The Chaos of Perception

Posted on January 2, 2014 by ohioastrology

If it were true that any object/other existed separate from the mind of the one perceiving it, then every living being of similar intelligence and sense ability would know it in a similar way. However, if one hundred people of similar intelligence and sensibility were asked to describe any object put before them, they would give one hundred widely differing descriptions, or impressions, of the object. One’s good sight, good sound, good smell, good taste, good feeling, good thought might appear to be horrible to another. This is because the object is believed to be the cause of happiness or suffering dependent on the individual’s conditioned response to sensory stimuli.

Detong Choyin – Waking from the Dream

Astrology is popularly viewed as personal fortunetelling. While it can serve that function, I don’t believe that is its purpose. For me, its purpose is a comprehensive description of the reality we share (“the dream”).

The horoscope is a circle that contains all of the signs which represent all of the elements (fire, earth, air, water) and all the modes (cardinal, fixed, mutable).

We sit in the middle of the horoscope and look out, as we do sitting on the earth and looking out into our universe. If we look up at the sky and all the stars, we are seeing only the Milky Way galaxy. We are still in our small part of the unimaginably large universe.

You, me and everyone we know – we all have the same horoscope. We all look at the same sky. The sun that energizes you also energizes your friends and foes.

Then why do we feel different from others?

Our personality comes into play by the arrangement of the planets in the signs in the different areas of the horoscope. If our personality (described by the horoscope) is unique in this place and time, it also suggests we are alone in our perception. No other will be like us 100 percent and no one will agree with us 100 percent.

We are solitarily unique.

We seem to both attach to this unique identity yet at the same time want the rest of the people of the world to see the world in the same way we are seeing the world.

Chaos of Perception

Searching on the term “chaos of perception,” I discovered a paper by Sérgio Roclaw Basbaum entitled Consciousness and Perception: The Point of Experience and the Meaning of the World We Inhabit.

The term “chaos of perception,” however, comes from Vilém Flusser whom Basbaum quotes:

The fiber with which man changes this ‘chaos’ into a ‘cosmos’ − an ordered structure which allows to catalogue all apparent phenomena, and relate them to a system of rules such as to give them a certain hierarchy − is language. It is language which turns the ‘chaos of perception’ into the ‘ordered cosmos’ which we call ‘reality’, with named things and causally related phenomena (in spite of systemic approaches, stochastic models, butterfly effects, chaos theories and so on).

Language is ruled astrologically by Mercury. But does Mercury actually create the order?

Saturn and Pluto Extremes

Structure is ruled by Saturn. Saturn represents the rules, time, aging and tradition. Saturn might also be said to rule traffic lights, highway systems, computer networks and the signs that tell you to clean up your dog’s poop at the park.

Saturn creates order so that you do not hit another car at the intersection or step in dog poop while enjoying a walk.

While language may create the order, babies can’t talk. We come into the world without language.

Which comes first, I wonder, the structure or the language?

In thinking about the chaos of perception, it occurred to me that what is considered totalitarianism might simply be an over-response to the chaos of six billion unique views. If structure is the normal response, complete control is an excessive response.

While Saturn likes ordered control and is happy when everyone simply follows the rules, I find Pluto, in negative manifestation, is the planet that wants nothing less than total, 100 percent agreement. The only way to get 100 percent agreement is to have 100 percent control.

Saturn is more like a fence or hydroelectric dam that both guides and controls while Pluto completely transforms its host like an invader that razes your home, forces its religion and institutes a new language.

Categorizing into extremes of “good” and “bad” might be another way to create order. With just two options, there will be more agreement. With 100 options, agreement will naturally decrease. Neither Saturn nor Pluto is nuanced. It might have been astrologer Jeanne Avery who said Saturn’s word is “should” and Pluto’s word is “must.”

In The Art of Dreaming, Carlos Castaneda’s mentor Don Juan says this regarding our inability to see the world energetically and only as object:

To perceive a world of hard objects that had either a positive or negative value must have been utterly necessary for our ancestors’ survival . . .

Later he writes:

‘Our way of perceiving is the predator’s way,’ he said to me on one occasion. ‘A very efficient manner of appraising and classifying food and danger.’

Maybe that’s why the US has two political parties which force candidates into views they may not believe in so that their overall belief system corresponds to the party. With two parties, instead of ten, there is more forced agreement and less friction after an election for the candidates and for the electorate.

Because astrology is comprehensive, there are balances to the extremes of Saturn and Pluto. The top two balances that come to mind are Venus, which rules pleasure, and Neptune, which rules undefined spirituality, undefined life, oneness. Neither planet does well in the totalitarian state.

Neptune is the chaos that Saturn and Pluto are trying to control. For some of Pluto’s orbit around the sun, it is actually inside the orbit of Neptune. And since Pluto has been demoted by the astronomical world and is no longer a “planet,” Neptune becomes the most distant planet.

Pluto can’t control Neptune, not really. Pluto can’t carve its manifesto in a wall of fog.

Neptune has won.

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The Beginning of January

Posted on December 29, 2013 by ohioastrology

The end of December and beginning of January both occur in the same sign – Capricorn. Capricorn is both the end and the beginning – but the ending comes first.

Late astrologer Linda Goodman claimed Capricorn aged backwards. Self-conscious, cautious and restrained in early life, Capricorns find the joy of youth only later in life she wrote.

That backward aging brings to mind The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a man born old who aged backwards, dying as a child. I haven’t read it, but Gradesaver has this to say:

As he moves into his older, more juvenile years, Benjamin loses the memories of the past. His story ends in darkness, as his life presumably ends with his birth. This arc is structurally echoed in Flowers for Algernon, in which Charlie begins the story in an intellectual darkness, grows into mental genius, and then declines back into darkness. Both stories use a fantastic or science fictional premise to explore the structure of all long lives, in which we are cognizant of being on a long, slow decline back into the oblivion from which we came.

The author of this melancholic tale is not a Capricorn but a Libra – F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Another novel which describes the fear of old age and death, which includes the fading of beauty, is The Picture of Dorian Gray. This novel was also written by a Libra – Oscar Wilde.

The cardinal sign Capricorn squares Libra and Aries (both cardinal as well). The heavy aging of Capricorn is in contrast to the Aries – Libra axis of self assertion and partnership.

Capricorn aging challenges the Aries sense of self as Capricorn tells us that self will die. Capricorn challenges the Libra sense of self as Capricorn suggests that both beauty and romance will fade with age. When we date in older age it is pejoratively called “companionship.”

As an aside, I had a great aunt (who was truly great) who scoffed at the thought of her third marriage (having survived two husbands) as “companionship.” She let me know it was a marriage as any other.

While a teenager, I recall an elderly man crossing the street when a car almost hit him. He yelled with cantankerous abandon and I could see clearly why the elderly can become grouchy. The man didn’t have the physical strength to respond in any other way. He was probably strong and virile in his youth and no one would have dared driven their car to the edge of his feet.

Aging not only weakens the physical body but challenges the sense of self, the self we developed and built for so many decades and our reflection of self through romance.

New Year’s resolutions

Following the December ending is the January beginning which is when we make resolutions.

This January 1, five of the ten planets (the moon is considered a planet in astrology), will be in the sign of Capricorn. I suspect our resolution-making efforts will be to the power of five. There may be an additional dose of pent-up guilt for whatever we did in 2013.

In my crystal ball I see a few hair shirt sales this January. Buy one get four free . . .

According to Statistics Brain, the top ten resolutions are:

  1. Lose weight
  2. Getting organized
  3. Spend less, save more
  4. Enjoy life to the fullest
  5. Stay fit and healthy
  6. Learn something exciting
  7. Quit smoking
  8. Help others in their dreams
  9. Fall in love
  10. Spend more time with family

The US government list of popular New Year’s resolutions is slightly different, but has the same number one resolution – lose weight.

