General

We’re in for quite the interesting April, astrologically speaking. Mercury is now retrograde, in which state it will remain for another three weeks from today. On Monday, we get the total solar edition of the latest eclipse cycle; while the early morning of 21st April (UTC) will see the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus.

Tomorrow’s New Moon in Pisces is surrounded by a mass of celestial points, which seems reminiscent of a crowd huddled together, waiting – for change, for a message, for the next shoe to drop, etc. In some circumstances, that is indeed all one can do, and we are often primed to consider the great acts that forge future epochs as beyond our reach.

I run this blog because, for some years now, I have studied and worked with astrology. I, and other people I know well, can testify to its efficacy in providing wisdom and support in matters both individual and collective. There comes a point, however, where anything but raw truth, spoken in the plainest of terms, ceases to have any meaning. With this in mind, I have created the present post as a resource page for information on Gaza.

In astrological symbolism, the solstices and equinoxes occur as the Sun enters each cardinal sign. Cardinal signs represent initiation, pioneering, leadership – the first to set foot in new territory. Thus at these moments a new season commences. At the cross-quarters, the Sun is in the middle of a fixed sign. This indicates continuation as well as manifestation: the culmination of the seasonal forces in action.

As we enter Pride Month, I feel it due amid the many current threats to LGBTQ+ people, among others, to express my solidarity with them. I know that being a student of astrology does not automatically indemnify anyone against regressive and hateful prejudices, or bestow any special kind of understanding regarding systemic issues of oppression. What I can say is that the natal chart is a helpful symbol of both our species’ complexity and that within individuals.

I’ve been gazing for quite some time on the chart for the Sun ingressing (i.e. moving into) the sign of Gemini this year, which happens on Sunday 21st May at 07:09 UT. It’s one of those charts that contains a barrage of information, from which it isn’t always easy to identify or extract the most salient points. However, there is one configuration that jumps immediately to the attention.

When working on a set of charts, one of the things astrologers look for is patterns. Patterns in divination usually tell a story of sorts, pointing the seeker in the direction of more precise knowledge. They are generally to be found somewhere; at times following a bit of digging out, archaeology-style. At other times, they can be staring you right in the face.

Astrologically, these phases can be pretty intense, as if time were compressed and everything happening at once; the decisions made during them can be far-reaching and potent. In order to harness the power of an eclipse window, it is useful to understand where we are in our present life, where we seem to be headed, and where we would like to be – in every sense.

New astrological year; new moon; new everything, it would seem; what is to hold one back? The equinox chart suggests, however, that it’s probably worth taking a moment to size up the situation. Perhaps not everyone needs an especially long moment, but some form of analysis, pre-planning and/or discernment is apparently being called for here.