Being Real is So Boring

Posted on January 4, 2025 by ohioastrology

When I asked my spoiled feline how he had earned so many Christmas gifts when he didn’t even come out from under the bed to acknowledge anyone, he gave me that “were you born yesterday?” look.

“It’s simple. I’m a legend.”

A legend?

“Obviously your devoted followers have never had to clean your litter box,” I replied.

“That’s the key, my ignorant human,” he said arrogantly. “You can’t let them see the real you, the boring one.”

The look in his eye told me I shouldn’t pursue this further, but impulse drove me forward.

“Well,” I stammered, “you’re a Gemini, so there are two ‘you’s’, but for many of us in the zodiac, there’s just one ‘you’ and we have to earn our way through life.”

My feline snorted in derision and then said:

“And how many Christmas gifts did you receive?”

I pushed him away from the soft, silky blanket. It was MY Christmas gift, not his.

Being Donald Trump

Speaking of Geminis, the former president and current president-elect Gemini Donald Trump was mentioned in a 1987 book of channeled messages. As I flipped through the book, I thought I saw “Trump” then figured it was an illusion as his name is so frequently used.

No, he’s mentioned, as was Ted Turner, a name and legend we don’t hear about anymore.

This is what always fascinates me – how in 1987 the focus was nuclear war and AIDS. Has either threat gone away?

No, but our newest fears are terrorism and COVID.

Are our fears simply negative “fads?”

If you study astronomy, you learn that our earth-existence is quite precarious. There’s a lot to fear and every now and again a fear of asteroid collision surfaces. But like the asteroids passage, the fear doesn’t last long.

While AIDS fears, nuclear war fears and Ted Turner have receded from the front burner of our consciousness, Trump remains.

The question asked by the querent was:

I’m a successful businessman. Why am I not as successful as Ted Turner and Donald Trump? . . . [laughter] If I program and they don’t, did they choose their life before birth?

The topic was creating our reality. The querent comes across as a simple egotist.

Yet here we are, 37 years later, and this very concern has become “consensual reality.” Not all of us wanted to be Ted Turner or Donald Trump, some even ignored the existence of these two men. Silly me for not taking Trump seriously.

Yet this is now the reality of the United States: consensual “success” of the kind that involves owning entire industries, media empires, retail chains, outer space, DNA and anything else that can be owned.

The desire to “be” like these men has created these men, has fueled them, cheered them at the sidelines. We created this reality. This is the image of success while our boring day-to-day efforts pale in comparison.

The legend of these men – the self-made made innovating, creating and earning by the sweat of his own brow – contrasts with the reality of class structure where those in the highest levels of economic atmosphere support each other, as has occurred for thousands of years.

Trump’s “success” appears to be simply to play the economic system, not contribute to it. He’s not a failed businessman because he’s not a businessman – he’s a tax man playing a game that started with inherited wealth and inherited knowledge of how to play the system and probably much more beyond my knowledge as a simple taxpayer.

Television and media simply promote the legend, the ideas. Television is a representation of our “consensus reality.” It’s not simply entertainment.

Pluto in Capricorn

And why did we create this reality?

The United States has Pluto in 27 degrees of Capricorn which is the sign of success and governs rules, laws, boundaries, and discipline (which to the undisciplined appear as limitations and restrictions).

Pluto destroys and transforms. The year 2022 saw the first Pluto “return” for the United States where Pluto returned to its original 27 degrees of Capricorn after 248 years. We have had one evolutionary cycle and here we are.

The first cycle of Pluto in Capricorn brought focus on success, wealth and status. The United States was the policeman of the world. People came for both political and economic freedom.

As a nation, we are choosing this lesson of “success.” We’ve elected someone that represents the legend of success if not the reality, which like all qualities is in the eye of the beholder.

This second Pluto cycle for the United States is occurring in a more conscious, educated world. Each country has its own evolutionary cycle and the United States as the Capricorn authority of the world is changing.

To evolve more positively, we must think in terms of Capricorn responsibility in addition to Capricorn “success.” The reality of success may be more boring than the idea of it.

Posted in 2024 Presidential Election, Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Neptune in Aries: Dissolving the Self

Posted on December 29, 2024 by ohioastrology

Nearly every thinking adult is aware of the spiritual crisis now confronting us, and its profound effect on behavioral patterns in America. The bloody disorders in ghettos and city streets are perhaps symptomatic of a larger problem than mere economics: the frustration which besets man when he feels impotent to chart his own destiny. Government has become so big, and the powers of destruction so engulfing, that we seem to be losing our sense of individuality, our Oneness with God. Now that giant computers can spew out the sum total of our working lives when fed our Social Security numbers, even our names seem stripped of significance, and we begin to feel like faceless cogs in an impersonally grinding wheel.

This was written in 1968 by Ruth Montgomery in a chapter entitled To Know Ourselves in the book Here and Hereafter.

This could have been written today although “giant computers” would be replaced some other term that represents the digital takeover of daily living.

Later in this chapter, Montgomery writes:

The need for self-identification is acute, for when a man fears that he is losing his personal identity with the society in which he must work and live, it is not surprising that he feels tempted to hurl bricks through plate-glass windows and join in violent uprisings. It is a way of attracting attention to the “self” that he seems to have lost.

She continues this paragraph on 1968 hippie identity-forming trends including growing one’s hair long and scorning working for a living. That has passed.

Is this so resonant today because we’ve having a repetitive pattern or because the 1960s began a type of social crack – for the US and other countries – that never re-sealed?

Dissolving personality

Neptune will move into Aries in March 2025. Neptune spiritualizes, idealizes and glamorizes so we’ll see some glamorization of all that is Aries: self-assertion, self-defense, and self-definition. In addition to the “halo” effect of Neptune, we can also have the dissolving effect – the fade out of self, of individuality, of what we believe makes us unique.

During these times of technological takeover, the very qualities we believe make us individually unique and worthy are being replaced by digital representations of our individuality fed by the information that we provide.

Who are we then? What is our role as individuals?

