and leaders, and this eclipse may be a difficult time for any leader or countries with planets at 25 degrees Gemini. For example, the famous Indian astrologer Gayatri Vasudev uses a US chart with a Gemini ascendant, and we may witness more difficulty for President Obama as his natal Venus, ruler of his 10th house of public life) falls in Gemini in the 6th house of disease and enemies.

Adithi is Sanskrit for "limitless" and thus Aditi is also described as a sky goddess representing the unlimited space of the heavens.



Prash Trivedi writes:

Aditi, or space, is the sinequanon for any motion or movement. If there is no space, there is no motion. . . Just like the space which accommodates all, Punarvasu is very accommodating of people, situations, circumstances, and energies.

The power associated with Punarvasu is to gain wealth or substance, vasutva prapana shakti. So will Ketu's shadow influence dissolve this power, or accentuate it? Or will it yield enlightenment about how unbalanced our concepts of wealth and money are? Will Aditi, a symbol of the earth itself, who grants all abundance and gives birth to all the gods, be eclipsed by Ketu? Will she be able to heal herself, or will she 'quiver' under the shadow of Ketu?

The path of the eclipse usually points to the areas of the world that will be most effected. In this case the solar eclipse will be visible in the South Pacific and southern South America, following a path over the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Easter Island, and finally Chile and Argentina. As Chile suffered a major earthquake 6 weeks after the last solar eclipse in January, it may have experience more earth changes.



The focal point of this eclipse is Easter Island, known around the world as the location of the mysterious giant carvings called moai. Easter Island was also called Te-Pito-O-Te Henua which means "the Navel of the Earth." What could a total eclipse do to this magical site and how does it tie into the mother earth archetypes being triggered?



Easter Island has always inspired wild speculation about UFO's, Lemuria, and vanished advanced ancient races. The legends of Easter Island speak of 'Hiva' which sank beneath the waves as people fled. As the words "Punar" means repeat, and "Vasu" translates as ray of light, Punarvasu is also known as "the star of renewal" and marks the return of the light after the storm. Perhaps we will see stories surface that reveal lost ancient worlds? Or perhaps we will see the return of a cataclysmic event?

Are Eclipses Really to be Feared?
This eclipse is part of Saros cycle 146, repeating every 18 years 11 days. Saros 146 occurred previously at the Total Solar Eclipse of June 30, 1992, and will next occur at the Total Solar Eclipse of July 22, 2028. I remember the 1992 solar eclipse as I was fascinated by how the light shifted. It seemed very gray to me. All my co-workers went outside to experience the event. Instead of looking at the sky, we watched the eclipse in the bizarre shadows cast by the trees.



I was just beginning to study astrology, and wondered how this energy effected our own energetic field and shadows. The following year was one of great change that initiated me on my spiritual path.

Astrological traditions view eclipse cycles as a karmic time periods in which the obscuration of the luminaries brings out psychological disturbances, political unrest, shadow issues, and fear. Historically eclipses have been described in the mythology and literature of different cultures as signs of the overthrow of the natural order of things. The word eclipse comes from a Greek word ekleipsis meaning "to fail to appear" or "abandonment." Quite literally, an eclipse was seen as the sun abandoning the earth. It is unfortunate that so much negativity is associated with eclipses because my recent experiences have found that eclipses bring in profound and evolutionary information.

If we look at the phenomenon of an eclipse, we may begin to realize what is happening beyond an archetypal level. At the beginning of the solar eclipse, the Moon progressively covers the solar disk. Illumination of Earth's surface rapidly diminishes. Even the air temperature falls a few degrees. Seconds before the totality of the eclipse, shadow bands appear.



Shadow bands are irregular bands of shadow, a few centimeters wide and up to a meter apart, moving over the ground. There is a theory that suggests that shadow bands are not just visual events but also sonic, as the moon is believed to move at a supersonic speed, creating various sound waves during the solar eclipse. Sound waves travel 4.3 times faster in water than air, so we can only imagine what effect these sonic shadows bands may have on the waters of our planet, and in our bodies.

