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.
Astrology is a form of divination, of attempting to discern and translate the messages of the heavens, using the zodiac as a sort of dictionary (or map, or mandala). This places it in a particular category regarding how one arrives at the truth, in contrast to other disciplines such as mathematics, science and history; each of which treats data in different ways
Despite the overabundance of misinformation online waiting to pounce on virtually every mouse click, the dark money machinations and tyrannical ambitions behind it are now much better understood. So it’ll be interesting to see how matters shift once Saturn enters Pisces on 7th March.
As the Sun moves into the Aquarius midpoint, Uranus is waiting for it in fellow fixed sign Taurus – and they form an exact, as in to-the-minute, square. What makes this extra juicy is that Uranus is the modern ruler of Aquarius. The sky god is strutting onto the stage and making damn sure we notice.
Astrologers tend to consider the sign placements of planets from Uranus outwards as generational and collective rather than personal influences (they can become personal if prominent in the natal chart). But even Pluto’s 248-year orbit is, to say the least, dwarfed (no pun intended) by Sedna’s.