The Aries self never goes down without a fight which is why if unacknowledged it will . . . you know, fight.

Astrologers are now writing about the last transit of Neptune in Aries (1861-1876-ish) which occurred at the very start of the American Civil War. Yes, Aries fights. But there is always fighting, right?

There is always Aries and the other 11 signs of the zodiac. For war to occur, it takes more than Aries. It takes the energy and input of the entire zodiac: Taurus needs to fund it, Gemini to communicate it, Cancer to produce male children, Leo to lead it, Virgo to do the domestic work while others are fighting, Libra for diplomacy, Scorpio for covert operations, Sagittarius to oppose it and present the enemy’s perspective, Capricorn to organize it, Aquarius to plan a better society, and Pisces to sacrifice something for it – home, family, beliefs and even one’s life.

Spiritual no-self

In a spiritual sense – and Neptune is nothing if not spiritual – the loss of self is a freedom from the limits of what we call personality. Aries has been described as the “me” sign of the zodiac, being the first sign and centered on self.

The signs of the zodiac represent stages of life and an infant born into this world is helpless and dependent. At about the age of two (a Mars cycle – Mars rules Aries), children become individuals and fight back. The “terrible twos” are when a child knows it is “me” and not “you.”

And through the zodiac represents our human development from undifferentiated infant to individual, to partner, to member of society and to . . .  death. Death is Pisces, the last sign. It’s the inevitable end to the self.

Fear of death is fear of losing self which may be why there is fear of the “world ending” in the religious spheres. What world? When we die, there is no world. There is no “self.”

For Buddhists, losing the self without dying is freedom.

From Lion’s Roar

The Pali word anatta (in Sanskrit, anatman) is most often translated “no self” or “no soul.” Anatta is one of the Buddha’s most difficult teachings, but it also is a cornerstone of Buddhism. Understanding the concept of no self is critical to understanding everything else the Buddha taught.

We assume there is a permanent essence of “me” that inhabits our bodies throughout our lives. And we may believe that at death this essence continues to exist in some form, either in an afterlife or by transmigrating to a new body to live another life. But the Buddha taught that there is no such permanent essence.

Further, the belief in a permanent essence of self or soul is the primordial ignorance that leads to suffering. We spend life in pursuit of what will please this self, protect it, or even glorify it somehow. Maybe sometimes we get what we pursue, but it never lasts, and we are dissatisfied again. We lie, cheat, scam, assault, and do various other damaging things to other people ultimately because we are trying to protect or gratify the self.

Permanent is the key word here. The Buddha denied a permanent essence of self, but he also denied non-existence. So what are you? Realizing the true nature of the self is what’s called enlightenment, which is not something that can be conveyed in words. But here is a guide to some key Buddhist teachings on the nature of self.

The Western world is so against the idea of reincarnation because of the strong belief in personal freedom which relates to personal identity. How can the “me” I so carefully crafted become some other “me” that I wouldn’t recognize? It would be like some “other” person out there. I’m a good “me,” how could I be a “bad” me?

Dissolving Self

As Neptune can both glamorize and dissolve the self, we may see much self-assertion during this 15-year transit as some become exalted and others dissolve into oblivion, the statistics of natural disasters, illnesses and wars.

Neptune in Aries may glorify war which enhances some selves and destroys many other selves. War has been persistent on this planet so Neptune in Aries won’t create anything new; it will simply have a new image, a new theme, new branding.

This current and soon-to-pass transit of Neptune in Pisces seems to have dissolved shared reality. Who knows, maybe some of the folks we see in news and media feeds aren’t even here anymore.

With Neptune, you never really know.

Posted in Planets and signs | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Neptune in Aries: Worshipping Warriorship

Posted on December 14, 2024 by ohioastrology

As astrologers, we often look to the future patterns which, like any thinking outside of the present, can cause reactions. When I have those reactions, I remember that life is a constant that will continue regardless of the ebbs and flows, highs and lows, of human behavior.

As humans with technology, we believe we are at the pinnacle of a constant, upward trending evolution. Yet studying history, “dark” and “light” ages can happen any time. Many ancient cultures had sophisticated astronomy (and astrology) so knew full well that the earth revolved around the sun and even that the earth had a wobble so that the north star changed every couple thousand years.

So why in the “dark” ages of Europe were men killed for saying the same?

Dark ages are simply ages of increased control. For this astrologer, I could argue that we are in another “dark” age even amidst information overload – more information in a day than our ancestors processed in a lifetime.

Information overload hasn’t created clarity, it’s created self-centered realities. This type of control is not overt, more like arsenic being dropped into the water supply in small, unnoticeable doses. But over time the effect is felt – loss of community. Divide and conquer, an ancient strategy.

Pluto recently entered “humanitarian” Aquarius so in the next 20 years we may see rekindling of different types of communities and humanistic concerns – meaning concerns outside of religious belief.

I remember that life continues, we’re here to learn, this is some sort of lesson. Astrology helps describe it.

Neptune in Aries

As Neptune leaves Pisces – the sign it rules and the last sign of the zodiac – it will enter fire sign, me-focused Aries. Pisces is the end of a cycle, Aries the beginning.

Neptune idealizes, idolizes and worships hence it’s associated with spirituality, otherworldliness and heightened, psychic states of awareness. Neptune in Aries will apply these feelings to “me.”

What gives pause with Aries is the shadow side which is fighting, war and competition. Idealizing fighting and war is a thought I must put aside to remember the positive effects of Aries which are self-assertion and standing up for oneself.

The recent vigilantism of a young man shooting a healthcare executive is a sampling of Neptune in Aries. Such an act would often cause concern by the masses; instead, we find that the act open the door to the anger (an Aries reaction) that exists toward the healthcare industry.

We learn as children it’s better to talk than to fight. But how to talk to a mammoth industry? In the US, everyone hates the healthcare system yet anyone trying to change it is branded a socialist and ignored.

