Astrological update for the week of December 4-11, 2023

art by Marcelo Dalla

Neptune turns direct. This month we have three planets changing signs which means a shift in planetary energies, and that begins with Neptune turning direct this week. This is especially significant if you are experiencing a transit of Neptune to your own chart as it will intensify during this time. Neptune stations can be somewhat destabilizing since Neptune urges us to detach from the practical and embrace the creative and mystical. Neptune won’t begin to pick up speed until mid-January making this an ideal time to gather the faery dust of the holidays and use Neptune’s inspiration and imagination to create an abundant picture for the coming year.

Venus enters Scorpio and dances with Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn.  When the planet of love and beauty enters the sign of the emotional warrior it can get intense (I know this only too well since I have this in my own chart!). This is especially true because Venus has to leave the safety of her own peaceful sign of Libra to enter the Scorpionic fires of transformation through fire. But this week Venus gets support from other planets to facilitate this shift and help us to glean all of the passion and thrill that Scorpio has to offer.

Scorpio is a sign of power, and while it’s not the easy sign of the zodiac to manage it can be one of the most rewarding. Life on the surface has its limits and its own challenges, and Scorpio takes the knife of its Mars rulership to cut away the BS, and the Pluto rulership facilitates empowerment and the blossoming of an experience that is real and true.

Mercury turns retrograde next week so watch for the shadow. A great deal has been said about the shadow and astrologers debate how long it is, what it means, and why we should pay attention. In any case, Mercury slows down this week to a crawl in preparation for its retrograde turn on the 13th and is nearing its closest point to Earth. Communication and information is more important now, and we may experience our lives slowing down so that we can pay closer attention.

Also next week, the Sagittarius New Moon!  The Moon will enter Sagittarius on Monday and preparation begins for the New Moon. We can get a head start on preparing for that by using Mercury in Capricorn’s attention to detail and practical matters to think ahead to the celebration. The New Moon in Sagittarius helps us to facilitate our dreams and goals, and knowing what these are can be a big help in manifesting them.

Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)

Monday December 4. The Moon starts the week in Virgo, a time when I always like to clean my house and get things organized. Virgo is primarily concerned with practical matters and the Moon is waning now so it’s a good time for some decluttering. Harmonious lunar aspect offer support and clear thinking, but in the afternoon Venus enters fiery Scorpio and then the Moon gets into an argument with Mars which could last for a few hours.

The effect of the waning lunar square just after midnight on Tuesday begins Monday evening and may require an adjustment of some sort. Be prepared to change your view. (Moon trine Mercury 5:12 am, trine Jupiter 12:32 pm, Venus enters Scorpio 1:50 pm, Moon square Mars 1:51 pm.)

Tuesday December 5. The planetary weather on Tuesday offers a chance to regroup and rebalance with a pleasant aspect from Venus to Saturn. This would be a good day to spend time with someone you may have a difficult time with, or to tackle a challenging interpersonal situation. It’s also the last chance to take advantage of the Virgo Moon’s inspiration to set your life in order. (Moon square Sun 12:49 am, trine Uranus 3:44 pm, Venus trine Saturn 5:51 pm.)

Wednesday December 6. Neptune turns direct on Wednesday but that’s usually not something we particularly notice. A lunar aspect to Neptune just after midnight will likely be unremarkable, and then the Moon is kissed by Pluto before moving into Libra in the late morning. This Moon/Pluto event is fleeting but has the potential to awaken something deep within. It’s a good time to pay attention to feelings.

Under the Libra Moon our attention tends to turn towards a more diplomatic approach to situations. We crave that inner balance and peaceful relationships which could be briefly disturbed late in the evening when emotions can get tripped up by our ideas and beliefs. (Moon opposite Neptune 1:16 am, Neptune turns direct 8:22 am, Moon trine Pluto 8:50 am, Moon enters Libra 11:34 am, Moon square Mercury 11:00 pm.)

