The Lunar Planner

The time immediately before a New Moon is a time of total surrender, a time to empty self so the New Moon theme can express in its purity. This is especially significant on a total solar eclipse. A solar eclipse allows us to disengage our daily modality of being in the world so we can go forth and function in a new octave of being. It allows us the opportunity to express ourselves in the world in new ways. Generally, the eclipse lunar cycle is one of disengagement while the one following heralds the current of our new expression.

The Path of Totality

This total solar eclipse occurs in the Southern Hemisphere. The path of totality begins in the South Atlantic, crosses southern Africa, the Indian Ocean and ends at sunset in southern Australia. A partial eclipse will be seen in most of Africa, western Australia, and Antarctica.

For maps, and technical and travel information on this eclipse, please visit this WEB page:
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/TSE2002/TSE2002.html

Image courtesy of www.MrEclipse.com.

The Consummate & Covenant Kiss
on the Dec 7 Crescent Moon

Venus, Juno (the asteroid of covenant relations), and Mars will continue to conjoin throughout this lunar cycle. This long and sustained conjunction is a rare, once in a lifetime event. It is the slow movement of Venus ccompleting her retrograde cycle that sustains this current conjunction throughout two lunar cycles, allowing a powerful fusing of their energies

Venus and Mars kiss for three weeks solid centering around the crescent Moon of December 7, with the goddess Juno bestowing her blessings. Venus is also at her greatest brilliancy on December 7.

These planets are heliacally rising (Venus and Mars are seen in the eastern sky just before sunrise). Planets rising in the morning sunlight are imbued with solar fire, making them not only beautiful and brilliant, but especially potent and significant in their astrological effect.

A Quicktime animation of the Venus-Mars kiss culminating
at the time of the Crescent Moon of Dec 7, 2002.

Venus is shown completing its retrograde, allowing Mars, Juno,
and Venus to conjoin for an extended period.

The animation starts on Nov 1, 2002 and completes on Jan 1, 2003
Mars and Venus are closest to each other on Dec 7,
as their paths cross.

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Venus had been in a retrograde period from October 10 through Nov 21, 2002. Retrograde cycles provide opportunities to redefine and evolve the areas of our selves that the retrograding planet or asteroid embodies. The Venus retrograde cycle was one of redefining heart. While in sidereal Libra, Venus retrograded back 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 had us maturing in our capacity to participate from the purity of the original intent of our hearts and souls rather than from the righteous attitudes of judgemental mind.

This lunar cycle will be when the effects of the stellar alignments discussed in the previous issue (Syrma of the Virgin) fully engage. This is when our old coding fully releases, allowing us to participate in a new octave of experience unencumbered by antiquated patterns of the past. The total eclipse provides an opening for a fresh new expression, specifically in relationships. This is when the fear in our hearts is cleared and we become free to act from pure hearts.

Divine Union

Venus and Mars can be thought of in two ways: not only as the female and the male archetypes, but also as our heart chakras and base chakras independent of gender. Their conjunction with Juno supports a Diving Union of mutual trust and equality between male and female, and in our ability to act in confidence from our hearts.

A New Birth for Covenant Relationships

Venus, Juno, and Mars are now moving together for an extended period through the sidereal sign of Libra--birthing anew from the "Under the Skirt of the Virgin." This allows a new birth in the nature of our relationships. We now have a new choice available in the way we participate and interrelate in our relationships. One way, along the path of heart, leads to our evolutionary fulfillment, while the other way, fear and judgement-based, leads to perpetuated karmic entrapment. This birthing allows our relationships to take on a new form of expression and into a new octave of co-creative experience. This includes significant relationships of all sorts: those of an intimate nature, those between countries, and especially relationships of a soul-level covenant nature.

Juno Psychophysiology

Juno is the asteroid of covenant relationships, soul colleagues, and true lovers. In the astrological chart, Juno indicates the nature of the issues and opportunities in significant relations of all sorts: those that are of a personal nature to those of political leaders and nations of the world. Mature Juno is diplomatic, tactful, cooperative, and mutually trusting. Mature Juno expresses with a sense of equality within self that provides the ability to draw true partners and those of equality into one's life. There is an acceptance of another's truth or opinion without need to challenge or debate. There is an ability to honor and support others in their own choices and decisions. Mature Juno expresses self-confidence in humbleness and without defense.