A more violent US – which is already violent by nature – is an unpleasant thought. Over the 15 years of this Neptune in Aries transit, we will hopefully separate gangster from activist, violence from self-assertion. Ultimately, it’s preserving a sense of self in a time when technology is homogenizing human experience and forcing behaviors. The control is from a very small number of individuals who have access to the wealth and knowledge of an entire society.

Combined with the movement of Pluto in Aquarius (air sign) and upcoming Uranus into Gemini (air sign), we’ll see the shift from earth and water to fire and air signifying more societal reaction and evolution.

Air and fire are extroverted and fun. Heavy energies of illness, corruption and fear of material loss will be replaced by desire for interaction, new information and social levity. The “Roaring 2020s.”

This is another positive of Aries – it will challenge any and all authority. Earth and water signs in contrast are cautious and protective, can’t risk pissing off the boss or I’ll lose my house. In the moment, Aries will always do what’s right for self.

Worshipping Warriorship

In Chinese martial arts, there is “internal” and “external.” The external martial arts are embodied in Bruce Lee movies with lots of fighting and back flips and overcoming “the man.”

Lesser known in the West are the internal styles which promote physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Internal development is a goal as valid as external development for self-defense and power.

Spiritual warriorship is a concept often held with male forms of internal development – we hear this term in the works of Carlos Castaneda and Dan Millman (“the peaceful warrior”). The war, if we study these works, is a war with “the self.”

Aries is the self. The true warriorship is not out there, but in the mirror. For “the system” to change, we have to change first.

Posted in Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Seven Ways to Keep or Give Away Power

Posted on December 7, 2024 by ohioastrology

The ten astral bodies in astrology represent human energy. The planet is the noun, the energy, and the sign of the zodiac is the quality of that energy.

As humans, some situations may us feel good and energized, like a sporting event. Other situations may us feel depleted, like a funeral.

Today’s social media which ought to be optional but is increasingly becoming mandatory is a portal into our lives with many goals including creating reactions. Reactions are a release of energy (“nuclear reaction”). Social media to some means “fun like a party” but social only refers to the fact it’s about people. Social disease is an old term that might apply here as well.

During the shifting energies of Pluto in Capricorn (authority and structure) to Pluto in Aquarius (humanity and innovation), it’s the perfect time to understand how we can keep or give away our power.

The United States recently experienced its Pluto return in 27 degrees of Capricorn. We as a nation have set up a collective life lesson in how to manage power and authority, personal and collective. It’s fascinating to watch those with the least power elect those with the most power who have a history of criminal activity and exploitation. There appears nothing to gain but spiritual growth and awareness of the shadow side of American culture.

The scene has been set. Let’s see all the ways we can keep and lose our power.

Personal planets

The personal planets are those that rule our individual personalities, likes, dislikes, habits and preferences.

Sun

The sun rules the self, the identity. I am … is the sun speaking.

Keeping solar power means knowing the self. As children we encounter a time when we realize our parents are human, make mistakes, have individual perspective. Parents don’t like this moment but it’s important as it’s the time when we understand our individuality.

Losing solar power means handing over one’s sovereignty to another or becoming the identity of another. Possession is a common occurrence but has nothing to do with the dead.

Moon

The moon rules the emotional self and reactions.

Keeping lunar power means nurturing the emotions, soothing and comforting the emotions during the daily ebbs and flows of daily life on earth. A hot bath, a sweet treat, a lazy afternoon – these can rejuvenate from daily life’s stains and bruises.

Losing lunar power means reacting to every input from one’s own mind or outside world. Reactions are a release of energy so monitoring what needs reaction (honking a horn if someone is going to cause an accident) and what doesn’t (flipping off a car that passes you) can prohibit extraneous loss of energy.

Keep in mind that most reactions are to our own thoughts.

Mercury

Mercury rules the mind, communication and our perceptions. Mercury is a trickster in mythology. One person sees a savior, another a criminal. Reality is not shared which means we live in our minds.

Keeping Mercury power involves thinking for ourselves, gathering information and assimilating information or looking to a trusted expert. Mercury is the journalist and while journalism is taking a hit these days, we must be our own journalists which takes time and effort.

Losing Mercury power involves shallow thinking, allowing others to mislead or misinform us. Loss of Mercury means loss of curiosity and willingness to explore. Losing Mercury is boring – don’t do it.

Venus

Venus rules pleasure, beauty and values. Venus is not reactive like the moon but actively seeks what provides both value and pleasure in life so often is associated with beauty and the arts. Pleasure is best experienced in harmonious environments.

Keeping Venus power means seeking beauty and harmony for individual and shared pleasure. It means not feeling guilty about pleasure or relaxing activities. It means smelling the roses, creating a beautiful work of art . . . because!

Losing Venus means indulging in pleasure to the avoidance of what’s “ugly” in life. “Ugly” can be someone’s face or visiting an ill family member in the hospital or shit-throwing politics. Pleasure then becomes escape.

Mars

The God of War is Mars. War is the extreme of the energy which is based on self-initiated action. If you got out of bed this morning, you have an active Mars. Mars wants to go from here to there, to be challenged, to be alive.

Keeping Mars power involves having courage and self-respect, this is not the victim mentality. Mars stands up for itself, asks for what it deserves.

Losing Mars power means being drawn to violence or aggression. When Mars doesn’t get what it wants, it’s impatient. Low self-esteem aids in Mars turning from activism to violence. Competing with everyone about everything is also a Mars disfunction and waste of energy.

Social planets

How the individual interacts with society – local and beyond – is described by Jupiter and Saturn.

Jupiter

Children in all parts of the world are asked to leave home before or around the age of five to spend the day in “school” where we meet strangers who may help us with our books or steal our pencils. For some, school is the best time of their lives; for others, a horrific time of bullying or loneliness.

Keeping Jupiter power means finding the social organizations – schools, churches, clubs, sangha etc. – where we feel a bond with others. Jupiter rules expansion so positive Jupiter finds spiritual and experiential growth in these shared experiences. Jupiter is a doer, not a watcher.

