Planet Weather for the Week of September 15, 2002

                                                                                                 

SkyWatch! For the next few weeks, Venus is literally "the star of the show" in the evening sky. Venus reaches its greatest brilliance on Sept. 26. It is currently and will remain for several weeks, the third brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon. In places where the air is very clear and dark, Venus is even bright enough to cast shadows! Venus will slowly fade as it approaches the sun and will not be visible after October 10, until early November when it begins appearing in the East before sunrise. Because of this behavior, the ancients had two names for Venus - Vesperus, the Evening Star, when it shone in the West after sunset, and Hesperus, the Morning Star, when it rose in the East before the sun. Some scientists aware of this double naming think, wrongly, that the ancients believed Venus was two different stars. In fact, the ancients knew perfectly well that Vesperus and Hesperus was the same star and that it was actually a planet or "wanderer" in the sky. They even made this dual appearance of Venus into the symbol of the soul's immortality -- death and rebirth. Go out! Look up!

 

Happy Birthday Virgo, Critic of the Zodiac! The Sun is in Virgo 8/23/02 to 9/23/02.

You’re in good Zodiac company with: Dr. Joyce Brothers, O. Henry, Faith Hill, Lafayette.

Virgo is a mutable, earth sign ruled by Mercury (detail, discrimination, craftsmanship).

Virgo understands the discrete pieces that make up the whole, even though at times it gets caught up in one “piece” or another. Virgo can be said to contain a holographic sensibility that can sense the whole in just one detail. A good example of this might be some Virgos’ facility with jigsaw puzzles.

 

 

Neptune Rx 5/13-10/20/02, Uranus Rx 6/2-11/4/02. (Rx means retrograde - apparent backward motion of a planet as seen from the Earth). Jupiter in Leo 8/1/02 until 8/28/03. Pluto turned direct @ 14 Sadge, on Monday 8/26/02. On 9/11/02 there was an exact Jupiter/Leo opposition (180 deg.) with Neptune/Aquarius. Quote from last week, “This can be an infusion of inspiration, an illumination and either a way through with compassionate wisdom or else confusion and distortion, a spiritual blindness of massive proportions. It’s a question of the ego, the personal will versus the group, collective, global wisdom. It is a spiritual turning point and a time to consider the collective/global good for the future. It must be a path of the wise heart.” Along the East Coast of the US, this aspect created wild winds all day, and an eerie, unsettling energy but also a deep communion with those who died innocently one year ago and those who still suffer. Compassion and confusion is also evident in these energies as our world struggles with global inter-relationships.

 

Mercury in Libra 8/26/02 to10/31/02. Mercury turned Rx in Libra on 9/14/02. Its Rx motion extends its stay in Libra to a little over 2 months. Mercury turns Rx @ 13 Libra, just one degree less than the degree of Mercury on 9/11/01. Mercury turned Direct @ 14 Libra in October 2001, emphasizing that fateful day’s pattern (Mercury @ 14 Libra on the Ascendant of the attack chart) and the crucial message of balance, cooperation, collaboration and assessment of what is truly of value that we were meant to learn. Interestingly enough, with this close connection to 9/11, the potential “20^th” hijacker was caught in Karachi, Pakistan and an AlQueda cell in Buffalo, NY was dismantled.

 

Venus in Scorpio 9/7/02 until 1/8/03. Venus turns Rx in Scorpio on 10/10/02. Venus remains in Scorpio for 4 months, due to its Rx dance! This combination is the world’s desire for change. It is the urge to transform, often arriving through destruction but often enough through deep healing of ancient wounds. This long Venus/Scorpio retrograde could serve to elicit a deeper understanding of the rivers of emotion and motive that move our survival and bring satisfaction or the yearning for emotional gratification into our lives.

 

Mars in Virgo 8/29/02 to 10/15/02. Mars in mutable earth Virgo is practical and likes nothing better than to have all its ducks in a row. Mars/Virgo squares (90 deg.) Pluto/Sadge on 9/22/02 and brings about a potential power play and the urge to take action or vengeance in order to gain a political or power advantage. It is the struggle for the organism to heal itself by immersing itself in a transformative situation. There is always the option of positive or negative expression of this urge.

 

The Vernal Equinox, September 23, 2020 @ 12:56Am EDT! The Sun enters the air sign Libra. This is one power point of the year, when day and night are of equal length and the world seeks for balance within and without. If negotiated diplomacy fails, the cooperative Libra energy moves to its opposite sign of Aries and aggressive action. For individuals, find what makes the difference for you, how much compromise is enough and how much is too much for your individual freedom.