Thursday December 7. Positive energies abound on Thursday. It becomes simpler to adopt an optimistic outlook, focusing on possibilities instead of limitations. By being attentive, we can more effectively let go of painful emotions that become entrenched in our body and mind, and crystallized into our beliefs. (Moon sextile Mars 6:15 am, sextile Sun 6:36 pm, opposite Chiron 6:39 pm, Sun trine Chiron 7:11 pm, Mercury trine Jupiter 11:08 pm.)

Friday December 8. The Moon completes her journey through Libra today and is pretty quiet until late evening when in the late degrees of Libra she faces off against Pluto just before entering Scorpio. It’s a good day to polish up our sword and shield and be ready for the intensification of life under the Scorpio Moon with all her passions and power. (Moon square Pluto 8:05 pm, Moon enters Scorpio 10:34 pm.)

Saturday December 9. The Moon is very busy on Saturday and mostly compatible with the other planets in the sky. A bit of tension between Venus and Jupiter is generally positive since these are the two benefics – the planets which usually offer support and good fortune; however, with Venus in Scorpio we may feel some stress between a demanding situation and a desire to remain in a peaceful inner state. As stressful aspects go this one is pretty mild and will likely not create any big problems. (Moon trine Saturn 1:33 am, conjunct Venus 9:23 am, opposite Jupiter 10:41 am, sextile Mercury 12:46 pm, Venus opposite Jupiter 10:34 pm.)

Sunday December 10. The skies are relatively quiet on Sunday other than a few hours of tension in the middle of the day. It’s a good day to relax and ponder the meaning of life as we prepare for the Moon to slip into Sagittarius on Monday morning.

I hope you have a wonderful week! For up to the minute rambles on planetary musings check out my new Musings/Notes on Substack.

The post Planetary news this week: Venus in Scorpio and falling stars with Neptune appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

photo by me

A challenging square from Venus to Pluto has been building all week, have you felt it? Venus in Libra, longing for harmony and connection, antagonized by Pluto’s need to strip away artifice and the niceness which Libra craves. That square aspect peaks today and offers an opportunity to face those hard truths and still hold onto the beauty. This poem speaks perfectly to that tension and I hope you enjoy it! 💖

“Being alive,
it seems,
means learning to bear the weight of the passing of all things.

It means finding a way to lightly hold all the places we’ve loved and left anyway,

all the moments and days and years that have already been lived and lost to memory,

even as we live
on in the here and now,
knowing full well
that this moment,
too,
is already gone.

It means,
always,
allowing for the hard truth
of endings.

It means,
too,
keeping faith in beginnings.”

~ Katrina Kenison

The post Sunday Poetry for a Venus/Pluto dance appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

Astrological update for the week of November 27 – December 4, 2023

art by Ecem B

I wrote about the Full Moon in last week’s post and again yesterday, so you can catch up on the details there – by the time you read this post the lunation will have culminated (4:16 am EST/9:16 am UTC) and the Moon will begin its waning phase. The waning phase of the Moon is a time of letting go and release, there is a sense of returning to the source so that we can begin anew at the next New Moon.

This week is pretty quiet astrologically – the only real news is that Mercury (mind and communication) will enter Capricorn (serious enterprise) on Friday December 1st. Mercury presides over communication and the transmission of information, but also infuses our thinking with the energies of the sign through which it travels. In Capricorn, the sign of goals, accomplishment and leadership, we become more purpose-driven and more concerned with practical matters.

Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)

Monday November 27.  The energies of the Full Moon will likely remain for the first couple of days of the month, and a stressful aspect from Mercury, ruler of the Full Moon, to Neptune today could bring about some confusion and a dreamy detachment from practical matters. This isn’t a serious day, and it’s optimal for creative pursuits but less great for making tough decisions. (Gemini Full Moon 4:16 am, Mercury square Neptune 8:27 am, Moon sextile Chiron 11:57 pm.)

Tuesday November 28. The Moon is still in Gemini all day on Tuesday and once Monday’s Mercury aspect fades the Moon will do all the talking. It’s a comfortable morning generally, but watch for a bit of confusion around 3-5 pm EST and some difficulties in communication or misunderstandings in the early evening. (Moon trine Venus 12:54 pm, square Neptune 4:29 pm, opposite Mercury 8:03 pm.)

