Lilith, the Temptation and Frustration of the Black Moon

     The temptation and frustration of Lilith, the Black Moon, is one overlooked by many astrologers, healers, and those who seek answers about psychology, astrology, and the psyche.  This is not a part of the chart that is eagerly sought: by her own nature, Lilith denies, disables, and thwarts the most earnest and sincere intentions and pursuits.  Her role is not one that is welcomed:  she represents all that we find just beyond our grasp, even though we try relentlessly to overcome the obstacles and find satisfaction.  Lilith, therefore, shows us what we can NOT have, no matter how badly we desire it.  I STRONGLY urge anyone to consult with me or a psychological astrologer who understands the value and importance of this elusive and mysterious object--for she wins every time, no matter how much we try and change or chance the odds. 

      Instead, she offers an option--what I call "The Al Gore Award" (for the former Vice President's failed efforts to secure the vote for president in 2000.  The pain and anguish of his loss showed in his eyes for years, but he worked through his disappointment and won a Nobel prize and the attention of the world regarding climate change--which certainly has been brought to the global foreground regardless of political affiliation.)  In this way, Lilith offers us a second-place prize:  that of NOT being "a winner" in the respective house and sign placement she is located.

      In doing this, Lilith may be found to take on the role of an ambassador of Saturn:  limiting, restricting, frustrating, and withholding the goals that we set for ourselves--and forcing us instead to be satisfied with the lesser results that occur.  In this way, she prunes the ego of the gaudiness with which we would adorn ourselves, and makes us find wholeness in a smaller way rather than what we had been striving to accomplish.

      In the first house, she can hobble and restrict both the quality and measure of personality and appearance:  physical limitation and a thwarting of receptivity from society through denial of the way the soul presents itself.  In the second, income and self-esteem can be beaten back again and again until the soul learns to accept less and be grateful for what it possesses; in the 3rd, relationships with siblings, speech and communications, and education can be dangled overhead like a carrot beyond reach to a draft animal; in the 4th, a joyful and rewarding home life and dwelling can be taken away again and again until the soul learns to live simply and frugally, thankful for a roof and shelter; in the 5th, the longing for parenthood and romance can be denied, or a fruitful outlet for one's creative urges may go unrecognized.

      In the 6th, Lilith may bestow a dull and boring work environment without recognition for accomplishment or advancement, along with poor health that saps one's vitality. In the 7th, a happy marriage partner can be but a dream for a lonely soul, and business associates can be hard-boiled and demanding; in the 8th, sexual needs can go unquenched, and inheritances can be stolen away; in the 9th, religious dogma and restrictive philosophical values can hinder one's education and opportunity to go beyond the confines of community and home.

     In the 10th, Lilith can produce a barrage of setbacks for career promotions and recognition for achievements that go instead to others; parents of either gender and authority figures may be aloof and withdrawn from the generosity of affection; in the 11th, friends may turn into enemies without warning, or the soul may lack social graces that allow for congenial mingling among peers, and in the 12th, Lilith can haunt the soul with substance abuses, neuroses and unfounded fears, and incarceration in hospitals or prisons which carve up years of life.

    Despite the doom-and-gloom of Lilith, she offers us hope:  not everyone is meant to be in the spotlight of attention; not every soul is destined to be a glamorous celebrity or shining star in their respective field or endeavor.  Instead, try and be content with the little things in life that make the difference in the ways that the soul helps and benefits the lives of others.  In this manner, Lilith then rewards the soul with treasures laid up in heaven rather than squandered on Earth--and the ego learns humbleness in order to free itself from the chains that it has created on its own.

(C) MDLOP8 2011

Planetary placements in charts and the psyche

Chart patterns can also indicate personality trends within the psyche.  The key here is the dispersal of planets in the houses (wedges).

Psyche in signs

Astrologically, Psyche represents how we respond romantically to the idea of Love, or how we Idealize it through someone. 
(Also see http://psyast.blogspot.com/search/label/Psyche%20and%20Eros)

Psyche Sign is Aries

The native likes the thrill of someone falling madly in love with and pursuing them at all costs. You enjoy feeling valued by someone and find security in hearing this from your lover/partner. 

Psyche Sign is Taurus

This position is the embodiment of sexuality. You want others to find you attractive. You are also attracted to people who give gifts of love.

Psyche Sign is Gemini

You are drawn to powerful personalities who are able to switch between staying home and painting the town. You also enjoy mates who challenge your intellect. 

Psyche Sign is Cancer

You tend to take on nurturing or motherly roles, not necessarily with everyone, but definitely with your lover/partner. You will go out of your way to make a partner happy. 

Psyche Sign is Leo

You are able to discern the best in people and bring that out. You are attracted to charming, good-looking people. You also have a tendency to project onto your partner the way you want to be. 

Your Psyche Sign is Virgo

You show your affection to someone who accepts them unconditionally. You are usually concerned about what the lover can bring to the table. Once smitten, you are very generous of your time and material resources. 

Psyche Sign is Libra

You are fascinated by partners with striking looks, possibly to the detriment of other aspects, in order to indulge the fantasy of the relationship. Usually you get wise to this tendency in due time. You treat everyone around you lavishly.