 

 

The United Nations and Multilateralism! The Secretary General of the UN, Khofi Annan’s speech before the assembly of nations was wise and invoked the caution of diplomacy. Annan emphasized that the greatest conflict at the moment is that of Israel and Palestine. He reiterated the UN resolution for Iraq to allow inspectors and reminded the world that Afghanistan’s rebuilding and future (in the wake of an assassination attempt on President Hamid Kharzei) and the struggle in SE Asia must be attended to. He was an inspiring dovish voice in a hawkish environment. President Bush spoke next to present his case for an invasion of Iraq. Bush’s Mars return, 9 Virgo (exact on 9/11-12/02!) gave the president strength as he spoke before the UN. He was emphatic in stating that Iraq posed a threat and that inaction was not an option. He sought support, finally, after weeks of threatening US unilateral action. With back to back retrogrades – first Mercury, followed by Venus (three days after Mercury turns direct 10/6/02) –  the next several months are rife with potential errors in judgment and passionate and political exploitation. What could be learned is reviewing previous conflicts and handling current ones differently and wisely.

 

Sun-Virgo, Mercury-Rx Libra, Venus-Scorpio, Mars-Virgo, Jupiter-Leo,

Saturn-Gemini, Uranus-Rx Aquarius, Neptune-Rx Aquarius, Pluto-Sagittarius.

(Rx means retrograde -- apparent backward motion of a planet as seen from the Earth.)           

Fire — 2, Earth — 2, Air — 4, Water — 1 = Planets in Element distribution.

(Since the Moon moves quickly, 2½ days per sign, it is not included in the tally -- the Moon moves through each element 3 times per month). Excess or lack of an element brings that element into high focus. The primary signs occupied now are earthy Virgo (2), airy Aquarius (2), airy Libra (1), airy Gemini (1), fiery Leo (1), with a steady backdrop of Pluto in fiery Sadge (consistently omnipresent since 1995-96) – Virgoan service, organization and discrimination (details, details, details) are balanced with humanitarian issues, scientific breakthroughs and global concerns with the classic Virgoan tendency of not seeing the forest for the trees. There’s a greater need (with Merc Rx) for cooperation/negotiation and diplomacy. Add doubletalk, communication/legalese/contracts, opposite exaggeration/spin/adventures/ethics issues = wisdom or its lack. (1) Scorpio planet brings attention to deeper psychological/political issues or unconscious movements afoot in the world. Financial gyrations continue with the questioning of values and motives across the board. Hidden things surface. Whew!

 

Sunday, September 15, 2002 –                                 

Moon in Capricorn, Cardinal Earth (protective, conservative).

Þ      Use today’s organizing energies to get things done. Finding tried and true methods will satisfy. If you want entertainment, history may peak your interest. There’s a tendency to look backward and to your heritage to determine how you got here.

Monday, September 16, 2002 – Yom Kippur!

Moon in Capricorn, VOC @ 1:58AM EDT.

(VOC=Void of Course. The Moon makes no major contact with another planet before it leaves a sign. Indicates disconnected feelings and random, free-floating moods. An easygoing and less-structured time, not the best time for major decisions or starting new projects. VOC ends as the Moon enters the next sign.)

Moon into Aquarius, Fixed Air (brilliant, individualistic) @ 2:54PM EDT.

Þ      Your cautiousness eventually makes way for a more individualistic approach. If you move toward acceptance of certain undeniable facets and fact of your life, you will create psychic space for new flashes of intuition and creative magic.

Tuesday, September 17, 2002 –

Moon in Aquarius.

Þ      The exhilaration of dream-fulfillment beckons. Review those dreams you nurture in the background and make plans toward realization. Your enthusiasm can get in the way of your wisdom, if you’re not alert. Partake of good conversation.

Wednesday, September 18, 2002 –                                                                                                              

Moon in Aquarius, VOC @ 10:35PM EDT.

Þ      Open your heart to life’s illumination and capture some surprising new sensations or understandings. Today’s the day to try something new, broaden your horizons or seek the stimulation of sharing ideas, laughter and humor with others.

Thursday, September 19, 2002 –                                                                                                                 

Moon VOC in Aquarius.

Moon into Pisces, Mutable Water (sensitive, artistic) @ 1:18AM EDT.

Þ      Serendipity, magic, coincidence, call it what you like but the symbols of life all around you are likely to have a strong message for you today. There’s a unique perfection in some one of your daily activities, an effortless flow that is healing.

Friday, September 20, 2002 –

Moon in Pisces.

Þ      A small detail makes for a big annoyance. Check appointments or schedules for any connections you need to make. Be aware that some old demons of yours may wish to have some attention. Give it to them but refuse to let them take over.

Saturday, September 21, 2002 – Harvest Full Moon, 26 Pisces  @ 9:59AM EDT. Sukkoth!

Moon in Pisces, VOC @ 10:36AM EDT.

Moon into Aries, Cardinal Fire (spontaneous, spirited) @ 1:11PM EDT.

Þ      Expect some moodiness from this prophetic Full Moon because there’s no telling what will surface from the waters of memory and the depths of yearning. You may become aware of some debts or obligations of various kinds to yourself or others.