Losing Jupiter power means trying to “fit in” where we don’t. Often, we have no choice but in today’s digital age, this can be overcome more easily since the world is open to us. Jupiter also likes to proselytize and sometimes coerce people into beliefs that they do not hold (while maybe breaking a few rules itself).

Saturn

Authority, social structure, rules, laws and stop signs – these are samplings of Saturn boundaries and discipline. Without Saturn four-way stops could get messy and children would eat nothing but ice cream.

Loss of power through Saturn involves following all the “templates” of culture without examining one’s true inner needs and following rules that society deems acceptable but inner self knows is not right.

Keeping Saturn power means knowing one’s boundaries and having discipline to achieve personal goals. Saturn is responsible, shows up. The genius myth suggests some folks can be born knowing math or spiritual mysteries. Research suggests there is a lot of Saturn work involved.

The Outer Planets

The personal planets are what we call our personality. The social planets how we interact with our community. The outer planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are distant so take lots more time to revolve around the sun and stay in a sign for years thereby representing time periods and generations.

Many novels are set during World War II because setting a novel in a challenging historical period pits the individual against the collective and explores all the ways we respond. Novels, then, are personal and social planets pitted against the outer planets.

We all live in changing times. Whether the times are “good” or “bad” is Mercury’s perception.

From November of this year (2024) until summer of next year (2025), all the outer planets will change signs. During the energy shifts, it’s easy to lose power as the rules of the game appear to change.

Uranus rules sudden changes, enlightenment, and increased awareness. One day things are like this, the next like that. Loss of energy occurs when we try to maintain our existing habits during perceived chaos. Gain of energy occurs when we realize we are getting insights into something once in the dark.

Neptune rules spiritual growth and connection to the intuitive self. Glamorization of people, ideas or objects can occur. Loss of energy occurs if we worship the new “gods” that emerge. Gain of energy occurs when we feed our spiritual self with loving energy that emerges. In other words, have the feeling, remove the idol.

Pluto rules transformation which unfortunately can feel like destruction depending on how tightly we are holding onto our chains. Loss of energy is huge with Pluto – you let go or it’s taken away. Gain of energy is equally intense because rather than “giving” you energy, Pluto gives you space in which to recreate your world.

Posted in Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Astrology of Rape

Posted on November 10, 2024 by ohioastrology

If you are at a party and find yourself cornered by a guest or guests and want to find a way out, here are some conversation topics that are sure to disperse your crowd like pouring water in an ant hill: taxes, astrology, ancient history, your cat’s litterbox challenges or, the best, rape.

When recently mentioning how the US president-elect is a rapist, the reaction was quite strong, as it should be. But this, dear readers, isn’t the first rapist in office. What’s different about this situation is we knowingly chose a rapist.

What is rape and what are we learning by doing this?

The 2nd – 8th house polarity

Astrology contains 12 signs of the zodiac which are six polarities. In the horoscope, those polarities are represented by houses, or areas of life where the energies manifest. And that’s what’s most important here and what this astrologer is finally understanding:

Thoughts and beliefs manifest in physical reality.

The houses, then, are where our thoughts and beliefs manifest and become the themes of our lives.

The 8th house of the horoscope, which is ruled by Scorpio, which is the energy of US elections, traditionally rules death, sex and taxes.

Sex, death and taxes? Ben Franklin famously said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” (Not sex?)

What is the relationship here?

The relationship is boundary crossing. Sex is the crossing of physical barriers to join bodies. Death is the crossing of spirit out of the body. And taxes represent others forcefully or legally taking our products or earnings.

When manifesting positively, sex is intimacy. When not, sex is rape. When manifesting positively, death is release. When not, it’s hanging on. When manifesting positively, taxes are shared resources for common goals. When not, it’s tyrants taking money for their own use or to engage in activities without our consent.

And the 2nd house polarity?

The 2nd is self, self-worth, values, body and tangible items. The 2nd house has boundaries – I worked so I get the money; this is my body and I don’t want to pierce my ears; I have value by simply being alive without having to “earn” it.

The 2nd house is “me” and the 8th house is “we.” Positive 2nd house is a sense of self that does not infringe upon others. A positive 8th house is a desire to form intimate bonds and share our resources with those we love.

Types of rape

When our physical body boundaries are crossed without our consent, it’s rape. Yet rape is the stealing of energy which can occur in more ways than physical. Rape can occur in the four elements of the zodiac: earth, air, fire, and water.

Earth: physical rape

Physical rape is the rape we associate with this word. This is when humans force sexual activity on other humans and needs (hopefully) the least explanation. The trauma from this type of rape is well documented and mostly occurs to women.

Air: mental rape

Mental rape involves others forcing their thoughts into our minds. Cults and totalitarian systems are created for mental rape which control what can be read and said which then limits thought. Families can create this environment as well. Refugees from countries with the most controlling mental systems find that they don’t have the most basic 2nd house self-awareness such as their favorite color or understanding of their own sexual preferences.

Fire: spiritual rape

Spiritual rape involves instilling an “indelible stain” upon individuals before they form a 2nd house sense of self and personal values. Caste systems are spiritual rape. Slavery is a combination of physical and spiritual rape. These types of rape sever the link between individuals and the source to convince humans that they are not worthy and deserve ill treatment.

Water: emotional rape

The tool of emotional rape is unearned shame and guilt. The family environment is the breeding ground of this type of rape where emotions are used to coerce. Of the different forms of rape, this is the one most preferred by women where they have the greatest (or only) influence in many societies. The mother-child bond is strong and guilt can be a very powerful tool of boundary invasion.

Uranus in Taurus

In the US and other countries, we seem to be learning many lessons of rape.

Why now?

Uranus, the planet of inspiration and enlightenment, has been traveling through Taurus since 2018. Since that time, we have had many 2nd house issues arise including physical gender versus identity, whether we have the right to reject forced medicine, and a greater understanding of where consumer product originates and the interdependence of countries for staple goods.

Any focus upon one energy will by default trigger the polarity. Uranus bringing light to 2nd house issues, will also reflect the 8th house shadow issues.

