Friday, June 28, 2013

July: Dream Month on The Radical Virgo





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My website, Writer-Astrologer Joyce Mason, is undergoing renovations. Like summer roadwork in most places in the US, I’m moving some ramps and shoring up the infrastructure. The irresistible force is the need to make room for my novels and other writings not related to astrology. I’ve gotten crystal clear guidance that my novel, The Crystal Ball, is just the beginning of a bigger move in that direction. (If everything goes according to schedule, The Crystal Ball will be available this fall.)

The movable objects in the Reconstruction Zone are all my writings on my website related to astrology and other symbol systems such as tarot, dreamwork and flower essences. A number of articles on these topics have already been offered on The Radical Virgo. I’ll be migrating any remaining articles on these subjects, previously on JoyceMason.com, to The Radical Virgo.

In that spirit, July will be Dream Month here on the RV. Note that this blog has the same initials as recreational vehicles, and I certainly hope you’re still having fun—and that next month’s dreamwork festival will be both informative and amusing. I share some fairly bizarre dream examples. That ought to be good for a few laughs, even in your sleep. Have you ever woken up laughing from a dream? I did once. Very memorable and a nice way to start the day. Got my husband laughing, too.

Midsummer is the perfect time for dreaming. We get out in nature, camp out, and lie on our backs looking at the starry sky. We get into the mountains and fresh air that gives us terrific sleep and higher quality, more insightful dreams. In the US, it’s our country’s birthday on the 4th of July. We celebrate the American Dream.

All in all, it seems like the right time for dreamwork, especially with almost all the outer planets retrograde, soon to be joined by Uranus to make it unanimous. Dreams lure us into some of the deepest inner work, the introspection so many retrograde planets ask of us.

