Thoughts for January 2006

Thoughts for January 2006 - Happy New Year

29 January 2006

Graphic Ephemeris 30 January 2006 - 5 February 2006

22 January 2006

New Moon 29 January 2006

3rd Quarter Moon 22 January 2006

Graphic Ephemeris 22 January 2006 - 29 January 2006

15 January 2006

Graphic Ephemeris 16 January 2006 - 22 January 2006

This week sees the peak of the transiting fixed cross. Jupiter opposes Mars on 15th January and Mars squares Neptune on 18th. Jupiter squares Neptune the following week on the 28th at the very end of 16 Aquarius/Scorpio.

One of the more worrying examples of this building tension is that seen in Iran. Their wish to have control over their own self determination is perfectly summed up as the transiting grand cross touches both the Ascendant/Descendant and MC/IC axes. I have written a fuller analysis of this here.

Another tension hot spot has been seen in the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. Charles Kennedy resigned after confessing to a drink problem and they now have a leadership contest. A fuller account can be found here. Bizarrely enough the most powerful transits are seen in the 1981 SDP chart.

8 January 2006

Full Moon 14 January 2006

Graphic Ephemeris 9 January 2006 - 15 January 2006

The tension in the transiting grand cross continues to mount and this is tragically expressed in the many accidents expressing this crushing and overwhelming energy. Mining accidents are symbolically apt as both Saturn - carbon - and Mars - iron - are involved.

Further to my remarks about the mutual reception between the Sun and Saturn last week I have noticed many conversations turn to the topic of death and this theme come up in many different media. Of course you never know if you're just looking for things and therefore find them. This particular mutual reception will be around until the Sun leaves Aquarius in late February and again next year when the Sun in in Capricorn and Aquarius. This does bring up the idea that we should regard the times that these receptions come into force, that would be when planets are in Leo and the Sun in the sign of their rulership: Jupiter in Leo and Sun in Sagittarius or Pisces, Mars in Leo and Sun in Aries or Scorpio, Sun in Libra and Venus in Leo - the reception is impossible with Venus in Taurus as Venus can never be more than 48° from the Sun, Sun in Virgo and Mercury in Leo - again this is impossible if Mercury is in Gemini. This is one to watch; perhaps this affinity brings the essence of the planet to consciousness?

1 January 2006

New Moon 31 December 2005

Capricorn Ingress 2005

Graphic Ephemeris 2 January 2006 - 8 January 2006

1st Quarter Moon 6 January 2006

We are in Saturnian times. The new year starts with the Moon and the Sun in Capricorn, Venus in Aquarius moving back into Capricorn tomorrow, and Mercury will enter Capricorn on 4 January. Both Capricorn and Aquarius are ruled by Saturn and planets found there are in some sense beholden to him. Rather like travelling round a cosmic monopoly board, each sign is "owned" by a particular planet and planets in rulership get to influence their tenants Mutual reception is when two planets are in each others rulership and is shown currently by Saturn in Leo and Sun in Capricorn. This adds another note to the customary mid winter Capricorn tune; not only do we have the Sun at the lowest point in its declination cycle and in a Saturn ruled sign but we have an understanding between the Sun and Saturn. The light is weak, low in the sky in the northern hemisphere and in a sign with little essential dignity. Mutual receptions can strengthen a weak position but the planets need to have some strength of their own for this to happen: you can't share what you don't have to start with. What this boils down to is that two people who don't have very much power or influence can at least be friends; they have an understanding but don't have any way of getting things done. This is the background against which the next few weeks planetary activity takes place.

The grand cross between Mars in Taurus, Jupiter in Scorpio, Neptune in Aquarius and Saturn in Leo continues to be in orb so expect the underlying tension we've all become more than familiar with to continue. The 1st quarter moon on 6th puts Neptune on the descendant in London giving focus to this configuration and bringing it out of the background to the front of the stage. Delusions or inspirations? You never can tell with Neptune but you can be sure that the focus on practical application in the real world won't be top of the list. Expect this to come into conflict with Mars in Taurus and its message about measurable, quantifiable resources.