Urania's Well: Astrology for Changing Times


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Walking the High Wire

 

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.

 A bit of astrology: the eighth and ninth houses here are ruled by Uranus and Saturn. The eight is tenanted by Venus, which squares the rather ominous Moon-Saturn conjunction in Scorpio in the fifth. Venus tends to be rather opinionated in Aquarius (don’t we all…), so cultural critics are likely to be grabbing their megaphones and climbing on to their soapboxes. This placement practically defines the sociological term “cultural creative”, and there is also plenty of energy for change in that idealistic direction as well.  The MC-IC rulership combo of Jupiter, Neptune and Mercury is another point of interest, further tying the Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square into the angles of this chart.  The Mercury-Neptune conjunction in the ninth along with Chiron emphasizes themes of spirit, healing, philosophy, and higher education. Mars’ presence in the fourth, the house of the land, is somewhat troubling, as it is moving retrograde towards the opposition to Uranus. This is a classic signature for earthquakes and explosions (especially underground or underwater), and, given Mercury’s rulership of the fourth and conjunction to Neptune, catastrophic flooding as well.

Politically, Obama, or some major player in his administration, may do something unusual, sudden, or very forward-thinking. There may be a crisis or upheaval of some kind in the halls of government, quite possibly a crisis of leadership and/or foreign affairs. There will be a focus on the concerns of business and on the economy. There is a strong suggestion of troubles in the stock markets, and possibly in agricultural futures.  One interpretation of the Venus-Moon-Saturn interaction here is that the people of the country (Moon) wake up to the fact that they are getting financially (Venus) screwed by an unholy alliance of elite government and corporate interests (Saturn in Scorpio) — then decide to fix it. And when that giant begins to stir, all hell will break loose. Another possibility is some very underhanded stuff going on in the stock markets and the financial sector. Money and debt issues will be front and center.

The chart suggests a highly emotional and religious tone in the country, in opposition to entrenched powers of big business and big government, and also conflict over pioneering new ideas. There will be an emphasis on foreign affairs, which are likely to become quite murky.  A high-wire act around foreign policy by the Obama administration would reflect this chart well. There will be a hawkish subtext to any overtly peaceful outreach or proposal. Another possibility I see is a major scientific breakthrough (Uranus in Aries has already given us several) with profound implications for religious/spiritual belief systems. And yes, we just had one of those — the philosophical and cultural repercussions of that discovery are just beginning, and there are almost certainly more in the pipeline.

We are at a pivotal time in history, and this is reflected all around us. “Tower Time” (as Byron Ballard and I call it, referring to the Tarot card) means we all must be willing to stop clinging to outmoded belief systems and structures in our lives, to adapt to change and keep our hearts open to the needs of our neighbors and friends. Don’t shut down. Don’t let fear paralyze you. Take help that is offered, give help when you can, and cultivate empathy. I’ll leave you with some good advice for the times:

Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

 

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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

Comments

  • Greybeard
    Greybeard Wednesday, 19 March 2014

    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 years as people turn away from less polluting alternatives. Trees are being cut down in large numbers as we enter an increasingly cold cycle of the earth. This spring is a good time to open our minds and really listen to that others are saying.

  • Diotima
    Diotima Wednesday, 19 March 2014

    Thank you, Greybeard. Agreed!

  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard Wednesday, 19 March 2014

    Crazy-good, as always. Shoo, kitty, you rock this stuff!

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