Psyche Sign is Scorpio

You tend to be secretive about your true feelings, including sexual feelings. You also tend to be reserved when expressing yourself until you feel absolutely comfortable. Once committed, you take the relationship very seriously and will do anything to keep it going. 

Psyche Sign is Sagittarius

You are attracted to someone worldly, ethnically diverse, philosophically-oriented, and free-spirited. You are able to give others the freedom to be who they really are.

Psyche Sign is Capricorn

You are attracted to emotionally mature and stable individuals who can also provide an outlet for your romantic fantasy. Sexual intimacy is a longing, and once fulfilled, you feel like you have everything in life.

Psyche Sign is Aquarius

You like to put a little bubble around yourself and your lover and bask in the fulfillment of your hopes, wishes, and dreams. You like to be acknowledged for your unique and special qualities and do not like to compete for affection. 

Your Psyche Sign is Pisces

You seek partners who can express the utmost love and adoration and partners who can help you escape a routine life. You tend to attract attention through illnesses if your needs are not being met to your fullest expectation.

Quadrant emphasis on the psyche

Obviously, the quadrants of a chart (when overloaded with planetary placements) can REALLY cue in on facets of the psyche.  (I can attest from living with someone who is very 1st quarter-weighted (and very much Aries-Taurus-Gemini) that she is indeed VERY much like the qualities outlined.)

Hemisphere influences on chart dynamics Part 1

I think this objective is self-explanatory:  some charts are "heavy-weighted" on a particular hemisphere.  This reflects a key component of the personality/psyche.  Not EVERY chart has this; a person with a particular emphasis to a hemisphere would obviously be focused in life on those areas (houses; life experiences) particular to that placement.

The crucial degrees and critical 29th degree marker

 Critical Degrees in Astrology:

Classic critical degrees are 0, 13, and 26 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn); 8-9 and 21-22 degrees of fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius); and 4 and 17 degrees of mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces). These are considered sensitive, and sometimes strengthening, points. If a natal planet is found in a critical degree, that planet is emphasized and assumes more power in the life of the native due to its placement.

0/13/26 Cardinal

8/9/21/22 Fixed

4/17/ Mutable 
Many astrologers consider 0 and 29 degrees of any sign critical degrees as well. The 0 and 29 degrees are more crisis-oriented points, especially in predictive work. 

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The 29th degree of a sign is one to be recognized as a crucial point to consider.  In my own teacher's view, the 29th degree was a critical marker of intense action, activity, and energy:  "on the razor's edge" was how it was described.  It was the indication of an extreme nature and release, for better or worse--but often an over-dramatic outlet for that sign, especially when coupled with a planet. 

     There was only one time, he said, when a 29-degree point was favored:  the last day of Aries.  A person born on this day (and one of my "older sisters" is April 19) is someone who can manifest goals and objectives at the last critical minute and therefore create results under extreme deadlines.

       The following are other views of the 29th degree.  I should note in numerology that a person born on the 29th day of the month is said to be fated for heavy-duty Life Experiences that their soul has otherwise avoided learning.  Michael Jackson, U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John McCain were all born on the 29th.

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29th degree

     Also known as the Anaretic Degree, defective vision is noted with this degree. It’s the weakest point in the sign it represents; tired and often showing more of the next sign than the sign it’s in. The planet and house placement is always getting ready to make a change and the 29^th degree adds a decision-making complication to the house. Able to see both sides of an issue, there is oscillation between one view and the other and a struggle to make any decision at all. Decisions are put off or there is a continuous re-evaluation due to new information. At the end of his rope, the individual may make a quick decision, simply to do something, but this takes on the characteristic of Too Much or Too Little. Metaphorically, he may dive into the pool before checking to see if it has water.
 

     A placement of a planet in the 29th degree in a house automatically makes the ability to manifest the characteristics of that house structure more fuzzy, and the interaction with the people of that house more vague and less decisive. Sun in the 29th degree often causes a major career change in mid life. This position can slow down career success because of poor decision-making skills. Women with their Sun in a 29th degree have a tendency to marry men who are ineffectual in some way: trouble keeping a job, born followers, too passive, emotional problems. Again this is related to the concept of poor decision-making (both on the part of the woman and on the part of the husband). Disgraced Wall Street financier Bernie Madoff had Venus 29 Taurus in his career house. He was blinded by the love of money and what he could do with it.

     A 29th degree in a progressed chart often stimulates the characteristics, either positive or negative of the relationship, and a last fling jump for the characteristics of the sign, in the house that it is in. Saturn in 29th Capricorn is the degree of the workaholic. The individual can’t seem to get enough hard work. But s/he runs into obstacles in getting it, and often vacillates between working to death, and no work.

        If a natal planet is found at 29 degrees of any sign, also known as the Anaretic degree, there can be some real issues with decision-making in that part of the personality represented by the energies of the planet. The native may evaluate and re-evaluate situations before making a move one day, and the next day, jump into the action without listening to himself or herself! For example, if Mars is at 29 degrees, the native may devise many plans of actions, worry excessively about the possible actions and different routes to take, and then execute a spontaneous action that is contrary to the decision! Former president Donald Trump has Mars and the ascendant at 29 Leo.