Enlightenment means seeing clearly. “Woke,” which is a positive idea associated with enlightenment has been used to turn the idea into a negative, much as the ancient swastika symbol used for thousands of years on earth in numerous cultures in positive ways was turned around to become a negative symbol of hatred and tyranny.

When we buy, say, a television and put the box on the front lawn, it generates the awareness that there’s a new television inside.

For thieves, this can create an awareness of what’s inside if they can find their way inside.

Our Uranus 2nd house definitions of self and sovereignty are like boxes on our front lawns announcing to the world that we have some new energy. The 8th house – ours and others’ – will be activated. Turning positive images into negative images is a stealing of energy.

Will we let our energy be stolen?

Posted in 2024 Presidential Election, Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The United States’ Pluto Return: The Last Moments

Posted on October 13, 2024 by ohioastrology

During the 2016-2020 presidency Donald Trump, there were a lot of theories on his rise to power: the rise of brand identity; the influence of special interests; the promotion of covert authoritarian agendas; and the human tendency to follow the main ideas of the culture to fit in.

And I’d add some of my own: the power and influence of visual media, the ability to con by simply looking the part, and the sociopath’s preternatural ability to be what you want, even if you don’t know what you want.

Then re-reading Claire Rapaille’s The Culture Code where he unlocks American beliefs about elements of life, he discovered that Americans see the president as “Rebel-in-Chief.”

So true!

That’s when I realized that all the theories made sense! Trump is not the anomaly the educated white middle-class population believes – he’s the cultural norm, a norm that some segments of the population already experience. And he’s the norm for what the United States is versus what we believe ourselves to be.

Trump is our shadow.

Does that make the Democrats the light?

Dualistic politics is also the shadow. “There are two sides to every problem,” is a cliché that helps us reduce complexity to simplicity. American sports cultural adds to the duality by making politics about “winners” and “losers.”

We’ve lost our sense of being one, but we are. From air to food to water to politics, we all win, or we all lose.

Unless, of course, you are planning to occupy Mars. Then you might “win” a distant and desolate existence.

Astrological Shadow and Light

First off, we all have shadow and light: all people, all cultures. Life is (hopefully) rising above the shadow to be our best selves, but we must first know the shadow is always present.

How often do we look at our physical shadows? It follows us everywhere.

Using July 4, 1776 as the symbolic birthday of the United States, sun is in Cancer and moon in Aquarius. Generally, these are not good bedfellows. Cancer (water sign) is very emotional and Aquarius (air sign) is very rational so you have the “this is how I feel” versus “this is how you should feel (aka think).”

And born in the United States, we get to engage in this cultural riddle!

Sun is conscious self, the conscious identity. This is the light as the sun is the source of energy in our solar system and life. Sun in Cancer wants everyone to belong, in an emotional way. To feed the hungry, open one’s arms to beleaguered migrants, and offer a warm and safe place to sleep, well that’s Cancer.

Moon is reactive self, the default when we are not in comfort. As excessive comfort is addiction, for this astrologer moon rules addictions. Traditionally moon is considered to rule emotions.

Moon in Aquarius, then, reacts without emotions and goes into the thinking function. In the air signs (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius), moon does not express well. Moon is ruled by Cancer because its nature is comfort. So the addictive side of Aquarius is to be lost in thoughts and what should be versus what is empirically present.

That the United States has been a leader in technology makes sense as Aquarius rules technology, utopian ideals, and futuristic thinking. The United States was founded in the Age of Enlightenment (relative term) with a constitution that includes in one sentence “. . . we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, . . .”

We = Cancer

All men = Aquarius

Cancer and Aquarius are both “we” oriented but differently: Cancer invites you over for Thanksgiving to share a home-cooked meal by the fire with family; Aquarius builds you the perfect house (or geodesic dome) and supplies it with every technology and device needed for cooking the turkey evenly and having all of the side dishes done at the same time so the Thanksgiving runs on schedule.

Similar motivations, different outcomes.

The United States can offer both, of course.

Where both signs default and have shadow is when the other doesn’t comply with the “we” statement. If Cancer invites you for Thanksgiving and you are vegetarian and mention the terrible state of food production and turkey farms; when Aquarius builds you a crystal palace but you like camping and hunting your own food with a bow and arrow.

Cancer is protective – it’s a soft being in a shell – and it wants to protect you, often so much you can’t breathe or cross the street alone. Aquarius spreads cosmic knowledge which may take you a lifetime to understand so when you have a bruised knee, you really want a bandage and a kiss and not the cosmic laws of healing or a robot assistant.

United States’ Pluto Return

In addition to sun and moon, there are eight other planets in the chart. The furthest out is Pluto taking about 248 years to orbit the sun and relates to evolution. And that is the age of the United States! We are having our first Pluto return.

We the people know that in 1776 all people were not free. Are they free today? What is freedom?

As we return to our birth energy, it’s time to re-examine our core beliefs. As the metaphorical closet door opened for sexual expression, the doors also opened for all of the closet beliefs existing in the tree-lined streets of this country: superiority, resentment, hierarchy, materialism.

These are common themes of Capricorn where Pluto is currently transiting and where it’s placed in the United States horoscope. In 2008 when Pluto entered Capricorn, it opposed sun in Cancer and collapsed the house-of-cards housing market. Bye, bye materialism! The other Capricorn shadow traits may also go bye bye.

At 29 degrees, Pluto is leaving Capricorn for Aquarius and won’t come back for 248 more years. We won’t be here, but our descendants will. Pluto will take about 20 years to meet the moon at 26 degrees of Aquarius.

Are “we” the Cancer and Aquarian people going to travel the path of our shadows or the path of our light? The path of our light was laid out 248 years ago. In 248 years today’s Aquarian thoughts will be tomorrow’s Cancer reality.