Potential issues are: Superiority / inferiority complexes - competitiveness, defensiveness, lack of self confidence, arrogance and judgment of others; unconscious manipulation of others - power struggles seeking contention; betrayal, bitterness, spitefulness and standoffs; jealousy and possessiveness; one-up-man-ship--validating self by invalidating others (or reverse); dictating behavior--telling others what they should or should not do--minding others' business instead of one's own. A form of denial of Juno issues within self can express as needing to fix others or have them change or leave, instead of working on the issues within that surface while in partnership. Mature Juno expresses in mutual support and unconditional love to allow each other to grow and change through whatever issues surface. Other Juno issues are meddling; fear of abandonment, rejection or betrayal; inability to draw or participate with equals and true colleagues; hiding behind teacher-student relationship (on either side); partners drawn are those providing intense lessons only for both parties, rather than providing true, mutually supportive growth in equality and participation together in life purpose.

Juno's placement in the astrological chart is one of several points that determine the types of significant relations drawn into our lives. Juno specifically is involved with drawing our true soul-mates or twin-hearts.

Because Juno is where we deal with our inferiority / superiority complexes, and if this issue is prominent, partnerships drawn in earlier life can be full of lessons regarding such issues and not much else. Once a certain level of clarity is attained within self regarding the asteroid issues, true soul level covenant relations begin to show up. This does not mean we still do not grow regarding Juno issues, but there are those individuals with which we may also have a mutual soul bond and mission to pursue together.

To learn more about the astrological role of the asteroids please see: The Asteroids

The New Moon Theme

Our New Moon Eclipse lies in sidereal Scorpio, but in the thirteenth ecliptical constellation of Ophiuchus, and under the auspices of Hercules and Restaban, Eye of the Dragon (Beta Draco).

Restaban, expressing through Hercules and the shoulder of Ophiuchus, is a hierarchical / godhead office overseeing those who truly effort to serve humanity and the freedom of incarnate souls. Restaban opens a passage through primordial forces in the material world for those of true and pure intent that is otherwise blocked for those of selfish intent.

Also conjoining Restaban is Apus, the bird of paradise. Their common name Apus is derived from 16th-century Spanish explorers, who believed them to be visitors from paradise. Apus is a messenger and embodies a quality off swiftness. This theme is also fitting to our Hercules who stands upside down in the Heavens, with feet (foundation and heritage) in the realm of the gods (in the upper heavens) and hands (work in service) in the world of the incarnate soul.

This lunar cycle is one of doors opening, and blocks being removed, for the integrous souls--those of true and pure intent--for those who live and act from Heart in mutual resect and equality.

Pluto is empowered in this lunar cycle, the ruler of Scorpio, serving to destruct limitations held at a personality level and open the way so the truth of the soul can reign.

Jupiter Retrogrades in the Scarab

While the eclipse is occurring on Dec 4, Jupiter is stationing, about to begin its retrograde period (opposite Pallas) in the Egyptian Scarabaeus (sidereal Cancer) and over the head of Hydra--just five hours after the eclipse. Because of this synchronicity the Jupiter retrograde theme plays a significant part in this lunar cycle and in Solar Eclipse theme over the next six months.

Jupiter 's retrogrades back over Acubens in January. Acubens, claw of the crab, embodies the theme of entrapment in our personal dogma (belief structures) as well as in political religious dogmas of mass consciousness. Conjoining Acubens is Zeta Hydra--a multifarious source of destruction apparently outside of self but made manifest only by our own personal belief structures (Every time Hercules cut off one of the Hydra's heads more grew back.) If we want our outer experience to change we must redefine the beliefs we hold rather than to spitefully act from them.

Remember, retrograde cycles provide opportunities to redefine and evolve the areas of ourselves that the retrograding planet or asteroid embodies. This cycle, in part, will provide opportunity to redefine our belief structures in regard to how we use our resources and our ability to mobilize the wealth that we are. It will allow us to examine how our belief structures create the perpetual battles we fight--apparently about wealth and resources--but which are our own undoing. It will be interesting to see how this plays out on the global stage. Remember, all players and scenes on the global arena are but a reflection of the facets and forces at work in our individual lives. The retrograde period will complete in April of 2003 at the souther ass of the crab (dung of the Scarab) just in front of Praesepe, the beehive star cluster. The beetle emerges from its own dung! The theme of the Egyptian Scarabaeus is emergence out of darkness, dogma, and delusion into light.

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury begins its retrograde at the end of this lunar cycle in early sidereal Capricorn, just prior to the next New Moon of Jan 2, 2003. Mercury will retrograde back through late sidereal Sagittarius, while conjoining with Chiron. More on the Mercury retrograde in the following lunar month.