Huricane Sandy - Here She Comes

There was a 7.7 quake off the British Columbia coast on Saturday night, close to Haida Gwaii also known as Queen Charlotte Islands.  It is not a highly populated area but some felt the quake as far as Vancouver, Canada and Port Townsend, U.S.A.  The only thing that indicated a presence some kind of a force were the chandeliers at my friend’s house – they started swaying for about five minutes, all in synch and yes, it wasn’t the wine! My girlfriends and I were drinking after all but this was a real earthquake.  Luckily, Haida Gwaii is not a highly populated area and even though the Canadian papers talked about the fact that this was a very powerful earthquake, it did not make it in to many news headlines.  The spotlight has been focused on Sandy, the super storm and rightfully so. 

Have you experienced the calm before the storm feeling before?   At times we feel that the calm before the storm is a cliché.  When things seem to be in the most perfect order then some kind of invisible hand comes in and shakes them up and they fall like dominoes.  Well, many of the events in our lives are to an extent affected by astrological cycles and they too, have their ebbs and flows.  Let me share some of them as we look at Sandy, the super storm also named the Frankenstrom that smashed into East Coast of the USA in the late hours on Monday.  With its total diameter of almost 3,200 km, Sandy is the largest storm in Atlantic storm history.  The destruction it leaves behind is, at least for now, incomprehensible. 

Since I have mentioned the Canadian earthquake I must say that we do tend to experience a higher probability of earthquakes and tectonic changes during Uranus square Pluto aspects.  The earthquakes have been more frequent in the last few of years.  Pluto is in Capricorn and Uranus is in Aries.  Earth and fire, strength and volatility is an interesting mix.  The ring of fire has definitely experienced more earthquakes and volcanic activities in the last couple of years.  So if Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn is the combination for tectonic changes and earthquakes, what do we need to look at when it comes to Sandy?  Well, Uranus square Pluto does not only mean earthquakes, it also symbolizes tension, darkness, and the underworld.  What have we been hiding?  Will all of that come to surface now as Uranus, the revolutionary in Aries will shake things up?  Back to Sandy’s chart – Uranus square Pluto just intensifies the storm.  It not only brings destruction and darkness, leaving millions without power, it also makes us think about things we wanted to look at but were perhaps afraid of.  Is there a better way we can live in this world?  Is this a natural cause or an environmental one?  Has it been perhaps pre-engineered?  It is up to everyone to make up their own mind and decide.  

Let’s look at the timing of the storm.  The main astrological event of this week is Taurus Full Moon which occurred on October 29th.  Taurus is an earth sign, it rules the structures, the buildings, the land and it symbolizes the material goods and the stability.  Storms that occur at the height of the Full Moon tend to be stronger than usual because of the extra high tides. Since Taurus symbolizes material resources this translates directly to the economic damage caused by Sandy because of flooding and heavy rains.  This loss will be devastating and it is something that I feel is important to note, since Taurus rules the second house, the house of resources.  Will the US have to put pretty much all of its resources to repair the damage caused by this super storm?  Aren't we already crippled by fighting wars that have spanned for more than a decade now?  The preparation for the storm has been costly and the cleanup will be difficult and perhaps even more costly.  The Moon is void and will remain void until Wednesday.  By then, the storm will subside, the Moon will be in Gemini, the life will as it always does, emerge from the darkness.  People will have their work cut out for them.  Gemini Moon will bring them together, the strangers will meet, hopefully helping each other and supporting each other as they work together to bring things back to normal. This will be a lengthy process. 

In the storm’s chart Saturn is conjunct Sun in Scorpio.  Neptune and Chiron are in Pisces and so is the Ascendant.  If you run the chart for New York City and Atlantic City in New Jersey, the Ascendant is the same since these cities are on the same longitude.  Ascendant often sets the tone of one's chart and its ruling planet becomes the ruling planet of the chart.  My Ascendant is in Taurus so my ruling planet is Venus.  Ascendant is all about timing.  The Ascendant of Sandy, the super storm, is in Pisces and this sets a tone for a very watery chart with Neptune as its ruler.  Neptune's glyph is the trident of Poseidon, God of the Seas.  Before the discovery of Neptune, Jupiter was the ruler of Pisces.  In ancient Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of the gods and the god of the sky and thunder.  I like to combine both ancient and modern astrology and mythology, and in this case, the rising sign of this storm can be viewed through both perspectives – the perspective of the water and the sky.  With that being said, the chart is set for the "perfect" storm.

