Dream Prescribes Healing Stone for Big Skyworks

© 2014 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

  

The shape of things to come.

Many blogs are diaries of personal experiences. On The Radical Virgo, I primarily write full-length articles. Lately, I can barely find time to do a few of those, so I’m going to “go diary on you” sometimes and share what I’m learning about astrology in everyday life. This time, my lesson came from another symbol system.

In Astrology and Dreams, I gave you a glimpse of how dreams often speak to me in astrological symbols. I had one recently that was not only helpful to me. I think offers something for you to chew on, too. (I’ll say no pun intended in advance.)

Bitten Amulet – Dream Feb. 2, 2014

There’s a man visiting me or my neighborhood with a jewelry display in wooden, folding cases that expand out to set on tables. We seem to be in what feels like a convention or conference center. The necklaces and items all look like amulets. He feels like someone semi-famous that I know or have heard of. He reminds me in looks of Russell Brand.

He has what looks like a talisman that seems almost aboriginal or Native American with some flat gold ribbon worked in. I say jokingly, “You’ll let me have this, right?” He grabs it and says, “I don’t think so,” explaining it’s worth mega bucks.

For reasons I don’t know—it feels like a compulsion—I grab a taupe-brownish necklace off his display, shaped like an elongated U on a silver chain. It’s spotted with black dots. I bite off the end of it. I don’t know why. I am embarrassed and know I “did wrong.” I also know I’ll have to fess up, but for now, I swipe it and slip it into my pocket, hoping for the right time to tell the man I took it.

My Dalmatian Jasper, found on Etsy.

I know I risk your thinking I’m completely demented by sharing this strange night movie. I felt a compulsion to identify the stone and to get one. The task was challenging enough to exercise my Virgo research muscles, but it didn’t take long to identify the stone by its unique gray/beige color and spots as a Dalmatian Jasper.

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know I would never steal anything. That part of the dream really bugged me, but in retrospect of several weeks, I now realize that anything I wanted badly enough to go against my own integrity to obtain would have to be a prize worth more than money to me. I went onto learn the characteristics of Dalmatian Jasper.

Sticking to the ones I resonated to most, as there are many: A pull toward this stone may mean you need more fun in your life. It reminds us to cope with difficulties with humor and laughter. (Lately I’ve had more of the former and less of the latter, despite my normal, jovial nature.) It is calming and balances yin and yang. A 1^st chakra stone that eases stress. Interestingly, it is a great anti-smoking stone which allegedly helps people quit. I haven’t smoked in nearly 38 years, but my other big compulsion is certainly up for healing—overeating-- and I’m sure it’s no mistake that I bit into the stone. From a physical perspective, Dalmatian Jasper helps heal muscle spasms. I have been plagued with this problem in my mid-back.

I’m sure there are other qualities of the stone that will show themselves to me. I bought one and am wearing it as I write. It feels very comforting and grounding.

I was still puzzled by the U-shape of the stone and why I bit it off in the dream. Finally, it came to me. To bite the rounded end off a U-shaped stone would render its shape square.  This stone must be my amulet to help me navigate the upcoming Cardinal Grand Cross, which looks like a big square when the aspects in the configuration are connected, as in the opening photo. Indeed, a Grand Cross consists of four squares.

Watch your dreams to see if they’re offering any healing tools for your upcoming transits. I’m a very Cardinal person, so the April Grand Cross closely impacts my chart.

I also learned something else very useful. It bugged me so much that I bit the stone; I looked up the definition of pica. It’s an eating disorder, the persistent ingestion of non-nutritive substances which are developmentally inappropriate. (In other words, eating them is inappropriate for anyone older than a baby. It’s only natural for infants to put everything in sight into their mouths.) Exploring that further, I discovered that my habit of chewing ice cubes is considered a form of pica, not to mention terrible for the teeth. There’s another bad habit to break.

Then there is pica, a printing term based on a 12-point font size, the size writers traditionally use in manuscripts. The kind I’m always chewing on in a figurative way.

Even the shapes in our dreams can lead us back to our astrology charts and other helpful advice. Who knew the Sandman was a medical astrologer?

~~~

Photo Credits:  Chart image from Solar Fire software.

Sources

Crystal Encyclopedia

Healing Crystals

Want More on Dreams?

There’s a virtual dreamwork course here on The Radical Virgo. What could be more perfect during Sun in Pisces? And as part of the introspection called for by a batch of retrograde planets? Check out these articles:

Astrology and Dreams (7-May-10)

July: Dream Month on The Radical Virgo (28-Jun-13)

Dreams Waking and Sleeping—A Primer (2-Jul-13)

Dream Journals (8-Jul-13)

Dream Circles (17-Jul-13)

Humor: The Doctor is In! Auntie Joyce Does Dreamwork (1 of 2, 22-Jul-13)

Humor: Auntie Joyce Does Dreamwork (2 of 2, 23-Jul-13)

Final Dream Notes and Other Notables (29-Jul-13)

Humor: How the Signs Get Ready for the 2014 Cardinal Grand Cross

© 2014 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

The first two articles of the year on the Radical Virgo speak to the winter retrogrades and how they help prepare us for the spring Cardinal Grand Cross. In capsule, the winter retrogrades are for reviewing relationships, desires and direction. The Cardinal Grand Cross is an opportunity to give birth to what you want to create and leave behind. The crossroads are Big Change Boulevard and Same Old Street.

My alter ego, Auntie Joyce, could not resist putting in her two cents about how each sign will fare this winter and spring during these Astro-energetics. Auntie also offers her “cure” for what “needs improvement.” Remember, her advice is free—and you get what you pay for. On the other hand, there’s usually a lot of wise in her wisecracking.

ARIES

Winter Retrogrades:  Falls and hits head rushing backwards.

Spring Cardinal Cross: Dives head first into new things and runs around until s/he hits a wall.

Auntie’s Cure: Use head first to think and plan. Remember that creations have consequences. Lots of creations, lots of consequences.

TAURUS

Winter Retrogrades: Strolls slowly into a life review, stopping to smell the flowers along the way.

Spring Cardinal Cross: Review is hardly started by April. Digs heels into the ground at the thought of major change.

Auntie’s Cure:  Drink some coffee, speed it up, and hang out with Uranians to your desensitize resistance to what’s new and different.

GEMINI

Winter Retrogrades: Talks about his or her life review till blue in the face.

Spring Cardinal Cross: By spring, there’s been a lot of talk and little action—and a lot of people are either: (1) scared of this blue alien, or (2) think s/he’s  an A’vi from the movie Avatar and sits down to watch the flick. How to focus a butterfly on a few creations is left up in the air.

Auntie’s Cure:  Life reviews are a form of talking to yourself. Aren’t the two of you always doing that in your head, anyway? Get it on paper and choose a new creative direction. May the best Twin win.

CANCER

Winter Retrogrades: Worries incessantly that her kids’ and other loved ones won’t reconsider everything they’re doing to screw up their lives.

Spring Cardinal Cross: When the Cardinal Cross hits home, one point being in Cancer, the poor Moon Person is taken by complete surprise. What happened to winter? You mean I might have to move or do something equally uprooting? (Stop trembling, dear.)

Auntie’s Cure:  Mind your own business. That means to thine own self, review.

LEO

Winter Retrogrades: Spends most of winter reviewing his or her good looks in the mirror.

Spring Cardinal Cross: Wonders why his or her fans are too busy to play or lavish their usual admiration.

Auntie’s Cure:  Review how you look and the many qualities you have to admire. Start with what you know and love. Then take it to you how act, relate to others, etc. If you pay more attention to others, they may involve you in their new Grand Cross creations. Play dates restored.

VIRGO

Winter Retrogrades: Analyzes self so thoroughly, is not done by spring.

Spring Cardinal Cross: Likes deadlines and tries to create a new universe during the few days the Grand Cross is closest to exact. You like exact.

Auntie’s Cure:  Lighten up. Hit the highlights when reviewing, and know the Grand Cross configuration waxes in and waxes out over a period of months in its effects. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are major life changes. Drink some Tension Tamer tea. Dare to be imperfect—and embrace it.

Kindling a Valentine’s Spark! 

The Kindle version of The Crystal Ball has been reduced to $2.99 as a Valentine’s gift to my friends and readers who haven't yet arrived at the party between the pages of my debut novel. Sample or purchase on this link. Enjoy!

LIBRA

Winter Retrogrades: “I’ll go over my relationship, desires and direction if my honey does it with me. Do we even need to? (We’re doing fine, aren’t we, sweetheart?)”

Spring Cardinal Cross: What do you mean “needs improvement?”

Auntie’s Cure:  As my Libra mom used to say, “It takes two to tangle.” With Mars being in Libra on one point of this Cross, you could be cross and there could be fights, which I know you hate. Try to make something productive out of them, like taking time-outs. Go to your own corners and find out who you really are. Then come back together to see if you belong there or the blow-ups could lead to a split instead of a new and improved relationship.

SCORPIO

Winter Retrogrades: Shutters all the windows, unplugs the phone, and only uses the computer with an anonymous avatar when desperate. Does not quit ruminating till after the spring equinox.

Spring Cardinal Cross: Change? Make me.

Auntie’s Cure:  Lighten up, Scorpie. Did you review your tendency for high drama? As for the change resistance, there could be hot new lovers somewhere besides the trench you’ve dug for yourself. Take a chance! You’ve got a great cave to retreat to if New doesn’t work out.

SAGITTARIUS

Winter Retrogrades: Reviews own life for 10 minutes, is fine with it, and then spends the next three months offering his or her unsolicited opinion about how you should fix yours. (Sag’s self-review wasn’t nearly as blunt or as pointed.)

Spring Cardinal Cross: Likes this change thing, especially if it involves traveling and new people. Pretty soon is coming and going so much, Sag doesn’t know what’s what, what is, or what used to be.

Auntie’s Cure:  Dear Archer, consider using that point on your arrow—not to point out others’ shortcomings—but to point toward your new goals and bull’s eyes the Cardinal Grand Cross could portend for you. You have so much fun with others, it’s easy to forget that the inner journey is the most exciting one of all. Auntie suggests you settle down, tend to your own knitting (done with another pointed object), and regroup for this cosmic event. You may discover new worlds!

CAPRICORN

Winter Retrogrades: Works self into a frazzle reviewing how to make his or her life better and how to profit from it—literally.

Spring Cardinal Cross: When the Cardinal Cross hits, it really hits this Cardinal Goat where s/he lives. There is so much to do differently, and s/he hasn’t figured out how to organize and monetize it.

Auntie’s Cure:  I know you’ve always found it hard to believe, but money isn’t everything. Play is as important as work in climbing new mountains. Take yourself and your staff on a retreat. To work smart, not hard—build in plenty of fun. Trust me, your payday will depend on your playday.

AQUARIUS

Winter Retrogrades: Creates group review parties where people discuss the changes they think they have to make in their lives. Encourages originality and gives big points those that with the most cutting-edge ideas.

Spring Cardinal Cross: Wants to handle the effects of the Grand Cross by committee, but realizes a bit late that change starts from the inside out and this giant rebirth is a solo gig. To keep from getting bummed out about his or her lack of preparation, s/he parties a lot.

Auntie’s Cure: You know those voices in your head? They can be your committee and provide as much input as friends. This is how you fool yourself into self-review. Then rely on your penchant for sudden change, the gift of your ruling planet Uranus. Go forth and morph.

PISCES

Winter Retrogrades: Is overwhelmed by the concept of review. To avoid depression, gets high or goes to sleep—meditates or gets lost in music or artwork. In a lucid moment, s/he wonders what is this world coming to—next?

Spring Cardinal Cross: Loves the creative potential of the Cardinal Big Bang. Gets swept up in the waves of change, and when the tide peaks, rides them like a surfer. However, Pisces wonders how did I get on this particular shore?

Auntie’s Cure: Latch onto a Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn for a little grounding. Ask them how they’re doing their winter review. Follow suit. If you have your own plan, your spring new creations will be what you want, not what everybody else wants around you.  Don’t you feel better already? Your earthy friends will help you keep your feet on the ground now and later, when the Big Bang comes, too.

~~~

Photo Credit: © Michael Brown - Fotolia.com

The 2014 Creative Question - The Cardinal Grand Cross

Winter Retrogrades Melt into April’s 

Cardinal Grand Cross

© 2014 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

In Stillness: Our Retrograde Winter 2014, I focused on the sky’s call for turning inward. Big rewards will come to those willing to take cosmic direction about self-reflection. This winter is about reassessing values, goals, and desires while the personal planets do their retrograde stints.

Much action focuses on the I/Thou continuum with Venus Retrograde and Mars Retrograde in Libra. How are your relationships going with others? Then there’s the ultimate question when we’re talking about Libra, how’s your relationship with yourself? One of the major Libran issues is to lose yourself in others. Do you identify? Or are others losing themselves in you?

One of my favorite New Age albums is Winter into Spring by George Winston. This year, it’s good to look ahead toward the next season, even in the middle of winter. Begin to imagine snow melting and a gradual shift from one emphasis and energetic to another, one that’s completely different. We’re heading toward a Cardinal Grand Cross. Winter 2014 asks us to pause and reconsider what’s important to us—what’s working and what’s not in our personal lives. Spring 2014 emboldens us to take action in an even bigger way than the usual Aries charge into the natural New Year, as the sap rises in the trees rises and human energy starts picking up with it.

The Cardinal Grand Cross at the US April 2014 Lunar Return

*(See note)
23-Apr-2014, 10:09:07 pm EDT, Washington, DC +4:00
38N53’42” 077W02’12”
Geocentric - Tropical - Porphyry - True Node

The Cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn are the turning points that mark each new season; therefore, they represent points of visible, discernible change. We associate them with changes in weather. They are the markers for shifting astrological weather, too. A Grand Cross consists of four squares joined at the crossed oppositions where the bottoms of the triangles overlap. Planets in square create a tension of initial incompatibility that nags to be worked out in some way to bring a workable energetic mix to the person or situation it represents. Better said, squares evoke creative tension. It takes creativity—the God stuff, if you will—to find your way out of the standoff. When the squares make a Grand Cross, you have to find your way out of an enclosed box. Whew!

Let’s look at what each of the Cardinal signs calls us to do in order to see how we can think “out of the box” to find our way beyond the tensions and into the most creative manifestation of this opportunity to evolve.

Aries asks us to create. It’s our purest power of new ideas and actions. Cancer nurtures our creations. Libra helps us involve others in whatever we design from art to work projects to human relationships. Here’s where we learn that partnerships and sharing our creations in an equitable way fosters peace on earth and beauty all around. Finally, Capricorn helps us put our creations into solid form, even to the point of leaving them as a legacy. These are four noticeable stages of manifestation.

Before you apply this personally, time to consider the tight way the Grand Cross clusters on the 13^th degree of the Cardinal Signs. In considering this Cardinal Grand Cross, let’s look at the Sabian symbols on its four points. Sabians are read “one up” unless they’re 0 on the dot, i.e., 02 Cancer 00 is 2 Cancer, but 02 Cancer 01 is 3 Cancer. Given that, we’d look to the 14^th Sabian degree, where the planets Mars, Jupiter, Pluto and Uranus land on each of the points forming the Grand Cross in Cardinal signs. The Sabian Symbols may provide some deeper insights.

These are the Sabians and planets involved:

Aries 14 (Uranus): A Snake Coiling Next to a Man and Woman in an Embrace.

Cancer 14 (Jupiter): An Old Man Faces a Dark Space to the Northeast

Libra 14 (Mars): A Rich Landowner Takes an Afternoon Siesta

Capricorn 14 (Pluto): A Mayan Bas Relief.

There’s a certain mystique involved in each of these symbols. 

• Aries 14 conjures an image of the Garden of Eden and the snake, tempting the Original Couple into “something more.” It reminds me of an episode of Twilight Zone, where things go on almost to the end of the hour, perfect and light. The story is about an idyllic little town that’s like living in Happy Days with frosting. Only at the end, you find out this place is actually Hell. Divine discontent and human boredom are probably the age-old reasons for evolution itself, both individually and as a species.
• Cancer 14 is a man looking into the distance and the dark. It’s the void from which all things are created and born in the symbolism of the biblical Creation story. It may be a portrait of someone yearning to manifest more—or at least opening to more creative possibilities.
•  Libra 14 is a man who has worked hard to create his surroundings and is ready for rest, to return to the dream state where we co-create with our subconscious. Many of our creative ideas and solutions come from such downtime when our minds are on autopilot and our psychological needs become characters in complex dream dramas to bring us information about what we need to do or resolve in our lives. 
• Capricorn 14 involves a cultural artifact, perhaps digging it up. It has something to do with what we leave behind and what that symbolic object means.

From my free associations with the Garden of Eden, the Creation story, dream time and cultural symbolism, these four symbols complement the process of birth, nurturing, sharing and putting into solid form what we create in the world that we see in the signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. They just further touch on the longing and natural need for stimulation, creation and legacy that goes with the turf of co-invention with All That Is.

You can delve deeper into the planets on each point and their astrological meanings—how the expansion and worldview of Jupiter plays in, the sudden insights or changes of Uranus, the passion and conflict of Mars, and the call to let go and transform completely from Pluto. You can see where these points fall in your own chart for another layer of insights.

I've heard that a Cardinal Grand Cross can make accomplishing goals challenging because we want to accomplish everything at once. This lack of focus often leads to achieving little for the "shotgun" approach. That's why we're so lucky to have a retrograde winter for sorting out where our spring energies need to be channeled.

Once focused from too many scatter shot goals, I envision the tensions of trying to do it all, represented in this Cardinal Grand Cross, as building to a creative explosion of new birth. It's much like the Big Bang "in the Beginning." Here’s an invitation to make things simple. If you have planets in or near 10-16 degrees of Cardinal signs, what you create, how you support your own creative process—and how you share and make it permanent is up for an extreme makeover.

Don’t have planets close by? It doesn’t mean you don’t need this reassessment and creative resurrection. You just may not feel it quite as intensely or the tension quite as acutely. The call for creative overhaul is in the sky and in the air.

What do I want to create in the world and what do I want to leave behind?

These are the beginning and ending points of one big question. As you do your winter retrograde contemplations, knowing that you are building up to answer perhaps the largest question in life, it may help you get more out of this winter’s review process.

Don’t forget to laugh and involve your inner child. Creation is like a big Etch-a-Sketch. Twist the dials, erase and start over. Play with it till you’re ready to do it in ink.

This spring, you’ll have that opportunity.

~~~

Photo Credit:  Earth Creation © macropixel - Fotolia.com

* Note: The Grand Cross will be in close orb over several days, often cited to peak on April 22. Since most Radical Virgo readers are American, casting the chart at the US Lunar Return the following day seemed the most significant date and chart to choose, providing a sociopolitical context to whatever we’re experiencing personally.

Want more on the Cardinal Grand Cross and mundane/world events? Here are some articles you might find interesting as a start to explore:

·       April 2014: A Cardinal Grand Cross and a USA Lunar Return by Jude Cowell

·       War of the Worlds by Lorna Bevan

·       The Grand Cross of 2014 by Cinzia