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Copyright © 2007 Nick Anthony Fiorenza, All Rights Reserved
Astronomical Myth is a "picture language," imagery that articulates the qualities of cosmic intelligence expressing throughout the greater heavens and through our lives. We are not separate from the greater heavens, from the stars and planets around us, or from our beloved Earth, but are intimate parts of this dynamic, continually unfolding heavenly symphony. This entirety is our cosmic consciousness, the totality of our being. To explore the greater heavens and the heavenly cycles is to explore that which we are--our embracing consciousness and our spiritual evolution.
Please remember that the purpose of the Lunar Planner is to learn to live in the experiential awareness of the present. Although the material below can provide philosophical context for your personal experience, the New Moon is the ideal time to experientially "tune in" to get your unique new lunar month theme. Then, consciously participate with the changing Lunar Phase Characteristics in the unfoldment of that theme in your daily life.
New Moon Phase Characteristics
Moving from the self-interest and personal motivation of our last lunar cycle originating in early sidereal Capricorn, we now expand our wings of interest beyond self. Our lunar cycle in early sidereal Aquarius now asks us to expand our perceptual bubble to include those around us, our greater human family; to step forth from the facades and caves in which we hide and to embrace our greater commonality. Here we are asked to open ourselves to new experience outside our own sphere of consciousness.
The Veil (Lacework) Nebula NGC6960 CYGNUS
(Conjoining Sadr of Cygnus)
This image of the Veil (Lacework) Nebula was taken with the Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory.
"The Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) is part of a supernova remnant known as the Cygnus Loop. It is the shattered remains of one, and possibly two, supernovae that exploded more than 15,000 years ago at a distance of 2,500 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation of Cygnus, the Swan. At the time of the explosion, it would have been seen as a very bright star, rivaling the crescent Moon. The bright star near the center of the image, known as 52 Cygnus, is not associated with the supernova."
Credit: T. A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage and WIYN/NOAO/AURA/NSF
Sadr of Cygnus, Heart of the Swan, marks the transition from sidereal Capricorn into sidereal Aquarius, inspiring the transition from personality-based interest to the open heart of humanitarianism. Sadr marks the point in the ecliptic where fears must be confronted about blatantly living our genuine open heart truths yet in the interest for the greater nourishment of all--striping off the cloaks of personality-based shenanigans to reveal true self at all levels of being.
Our New Moon of Feb 17, 2007 actually occurs a few degrees into sidereal Aquarius, just past Sadr, conjoining Cygnus X-3, an exotic and powerful x-ray source, which lies along the galactic plane, also in Cygnus. Cyg X-3 exhibits the character of a binary star system, neutron star, black hole, a micro-quasar, now even a quark-star. Neutron Stars, Quasars, Quark-stars, Black Holes, a plethora of deep space objects, or are they?
Like most humans, astronomers tend to name observed astronomical behavior with names that characterize the behavior witnessed. In essence putting a name to that which they really do not understand--creating an ever-expanding description of the unknown. They compound the descriptions, attempting to make them more 'factual' by dissecting and analyzing the details of the observed phenomena. This is a process called reductionism in the scientific community--a process of dissection to understand the whole. They then create hypotheses of how things work, and through consensus, the hypotheses are accepted as truth until, inevitably, something else is discovered to prove it wrong. In fact, we all do this from the start of our lives, assembling a description of the world apparently around us by isolating, dissecting, and categorizing.
Our fallacy is that we mistakenly limit ourselves and our perceptual capacity by creating a virtual library filled with words describing all of that we witness and then mistake that library as wisdom when it merely describes the surface ripples of a greater underlying, perhaps indescribable, truth. We start to adhere to our library, and reinforce it by adding to it, assembling an evermore complex description of the world we experience. Paradoxically, this mode is one of isolationism, separating ourselves, creating literally a bubble of perception where we merely see the inside reflective surface of our own consciousness comprised of our library of thought--thoughts about everything.
