Hurricane Mitt

Posted on August 22, 2012 by ohioastrology

The Republican National Convention starts on Monday, August 27 and it seems an uninvited guest might attend – Isaac, as in Tropical Storm Isaac.

When I told my tuxedo cat Lacy that the Republican National Convention may be hit by a tropical storm or even possibly a hurricane all she had to say was, “Mitt’s finally stirring some dust.”

She means Mitt Romney, the nominee. I’m not surprised that she’s unimpressed with Romney as she has a “Pick Rick” poster over her litter box, a relic of the Republican debates when Rick Santorum was stirring some real dust, not money-fueled dust.

August 27 Horoscope

On August 27, Pluto will be conjunct the moon in Capricorn. If that were to indicate a natural disaster, I would guess an earthquake as Capricorn is an earth sign ruling structure. I’d also expect other government bad news of contraction.

A hurricane is air and water energy, not earth energy.

Funny thing, Romney has sun/moon in water signs (Pisces/Scorpio) and his running mate, Paul Ryan, has sun/moon in air signs (Aquarius/Libra). I suppose, combined, they do make a hurricane.

Mars will be in Scorpio, at two degrees, triggering Ryan’s Saturn (in Taurus) and Jupiter (in Scorpio) opposition. Being among the wealthy will make Ryan feel poor and insecure. Money issues will arise in his life, mostly his trying to get more money and hiding his own under the mattress.

Saturn in Libra is still hanging about Ryan’s moon causing relationship issues. That will pass in a month when the issues move into the bedroom (Scorpio).

The sun will be in Virgo opposite Neptune in Pisces. Remember, Mars was in Virgo (and retrograde) during most of Romney’s campaigning against other contenders. With natal Mars in Pisces, Romney will feel nervous and anxious. Expect more Freudian slips from a man who has them frequently (to me, having watched most of the Republican debates).

Jupiter transiting Gemini is better for Ryan than Romney. For Ryan, it provides more “talk” energy, something well within an air sign’s comfort zone. Keep it light, keep it at the idea level and let’s all be friends.

Romney has Uranus in Gemini so Jupiter is energizing. But at the same time it squares his sun and Mercury in Pisces. I expect Romney’s convoluted speech to continue with more speed. Gemini is fact oriented and Pisces imagination oriented and both dislike being backed in a corner. The “just say anything” gene is important in politics but can trip one up if there is a square to Mercury.

But why would Romney feel backed in a corner at his own convention?

Romney will probably be in an over-stimulated zone out state and may simply say unusual things.

Neptune in Pisces squares Ryan’s Neptune in Sagittarius so, like Romney, he will be present at the convention, but not entirely “there.”

Back to the Pluto/moon conjunction in Capricorn – it will be near Ryan’s Mercury in Capricorn. Ryan will rise as the voice of authority, which makes sense if Romney can’t speak clearly or coherently for some reason. Capricorn is authority and speaks as an expert, regardless of experience.

Tropical Storm Paul

Paul Ryan may be the one creating wind and waves, but that’s no surprise from watching the news. Romney wasn’t granting TV interviews until choosing Ryan. The coming out party was the usual 60 Minutes which seems to be the place to be if one wants to be taken seriously (showing up on 60 Minutes seems to be the equivalent of showing up at church).

What will be interesting is how Romney reacts during the convention. I still wonder how much this guy really wants the job.

So what happens if there is a hurricane?

Posted in 2012 Presidential Election | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What’s the Most Private Sign of the Zodiac?

Posted on August 19, 2012 by ohioastrology

As I fight, once again, with Facebook to maintain the privacy settings I so carefully put in place, I began to think about privacy itself. While I understand the Facebook is free and as such has no legal obligation to honor my privacy settings, I feel like a fool today for having believed that using the privacy settings had any effect.

That was just stupid on my part. But it did create feelings of anger within me. So let’s explore my privacy issues.

Privacy

Dictionary.com defines privacy as:

1) the state of being private; retirement or seclusion; 2) the state of being free from intrusion or disturbance in one’s private life or affairs; and 3) secrecy.

We seek “retirement” and “seclusion” for many reasons. Some seek seclusion because they are doing things they don’t want others to see, maybe illegal things or maybe just unseemly or unpopular things. Some seek seclusion simply because they enjoy silence and solitude.

“Free from intrusion or disturbance” also has various levels. While most of us would agree that intrusion from enemy combatants is unwelcome, we vary in our desire for unexpected company to drop by on a Monday night. For some this is pleasurable, for others, an intrusion of privacy.

The third definition, “secrecy,” has a very different connotation, to me. It involves harboring some knowledge that will create harm or distress if others know of it. I personally believe privacy and secrecy to be slightly different.

So which signs of the zodiac are private, secretive and dislike “intrusion?”

The Most Secretive Sign

Traditionally, the most secretive sign of the zodiac is Scorpio. Why is Scorpio so secretive?

As a water sign, Scorpio is sensitive. Don’t be fooled by your Scorpio friends – because they have awesome insight into others, they are brilliant and strategic in their responses. But that doesn’t mean they are not sensitive.

Scorpio sensitivity, I believe, leads to another trait known to Scorpio – revenge. If we didn’t hurt deeply, would we want revenge?

When someone bumps into you on the bus, you don’t seek revenge. It’s when someone violates trust that you (may) harbor thoughts of how you can hurt back. The ability to let go is not part of Scorpio DNA so obsession can feed on itself leading to the acting out of revenge.

Because of that sensitive nature that will torture itself with obsessive thoughts, Scorpio is probably wise to seek privacy. Scorpio normally shares with only the most trusted. I haven’t asked Scorpio friends for a count, but I’m guessing those that learn Scorpio secrets can be counted on one hand.

By the way, I think we all have secrets. Non-Scorpios may treat their secrets like love letters that are right up there in the attic at the bottom of a box but that no one will ever bother to sift through. Or they may put their “secrets” on the mantle and talk about them all the time.