The next phase of an eclipse is called the diamond ring phase during which Bailey's beads appear on the solar limb. Bailey's beads are a string of bright beads of light produced by the uneven shape of the lunar limb. Baily's beads make their brief appearance up to 15 seconds before totality. When a single point of sunlight remains, a beautiful "diamond ring" effect is created against the outline of the Moon.



This sparkling signals the arrival of the moon's shadow when the last ray of sunlight vanishes and totality begins. Maximal duration of totality varies from eclipse to eclipse lasting up to 7.5 minutes.



During totality, a luminous white crown of light shines in all directions around the darkened solar disk. A million times fainter than the Sun itself, the full glory of the corona is visible only during a total solar eclipse. Wispy plumes and streamers of coronal light reach out distances up to several diameters of the Sun before they fade into darkness. The sun's corona is much hotter -- by a factor of nearly 200 -- than the visible surface of the Sun. The high temperature of the corona gives it unusual spectral features that have been traced to highly ionized Iron. The exact mechanism by which the corona is heated is still the subject of some debate, but likely possibilities include induction by the Sun's magnetic field and sonic pressure waves from below. I can't help but view the corona as the auric field of the sun, and thus wonder if we can't see other auric fields during an eclipse? Or if we may be able to access astral fields more clearly during this time manifesting in seeing auras or other psychic phenomenon in dream and meditative states.



To me the most amazing thing about totality is that the brightest stars and planets are observable during a time when they are usually blocked by the sun's light. It seems to me that we may receive more galactic information at this time. My teacher used to say that during a solar eclipse, one should take notice of the stars when the Sun is obscured. The stars are the issues that are always there, but can't be seen in the bright light of day. In other words eclipses are opportunities to realize what is present beyond daily vision, and these issues may thus be addressed.

Although this eclipse period promises to be intense, it is important to remember not to get caught up in the drama of any karmic release. Ketu is a moksha-karaka, indicator of liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Ketu can bestow great insight and healing ability, or it may place obstacles that ultimately change how one thinks. It brings spiritual tendencies, ascetism and nonattachment to worldly desires and ambitions, and it balances the materialistic compulsion of Rahu with its impulse to enlightenment. This Ketu opportunity to bring balance is exactly what the earth needs right now.

Namaste!

Skanda-Neptune and the BP Oil Spill

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and sometimes a picture inspires a thousand words -- as in the case of this post. The above video still of an oil plume rushing out of the ocean floor not only captures the source of our current oilapocalype, but also may suggest an energetic source based on astrological aspects. When I saw the name of the deep sea equipment monitoring the BP oil spill, I couldn't believe my eyes: MSV Skandi-Neptune.



Skanda is one of the many names of the deity associated with the planet Mars. It is described as having six heads, like the MSV Skandi-Neptune that offers multiple feeds and views of the leaking oil. In Sanskrit "skanda" means "that which is spilled or oozed," primarily referring to semen, but as Mars also rules tools, weapons, machines and their usage oil does seem related as well. Another name for Mars is Kuja, or Bhumija, "the one born from the Earth." Representing the hidden flame in matter, substances like coal, gas, and oil are seen as his energy manifested in Earth form.



As I indicated in previous posts the malefic red planet was been aspecting Neptune, the modern indicator of oil, since Neptune re-entered Aquarius on December 8, 2009. Mars will continue to cast a furtive glance at the gas giant until it enters Libra on September 6, 2010. On the day of the initial explosion on the Deepsea Horizon Oil rig, Neptune was in an exact exchange with the planet of sudden shifts, Uranus and a debilitated Mars in Cancer aspected the parvartana pair in an 8th aspect. In Vedic astrology Mars is said to make aspects to the houses that are 6, 7, and 8 from it, thus a 150 degree angle (or quincunx in Western astrology) , a 180 degree angle of opposition, and 210 degree waning quinqunx. A direct Mars will make aspects to first to the 8th house creating a tranforming event, then it aspects the 7th house revealing the reaction of the other, and then and finally it aspects the 6th house giving a healing solution. The 6,7,8 aspects of Mars are very similar to David Icke's problem-reaction-solution scenarios or Hegelian Dialectic. Its eight aspect to Neptune triggered a transforming event and catastrophe on a generational scale.