      Someone with 29 degrees of Mercury may agonize over decisions in his/her life, and vacillates between talking too much and too little.
 

     Besides decision-making problems, vacillation, and jumping into situations blindly, the 29th degree is also associated with a sense of urgency. It's the last degree of the zodiac sign, and there can be a real sense of urgency surrounding the characteristics and associations of the particular sign.

     In progressions, when, for example, the Sun enters the 29th degree, the native's year can be crisis-oriented. If the Sun progresses to 29 degrees of Libra, for example, the sense of urgency and crisis can surround relationships.   Divorce or jumping into a new partnership rather blindly may be the result of this urgency.  (I personally experienced this when my progressed ascendant was 29 Libra.)  If the Sun progresses to 29 degrees of Virgo, a big change might be made in work. Generally, decisions made at the time of the 29th degree can be hasty. 

A new set of signs? "No!"

D'oh!  NO, you did NOT get a "new" astrological sign!  I don't care what the news services are saying!  Here's a comment that pretty much sums up what the fuss is all about.  And yes, BOTH ways are accurate:

Fans of the Zodiac have been bombarded with the unsettling news that their astrological sign may not be what they thought.

The horror of switching from Gemini to Taurus had people rushing to the Web for answers, sending searches for "zodiac signs" into the stratosphere.

So has your sign changed?  It all depends on what kind of astrology you follow. 

It may come as a surprise that there are different branches of astrology. A main Eastern form, for example, called Sidereal astrology, looks to the background stars, those famous constellations, as its guide.

Western astrology -- which uses the zodiac -- has its signs fixed to the seasons. Most Westerners, and all those horoscope pages we eagerly check, go by the zodiac. These signs follow what early astrologers called star signs, whose reference points are the tropics that form a ring around the earth. The zodiac is based on our relationship to the sun, not the stars.

The back story: About 2,000 years ago, the astrological signs and the astronomical ones were the same. But not anymore. The locations of the signs are based on the sun's location on the first day of spring. That location in the sky has slowly drifted westward because of something called "precession" -- the earth continually wobbles (a scientific term for a slight motion) every 26,000 years. Since the constellations were first identified, they have shifted some 30 degrees. Translation: The signs have slipped about a month westward, relative to the stars.

What this means to you: If you follow astrology that is linked to the constellations, your sign would go from say, a Gemini to a Taurus. You could even have a 13th sign, Ophiuchus, which you may have read about.

"It's a huge point of confusion for the public," says Bing Quock, assistant director of Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences. For those who follow Western astrology, "Astrologers are not talking about the constellations at all. When an astrologer says the sun is in a certain sign, they're talking about the sign, the location relative to the equinox. They're not talking about the location of the constellations. "

In short, if you follow the Sidereal astrology, the Eastern branch, your sign may have shifted. (And most likely, no surprise to you at all: This news is hundreds of years old).

But for the rest of us, our horoscope, and our signs, are still the same.

Eros, the God of Love in Signs

 

Eros is a minor asteroid--but very useful when needed in charts to understand one's physical and passionate nature, especially when another chart is used in relationship comparison.

Eros in Aries.  These people instinctively and quickly become infatuated. Their sexual attractions are formed quickly and they get off on the sensations of the moment in an intense manner. These lovers may seem a little erratic to others, simply because their passions rise and fall so quickly. They are not as giving and emotional in their sexual expression, but they are passionate while it lasts. 


Eros in Aries people are attached to the sensations of the moment and may see their partner as an object, or an extension of themselves. They often prefer to do the pursuing in relationships and may be addicted to the conquest.

Eros in Taurus. These are highly sensual lovers who may seek to own their partners. Sexual possessiveness is often an issue with these lovers, and, unlike Eros in Aries, competition is not a turn-on. These lovers can be somewhat primitive in their desires and not as attracted to too much sexual intricacy. Plenty of masturbation is likely, although these lovers tend to be most unhappy without a steady partner. Their sexual natures are rooted in the senses. 

Eros in Gemini. These lovers are sexually curious and interested. They like to be knowledgeable in sexual matters, and often are turned on by the written and spoken word. They may write letters to their lover, or enjoy writing and reading erotica. Because it is difficult for these lovers to turn their minds off during sex, there is a voyeur within the person during sexual expression, and it may be difficult for these lovers to simply "let go". Many Eros in Gemini individuals enjoy talking, and being talked to, during sex.

Eros in Cancer. There is a need to infuse emotional care and nurture into the sex act. When the self-image is low, these lovers may use others as sexual objects, probably as a result of their fear of rejection. The breasts are a big turn-on, and many are orally fixated, and some may be attracted to a domination theme. When the self-image is stronger, intimacy and warmth are powerful stimulants.


Eros in Cancer lovers seek to achieve psychic and emotional renewal through sex. They can be very intuitive bed partners. Sexual possessiveness is often an issue. Sometimes, these lovers want their partner to be relatively chaste, but they don't have the same standards for themselves. These lovers often fall in love with their sexual partners.