Scorpio puts its secrets in a safe, a one-ton safe, that also has a secure lock. Because of that, people may be piqued by the secrets because of the intense security that surrounds them.

Other Secretive Signs

As with Scorpio, the other two water signs (Cancer and Pisces) may also become secretive due to a sensitive nature. Cancer, however, would share openly with family. Pisces, on the other hand, may openly share but you need to check that what Pisces shares is truly the bottom level or somewhere higher.

There are two earth signs that are also secretive but possibly for different reasons that water signs – Taurus and Capricorn.

Taurus, the fixed earth sign, is simply not expressive and may not have the need that other signs have to reveal secrets or share all activities since the last time we spoke. There is an internal centeredness to Taurus that precludes the need to involve everyone in its business.

Taurus secretiveness, to me, is merely natural discretion. In today’s world of autobiographies written by 20 year olds, I applaud Taurean discretion. I’d start a Taurus discretion movement, but may have trouble motivating the methodically discreet Taurus to rise to the occasion.

Capricorn secretiveness stems from Capricorn need for control. Yours truly was having a fit of anger at Facebook for sending friend requests to individuals that I did not deliberately friend. Some of those friend acceptances create awkward and unusual situations – i.e., a “lack of control” type situation.

Facebook Privacy

While Facebook made me feel a lack of control, I stepped away from the site to regain my self-control.

My initial response was to exit Facebook entirely, but then I would no longer see pictures of my friends’ children and events as this is currently the only way many friends communicate this type of information. If I leave Facebook, I’m effectively leaving the village in self-banishment.

The creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, is a Taurus sun and Scorpio moon – both secretive signs. One way to keep one’s own secrets is to hold those of others (see J. Edgar Hoover – the Power of Secrets) as collateral.

While I don’t consider my postings or others to be “secrets,” allowing others into a profile, no matter how innocuous, is like Google allowing others to read my email (which could happen).

When I began studying Chinese long ago, I was told that ancient Chinese had no word for “privacy.” Possibly soon in English there will also be no such word.

Posted in Planets and signs, The most . . . sign of the zodiac | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

What Sign of the Zodiac is Rain?

Posted on August 16, 2012 by ohioastrology

“If the rain comes they run and hide their heads.
They might as well be dead.
If the rain comes, if the rain comes.
When the sun shines they slip into the shade
(When the sun shines down.)
And drink their lemonade.
(When the sun shines down.)
When the sun shines, when the sun shines.
Rain, I don’t mind.
Shine, the weather’s fine.”

John Lennon has been on my mind a lot lately; I wonder what that’s about?

When I was young, I hated the song “Rain” (excerpt of lyrics above) but have come to like it. It’s so Lennon – challenging.

And it’s so accurate. In Ohio we constantly complain about the weather – it’s too hot, too cold, too humid, too something.

Ohio weather is like life – it is what it is – it’s never going to be perfect so you have to find a way to center and live in it or move to sunny Sedona.

Why doesn’t everyone live in sunny Sedona? It’s a nice place to live, now, in the 20th century as we route water to the people who live there. But in its natural state, central and southern Arizona not naturally home to masses of people.

Ohio, with its awful weather, is bordered by rivers and great freshwater lakes. If you were crossing the Bering Strait looking for a place to call home, Ohio would be a great place to bring the clan. It may not be a fun place to plan a picnic, but it’s a great place to survive.

What sign of the zodiac is rain?

There are four elements in Western astrology – fire, earth, air and water. Rain, obviously, is a water sign. But which one?

The three water signs are – Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. The three states of water are solid, liquid and gas. Let’s look at water by the signs.

Cancer is cardinal water. As such, it initiates and motivates. Cancer is associated with nurturing and mothering so Cancer is the water that feeds the planets, animals and humans. It’s the water in soup and it is your mother’s tears and baby tears too.

Cancer water is nostalgic and cries during happiness or sadness. Your mother’s tears can be suffocating if mother hasn’t good boundaries. Water doesn’t have good boundaries in general as it flows wherever there is a downward slope. Don’t let your water sign friends flow down into the wrong puddles! Cancer is the water that carved the Grand Canyon.

Cancer is the water of the womb, nourishing and “breaking” when you have to emerge into the air. Our bodies are mostly water and Cancer represents the emotional body.

Scorpio is fixed water. As such, it maintains. Fixed water is solid water which means it’s like ice. Ice is cold but also hot at the same time. When you get an ice cube out of the ice tray, be careful not to cut yourself as ice can cut like a knife.

Your Scorpio friends are also hot, cold and sharp. Be careful not to offend them or you will be served ice in winter. Remember that ice killed 1,500 or so people on the Titanic. Icebergs are deceptive, hiding most of their bulk under water.

Ice, of course, is also refreshing and stored ice on the planet is where we will look next for fresh water. As an avid reader of Antarctic tales, I also find ice to be stunning, awesome and beautiful – like Scorpio. The ice covering parts of Antarctica make it pure and disease free (or at least, at one time in history).

Fixed water also is any contained water source (man-made or weather-made). Contained water can become stagnant and breed disease. Don’t let your Scorpio (or any water-sign friend) brood! Water signs love to mope when offended which is just about the worst thing they can do. Moping water signs are like an abandoned pond, a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Pisces is the mutable water sign, the flexible and changing water. As such, Pisces (and Neptune, its ruler) are often associated with fog or foggy (deluded) states.

Fog creates mystique but also conceals. Fog distorts distance. Fog is a cloud in front of you. Fog lives high in the mountains where the air is difficult to breathe. Fog is where monks live.

Pisces is the ocean, a large, undifferentiated body of water, no drop unique. Oceans are also undrinkable to us humans so it’s the source of our life but yet not consumable.

Your Pisces friends are difficult to understand, like fog. They are also expansive like the ocean, able to absorb and filter your raining emotions. But like the ocean, once they take in the rain, they take in all that the rain carries.

The difficulty for Pisces is to keep their own connection to the universe while avoiding the acid rain of others that inevitably falls into their energy through the interactions of daily life.

