Nostradamus: A renowned 15th century Astrologer and alchemist, Michel de Nostradame is followed even to this day because of the uncanny predictions he published (Nostradamus in Les Prophéties de M. Michel Nostradamus, Paris, 1589)

Astro-Update from AstroDaija

Sunday finds the Moon (emotions) showing tension with Pluto (transformation) even as Venus (Love) shows harmony with it. This sets up some potential for relationship growth but both the male in the relationship, and your own “male” side has got to be on board. Sometimes one person wants to move forward, but the other doesn’t. If you’re ready for change and growth, but you mate isn’t, then dig deep for ways to relate. It takes two to tango, and so, two to grow together.

“In your gut, you know that moving ahead is the right thing to do… find a way to make it happen”

The workweek launches with Mars (Initiative) showing tension with both Uranus (new ideas), and Jupiter (growth) on Monday. Is something eating you about a new project on the table? Get to the bottom of that and get past it, because even though your limitations may feel comfortable — the boundaries you draw for yourself are restrictions for your own growth and not healthy in the long run. In your gut, you know that moving ahead is the right thing to do… find a way to make it happen.

Tuesday comes in quiet with the Moon showing tension with both Mars and Venus, while Mars works in conjunction with Scorpio. Someone around you may have a secret agenda today, and this can leave you feeling reluctant to get things started. That’s ok. But don’t let that intrude on your love life. Make no assumptions. Talk to you mate about behavior you like, and also any discomforting things and learn what is the motivation behind it. This brings understanding and you’ll be further ahead even if not in total agreement.

Mid-week and mid-month Wednesday finds your heart in the right place to help you take the steps you need in your life. Always follow the true pure messages of your heart. Emotions tell you a lot about yourself and other people. Politicians often seek to mask their true emotions, so people don’t see what they really want to do. Know what you want. Know what the people you care about want. Then follow your heart and pray for discernment.

Ready to howl at the Moon? Now’s a good time, under the light of the magnificent full Harvest Moon. A time of culmination, completion, finishing plans and a project together. Emotions run high during this time. A time of romance, fertilization, relationships, emotions, feelings. Welcome to the Harvest.

There are four distinct phases of the Moon, with the Full Moon falling in the third Quarter of the Moon’s cycle. This Harvest Full Moon in September (named so because in the extra light, people were able to continue working to gather the season’s Harvest), is a time of gathering, potent energy and success.

“A time of romance, fertilization, relationships, emotions, feelings. Welcome to the Harvest.”

A person born during the third quarter Moon will be sensitive to the needs of others and expects others to be sensitive to their own needs. There is an underlying sense of watchfulness similar to the energy in the zodiac signs Libra and Scorpio. The person will need friendships, colleagues and relationships, and will relate well to others. They will either be drawn to highly successful people and help them achieve their goals, or else achieve success themselves with the help of others. There is a tension and nervousness at play which can lead to a short attention span and a constant search for new people and experiences, and sex will play some kind of transformative role in their life. The most successful time of life will be in the middle years.

In Chinese Astrology, the third quarter Moon symbolizes organization, harvest, collection and storage, and is associated with autumn, the west and the element metal. This lunar phase governs the signs of Monkey, Rooster, and Dog.

Time to complete your work. Time to celebrate. The end of Summer, beginning of Fall. So go the cycles in the great celestial circle of the year as we bask in the full light of the Harvest Moon.

Astrologers study “aspects” — the relative positions of planets at a certain point in time — by charting positions, and tracking affects.

Often when I write blog posts, I talk about how the planets are working in the heavens, sometimes cooperating with one another, and sometimes at odds and how that impacts us here on earth. And in horoscope charts, aspects are patterns we check to ascertain elements of the personality. But what are these “aspects” exactly? I get the question a lot, so let’s take a closer look.

“Aspect patterns have a major influence on your personality and character by creating greater ease or resistance.”