Eros in Leo. Fantasies for Eros in Leo often revolve around their partner's desire for them. These lovers generally get off on what they believe their sex partner must be feeling about them. They can put a lot of time into auto-erotic behavior, and are often given to much flirtation and many infatuations. Nevertheless, they can be more loyal than most. Eros in Leo lives for love and attraction. They are threatened when passion settles down in their relationships. They feel the need to keep passion alive, and when it settles in a relationship, they can be addicted to flirting with other people in order to feel alive and potent. Eros in Leo lovers have a big ego investment in their relationships.

Eros in Virgo. Earthiness and intellectuality combine in Eros in Virgo. These lovers are sensual, especially when they are not thinking too much. Because of the tendency for Virgo to think and analyze, however, there can be a tendency to be one's own voyeur during sex. Vicarious enjoyment of sex is often highlighted with this placement. A meeting of minds is important to Eros in Virgo. These are somewhat moody lovers who may have distinct phases between promiscuity and celibacy. 


Virgo is very connected with--and aware of--the body and its functioning, and Eros in Virgo often seeks renewal through sex, with an attitude that sex is healthy and good for you. These are generally sensitive and tender lovers who do a lot to please their partners. Some awkwardness and shyness in terms of letting themselves go is often characteristic of this position. Virgo's symbol is the Virgin. This should not be taken literally, although when Virgo is connected to the sexual nature, there is a sense of purity and independence. These lovers can be promiscuous at times, and quite kinky, but emerge from their experiences with a sense of purity nevertheless.

  Eros in Libra. This is a rather flirtatious and charming position of Eros. Libra's tendency toward a "tit for tat" attitude shows up as a desire for equality on a sexual level, but in practice, Eros in Libra lovers often forget their own sexual needs because they are focusing on those of their partner. Communication is sexy to these lovers. These people can be hopelessly addicted to all of the "trappings" of falling in love, so much so that when a relationship settles, it may seem boring. Highly romantic and charming, Eros in Libra people enjoy the social "game" surrounding making connections with lovers, and they can be quite seductive.

Eros in Scorpio. This is an especially erotic position of Eros. These lovers can be addicted to the thrill of getting to know a person inside and out, and to the power of love and sex. Intensity is important to these lovers. They don't just want their partner's body, they want a bit of their soul as well! This position suggests very little fear in the area of sexual intimacy, and these lovers will pretty much do anything and everything with a willing partner. They are passionate, and the more intense the relationship is, the better. Animal magnetism is high, probably because these people think about sex and intimacy a whole lot, and others may sense their intensity. They can easily get under your skin, tapping into others' desires.

Eros in Sagittarius. These lovers have an enthusiastic and exuberant appeal. Sex is meant to be fun for Eros in Sagittarius, and some roughhousing and plenty of hearty laughs are turn-ons. Sexuality is sometimes viewed as if it were a sport by these people. They may surprise you with a very open and almost innocent attitude toward sex and intimacy. Sex is a bit of a game, and how this attitude is received will depend a lot on the audience! There can be a bit of an addiction to the chase, and avoidance of intimacy when it feels restricting in any way. 


Tenderness and romance are not the kinds of expressions that come as easily to these lovers. Laughter and fun are aphrodisiacs for this position of Eros. Sexual exploration and freedom are important, as well as a need for sexual honesty—sex without the frills and trappings that these lovers may find to be unnatural and even dishonest. Eros in Sagittarius can show up as passion for knowledge, hunger for new experiences, and a love of travel and exploring new lands and cultures.

Eros in Capricorn. These natives are sensual and earthy in their sexual desires. The libido is strong, but controlled. Saturn-ruled Capricorn is a sign that likes to be in control—not necessarily in control of others, but in control of themselves. Many Eros in Capricorn people channel much of their desire nature into accomplishing something significant. 

Eros in Aquarius. These lovers are intrigued by the unusual, finding variety exciting. The detachment of Aquarius can mean finding sensuality in non-contact scenarios in addition to contact ones. Sexual creativity is one of the strengths of this position. Their open minds with regards to sex can stimulate creativity in their partner. 

Eros in Pisces. There is a chameleon in this position of Eros, as these lovers are very adaptable to their partner. This is not to say these lovers don't have sexual preferences or possess a strong identity. Instead, the Pisces compassion, and ability to understand and accept virtually every color of the rainbow shows through in a sexual/romantic way. They tend to be most comfortable and at ease when their partner is expressing him or herself confidently. This position also suggests a passion for Pisces-ruled subjects. 

Eros in Aspect.

When Eros is prominent in the chart (for example, if Eros is conjunct the Ascendant, or if it conjuncts the Sun, Moon, Venus, or Mars), Eros themes are strong in the individual's life. Often, the individual oozes sexuality in some way. The mind is often focused on sex and infatuation.

Eros in Love.

Eros represents our awareness of our mortality. Because we know we are going to die, we continually recreate feelings (confirmation, if you will) of our own vitality. We can so do in a Leonine way—for example, through romance, bearing children, and creativity. Eros love is very self-centered. Eros is, indeed, turned on by the idea that they are arousing someone else, but this kind of "feedback" is very much used to feed our own need to feel alive and vital.