We then pass this information on, teaching it to each other and to our offspring, the plethora of names that compose what we think is the whole, thinking we are giving others a head-start in understating truth. Are we, or are we are merely getting others to agree with what are mere beliefs conjured up from an assemblage of descriptions of that which we do not really know? To "see" as we see. We forget words and language are merely descriptive tools, and the description is not Truth. Oh, to be so human!
Out of habit, we refer to everything by their categorical names, as if the thing is its name. We do this with every thing in our lives from the objects discovered in the heavens, to people, to the intangible objects in our daily lives. We say he is an American, a Frenchman, an Islamist, a Jew, a Christian, a woman, a man, a gay, as if the individuals in each category are the same. We lose our capacity to see and experience the uniqueness of each thing and each person. We write them off as if we already know what they are all about, just another item to categorize on the library shelf.
Dense Globular Star Cluster M15 in Pegasus
(Conjoins Cyg X-3)
"M15 is one of the most densely packed globular star clusters in our Milky Way Galaxy. This stunning Hubble Space Telescope image of M15 shows thousands of individual stars across the central 10 or so light-years of the cluster. Globular star clusters harbor from a hundred thousand up to a million stars and roam the Milky Way halo. Like most globulars, M15 is filled with ancient stars, about 12 billion years old compared to the Sun's estimated 4.5 billion years. Its cool red giant stars appear yellowish in this color composite image. Unlike most globulars, M15 displays a planetary nebula, the briefly visible gaseous shroud of a dying star--the round pinkish cloud at the upper left."
Credit: H. Bond et al.,
Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA), NASA
To relinquish our library of words allows us opportunity to directly experience the fathomless diversity of life. This is the Uranian consciousness of Aquarius--to have an unconditionally open heart to experience the uniqueness of each new encounter without preconceptions.
With the recent advent of more advanced technology to peer into the depths of the heavens, astronomers are now learning there are a plethora of astronomical entities so diverse they can no longer place them neatly into the previously defined astronomical categories. Cygnus X-3 is one of these.
Statistics indicate the human race is in information overload. This means that the amount of information and the ever increasing rate it is being communicated has surpassed the natural evolutionary rate of the human brain, yet we only use a small part of our brains' capacity. We experience this as a compression of time--too much to do and assimilate in too little time. Perhaps this mental crisis crescendo will lead us to surrender our bio-logistical mode of being and shift into a new superluminal mode of being, where we perceive a universe of life beyond our isolated little biosphere. To relinquish thought is to let down our bubble of isolation and to experience what is outside of self as self--to merge with that which we do not know. In this mode we need not describe what we do not know to figure it out, the use of bio-logistical mind is then put in its proper place, merely as means to communicate.
Many people await some type of intelligence to show up, to enter into our collective bubble, in the comfy cozy sphere created by our descriptions of the universe at large--some think to even save us from our own demise. What we do not realize is the fear to relinquish the descriptions that create our bubble is that which keeps us separate from expanding to embrace the galactic intelligence that awaits to meet us. As long as we perpetuate the discord within our biospheric bubble due to endless argument over whose description is truth, we quarantine our selves, maintaining our isolation as if we are the only "intelligent" life forms in the universe.
Accumulating information, as well as everything around us, is a mode that keeps us filling our mental library and that keeps us bound-up inside our limited bubbles of perception, a way that keeps us out of the present, stretched / stressed out in time. The other mode is one of creative expansion and expression, where we dissolve the bounds of the bubble, releasing our need to amass, learn to breathe, and merge with the limitless abundance the unknown has to offer, simply to be in the ever-present--and receiving its gift.
As we have a collective bio-sphere of consciousness, we also have our personal little bio-spheres as well. So let us begin there and relinquish our fear-based consciousness where we think we need to amass information and resources to survive, ultimately suffocating ourselves--particle anarchy--to unconditional love, where we free ourselves from the limits of a static mind and open our awareness to all life has to offer, moment-by-moment, through creative co-participation.
Cygnus x-3 invites us to surrender our preconceptions of self and those we hold about others, to break from the conformity of the past, from the descriptive judgments that uphold our isolationist way of being, and open to radically new experience only available when we are willing to embrace the uniqueness of life around us.