You can think of aspects as way in which the planets work together to make things easier, or harder for you. You can track (chart) aspects by studying the angles that planets form to one another at particular points in time. And, when several aspects occur in the same chart (or simultaneously), they can create larger aspect patterns. Instead of one aspect, several planets in aspect can create a larger aspect pattern. These larger patterns can signify a complex personality pattern, referred to by psychologists as “complexes”.

Modern astrologers approach aspects more from data and reporting in current research with some consideration of historical reference. “Astrological harmonics” is an umbrella term having to do with the study and factoring in of all aspects for a given person, or situation.

Aspect patterns have a major influence on your personality and character by creating greater ease or resistance. They can also be set off and stepped up by transiting and progressed planets. A natal trine may become a Grand Trine whenever a third planet enters the part of the zodiac that trines both planets already in trine. A T-Square can become a Grand Square, and a sextile can become a Yod. This can also happen in relation to other people and their planets can form larger aspect patterns with yours. Having these aspects together can create feelings of immediate rapport and significant relationship dynamics or something you are both attracted to work on or understand.

Helpful Aspects: Trines & Grand Trines

Trines are formed between a couple of planets when they are roughly at a 120 degree angle from each other and generally are viewed as a favorable influence with the energy of each planet contributing to the positive energy of the trine. A simple example would be on a particular day when Mercury (Communication) forms a trine with Venus (Love), then it can be said to be fortuitous to speak what is in your heart — about love, on that day. But things are usually much more complex than that, and even following trines, there can be too many of them in a chart which might tend to make a person lazy.

“A T-Square is a challenging aspect that signifies a struggle that intensifies and eventually leads to a resolution.”

When 2 planets make a trine (120 degree angle), and there is a 3rd planet that also makes trines to both planets, this triangle is called a Grand Trine. Imagine a planet at 0 degrees Aries, another at 0 Leo and a 3rd at 0 Sagittarius, and this is a Grand Trine. The 3 planets that make up a Grand Trine are usually in the same ELEMENT. They don’t have to be, as some aspects are very close, yet out-of-sign. However, the principle of a Grand Trine is that there or 3 (or more) planets trine each other in the same element. When you see a Grand Trine in a chart, it looks like a large triangle.

A Grand Trine aspect pattern can create a feeling of ease and complacency because things seem to “just happen” seamlessly, without effort, friction, or force. This can signify a special talent or ability that appears effortless, but it can also signal a tendency to be lazy or complacent because things come so easily that there is nothing to prove and talent is never fully developed. Your tendency can be to leave the tough stuff for another day. With a Grand Trine, there’s always tomorrow….

Challenging Aspects: T-Squares and Grand Squares

When 3 planets square each other, they form a triangle called a T-Square. In a T-Square, there is one planet that squares 2 other planets that oppose each other. If you envision a planet at 0 degrees Aries with a planet square it from 0 Capricorn and another at 0 Cancer, this is a T-Square. If there is also a 4th planet in square with the others, for example a planet at 0 degrees Libra, this creates a Grand Square pattern.

A T-Square is a challenging aspect that signifies a struggle that intensifies and eventually leads to a resolution. While T-Square configurations are common, they signify an inherent challenge that forces growth or change that can lead to success in life. The focal planet, or planet that squares the opposing planets, is the key to the T-Square and shows where tension is most likely to show up. Conflict resolution may be aided by the missing or empty part of the Square (opposing the focal planet).

Above, Zytglogge tower in Bern, Switzerland. East facade fresco showing the gods for the planets Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury.

While T-Squares are often found in charts, Grand Squares are less common and often signify a weight to bear that keeps you on a short leash. It may seem like access is continuously denied and you are restricted to a small area where growth is only possible with discipline and hard work. For some reason or another, you are continually stressed and need to consciously maintain balance, always being forced to stick to the straight and narrow. Somehow, these people often learn to carry big loads and are capable of effectively handling large responsibilities. However, they can also feel overstressed and overburdened at times.

Cosmic Aspects: Yods

In a YOD pattern, 2 planets make a sextile, and they both make a quincunx (inconjunct or 150 degree aspect) to a 3rd planet, creating a triangle, or Yod. If you imagine a planet at 0 Aries and 2 planets sextile each other at 0 Virgo and 0 Scorpio, this is a Yod.