Saturn Returns roll the dice of Life

My friend Eileen (of Titanic Astrology fame; see the previous post in archives) is celebrating her 2nd Saturn return by letting the gray come out in her hair color.  She's accepting the fact that age and time (Saturn) come to us all--and that honoring it (along with the wisdom that experience can bestow) is worth showing to the world.  "You've come a long way" says a Saturn return, "and now let's see what you do with it."

 **Remember that your first Saturn return comes @29 years of age and lasts for @2.5 years. It is a reminder: you need to learn this character-soul lesson now because you are in real adulthood time. It is a new lesson you never realized was important.

 If you do NOT accept the challenge, it will reappear @58-59, and last another 2.5 years. It will be much harder to resolve. If you DO accept the first Saturn return experience, you will face similar challenges—but there is a reward waiting for you upon “graduation”. By reference: I have a 3^rd house Saturn: I first had to learn public speaking, and I was terrified of it—and in a sales career. By the 2^nd, I was teaching at an overseas university and had to learn how to better become a professor again. I ended up as Director of Teaching.

 1st - Personal stress, personality testing, problems with bones, teeth, or skeletal system, establishing perimeters, self-confidence under trial or challenges.

 2.  Cash flow restrictions, budget pressure, learning to do a lot with less, doubts and worries about self-worth.

 3.  Mental powers tested, knowledge of career field stretched to the limit; difficulties with siblings.

 4.  Home and personal belongings/security become limited; loss of parent(s), burdens from family or home environment.

 5.  Creativity crisis--how to channel it and substitute other skills; romantic or sexual depression; fated love affairs that create stress; difficulties with children.

 6.  Hard, heavy-and-boring work; tending to details on job matters; stressful workload; health issues, especially digestion.

 7.  Resolving business and personal relationship issues and partnerships; getting rid of failed or finished companions; finalizing or commitments to good partners.

 8.  Troubles with partner's finances and resources; learning to handle monies for others; sexual difficulties or limitations; setbacks from inheritances.

 9.  Dedication and pursuit of education; religious or spiritual regeneration and undertaking; travel and long-distance trips that take time to resolve and manage.

 10.  Working hard to gain career status attention and recognition; extra responsibilities in job or occupation of choice; failures or demotion at the workplace from disreputable behaviors.

 11.  Karmic bonding with groups and friends; estrangement from close friends and associates; forced independence.

 12.  Treacherous ground: backstabbing from friends who become enemies, doubts and fears prey upon failures in life, depression and abuse of substances and indulgences.

 

Aspects (part 1) - dynamics of Cooperation and Resistance

The aspects are a vital and detailed way for psychology and astrology to show how the psyche is engaged in lessons of cooperation or frustration in handling and managing Life Lessons.  (Note:  I am using five of the basic aspects, and will also discuss only ONE minor aspect, the quincunx.  I think these are the ones which most readily show the factors which I find most accessible in overall psychological analyses.  However, I concur and agree with those who use the remaining minor aspects.)

Aspects (and arcs):  measuring cooperation and resistance (with geometry!)

Arcs:  The Energy Interaction of Planets and Signs
6-10 degrees of REAL separation! +/-
Cooperation &  Adjustment or Frustration & Resistance
Resolution Management of Life Crises

Astrology has a built-in guideline for gauging the psyche and its dynamics:  the measurement of aspects, the markers of cooperation and tension-resistance (C&T) between coordinating planets and their energies.

The idea is simple enough:  match up two planets by a system that uses a set proximity of numerical degree value and see what pattern is formed that represents C&T as a goal--or not.  Not every planet has a matching interaction, and not every match has a result of C&T.  In fact,  the aspect patterns that form in a chart for psychological analyses may indicate that the soul's lessons are difficult (for soul growth):  exactly WHY it matters to know psychological astrology concepts in vocational, familial, educational, and other counseling endeavors.
 

The game of Six Degrees of Separation is a close reference, but it’s a plus-or-minus range from zero to 30 in astrology.  Twelve ways x 30 = 360 degrees, or a perfect circle:  the chart as a Mandala of Life.  Here we find cooperation and adjustment to Life Challenges as well as frustration and resistance to growth patterns and lessons that will not go away.  This is Resolution Management of Life Crises and Opportunities, and the aspects are symbolic indicators of the energy exchanges between different parts of the psyche.  Cooperation and teamwork (C&T) are the basic structure; adjustment and flexibility are the goal. The conjunction, square, trine, sextile, and opposition aspects have a +/- range of @6 degrees (depending on the astrologer's view). A quincunx, if used, has a range of @3 degrees. However, the Sun and Moon are given ranges up to 10 degrees maximum (again, depending on the astrologer's view).

What aspects bring is a display of planetary and sign energy in harmony--or not--and when conflict is indicated, what can be done about managing it.  As personal a blueprint of Life and Action as there ever could be!  Aspects do not need exact time frames for calculation; this is one reason why I endorse using an ephemeris WITHOUT an exact birth time.  If the aspects show the levels of "yes-or-no" among the players of our Life Experience Team, then it's obvious that we are the coach who needs to be responsible for their best effort.

  I have found the work and research of the Magi Society and their historical perspective of aspects to be one of the reasons why people have trouble understanding the variations within astrology.  The Magi Society was originated in China in 1625, and their technique of using aspects as guide markers instead of house systems and cusps made their work that much more significant.  In effect, they have been doing the calculations and chronicles of astrological research for almost 400 years—and the volume of knowledge they have to validate their work is quite substantial.  It could be said that they were doing the work of the Gauquelins from Switzerland, but hundreds of years earlier.