In late May Mars completed its intense eight-month journey through its sign of debilitation revealing among many things our own disabling addiction to oil energy. It entered the sign of Leo opposite the ruler of oil, Neptune in Aquarius, in a 7th aspect. The 7th aspect effects relationship and partnership. Since this time the world has been focused on who is responsible for this mess, and leaders such as President Obama and the CEOs of BP have been feeling the heat. President Obama has natal Mars in Leo at 29 degrees. This gandanta Mars is associated with three explosive malefics in his natal 8th house: Uranus, Rahu, and Pluto and as transiting Mars has hit those planets at 1, 3, and 13 degrees the heat has increased. Mars will make a return to his natal Mars on July 19, 2010, a week after the full Solar Eclipse on July 11, 2010. This will not be an easy week for the President, and we can expect fireworks at this time.

Mars enters Virgo on July 20, 2010 aspecting Neptune from a 6 position. The 6th aspect is related to health and service, so we start to see new stories about the toxic effect of oil on our health. Already stories are surfacing warning pregnant women to avoid the gulf, plans for evacuation of large numbers of gulf residents, and oil-soaked rains. Mars will conjoin Saturn in Virgo on July 31, 2010 at 6 degrees Virgo in exact opposition to Uranus at 6 degrees Pisces conjoined Jupiter and the Moon. The public (moon) will demand new and perhaps revolutionary (Uranus) answers to heal (Jupiter) the earth.

My guess is there will not be any real solution until Mars enters Libra on September 6, 2010 as it will no longer be aspecting Neptune. However it will be aspecting Uranus which is in exchange with Neptune, so its negative and exasperating effects may still be felt until Mars enters Scorpio on October 19, 2010. But as the rising sign in the event chart for the BP oil spill occurs in Scorpio in the 17th nakshatra Anuradha, and President Obama's inaugural chart has an 8th house Scorpio moon also in the 17th nakshatra within 3 degrees of the BP Oil spill ascendant, Mars in Scorpio may not be great either. It seem Mars could trigger more difficulty for the US, its leader, and the Gulf. Mars shifts into Sagittarius on November 30, 2010 and begins to line up with the next eclipse period. Thus Mars will be a key astrological player in this cosmic drama until the end of the year.

Last weekend I attended a Vedic astrology conference in which the world-famous astrologer Gayatri Devi Vasudev spoke about world and US predictions. She was concerned about the full lunar eclipse occurring on the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2010. Although I use a different US chart (Scorpionic America chart), I share her concern about the eclipse which also involves Mars in Sagittarius. Mars in the nakshatra of Purva Ashada conjoins Pluto, Rahu, Sun, and Mercury all in Mula during this eclipse. Mula is one of the most violent nakshatras as it is ruled by the goddess of destruction and calamities, Nirriti. In the Scorpionic America chart Mars is natally placed in the 11th house at 21 degrees Sagittarius with the south node Ketu at 20 degrees Sagittarius; and on the day of this lunar eclipse Mars will be at 16 degrees Sagittarius as it approaches the US natal Mars at 21 degrees. This could indicate a highly charged event that may effect the leader (Sun), business and group organizations (11th house) and institutes of learning (Mercury).

