The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them. It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology.
For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow. All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way. Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.
If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions.
If you like what you see, please share it with friends! If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com. Thank you!
The Flow! is updated every Sunday.
Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.
This week’s synopsis: O Fortuna!
Before we get to this week’s synopsis, a bit of meta housecleaning. Frequent fellow friends and fans of the Flow! should note that the tagline for the blog has been changed, and information about me in the About Me section has also been updated. If you like them, thank Krystal for the suggestions! (Thank you, Krystal!)
Also of note, is the wealth of other articles, tips, and images that pepper this blog. It is my hope soon to categorize these to make them easier to find. In the meantime, searching around the archive may reveal some delightful easter eggs. Readers may not be aware, but one of my images of Uranus is perhaps the most popular post of the blog, consistently getting about 20 hits a week. Personally, I have no idea why, but I suppose that one should be grateful to the Google Gods in whatever manner they deign to direct the flow of traffic to the Flow!
Which, I also suppose is about as good a segue as I can devise to talk about this week’s most significant astrological event: Jupiter goes Retrograde on Tuesday, August 30th.
You can read some earlier posts about Jupiter here, here, and here. And read a rundown of what Jupiter in Taurus means for all the signs here. (See why I need to do some housecleaning?)
But essentially, if there is one factor in a chart that indicated fortune, it is Jupiter, planet of expansion, growth, and opportunity. Rich, kind, generous, jovial (sic) uncle, meet Jupiter, your star in the heavens.
And on Tuesday, he starts moving backwards in retrograde motion. Yuck. It isn’t as if these are particularly prosperous times anyway, so the thought of the planet that might help bring a return of better financial times moving backwards is not particularly savory.
Or…is it?
When we mostly think about retrograde, we think of Mercury. And, Mercury retrograde times are not particularly joyous affairs no matter what shade of meaning we wish to give to the word “joyous.” Obstructive, obstreperous, obstinate, miscommunicative, and dysfunctional come more readily to the mind when thinking about good ol’ Mercury in reverse gear.
To better understand retrograde motion, we need an image of the solar system. You would think that 468 years after the publication of Copernicus’ heliocentric theory that models of the solar system would be easy to find on the net, but such is not the case. One of the problems is that to show any resemblance of scale means that the inner planetary orbits all get smooshed to a smudge. I found one with Japanese origins below as Figure 1 to give you an idea. My apologies for it being so large.
The first thing we need to understand is that there are two types of planets. Planets closer to the Sun than us, and planets further away. In astronomical terms, these are classified as inferior and superior. This isn’t editorial commentary on their self-esteem, but their relationship to us.
Because of Kepler’s delightful laws of planetary motion, inferior planets move faster than we do around the Sun, and superior planets travel more slowly.
The second thing we need to understand is that when planets are moving retrograde, we are actually closer to them than when they are moving direct. This is shown in Figure 2 below that works for any of the outer, superior, planets like Jupiter.
So one possible way to make the most of Jupiter retrograde is that to take advantage of the nearness of our relationship we should focus on those things that are closer at hand than those that beckon from afar. Concentrate on those things that are immediate, primary in importance to your success, and with those that you have been working on for some time or have some personal connection. Put the long-distance plans on the back-burner, and bring to the forefront those things that are unfinished, dormant, and waiting for a fresh take.
As for Jupiter retrograde not being quite as annoying as Mercury, perhaps it is worthwhile thinking of it in a novel way. On the freeway, as we travel forward at a moderate 65 mph if a motorcycle blares by us at 90 mph it is often annoying and unsettling. However, when it is our turn to pass a noisy, trudging, belching truck going slower than us, we feel a satisfying sense of relief. Perhaps on the freeway of life, passing a plodding planet might likewise be a more pleasurable experience.
One can only hope.
Jupiter will be retrograde until Christmas. Perhaps if we attend to our tasks at hand and wave politely instead of flipping him the bird as we pass him by, there may be a nice gift under the tree. May it be so for you and yours!
And what could be a better gift or indication of fortune than an entire planet made of diamond? Known as J1719-1438, a team of scientists believe that a pulsating binary star turned one half of the team into an ultra-low mass carbon white dwarf…or in lay terms a diamond the size of a planet. Located at 21º of Sagittarius on the ecliptic, you can read more about it (along with a link to the scientific citation) here.
Before getting to the Daily Details, I want to point out that while I was not able to find anything on Youtube to properly display the solar system, I did find an interesting video titled, “You are here” that is worth sharing. It is a bit long, but very much worth the time!
To the Daily Details!
Sunday, August 28th
Sun trine Pluto at 8:11am
New Moon at 6º Virgo, at 8:04pm
First of all, our thoughts and prayers go to those on the east coast enduring the wrath of hurricane Irene! May you all be safe and sound with as little disruption as possible!
The Moon is in Leo and Irene has certainly been hogging the spotlight. The Moon moves into Virgo at 11:13am and may trim her sails a bit.
The Sun (Self) trine (harmonious) Pluto (power) may provide rather substantial help to the day’s events (wherever you may live, and whatever the weather) as it boosts our ability to make things go smoothly and make our intentions real. People are less likely to squawk about doing what is necessary, as for the most part they are able to understand the broader situation and not become a burden or get in the way. This aspect also makes it more likely we do the right thing at the right time to take care of matters and prevent small situations from developing into something too big to handle.