Often with resolutions that occur in January, the Saturnine idea of structure and contraction occurs (remember, Saturn rules Capricorn). Of the top ten resolutions, five have the contracting-Capricorn touch:

  • Lose weight
  • Getting organized
  • Spend less, save more
  • Stay fit and healthy
  • Quit smoking

Our number one resolution involves the body – Capricorn is an earth sign. However, by Capricorn, we begin to experience the world in terms of ambition and our role in it – in prior generations called our reputation. May is the sign of Taurus which is more about the physical body and September is the sign of Virgo which is traditionally associated with diet and health.

It’s interesting to me that “lose weight” and “stay fit and healthy” are seen as two different items. Because our resolution is in Capricorn and not Virgo, our desire to lose weight may be more in response to society than in response to the body.

Why do we make resolutions in January?

A group of friends and I were discussing resolutions and one challenged us to think about why we make resolutions at the beginning of the year.

From the astrological point of view, I’m wondering if our resolutions are Capricorn-based because we make them in January, at the perceived beginning of a new cycle. Contracting-Capricorn follows expansive-Sagittarius, the time when we have most of our celebrations.

After the boom comes the bust.

If we made our resolutions in August during the sign of Leo, would “fall in love” rise to number one?

Does “learn something exciting” make the list because in January we know that the parties are over, the spending must stop and we’ve got to get our tax forms ready?

In one of Carlos Castaneda’s books (or maybe it was Florinda Donner’s book), he notes that for a resolution to stick, you must begin the action at the time of the resolution. For a resolution to start in the future, I suppose, makes it simply a thought and not a resolution.

Is January a time of internal resolution (I’m going to stop smoking right now) or is it a time of external resolution (I heard someone come home, I’d better put out that cigarette)?

Is any time we make a resolution the beginning of a new year?

This reminds me of the saying that “today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

The hangover

How many of us spend New Year’s Day with a hangover from New Year’s Eve drinking?

Maybe we should consider a Benjamin Button new year. On New Year’s Eve, let’s fast toward that goal of losing weight. Then on New Year’s Day, let’s begin the year with a glass of bubbly in honor of our achievements in the prior year.

Rather than making solely Capricorn resolutions, let’s pick a few signs (or areas of our life) and make one for each.

For example, we can continue the Capricorn “lose weight” resolution for January. Then for February, we could resolve to do something wacky and crazy to relieve cabin fever, like show up at the weekly staff meeting with a fake tattoo. Then in March, we could resolve to nurture the tallest sunflower in the history of Ohio.

Et cetera. I should stop before we get to Scorpio . . .

Undermining the core of resolutions would fool Saturn, who takes measure of rights and wrongs, shoulds and shouldn’ts and makes us feel guilty when we don’t pass the test – a test no one asked us to take and which no one is grading.

Possibly, then, we could have 100 percent success on our resolutions.

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The End of December

Posted on December 28, 2013 by ohioastrology

Up here in the northern latitudes of the US, the end of December is quiet and dark time. The days are short, the Christmas holiday over and we wait for New Year’s Eve for our last indulgence before making New Year’s resolutions.

Don’t let the quietness fool you. Some important events have occurred during these last days of the year.

The Federal Reserve Turns 100

The Federal Reserve turned 100 years old on December 23 just as the sun entered Capricorn. The Federal Reserve is a winter solstice deity and saturnine overseer of the US economy.

Did I miss the party?

I didn’t hear much about the Fed turning a hundred. But I suppose to hear the celebrations I need to turn on what is commonly referred to as “the news” but I personally consider the pharmaceutical hour due to the lack of hard news (i.e., things that are happening all over the world) and the plethora of drug commercials.

When the sun enters cautious Capricorn from exuberant Sagittarius, we stop our shopping for a moment and focus on the purpose of that shopping (Christmas). We then think of how we are going to pay our bills.

Founding a federal bank is a good way to manage finances.

That’s not to say we don’t shop in the sign of Capricorn. We do. We just expect the prices will be cheaper, the goods man-handled, the pickings iffy.

Don’t think I’m calling Capricorn cheap. I would never say that. I would say “frugal.” Besides, astrology is just mumbo jumbo anyway. Who the heck believes that silly nonsense?

Not sober Capricorn.

Woodrow Wilson

The Federal Reserve Act was passed during the presidency of Capricorn Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was born on December 28, 1856. According to the Astrotheme chart, he had sun, Mercury and moon in Capricorn.

Let’s quote from his biographers and see how much of his personality reflects Capricorn.

According to The Wilson Center, Wilson was nicknamed “schoolmaster in politics” and is remembered for his “high-minded idealism.” The schoolmaster image is very much Capricorn, a sign that reveres authority and seeks positions of authority.

Idealism isn’t normally associated with Capricorn but may reflect Wilson’s Venus and Mars in Aquarius, the most idealistic of signs. On the other hand, for some Wilson’s attitude wasn’t seen as idealism but a “haughty attitude of superiority.”

In Woodrow Wilson’s Political Personality: A Reappraisal, the authors spend most of their space analyzing a previous study Woodrow Wilson and Colonel House: A Personality Study which delves into the psychology of Wilson.

The Wilson/House study focused on Wilson’s late blooming with regard to reading and arithmetic. Apparently, Wilson did not learn the alphabet until the age of 11. The study related this to his relationship with his strong, Presbyterian minister father. The conclusion was that refusing to learn was a way to “express his [unconscious] resentment against his father.”

Moon in Capricorn is a difficult position (its in detriment) that usually describes a distant or cold mother and the subsequent inability to express warm or tender feelings. Capricorn, opposite of the warm and sticky water sign Cancer, is associated with fathering while Cancer is associated with mothering.

In the Reappraisal work, the authors contend that too much was made of Wilson’s father relationship while the mother relationship was virtually ignored.

The astrology supports the initial study. The sun and Mercury are in the third house of communication. Capricorn is a steady, ambitious sign so it’s no wonder Wilson became a scholar. That he did this slowly also makes sense as Capricorn needs to follow the rules of the game and it may have taken Wilson a bit to understand what was expected.

The moon, also in Capricorn, is in the fourth house of early family and emotional life. Venus and Mars conjunct in Aquarius are also in that house. Both Capricorn and Aquarius are intellectual, not emotional, signs.

Saturn in Capricorn’s opposite sign of Cancer opposes Mercury and the moon in the ninth house of higher education and travel.

In other words, Wilson is about 90 parts per 100 of Saturn. His sun, moon and Mercury are in Saturn’s sign of Capricorn and then Saturn itself stands guard at the top of the chart. If Saturn represented dairy products, you could say Wilson was like an ice cream sundae with cream cheese on top served with a glass of milk and a serving of cottage cheese.

Saturn is nothing if not responsibility and Wilson probably came into the earth with a sense of carrying the world on his shoulders.

Saturn in Cancer suggests the feeling of not belonging, of not being part of a group or family. Since it’s in the ninth house of higher education, Wilson went toward this insecurity/responsibility by becoming the President of Princeton University. He may have had a stronger sense of family at Princeton than at home.

The Reappraisal authors contend that Wilson’s relationship with his father was warm and use a letter from Wilson to defend that position. From the letter, Wilson clearly loves his father, as sons do. What’s interesting though is that he describes his love for his father this way at the end of the letter:

— a love, in brief, that is rooted and grounded in reason, and not in filial instinct merely – a love resting upon abiding foundations of service, recognizing you as in a certain very real sense the author of all I have to be grateful for!

Reason, service – these are some of the ways that Capricorn expresses love. Wilson is saying that his love for his father is more than feelings – it’s higher. Aquarius brings idealism and “reason” while Capricorn brings “service.” It’s not merely filial, i.e. like Cancer which is about family.

Wilson also said, according to the Reappraisal work, that he inherited his “tendency toward melancholy” from his mother.