With Saturn in Scorpio conjunct the Sun we will feel tension and bickering, fear and confusion for days after Sandy subsides, but this time, closer to now and next week, we will see it through the political perspective.  Neptune is about illusions, and Sandy's Neptune is in the Twelfth House, house of deep psychological emotions, house of our inner self.  We may never find a correlation between the timing of the storm and 2012 US Elections.  There are a lot of conspiracy theories out there that talk about the perfect timing, the confusion, the smokescreen.  The eyes of the public are on the weather.  The election frenzy has turned into a 24 hour weather channel.  Is it yet another illusion created by Neptune, the lord of deception?  

As I mentioned earlier, the chart of hurricane Sandy is very watery.  This watery chart brings heavy rains and flooding.  Saturn in Scorpio opposing the full moon will just add to the devastation of the storm.  While Sun, Neptune, Saturn, Chiron and the Ascendant are all in water signs what about the other planets?  Mercury is in Sagittarius and it was square to Neptune a couple of hours before the full moon.  Mercury is about communication, Sagittarius is often very expansive, reaching far and wide.  Square aspect explains the disruption that was experienced not only during the preparation of the 2012 Election but also during the preparations for the storm.  Mercury rules transportation, communication, trade and as we saw earlier, the region was paralyzed way before the storm was scheduled to hit the coast. 

The chaos of the storm will translate to the political chaos which will continue into the next week and then, on November 6, the presidential election night, Mercury will go retrograde as it did during the Election night of 2000.  The American public and the world may have to wait a while to find out the results of the presidential election.  Mercury will be in Sagittarius, which can make the truth elusive; Neptune will be in Pisces which can make things uncertain. so if you think hurricane Sandy is wild, get ready for even wilder election night!

So here she comes, hurricane Sandy, taking away the old, creating chaos, confusion, shaking things up.  Lastly, let’s look at one more interesting thing in Sandy’s chart, let’s look at her Chiron in Pisces, in the Twelfth House.  Chiron in Pisces is trine Sun in Scorpio.  This aspect represents a powerful emotional healing.  The hurricane itself and the devastation Sandy brings is a tragedy but with the losses there comes a sense of something new, followed by a rebirth.  Chiron in Pisces is self-healing, the master of all physicians, the wounded healer.  Chiron embodies compassion and the selfless service to others.  And here we are, perhaps we are waking up.  In the midst of the darkness of the super storm, we have found light.  A way for us to wake up, to pick ourselves up, to clean and to purge, to open ourselves to the new and to begin once again.  The allegory of the wounded healer, urging us to purge, with its strength and power, it is pushing us against our limits.  Let it do what needs to be done, let it cleanse, let it heal.  

 

The bay, a view from my window 

As I write this I am looking at the sea.  I am on my day off and on those days it seems that the time goes by much slower.  Looking out the window I see the water is calm, no rain, no wind, just the typical drizzle, there were eagles flying around earlier today.  The water looks dark but there is some sunlight in the distance.  It feels like the Pacific is so far away from the hurricane affected area of the East Coast.  It also feels years apart in a way.  Other times it feels so strangely close, like some kind of invisible connection one has with the rest of the world.  Not to get too depressing, but I wonder about the calmness.  I wonder about the healing that is cut out for us all regardless of where we live since it is the healing within, and through this healing we still can save our Mother Earth.  Let it heal I think to myself, let it heal.  

Till next time, perhaps on much lighter note my friends.  To those in the affected areas, my thoughts are with you.  Be safe!  Blessings and love to you!

Mars - The Warrior Of Light

                                                                                              

At his highest vibration Mars is the Warrior of Light

“Mars in the 9th House confers a restless and adventurous nature, which may take a person away from the country of his birth for long periods. When Mars is in the 9th House, traveling is nearly always undertaken in connection with work, employment overseas, being the preferred alternative to simply traveling.”

The DK Foundation

Uh, it is me, my Mars in the Ninth.  I have always travelled and explored the world, I was always and still am on the go.  My travels were not a holiday trip.  Not for pleasure.  My travels were not a first class cruise ship trip to the Caribbean.  My travels came out of a necessity and they still do.  Travelling is still a crucial part of me, I did it and I do it for the need to see my loved ones, to study, to work, to visit people I want to see.  Every time I left a place and the people I loved I felt like my heart was being torn apart.  The result of this lifestyle – blame it on my Mars is that I feel at home everywhere.  Wherever my small family is, there is my home.  But it has a flip side to it too.  I sometimes feel like I have no home at all.  There, I said it.   

So where is your Mars?  We all have this warrior planet hiding somewhere in our birth chart and it is truly up to us how we use it and whether we make friends with this red planet, often thought as a malicious or war like planet.  I truly believe that there is nothing, absolutely nothing in your birth chart that you can't work  with, make peace with and live with.  It is all part of a beautiful harmony and it is only up to us how we learn to harness Mars’s fiery energy.  Just like the Moon’s energy represents our emotions, Mars is represents our assertiveness and strength. 

Mars, its sign and a position in a chart affects not only our personal journey but it also affects our world and our collective journey.  Let me give you a few examples from the most recent astrological happenings and how Mars can affect these different energies of our current affairs.  These are just simple examples, meant for a brief illustration only.  I am sure you will be able to think of more examples, perhaps your personal ones, or the collective ones affecting you directly, depending where in the world you may live. 

            On July 3, Mars entered Libra, the sign of peace, not war.  Libra is the sign of diplomacy, weighing the good and bad, seeing both sides of the coin.  Mars in Libra spirit helped to keep the Summer Olympics 2012 in a friendly but competitive spirit.  It was all about diplomacy and fair play.

 Mars entered Scorpio on August 23.  For those of you who follow golf – maybe you have noticed a little hostility of the American audience toward the European golfing team.  My American friends please don’t get offended by this, I did not mean to criticise you but I do follow golf and understand a fair amount about it.  Both teams and all the players were great.  They were competitive and friendly but it was the general public that definitely was expressing their Mars in Scorpio.  Mars in Scorpio can be spiteful, blaming and ever surprising warrior.  And the unexpected surprise was – the European team won the golf history was made once again – the Miracle of Medinah. 

 Mars entered Sagittarius on October 6, just in time for the 2012 Presidential Debate here in the U.S.  Mars in Sagittarius is a show off at times, idealistic and not the down to earth type.  Isn’t it just what we have been seeing and hearing?  I don’t think I need to comment more on this.  The U.S. presidential debates are still important, but haven’t they become just a talk with empty promises?  At this time, Mars in Sagittarius is in power.  It makes people over-promise, it makes people more idealistic, it makes them believe they can do more than they are able to do.  You make your own conclusion.

 Mars is the God of War and the ruling planet of Aries.  We hear that everywhere.  Mars can wear different hats at times.  Mars can carry a spear, even a machine gun but he can also carry a shield.  Mars can represent our inner warrior, the force that drives us to achieve something, to reach our goals, to serve as a self defence mechanism, our inner Karate Kid.  Knowing your Mars sign can enable you to access your inner strength and to use it wisely when you need to.  My Mars is in Capricorn.  So in addition to my travelling shoes, my Mars wears a business suit and quite often a gym gear.  Its force and ambition can drive me crazy at times.  I have learned to keep it under control.  I love to run, to exercise and I have also learned to hold back tears when I leave my family and friends behind as I continue on my journey. 

So who are these twelve warriors? 

Mars in Aries is the knight in shining armour.  He fears no blood, no wounds, he is the strongest of them all.  Mars in Aries has no fear, he loves to be challenged, he prides himself to be the survivor of many fights.  He has scars, cuts and wounds.  He still stays strong.  Whenever I think of Mars in Aries I think of Elton John’s song “I Am Still Standing.”  That is Mars in Aries.  People with Mars in Aries are decisive, to the point, all they often can think about is winning and they don’t have much patience.  Yet generous and giving, they want to be of use, but feelings set aside, if you want to be dealing with them don’t expect them to baby you. 

Mars in Taurus is like a bull in a cage.  He knows he has to get things done and he does them well.  He tries to get things done even if they are impossible, even if they are unmanageable.  He goes out every day, day after day and ploughs the fields of his farm.   Mars is expansive and Taurus is patient.  He wants to be on the go and at the same time he is often cautious to get going.  People with Mars in Taurus are strong willed and when they set their mind on something it will be their way.  Mars in Taurus people can pursue their goals tirelessly regardless of whether others around them agree with them or not. 

Mars in Gemini is content with the amount energy Gemini provides, the action and the challenges.  Gemini makes things happen and that is exactly what Mars wants.  He likes the constant activity, the challenges of the day, their interactions with the world.  At the end of the day, Mars in Gemini is tired and often wonders did he accomplish anything at all?  At times, however, people with Mars in Gemini do feel like their fire energy is perhaps scattered and instead of being the flame thrower they need to use their warrior energy as a laser beam.  That is their biggest challenge.  Boredom is their enemy. 

Mars in Cancer is kind and considerate but reserved.  He manages his daily to do list well but craves more challenge.  Mars in Cancer can be very defensive at times.  Being around people with Mars in Cancer can make one feel like walking on eggshells.  Where exactly is the limit, what can you say and what can’t you say to people with Mars in Cancer without them getting overly defensive?  Mars in Cancer likes to be needed and likes to provide care to others.  Interestingly enough Mars feels alright in this home and family oriented sign, it just takes a little bit of getting used to the idea of learning to care and feel for others. 

Mars in Leo can say whatever he wants and he frankly doesn’t care what others think.  Frank Sinatra has Mars in Leo and he was famous for doing things “My Way.”  Mars in Leo is highly creative, artistic and a natural actor.  He has an abundant energy and drive, sunny personality and is always very generous.  Show off at times Mars in Leo’s biggest challenge is humility.  At times these people can be pushy, arrogant and dominating but all in all they are rather special.  Leo loves to be the centre of gravity.  People with Mars in Leo love to be admired and praised.  The down side is that they can be a bit pushy and dominating.

Picture someone who is a perfectionist, a planner and loves to be organized - that about sums up Mars in Virgo. Mars in Virgo is precise and he tolerates no nonsense.  He is pretty much chronically unable to be pleased or satisfied with anything.   What is great about these people is that they can, if they want to change their nit-picky energy to energy where they can be of service to others.  Being motivated in this way these people can contribute greatly and help those who are in need and those who are less fortunate.  To have their place in the universe and to be of service is a basic need for people with Mars in Virgo.   Relaxing and letting go is their biggest challenge.

Mars in Libra really feels like in a foreign land.  The sports champion, the knight and the warrior will not be able to make compromises that easily.  Mars in Libra is charming and possesses  great social skills.  Diplomacy is his virtue but beneath his placid and “fair” nature there is a warrior within, ready to conquer and ready to fight just to be stopped and tamed by the Libran nature.  A peaceful warrior is the best description for people born with Mars in Libra.  And let me tell you, how refreshing it is to know strength can be measured in different ways than number of soldiers, warrior planes and bombs. 

Scorpio is the detective of the Zodiac and therefore Mars in Scorpio has a passion for tracking down criminals, finding other people’s secrets, digging into their deepest of emotions.  Mars in Scorpio makes a great opponent and is attracted to all taboos.  He has a confident and an assertive behaviour.   Mars is Scorpio people can be secretive.  Mars in Scorpio people do often complain about unfairness and corruption but let me tell you they are not all saints. Whatever they are doing, they get extremely involved with it.   As Roy Alexander once said “Some people call them obsessive, but they think of it as commitment.”

Mars is Sagittarius is a great explorer.  He enjoys travelling, the challenges and adventures of the unknown and undiscovered worlds.  There is one problem, though.  Mars is an individualistic planet and Sagittarius is a highly social sign.  So this fellow can get quite overwhelmed with his sign and can get into battles he did not want to fight.  People with Mars in Sagittarius have strong opinions, they can be perfectionists too.  They are always open to new ideas but also to new relationships which can pose a problem.  They would rather do many different things and travel to many foreign lands than analyse their relationships with others. 

Mars in Capricorn does like to wear a business suit.  At times, he complains about the corporate culture and his life in a cubicle but there are plenty of other avenues to satisfy his hunger for winning and the quest for achievements.  There is plenty of room for his energy and aggression in this world.  He is great at setting goals and motivating his staff.  He is a great boss but not the greatest employee, but at least he is as reliable as one can get.  He can increase profits and influence people.  People with Mars in Capricorn are generally energetic and ambitions.  They set their long-term goals and pursue them untiringly.  Every fall is their boost and therefore they can seem rather unsympathetic toward others. 

Aquarius is all about welfare.  Mars is all about self.  Therefore Mars in Aquarius can be quite unsatisfied in his own skin.  He feels the push to go out and help others but he also feels he can’t quite deliver what is expected.  He gets too upset about social injustice, about the “real world.”  He feels safe in his cubicle listening to pan-flute and thinking of a better world, a better place.  And then the reality hits.  Mars in Aquarius people are often very rational but they also possess a great deal of compassion, their problem is they don’t know how to express it.  They are independent thinkers and they are open to new ideas and new ways. 

Mars in Pisces is trapped on a deserted island.  Robinson Crusoe in a warrior suit is not exactly how Mars pictured his adventures.  There is plenty of room for meditation but Mars feels just lonely in the vast nothingness.  Mars is energy and Pisces is spirituality.  This is one of the toughest masks Mars can wear, the mask of Pisces.  Mars in Pisces people can be weak or at least appear weak and vulnerable.  They can show their strength in the creepiest of ways trying to stay to be macho or the tough guy.  Mars in Pisces person tries to project and hide behind some kind of image, an idea.  They are usually gentle and compassionate unless they feel threatened.  Then, they can act with anger, deeply repressed anger so hey, better watch out.  Pisces is not always the most peaceful of all signs!

Well, that is all.  Where is your Mars?  I have found mine and let me tell you, he is a piece of work! 

Have a great day, night, wherever you may be my readers!  I am back – after one busy and crazy summer. I have a couple of short articles on Leo, Virgo and Libra ready for you as soon as I can get them into this blog.  

Until next time,

Andrea