Cyg X-3 resides in a unique galactic equatorial area, one of the galactic "sacks of coal," a dark void along the galactic plane (a void seen between Sadr and Deneb on a dark starry night). Cyg X-3 provides opportunity to peer beyond the dualities of life due to the absence of "forms" created by the interplay of light. Cyg X-3 offers the opportunity to relinquish segregations based on sex, creed, or culture. Here we cannot wear or hide behind our mortal facades. We are asked to participate from our true unique soul essence and to see the same in others. We are asked to embrace all people from an androgynous perspective transcending soul's incarnational experience in the duality of sexuality. Mutually exclusive attractions based on gender, race, or creed create factions amongst our true soul-level friends and families. Here lies the embracing aspect of the Aquarian Waterman, the inclusiveness of Universal / Uranian love.
Seeking sameness leads to separation.
Accepting our uniqueness reveals our oneness
Crescent Moon Phase Characteristics
Dragon of Marduk
on the Ishtar Gate, entrance into Babylon
604-562 BC
Detroit Institute of Arts : Permanent Collection - Ancient Art - Mesopotamia
The hours before the Crescent Moon provide a time when we relinquish patterns of the past that would limit our creative ability to expand on the theme now unfolding. The Crescent Moon is the time when the sprouting seedling sloughs off its protective coat of the past and emerges in its new expression. As the Crescent Moon unfolds, the growing phase of the lunar cycle begins as we start to amalgamate our personal creativity with the original lunar theme.
This Crescent Moon occurs on Feb 20 in sidereal Pisces and conjoins the second node of the Dragon (Draco) and the irregular shaped galaxy IC 1613 of Cetus.
Nodus Secundus and IC 1613 of Cetus conjoin the theme of Alpheratz, the head of the entrapped princess. Here we are asked to become attentive to the fact that our intent of purpose can twisted by psycho-emotional forces that congest us when toxic mental-emotional conditions exist, or when we are simply naive to such forces. Our psycho-emotional fog can then perpetuate confused life scenarios, antiquated involvements, or entrapments that are no longer in our highest interest, that keeps us from the wonder that awaits our arrival.
Our Crescent Moon asks us to relinquish antiquated psyho-emotional baggage that might keep us from embracing this month's lunar theme--to have the unbiased openness required to access the abundance life offers, and to creatively expand along with it.
Mercury began its retrograde in the last lunar cycle. Now in the midst of it on Feb 22-23, 2007, the new 116-day synodic cycle begins. The first part of a planetary retrograde is when we disengage from the previous synodic cycle; the latter part of the retrograde, after the synod, is when we engage in the new cycle. We move fully into the new synodic theme when the planet returns direct. See "Synodic Cycles and Planetary Retrogrades" to learn the fundamentals about planetary synods and their cycles. Mercury's previous synodic cycle was presented in the October 21, 2006 lunar cycle.
Although retrograde Mercury and the Sun conjoin under the auspices of a very fortuitous altruistic star, Fomalhaut, one of the four "Royal Architects" in early sidereal Aquarius, which is significant in and of itself, Mercury's new synodic cycle is found opposite this location in the ecliptic (looking from the Sun toward Mercury and Earth). Here Mercury and Earth conjoin Alpha Sextans in sidereal Leo.
The sextant is a navigational instrument used to determine the "vertical" position (angular distance) of the sun, moon or stars from the horizon. The sextant reveals the need to reorient self so we know our position so we can plot our course, and take a new tack on our journeys in life. On a greater scale, this can be in regard to changing allegiance of our energies from the outer world, self-sacrificing to diversionary forces or currents in the world around us, to the vertical integrity of our inner soul / source directive and truth. On a mundane level this can be in regard to changing our fundamental approach or path in life, to establish our position so we can plot or take a new tack toward our goals.
Pencil Nebula
a part of the Vela Nebula
NASA Hubble Space Telescope
Conjoining Alpha Sextant is the Vela Pulsar in Velorum, the sail of Argo Navis. Argo Navis, classically, is the ship in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, a version of Gilgamesh and his fifty Sirian warriors. The Argo lies reverse in the heavens, stern to the east, bow to the west, along the galactic equator, thus associated with that which moves retrograde in the heavens, the greater precessional process on Earth, the evolutionary cycle of the soul.
The stars of Velorum, the sail of the Argo, are of subtle evolutionary currents, forces, and portals transcendent to the stage of the temporal world. Pulsars in general are beacons for the soul--providing regular pulsating messages to guide us along our greater evolutionary journey. Here we are reminded to attune to the subtle breezes or currents available to us that transcend the material plane so we may move in the new directions we are plotting in our lives. This theme, unfolding over the next 116 days, is in regard to logistics and communication, of all that is of a Mercurial nature in our lives.
The Vela Pulsar, an extremely old Super Nova remnant expressing through the Sextant's theme, has a fundamental frequency of 11.2084065685 Hz., which translates to a color harmonic of 3800 angstroms--a high spiritual violet, bordering near Ultra Violet. (To learn about the translation of frequencies to brainwaves, sound, light, and color see "Planetary Harmonics.") Although the Vela Pulsar can create somewhat of a spiritual serenity, much like we might have relaxing on a sailing ship in a light breeze, there demands the preparedness and alertness to leap into action as the increasing gales and changing currents require. The Vela Pulsar reminds us to remain serene but alert and preserving along our journey, to continually plot our position and adjust our course so we can arrive to the sanctum we seek. The Vela Pulsar reminds us to set our direction based on the underlying evolutionary currents rather than on the winds of the moment, the diversionary and transitory surface breezes, to plot the path on our longer-term direction. If there is any pulsar equated more to the maturity of the old soul (old salt), the Vela Pulsar is it.
First Quarter Moon Phase Characteristics
The First Quarter Moon of each lunar cycle draws an external stimulus to initiate action as we move from the inspirational quarter of the lunar cycle into the action quarter.
Our First Quarter Moon of Feb 24 conjoins the calf of Perseus in sidereal Taurus, comprised of Menkhib, Xi Perseus; and Epsilon Perseus. Calf muscles in general correspond to our ability to act on our long-term (sole / soul) purpose. Here is the challenge to move through any hesitancy we might have and to act with strength and deliberation. Support is present to do so. This also marks the "Fifth Polar Station in the Heptanomis"--in short, a challenge is at hand to make a crossing.
Jupiter and Quaoar conjoin on Feb 26-27 in sidereal Scorpio. The actual 12-year Jupiter-Quaoar synodic cycle will not begin until June of 2007. This (geocentric) conjunction occurring now is the first of three that will occur over the months ahead (due to Jupiter's upcoming retrograde cycle in sidereal Scorpio) and which will surround the actual start of the new synodic cycle (created by the upcoming heliocentric conjunction of Jupiter and Quaoar).
The current Jupiter-Quaoar conjunction lies very close to the location where the synod will occur. I would expect Jupiter and Quaoar to work quite synergisticly together--Jupiter mobilizing higher spiritual principles and Quaoar supporting our return to natural ways of life, to honoring the sacredness of life. More about Quaoar can be found at asteroids-Quaoar.
Quaoar's current location in sidereal Scorpio conjoins the Terzan 2 Globular Cluster, X–Ray Burster; Sabik of Ophiuchus; and the Nova of 1977, V2107.
Gibbous Moon Phase Characteristics
The 24-hour period just before the Gibbous Moon is a time of perseverance, of pushing through in the midst of the action quarter of the lunar cycle. The Gibbous Moon is when the pressure releases and we enter the Pollinating Phase of the lunar cycle, which begins a social and communicative time of magnetic attraction.
Our Gibbous Moon occurs on Feb 26-27 in the last degree of sidereal Gemini conjoining Pollux, the ambassador, of the Gemini twins. Communication, negotiation, cooperation, and alliance are highlighted--perfect for a Gibbous Moon and the pollinating phase of the lunar cycle.
See the snippet: The Saturn-Neptune Synodic Cycle: July 17, 1989 - Dec 12, 2025
& The Realization: Sept 2006 through June 2007.
Full Moon Phase Characteristics
This Full Moon marks the culmination point in the lunar cycle, the climax, the point of excitement and celebration. The hours leading up to the Full Moon provide a time of "vision and enthusiasm." The time just after Full Moon is a one of "realization of the lunar month's theme," a time to kick back and relax, to allow our realizations to surface in consciousness.
A dynamic Total Eclipse Full Moon occurs on March 3 in sidereal Leo while the Sun is about to conjoin Uranus in Aquarius--the first of two total lunar eclipses occurring in 2007.
Totality is visible in Europe, Western Asia, and Africa. The final phase of the eclipse is visible at moonrise (sunset) in the Americas. More info on the Total Lunar Eclipse of March 3, 2007 can be found here:
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH2007.html#2007Mar19P
The eclipse Full Moon conjoins Chort of Leo, the hind of the Lion; and the seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 in Canes Venatici--the barking dogs. Thinking about a nutritional cleanse, this is a great time. Chort can indicate physical toxicity.
The potent seyfert galaxy, NGC 4151, produces a dramatic show of fireworks, diversionary dramatics that is, hence the need to get clear within so as to not be diverted from the drama in the world going on around us. Elcipses are great time to let go, to re-sync.
"The (Hubble) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) simultaneously records, in unprecedented detail, the velocities of hundreds of gas knots streaming at hundreds of thousands of miles per hour from the nucleus of NGC 4151, thought to house a supermassive black hole." (Hubble News Center - http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1997/18
Also nearby is Mizar of Ursa Major. Mizar embodies raw fiery energy that must express one way or another. Mizar must have a creative outlet, but for its proper expression, we must apply it with creative vision. Mizar brings attention to use of our creative energies; creative and destructive tendencies, and the fear to create lest it results in destruction. Here we learn nature of such volatile forces. Mizar, with averted alignments is also known for catastrophic fires or massacres. Mizar can however express quite artistically. Gunpowder can express as beautiful fireworks or devastating explosions. Mizar expression is always noticed in a grand way, in character with showy and dramatic Leo.
The Sun and Uranus conjoin on March 5 in sidereal Aquarius just after Full Moon. This marks the mid-way point in the current 270-day Uranus synodic cycle, which started on Sept 5 2006, presented in the August 23, 2006 lunar cycle. This is the realization point in the Achernar-Uranus cycle, revealing the meaning of this cycle in our lives.
Disseminating Moon Phase Characteristics
The hours leading up to the Disseminating Moon generally is an accelerated and busy time of last minute preparation that leads into the birth point in the lunar cycle, the time of bearing the fruit in the cycle, of claiming its gift.
The Moon conjoins retrograde Juno a couple hours before the Moon shift and Mercury returns direct a couple hours after the Moon shift. The Disseminating Moon of Mar 7-8 conjoins Miaplacidus of Argo Navis. Miaplacidus is of navigation and migration or pilgrimage to appropriate places for a new birth in life. Miaplacidus inspires us to find and ensure a harmonious environment in space and time for the pursuit of our purpose and our greater fulfillment and wellbeing.
Mercury's direct movement marks the full commencement of the new Mercury 116-day synodic theme presented above.
Juno, having begun its retrograde in the last lunar cycle brings attention to partnerships. Currently, in the first degree of sidereal Libra, Juno resides at the upper thighs of the Virgin, just past Archturus and Spica, bringing attention to issues of mutual support. Juno is about compatibility in partnerships, the equal energetic flow between partners, or in any type of relationship we may have. We can block having relationships of mutual support if we have superior/inferiority (two sides of the same coin) issues within self. We must address the underlying issues we may carry that keep us from being open to experiencing the mutual support and equality we truly desire in our relationships. See Juno Issues to learn more.
The coincidence of Mercury moving direct with the Juno-Disseminating Moon shift may feel like a flood-gate opening.
Venus and Eris conjoin on March 9-10 in Pisces conjoining Revati. Mars and Nessus conjoin two hours later in mid-sidereal Capricorn. An interesting combination of events. Venus and Eris may create a minor disarray regarding heart and / or money matters--only for a greater order and harmony to follow. Or it may be the motivating force for resolution of what was in disarray, for a greater harmony to manifest regarding matters of the heart and resources. Mars and Nessus may prove to be a bit erotic, but here in Capricorn supporting movement past any fear to appreciate the sensual and wilder side of life.
Last Quarter Moon Phase Characteristics
The Last Quarter Moon creates our "inner need to initiate change" in the lunar cycle as we move into the cycle's last quarter.
Last Quarter Moon occurs on March 11-12 in late sidereal Scorpio conjoining Jupiter and Ras Alhague, Alpha Ophiuchus, the principal lucida of Ophiuchus. Ras Alhague is head of the Serpent Holder. This star, high in the northern heavens, embodies the essence of the constellation--the wise sage, teacher, knowledge and wisdom. Ras Alhague expresses the wisdom of one who has attained their self-mastery and lives from that maturity and awareness. Ras Alhague is embodiment of Physical Health and Vitality. Heal thyself.
Last Quarter Moon provides inspiration to participate from this level of wisdom, health and vitality. Jupiter conjoining the the X-Ray Source V821 Black Hole in Ara, altar of the Centuar, supports our movement and expansion from the past, providing we are willing to relinquish any greifs, guilts or resentments we may hold about the past--something one in their self-mastery is willing to do.
Balsamic Moon Phase Characteristics
The Balsamic Moon marks the time in lunar cycle when we coalesce the experience of the lunar cycle into its seed essence, which will then sprout through the theme of the following lunar cycle. It is when we turn our attention from this lunar cycle in anticipation of the next to come. The hours before the Balsamic Moon provide our time of coalescence while those after mark the time when we turn 180° from looking back over the past cycle and look forward toward the next cycle to come.
The Balsamic Moon of March 15 occurs in mid-sidereal Capricorn, also another Heptanomis cusp--here the issue of trust arises, in essence coalescing the theme of this past cycle--to participate in openness and in the greater interest of all rather than covertly from a fear-based personality facade inherent to the incarnate stage--to cross this bridge--the seed to sprout into the new theme of the next lunar cycle to come.
The Sun enters sidereal Pisces on March 18. Shortly after the New Moon occurs in early sidereal Pisces--more to come then.
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To learn how one lunar phase shifts and changes into the next, and to learn how to live in attunement to the lunar cycles, in the experiential empowerment doing so offers, please download the Lunar Planner Introduction and each monthly Lunar Calendar, and use them daily (PDF file links below)--its all a gift.
* * *
We need not live in endless struggle, overwhelmed by the surface turbulence of our growth and awakening process. We can establish an inner peace instead, with life becoming a graceful dance when we attune ourselves to the natural spiral of growth that is guiding our lives. Living in attunement to the natural Lunar Cycles is an effective and empowering way to do this. Living in attunement to the natural astronomical cycles of life is living in faith and trust in the Divine Creative Intelligence expressing throughout our lives.
The Lunar Planner is an experiential tool teaching us how to live in attunement to the natural lunar cycles. Astronomical Sidereal Astrology and Star Lore reveal each lunar month's theme, and the planetary themes unfolding throughout the year. Each lunar month's theme weaves a continuing story line of the patterns of growth unfolding in our lives.
Download this month's Lunar Calendar PDF File
The Lunar Calendar reveals the dates and times of each lunar phase shift and their changing characteristics as well as key planetary alignments. Use this like a calendar or daily planner. The Lunar Calendar goes hand-in-hand with the introductory material. Use this daily to learn how to live attuned to the Lunar Cycles of Life.
Download the Lunar Planner Introduction PDF File
Step by step instructions on how to use the Lunar Calendar with a detailed description of the changing lunar phases. This will teach you how to live in attunement to the Lunar Cycle. The Introduction goes hand-in-hand with the Lunar Calendar.
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Copyright © 2006 Nick Anthony Fiorenza, All Rights Reserved