Liz Greene, astrologer and Jungian analyst, in Dynamics of the Unconscious, states that there are two signs prone to depression – Scorpio and Capricorn.

These signs tend to express their problems through the symbol of depression because depression in a strange way serves their purposes.

On Capricorn depression she says:

Capricorn favors depression over other expressions of inner conflict because depression serves Capricorn’s inherent sense of guilt.

Greene mentions how melancholy was one of the four humors and that it was associated with Saturn.

Wilson, then, had a very serious, sober and responsible personality. The arrogance some perceived is most likely a result of the Capricorn paternal instinct which knows what’s best for you even if you don’t agree. If one comes into the world thinking that the happiness of the world is its responsibility, wouldn’t it want to rise to the top and make all the rules?

Or, as the Reappraisal authors say, Wilson’s “need to control the environment.”

Wilson was, however, provided with a Libra rising which makes interactions with others more pleasant and amenable than you might experience with Capricorn. Wilson may have acted meek and pleasant, but was not.

Wilson’s chart is low on the element of fire with only Jupiter in Aries. Jupiter, unfortunately, was in the sixth house of health. Aries rules the head and Wilson suffered neurological problems including severe headaches.

With Libra rising, sun in Capricorn, Saturn in Cancer and Jupiter in Aries, Wilson had all four cardinal signs active in his personality. When I read Wilson had hypertension and other maladies, I immediately associate that with cardinal mode which is the initiator. When you meet a Type A person, think “cardinal.”

How could Wilson avoid hypertension if he carried the world on his shoulders?

Solstice deities sometimes do that.

The Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve Act was passed on December 23, 1913 when the members of Congress were planning to return to their native states for Christmas. Some suggest this was done deliberately to get the Act passed while Congressmen were distracted.

On that day, the sun was in one degree of Capricorn with the moon in secretive Scorpio. Pluto had just entered Cancer and was opposing the sun. Mars and Neptune were also in Cancer opposing Jupiter in Capricorn.

Today, in 2013, Pluto and Jupiter have changed sides with Jupiter in Cancer and Pluto in Capricorn. As we see today with this aspect, there is debate about homeland security. What is the appropriate level of control needed for security?

I’ve blogged about 1913 and 2013, two interesting years in the debate about government and security.

I’m still trying to understand Cancer’s role in this interplay. Possibly Cancer creates the feelings needed (like hope or fear) and then Capricorn steps in while you’re in the middle of emotional turmoil and says it will will build you a steel door to keep out the intruders.

I’ll give this one some more thought on another rainy day. We should be having a few more downpours as Jupiter continues through Cancer until July 2014.

Depression

While the Federal Reserve was ostensibly created to stabilize the economy, 16 years after its founding (in 1929) there was an economic crash that led to what is called The Great Depression.

It’s fascinating to me that an economic state has the same term as an emotional state.

What do the economy and emotions have in common?

The economic depression is characterized by:

. . .abnormally large increases in unemployment; falls in the availability of credit, often due to some kind of banking or financial crisis; shrinking output as buyers dry up and suppliers cut back on production and investment; large number of bankruptcies including sovereign debt defaults; significantly reduced amounts of trade and commerce, especially international; as well as highly volatile relative currency value fluctuations, most often due to devaluations.

The emotional depression is characterized by:

. . . feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or numb; loss of interest in things you used to enjoy; irritability or anxiety; trouble making decisions; feeling guilty or worthless;
thoughts of death and suicide.

What’s even more interesting is that the antidepressant Prozac is also a Capricorn — a sign associated with depression — having received FDA approval on December 29, 1987.

What’s the connection?

For the economy, depressions and recessions (ah, we changed the word) often occur after booms, or periods of money expansion.

In emotional terms, the US economy is bi-polar. It goes to extremes of money lending and creation followed by equally extreme contraction periods of correction. It’s also like a cycle of addiction – extremes of indulgence followed by guilt and vows to abandon the behavior.

Regarding emotional depression, astrologer Greene (who’s also an analyst) says there is depression caused by external factors (such as the death of a spouse) and a type called “endogenous” which is organic and not seemingly triggered by circumstances. One of the traits of endogenous depression is that it’s cyclical.

According to the article A Glut of Antidepressants, use of antidepressants has “skyrocketed” over the past twenty years. The CDC states ten percent of Americans are depressed. From other articles, it appears all ten percent are taking anti-depressants or lots of people are getting anti-depressants for other reasons.

I’m wondering if our economy isn’t a reflection of our inner state. While Pluto was in Sagittarius (1995-2008), we went on a spending spree. Then in 2008, our economic indulgence collapsed on itself. During the same period, our use of antidepressants soared.

Do we have booms and busts because inside we are fighting collective depression?

I’ve always thought the story of the Buddha described depression. As the story goes, Siddhartha Gautama was born into a wealthy household sometime in the 4th to 6th century BC. He was deliberately secluded from the outside world by his family. In his late 20s, he ventured out of seclusion where he discovered disease, suffering and death. Then at the age of 29 (which, by the way, is when you have your Saturn return), he decided to lead an ascetic life.

I’ve wondered if depression, when it isn’t externally triggered, is a bit like the story of the Buddha. Maybe depression isn’t a black spot on your clothing that needs to be removed. Maybe it’s the path to a deeper life. It happened to the Buddha at age 29, when Saturn returns to its natal position and we become serious about life, settle down and truly become adults.

The signs prone to depression, Scorpio and Capricorn, are both serious signs. Possibly a life lived without deep meaning for these two signs will always prove depressing. Possibly that’s why you find Scorpios in religious life and so many Capricorns in government life.

Other signs seem more able to experience meaning and joy without becoming President of the US during a war and economic depression.

Do our economic booms create an insulated life? And when we step out (or are forced to step out) of that life, depression awaits?

Greene also talks about guilt and depression with guilt as a defense. She says, “Guilt, to put it crudely, is a species of psychic antidepressant.”

Guilt. Now that’s a word you don’t hear much anymore. Remember back in 1976 when we felt guilty about having sex?

Is it possible that the over-use of antidepressants is removing us from guilt which creates further insulation from the outside world?

More thoughts for a rainy day.

The end of December 2013

This time last year, there was fear of the world ending due to the completion of a Mayan calendar cycle.

The winter solstice is a dark time.

The last fear of world ending occurred in the dark days of 1999 when we feared The Great Computer Depression.

The winter solstice is a dark time.

This year on December 31, five of the ten planets will be in Capricorn (moon, sun, Pluto, Mercury and Venus). Three of the remaining planets will be in water (Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces).

Uranus will be in fire (Aries) and Mars will be in air (Libra), but those two signs are opposite so will be having an on-again off-again fight followed by make-up sex.

In other words, if you aren’t comfortable being stuck inside of yourself with all of your thoughts, feelings and emotions, it will be a tough time.

From our history, we also must beware that while we deal with the internal Saturn we must watch for the external Saturn. Because we are walking our inner dark hallways doesn’t mean we are eternally helpless. As with all cycles, spring will return and we will come out of our closets with junk for the dumpster.

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If you want to play Jesus in the movies, what sign should you be?

Posted on December 17, 2013 by ohioastrology

If you’re reading this blog and are a celebrator of the holiday called Christmas, you’d better get moving. You have only seven shopping days left.

Step away from the computer, find that pile of coupons you’ve been hoarding and get moving to your nearest shopping mall.

While many holidays are honored around this time, the original intent of this time is to celebrate Christmas – a commemoration of the birth of Jesus.

Winter Solstice Gods

The commemoration of Jesus, December 25, occurs near the winter solstice. In the history of our planet, there have been other deities celebrated at the time of the winter solstice. This site contains interesting information on those deities:

Deities of the Winter Solstice

As this site states, “Because of the theme of endless birth, life, death, and rebirth, the time of the solstice is often associated with deity and other legendary figures.”