Posted in 2016 Presidential Election, 2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Generic Information

Posted on September 21, 2024 by ohioastrology

Recently the big pharmacy benefit manager used by my health insurance swapped the manufacturer of my generic prescription. Short story: it upset the apple cart of my health. For those that like a long, detailed David and Goliath stories of the average person trying to slay a corporate giant, additional information can be provided. Or you can wait for the movie.

Quick lesson from a non-scientific perspective: generics are not all the same. You may have experienced this in your life; maybe you will in the future. The learning came years ago through a relative using generics from different grocery stores: one grocery store generic worked; the other did not (at all). We learned from a writer friend in the health industry that the numbers on the back of the box allow for standard deviation. Your generic or new generic may not have the same effect as the previous generic. The contents read the same but may not be the same.

And, I hear, that the carrier compounds can also affect efficacy and absorption. Still researching.

The drug information provided for each generic reads the same – only the manufacturer information is swapped out. And some use larger font than others. But content is equivalent.

What’s generic here?

What’s equivalent is the information, not the drug itself.

Generic Culture

Curation of information is useful for organization and categorization so users can access what they need more easily. It’s common in business Intranets and library sites.

Medical information – even the news stories on national news – is curated. Learned that years ago from a media agency. While you may have ten thousand Internet hits on your search for “diabetes,” most is the exact same content tweaked or not tweaked.

Information, like retail products, is increasingly generic, not specific. How is it that we have access to more people and information than ever, yet our search results are increasingly generic?

The volume of information is reducing the variety of information. How did this happen?

Capricorn and Aquarius

Traditionally the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius were both ruled by Saturn, Uranus having not yet been discovered. Capricorn is the sign of authority, rules, and structure. Aquarius is related to genius in that it questions authority, rules, and structure. Both are stubborn.

The outer planets of Uranus (7 years in a sign), Neptune (15 years in a sign) and Pluto (20 years in a sign) have all transited Capricorn since the 1990s, the beginnings of our Digital Age. Uranus and Neptune have also passed through Aquarius and now it’s time for Pluto to do the same.

In these last couple decades, we’ve had sudden changes (Uranus) and glamorization (Neptune) of technology. Now comes the Pluto in Aquarius transformation of technology.

If you haven’t been affected yet, many of our societal threats are coming through the digital environment. The Capricorn government protects the citizen from the Aquarian digital threats. Americans love freedom and supposedly dislike government but left alone in the digital battleground, only the master hackers would survive. As with traditional warfare, the individual needs the protection of those creating the warfare – if they can figure out which side is the protector.

Pluto in Aquarius

In a couple months, Pluto will move into Aquarius for the long haul, until 2043. After Aquarius comes Pisces so by that time we may (hopefully) bring Pisces compassion and empathy to our digital life.

When Pluto entered Capricorn in 2007, the corresponding world events including a collapse of the housing market.

Collapse is bad, right?

Had the housing market not been manipulated and overleveraged, Pluto would still have transformed, but it wouldn’t have been traumatic or destructive. Transformation is dependent upon the underlying foundation. The foundation was cracked and could not survive the impact.

Is the digital foundation cracked?

We’ll soon know. Or do we know already?

Can we get past the generic information to find out?

Posted in Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Astrology of Political Falling in Love

Posted on August 31, 2024 by ohioastrology

During the recent Democratic National convention, NPR roundtable correspondent David Brooks was commenting on the dynamics of the election as the Democratic party switched from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris as nominee. Prior to this new surge of energy, Brooks said the standard belief was:

“Republicans fall in love; Democrats fall in line.”

This election is changing the dynamics of “love” versus “line.” Several Republicans spoke at the Democratic convention (time to convert?) including Stephanie Grisham, former Press Secretary for Donald Trump during his presidency. From the PBS.org story:

Recounting her time as part of Trump’s administration, Grisham said she was more than a supporter, noting she spent holidays with the family.

But behind closed doors, she said, “He has no empathy, no morals, and no fidelity to the truth.” She noted she was the first senior staff member to resign during the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and that she now supports Vice President Kamala Harris.

Reading that, my first thought was “duh!” It took four years to see the obvious?

That’s falling in love.

In love, we see the positive characteristics of the other and even some characteristics that aren’t there, but we imagine to be there. In politics as in personal life, friends and family will drop hints like, “Don’t you think your new love has some, you know, sociopathic characteristics?”

In the movie Office Space, the main character tells several of his friends that he thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him. Each time he says this, the character listening says something like “Yeah, I could see that.”

Falling in Love

Falling is not generally something we like to do, unless it’s into love. Falling into anything else is unpleasant. “The Fall” is even a religious event of losing purity and connection to the maker.

Astrologically love and pleasure are seen as functions of Venus which rules both Taurus and Libra. Libra is the purer Venus focused on partnership. Partnership is not always romance (ruled by Leo) or friendships (ruled by Aquarius) but often takes that form for Libra. While we all need others, Libra doesn’t function well without a partner, even on a walk to the store.

Leo, ruled by the sun, represents romance and children and self-expression. Leo is moon and June and poetry and all the stuff you see in romantic movies and novels. Leo doesn’t simply want to walk to the store with you. It wants the walk to be a shared emotional and spiritual adventure.

By horoscope house, Libra rules the 7th and Leo the 5th.

These are the conscious parts of love. Then there’s the falling part. Falling is involuntary, a reaction. Reactions, dear readers, are in the realm of the moon.

When we fall in love with regular folks or political candidates, are we in the realm of active sun and Venus or the reactive moon?

Our horoscopes contain many planets and signs, some with natural affinities and some with natural stress energies. For example, someone with sun and Venus in Libra would consciously identify with fairness, peace and shared pleasure. But if the moon were in, say, Aries, there would still be a reactive drive for competition, self-assertion and a spot at the front of the line.

In this example, would the more peaceful or more aggressive candidate be attractive?

Falling in Line

Falling in line, in contrast, is about duty and obligation. Astrologers know where this is going – Saturn. Saturn rules Capricorn and the 10th house of social consciousness, reputation, and public image – the very stuff of political life.

Saturn likes to follow the rules, gets its identity and sense of power from working within a system. Saturn like to be authority and to establish systems.