Pisces cries but the tears are normally for everyone else, all those people who hurt themselves and even those that hurt others. How sad! How pitiful we are as people, our own worst enemies! Pisces cries for humanity.

Rain in the Movies

In the movies, rain often comes with dark nights and stranded strangers. Water signs experience more than the other elements “dark nights of the soul.”

Rain often makes an appearance at the end of love stories, as the lovers realize the mistakes of the past 120 minutes and meet in the rain, purged of their past stupidities and joining wet lips in the soggy rain.

We find rain makes a common appearance in British movies, but that’s probably because it rains a lot there. Or are the British just foggy, rainy people? (England looks like and acts like a Capricorn)

Rain is associated with emotional states, either on the downside or emerging from the downside, being purged and sent back downstream to the ocean.

Rain is feeling. Do we hide from the rain because we want to hide from our feelings?

What sign of the zodiac is rain?

Of all three water signs, Cancer seems the best “ruler” of rain. Rain can make us sleepy and sad sometimes but it’s the stuff of life, necessary for our food supply and our very survival.

Just like mom.

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

What’s the Laziest Sign of the Zodiac?

Posted on August 13, 2012 by ohioastrology

Lazy, according to Dictionary.com, is defined as “averse or disinclined to work, activity, or exertion.”

Which sign of the zodiac is most disinclined to work?

I decided to do an Internet search to see what others thought. High among the answers was the sign that the late Linda Goodman in “Sun Signs” branded lazy:

Libra.

I’m finding Pisces in the top of the lists as well.

I worry sometimes about writing posts like these, for fear of offending. But if Libra and Pisces are truly lazy, they probably can’t be bothered to read my 300 blog entries . . .

While these two signs might be considered lazy, I also associate both with imagination and creativity. Excessive work and activity, then, might tax their creative juices.

Let’s look at a couple famous lazy Libras.

Tuli Kupferberg

“When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge.”

I was recently introduced to this quote by Kupferberg, Beat poetic and musician. Kupferberg was also author of a book (of poems?) titled, “1001 Ways to Live Without Working.” Kupferberg, oh so coincidentally, was a Libra.

Venus is the planet that rules Libra and also co-rules Taurus, which was Kupferberg’s moon sign.

Kupferberg was from Venus, not Mars.

Venus is about pleasure.

Kupferberg had sun, Mercury, Venus and Saturn in Libra. That’s an awful lot of Libra. Then there’s moon in Taurus and Uranus in Pisces, also branded lazy on the astrology discussion boards.

If you are creative, 9-to-5 jobs don’t work well in your life. No matter what people say, it is difficult to spend a day in a corporate or other work setting and be creative “after work.” Not only is a 9-to-5 job more than 9-to-5 (usually 8-to-5), you also spend time at lunch and in commute which makes a regular day anywhere from 10-11 hours. If you like to sleep and eat, you don’t have much time for pleasure or empty time where creativity flows.

The major thing to know about Libra is that is it the sign of the other and very interested in love and partnership. Love songs were probably invented by a Libra.

If new worlds emerge when patterns are broken, as Kupferberg wrote, then routine, including work, is not the way to experience new worlds.

I agree with Goodman, however, that Libra is lazy only half the time. Remember, Libra is a cardinal sign and cardinal signs like to boss people around. When Libra does want to work or create or buy a new set of dishes, they are as focused as their opposite sign Aries and you are coming along whether you like it or not.

Kupferberg did have Mars in Virgo, which does worry, so maybe Kupferberg did worry about things, in between bouts of pleasure, like how to pay the rent.

John Lennon

“Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today . . .”

John Lennon had sun and Mars in Libra, moon in Aquarius, both air signs. That’s a dreamer for you.

Saturn and Jupiter were in Taurus, which is ruled by Venus, which, as mentioned above, also rules Libra.

We know that Lennon was creative and he is fairly worshipped by his fans. While I’ve never liked the sound of his solo music, I do appreciate and think often about his poetry, including the song quoted above “Imagine.”

Was Lennon lazy?

That I don’t know, as I haven’t read a biography of him. Why I included him in the Lazy Libra blog is because I always have that image of him and his wife, Yoko Ono, in bed as a protest.

According to this Wikipedia article, they used their honeymoon to have a week-long “bed-in” to promote peace.

I love it! A bed-in – that’s mixing pleasure and protest. Protest often involves waving one’s fists at the city square and staying up all night while being chased by the police. Having one’s protest in bed is definitely killing two birds with one stone.

Lennon’s moon in Aquarius attests both to his social consciousness and his falling madly in love with a person from a very different culture. With moon in the 11th, the house ruled by Aquarius, social consciousness loved Lennon as much as he loved it.

I do find that connecting with someone from a different culture, social reality or religious belief system is indicated by an aspect in Lennon’s chart – Saturn conjunct Jupiter.

Aquarius is the rebel, often playing opposite just to prove a point. Lennon probably played opposite to everyone in his life. While he’s fun to worship from afar, he may have been a bit frustrating up close.

Imagine a World without Beauty

Before you go to your beloved Libra and say, “See, it’s true that you’re lazy!” imagine a world without love songs, without poetry and without fancy lampshades to add mood to the room.

Imagine if all of your food was served in Styrofoam plates and all M&Ms were beige. If there were no Libra in the world, we would all get socks for Christmas.

Libra brings beauty to the world – to the empty room, the dull office space and the nightly dining room table.

Imagine a world without “lazy” Libra. It’s not so easy.

Posted in Authors / Filmmakers, Musicians | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Square Dancing with the Presidential Candidates

Posted on August 12, 2012 by ohioastrology

In elementary school I loved square dancing. So when, several years ago, a friend wanted the gang to go square dancing, I was all for it.

Much to my surprise, square dancing is difficult. I suppose back in elementary school we went slower or the teachers guided us through a few basic steps. The real square dancing is fast and you have to know what square dancing terms mean. When the singer says, “take your lady home,” that means you go back to the original position, standing next to each other (I think).