In the years of evaluations on the lives of the subjects whose charts were cast by the Magi Society, they became more convinced than ever that aspects are truly what characterizes the individual; that these dynamics of tension and cooperation are the keys to the psyche’s growth.  They see that the house systems can change depending on what type is used to delineate the chart, and so placements of planets can vary up or down within a cusp (doorway) if that planet is close enough by degrees to “move over.”  

With the aspect system ONLY, the psycho-dynamics are revealed in a more open way as “either resolved or learning to be resolved” nature:  the subject has either shown soul achievement and growth through a challenge, or they have not.  All the “avoidance and excuses” that we use as denial methods will not hold validity because the aspects define the life challenges and opportunities, for better or worse.  There’s not much room for rebuttal with an aspect.  They get results from us and they don't take "no" for an answer because we have a lifetime's worth of opportunity to master them.  (Astrology also says that they can come back in a NEW lifetime if we haven't done them properly if you consider the Nodes and Saturn and the Black Moon Lilith.)

Mixed astrological elements create the signs

Elements are ways that the soul is energized and motivated toward activating the personality.  It makes sense to me that the signs are potential combinations of elements--which sort of coincides with the idea that some signs DO get along with others, even when they're not in natural harmony.  (Squares as an aspect work this way: they force our psyche to develop new ways of resolving obstacles.)

Therefore, this is my original idea of "Mixed Elements."

Astrologically speaking, there are four elements:

Fire, Earth, Air, and Water.

Each represents a dynamic expression of energy. 

Fire is Action based on Intuition;

Earth is Stability and Grounding; 
Air is Intellect and Extension of thoughts (Extrapolation);
Water is Emotional Sensitivity

When they combine with each other...they form the zodiac signs:

Fire mixed types:

Fire/Earth: Aries. They act to ground and create

an established concept as a source of Action and Purpose.
Fire/Air: Sagittarius.  They act to expand

the Higher levels of Knowledge.
Fire/Water: Leo.  They act to expand

the depths of Love and Appreciation of Existence of Life.

Earth mixed types:

Earth/Fire: Capricorn.  They stabilize and create Institutions

of grounded large-scale plans.
Earth/Air: Virgo.  They stabilize and organize by establishing coordinated ideas which serve Humanity.
Earth/Water: Taurus. They stabilize and establish foundations

and security for emotions.

Air mixed types:

Air/Fire: Gemini.  They intellectualize and motivate

the desire to reach higher goals by activating curiosity.
Air/Earth: Aquarius.   They intellectualize and promote Knowledge that provides a common grounding for the collective social unit.
Air/Water: Libra. They intellectualize the need for emotional bonding with a Significant Other.

Water mixed types:

Water/Fire: Scorpio.  They intensify and energize the passion of action and manifestation through regeneration.
Water/Earth: Cancer.   They intensify the depths

of feelings needed for sharing emotional awareness.
Water/Air: Pisces.  They intensify the Cosmic Knowledge of Higher dimensional worlds and existence.

(c) MDLOP8 2010

Psyche & Eros: Sensitivity and Passion

Either love is in the air--or someone has hot pants--because I keep getting hits from people looking for information on Psyche and Eros.  Talk about lust in the dust!  Okay, I've transcribed the information on these two asteroids from that splendid book by Demetra George at http://psyast.blogspot.com/search/label/Asteroids.

Psyche & Eros: 

  Asteroids of Sensitivity and Passion

The asteroid Psyche represents the principle of being psychically attuned and bonded to another human being.  Often portrayed as a butterfly maiden, Psyche was born as a beautiful mortal, who in her search for reunion with her lover Eros (the Roman god Cupid), mastered heroic tasks set upon her by a wrathful mother, Aphrodite (Eros’s mother).  Through each undertaking, Psyche sensitized her internal telepathic channels.  Depicting the soul’s journey from mortality to divinity, Psyche successfully transformed her earthly nature into that of a deity so that she could become the heavenly bride of Eros, god of erotic love.  Their union produced children named Bliss, Pleasure, and Ecstasy.  Together, their love has come to symbolize soul-mate union.

In perfecting the relationship progression of Lilith (the scorned mate) and Juno (the faithful Life Partner), Psyche represents the completion stage of the development of the feminine as a consort.  Astrologically, Psyche is a higher octave of Venus, expressing a refinement of personal love and psychic attunement to another.  Through following the path of Psyche, conscious relationship provides a path to spiritual illumination.

In chart analysis, a prominent Psyche symbolizes the capacity for psychic sensitivity to the mind and feelings of another person (her symbol or glyph is the Greek letter psi.)  This heightened awareness can produce the yearning for mystic, soul-mate union.  Stressful placements of Psyche can indicate a total lack of sensitivity to others, a blocked psychic awareness, or the inability to enter personal relationships.  Because of their need for deep, intuitive communication, Psyche individuals may often decline to enter into superficial or short-term relationships. Thus, they may have many admirers but remain essentially alone.