In addition Venus will be rising over Washington DC in the sign of Libra and constellation of Swati at the moment of the eclipse. Usually Venus in its own sign in the 1st house is considered very benefic, but it will be in the morningstar position. As I have discussed in previous posts Venus morningstar was viewed by many ancient cultures as harbinger of illness and death. Even modern research suggests a link between pandemics and her morningstar position combined with sunspot activity, which is likely to be high this fall. Swati is ruled by the deity Vayu, the god of wind, air, breath, and prana. It gives the power to scatter like the wind, pradhvamsa shakti. Thus the main elements involved with this eclipse are wind and fire, perhaps solar winds. We may have to take a deep breath to deal with the winds of change that may occur at the Winter solstice. Practice your wind-pacifying techniques like pranayama and mantra, and protect your lungs and immune system from scattered wind that can bring febrile disease with Vitamin D and other immune builders.

Namaste!

Astro Weather - June 2010

Mars in Leo May 26 - July 19, 2009
June begins in the wake of May's intense astrological events and under the influence of many significant planetary, environmental, and political changes.

In late May Mars completed an intense eight month journey through its sign of debilitation pointing to our own disabling addiction to oil energy. It entered the sign of Leo opposite the ruler of oil, Neptune in Aquarius, which promises to keep our attention on this life-threatening disaster through mid-July.

On June 3, 2010 the opposition was exact and the next day the headlines revealed the possibility that there may have been prior knowledge that the oil spill was imminent: Goldman Sachs sold 44% of its BP stock three weeks before the spill, and the notoriously opportunistic and greedy Halliburton bought a oil spill clean up company, Boots and Coots, 8 days before the oil spill. Oh and did I mention Halliburton was responsible for the cementing work on the Deepsea Horizon, which was completed 20 hours before the explosion. They are now under investigation. Mars in Leo may give some energy and aggressiveness to our leaders to keep the corporate players in line.

Mars in Leo may also have played a role in the politically charged Gaza incident in which commandos from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) boarded the relief ship MV Mavi Marmara in international waters after communicating warnings that a naval blockade of the Gaza area was in force. In the violent clashes that followed, nine activists were killed.


And, as reader Paradise points out, Mar-Mar-a contains a double Mars. Mars is associated with the number 9, and the death of 9 activists is another symbolic layer of its increasing strength in Leo. Mars rules war and we may witness an escalation in hostilities around the world this summer as it heats up in the sign of the Sun.

The month of May ended under a debilitated, though enlightening full moon in Mar's sign Scorpio. As I indicated in my previous post, this full moon occurred within four degrees of the rising sign in the event chart for the BP Oil Spill. The bright light of this full moon illuminated some of the hidden causes and factors that may have triggered this unprecedented environmental disaster, as well as the responsible parties and failed plans to plug the hole. Notice the Scandi Neptune description on this video still -- Skanda, the son of Shiva, is another name for Mars.




Moreover, new oil leaks located 6 miles away from the original site were discovered and raised the question whether earth changes beneath the ocean floor may be contributing to this unending mess.

Saturn Stationary Direct at 3 degrees Virgo, May 31, 2010
This lunation was soon followed by Saturn's station opposite the conjunction of expansive Jupiter and unpredictable Uranus both in the water sign of Pisces. During this time the first massive hurricane of the season hit Guatemala and triggered a massive sink hole that sucked a three-story building from the face of the earth.


Three days later China began reporting sinkholes as well. Saturn rules structure and foundation which seem to be dissolving under the Piscean influence of Jupiter. The expansive energy of Jupiter will be opposite the contracting energy of Saturn for most of the summer. I wouldn't be surprised if more earth shifts occur when Mars joins Saturn in Virgo in conjunction at the end of July.

Jupiter in Pisces May 1, 2010 - October 31,2010
The month of June not only began with intense weather and earth anomalies, but also yielded some intriguing space activity. An amateur photographer caught an object hitting Jupiter on June 3, 2010 reminding us that this gas giant captures many space objects in its huge gravitational field that could in fact wipe out life on earth if they were to get past its protective pull.



And don't forget that Jupiter made the news on May 17, 2010 when it was discovered that it lost one of its stripes.



In Sanskrit Jupiter is called Guru meaning "the spiritual teacher" or "guide", so what happens to this planet astronomically may present a cosmic lesson for us to unravel astrologically.