In astrology there is an aspect called a square. It’s when planets are in signs that are 90 degrees apart (which is a square). It’s really easy to figure out. If planets are in the same modality (cardinal, fixed or mutable), they are in square aspect.

Square dancing is fun if you know what you’re doing and are able to listen and respond quickly. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll be bumping into everyone (as we did a few years ago) and you will feel both embarrassed while at the same time understanding how, astrologically, planets in square aspect interact.

Let’s Bow to the Left, and Bow to the Right

We now have our two couples for the 2012 General Election Presidential Square Dance. Democrat Barack Obama (incumbent) will be standing next to Joe Biden while Republican Mitt Romney has chosen Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his partner.

Let’s Circle Left

Obama has sun in Leo (fixed fire) and moon in Gemini (mutable air). Biden has sun in Scorpio (fixed water) and moon in Taurus (fixed earth) (chart according to Astrotheme).

Let’s Circle Right

Romney has sun in Pisces (mutable water) and moon in Scorpio (fixed water). Ryan has sun in Aquarius (fixed air) and moon in Libra (cardinal air) (chart according to the Political Astrology Blog).

Let’s Start with the Squares

You may have noticed that we have a little bit of fixed sign squaring going on. Obama’s sun in Leo squares Biden’s sun in Scorpio and moon in Taurus which opposes Romney’s moon in Scorpio and squares Ryan’s sun in Aquarius.

When all four signs of a modality are present, we call it a grand square.

Americans love fixed signs in the White House because there is focus, purpose and unwavering belief. We don’t want someone who says, for example, that they will never raise taxes and then turns around, while in the White House, and raises taxes.

Looking at charts throughout the world, fixed signs are often leaders because you need this kind of focus, determination and strength to handle the assaults that will occur toward any public figure.

I don’t recall the political reasons why Obama chose Biden for Vice President, but I don’t think it was based on personality traits. Where Obama is a fiery communicator, Biden is a methodical plotter.

Romney’s moon is in Scorpio so he’s also serious and intense like Biden. These two would probably make nice running mates if they weren’t, like, in opposite parties.

Ryan has sun in Aquarius which is intellectual and aloof, square Romney’s “I’m gonna get you back someday” moon in Scorpio. Ryan’s sun in Aquarius is opposite Obama’s sun in Leo saying Ryan has more group consciousness while Obama has more personal, show-off consciousness.

Do-Si-Do with the Elements

By element, it’s a little more interesting.

Romney has sun (Pisces) and moon (Scorpio) in water signs. Ryan has sun (Aquarius) and moon (Libra) in air signs.

Water and air – interesting partnership.

Water is beneath the surface and air above, so Romney will take care of the “let’s not talk about it” parts of the election process and Ryan will stay above ground checking the weather gauges. If Ryan’s chart is accurate and he has moon in Libra, this will be fine with him. Libra doesn’t go below ground because it’s dirty and ugly there.

Sun in Aquarius and moon in Libra is idealistic to the point of delusion. Moon in Libra is constantly looking to others as a mirror and reacting to styles and trends of the crowd (even if the Aquarius sun believes itself to be a rebel).

The problem of water and air spending a lot of time together is that water will start to be bothered by things while air has no clue anything is awry.

Both water and air react to the environment, but water reacts to the emotional current and air to the intellectual current.

Obama has sun (Leo) in a fire sign and moon (Gemini) in an air sign. Biden has sun (Scorpio) in a water sign and moon (Taurus) in an earth sign.

Obama and Biden make fire, air, water and earth – all four elements. Having all four elements represented makes them more flexible in covering what each element represents: fire, enthusiasm; air, ideas; water, emotions; earth, practical matters. In their collective personalities, they can conjure up what is necessary for the occasion.

Need a cheering crowd? Send Obama. Need a detail explained for 25 minutes? Send Biden.

While both the Romney/Ryan and Obama/Biden partnerships have elemental balance, Romney/Ryan is more like a teeter totter and Obama/Biden is more like a four-couple square dance.

Newest Partner

Our newest partner to the dance is Paul Ryan. Let’s take another peek at his chart, the one found on the Political Astrology Blog.

If this chart is accurate, Ryan’s more than a little spacey. From articles written about his nomination to the ticket, he doesn’t sound like a man with Neptune in Sagittarius directly on the ascendant. But the next few months will indicate if this is accurate.

When Pluto was at the beginning of Sagittarius in 1995-1997, Ryan probably went through some religious or spiritual conversion. Neptune in the first house, in any sign, has to be careful about being manipulated through religion, spirituality or gurus. Neptune seeks bliss and religion and spirituality are often marketed like any consumer good.

With sun in Aquarius in the third house and moon in Libra in the eleventh house, Ryan probably doesn’t like to spend much time at home or alone. He’s always seeking groups, groups where he can express his ideals. Ryan is the type to help all the neighbors shovel snow while his own home remains buried. He may help others but neglect the needs, especially emotional, of those closest to him.

While moon in Libra likes partnership, it is not an emotional sign. It wants shared activity whether others are willing or unwilling participants. Libra garners its identity by reflecting off of others so Ryan is well aware of what you are doing and the latest trends. By watching your actions and mimicking those actions, he’s actually slightly removed from his own motivations.

Ryan, then, should absolutely love the election process. It’s his comfort zone. And with Neptune in the first house, Ryan may not really know himself after the process is complete. We may see a metamorphosis of Ryan. It will be interesting to see his personality in four months.

With Saturn in Taurus in the sixth house of health, combined with Aquarius energy, I get the sense that Ryan doesn’t like to be touched. He may be turned off both by a sense of uncleanliness and also a nerve sensitivity to touch. With Saturn in Taurus in the sixth, neck, throat and thyroid problems are a possibility. The shaking hands and kissing babies portion of the process may turn him off a little.