Yods are called the “finger of God” and have a connotation of being receptive to messages from higher states of consciousness. While Yods can be exotic and you can enjoy the adventure of feeling like a stranger in a strange land, you may also need to make consessions and be adaptive to unfamiliar situations when you have a Yod in your chart. It may be that you give in one direction and get your needs met from a completely different source, so it is not possible to measure how much others give you to decide how much you can give.

All of these kaleidoscope of patterns factor in together in your horoscope and the picture (a snapshot of patterns) that astrologers consider for daily, weekly, and monthly events.

We often think of the Moon’s influence on Earth as primarily the gravitational affect like it exerts on the Oceans, but the Moon also emits magnetic fields and pulses as shown above from the Lunar Prospector electron reflectometer experiment.

Friday is an interesting day, since Mercury (Communication) works with (Trines) both Neptune (Ideals), and Saturn (Practicality) today. You can think clearly about what must be done on your projects, and in your relationships. And, it’s a good day for a meeting to talk things over. Saturn’s influence can feel restrictive at time, so communicating about big picture goals and plans can be a welcome break.

“Sun in Taurus (the “lovers sign” — ruled by Venus) on Saturday, with a Scorpio Full Moon on Sunday makes for a very love prone weekend.”

The week has been interesting, with the Moon is squaring off with Neptune Thursday leaving a feeling of unease about possible deception. That’s OK. The world is a tricky place at times, and discernment is always a vital skill. How do you learn what to believe, and of what to remain skeptical? Trust your gut. Study in the school of hard knocks. Pray and ask for spiritual guidance. You are after the truth, in business, in relationships, and life. That’s how you find freedom. The weekend continues an undercurrent of possible mistakes and misperceptions even as it looks like a wonderful time for romance.

At play, as ever, is our Moon, ruler of emotions, ruler of Cancer, and associated forever with Water — the ruler of Tides, as well. It circles our planet about once every 28 days, spending 2.3 days in each of the signs of the Zodiac. How it is positioned — in struggle or cooperation — relative to the other planets tells a lot about the energy tides on our earth. The Moon is also said to guide and influence one’s unconscious rythyms, habits, moods and memories. And this weekend, we encounter a Full Moon.

Sun in Taurus (the “lovers sign” — ruled by Venus) on Saturday, with a Scorpio Full Moon on Sunday makes for a very love prone weekend. Full moons bring much potency to your emotional life, and there is much erotic passion in Scorpio — so get ready for a weekend designed for hot romance. Remember that the Moon, when Full, is a time of power, and that you will have energy to work on projects that you have been wanting to finish (if you take time out from the romantic fun). Be aware that powerful emotional tides can set up deception — on the part of others, and even self-deception. You can avoid this by thinking things through, and taking time out to meditate and get in touch with higher sources of truth. The trick is to balance out passion with logic and principles in your life… and enjoy the ride.

From a French Painting from around 1415 illuminating the Book of the Hours for November.

It’s almost Thanksgiving… the year is passing quickly! Is your day restful? This week, on Thanksgiving, the Sun enters Sagittarius… a thoughtful and progressive sign with a positive outlook. Enjoy your conversations on the holiday. There has been so much written about “Sun Signs”, which is what most people know when asked, “what sign are you?”. In Astrology, we concentrate on all the other planets, the Moon, and a number of other symbolic influences too. The Sun is a very powerful force, associated with your ego — but to understand yourself, and others, through the Kaleidoscope of Astrology, you have to take the bigger picture — the whole cosmos — into account.

A lot of Astrology has to do with patterns — patterns in the Cosmos, translating and interpreted into seeing patterns in your life. Do you ever notice odd coincidences, or events that seem like they might be connected, but you’re not sure how? That can be due to a certain sacred synchronicity that Astrology can help you explore. For example, one “pattern” we can look at in Astrology, are “triplicities”. One simple understanding of a “Triplicity” is that people are attracted to people that with signs that share the same element — so a Pisces would get along well with a Cancer, and a Scorpio, which are all Water (element) signs. Do you see any patterns with types of people who frequently come into your life?