In the northern latitudes, the winter solstice is the time of death. Flowers are gone, the pool is closed and sand volleyball is a distant memory.

And if you happen to have a birthday in the northern latitude winter, forget having it at the pool or park. That is for summer babies like Gemini, Cancer and Leo. Taurus (May) and Virgo (September) have a fifty-fifty chance of a sunny birthday.

They have the fun parties. But I’m not envious, I swear.

But to compensate, winter birthdays, like that of Jesus, celebrate with lights, gifts and spiked fatty egg drinks.

Not bad.

Saturnalia

December 25 is right after the winter solstice which is when the sun moves into the sign of Capricorn. Capricorn, as you know, is ruled by Saturn.

Saturn was also celebrated at this time in a festival called Saturnalia which the About.com site states:

Saturn (Roman): Every December, the Romans threw a week-long celebration of debauchery and fun, called Saturnalia in honor of their agricultural god, Saturn. Roles were reversed, and slaves became the masters, at least temporarily. This is where the tradition of the Lord of Misrule originated.

Saturn is the planet that rules structure itself. Structure is supported by rules which are guided by caution, monitored by time and define worldly ambition.

Breaking the all the rules as the sun enters Capricorn is a bit like Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) where you live it up before Lent, the time when you do Saturnian things like fast and stop what are considered indulgent behaviors.

It’s interesting the play between abundant Jupiter (which rules Sagittarius) and the contracting Saturn (which rules Capricorn) in our cultural traditions. Expansion and contraction are an endlessly repeating cycle.

Kind of like dieting.

The Capricorn and Pisces Jesus

While the true date of Jesus’ birth may not be December 25, the image of dying on a cross does evoke Saturn (which rules Capricorn).

Jacqueline Brook in The Astrologer and the Tradition writes of the glyph that represents Saturn:

. . . the glyph of Saturn is that of the cross of matter placed on top of the crescent: the spirit must go down into the bottom of matter to charge it or give it life or it can be viewed as matter oppressing the spirit. Saturn is the furthest planet which can be seen with the naked eye and is thus symbolically the planet closest to God; it is God who gives us life and thus sends the spirit into matter. Saturn is also the ruler of death which can be seen explicitly in the glyph as matter oppressing the spirit through its incarnation.

Sacrifice, on the other hand, is in the realm of Pisces (ruled by Neptune). The fish, also a symbol of Christ, is pure Pisces.

Capricorn rules the knees, which lower in prayer and Pisces rules the feet, which are washed “to imitate the humility and selfless love of Jesus.”

Jesus Actors

Do the actors portraying Jesus have this Capricorn and Pisces energy?

Since astrological research continues to be unfunded, I will use this IMDB list of actors portraying Jesus. Thank you to the person who created it.

The top sun sign for actors portraying Jesus is: SCORPIO.

Scorpio is the charismatic and intense fixed water sign. Fixed signs, you may have noticed, tend to rule the world due to their abundant fortitude and strength of purpose and personality.

While Scorpio is the top sun sign, by element AIR is the most for actors portraying Jesus with one Gemini, two Libras and two Aquarians.

What about Capricorn and Pisces?

There are zero Capricorns and zero Pisces.

If we include moon sign, Capricorn and Pisces still remain unrepresented. James Caviezel, who played in The Passion of the Christ, could possibly have a Capricorn moon; however, Astrotheme shows him to have a Sagittarius moon.

If we continue into the planet Mars, which is like a mini sun, we still find no Capricorn but one actor with Mars in Pisces.

With moon signs, AIR and FIRE signs prevail. The most frequent sign is LIBRA.

Libra and Scorpio rule the 7th and 8th houses respectively. The 7th house is “the other” and represents partnership. The 8th house also others but represents more intimate encounters such as emotional connection, sex and shared resources.

Libra and Scorpio together are where we unite with others from sharing a ride to sharing a bed.

Where are the Capricorn and Pisces?

That actors portraying Jesus are air and fire signs is really no surprise. Air and fire are more naturally extroverted and would be drawn to acting.

To see if the actors portraying Jesus had more or less air and fire than actors of a similar ability/stature who didn’t portray Jesus would involve a lot more data than this unfunded blogger has at her disposal. But that would be a better indication of an actor’s likelihood to play Jesus.

The question then becomes – how do we portray feelings and emotions that might not be part of our own psychological makeup?

I’m sure there are loads of acting classes out there addressing that topic. In astrological terms, can fire and air signs feel the Pisces pain of a being nailed to Saturnian matter?

Which actor would be able to truly channel this type of experience?

Heading back to the IMDB for Capricorn sun actors, I searched for a Pisces moon. That, I couldn’t find. And, by the way, if you are a Capricorn sun and want to be a famous actor, moon in an air sign will help you (and Scorpio is not bad either).

I did, however, find one Capricorn sun that also had Saturn and the moon in Capricorn. That’s enough Capricorn to understand what it’s like to have thorns thrown on your life path. Capricorn’s path is never easy. And if there is any easy way out, Capricorn still often chooses the path of most resistance but that offers the most gratification when fully traversed.

This actor has sun, Saturn and moon in Capricorn which creates a serious and stately individual, an individual others easily and naturally view as the authority in the room.

That actor is JAMES EARL JONES.

Looking at Jones’ CV, he has played some strong and authoritative figures such as King Lear, Alex Haley, Balthazar, Malcolm X and Darth Vader. He’s also done his share of narration due to his strong, resounding voice.

If you want to play Jesus in the movies, what sign should you be?

To be an actor, you clearly need air and fire with which to speak and express emotions. Feeling the gravity of material existence or the pain of suffering in samsara isn’t enough to play the role of a savior. The ability to project outward is clearly a prerequisite for acting.

However, charismatic Scorpios may apply.

It’s no surprise that Capricorns aren’t found playing Jesus because Capricorn is generally not an expressive sign and there’s a lot to express when portraying such a culturally important figure.

It’s surprising, too, that Capricorn sun MEL GIBSON hasn’t signed up for the role himself. I suppose directing a movie about Jesus (The Passion of the Christ) is enough for this Capricorn.

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Ohio Politicians – Astrological Update

Posted on December 8, 2013 by ohioastrology

Every four years during a national election, we hear about the importance of Ohio – we’re a swing state, we decide the election, yada yada yada.

And in between national elections? Ohio is all but ignored.

It’s unsettling.

To help the electorate keep up with the political doings in Ohio, we’ll check in once in a while, astrological style, so that in the next national election in 2016 there won’t be so much for non-Ohioans to research.

Ohio wasn’t built in a day, you know.

We’ll take a look at how the current transits from Mars out are affecting our Buckeye State politicians including: Mars (just entering Libra), Jupiter (in Cancer), Saturn (in Scorpio), Uranus (in Aries), Neptune (in Pisces) and Pluto (in Capricorn).

The Ohio Governor

The Ohio governor is John Kasich. He’s up for re-election in 2014.

Kasich is an earthy guy with Jupiter, Venus and sun in Taurus with moon in Capricorn. For some, this combination can be, how shall we say it, grouchy.

Personally, I love many of Kasich’s blunt and direct comments, such as when he suggested in 2012 that President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney had visited the state so much that they ought to pay taxes.

Imagine collecting taxes from the wealthy Romney. Now that would stimulate the Ohio economy.

Taurus and Capricorn combined are nothing if not frugal, both with money and emotions. Kasich was not bluffing when he said he’d cut spending. Earth signs have a general ledger and balance sheet in their minds at all times.

In general, Kasich means what he says. While earth might not have the public relations skills of fire and air signs, with earth signs you generally get-what-you-see. Other signs might get grouchy too, but they keep it off the television set.

