Sept 14 ---- Mercury Retrograde Period ----- Oct 6

Merc-Juno #1 --- Merc (R)-Juno #2 --- Merc-Juno #3
Aug 22 --- Sept 24 --- Oct 24

To learn more about the psychophysiology of Juno see: The Asteroids#Juno

Events on the global stage have been reflecting the issues of the Juno-Mercury cycle and that which we are all dealing with in our own consciousness. The opportunity is to coparticipate out of mutual respect and equality, or spitefully act from an arrogant superiority complex or spitefully withdraw in denial of dealing with our own fear based issues--not easy stuff.


Immediately prior to the New Moon, The Moon aligned with Juno under the auspices of the star Vindemiatrix, the harvester, of Virgo, indicating it is time for us to go forth in our relations from the maturity gained during this redefining period. Mercury stations on the New Moon and returns direct just 8 hours after the New Moon.


New Moon & The Messenger Raven

Our New Moon theme is set by the stellar energies of Corvus the Messenger Raven, which enters the ecliptic in mid-sidereal Virgo.

Al Chiba, Alpha Corvus and Algorab (the Raven), Eta Corvus are the principal stars contributing. The stars of Corvus asks us to live in "present attentiveness," moment by moment, and to be guided in our lives by the messages communicating through all facets of the world around us. Spirit's messages communicate through all of nature, not just the ravens, but through all aspects of the natural world. The world talks if we would listen.

The Corvus Nebula (an irregular disk of stellar dust) disguises our soul's guidance into out-of-the-ordinary forms and synchronistic expressing in nature.

Also conjoining our lunar theme are the emanations of Beta Hydra, of the Water Serpent, which lies just under the Raven. Beta Hydra is "of warnings" in the sense that ravens often indicate to sailors where hidden rocks reside, that is, what to avoid. This could indicate things that would tear us to shreds and destroy our souls' missions. Corvus can also provide omens and affirmations of a positive sort--affirming currents of importance to act upon for our greater fulfillment. Beta Hydra reveals that which is just below the surface of our conscious awareness through the natural world that lies visibly above.


Messages from the Heart

The Mercury-Juno cycle merges into the Venus retrograde cycle. Our Mercury-Juno cycle had us maturing in our intimate and significant personal relations, to move beyond participating from our righteous judgemental attitudes. The Venus retrograde cycle is at home in sidereal Libra, just as the Mercury cycle was at home in sidereal Virgo, and so is especially empowered. While in sidereal Libra, Venus retrogrades under the skirt of the Virgin, at the Virgin's feet, and over the benevolent stars of the Centaur and the Southern Cross. The Venus retrograde cycle has us maturing in our capacity to participate from the purity of our hearts rather than from the righteous attitudes of judgmental mind. The Centaur is teacher of the right way to live so we may participate from the original cardinality or our souls--from the purity of intent held by our souls before all of the aberrations and distortions inherently incurred while incarnate. Hence, the importance to follow the messages provided from the world around us, and to not get in the way of the heart with mind's mentalizations and belief structures.

The entire Venus retrograde cycle squares Jupiter, which lies in the Egyptian Scarabaeus (sidereal Cancer), supporting us to emerge from the dogmas of personal mind and collective consciousness and to initiate action from expanded heart.


Wisdom, Embracing the Opposites

The asteroid Pallas, after a rather lengthy and difficult period, completes its retrograde period in mid-sidereal Capricorn, supporting co-participation from beyond the judgments of side-taking, from the experiential wisdom gained only from having been on both sides of the fence at one time or another, and from honoring both sides as being equally as valid. Now we can begin too apply our creative intelligence with that wisdom.

Pallas has been in a longer cycle with Uranus, which will complete on Jan 5 2003 in the first degree of sidereal Aquarius, marking a radical departure from self interest in to that of all parties.