What do the patterns seen in Astrology (horoscopes) tell you about people and situations? Well, there are several types of “patterns” we look at. Here are a few examples:

• A “grand cross” — when four planets form a square to one another — creates a sort of inner tug-a-war in a person. This a configuration is not commonly found in most horoscope charts.
• A “cosmic cross” — when two planets are opposite each other, and a third forms a square to both — is more commonly found and seen in about 40% of horoscopes. It looks like a “T”, and your Astrologer can tell you the opportunity this represents in your life.
• A “conjunction” (also called an “occultation”) is when two planets appear close together when viewed from Earth. This creates a union of the energies of both planets, and the interpretation depends on which planets are invloved.

Much depends on which planets are in the key positions of these cosmic patterns. Just as relationships vary between two or more people, so do the tugs and pulls of the heavenly bodies in your horoscope.

Welcome to November — it should be an energetic month. Mercury will come back “direct” next week… but go slow now, and double-check your communications until that time. Mars is active this month, and should bring some welcome energy this first weekend — get some chores done… the holidays are coming. That’s because about mid-month, peppy Mars will go retrograde… and that would be a good time to take a “time out,” before Thanksgiving. We’re also under the influence of Scorpio — a sign that looks into life issues for deep meanings. Don’t be afraid of that — life is enjoyable on the surface… and also when you plumb its mysteries.

“When all around you seems chaotic, your advantage will be the ability to sort things out.”

The first weekend of november is full of energy and fun — enjoy it. In the next week ahead (beginning Nov. 5), Venus interacting with Pluto brings an opportunity to examine any difficulties there are in our relationships. We are also under a Scorpio influence, and that means you can enrich your relationship by going beyond the surface concerns to address deeper feelings. When all around you seems chaotic, your advantage will be the ability to sort things out. If you step back and think a bit, you can always apply some logic to bring order to your life, and a richer understanding of your important relationships.

Life is about choices. In Astrology, we believe that the tug and pull of the planets can influence your choices, just as the Moon determines the tides of the ocean. Albeit the ebb and flow of the ocean tides may be determined by the phases of the moon, there is a lot more going on out there in the ocean than what is determined by the moon, independent of the moon’s influence. So, it’s important to note that I do not mean that your choices in life are controlled, or predetermined. It’s amazing to me how many times I get a client who calls, believing that I will predict your future, or that Astrology will tell you whom you’re going to go out with on Saturday nite! Only GOD knows for sure, exactly what is going to happen tomorrow, and the day after that, and two years down the road. And nothing else in this universe, not me, not Astrology, nor anything else here on this planet, no other form of divination, etc., is going to get in the way of Human free will—- YOUR DECISION or CHOICE TO ACT—- Okay! Of course, GOD can, of course. But then again, should He choose to do so, then He would be honoring His word of giving us FREE WILL, now would He? And GOD always tells the truth, and honors His Word.

Now this is what I can do and what Astrology does offer. We, as Astrology counselors, because Astrology was our first psychology, look at patterns of a ‘whole person’ in their birth chart based on a 12 house system. It’s an esoteric blueprint of their personality, a picture of the sky taken at their birth, and this picture can give an overall metaphoric view of who they are and what challenges they may face emotionally, as they grow. Just like psychologists look at patterns of behavior in a human and charts that behavior over a period of time for consistency and/or inconsistency, we astrologers look at energies, influences, and patterns in a person’s natal chart.

We are able to chart their life, lifestyle, relationships, and the like thru the chart, figuratively. Then using calculations, and process of elimination, using independent, specific & global research, offer advice on a given particular subject matter, whether it’s relationship, finance, career, family, health, personal, education, etc.

Just remember folks, that your choices and decisions are always your own, and the chart doesn’t ‘RULE YOU’… you RULE your chart! The chart can be a guide, if you will, to help you identify where you can see a potential burden or conflict or challenge, therefore, allowing you to ‘free yourself’ and more on to more solid, stable, safe, and prosperous ground!~