Wednesday November 29. The Moon enters Cancer shortly after midnight. The jump from Gemini to Cancer can feel abrupt, as we go from maximum mind (Gemini) to maximum feeling (Cancer). Under the Cancer Moon we are more prone to mood swings and need the support of our families and loved ones. We may also be more interested in cooking! Harmonious lunar aspects offer support and comfort on Wednesday. (Moon enters Cancer 1:53 am, trine Saturn 3:51 am, Moon sextile Jupiter 3:21 pm.)

Thursday November 30. More lunar aspects today, including a rather painful aspect to Chiron in the morning which could bring up some old hurt feelings. Remember to breathe, and wait to take action. The rest of the day could bring a surprise or something unexpected. (Moon square Chiron 7:32 am, sextile Uranus 4:19 pm.)

Friday December 1. There are some difficult lunar aspects early on Friday that will begin to translate a challenging Venus aspect which culminates on Sunday. Personal relationships could be affected which though troublesome, could bring up something hidden to be healed and released. It’s a good day to question whether our feelings are justified by the situation. Once the Moon enters Leo at 11 we will likely feel less emotional, but the interpersonal challenges will likely linger through the weekend.

It’s a good few days to fix longstanding relationship issues. Mercury enters Capricorn at 9:31 am EST which ought to help us to think more practically about a situation. Under the Leo Moon we can be somewhat self-absorbed, so we may need to make a special effort to understand another’s needs. (Moon trine Neptune 1:04 am, square Venus 3:08 am, opposite Pluto 8:06 am, Mercury enters Capricorn 9:31 am, Moon enters Leo 11:00 am, Moon trine Mars 9:47 pm.)

Saturday December 2. Saturday is definitely a more cheerful day, but those relationship issues still linger as we approach Sunday’s Venus aspect. The Leo Moon seeks pleasure and happiness and a helpful Mercury aspect will add focus and stability. (Moon square Jupiter 12:44 am, trine Sun 6:44 am, Mercury sextile Saturn 10:27 am, Moon trine Chiron 6:05 pm.)

Sunday December 3. It’s Venus/Pluto day! Venus is in Libra, longing for balance, and the challenge by Pluto can bring out conflicts that have been simmering under the surface. Aspects like these don’t create problems, but they will reveal hidden incompatibilities and force them into the open. If we approach any problems that come up with this understanding we can resolve things much more quickly.

A tense lunar aspect around 3 am EST won’t help the situation, but after the Venus/Pluto interaction peaks at 8:30 am EST the tension will likely ease later in the day. Some of us Scorpio types (me) have a tendency to hold onto situations long after others have moved on so be aware of this when the Leo Moon encourages us to let go and enjoy the company of others.

The Moon will shift into Virgo in the evening EST and bring with it more calm and attention to the practical details which will help us to clean up any emotional debris from the previous few days. (Moon square Uranus 3:12 am, Venus square Pluto 8:29 am, Moon sextile Venus 9:11 pm, Moon enters Virgo 10:50 pm.)

That’s it! I hope you have a wonderful week. If you’re not signed up to receive my monthly Planetary Illuminations forecast, which is back from sabbatical, you can sign up in the sidebar. 💖

The post Planetary news this week: Mercury in Capricorn & relationship issues appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

artist unknown?

The Gemini Full Moon culminates tomorrow (November 27th) at 4:16 am EST/9:16 am UTC.  You may know that the Full Moon is the midpoint of the lunar cycle which waxes and wanes each month in the dance between Sun and Moon, stirring the ocean tides and the tides of our own emotions.

The Full Moon takes us through the experiences of the zodiac just as the Sun does, but the Moon is opposite the Sun when it is full and we have an opportunity to balance the zodiacal polarities. When the Sun is in Sagittarius at the Full Moon, Moon is in Gemini and a tension is created between opposite signs which have something in common but are opposite in nature. The Gemini/Sagittarius polarity is easier to integrate than others because both signs encourage us to learn and have opinions; to expand the mind through knowledge and curiosity. However, where Gemini is curious and inquisitive and tends to seek a wide variety of experiences without judgment, just for the sake of expanding awareness, Sagittarius seeks meaning and a philosophical framework through which to filter one’s experiences. Gemini is associated with learning and communication, where Sagittarius looks for adventure and the achievement of expansive goals.

In any case, the Full Moon today and tomorrow includes a tight aspect to Mars which will energize and inspire the Sun while opposing the lunar need for air and space to think and imagine. Saturn, planet of restriction, squares both ends of the spectrum and enforces a time out. This is a time when we long to fly, but our wings are clipped even if only for a few days. To resolve this problem and untie the Saturnian knots we can use this time for learning something new and use the power of curiosity (Gemini) to develop or change our philosophical approach to life (Sagittarius).

Albert Einstein’s quote about holy (Sagittarius) curiosity (Gemini) fits so perfectly into this story and I’ll leave it here for us to ponder. 💖

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.”

—Albert Einstein, quoted in Life magazine article entitled “Never Lose a Holy Curiosity,” May 2, 1955.

The post Sunday inspiration from Albert Einstein for this Gemini Full Moon appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

I love Thanksgiving as much as the next person. Sharing a feast with friends and family, a few days off at home – cranberry sauce and mashed sweet potatoes with caramelized apples. Not to mention the pumpkin pie that Rich bakes from scratch, using fresh pumpkins from local farms.

Still, history is written by the winners, and like so many of our holidays the actual history of the Thanksgiving holiday is lost to the mists of legend. According to most accounts, our Thanksgiving holiday commemorates the feast held by the Pilgrims of Plymouth, Massachusetts to celebrate their first successful harvest and the assistance of two Native Americans, Samoset and Squanto, who taught the Pilgrims how to tame the land and nourish their families. But there is some evidence that the primary purpose of the feast was to sign a treaty with the Wampanoag tribe for the land that the Pilgrims occupied, and that the 90 Native Americans who attended the feast actually brought a substantial amount of the food.

Native Americans who greeted the early settlers provided aid and assistance to the newcomers. When the settlers did not return their hospitality, refusing to marry their women and disrespecting their spirituality with efforts to convert them to Christianity, they began to rebel. The early settlers from England viewed the natives as savages rather than equals to be respected.

We all know what happened next.

The idea of holding a celebration to give thanks for the harvest is an ancient one. The ancient Greeks and Romans held celebratory feasts to thank Demeter/Ceres for the year’s bounty, from which comes our “cornucopia,” or horn of plenty. In ancient China, a Moon Festival celebrated the harvest moon with feasting. Ancient Egyptians gathered in thanks to the goddess Min who presided over fertility and plenty.

In our modern American culture Thanksgiving has become associated with the excess that is destroying its spiritual fiber. We eat too much, we drink too much, and then we sit around and watch football. The day after Thanksgiving we converge at the mall where we spend too much money and buy too much stuff, for which we then need to hire professional organizers.

I propose that we make today a day of gratitude and sincere thanks to the Universe for the true bounty that has been given to us. Some days we can find little to be grateful for: genuine trauma and despair fills our heart and it seems there is no light to be found. It is at those times when more than any other we need to look deeply into our life and find there the seeds of opportunity that wait to be discovered. Like the silver lining found in every cloud, each disastrous event holds within it a tiny light of potential rebirth and regeneration.

It is an essential truth that the aspects of our life on which we place our focus will continue to grow. If we find within our hearts the ability to be grateful, we will be rewarded by increasing abundance and plenty. I leave you with this beautiful quote:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

The post Thanksgiving and the essence of gratitude appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

As many of you know, I took a bit of a writing sabbatical this fall. I expected it to last through the end of the year, but I found I was eager to get back to my life as planetary oracle. Staying closely tied to the movement of the planets is a more powerful support to me than I thought, and if I only learned this one thing in my sabbatical it was well worth it!

There have been no major planetary alignments during this time which made it easier to take a writing break. Without major planetary alignments the faster moving planets become more noticeable, but their influences tend to be less cataclysmic in nature and the effects do not last as long. That said, we had eclipse season in October followed shortly by Scorpio season in November, and the intensity was definitely ramped up. (Not to mention the new war in the Middle East.)

Mars in focus. Over the past week the Sun, Mars and Ceres aligned in the Mars-ruled sign of Scorpio: a combustible combination which may have caused some disruption in your life. The Sun leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius on Wednesday and will be joined by Mars later in the week, so you can expect the energies to lighten up a bit as we ease into the expansive Sagittarius season of adventure.

Full Moon. The Moon will be waxing into fullness this week in anticipation of the Gemini Full Moon early Monday morning. This Full Moon opposes Ceres and Mars as well as the Sun for some heightened fiery intensity. Sagittarian fire is very different from Scorpio fire which is emotional and not afraid of conflict; under the influence of Sagittarius we are driven more by yearnings of freedom and less from frustration.

The Gemini/Sagittarius polarity is one of the easiest to manage – both signs are hungry for knowledge and learning and resist any efforts of containment or restriction. On Sunday and Monday we can most easily use these Full Moon energies by looking ahead and devising exciting plans for new adventures to expand our horizons.

Here’s what else you need to know this week (Dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, here is a time zone converter to adjust for your locality.)

Monday November 20. The week begins with the Moon in Aquarius for just a few hours during which it will form some irritating aspects before slipping into Pisces around 9:30 am. A  harmonious solar aspect to Pluto shines a light through any darkness, though, making this an overwhelmingly positive day.

Meanwhile, Mercury and Chiron align to aid in our ability to think through difficult situations and fosters healing of all kinds of problems. Moon square Mars 4:38 am, square Sun 5:49 am, Moon enters Pisces 9:29 am, conjoins Saturn 10:44 am, Sun sextile Pluto 4:26 pm, Mercury trine Chiron 10:08 pm, Moon sextile Jupiter 11:19 pm.

Tuesday November 21. You can expect to feel pretty cheerful on Tuesday, but the Pisces Moon doesn’t really support clear thinking. It’s a good time for creativity and the kind of woolgathering that fosters creativity, especially around 1-3 pm. A harmonious Mars aspect to Pluto, in effect all day and into Wednesday, helps to energize us to take action in ways that support our personal growth and evolution. (Moon square Mercury 2:15 pm, Mars sextile Pluto 8:17 pm, Moon sextile Uranus 8:35 pm.)

Wednesday November 22. Two planetary bodies change signs on Wednesday for a noticeable shift of energies into fire:  The Sun enters Sagittarius as described above, and the Moon enters Aries. Last week and over the weekend we had the fiery combustion of the Sun and Mars in Scorpio, but Scorpio is a sign of emotion and fire which can feel very uncomfortable for many of us.  The entry of the Sun and Moon into fire signs helps to amp up our enthusiasm, motivation and drive.

The Moon is generally harmonious on Wednesday, but a stressful Venus aspect to Chiron could reveal tension in our interaction with others if there are any hidden triggers that are keeping us from achieving rewarding relationships, and a solar aspect to Saturn builds today which could put the kibosh on our plans and make us wait. (Moon conjunct Neptune 3:45 am, Sun enters Sagittarius 9:02 am, Moon sextile Pluto 9:28 am, Moon trine Mars 10:09 am, Venus opposite Chiron 11:44 am, Moon enters Aries 12:19 pm, Moon trine Sun 12:34 pm. 

art by Holga Jen on Etsy

Thursday November 23. That Sun/Saturn aspect culminates early on Thursday but some frustration will remain due to some lunar aspects which aren’t satisfied with holding back. These influences will ease by evening but with this being Thanksgiving in the U.S. and many of us spending time with challenging family members some caution may be required.

With Mars moving into Sagittarius early Friday those fiery influences will help us break through any blocks which may have stood in our way on Thursday. (Sun square Saturn 4:46 am, Moon conjunct Chiron 3:26 pm, Moon opposite Venus 5:57 pm, Moon trine Mercury 10:51 pm.)

Friday November 24. Friday morning we will likely feel pretty energized with Mars newly in Sagittarius and the Moon still in Aries, a nice combination of fire without too much stress. Around noon EST we may experience some disruption under a Pluto influence, followed by the Moon shifting into Taurus for greater stability.

When the Moon is in Taurus we are less motivated to be active or to confront difficult situations. Until the Moon enters Gemini on Sunday evening we may want to stick close to home, especially with a Saturn aspect building on Friday to culminate on Saturday. (Mars enters Sagittarius 5:14 am, Moon square Pluto 12:40 pm, Moon enters Taurus 3:28 pm, Moon sextile Saturn 4:59 pm.)

Saturday November 25. With Saturn squaring Mars today we may feel thwarted if we try to accomplish too much. There may be a pull between our desire to be comfortable in our situation and an urge for a change. The I Ching says “Perseverance Furthers,” a good guideword for today. (Moon conjunct Jupiter 4:42 am, Mars square Saturn 11:57 am.)

Sunday November 26. Sunday (EST) is relatively tranquil with just a few easy aspects to the Taurus Moon. The Moon moves into Gemini in the early evening and is energized by Mars a little later, preparing for the Gemini Full Moon very early Monday morning.  Gemini craves interesting things to think about and do, so this will be a good time to make some plans for the coming week.

(Moon conjunct Uranus 3:02 am, sextile Neptune 10:42 am, trine Pluto 4:51 pm, Moon enters Gemini 7:39 pm, square Saturn 9:22 pm, opposite Mars 11:07 pm.)

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The post Planetary news this week, and catching up: appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

Cazimi occurs when a planet is within a degree of the Sun, and that is the situation this weekend. Mars and the Sun, both in Mars-ruled Scorpio, have been within a degree of each other since last Wednesday and the exact conjunction occurred very early Saturday morning EST. We still have a few days of this fiery alignment but so far rumors of disaster have not come to pass. 

These fiery planetary alignments can inspire and energize us, especially in Scorpio where we are driven to seek Truth in everything we do; to delve into experiences that offer real meaning and genuine human interaction. For this I offer Oriah Mountain Dreamer’s “The Invitation.” 💖

It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon…
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.

It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.

Oriah Mountain Dreamer, “The Invitation.”

The post Sunday inspiration for the Mars Cazimi appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

artist unknown?

Everyone has very strong feelings about this situation but please keep any comments confined to the astrology and I will do the same. 💖

First, some history of the Age of Pisces

The region known as Palestine has been occupied by many nations over the millennia and has been a hotbed of conflict since the beginning of the Piscean age. Pisces is traditionally ruled by Jupiter, the planet which presides over theology and philosophy as well as religion, and the Piscean age has been marked by a dominance of religious ideas and institution that was not previously seen in the human experience.  Although this conflict has been raging for 100 years, there is something cataclysmic and apocalyptic about the current war – a fight to the death between the three monotheistic religions of the Piscean age.

(There is no real agreement over when the Age of Pisces began – In 2006 when I first researched the matter I found that the date of 498 c.e. was accepted by many astronomers, but this has evolved over the past 17 years. I could find no consensus among either astrologers or astronomers. These zodiacal ages are 2148 years in length and the boundaries are not hard edges.)

click to enlarge

Modern Day Palestine

The modern day Palestinian conflict grew out of the capture of the region by the British during World War I and the Balfour Declaration which supported the creation of a homeland for the Jewish people. (It’s important to remember that one reason why the creation of modern Israel was supported by both England and the U.S. is the fact that neither country wanted to accept Jewish refugees.)

The British mandate ended on May 14, 1948 and the fledgling nation of Israel accepted the partition plan proposed by the British. However, the Arab states did not accept the plan and civil war between Arab states and Israel continued and resulted in the “Nakba” or catastrophe in which nearly 80% of native Palestinians were displaced.  The Arabs retained control over the West Bank and Gaza, but this ended in the 1967 war. Events which sparked the 1967 6-day war began with the Suez crisis in 1956 when Egypt attempted to block Israel’s access to shipping routes and the UN stepped in. By 1967 frustration in the Arab states over the perceived imperialist interference had risen to a point where armed conflict was threatened and those threats carried out. After the war Israel conquered the areas shown on the map and began expanding Israeli settlements into the occupied lands which has continued over the past 50+ years.

The astrology of Israel and Palestine

If you’re interested in my detailed analysis of the chart of Israel you can find it here. When I first began my research of the astrology of Israel back in 2006 I ignorantly assumed that the chart for Palestine would be the same since the partition by England divided the two nations. But an astrological chart for a nation represents the identity of that nation, and since Palestine did not agree to the partition that partition date (May 14, 1948) does not seem relevant to the astrological analysis.

Astrologer Jamie Partridge has done an excellent analysis of potential charts for Palestine, concluding that the proclamation of the independent state of Palestine in 1988 makes the most sense and I agree. This chart shows the 29th degree of Leo on the ascendant – the degree of the fixed star Regulus. There is a potency to the 29th degree of any sign, and the 29th degree of Leo denotes a strength of will that is unparalleled (let’s also note that Donald Trump has a 29 Leo ascendant as well).  The Sun in the chart is in Scorpio, jointly ruled by Mars (traditional ruler) and Pluto (modern ruler), the sign of power and courage. The Scorpio Sun conjoins the IC, signifying the land of the people (the homeland). We can see where the intensity of the drama arises here in the astrological charts.

The astrological chart for Israel shows the Sun in the fixed sign of Taurus in square (challenging aspect) to Mars (warfare and aggression) in Leo. In mundane astrology, the Sun represents the spirit of the nation, and Taurus is focused in security and peace. A fixed sign, Taurus can be stubborn like the Bull by which it is symbolized, and does not easily adapt to the ideas of others.  Mars in the Israel chart is at 28 Leo, in a tight conjunction to the chart of Palestine, a signature of conflict. The square of Mars to the Sun shows a combative nature, and a trine from Mars to domiciled Jupiter in Sagittarius denotes a strong ideological and righteous focus.

click to enlarge

The October 7 attack

The astrology for Israel is pretty vivid for that day. Pluto sits at the IC of the chart, opposing the Moon at the Midheaven, in angular locations which intensify their influence. Emotions (Moon) are high and challenged by the death rattle of Pluto. Mars, planet of war, is locked in a tight T-square aspect to both the angular Moon and angular Pluto, lighting the match of rage. The lunar nodes of fate are also angular, sitting on the ascendant/descendant axis of identity and open enemies.

To top it off, Uranus (radical shock) sits on the Sun in the Israel chart suggesting surprise and dramatic events while Jupiter sits on the North Node of destiny, accentuating the sense of fate playing out in a series of historic events.

Is there a way through?

The modern nation of Israel was established to rescue the victims of the Holocaust, but in order to establish the nation, the fledgling Israeli nation had to fight with the local Arabs in order to expand Israeli territory.  Now the victim (Israel) becomes the perpetrator.  The Palestinians become the victims, not only of Israeli expansion but also in the refusal of neighboring Arab nations to permit them to enter these countries as refugees.  At first, Palestinian violence against Israel was mainly intended to help Palestinians return to their homes, but later as the collective rage against Israel grew, this violence became more generalized.  Now the Palestinians are also the perpetrators.  At the same time, Israel is portrayed as a victim against the aggression of Lebanon and Iran.  So both the Israelis and Palestinians are locked in a cycle of victim/perpetrator that has no end.

Making things more complicated as we close out the Piscean age and transition into Aquarius is the religious conflict inflamed by American evangelical Christians who believe that Christ will return when the Jews are restored to Palestine. (This is a marked departure from the centuries-old practice of blaming Jews for the death of Jesus.)

We have just emerged from a 200 year period of Earth (beginning in 1800-1840 ) into a new age of Air, and this is occurring about the same time as we are making the shift from the Piscean Age into Aquarius. Pluto will soon complete its passage from Capricorn into Aquarius and in 2020 Jupiter and Saturn conjoined in Aquarius, so this is a particularly Aquarian time. Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn occur every 20 years – they align in the same element for about 200 years and after cycling through all four elements they repeat again making an 800 year cycle through the elements. (Here is a handy table provided by astrologer Richard Nolle if you want to investigate further.)

I see the current conflict as a point of last resistance in this time of change. Everywhere around the world we see the resistance to the transformation that is occurring in the human experience. Pluto was last in Aquarius from 1762 to 1778, a time when nations across the globe fought to throw off the shackles of oppression. Aquarius is associated with rebellion and revolution but also technology and innovation. Wikipedia, an organization which famously derides astrology, writes that the 1770s were “a period full of discoveries, breakthroughs happened in all walks of life, as what emerged at this period brought life to most innovations we know today.”

As we move into the astrological influences of the next few years, the winds of change will continue to blow across the globe in ever more extreme ways and the threat of nuclear war may culminate in 2024 and 2025, especially when Neptune enters Aries in 2025.

Time will tell, but there is no doubt that the landscape of what we call Israel and Palestine as well as the entire Middle East will be forever altered by the events occurring today. In the meantime we can each do what we can to be kind and refrain from igniting the tinderbox of hate. As Robert F Kennedy said, “”Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.” ​

The post The astrology of the current Middle East crisis appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

Tomorrow’s Scorpio New Moon offers an opportunity to delve into a deeper state of being and learn what is true beyond the fluff of every day life. This is my path right now (here’s an update on my sabbatical if you missed it!) and I found this piece to be inspirational in keeping me on the path of awakening. 💖

A growing down so often necessitates a “sinking to the depths.” If we do not consciously choose the journey, the journey will choose us on its own. The soul, weary and neglected so often captures us in the only way it can — calling us into sickness or depression, perhaps some kind of a fall or terrible grief, or a betrayal — even a lingering apathy; a “Dark Night of the Soul.” At some point all the ornaments of self-image will lose their sparkle or even vanish, and it’s often with great suffering we realize they no longer contain the meaning the world assured us they would have. Eventually we have no choice but to turn within.

The path of descent, of that “deepening into life” means letting go. At some point we must surrender — let our roots sink into our own darkness to weave and web their way into what lives in that dirt of self — what has been waiting. Here we can discover the deeper realities hidden within our own bodies, our circumstances, our experiences, let the old ways die. In this loss we can make space for Something Greater, for the soul to be reborn. It is from here that we can be re-enlivened like limbs warming back from cold or a lack of blood, returning not with the trappings of the world, but to an enriched, embodied life.

There is a profound legitimacy to this darkness that so often the world just can’t understand, and even sneers at. But it is this deepening that fleshes us out and makes us human. The very word “human” can be traced back to the ancient term for “of the earth” or “ground.” Perhaps something like “the little clod of earth that I am.” And like the spreading of roots beneath the Tree of Life we must sink into that earth within ourselves, weave roots into our own being, to awaken to the reality that those roots are connected to so many others. For it’s the “deepening down” that connects us to our own soul and to the souls of others — to the very Earth itself. And it is in the “dirt” that we find the true gold, that is: the embodied soul, and what makes us real.

— R. A. Falconer

The post Sunday inspiration: The path of descent at the Scorpio New Moon appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.

art by Helga Joy

In honor of the big transits that are happening in my own chart right now (details at the bottom of the post) and my own inner explorations, I offer this beautiful piece of inspiration to let go of blocks and anxieties that keep us locked in a prison of our own story and help us convert this prison into a prism of possibilities. 💖

Can you feel it?

Life breaking through inside us like an undeniable rising tide of wild brilliance and truth..

Asking us to wake up and rediscover ourselves as the planetary beings and hearts that we are

Inviting us to break through our fears and separation

Melting the divides to find a melody that unites us.

A tune that activates all of our hearts.

A song that tells us who we are growing into.

A truth that touches us so deeply that we long to hear it with every fiber of our being,

that gives us permission,

that takes off our brakes

that unleashes the love and creativity of our whole species,

that tunes us back into the soul sanity that lives us,

that serves to ignite the more that we are

so that the power of our collective awakening

breaks us out of the mould that has held us back

and delivers the quantum shift needed

to activate our profound potential as restorers

of life’s exquisite and miraculous balance.

My current Big Transits: Uranus opposite natal Pluto/South Node, Chiron opposite natal Saturn/Sun/Neptune conjunction and squaring natal Uranus.

The post Sunday poetry: Can you feel it? appeared first on Bela Fridman astrology readings and writings.