Kasich has a cardinal T-square of Uranus (in Cancer), moon (in Capricorn) and Saturn/Neptune (in Libra). This T-square combined with the rest of the chart suggests the balancing of personal relationships, family and personal ambition are not smoothly managed.

Capricorn likes the top of the mountain where, folklore says, it is lonely.

Transiting Jupiter and Pluto are creating national issues of home (Cancer) versus security (Capricorn). In Kasich’s horoscope, this also has personal elements. It could be anything from his own security system to his own monitoring of the people closest to him. This tension causes a strain in already distant personal relationships.

Transiting Saturn (in Scorpio) conjunct natal Mars is an unpleasant aspect creating extremely hurt feelings and desire for revenge. It’s the hurt you can’t let go of. It may be someone else creating these feelings for Kasich.

Transiting Uranus won’t aspect Kasich’s Mercury for a few years. But Mercury in Aries is an impulsive speaker with or without the added fuel injection of Uranus. Neptune, which is in Pisces, is in an out-of-sign conjunction with Kasich’s Mercury meaning that Kasich may not even realize some of what he’s saying. It may rise out of emotions he barely recognizes.

In November 2014 during the election, Kasich will have a lot of planetary action on his moon and Mars with Mars/Pluto transiting Capricorn and Venus/Saturn transiting Scorpio.

That means Kasich will fight very, very hard for this office. Fighting Capricorn or Scorpio alone is difficult and in combination, quite fierce. Woe to his challenger.

The Ohio Governor Challenger

There is already a challenger to Kasich in the form of Ed FitzGerald.

FitzGerald has Mars, sun and Venus in Cancer with moon in Capricorn (or possibly Aquarius). FitzGerald is mostly earth and water (four of each) with Mercury in air-sign Gemini and Saturn in fire-sign Aries.

Earth and water are more introverted and water is extremely sensitive. The combination has difficulty with criticism so a gubernatorial election might be a bit difficult to handle. And Kasich will be attacking both directly and fiercely.

Until summer of next year, transiting Jupiter is conjunction FitzGerald’s Mars/sun/Venus. That’s a beneficent aspect bestowing love and affection. The problem is the transit ends mid July about the time the media churns up the attention on November elections.

The current transits are not in advanced enough degrees to be impacting FitzGerald’s horoscope. This is good, right?

It’s good when you want to live a quite and peaceful life. But to face the challenges you must be toughened up, so to speak. FitzGerald may have a short lead time between when the intensity of Jupiter transiting into Leo and the November election.

In other words, being peacefully and comfortably ignored is the worst preparation possible for the election.

In November 2014, transiting Mars/Pluto in Capricorn may be conjunct FitzGerald’s moon and may be creating the same aspect for Kasich (depending on degree of moon).

The feeling I get is that the election will happen in a week. Like it will begin and end in a very short, but intense, period of time.

It’s going to be a hot August 2014 and September 2014 for the folks in Ohio. Don’t put away those shorts until at least October 2014.

Lieutenant Governor Challenger

FitzGerald has recently announced a running mate who would be Lieutenant Governor – Eric Kearney.

Like his running mate, Kearney is a water sign, but he is the fixed water sign Scorpio. Kearney has sun, Neptune and Venus all in Scorpio.

Wow, that’s a very charismatic placement.

The moon is either in Aquarius or Pisces. Both are charismatic in different ways. If the moon is in Pisces, that adds more Neptune (because it rules Pisces) to a guy with Neptune in his sun sign.

Neptune is beauty and mystery, even when it’s ugly and misleading. Neptune is the feeling of oneness you get when in a huge crowd at a roaring sports event as you lift your arms in the passing wave.

Aquarius is more rational but also zany, in a mad-scientist sort of way.

Natal Mars (in Sagittarius) and Jupiter (in Aries) are carrying the fire signs. Fire is nice to have if you want to be in public office because it provides energy and enthusiasm.

I’m liking this guy.

Surfing the net, I found that Kearney is having a little tax problem that may threaten his nomination.

Scorpio, you may recall, rules taxes and Saturn, you may also recall, is transiting Scorpio. It’s a bad time for finances for those with Scorpio in money houses (2nd and 8th).

The article mentions Kearney is a bright and rising star and should hold off on his run for Lieutenant Governor.

Hmm.

That makes sense in the rational world, but this is politics. If I were an evil political astrologer, which I swear I’m not, I’d suggest Kearney go for it for the following two reasons.

The tax problem in the news now will never, ever go away. That is part of the Internet age. If it’s digital, it’s forever. Face it now. You can’t pay your taxes and make this go away. Pay your taxes and then figure out how to transcend this.

Two, next summer when transiting Jupiter moves into Leo it will create a grand fire trine in Kearney’s chart providing extra energy and enthusiasm to his horoscope.

Does that mean Kearney will win the Lieutenant Governorship?

Who knows?

But for the charismatic Kearney, he needs to get some charisma out there now for any future career plans. What politician out there doesn’t have to explain (away) some crazy personal situation?

At the end of July 2014, Mars will be conjunct Kearney’s Mercury providing energy for calming, peaceful, explanatory speech.

Then Mars, for the duration of his proposed election run, will be transiting his sun, Venus and Neptune in August and natal Mars in September.

Regardless of whether Kearney runs or not, he’s going to have an interesting and stimulating summer of 2014.

It would be interesting to have his time of birth to see how all this transiting Capricorn energy (Pluto, sometimes Mars, sometimes Venus) is affecting his chart.

Mayor of Cincinnati

As of December 1, 2013, Cincinnati has a new mayor – John Cranley.

Cranley has Mercury and sun in Pisces and moon either in Taurus or Gemini. The moon, in either sign, might be conjunct Mars in Gemini (could be out-of-sign conjunction).

Thinking about the previous mayor, Mark Mallory, I get the sense that Cincinnati likes its mayors to be a bit emotional, capricious and challenging.

If Cranley’s moon is in Taurus, he is more calm and controlled than Mallory. But that Mars is hanging out in Gemini creating ripples in the otherwise placid lake of moon in Taurus. However, if moon is in Gemini, Cranley would be a compulsive talker.

If moon is in Taurus, there would be periods of intense quiet followed by periods of intense chatter.

Transiting Neptune in Pisces is in-between Cranley’s natal Mercury and sun creating an out-of-focus world for Cranley.

I suspect Cranley is still excited and might not be noticing that transiting Pluto (in Capricorn) is squaring his natal Pluto (in Libra). As Mars enters Libra and provides more energy to that square, Cranley may notice that those creating partnerships with him have other motivations that pure positive intent for the human race.

That will bother Cranley.

Cranley’s natal Neptune in Sagittarius is square is sun and when transiting Neptune (in Pisces) moves closer in the next couple years, Cranley’s unclear eyesight may become even more fuzzy.

It’s time to update the eyeglass prescription.

I hope Cranley’s moon is in the fixed earth sign Taurus or else Cranley may be blown around so much by the forces of wind and water that he may simply get caught in a tornado and flown to a land over the rainbow.

If I were a medieval astrologer, and I swear I’m not, I’d recommend that this Cincinnati dweller live higher in the hills and avoid living by the Ohio River. He has enough water and needs the view from above to see the situation below more objectively.

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Astrological Black Friday: Target or Walmart?

Posted on November 24, 2013 by ohioastrology

According to the National Retail Federation, in 2012 holiday sales represented 19.2% of total retail industry sales. That means about one month of the calendar year carries about a fifth of the year’s total retail industry sales.

Let’s be thankful for the holidays. What would our economy do with them?

Two of the top US retailers are Walmart with $329 billion in sales last year and Target with $72 billion in sales last year.

Which will have the better deals this year, Target or Walmart?

Let’s see what the stars say.

Scorpio – Taurus Axis

Walmart has sun in Scorpio while Target has sun in Taurus, the sign opposite Scorpio. Both are concerned with money. Taurus is my money (earned by me) and Scorpio is others’ money or shared money.

However, both stores have a Scorpio-Taurus opposition in the horoscope with Walmart having sun in Scorpio opposite Saturn in Taurus. Target has sun in Taurus opposite Neptune in Scorpio.

That means, my friends, that the current transit of Saturn in Scorpio is rough on both retailers. Saturn contracts with in the case of both retailers means contraction of money.

For Target it means money owed through loans or fines coming due. Conjunct natal Neptune and squaring natal Saturn (in Aquarius), it also suggests some previously hidden or secretive pact or agreement that will come to light. The Aquarius portion makes me think it involves something owed to employees.

For Walmart, transiting Saturn is conjunct an already parsimonious sun / Saturn opposition. Walmart’s already narrow margins may become even slimmer. By Black Friday 2014, Walmart will be facing what Target is facing this year in terms of loans due or hidden agreements called up.

Walmart and Target are the same type of business and must employ the same types of maneuvers. The similarities in their charts and the Neptune factor make me wonder what things we will learn about each in the coming year.

Transiting Uranus in Aries and Mars in Virgo

Transiting Uranus in Aries is conjunct Target’s natal moon/Mars conjunction in Aries. There may be more mayhem than usual this Black Friday with aggression looming out of control.

Transiting Mars in Virgo will be conjunct Target’s Pluto in Virgo. There will also be a lot of bickering about prices.

Walmart has a natal T-square of Mars (in Capricorn), moon (in Cancer) and Uranus/Venus/Jupiter/Mercury (in Libra). Uranus in Aries forms a transiting grand cross which makes Walmart a place for the whole family. Aries is you, Libra you partner, Capricorn you dad and Cancer you mum.

The grand cross in cardinal suggests Walmart will stock products for all types of people at all times.

Target, in contrast, will create pandemonium for a few items.

Transiting Jupiter in Cancer and Neptune in Pisces

Jupiter in Cancer is conjunct Walmart’s moon in Cancer. Possibly they will offer food and beverage on Black Friday as young ones might leave cookies for Santa Claus.

For Target, Jupiter was recently forming a grand water trine with natal Jupiter (in Pisces) and Neptune (in Scorpio). All that Jupiter and Neptune gives Target a warm and fuzzy glow of good will. Target will most likely sell more alcohol than Walmart.

Possibly Target will create a new, proprietary brand of eggnog that will take the edge out of getting underwear as a gift.

Neptune also plays well in Walmart’s chart at the moment. At two degrees, it’s easing the tension of the sun/Saturn opposition by offering something to charity or other cause.

Venus and moon

Target has natal Venus in Gemini (the twins) which explains why they often make you buy two of something to get a deal. Walmart has Venus in Libra (and three other planets) so they are not making that demand on us lest we get angry which makes Libra uncomfortable.

Transiting Venus in Capricorn is conjunct Walmart’s Mars in Capricorn which suggests that people are focused on practical details and not hype and glamour. Walmart will provide the bang for the buck without unnecessary foreplay.

The moon will be in Libra on Black Friday passing Walmart’s four planets in Libra. This bodes well for Walmart as it attracts females and crowds.

Where should you shop on Black Friday?

If we were going by astrology alone, I would suggest visiting Target first for those Uranus-in-Aries deals and to experience some Black Friday mayhem. If you’re out on Black Friday you want a little mayhem, right?

After that bit of fun, I’d suggest heading to Walmart who has narrowed their margins which means better deals for you, the consumer. They may also be offering some goodies to keep you awake. It wouldn’t surprise me, too, if they turned a blind eye to the flask inside your jacket.

With a cardinal grand cross formed by transiting Aries, Walmart has something for everyone. Transiting Venus in Capricorn says folks are interested in penny-pinching, not packaging, which speaks more to Walmart than Target.

To support the economy, it’s kind to shop at both retailers. Moon in Libra (where it will be on Black Friday) is certainly about fairness. And often Libra has a difficult time choosing – so why not visit both?

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Kathleen Sebelius’ Astrological Wellness Check

Posted on November 16, 2013 by ohioastrology

With the Affordable Care Act rollout marred by website malfunctions, lack of enrollment and unfulfilled promises on existing coverage, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, must be getting a headache.

It’s a good time for Sebelius to have an astrological wellness check.

Pain in the neck

My first glance at Sebelius’ chart produced the thought, “President Obama likes his women strong.”

Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Janet Yellen and Sebelius all have very strong personalities. Strong is certainly a useful trait if you are going to be in a government role; all the better to be strong when the nation is angry about your health care insurance system.

Sebelius’ strength comes from sun in fixed earth Taurus and four planets in fixed fire Leo (Pluto, Saturn, moon and Mars). While too much strength can turn one rigid, Sebelius has some nice offsetting planets in mutable signs (Jupiter in Sagittarius and Mercury/Uranus in Gemini) and cardinal signs (Venus in Cancer and Neptune in Cancer).

The sign Taurus, in which Sebelius’ sun is placed, rules the neck and throat. Sebelius may simply be having the clichéd pain the neck.

Taurus squares Leo, which rules the heart, so a little indigestion might also be occurring. Taurus and Leo are sensual and indulgent so possibly the indigestion is due to specific food choices. This is part of the natal horoscope and not a passing transit.

Sebelius’ natal Venus in Cancer was recently opposed by transiting Pluto in Capricorn. Cancer rules the stomach so the digestion may have changed during that time. As Pluto passes, hopefully too, have any stomach issues.

But those are minor to the transit that began in mid October 2013 – transiting Saturn in Scorpio began its square to Sebelius’ stellium in Leo.

Open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act began October 1, 2013 but was delayed due to the government shutdown until October 21. What a coincidence.

Convalescence

Convalescence, the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness (www.dictionary.com), is a word you don’t hear much these days. Is it simply modern pharmaceuticals bring us back to health more quickly? Or is it that we truly can’t afford to recovery from illness gradually due to pressures of work and paycheck?

Sebelius’ convalescence from the current maelstrom will take about 15 months.

Saturn began its square to Sebelius’ Pluto in mid October. It will continue to square Saturn, the moon and Mars finishing its tour in January 2015. Because Saturn is far away from earth, it will appear to go backwards then forwards during that time.

If Sebelius is hoping for a Rip Van Winkle situation, she should take a nap now and wake up in January 2015.

From now until mid July 2014, times will be tough as transiting Saturn in Scorpio squares Sebelius’ Leo planets and opposes her sun. That formation is called a T-square. A T-square is friction, like being the pickle in the middle or the potato chip inside a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

When Jupiter enters Leo in July next year, Sebelius will begin to fight back, gaining strength. Leo is a strong, proud sign and retreating with tail between the legs is not energizing. Later we will hear her roar.

Leo does nothing if not bounce back. And bounce back Sebelius will do next summer.

We have two distinct six-month periods. One is October 2013 to July 2014 when the situation will get worse. Then in July 2014, a renewed sense of strength returns and the next six months are an energetic tackling of the situation.

By January 2015, Sebelius will be ready for a well-earned vacation to a relaxing spot. She will have won, although won what, I’m not sure.

Those fighting with Sebelius must remember that Taurus has the self-control to restrain from hitting you over the head. Leo doesn’t have natural restraint but Sebelius’ Saturn and Pluto in that sign provide discipline from external sources.

When she has to restrain herself no longer, her foes will have a taste of a Taurus temper and Leo fire. Since it will be summer when this happens, we can consider it a little bit of sunburn. Play outside in the sun too long without protection and these things happen.

It’s good timing for Sebelius because next summer she’ll be 66. According to the Social Security website, those born in 1948 are able to retire at age 66 with full benefits.

I have a feeling she will opt for retirement – a retirement which relieves her neck of its pain.

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Where is Julia Roberts?

Posted on November 11, 2013 by ohioastrology

This thought occurred to me this morning: Where is Julia Roberts?