When analyzed according to element, Psyche in an air sign depicts mental telepathy; in water, she implies empathy; in fire, she suggests the ability to control and direct energy fields; and in earth, she points to achievements in physical manifestation.

Psyche aspects connect the meaning of the contacted planet with a heightened awareness: with Uranus, she indicates precognition; with Chiron, she indicates abilities in psychic healing; and in Ceres, she can show how the individual can mirror skills in communicating with plants or children.  In synastry, Psyche contacts describe points of intuitive knowing—and understanding—or total lack thereof—between individuals.  Psyche-Eros contacts indicate the potential for soul-mate union.

Eros, god of erotic love, represents the principle of passionate desire.  Mythologically, Eros was a primal, phallic god born out of Chaos (the Void) at the beginning of time.  Embodying the masculine sexual force, he served as the generative masculine power which brought the world into creation.  Thus, he manifested as the son of Mars and Venus in later Roman myths.

Astrologically, Eros functions as a higher octave of Mars.  Eros was able to refine and transform his unconscious, instinctual sexual drive into erotic love as a path to spiritual illumination through his romance with Psyche.  In classical Greece, Eros became a patron of homosexual love and can be one indicator of sexual preference.  Beyond sexuality, Eros’ passion is experienced as simply “whatever turns you on, excites, or arouses.”  Eros is also the powerful emotional force that motivates one toward consummating desires and visions.  

In chart analysis, Eros serves as an indicator of one’s passion, sexual attraction, sexual preference, and vital energy.  The Eros personality is marked by the need to continuously recreate the excitement of falling in and being in love.  Hence, Eros by transit is a timer of sexual activity.

Stressful placements of Eros in the chart may describe potential difficulties in sexual potency and activity, frustrated passion, a depletion of vital force, or obsessive-compulsive attitudes toward love until the individual positively channels passion.  Planetary contacts indicate that the individual will be “turned on” by the aspected planet:  with Ceres, the passion is food; with Uranus, metaphysics, astrology, and music; with Saturn, a love of work.  In synastry, Eros aspects signify sexual compatibility and the reciprocation of passion.

Gardening & Farming with the Zodiac

Using the zodiac is a sensible and effective way to manage animals as well as cultivating plants and gardening needs.  The Farmer's Almanac is an excellent source of the cycles of the Moon's 2.5-day transits through each sign.  Knowing which sign position the Moon is stationed in can be both beneficial and supportive to those who find gardening and farming to be a staple of lifestyle.

Certain garden and farming chores are best performed under specific signs as detailed below.  Each sign of the zodiac is classified as being an earth, air, fire, or water sign. The most fertile signs are the water and earth signs. The fertile earth and water signs are optimal times for planting crops and pruning to promote growth. The air and fire signs are thought to be barren signs and chores such as weeding, tiling the soil, and pruning to control growth can be done while the moon is in one of these signs.

Aries - a fire sign. Insect control, plowing, pruning, trimming, weeding. A good sign for harvesting crops. Pruning done while the moon is in Aries will help to discourage the growth of nuisance plants and weeds.

Taurus - an earth sign. An fine time to sow seeds and transplant plants. A good time to prune plants to control their growth. Taurus is a productive sign for the planting of root crops.

Gemini - a barren air sign. Insect control, plowing, and weeding chores can be conducted while the moon is in this sign. Harvest crops during this sign for long-term storage.

Cancer - a water sign. Cancer is one of the most fertile times for sowing seeds and transplanting plants. Prune plants to encourage healthy new growth. The moon in Cancer is a good time to fertilize plants.

Leo - a barren fire sign. Gardening chores that can be safely conducted while the moon is in Leo includes insect control, plowing, pruning, trimming and weeding.

Virgo - a barren earth sign. Prune trees, shrubs, and herbs during this sign to maintain their shape.

Libra - an air sign. A good time for picking flowers which will last a long time in floral arrangements. Also a good sign in which to prune plants in order to control their growth and maintain their shape. Libra is an okay sign for planting and sowing especially flowers and grain crops.

Scorpio - a water sign. One of the most fertile times for sowing seeds and transplanting plants. Prune your plants during this sign to encourage healthy new growth. Also a good sign for applying fertilizer to plants.

Sagittarius - a fire sign. Insect control, plowing, pruning, trimming and weeding. A good sign for harvesting crops. Pruning while the moon is in Sagittarius will help to discourage the growth of nuisance plants.

Capricorn - an earth sign. An okay time to sow seeds and transplant plants. Prune trees, shrubs, and herbs during this sign to promote healthy new growth.

Aquarius - an air sign. Aquarius is a good sign to perform insect control, plowing, and weeding chores. Harvest crops during this sign for long-term storage.

Pisces - a water sign. One of the most fertile times for sowing seeds and transplanting plants. This is another sign which is conducive to the fertilizing of crops.

Asteroid Goddesses: Juno, Vesta, Pallas, & Ceres

An absolute must-have in the portfolio of psychological astrology.  I recommend this for everyone who studies the subjects.   Additionally, this book covers material that will help men and women in balancing each other's life purpose and mission in the 21st century.  I would also note that this book also discusses the minor goddesses, such as Psyche, Amor, Pandora, Diana, and more.