The New Moon occurs in the evening, in the Sabian Sign of “A Child’s First Dancing Lesson” in the section of the zodiac symbolized by one’s character. Therefore, this New Moon time, which will last for two weeks as the Moon grows in light should be a time during which we come to understand our own and other’s character better. We are likely to encounter situations in which to some degree some aspect of our character is tested, revealing what the nature of that character truly is. This can be an extremely enlightening period if we pay attention and recognize that what we are seeing is more real than the facades and personas that we usually encounter from others. Paying particularly close attention to political leaders at this time may underscore more about them than reams of editorialized news.
Monday, August 29th
Venus trine Jupiter at 11:48pm
The Moon remains in Virgo all day, and Venus, also in Virgo makes nice to Jupiter in Taurus. This aspect is likely to help us feel more generous, compassionate, and kindly toward one another, prodding us to be a little bit more concerned with how we might help each other than take advantage. Too bad this aspect doesn’t occur more frequently! Venus trine Jupiter brings out our better dispositions and also makes it easier for people to get along collegially. If there is a favor you need to ask of someone, today might be the best day of the week to do so. Just make sure that all your affairs related to this favor are in order, because if there’s one thing a Virgo Moon detests it is messy affairs!
Tuesday, August 30th
Jupiter turns Retrograde in motion at 2:18am
The Moon travels into Libra today at 11:25am, but in spite of Libra’s usual influence of bringing harmony and balance to things, yesterday’s sweetness and light turns dark and dour, especially in the evening hours. There is likely to be an unsettled feeling to the air as the day progresses as we feel more doubtful, insecure, and unsure about our Selves and the future. It is possible that you may have been feeling that things were progressing in a certain direction only to learn that things may not continue along that same path, there may be unexpected developments, or you may find out something that causes you to pause. All of which is likely due to Jupiter retrograde, and should be part and parcel of the need to refocus and rechannel your energies into more pressing or potentially prosperous matters. As they say, when one door closes another opens, so be on the lookout for any new doors opening your way. They could be significant steps for your future success!
Wednesday, August 31st
No major aspects
We say farewell to August today with a mixed bag of lunar aspects. The Moon stays in Libra all day, but the conjunction of the Moon with Saturn around mid-day leaves us feeling sluggish and restless, and that’s without taking into account the post-lunch slump. The time between the conjunction with Saturn and the Moon square Mars around rush hour we are likely to feel peevish, petulant, and unproductive. Nothing satisfies, nothing feels good, and nobody else seems willing to help. If you can spend the afternoon in your cube or office without encountering a soul, you’ll avoid being bothered or bothering others. Later in the evening when the Moon sextiles Mercury, we feel more open, communicative, and sociable. Talking with someone you trust about the day’s activities might be just the thing to dispel any lingering mental cobwebs and the insecurities they represent.
Thursday, September 1st
No major aspects
The Moon moves into Scorpio at 11:48am. Oftentimes the Moon in Scorpio is a depressing downer. However, it is unlikely to be so this time. Many of the other planets are well disposed to Scorpio, and so we may be able to experience the rarer positive side of this astrological influence. The Moon in Scorpio is generally a time in which we come face to face with our views and beliefs about our lives, and we are in many ways compelled to live out their truth and appropriateness. And when the Moon in Scorpio is well aspected, it can help us realign these feelings about things in a way that is insightful, profound, and empowering. Often these insights are only available through techniques that delve deep within the self, such as meditation or journeying. But for this period that the Moon is in Scorpio, it may be that these thoughts naturally occur to us as we go about our daily routines. Therefore, during this time pay close attention to your thoughts and feelings and any alterations they may provide to your innermost beliefs and views – they may be a rare gift that can save you oodles of time or money spent with a therapist.
Friday, September 2nd
Sun trines Jupiter at 8:59pm
Today’s aspects are almost singularly beneficial. Not only is the Sun trine Jupiter a harbinger of opportunity and good feeling, but the lunar aspects are all helpful as well. Early in the morning at 3:40am the Moon sextiles the Sun giving us a lift in the self-esteem and self-confidence categories. At 4:51am the Moon opposes Jupiter, and while oppositions can often be difficult, the opposition between the Moon and Jupiter is generally indicative of too much of a good thing, making us feel more buoyant than might otherwise be the case – but who’s going to complain bitterly about that? As we approach noontime, the Moon sextiles Venus opening up our hearts and filling them with beauty, pleasure, and affection. We feel more lovingly toward others and find it easier to have our own emotional needs met. This makes it a wonderful time for making plans with friends or loved ones, as you are both easily able to agree on what to do and find solutions that are satisfying to everyone. In the evening as the Moon trines Mars, we are able to execute our plans with dispatch, and have enough energy left over for a nightcap.
Saturday, September 3rd
No major aspects
The Moon enters Sagittarius at 2:03pm. Usually the Moon in Sagittarius is party time, and if you have a party scheduled, may it be everything you hope it should be! However, for many of us, this morning is likely to be a rather confused and hectic time. Avoid making decisions until later in the day when we are able to think more clearly and more options become available. Being out and about involved in activities that require a bit of adventure or exertion are favored, as are those that likewise involve sports. Summer is coming to a close, and we should take advantage of the lingering beauty all around us.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
