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Doe, A Deer, A Female Deer: The Spirit of Mother Christmas

♥ happy solstice!!!♥

Gather Victoria

reindeergather-001Oh wondrous headed doe… Amongst its horns it carries the light of the blessed sun…” Hungarian Christmas Folk Song

Long before Santa charioted his flying steeds across our mythical skies, it was the female reindeer who drew the sleigh of the sun goddess at winter solstice. Today it is her beloved image that adorns Christmas cards and Yule decorations – not Rudolph. Because unlike the male reindeer who sheds his antlers in winter, it is the larger and stronger doe, who retains her horns. And it is she who leads the herds in winter.

santareindeer

It was when we “Christianized” the pagan traditions of winter, that the white bearded man i.e. “Father Christmas” was born. And so today we no longer remember the “Deer Mother” who once flew through winter’s longest darkest night with the life-giving light of the sun in her horns.

deer-crade-of-starlight-by-art-of-sekhmet Cradle of Starlight by Art of Sekhmet

Ever…

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. . . becoming your destiny—sept. 11th 2016

Came across this quote yesterday as I lazily surfed online. I have read it dozens of times, as most of you probably have, too. Only this time, its wisdom lined up nicely with what I am seeing in the current sky.

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

Line by line breakdown:

  • thoughts into words–>Virgo Sun conjunct a retrograde Virgo Mercury trining Capricorn Moon conjunct Pluto
  • words into action–>Sagittarius Mars squaring the Sun/Mercury conjunction
  • actions into habits–>Libra Venus squaring the Moon/Pluto conjunction
  • habits into character–>tight Sagittarius Saturn square to Pisces Neptune
  • character into destiny–>Virgo/Pisces nodal axis tied into Saturn, Pluto and Neptune

Virgo is practical—good ol’ everyday nitty-gritty. The brain working with the nuts and bolts of hands in dirt. A retrograde Mercury in its own sign is a blessing—a reflective opportunity to get completely clear on what tricks your mind plays on you. Those little whispers are your greatest tool or your greatest liability.

Allow the intense feeling wisdom of Moon conjunct Pluto to be the guide.

Pay attention to the beginning.

How do your thoughts nourish you?  How do they sabotage you?  Are you proud of the result of those little seedlings?

Lona

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new moon in gemini—givin’ that side-eye shade—june 16th

Mikalojus_Konstantinas_Ciurlionis_-_FORTRESS_-_1904_-_5_VarsuvaToday is the New Moon in Gemini at 25°. Mars is conjunct the luminary duo; Jupiter and Uranus move to exact their trine; Saturn sits at 29°.

It all goes down a couple of hours from now. Waning turns to waxing. We begin anew.

Yes, lovely, BUT has anyone but me noticed how stingy some have been the month of Gemini?

Not about money—I’m specifically talking about the doling out of human interaction. I have noticed example upon example of people who simply can’t be bothered to even acknowledge others, much less engage in a caring manner. Not aggressive mean, just choosing to turn a blind eye and simply ignore.

Just miserly and vacant. Social snubs of the highest order.

All over the place—for weeks now!

This is out of the ordinary behavior and I can pinpoint only that it coincides with the Sun being in the third sign. Do the Twins have a reputation for snobbishness that I have overlooked?

So, what’s the deal?

I realize the Twins is not the usual sign one goes to for depth of emotion and nurture, but come on!  The Twins don’t ignore the world! To the contrary, they are ravenously curious and can’t help but run those mouths about what they see and experience!

Why has it been so silent on so many fronts, then? Direct questions meeting crickets!

Is it due the fact every Gemini planet has had to oppose Sagittarius Saturn? But that doesn’t last the whole month! Is it because Mars is in the mix? No, again that speaks to engagement. The recent Mercury retrograde?  That doesn’t mean silence—quite the opposite.

Why the collective freeze out? Why, when a simple “hey, I see you,” would suffice?

So, this New Moon, I pose the questions: Where are you a stingy miser? Where, when and what do you ignore like a pouting child? Who do you punish with silence? Why? What are the repercussions? Who really suffers and what is really lost? Who has frozen you out?

Lona

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tarot tales: Strength VIII

I actually drew Strength months ago at the Aquarius New Moon, but never felt compelled to get a post out on it. Well, I think this is the story I have been dragging my feet to finally tell.

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Strength VIII

  • Major Arcana—understanding, exercising and choosing ‘soft power’
  • astrology: Leo
  • numerology: eight
  • basic themes: love over hate, courage, triumph, dominance over negative forces, bridge between spirit and body

 

 

Ivan came to us last Spring.

His is a story of ‘soft power’.

He has been missing since May 18th.

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weekend, now—pivots and action points—june 12th – 14th

Rossetti_1915_Sing_Song_Girls_AngelSo, Mercury is now direct!! Neptune is now retrograde; Saturn is hovering at the zero degree. Jupiter and Uranus are still givin’ the good vibes from their fiery thrones and the Sun and Mars are of one mind in Gemini.

That’s the weekend in a nutshell, folks.

Luna will spend today and tomorrow in Taurus—slow and steady and oh, so sensual—interacting with Neptune and Chiron in Pisces and Venus in Leo. All nice for a relaxing weekend. She will then move to Gemini on Sunday, conjuncting Mercury and opposing Saturn as he regresses into Scorpio that night—gearing up mentally for the work week ahead.

The Sun overtakes Mars at 23° Gemini on Sunday, as well—beginning a new cycle for our Warrior.

In one way or another, everything mentioned leads back to the intellectualism of Gemini.

Ideas, ideas, ideas. Retracing to inject cheerful wit and bold genius.

Alright.

Lona

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and for the week—energy, imagination, passion and calm—june 8th – 11th

George-Barbier-LAir-868-35This week’s skies are dominated by the Gemini Sun/Mars conjunction sextiling Aries Uranus and Leo Jupiter, who themselves are in trine. At first the sextile to Jupiter is the strongest, but by week’s end, as the Moon comes to help, the interaction with Uranus takes command.

What it all means is we can look forward to a relatively productive week.

We will effortlessly have enough energy to get what needs done, done. It simply won’t cross our minds to procrastinate—we’ll be squarely in the ‘now’ of doing—Mars cazimi to the Sun and all! Jupiter adds confidence and good humor; Uranus lends genius and riotous know-how.

I’m not complaining.

On the emotional front, well, lovely Leo Venus and dapper Gemini Mercury Rx* sextile for most of the week. Our minds can easily tap into the beauty all around—this is a pleasant and calming boost to the whole shebang!

For her part, Luna is moving to Pisces as I type, shortly to square Saturn Rx in Sagittarius—perfect mentality to get the work week started. As she drifts through the Mutable waters Monday and Tuesday, intense imaginative solicitude will be collectively available.

Then by Wednesday, she has switched gears to the fiery passions of Aries, fueling the energies of the boys in Gemini. She interacts benevolently with most, save for a square to Capricorn Pluto Rx which may cause some minor power struggles. But by Thursday evening she is VOC, allowing us to rest up overnight to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for Friday!

Yeah, still not complaining.

Lona

* I have noticed a glaring lack of hand-wringing about Mercury retrograde this go-round in Gemini. What’s goin’ on?

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care for some leo?—venus in the sign of the lion—june 5th – oct. 8th

If Leo isn’t your cup of tea, well, then I don’t know what to tell you, ’cause we’ve got lots of the Lion for the whole Summer and on into Fall!!

Lady-Lilith-Dante-Gabriel-RossettiYep, on Friday, the 5th, Venus left Cancer for Leo, where she will stay for the long haul, ya’ll—remaining in the 5th sign until this time come October! This area of your chart is going to be ablaze.

Wow! Just wow! Four months, people. FOUR! MONTHS!

And that is kinda how she will manifest—dramatic flare a’raging, capital letters and all.

Lady Aphrodite in Fixed Fire is big! BIG!

Big smiles, big hair, big egos, big hearts, big laughter, big drama!!!

Yeah!

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weekend augury—happy, happy, joy, joy!—june 5th – 7th

WoutiersTheTriumphofBacchusKHMIt’s looking to be a wonderfully positive couple days!! Nothing but trines and sextiles (oh, ok, a couple oppositions, too)!!

Today, lovely Venus moves to big-hearted Leo—where she stays for the summer due to her retrograde. Lucky us! And the Capricorn Moon makes a few final aspects before becoming VOC for the remainder of the day.

All weekend, Gemini Mars approaches a conjunction with the Sun, while sextiling both Jupiter and Uranus—Fire and Air!! All will brighten and we will have plenty of confidence to work and maybe party! This configuration becomes tightest Monday but we surely benefit now, too.

Tomorrow the Moon has moved to Aquarius to oppose Venus, then trine Gemini Mercury Rx. For her part, Venus trines Saturn Rx in Sadge. We’ll feel stable but also extravagantly sincere in our day-to-day emotional dealings. Fire fanned by the winds of Air.

Also Saturday, the Gemini Sun quincunxes Capricorn Pluto adding depth and intensity to Gemini’s fluttering mental gymnastics—great for conversations and such.

Sunday, sees Luna livin’ big with a sextile from Jupiter and Uranus AND trining the Sun & Mars. Aquarius loves the people and engaging socially will be a no-brainer under this influence!!

The Moon then goes VOC for the evening, so we can relax and ready for the work week.

Good times.

Lona

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the future is now!!—gemini/sagittarius full moon—june 2nd

Today, around Noon is the Full Moon at 11° Gemini/Sagittarius.

Perle-glezna-webThis axis is one of communication, travel and education. Gemini is more your cozy neighborhood, while Sagittarius is searching all corners of the world for knowledge.

Today’s luminary opposition is squaring Neptune Pisces creating a Mutable t-square—9°-12° Virgo, it’s ON!!!  Almost in lockstep with the Lunation, Gemini Mars is exacting his first quincunx with Capricorn Pluto Rx, while Mercury Rx still interacts kindly with the Nodal Axis.

Added all together, it communicates (Gemini/Sadge) a celestial push to realize your dreams (Neptune/Nodal Axis) but with the full knowledge that getting there isn’t gonna be easy (square/inconjunct). Nope, you’re gonna have to use your brains (Gemini Mercury) and work for it (Mars), HARD (Pluto). But with discipline and determination (Capricorn Pluto) the world WILL answer your call (Gemini/Sagittarius).

It’s wide open (Mutable), ya’ll!!!

There is no Lunation more apt to kick off the ‘rest of your life’ for all the graduating students this time of year than a Full Moon in Gemini/Sadge.

Big fish in the small pond (Gemini) is progressing to little fish in the big pond (Sagittarius). The day-to-day is being replaced with the unknown—a much bigger, scarier journey than before. All the education and growing, all the brainstorming and philosophizing are the tools you’ll need to get you on with it!!

Who knows where the adventure will lead, but the destination was never the point, was it?

Happy Full Moon!!!

Lona

 

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week ahead—critical control—june 1st – 4th

Sunset-by-Caspar-David-FriedrichHoly crap, it’s June!!!

And for the first week, it’s actually a busy couple of days.

Today, the Moon finishes her monthly in Scorpio, moving to Sadge joining Saturn at 0°. The intensity of this placement is exacerbated by Luna and Father Time being at critical degrees—but trying to keep it all under tight rein, like Scorpio and Saturn are want to do. Tense!

Tuesday sees the Gemini/Sagittarius Lunation, where Mars plays an important role. (I will go into more detail in a subsequent post.) Then by suppertime, we contend with a wide Grand Fire Trine among the Moon, Jupiter and Uranus, that will no doubt help with the FM hangover.

Wednesday, Luna goes VOC just after sunrise and remains so till after sunset.  Sandbag the work day, if you can, unless, of course, you need to use the Void to your advantage!

Thursday, the Capricorn Moon works her way through aspects to the Nodes and Neptune to reach Pluto, late. The vibe is reminiscent of how we began the week under a Scorpio Moon conjunct Saturn—emotional discipline and control.

Also, similar is the day’s critical degree/out of sign square between Cancer Venus and Sagittarius Saturn Rx at 29° and 0°, respectively.

Don’t let this get you down. Remember your worth and know you have what it takes!

Lona