Office Space comes to mind again. Our main character is in deep depression from his soulless corporate job, life in a cubicle and multiple managers pointing out a single oversight (missing cover sheet on TPS Report for the uninitiated). After this, our character learns he must work the entire weekend.

When our main character goes into hypnosis but doesn’t come out, he moves from falling in line to falling in love, first by approaching a love interest in honest and vulnerable terms. He’s no longer following the rules and ironically achieves so much more than when he did.

Stephanie Grisham – in Line or in Love?

According to Wikipedia, Grisham was born July 23, 1976. Sun, Saturn, Mercury and Venus are all in the sign of Leo. This, of course, speaks to love.

Yet Saturn conjunct the sun speaks to “line” and following the rules, Leo rules.

Leo is a sign of natural confidence and exuberance, not needing external validation of self-worth. Saturn is the planet that creates limits on energy for the purpose of discipline and long-term learning. Combined the natural confidence is expressed as the “playbook” of leadership with less natural play and joy in the experience.

Falling in love with Trump for Grisham may simply be the attraction of someone appearing completely confident with no self-doubt or internal control, confidence gone wild. The confidence of the sociopath. External bravado with internal emptiness.

Grisham’s moon in Gemini is the same sign as Trump’s sun. Traditional astrologers looking at male/female partnerships with male dominance viewed the man’s sun in same sign as woman’s moon as a good partnership.

Grisham’s reactive, feminine, “nurturing” nature would support the man’s conscious desires. Gemini is a constantly changing sign which can confuse the more earthy or fixed signs. Grisham with moon in Gemini can follow as she’s not sure who she is at times and may fall into the mood and identity of others.

The life lesson for Grisham is both about falling in love and falling in line. While Saturn is a big heavy and no one likes having it on their sun, there’s a lesson about confidence. The confidence of the sociopath is destructive and is not associated with Leo qualities of love and joy.

The astrological significance is that confidence must be rebuilt from the foundations and be true confidence, not the “confidence” of wielding a big, powerful weapon against those that cannot fight back. Saturn keeps saying she “should” be confident. But having confidence doesn’t mean 100 percent of the time one is in charge and one can’t be afraid of bumps in the night.

With Mars in Virgo and moon in Gemini, Grisham is probably giving this a lot of thought – both signs overthink. There’s not much water in Grisham’s chart meaning she has trouble emotionally relating to others, another way to weed out the sociopaths from the joyfully confident among us. Water can feel the difference.

As transiting Pluto moves into Aquarius, Grisham will meet other powerful figures who are asking her to take one for the team. After falling in love, the challenges are now those of falling in line and the balance of the two motivations.

Posted in 2024 Presidential Election | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ohio Astrology Answers Questions about Tim Walz

Posted on August 18, 2024 by ohioastrology

Since the announcement of Minnesota governor Tim Walz as Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate for Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris, letters have been flooding into Ohio Astrology wanting to know more about Walz.

Yes, yes, there is lots of news about Walz – the public relations stories, the political mudslinging, and pundit analyses. But what’s the real story?

That’s where astrology can help.

You can fool your doctor, your accountant, your boss and even the voting public. But you can’t fool your astrologer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If I meet Walz at a campaign stop, should I shake his hand or give him a hug?

A: With Mars, sun and Jupiter in Aries and moon in either Capricorn or Aquarius, you should avoid the hugs as this isn’t a “warm and fuzzy” kind of personality. The handshake will most likely be one of those “shake ‘em hard and impress ‘em” kind where your fingers go numb and you wish you had just given a high five. It’s probably best to stand back and wave.

Q: Would Walz lend me $20 if I needed it?

A: With Mercury in Taurus, Walz might lend you $20 but would also provide a lot of practical information on what you should do with the $20. With Venus in Gemini, he might leave the room to go get his wallet and not return. But if he does return and lend you $20, he’ll also want to understand what new, innovative or productive venture will result from that $20 and if you can return $25. It might be best to borrow from someone else.

Q: If I plan to go somewhere with Walz, should I drive or should he drive?

A: No need to ask the question. He will drive because he has the better car and is the better driver – always. Leave extra time to stop for a speeding ticket.

Q: Who’s “wearing the pants” in this political relationship – Walz or Harris?

A:  This question is very 20th century – we are now in a genderless world where everyone wears pants and dresses per their preference (for those that are not Scottish, this is a new thing). As such, Harris with moon in Aries and Walz with Mars, sun and Jupiter in Aries will be putting one leg each inside a set of pants and then running off in different directions. Shared pants with a rip in the seam is how the pants present astrologically.

Q: What do you think Walz would do as Vice President?

A: As Jupiter has just moved to Gemini transiting Walz’ natal Venus in Gemini, Walz will probably have a great time socializing and making new friends. He’s social and likes extroverts – no bookworms for this guy. However, Venus in Gemini is square to natal Uranus/Pluto in Virgo and square to natal Saturn in Pisces so he may be viewed as spending too much time with some friends and neglecting other friends, like the friends who are stuck in the nursing home and not able to come to the neighborhood hangout and watch the game. He’s not comfortable embracing melancholy types even if that’s what his party promotes.

Q: What famous former president does Walz most resemble?

A: There have been only two Aries sun presidents – Thomas Jefferson and John Tyler. Both have a bit of extra fire in their horoscopes as does Walz. While Jefferson would be the nice sell for Walz, Tyler seems a bit more aligned with Saturn in Pisces and moon in Virgo. Walz’ moon is Aquarius or Capricorn which can be like Virgo being analytical (Aquarius) or practical (Capricorn).

Tyler was Vice President becoming president soon after the 1840 election due to President Harrison dying soon after the election. Tyler served one term. The past and present themes of president/vice president swapping are interesting. OHA will read up more on Tyler as high school is long gone and we didn’t learn much about Tyler anyway. From the state of political discourse, it appears high schools still don’t teach much about Tyler or any president.

Q: What’s Walz most likely to get in trouble for during the campaign?