Jupiter has been traveling in its own sign of Pisces since the beginning of May and conjoined the planet of unpredictable and sudden changes, Uranus exactly on June 8, 2010. Jupiter conjunct Uranus is seen by Western astrologers as a transit of surprises and sudden opportunities. The consciousness expanding quality of Jupiter can bring new insight from a totally radical Uranian viewpoint. As Uranus is also in a mutual exchange with Neptune, the effects are like a Jupiter-Neptune conjunction as well. When the great teacher transits the planet of the sublime, we might expect to witness an increase of mystical and spiritual experiences, or a great teacher may appear, or a unexplainable phenomenon may occur such as the Australian spiral.



As with the December 9, 2009 Norway spiral, conventional scientists proposed an explanation of a missile of space junk for the June 5, 2010 UFO spiral. According to Australian media reports, the lollipop light that spiraled over Australia early Saturday and prompted a flood of UFO reports to local news stations was likely the remnants of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket that launched earlier that day.

Still others researchers such as Colin Andrews suggest that HAARP or some similar human electromagnetic technology is another plausible explanation for the spiral that was large enough to be seen over three Australian states. In addition, Andrews has been following a series of anomalous weather effects over southeastern Australia which he attributes to HAARP emissions coming from a secret HAARP facility in Australia.



Perhaps my favorite explanation is that the Australia spiral was a genuine interdimensional wormhole, or stargate, caused by a hyperdimensional or multi-dimensional intelligence. That same night I dreamed of UFOs over Seattle skies that only certain people could see. Some UFO researchers such as David Wilcock speculated that the Norway spiral was caused by a hyperdimensional intelligence, and the Australia spiral may also be "a man-made phenomenon that shows Disclosure [of the existence and presence of extraterrestrials on earth] is getting closer and closer all the time!"



When you compare the event charts for the Norway and Australia spiral the main similarity is found in the chart ruler: Venus, both placed in the second house of family, value, speech, right eye, scriptural knowledge, and TRUTH. According to David Frawley, "Venus represents the higher astral and is the star of our astra light. She is the light of inspiration and our devotion to truth and beauty."

The Norway Spiral had a Libra ascendant, and the Australia Spiral appeared under a Taurus ascendant with the Pleiades rising. As I discussed in a previous post, the Norway Venus was placed in the highly symbolic 17th nakshatra Anuradha, ruled by the Sun God Mitra, who is related to Mithra, Christ, the future Buddha, and the Maitreya. The Australia Venus was located in Gemini in the 7th nakshatra Punarvasu ruled by Aditi the Mother of the Sun Gods called the Adityas. The Adityas are a group of sun gods. Originally, there were seven or eight of them, but their number was expanded to twelve in the Vedic period. As the twelve sun gods they represent the twelve months of the year. The Adityas protect against various diseases, and belong to the Devas, a generic term for divine beings. They are: Ansa, Aryman, Bhaga, Daksha, Dhatri, Indra, Mitra, Ravi, Savitri, Surya, Varuna, and Yama.
Moreover the words "Punar" means repeat, and "Vasu" translates as ray of light. Thus Punarvasu means the return of the light, or repeating light. Could this phenomenon be a signal that the Sun gods are returning? Punarvasu is also known as "the star of renewal" and marks the return of the light after the storm.

Summer Solstice June 21, 2010
The upcoming summer solstice occurs on June 21, 2010 and I would expect solar symbols such as the spiral, representing the path of the sun and structure of galaxies, to make headlines as the Sun marks its northern most declination.



In Seattle, where we obsess about the fickle Sun, The Fremont Fair and Summer Solstice Parade herald the beginning of summer. This year's symbolically appropriate theme is Love the Earth.

Astrologically the summer solstice Sun always occurs in the nakshatra Ardra. Ardra translates as "moist one" is depicted as a tear or rain drop. Like the tears of the Phoenix, another solar symbol, it is a healing nakshatra and is associated with the clarity that arises after a calamity, or the the clearing after a spring thunderstorm. Ardra is located in the sign of Gemini in the constellation of Orion and contains the fixed stars Betelgeuse and Sirius.