I hope you enjoy both the waking and sleeping kind of dreams on our next Radical journey together.

~~~
Photo Credit: © Adpower99 - Dreamstime.com

Keywords to Unlock Chiron – now available in PDF on the sidebar or at The Radical Virgo Store.  Learn the language of Chiron and how lingering pain and stumbling blocks are the catalysts to healing and weaving wholeness.



 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Summer Sky Astrology



© 2013 by Joyce Mason
All Rights Reserved




This forecast is normally an exclusive in the Cardinal Quarterly newsletter. If you’re not already on the  mailing list and you 'd like to receive these looks ahead at the new season on the solstices and equinoxes, please sign up at the top of the sidebar. I decided to share this with the entire readership this time because there’s so much happening; I wanted you all to be aware of the summer’s very active astrological weather and to have the tools to work with the elements. It’s also my opportunity to give readers who haven’t yet subscribed a sample of one of the main features of the quarterly newsletter. This is a slightly expanded version of the forecast subscribers already received last week.

~.~

Before we look at where we're going next, let's review where we've just been. May brought us two potent eclipses, a Solar Eclipse on the 9th at 19 Taurus 31. This was soon followed by a Lunar Eclipse on the 25th at 4 Sagittarius 08. Eclipses, especially in a two-step, leave their mark on us for months to come. It’s good to review where these points fall in your chart (houses, aspects) and keep a watch on the ongoing reverberations of these special lunations. Often tied to significant changes, you can brush up on eclipses in general and some interpretations of these most recent ones in this helpful article on Café Astrology.

Finally, we experienced the third of seven exact hits of Uranus square Pluto on May 21. We're now in the territory of tuning up our 3rd Chakras, according to the theory that each of these exact aspects is realigning our energy centers. See Uranus Square Pluto: Seven Exact Aspects, Seven Chakra Realignments. We're sharpening our gut instincts and sense of personal power.

Onto Life Retrograde! The major planets from Saturn out are now retrograde except for Uranus, soon to join the party. Retrogrades ask us to “introvert" the planetary energies involved. It’s time to be in touch with your inner authority (Saturn), inner healer (Chiron), inner/self-compassion (Neptune) and to nurture your deepest embryonic new self, developing in the womb of your psyche, till it's ready to emerge from the rebirth canal (Pluto). On June 26, Mercury goes retrograde, too, until July 20. This may make you less inclined to motion sickness from driving your cosmic vehicle in reverse. If thinking goes inner, the rest will follow inward. Uranus retroes on July 18th, so take some time then to examine your inner rebel, reformer and genius.

It may seem a little strange, trying to blend an outgoing season like summer with retrograde planets calling us indoors to our selves. This is a perfect opportunity to play with one of my favorite key phrases for Chiron--Not Either/Or but Both/And.

You can hone your planetary mixing skills starting June 25 when Jupiter enters Cancer. While Jupiter, traditionally, is considered to be exalted in Cancer, these two planets have very different energies in some respects. Imagine blending adventurous Jupiter with the safety-oriented, hearth-clinging sign ruled by the Moon. Jupiter likes to travel; Cancer likes to stay home. You could have a lot of fun trying to do marriage counseling with this odd couple. Do we focus on safe travels packing all the comforts of home and bringing the whole family? Or stay at home and watch travelogues with typical Jupiterian overdo, till we feel we've been around the world in 80 days?  On the upside we can see the reason for exaltation. Jupiter’s aspects of expansion and spirituality are nice qualities to “bring home” to take root during its year-plus stay in the sign (till July 15, 2014). Issues of home, family and ancestry are blessed and expanded. It’s a great time to do genealogy, put an addition onto the house, or hold fun family gatherings.

Mixing extroverted summer with the introverted retrogrades may be the bigger experiment in blending. Challenges in mixology help us develop the compassion and flexibility our brave new world calls for as we meet every kind of person and opportunity with our tightly interwoven, interconnected and multi-media world both on the Internet and what Swami Beyondananda calls the Outernet. Once we find the best in each archetypal energy, the results are often a mix that has never been matched.

Next up is a Grand Sextile also called a six-pointed star or Star of David. This comes into play beginning July 29. Mark Dodich, a Portland astrologer whose work I admire, summarizes the interlocking trines with the most emphasis on water to mean: "Emotions are rising and falling like ocean waves." I encourage you to check out his site, AstroMark, and learn more about his take on the Grand Waterworks.

I found a very interesting site with a great graphic depiction of the planets involved and the history of other Star of David configurations, including some fascinating esoteric takes on their meaning.  (The print is small, so prep to hit Control + to enlarge as much as you need.) Another astrologer who has followed the Star of David patterns for a long time is Mary Fortier Shea. I encourage you to get to know her work, including her take on this upcoming Star pattern.

I hope the Planetary Fishing Trip posts in May gave you some good metaphors and pointers for surfing this summer's waves and wonders. If you didn't have a chance to do them last month, you can start the exercises any time, beginning with the post above to get the background of what it is and why you might want to do it. To find the other Fishing posts, enter Planetary Fishing in the Search box. There’s a set of exercises  and experiences for every planet, including Chiron.

You can do these explorations of your chart anytime, anywhereeven on your laptop or iPad at the beach. (Careful of getting any sand or water in your electronics! Remember Uranus is still square Pluto.)

Lastly, while we’re on the subject of water safety, with Jupiter, Sun, Mercury and Venus in Cancer, we’ll have a stellium in Crab and lots of waterworks. Remember Cancer’s sensitivity and how easy it is to hurt feelings or be hurt when the lunar sign is emphasized. Tread water lightly. Bring your life jacket and wait an hour before swimming in those emotional waters after an encounter that’s eating you. It’s even better than counting to 10 when you’re angry. With Saturn, North Node, Neptune and Chiron all in water signs, too, as this is posted; scuba gear, nose plugs and all the other metaphors apply as we work toward staying “in the swim” in the most positive way without being dragged down in the undertow. The Grand Water Trine between Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune is likely to be fun as expansion, stability and the mystical merge in waves that allow you to surf an ocean of creativity. Feel your way. That's what it's all about.

May your summer bring you the best of the element Water—fulfillment.


 ~~~

Photo Credit: © Mitarart - Fotolia.com

Suggestion: Need a little help with Mercury Retrograde? Pop Mercury Retro into the Search Box for past articles on this topic.



Keywords to Unlock Chiron – now available in PDF on the sidebar.  Learn the language of Chiron and how lingering pain and stumbling blocks are the catalysts to healing and weaving wholeness.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Summer Solstice Prediction









Poem © 2013
by Joyce Mason
All Rights Reserved
 The light was so bright
the day so long
the intensity of my realizations
so burning
the Sun sent me
to my darkened room
to kiss the contrast

straddling these opposites
I conceived something made of both
and on Autumn Equinox
I'll give birth
to balance.


  ~~~
A very Blessed Solstice from The Radical Virgo!
 
Photo Credit: © dop_ing - Fotolia.com