A: Aries is quite impulsive so there can be many an outspoken comment and assertiveness that for some is unpleasant aggression – the “in your face” kind of feeling.

With Pluto transiting the late degrees of Capricorn and early degrees of Aquarius, Walz’ moon is getting direct hit from this small but powerful “planet.” The thing about Pluto is that it doesn’t allow any choice. Transiting one’s moon, the reactions are not easily controlled – everything you’ve stored below the mouth will come bubbling up.

When looking at the astrology of countries, the moon is “the populace.” The American people, dear readers, have moon in Aquarius and are under the influence of Pluto as natal Pluto is in 27 degrees of Capricorn and just “returned” to that position representing the destruction and transformation of our social, political and economic systems.

All candidates must deal with this larger cycle. For Walz, it ties directly to his moon sign and responses to these transformative times. He may try to exert too much control over will never be in his or any candidate’s control.

Posted in 2024 Presidential Election | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Five Astrological Tips for J. D. Vance

Posted on July 18, 2024 by ohioastrology

Ohio Astrology always helps where it can, free of charge, as a public service, for the good of humanity or at least the United States, or at least Ohio. Or maybe for the good of one or two insomniacs who read astrology blogs late at night.

It’s been quite a few years since an Ohioan has made charge for the presidency. There was a time, dear readers, when Ohio was the western reaches of the country, the California of its day without all the fads. Ohio proudly sent seven men to the White House.

It’s time again for Ohio to try for the reins of power as Ohio native J. D. Vance has been selected as the Vice-Presidential running mate for Republican Donald Trump.

By now many have probably reminded Vance that on January 6, 2021, a horde of angry Trump supporters wanted to lynch Vice President Pence for not overthrowing an election. Looking at the upcoming transits for Vance which include a bunch of Pluto squares, he might want to really, really think about this.

The advice below, of course, attempts to thwart the compulsive power and control associated with Pluto. But then again, politics is Pluto.

Five Astrological tips for J. D. Vance

Tip 1: Be Nice

Pluto transiting the last degrees of Capricorn (after popping into early Aquarius) squares natal moon/Pluto in Libra. Capricorn is the drive for success and social standing. Libra is the drive for partnerships. Balancing these two types of relationships is not easy for anyone. Pluto tends to take the path of “my way or the highway” for maximum control. Libra often sounds accommodating but with Pluto/moon in this sign, it’s not really.

After Pluto leaves Capricorn and moves into Aquarius for good, it will create squares to natal Saturn/Mars in Scorpio and sun/Mercury in Leo. The transit will be “in orb” or near enough to be felt about the time of the 2028 election.

In summary, enemies are powerful and will plan a response in the realms of Leo (pride, sense of self, happiness) and Scorpio (money, sex, taxes). The usual political stuff. Don’t get trapped feeling invincible. Pluto will course correct if you do.

Tip 2: Learn new languages

With Jupiter transiting Gemini this year opposite Uranus/Neptune in Sagittarius, it’s a good time to not only think and dream “foreign” but learn the language as Gemini rules communication. Don’t talk “about” foreigners from the lofty Sagittarian heights of philosophy (while having a brew and watching soccer). Talk “to” the foreigners. And I don’t mean hillbillies. I mean folks that really want to integrate into a society that’s breaking into shards of cultural glass.

Jupiter is transiting your running mate’s sun opposing his moon and your natal Uranus/Neptune in Sagittarius is conjunct his natal moon opposite his sun. The new language you may need to learn is simply that of your running mate. Your words will create reactions in him.

This tip is for enjoyment as well as political benefit. Someday these folks may be your best friends.

Tip 3: In trying situations ask yourself, “What would Mr. Rogers do?”

With Neptune transiting Pisces for the last 15 years, children’s TV icon Mr. Rogers has been the focus on both a documentary and feature film. In these trying times, we all need a little warmth and comfort from our religious and spiritual friends or double-Pisces Mr. Rogers. Neptune is now in the very last degrees of the sign.

Neptune in Pisces squares natal Neptune in the late degrees of Sagittarius. (Saturn in the mid degrees of Pisces isn’t quite square yet). My, so many squares during this political rise. Sagittarius like all the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces are the others) can go on “a mission.”  Gemini to express; Virgo to help the unfortunate; Pisces to save the entire world. For Sagittarius, it’s mission with a purpose – to raise consciousness or some other mission no one understands with arcane concepts discussed during late drinking sessions while in college.

Keep in mind that spiritual missions often cross over to feelings. One man’s savior can to another feel like an oppressor, or common businessman.

Tip 4: Expect the Unexpected

Uranus will be moving into Gemini soon opposing natal Uranus in Sagittarius. This is more of the “learn a language” tip but be careful that you get the words correct, like with Spanish knowing the different between the word for year and the word for a private part that is behind us.

Unexpected is the name of the political game and in this Gemini – Sagittarius polarity it involves language, travel, foreigners, news, and lots of other fun adventuresome type things. But be careful about what you share. While running for president, telling dirty jokes in your new language will cause issues.

This transit can also cause accidents, mostly of the sprain the ankle type of accident but can involve lungs (losing voice, common in this activity) or thighs (tripping).

Tip 5: Remember life is a game and have some fun

With six of the ten astrological planets in fire (sun, Venus, Uranus, Neptune) and air (moon, Pluto), the recipient of such a horoscope ought to have a little fun in life as both elements are extroverted and socially minded. What’s the point of being a shining, happy, expressive Leo sun if you must hide in the cloak closet for fear of outshining your leading star or because an angry mob may not like your decisions and take the law into their own hands?

Great ways to enjoy being a Leo while under the pressure of a political campaign: watch fun movies and imagine yourself as the leading actor; continue to write your memoirs (and tell us what you said to your mother) with all that air/fire gift of storytelling; dance; sing; and most importantly, enjoy the company of happy beings which today are those that don’t watch the news – children, puppies and kittens.

And like a good fire sign, don’t take it all too seriously.

Posted in 2024 Presidential Election | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment