Urania's Well: Astrology for Changing Times


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Diotima

Diotima

Diotima Mantineia began studying astrology in 1968, taking classes from Zoltan Mason in New York City. For the next 22 years, she practiced astrology only for herself and her friends, continuing her studies while watching an increasingly humanistic, psychologically oriented, modern astrology blossom through the work of leading astrologers such as Noel Tyl, Liz Greene, Rob Hand, Marion March, Stephen Arroyo and Howard Sasportas. In 1986, Diotima began her study of Wicca and started reading Tarot, discovering that she is a gifted intuitive. In 1991, she began practicing both astrology and Tarot professionally. She majored in plant and soil science both in college and grad school, and grows much of her own food and "materia magica" on her land in the mountains of western North Carolina. Diotima’s personal spiritual path is rooted in the Western mystery traditions, the principles of Yoga, and a profound connection with the natural world. Wicca gives structure to her spiritual journey, and she utilizes shamanic practices for healing and to live in harmony with Nature. Over 15 years of studying Chinese martial arts has given her a deep appreciation of Taoist thought which has strongly influenced her magical and personal philosophy. You can find her at www.uraniaswell.com

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b2ap3_thumbnail_tightrope-walker-in-moon_20140319-010748_1.jpgThe chart of the Spring Equinox of 2014 is an intense, powerful chart that suggests a strong possibility of a sudden and profound awakening within the country. This chart influences the next three months — until the Summer Solstice — and is cast for Washington, DC, so is predictive for the entire USA.

This chart (find it here, and a bi-wheel with the USA chart here) speaks strongly of ideology run amok — not that we haven’t been seeing enough of that lately in the halls of government, especially here in Appalachia, where Republicans Gone Wild has been the theme recently, and the environment we all live in is paying for their extreme ideology (coal ash, anyone? A cocktail of mystery chemicals? Some tailings from mountain top removal?). I suspect that that there will be strong components of religion and environmentalism in the loud and heated discussions and clashes of ideas that seem inevitable this Spring, not to mention explosive events. We are walking the high wire during this time of the Uranus-Pluto square, and all our focus needs to be on getting to the other side, to a sustainable, life-affirming culture.  

But there’s a strong call to spirituality, ethics and evolution in this chart as well. The conjunction of Mercury and Neptune in Pisces is a magical one, with the magic strengthened by the trine from Jupiter. Mercury is in his detriment in Pisces, which is kind of like being at a party where you don’t know the other people, and you’re not sure you want to. But we can give him something useful to do by directing our minds towards creating visions of a better future using the oceanic awareness of Neptune and Pisces. This is a great opportunity to sharpen and strengthen our meditation and  visualization skills. Magically, work to connect with tutelary spirits should be well-supported. However, there is also a risk of getting lost in fantasy or embroiled in deception, so it’s important to stay grounded and to listen if trusted friends question our judgment.

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Crazy-good, as always. Shoo, kitty, you rock this stuff!
  • Diotima
    Diotima says #
    Thank you, Greybeard. Agreed!
  • Greybeard
    Greybeard says #
    You are right that its a time for people to wake up. I read today that use of wood for heating fuel has doubled in less than 10 y

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b2ap3_thumbnail_diver-and-fish.jpgBe not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

This New Moon in Pisces on March 1st is remarkable for the fact that three planets — Mercury, Mars and Saturn — will be standing still in the sky (stationing retrograde or direct) within 24 hours of the New Moon moment. This will amplify the strength of those three planets in this chart, and in classical astrology, Mars and Saturn were considered the “malefic” planets — with good reason. Mars tends to deliver conflict and violence, while Saturn often brings restriction and loss. (But hey, at least Mercury’s going direct.) Both Mars and Saturn do, of course, have more beneficial manifestations — Mars can bring strength, passion and needed action, while Saturn can deliver earned material rewards and wisdom teachings. As always, an individual or focused group can do a lot to shape the energy of a chart towards growth and positive change, but en masse we tend to see the less conscious demonstrations of whatever the chart promises. Let’s look at how we can work with these planetary configurations at the New Moon to manifest wise and constructive action in the month ahead, because in the chart cast for Washington, DC, (which is predictive for the whole USA), Mars and Saturn — not to mention Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto — are kicking ass and taking names. 

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b2ap3_thumbnail_heart_shaped_full_moon.jpgYour playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. ~ Marianne Williamson

 If you’ve been anticipating that lovely, romantic Full Moon on Valentine’s Day, you might want to reconsider your approach. Instead of dreaming of moonlit skies and stardust, dust off your altar and pull out your journal and your magical tools, because you’re going to want to work to shift the energy of this Full Moon into some positive results. As with most difficult charts, there is power here, but you need to put a bridle on that horse, or you’ll likely get thrown.

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Ahhh. I love an invitation to rethink things.

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b2ap3_thumbnail_parrot.jpg

 

This is Part 2 of this post. You can read Part 1 here.

The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.” ~ Socrates

One of the more negative ways Mars expresses itself in Libra is through emotional manipulation and bullying, and taking offense is a classic move towards conflict in the repertoire of the manipulator and the bully. As any military mind knows, the best defense is a good offense, and Mars, if he’s not taking orders from the Sun, easily goes on red alert, and plans human interactions as a type of battle, where people are used strategically towards the goal of victory, or eliminated from the battlefield in one way or another. A planet in its detriment offers a challenge to manifest that planet positively through a full range of possibility, to expand and grow that planet’s expression into an unfamiliar realm — in this case, Mars needs to learn to function effectively in the realm of diplomacy, empathy, concern for others. But if we don’t live up to the test, if the bull isn’t tamed enough to walk carefully through the china shop, then the results can be quite messy, and the damage left behind by an uncontrolled Mars in Libra can be epic.

(And speaking of epics: As I’m sure you know, the planets are currently named from Roman and Greek gods and goddesses — and the myths and stories of those beings fit the planets’ way of manifesting energy rather well. But when I personalize a planet and refer to it as “he” or “she”, keep in mind that I am invoking a convenient mythology to help explain the way the planet is working. The fact that we all have all these planets in our charts is a good reminder that gender does not have a dividing line, but flows on a continuum through the human psyche, and misogyny or misandry is simply hating on a denied and projected part of yourself. But I digress.)

Mars, however, is not just about fighting and battles — in fact, I would say that the whole concept of war is laid on Mars simply because he can carry it, and that war is not natural, but is a wound on the human psyche which may take a full Great Age to heal. But that’s another post. The point here is that Mars, underneath all the saber-rattling, helps us use and direct energy in the physical realm. I think of Mars as an electrical transformer that takes pure energy and feeds it to us, modulating it both through our natal Mars, and also through the signs and aspects as it transits through the Zodiac every two years. Given that we are beings of pure energy living in a world of pure energy, that’s saying a lot. We can’t help but use and direct energy in the physical realm if we are in a living body, and when Mars spends an extra-long time in a sign through retrogradation, as he is now doing in Libra, then we have a lot to learn about how to modulate energy in a particular way. In Libra, the lessons are about relationship and justice.

You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. ~ Swami Vivekananda

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Excellent. As always!

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b2ap3_thumbnail_scottish_wildcat.jpgThis post will be a two-parter: You can read part 2 here.

No man lives without jostling and being jostled; in all ways he has to elbow himself through the world, giving and receiving offense."—Thomas Carlyle

With Mars settled into Libra for a nice long transit of about six months, this is a good time to take a look at the Red Planet’s meaning in our lives, in our charts, and at the lessons we can glean from the Warrior’s transit through the realm of Themis and Her scales of justice.  Mars isn’t happy here — He’s not very good with the social graces beloved of Libra, the sign of his detriment — but he’ll happily fight for Libran causes. This means that one of the most prominent manifestations of this transit is often an emphasis on fighting for social justice, which can — and frequently does — devolve into fighting over issues of political correctness (at any point on the political spectrum) and hurt feelings. Libra is the sign of the diplomat, and wants everyone to get along. Mars loves to fight. Put the two together, and you’re going to see a lot of people with ruffled feathers, fighting over whether or not their feelings are getting sufficient respect and attention from others. In other words, there will be a lot of people taking – and giving – offense.

Sometimes, an act or statement of opinion we deem “offensive” so clearly challenges our sense of justice or personal core values that it requires an emphatic, even aggressive, action or statement of opinion in response. So the feeling of being offended can serve to raise an internal red flag, alerting us to a possible violation of standards we deem personally acceptable, and the need to do something about it. But more often than not, people don’t simply notice the red flag, take it as a warning, and then move to identify and solve a problem. Instead, they chase the flag and the flag-bearer around the arena, snorting and huffing and puffing, determined to trample the offending parties into the dust, certain that only the total decimation of the red flag will make the pain they are feeling go away. But it won’t, of course, no more for the offended person than for a wounded bull. And the offended person is wounded, no mistake, but the pain is sourced in a wounding much older than any current situation. Those unhealed wounds are worth identifying, whether in ourselves, someone we care about, or even just someone who is demanding our attention. We all overreact sometimes, and tracing that reaction back to its source can give us a wonderful opportunity for healing.

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  • Diotima
    Diotima says #
    Thanks, Courtney. I'm off to write Part 2 now. :-)
  • Courtney Weber
    Courtney Weber says #
    Wonderful points and insight! Sincerely, Yet Another Moon in Scorpio
  • Diotima
    Diotima says #
    Yes, Barbara, it would, and thanks for pointing that out.
  • Barbara Tiemann
    Barbara Tiemann says #
    Diotima -- great article! Greatly enjoyed! As I was reading, I couldn't help but think about the recent resurgence of social jus
  • Diotima
    Diotima says #
    , Oh, yeah, those delicate types whose Moon is ruled by Mars and Pluto, you mean? Just get out the smelling salts, dear, and tuck

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b2ap3_thumbnail_snowy-day-in-the-woods.jpgThe chart cast for the moment of the Winter Solstice — when the Sun enters Capricorn — is predictive for the three months ahead, and when the chart is cast for the capital of a country, it is predictive for that entire country. As we spiral in towards the next solsticial shift — from dark to light here in the northern hemisphere, and from light to dark in the southern — we are caught up in planetary energies that demand change, and change often demands the destruction of the old before the new is birthed. It is the light within us — our inner Sun — that gives us the vision, energy, courage and strength to build anew in a world in which hi-tech warfare, critical levels of environmental pollution, catastrophic climate change and resource depletion promise a future very different from our present. The challenges are clear, and the Solstice chart offers us insight into the personal and spiritual strategies we can use to meet these challenges with grace, compassion, and courage.

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b2ap3_thumbnail_masks01.jpgDecember’s New Moon is a Vegas kind of Moon — big, bold, and dramatic. It heralds a holiday season of screaming headlines, explosive events and probably some wild parties, as well. The entertainment industry, issues of children and youth, especially education, and any kind of gambling, including the stock market, will be emphasized in the coming month here in the USA.

Let’s cover the basic astrology first. (Non-astrologers can skip this paragraph) The chart can be found here. Set for Washington, DC, it features the New Moon in Sagittarius in the 5th, with Sagittarius’ ruler, Jupiter, powerfully placed on the Ascendent in Cancer, the sign of its exaltation, opposing Venus, and widely opposing Pluto, as well. Uranus sits in the 10th house, adjacent to the Aries Point Midheaven, which is opposed by Mars. The Uranus-Pluto square is in full force, and the Sun-Moon conjunction plus Mercury are in a wide square to Neptune. There is a strong trine between Jupiter and Saturn, and between Uranus and the Sun-Moon. The New Moon falls in the fifth house, joined by Mercury and Saturn, and the fifth house rulers are Mars and Pluto. The houses and angles on this chart are specific to the USA, but much of what I say here will be applicable globally.

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Gad zooks, woman. Thanks for keeping the Comedy mask in.

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