Regarding the Pallas-Uranus cycle:

From the May 12, 2002 Lunar Planner:

This alignment supports us to relinquish the less-evolved Pallas expression: spiteful withdrawal based upon judgments and side-taking. The change that this lunar cycle finalizes serves us to evolve radical new ways of interacting and participating heretofore unavailable for humanity--to participate from the creative intelligence only gained from having been on both sides of the fence at one time or another in our souls' history, and in the interest of all parties, rather than of just one side. We now begin a period of creating a radically new world.

From the June 10, 2002 Lunar Planner:

Can't Hide On One Side

The asteroid Pallas begins its retrograde period on June 13. Pallas has been conjoined Uranus for the last few weeks. (Uranus began its retrograde cycle a few days ago in the previous lunar month.) This extended conjunction occurs just as Juno goes forth commencing relationships anew.

Uranus supports us to radically sever from the conformity of the past, and brings its capacity through Pallas to activate higher neurological resonances in our second chakras of interpersonal relations (liver / spleen balance)--into all that is Pallas related. This process will continue through Jan 5, 2003 when Pallas and Uranus conjoin for their final trigger.

Pallas-Uranus "demands we no longer hide in the old and typical behavioral modality of spiteful withdrawal based upon judgments and side-taking--hiding in the who did who wrong song. Instead we must address our challenging experiences by taking mutual responsibility for their creation and co-participate in mutual respect and equality. It demands we find creative solution behind spiteful withdrawal, which supports us all to radically severe from the conformity of our antiquated ways. At the same time, the climax of the Juno-Uranus opposition theme supports significant change in how we interact in our relationships--those between individuals and those between countries.

The World Stands Still

Saturn, on the Gate of Man of the Holy Cross in sidereal Gemini, begins its retrograde period on Oct 11 just after Venus begins its retrograde period on Oct 10. Both stations occur just before the First Quarter Moon. Our action Moon requires we consider the ramifications of acting from mind and abandoning heart, and it brings to surface any fears we may hold about trusting our hearts.


Opportunity for Attainment

Our Full Moon conjoins the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), which embodies the ideal of human expression in radiant and exquisite form. The Andromeda Galaxy is exemplar for the human evolved into superhuman, the unified and illuminated being in full majesty and glory. M31 was first viewed simply as a nebulosity in the heavens, but with the advent of evolved telescopes, the galactic beauty became visible as our nearest galactic neighbor, and as well marked the time for humanity to realize we can become much more than what we originally perceive. Here lies the potential to become our true galactic selves in fully illumined and visible expression of our highest potential. M31 holds the ideal for the evolution of our galaxy and for life in it. Its qualities are beauty and perfection. The Andromeda Galaxy inspires us to be all that we can be and to see opportunity for attainment rather than seeing limitations blocking our intended destiny.


Emergence

Our Last Quarter, Initiate Change, Moon of Oct 28 conjoins Praesepe, the Beehive Star Cluster (M44), also called the crib or manger. Praesepe embodies the protective and nurturing environment supporting the birth / awakening / transmutation from darkness into light. But Praesepe primarily is of emergence, migration, new beginnings, shedding old skins, skeletons and cocoons, emerging out of the collective frenetic confusion of mass consciousness, finding one’s new path and direction; leaving behind old dwellings and the structures of consciousness they represent, and getting out of the collective dogma and the darkness it creates. Praesepe embodies the essence of the Scarab / Cancer theme: the emergence out of darkness, dogma, and delusion, and the re-awakening back to Light. Alignments with Praesepe may indicate a new dwelling place is at hand or is in order to find. Like the migration of bees from an old hive to a new one, alignments with Praesepe follow the character of that process: Often before identifying one's true or new direction there can be frenetic confusion, a sense of lack of direction, a feeling of being totally scattered. This is temporary and is part of gaining the feeling for the right direction, like turning in a complete circle in order to identify the way that feels right. Praesepe requires we trust in our magnetic sense, our inner compass to hone in on the new direction in the emergence process. Fears associated with some Praesepe alignments: fear of letting go; fear bound in the illusion of collective consciousness and of dogmatic beliefs. Praesepe attention to the possibility of being lost in the frenetic buzz of collective mass consciousness or religious dogma and the need to step out of it, to find a new place.

Remember to Trust Expanding Heart.