There was a day when every movie, every talk show contained Ms. Roberts. I’m dating myself, I know. Some younger person may be filling this role during the holiday movie season.

Julia, we miss you. Where are you?

Private Scorpio

Scorpios, in case you are not aware, are private. Some would consider this sign secretive even. It seems a challenge to be a private person and a Hollywood star. To be a star you must have attention but to maintain privacy you must be discreet.

On the flip side, Scorpios make keen detectives due to their ability to see under the surface of others’ motivations. Scorpios might be private, then, because they understand better than others what lies beneath; they understand the “beneath” better than those standing on it.

Scorpios seem to be afraid you will see their beneath and do not always understand that you are okay with their beneath and that you aren’t looking anyway. Maybe you’re just thinking of having a light lunch with pleasant conversation.

Scorpio and Leo

Using the Astrotheme horoscope, Roberts has sun, Mercury and Neptune in Scorpio with a moon in Leo which squares Scorpio.

First thing to note with Scorpio and Leo – both are fixed signs and very strong and dignified. If Roberts wants her privacy, she will get it.

The second thing to note is the square means private Scorpio duels (square is a friction) with ebullient and attention-loving Leo.

When Roberts doesn’t want her privacy, she gets that too.

If Roberts controls the on/off switch for attention with the media, then she’s as close as you can get to a mythological god in this world. That’s quite powerful.

Virgo and Capricorn

In addition to her fixed signs, Roberts has four planets in Virgo (Jupiter, Venus, Pluto and Uranus) and Mars in Capricorn.

Mars in Capricorn is a strong, get-what-you-want, placement, adding more resolve to an already fiercely strong personality.

Virgo, on the other hand, is a more sensitive earth sign. It’s strongly attached to work and health and is prone to worry and nervous exhaustion.

This energy combined brings to mind the workaholic who knows he/she should relax but is constitutionally incapable of doing so.

Saturn in Aries

And lastly we have Saturn in Aries, the only planet above the horizon. Roberts, then, is truly an introvert, preferring life in private. Although she’s strong as iron, when she pops her head out she fears it being shot at. She’s a little more worried about what you think than she lets on.

Saturn in the 9th with sun, Mercury and Neptune in the 4th suggests she doesn’t roam much and prefers the warm comforts of home and family to the thrill of a different physical location.

Natal Saturn square natal Mars in Capricorn suggesting that when times are tough, work is the outlet and the cure.

Where’s Julia?

Julia is probably at home enjoying simple home life. Saturn is currently transiting Scorpio which is creating tensions in the home life regarding finances or someone seeking distance where Roberts is seeking more closeness.

It will probably be a year before this situation passes and her emotions are ready for a breath of fresh air.

Uranus is currently transiting Aries and is igniting that lone, above the horizon Saturn. Someone may be pushing Roberts back out into public when she’s not willing or ready.

Pluto is currently transiting Capricorn in Roberts’ house of work and health. Again, energy is directed toward work but it’s a feeling of force or pressure from outside rather than a joyful return.

Neptune is transiting the 8th house opposite four natal planets in the 2nd in Virgo. This suggests again the dissolving of an emotional and financial situation.

Dissolving is a word I now attach to Neptune. Dissolving might sound better than “break” or “tear” or “rip,” but creates change all the same. It’s the change of fog into rain or rain into fog and sometimes is even more challenging than Uranus sudden or Pluto revolution changes because there’s nothing to hang onto, no clear line of “here” and “there.”

Fuzzy, dissolving lines would not feel comfortable for a strong, fixed sign individual. Fixed signs love and fixed signs hate, but are never on the fence. Another responding with wishy-washy, unclear or capricious emotions is difficult for a person not confused about her emotions.

If Roberts is being pressed to return to work, those pressing probably do have her best interests at heart. Mars in Capricorn in the 6th is a love of work and creates the goals that form focus and keep the emotions from overwhelming the personality.

With Neptune in Scorpio in the 4th, home is where Roberts’ heart is. Yet when the heart is struggling, it might be a time for Mars in Capricorn “work out.”

As they say, the heart is a muscle and needs its exercise.

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12 Shades of Lying

Posted on November 2, 2013 by ohioastrology

We all lie — we just do it differently, under different circumstances and for different reasons.

Long ago when being lied to by a friend, I looked through my available charts for “liars” and discovered that for me, Mercury in a water sign or Mercury in hard aspect to Neptune creates what I consider a liar.

I put “liar” in quotes because one person’s reality is another’s lie.

The earth signs in the room will heartily disagree. I’ve got a lot of earth, I get it. There’s a desk right here in front of me, I can touch it. I can say I am at my desk writing and that is no “lie.”

It’s when I ask for reaction to the desk that reality takes on 12 shades of Mercury, the planet of communication.

Is my desk big or small? To you it’s small because you have a big oak desk at work in your large, senior executive office. To a student sharing a crowded dorm room, my desk may be a large amount of personal space in which to do work.

Is my desk big or small?

And what color is it? We are familiar with color being processed differently by different people. Is the desk black or steel gray or gray?

Like color, we process reality differently.

Then we move onto the value judgments. This is the point in reality where we know we’re different and use this difference to form identity.

Do you like the desk?

I like the desk because it was easy to assemble. I don’t like the desk because it’s too wobbly. A blue desk would work much better with this carpet. I would never have such a cheap desk in my study. If the desk were cleaned off, it would look better.

And so on.

Perception

Mercury, then, is not simply about communication but about perception. We know that we perceive color differently and I suspect we process all of our other senses differently as well – sound, smell, taste and touch.

For the Buddhists, “object of thought” is also a sense, which is quite fascinating.

It’s been interesting to me that we have more audio and video data than ever before yet we can still see the same moving, live picture and come to different conclusions. It creates a plethora of interesting television shows but the underlying concept – we perceive and interpret differently – is fascinating.

If we look at the same object and see differently, imagine the intricacies of a complex situation.

What is real then?

Tell me Lies

This American Life has an interesting broadcast on liars. One of the conclusions drawn from the several stories is that what are called “pathological liars” are intuiting what you want to hear and providing it. So the listeners are hearing stories that please them from “I love you” to “I know this famous person” to “You will get the money.”

Who doesn’t want to know someone who knows George Clooney? Or have George Clooney say “I love you?” Or have George Clooney lend you money?

What I find interesting about that is that it ties to my own perception of lying which involves Mercury in a water sign or in hard aspect to Neptune. In those aspects, Mercury is perceiving and communication through the emotions. When I ask about the desk, I get an emotional response.

Crafting a story about how I know Clooney takes imagination, but “selling” the story takes some guts so next in line for my own liar’s club are fire signs.

But fire signs don’t “lie” as much as exaggerate. Sure, you went on a date last night. But was it really with George Clooney or a guy named Clive Gorney?

Storytelling, a wonderful but moribund vocation, is best done by a mixture of water and fire. Water and fire can make you feel the ghost in the room, laugh at situations that otherwise make you cry and make you see life in bright colors and those around you as living, breathing bursts of energy.

Air signs are also lively communicators as they constantly are scoping out the environment for something on which to rest their bored eyes. I personally don’t find air signs to be liars although some, like Gemini, might have this reputation. I simply see air as filled with information of a varied and often conflicting nature which they communicate as the impulse arises.

Often in the same sentence, air contradicts itself. But I don’t find air spinning information as much as conveying it. Air signs are not lying as much as communicating their confused thoughts.

Earth can be dull, literal communicators which I don’t associate with lying. However, in my search of earth sign liars, earth sign lying is through earth sign concerns – money and property. Earth lies, I believe, by omission and promises of financial gain. Earth signs may put forth empirically-oriented truth, but just not all the parts you need in order to make an informed decision.

12 Shades of Lying

Let’s look at the 12 shades of lying from those in the news. Many subjects are political because this is where lies are exposed most frequently. In looking for liars, I had to search on liars, forgers, imposters and conmen (where are the conwomen?).

I looked at sun sign exclusively since it takes a long time and many unpaid hours to look through Mercury signs and Neptune aspects.

Also, in my search I had to find those who were caught in lies. Many may be considered liars but not tried and hung in public for that offense. Disagreeing with others doesn’t make them a liar and cheating on a lover or spouse is simply too common.

In the sun sign realm, I found a lot of fire and earth. I’m guessing the reason is that earth and fire are more likely to make it to public office and thereby more frequently available for lie-catching. In other words, if I had the total number of Leos in public office I could then divide the Leo liars against the Leo politicians to get a percent and do that for the other signs as well. That would even things out, but, alas, I do not possess that data.

I was also quite surprised by the number of sun sign Virgos (which like Gemini is ruled by Mercury) in the news for lying including James Frey, Stephen Glass, Robert Packwood and Jonathan Aitken.

The two sun signs I had the most difficulty finding were Scorpio and Aquarius, the two signs that made it into my list of most intelligent. Are these two signs also the most honest? Or are they simply too smart to be caught in lies while in the spotlight?

FIRE SIGN LYING (exaggeration to protect image or something previously stated)

Aries (cardinal) – Al Gore

Leo (fixed) – William Bennett / Bill Clinton

Sagittarius (mutable) – Ferdinand Waldo Demara

WATER SIGN LYING (emotional response and desire to connect based on your needs)

Cancer (cardinal) – Christophe Rocancourt

Scorpio (fixed) – still looking for good example

Pisces (mutable) – Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter / Michael Romanoff

AIR SIGN LYING (too many conflicting ideas and bored with mono-anything)

Libra (cardinal) – Han van Meegeren

Aquarius (fixed) – still looking for good example

Gemini (mutable) – John Edwards

EARTH SIGN LYING (leave out the relevant facts, especially in regards to money or control)

Capricorn (cardinal) – Richard Nixon

Taurus – (fixed) – Bernard Madoff / Frank Abagnale / Mark Whitacre / David Hampton

Virgo (mutable) – Lance Armstrong

Charles Ponzi

In looking for liars, I happened upon Charles Ponzi whose behavior coined the concept “Ponzi Scheme.”

Charles Ponzi was a sun sign Pisces but had four planets in Taurus and moon in Leo. Ponzi became a wealthy man, albeit temporarily, through lying that contained water, fire and earth elements.

Water created the connection to others. Fire created the enthusiasm. Earth created the physical desire for wealth.

In the Wikipedia entry, Ponzi’s early background is described as difficult to construct “owing to his propensity to fabricate and embellish facts.”

The Amazon.com review of “Ponzi’s Scheme” goes like this:

You’ve heard of the scheme. Now comes the man behind it. In Mitchell Zuckoff’s exhilarating book, the first nonfiction account of Charles Ponzi, we meet the charismatic rogue who launched the most famous and extraordinary scam in the annals of American finance.

It was a time when anything seemed possible–instant wealth, glittering fame, fabulous luxury–and for a run of magical weeks in the spring and summer of 1920, Charles Ponzi made it all come true. Promising to double investors’ money in three months, the dapper, charming Ponzi raised the “rob Peter to pay Paul” scam to an art form and raked in millions at his office in downtown Boston. Ponzi’s Scheme is the amazing true story of the irresistible scoundrel who launched the most successful scheme of financial alchemy in modern history–and uttered the first roar of the Roaring Twenties.

Ponzi may have been a charlatan, but he was also a wonderfully likable man. His intentions were noble, his manners impeccable, his sales pitch enchanting. Born to a genteel Italian family, he immigrated to the United States with big dreams but no money. Only after he became hopelessly enamored of a stenographer named Rose Gnecco and persuaded her to marry him did Ponzi light on the means to make his dreams come true. His true motive was not greed but love.

With rich narrative skill, Mitchell Zuckoff conjures up the feverish atmosphere of Boston during the weeks when Ponzi’s bubble grew bigger and bigger. At the peak of his success, Ponzi was taking in more than $2 million a week. And then his house of cards came crashing down–thanks in large part to the relentless investigative reporting of Richard Grozier’s Boston Post.

In Zuckoff’s hands, Ponzi is no mere swindler; instead he is appealing and magnetic, a colorful and poignant figure, someone who struggled his whole life to attain great wealth and who sincerely believed–to the very end–that he could have made good on his investment promises if only he’d had enough time. Ponzi is a classic American tale of immigrant life and the dream of success, and the unexpectedly moving story of a man who–for a fleeting, illusory moment–attained it all.

Let’s analyze astrologically some of the words in the review:

  • Charismatic rogue – Pisces sun with Venus conjunct / Leo moon square Neptune in Taurus. Possibly this conjunction or Neptune was on the ascendant, but we can’t know without time of birth.
  • Irresistible scoundrel – Venus conjunct sun in Pisces – who can resist either Venus or Pisces? Venus is exalted in Pisces.
  • Charlatan – Uranus opposite sun/Venus in Pisces creates extreme unpredictability.
  • Wonderfully likeable man – Pisces and Leo – who doesn’t like to have fun with someone who won’t judge you, regardless of what you do? Anything goes with these two in combination.
  • Big dreams but no money – Leo moon is the big dreams – Saturn in Taurus is the no money.
  • Launched the most successful scheme of financial alchemy – moon in Leo square four planets in Taurus – the urge to finance his Leo moon fantasies was strong.
  • Noble intentions – moon in Leo, Neptune/Jupiter conjunction.
  • Manners impeccable – Venus conjunct sun.
  • Hopelessly enamored – Leo (enamored) and Pisces (hopeless).

Back to Ponzi’s Saturn in Taurus – I find a “poverty mentality” with this placement. Ponzi was clearly poor but with this placement I suspect that his family and surroundings were intimidated by wealth around them. Others in the area or family may have flaunted their wealth. Wealth was most likely held up to Ponzi as the highest goal in life.

Ponzi’s Mars in Cancer is a bit of a lone wolf by aspect but indicates that ultimately Ponzi wanted to belong. If Ponzi’s Italian family and village had embraced him, he may never have involved himself in other countries and other people’s money.

Ponzi served several jail sentences suggesting his Taurus or Pisces energy may have been placed in the 12th house of the horoscope, the house that rules involuntary confinement. He died in Brazil in the financial state into which he was born.

Ponzi, unfortunately, never transcended his Saturn in Taurus sense of lack. It’s quite sad, really, because he clearly was capable of doing so. Pisces, unfortunately, can be its own worst enemy and so is known as the sign of self-undoing. Had Ponzi built a more stable and realistic “scheme,” he might have pulled it off both for himself and his investors.

A Reality of Lies

Leo sun Napoleon Bonaparte purportedly said, “History is a set of lies agreed upon.”

I like this quote. It not only says that history is not necessarily factually correct, but it also states that what we “believe” to be history is what is agreed upon.

Reality, then, might be described as shared agreement. In that case, there are no lies.

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Black Cat Astrology

Posted on October 29, 2013 by ohioastrology

ohioastrology's avatarOhio Astrology

It’s that time again — time to explain to the black cat in your life why its image is on thousands of posters, cups, plates, hats, bags and other Halloween bibelots.

When I explained Halloween to my tuxedo cat several years ago she was offended and asked why black cats were associated with evil. To make her feel better, I reminded her that witches accompany black cats (or is it the other way around?) and the witches are all female. I wasn’t faring any better than she was.

“Are you a witch?” she asked.

“Some say yes and some say no,” I responded.

Cat Astrology

Although the sign of Leo is the lion, I don’t see cats as Leo, although they do tend to rule the household. If you argue for Leo, I won’t pick a fight.

Yet, for me, the sign of the zodiac that most describes cats is…

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