From Asteroid Goddesses by Demetra George:  The naming of so many asteroids after female deities paralleled an awakening of a feminine-defined principle in women, men and society. Around 1973, when the first astrological asteroid ephemeris was published and astrologers began extensive consideration of asteroids, the women's movement emerged, and new aspects of feminine expression began to awaken in human consciousness. Women became imbued with the seed possibilities of feminine creativity and intelligence that expanded and transcended the traditional roles of wife and mother.

This period also marked the rediscovery of women's ancient history, the growth of women's culture in creative and professional areas, and the rebirth of the Goddess in women's spirituality. The lives of men and that of society in general have also been affected by the activation and growing influence of a right-brain, feminine-polarity, holistic way of perceiving the world.

In the symbolic language of astrology, the goddess asteroids provided new archetypes that specifically addressed the current psychological and social issues that arose from this activation of the feminine principle.

Only two of the usual planets, the Moon and Venus, represent feminine archetypes, and these are of the mother and the wife. Until the asteroids, astrology had to fit all other women's experiences into masculine- defined archetypes. What was needed was a set of symbols by which to describe the other avenues of feminine expression that exist today. During the years since 1972 when astrologers have observed the significance of asteroids in birth charts, they have uncovered a wealth of information that adds insight and understanding above and beyond that gained from the usual ten planets.

The Asteroid Goddesses in the Charts of Men

Just as the planets named after male gods pertain to the lives of women, these asteroids named for female goddesses are also important in the lives of men. The recognition and honoring of one's contrasexual side completes and strengthens the personality, embracing the unintegrated energies that are often sources of trouble.

Ceres expands on the Moon's symbolism by further illuminating the relationship of a man to his mother and also to women and other nurturing figures in his adult life. In addition, Ceres signifies a man's own tender, caregiving side and the ways in which this part of his nature can find expression. Typical manifestations of Ceres energies in a man are teaching and mentoring, pediatrics and pedagogy, farming and gardening, cooking and nutrition, medicine and therapy, ecology and environmental protection, and, of course, his part in helping his own children thrive and grow.

Pallas, for a man as well as a woman, can symbolize his capacity for strategy, his quest for clarity and truth, his sense of justice, the acquisition of skill and ingenuity in useful arts, and the ability to channel life energy for healing. Just as she can in women, Pallas can signify either a man's rejection of the feminine within himself, or the drive to integrate the opposite sexual polarity into his psyche. The placement of Pallas can also suggest how a man perceives the strong, independent women in his life. This usually has to do with his sense of his own competence.

Juno can signify a man's style of dealing with marriage and other forms of partnership, including, in some cases, business partnerships. Her placement determines how the struggle between the self and the other plays out, and whether the partnerships a man enters into are likely to be equal or unequal. Juno may also show the sort of wife a man is likely to pick, and his attitude toward married women in general. This asteroid has to do with the man in his procreative role as husband and father, and, by extension, in any joint venture for the production of a new entity. Just as she does for a woman, Juno may also show how a man deals with the infidelity of a partner.

Vesta signifies a man's relationship to himself as a complete being, apart from relationships with others. Her placement can suggest to a man how he can best become still, look within, and tend to Deity or his inner spirit. Just as she does in women, Vesta can also signify a man's urge to conserve and preserve the home, the state, the culture and its institutions.

The Asteroids as Developmental Stages

When you combine the above basic symbolism of the first four asteroids with the order in which they were discovered, the four great goddess asteroids form yet another self-contained symbol system, one that defines four stages of human, and most particularly feminine, lives:

Ceres, the first asteroid to be discovered, governs the first stage of life, when the person's primary focus is the mother. This is the stage of the Child.

Pallas, the second to be discovered, suggests the time of life when the child starts looking toward the father to be initiated into the rules of the world outside the home. This period starts when many girls become tomboys and dream of their future careers. It continues into the period when young people are out in the world studying or working or pursuing a career but are not yet parents. In a woman's life this pre-reproductive stage is that of the Maiden.

Juno, the third asteroid to be discovered, was the archetypal wife on Olympus and was also a protectress of childbirth. She suggests the one stage of a person's life that is commonly devoted to marriage and reproduction. In a woman, this is the stage of the Matron.

Vesta, the last-discovered of the four, represents the final stage of life when a woman's focus commonly turns away from child-bearing and child-rearing, and she turns toward cultivating herself as a separate individual, apart from her family relationships. In women, this post-reproductive period is the stage of the Crone. This supplements the pre-reproductive or self-contained Virgin symbolism already mentioned in connection with Vesta.

Arranging the asteroids in this way gives further clues to their meaning. Naturally, however, a woman may embody the symbolism of any of these asteroids at any time in her life.  These life stages pertain to a woman's life in particular, something that has until recently been largely neglected. They of course have their analogies in the lives of men, but in a slightly modified form, since reproduction does not tend to be so central to men's lives and many men can reproduce well into old age.

Like women, men typically have a Ceres stage in which their primary attachment is to their mother, a Pallas stage where they are initiated by the father into the outside world, a Juno stage when they are husbands and fathers working to sustain a family, and a Vesta stage when they are free to retire and cultivate their inner lives.