During the week of the summer solstice, there will also be an intense alignment involving all the outer planets squaring or opposing the Sun in Ardra in a Grand Mutable Cross.



Essentially, a Grand Cross consists of four planets in the same mode or quality -- cardinal, fixed, or mutable, which form the four squares and two oppositions. A true Grand Cross includes a planetary placement in each element: Fire, Earth, Air or Water. Because the Grand Cross involves a combination of squares and oppositions, it is an aspect pattern that affects action and drive (squares) as well as perspective and balance with others (oppositions). The Outer Planets also known as the Transpersonal Planets and symbolize collective or subconscious awareness beyond our routine or regular concerns. They symbolize the need to integrate spiritual and group concerns into the demands of our ego ideas, affections and impulses. When they interact in a grand cross the collective issues are pushed into full consciousness and effect us globally.



The mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are adaptable, adjustable, changeable and flexible. Planets in these signs tend to be more interested in the journey than in the destination. They also tend to avoid conflict at all costs, because it is not in the nature of the mutable signs to engage in conflict, except as mediators or go-betweens. They will find a way around things.

6/26/2010 Full Moon 10 degrees Sagittarius, Mula nakshatra, a partial Lunar eclipse.
The next full moon will occur under a partial lunar eclipse that also involves this grand mutable cross. The Moon will be under the shadow of Rahu and the potentially explosive influence of Pluto. Pluto is all about power and Rahu is about expansion of this power.

Both the Moon and Pluto will be in exact conjunction at 10 Sagittarius, in the tikshna, or dreadful, nakshatra Mula. This asterism is located near the serpent holder of Ophiuchus and marks the galactic center. Mula is called the "root" star and marks the place where stellar life emerged in our galaxy. The deity of this nakshatra is Nirriti, the goddess of destruction who lives in the kingdom of the dead. As the goddess of destruction, Nirriti has the power to break things apart, barhana shakti. In Western astrology Pluto also rules over the kingdom of the dead. So what will happen when these two meet under the moon light of an eclipse? There will certainly be some rumbling.



Thus the newest bizarre installation of a 7 ton replica of Anubis, the Egyptian guardian of the afterlife, at the Denver Airport is symbolically very intriguing. According to airport officials this 26 foot stature is part of a promotion for the King Tut exhibit which that opens at the Denver Art Museum on June 26, 2010 -- the very day of the lunar eclipse. Many are already questioning why on earth a huge monument to the underworld would be erected at a place like an airport, especially with Anubis being the one responsible for helping out the newly dead on their final journey; but this is no ordinary airport. It is an airport filled with apocalyptic art projects as well as legends of intrigue such as extra-long runways for future space brothers, underground tunnels, and unexplained deaths. Perhaps Anubis is appropriate after all for this lunar eclipse.

Astrological traditions view eclipse cycles as a karmic time periods in which the obscuration of the luminaries brings out psychological disturbances, political unrest, shadow issues, and fear. As this is a Rahu eclipse of the Moon in a Ketu nakshatra, we may expect to see even more karmic patterns surface as the nodes are intertwined in their own symbolic spirals. The nakshatra Mula is ruled by Ketu, the indicator of moksha, or spiritual liberation. Ketu aspects this lunar eclipse from its position in Rahu's tearful nakshatra, Ardra. As tears of a sorrow release emotional build up, they cleanse the eyes and give clarity of perception. So while this intense eclipse period may release forces that inflict pain and suffering, it is important to remember it is a result of us being out of alignment with the divine. Mula presents opportunities to return to god-realization, but we must surrender to receive this intense galactic light, let go of what is not working, and allow new life to emerge.

Namaste!

UPDATE: Spirals are in the headlines. See Starsyncs.

UPDATE: Pre-eclipse earthquakes are beginning. 5.0 in Toronto and Buffalo NY

UPDATE: Hurricane Category 4, Celia.