Down the Center and Back

Let the debates begin, I say! This election process hasn’t been any fun since Rick Santorum headed back to Pennsylvania. In the 500 Republican debates (or however many it was), the talk got a little repetitive. Now we bring in the other side to have a more natural disagreement, instead of fabricated disagreements (like Newt Gingrich attacking Romney’s wealth) to create differentiation.

There are 52 days until the first debate, 52 days to send out the invitations, get the peanuts and beer and cheer for your team.

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Freedom and Beyond

Posted on August 11, 2012 by ohioastrology

When I think of Thomas Jefferson, I’m always stunned by how a man who drafted our Declaration of Independence could hold slaves. The ability to hold such diametrically opposed views (and actions) to some is hypocrisy and to others schizophrenia.

Astrology has taught me to look for underlying motivation. Maybe there is a cold logic behind the ability to write,

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, . . .”

while at the very same time holding captive human lives from birth to death.

Freedom as a Commodity

Freedom has many definitions including these two from Dictionary.com: 1) the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint and 2) exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.

If I drive to the mall right now, I will have to stop at traffic lights. Traffic lights are an external control and interfere with my freedom. If there were no lights, I’d get to the mall about 15 minutes faster and would be totally free.

How could I get rid of traffic lights?

I could work with others to get rid of traffic lights, but then we’d have to create a bunch of rules for intersections and mutually agree to obey those rules. But that would still limit my freedom from external control.

One way I could have freedom from traffic lights is to become the dictator of the country and make the rule that when I drive to the mall, all cars must be off the streets and the traffic lights turned off (a little like North Korea).

I would have freedom, but no one else would.

Maybe, then, freedom, to Thomas Jefferson, was a commodity meaning that there is a finite amount of freedom for us human beings to share. The more freedom you have, the less I have, just as with mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner.

While the words of the Declaration of Independence are pure, the intent may have been simply to break from England and no more. Freedom from England meant fewer folks sharing the mashed potatoes at dinner. And with slavery intact, fewer even.

More mashed potatoes for me.

Saturn and Material Reality

In astrology, all planets from Saturn toward the sun are called “inner planets.” Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are called “outer planets.”

Saturn is the limit of our material world. Consequently, it rules structure. Anything brought into form is part of Saturn’s world.

Uranus, in astrological symbolism, is the awakener who creates sudden, disruptive events to bring us into a new energy pattern.

Uranus breaks then Neptune dissolves and finally Pluto transforms.

Think of a star that explodes (Uranus) then dissolves into space (Neptune) until it is caught up in the universe to become another form (Pluto).

Or, more simply, think of the old Alka Seltzer commercial: plop, plop (Uranus), fizz, fizz (Neptune) oh what a relief it is (Pluto ejecting waste).

Back in the 1970s during the Women’s Liberation Movement, women complained that men considered them “sex objects.”

“Object” equals Saturn. The problem, to me, isn’t simply that men see (or saw) women as sex objects. The issue is that as people we view ourselves as separate from everything else and other people and earth become “objects.” A sex object is just one of many objects. Slaves are just another object, as we can see from the registries of slave owners’ properties.

What is Freedom?

I believe true freedom is in the realm of Uranus, which is beyond form. Beyond form, freedom is for everyone at every moment in time.

Uranus freedom does not view the world as a world of objects to be used (“I use” is Capricorn’s key phrase, Capricorn being ruled by Saturn). Uranus freedom is freedom from the self as an object and by extension others (and nature) as objects.

When Uranus freedom is described a typical reaction is to wonder if we should just turn our heads to negative events.

Uranus freedom doesn’t negate Saturn’s world. Saturn is Saturn, Uranus is Uranus. Saturn is about structure, Uranus freedom.

While I don’t like stopping at the red light, I understand it and fully support it. No Uranus at four way intersections, please.

In Saturn’s world, structure prevails. I don’t personally believe that rationality prevails, although that’s what’s taught. We are all born into the world of structure and the structure is considered the norm, even if slavery is part of the structure. It can be difficult even to know to question the structure as it’s so pervasive.

Recently I came across this quote by Tuli Kupferberg and have been thinking about it a lot and it’s what prompted this blog:

“When patterns are broken, new worlds can emerge.”

Patterns are Saturn and breaking them is Uranus. And what are those new worlds? Who knows!

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Uranus in the Fourth House – Enlightenment Through Falling Light Fixtures

Posted on August 9, 2012 by ohioastrology

One of the many accusations against astrological prediction is that one creates “self-fulfilling prophecies.”

It’s a valid accusation and I’m positive it happens (and I do it). But because it happens doesn’t mean it always happens that way.

Events occur in our lives and we all try to explain those events through science, religion, philosophy, psychology and mysticism.

If it rains on your wedding day, is it merely the whim of what we call weather or is it God sending a message that your marriage is doomed? Or is there a psychological reason we planned our marriage in November when the likelihood of rain was great? Should we stay centered and see bright sunshine in our mind’s eye negating the rain on the empirical outside?

Uranus in the Fourth House and Falling Light Fixtures

In this thing called a horoscope, Uranus in Aries is transiting my fourth house of personal consciousness, personal emotions and family “home” life.

Here are some excerpts from Robert Hand’s “Planets in Transit” regarding Uranus in the fourth house:

  • A common effect of this transit is a sudden change in your home environment or even a complete change of residence.
  • Problems and tensions that you haven’t been dealing with in your personal life will probably surface now, and you will be forced to handle them. The problems can range from powerful psychological encounters with the people to whom you are most intimately connect, to repairs that are needed in your home.

In addition to describing changes, Hand points out that Uranus also brings a sense of freedom. Uranus’ association with enlightenment, I believe, stems from this same idea of freedom. As I see it now, it’s not freedom from actual prison bars or oppressive situations but freedom from one’s own restrictive thoughts. Ultimate freedom, I believe, is freedom from your own ego, your own self.

So, I ask, when I was standing in the kitchen the other day and the glass ceiling lamp came crashing down with no warning just a few feet from me, was this event a self-fulfilling prophecy because I happen to know that Uranus is transiting my fourth house? (I’m also on my third move because of circumstances over which I have no control).

It may seem strange, too, to say that while I see this as a Uranus in the fourth house event, I’m also able to see it as a ceiling fixture falling near me as a contained event in itself with no relation to anything other than itself.

The falling light fixture is not about me. On the other hand, the life I live is a representation of the energies I carry which are represented by the horoscope. I’m energy living within larger pools of energy and those energies are symbolized through astrology.

Or I simply have a poltergeist in the house . . .

Uranus as Enlightenment

If you read tales of enlightenment, you may have heard of “sudden enlightenment.” Uranus is sudden and shocking.

The ceiling fixture crash was not caused by Uranus in the fourth house, but it represents that sudden, shocking energy. I was truly stunned and it took some time to recover. That I could have been standing under the fixture when it came crashing down is an image that still disturbs me.

Uranus is a wake-up call. On a spiritual level, it does more than urge you to get out of a broken down apartment. At this stage of my life, I see this current period of moving as teaching me a lot about what I carry around with me (as I blogged about in “What Part of the Horoscope Represents Your Baggage?”).

My fourth-house Uranus transit will be different than yours because of the combination of other planets in my horoscope and my personal development. Maybe your Uranus transit through the fourth house is finally selling that house that’s been on the market for two years.

Or maybe for you it represents changing career to one that is more fulfilling and offers more freedom of schedule.

Uranus transiting the fourth may be as simple as breaking a few habits, partying on Monday nights instead of Friday nights.

Hopefully your fourth house transit of Uranus won’t produce falling light fixtures. If every day or every so often you bring in a little Uranus (change), en-“light”-enment doesn’t have to produce lights falling on your head.

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

Koch Brother Astrology

Posted on August 8, 2012 by ohioastrology

Today’s reality TV shows cover everything from having a baby to painting your truck. If we don’t care to watch real people doing real things, we can watch the famous judge singing competitions at “American Idol” or watch them dance together on “Dancing with the Stars.”

I’m thinking the U.S. election season should jump onto the reality show bandwagon. Election season should be covered 24/7 from August to November and be called, “Cavorting with the Millionaires.” Election season is when the millionaires come out to play.

Most of my days are spent with the middle class, both working and socializing. I rarely, if ever, spend time with millionaires and never, ever spend time with billionaires (although I wouldn’t mind). Election season gives me a rare chance to peek into the lives of those that make millions from me in a myriad of ways I have yet to understand.

OHA has already taken a peek into the personality of Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire who funded Newt Gingrich’s wildly raucous but ultimately unsuccessful run for Republican presidential candidate. That particular entertainment (which I enjoyed immensely) cost Adelson a few million and he’s planning on donating just as much to Mitt Romney with the ultimate goal of protecting his money. Romney definitely knows how to do just that so Adelson’s investment is logical.

Two other names that have arisen during this election season and are Charles and David Koch, billionaire brothers supporting mostly, if not only, Republican party candidates. Let’s take a peek at these two moneyed-men.

Charles Koch

This ABC news story indicates that the Koch brothers are private. That part of billionaire-hood I understand. If I buy a new gas grill, for example, I know not to put the box out on the front lawn on trash day because it sends the message, “New Grill in Backyard for the Taking.”

If I had billions, I’d do the same but double or triple. Wealth and privacy go together like developing film and a darkroom.

From their charts, I also believe that both Koch brothers would be private if they had only modest wealth.

This is a chicken and egg question – are they private because of their wealth or are they wealthy because of their discretion?

Charles, the older brother, has sun in Scorpio and moon (and Mars) in Capricorn. David, the younger brother, has Saturn, sun and Uranus in Taurus and moon in Pisces or Aries. If he’s truly as private as his older brother, I’d guess moon in Pisces.

You may recall from “My Money, Your Money” that Taurus and Scorpio are opposite signs, with Taurus ruling the money and assets you earn yourself and Scorpio ruling the money and assets you share or get from others.

Charles, with sun in Scorpio and moon in Capricorn, probably spends little of his wealth. This is a penny-pincher extraordinaire who might have billions because he’s spent only $10,000 since childhood.

Moon in Capricorn, emotionally and financially restrained, might be protecting the money we could all have if we didn’t stop at Starbucks for $5 cups of coffee and make impulsive purchases like those expensive bath towels.

Scorpio in combination with Capricorn doesn’t have much sympathy for your woes. It’s shrewd, savvy and has practical genius so don’t complain to Charles that you can’t pay your mortgage while wearing designer clothes.

Mars conjunct moon in Capricorn gets what it wants. Don’t cross this man or you will be both Capricorn and Scorpio punished, each of which is highly unpleasant in singular.

Pluto in Cancer is opposite the Capricorn energy, but not by exact degree. I’m guessing with moon in Capricorn and the fact that he is oldest, Charles is running things. He determines what the family is having for supper.

Moon in Capricorn also takes control during the most unpleasant of events (like funerals) so if things get bad, go to Charles and he will fix the ugly. When you’re happy, he’s not quite as responsive because he’s a problem solver, not a happiness nurturer.

Venus and Neptune in Virgo are very exacting and detailed. Not only is Charles a penny-pincher, he probably wraps his owns pennies and writes his name and address on the paper.

This is a man of order, authority and discipline. His house is neat and would be if he had two cents or two billion dollars. He’s got pride and dignity and it wasn’t caused by money; money is the result.

Pluto is currently transiting Capricorn creating some issues of will between Charles and the women in his life. If he has employees, there is some problem here as well. Lesson to be learned is that sometimes softness is better than hardness when dealing with others. The tai chi symbol suggests that qualities in extreme become their opposite and moon in Capricorn hardness can become a weakness, especially when you have to depend on others, like when in illness.

Saturn will move into Scorpio at the beginning of October and Charles (and the world) may find their investments shrink like a shrinky dink (or a home value in 2008).

When Saturn transits his Jupiter in Scorpio in a couple years, look for the foreign investments to shrink as well.

David Koch

David has Saturn conjunct sun, which is a difficult placement in general. His brother Charles has moon in Capricorn so there is a Saturn/Capricorn cast to the brotherhood. Probably the father was stern and severe or just the opposite which created emotional reserve in the boys.

Like his brother, order is paramount. Again, if he lived in a one-room shack, the shack would have order.

Although David shares the reserve, caution and money-focus of his brother, he appears to have a much more outgoing personality than his brother.

If moon is in Pisces, he may hide away but if moon is in Aries, there is a fierce competitive personality. He notices if you pass him on the freeway and may run you off in response (of course, all men do that).

Mercury and Jupiter are in Aries so David can be quite outspoken. He may embarrass his brother with his blunt (earth signs) and impulsive (Aries) speech. David tells it like it is which may make others wince.

Mars and Venus in Gemini create a fickle, fun-loving person. Uranus conjunct the sun (even in Taurus) also suggests some sudden, impulsive moves, both on the love front and financial front.

David may be reserved in manner, but he’s much more likely than his brother to take a risk. David as a Taurus would be more interested in property while his brother, a Scorpio, would be more interested in making money off of others’ assets.

Last year Jupiter transited Taurus which was good for David’s property values. Jupiter is now in Gemini soon to cross both Mars and Venus. Fun is on the way. David, unlike his brother, enjoys spending his money as much as making it.

I always think of Taurus as materialistic in a positive way – it truly enjoys the pleasures of the earth. Taurus isn’t buying something because the neighbors have it; it’s buying that nice car because it enjoys the feeling of leather on the skin.

Gemini is about friendships so David may also share his wealth with friends to create good, happy times.

Uranus is currently transiting Aries and will conjunct, in several years, David’s natal Mercury and Jupiter in Aries. The fun will continue as well as unexpected events.

When transiting Saturn enters Scorpio at the beginning of October, it will be opposing David’s natal Saturn in Taurus.

Because of all the positive transits, I think this Saturn opposition, which is normally difficult, will be a good thing for David. He will have pressure to lend or give money away. Holding onto assets is best here and I think the fun in his life will override this pressure to pay someone or something back.

A Peek into the Mind of a Billionaire

After looking at horoscopes for 27 years, I’ve come to see each personality as having a “theme.” We all deal with money, but money may not be the theme of our lives. We earn it and spend it, but have something else as the true focus of our existence.

We all say we want more money, but do we really? Or is it more important to be creative, spend time with family or engage is sports? Would we really be happy if someone gave us money or do we want to earn it ourselves and see money as the result of that achievement?

The Koch brothers may have inherited their wealth but with charts full of Taurus, Scorpio and Capricorn they have a drive for material wealth and material success regardless of what was provided at birth.

This is where astrology meets your underlying belief system. Is the emphasis on Taurus, Scorpio and Capricorn in their charts because of the circumstances of their birth or would they have had those qualities regardless of time and place?

As we watch “Cavorting with the Millionaires” it’s a good time to examine our own relationship to money and how our attitudes toward money were shaped during our childhoods. Instead of just wanting more money, we might examine how our financial situation represents our life pattern.

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Ohio Political Fight Club: House District 7

Posted on August 6, 2012 by ohioastrology

The seat in Ohio House District 7 is being sought by Joyce Healy-Abrams (Democrat) and Robert Gibbs (Republican). This district contains counties both east and west of I-71 in Central Ohio including Clark, Greene, Fayette, Pickaway, Ross, Fairfield and Perry.

That’s one funky district.

Interstates 70 and 71 seem like ley lines in Ohio, storms passing either north or south of I-70 and I-71 demarcating east and west. To cross the sacred boundaries of both I-70 and I-71 seems sacrilege.

Joyce Healy-Abrams

Healy-Abrams is sun in Leo and moon in Cancer. Leo and Cancer make for the perfect mate – both romantic (Leo) and loving (Cancer). I don’t know if Healy-Abrams is married (although the hyphen suggests she is), but if not, boys, I’d give her a call.

With Uranus also in Leo and Mars in Gemini, Healy-Abrams is more spontaneous and quirky than a Cancer moon would suggest.

Pluto and Venus in Virgo, however, make her extremely picky and demanding in love, the partner needing to be perfect. Power struggles thus ensue when the partner has personality traits that are different than Healy-Abrams’ own.

Moon in Cancer combined with Neptune (in Scorpio) square Mercury (in Leo) create quite the storyteller. Expect a little emotion and drama in all of Healy-Abrams’ stories. The waitress wasn’t just rude, the waitress fairly spit in her face (double check with waitress before committing to print).

Jupiter in Sagittarius creates a bit of wanderlust, although with moon in Cancer the bed pillow and half of the kitchen cupboard is in the backpack. Healy-Abrams is an “everything but the kitchen sink” kind of packer, although you may also find the kitchen sink.

Saturn is in Capricorn in Healy-Abrams’ chart indicating problems with the knees and standing on one’s own. Leo is proud but Cancer a bit insecure. The challenge is to be one’s own person regardless of how the family reacts.

Pluto is transiting Capricorn right now and will provide some lessons along these lines – big lessons. Knees and bones are included in these lessons.

Robert Gibbs

Gibbs has sun in Gemini and moon in Scorpio or Sagittarius.

Gemini / Scorpio combined is extremely cunning while Gemini /Sagittarius is extremely foot loose (and goes with the flow).

We need a time of birth for this one.

We do know for sure that Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus and Venus are in Cancer with Mars in opposite sign Capricorn. Mars in Capricorn says “this is what I want and I’ll do anything to get it” while Cancer represents merging with family and religious units. Capricorn is world acclaim and Cancer is family love and comfort.

Pluto is in Leo (fire), Neptune in Libra (air) and Saturn in Scorpio (water). Gibbs’ chart has all the elements (fire, earth, air and water) so suggests a versatile personality.

The moon placement is important in any chart, but especially here. I get a sense of a very disjointed personality rather than a versatile one. Are we calculating or loving? Or are we only calculating when seeking things for our family?

Whether the moon is in Scorpio or Sagittarius, I’m sensing a lot of inconsistencies. Gibbs, if anything, is probably difficult to know.

Pluto is transiting Capricorn and is conjunct, right now, Gibbs’ Mars in Capricorn. We’re going to see Gibbs more calculating side. He wants this seat badly and will do a lot to get it. Capricorn is about authority and the establishment so Gibbs may be courting some powerful friends.

As Pluto transits Capricorn, the opposite sign of Cancer is also affected. Individuals with Cancer in their charts must determine how Capricorn energies affect their family life. Capricorn is society and reputation, scaling the corporate ladder. Sometimes achievement in the corporate world can create neglect of family matters, especially emotional concerns.

For women, this is a known problem. Successful business and political women often are asked to speak on how they balance motherhood (see Hillary Clinton 1992 and Marissa Mayer 2012) with their careers.

For men, balancing family and career is also a challenge even if the world doesn’t ask, “Can you really be a politician AND a father?”

Rather than women rejecting the question of home and career balance, maybe we should simply extend the question to men as well. Is it good for your children to live under security in the White House as you batter your political opponents with negative attack ads? Are you denying them a carefree childhood?

Even if the media doesn’t ask Gibbs these questions, his family might.

It’s about family, stupid

Both Healy-Abrams and Gibbs are experiencing Pluto in Capricorn opposite their Cancer energy. I’ve seen this in quite a few political charts recently.

Both may focus on family in their campaigns but the real question is, “Are you taking care of your own family?”

Maybe taking care of others through political life is also a way to nurture a larger family, the family of community.

Source of candidate data: Ohio 2012 Election Center

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What’s the sign of zodiac most likely to go with the flow?

Posted on August 5, 2012 by ohioastrology

After writing about trustworthiness in the zodiac, it occurred to me that signs not ranking high might feel slighted. While trustworthiness has a very positive connotation, the universe appears to me (through astrology) to seek balance. Trustworthiness is needed, but so are other qualities.

Extreme trustworthiness, which relates to extreme dependability, can create a rigid, routine type personality. The balance to dependability is fluidity, or going with the flow.

In other words, if the world was run by dependable and trustworthy people, we’d have better politicians but possibly not much change or growth as earth likes routine and the way things are (and the way things were – tradition).

Flowing with the elements

By element, this is easy to see. The elements are fire, earth, air and water.

Does earth flow? Earth erodes and moves more than flows.

Does fire flow? Fire razes more than flows.

The two elements that flow quite clearly are air and water. We even talk about air flow and water flow. Air flow creates weather and water flow creates such things as the Grand Canyon. Don’t underestimate air or water.

Flowing with the modes

There are four elements and three modes which creates the 12 signs of the zodiac. The modes are cardinal, fixed and mutable.

Cardinal are the self-starters and initiators – Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

Fixed are the sustainers – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.

Mutable are the changers and adapters – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

Mutable, by nature, is changeable and therefore flows. Cardinal doesn’t exactly flow – it pushes. And fixed is clear in that it stays put.

Going with the flow

If air and water naturally flows and mutable naturally changes and is adaptable, then the most “going with the flow” signs are the air and water mutable signs – Gemini and Pisces.

Gemini

Gemini is the sign of the twins and represents the period in life when we move from non-verbal babyhood to talking toddler-hood when we touch everything and put everything in our mouths (which moves us to the Cancer, the sign after Gemini).

We know that toddlers and children need much stimulation to learn and grow. That’s why the kindergarten classroom has pictures and drawings and objects to stimulate life in three-dimensional reality.

Gemini grown up continues to seek stimulation and often is associated with the journalist, who talks to everyone and seeks factual information. Gemini flows naturally to the next point of interest, the same way hyperlinks move you from one page of the Internet to another. Gemini is a hyperlink.

Gemini’s negative characteristics, I believe, stem from the same need for stimulation. Gemini is easily bored so might find commitment boring. Because Gemini loves to talk and gather information, it can be the gossip. And because Gemini is so quick, it’s easy to fool others that are much slower to see which shell, in the shell game, has the pearl.

Gemini is fun and interesting and brings liveliness to our environment.

Pisces

Pisces is the sign of the two fish swimming in different directions. Like Gemini, we have double.

Linda Goodman, I believe, said the fish swimming in different directions represented Pisces ability to link past and future, to see both.

If Gemini picks up all the factual information in the environment, Pisces picks up all the emotional information.

Gemini sees a bunch of people at the party and wonders how he/she will get a chance to talk to all of them. Pisces sees a bunch of people at the party and notices that the party hasn’t yet jelled, that people are wondering if a new bottle of wine is on its way (something Pisces also thinks about) and that certain people are deliberately not at the party.

Pisces can feel from a long distance away and is associated with psychic ability. Because Pisces can feel so deeply and has empathy as well, Pisces can go with your emotional flow which is why you confess all of your secrets to Pisces.

Because Pisces goes with the emotional flow, Pisces can often ignore its own needs and then becomes associated with sacrifice. Pisces can get lost in the emotional flow. “Me” and “we” is difficult for Pisces as it is difficult for a drop of water to separate from the ocean.

Pisces is the emotional antenna in your life. It can both absorb and transmute emotional input, sometimes at a cost to itself. It’s the Pisces in your life that explains how your dad’s actions truly represent his love for you, something you didn’t understand.

Looking for the flow?

Are you feeling trapped in routine? Are you feeling like life is passing you by and you never do anything interesting? Looking to get out from under the rock and go with the flow?

If so, your air and water signs friends can help or any sign that is mutable. As they go with the flow, they are sometimes hard to catch. Don’t expect to meet your “go with the flow” friends every Sunday at the same time (except Virgo who may be so picky about the restaurant that you’ll ditch them for a Gemini or Pisces anyway).

They go with the flow and that’s what you need, right?

Addendum: I found this quote recentl – “When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge.” – Tuli Kupferberg

Posted in The most . . . sign of the zodiac | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments