February hosts 17 dynamic aspects: Six conjunctions,
five
squares, two ESB (Ending Shadow
Boundaries), one BSB (Beginning
Shadow Boundary), one direct station,
one new and one full Moon. This
month, all of these vibrant aspects
are made with planets in forward
motion, and seven of the aspects
actively involve Mercury. All in
all, it will be an intense month,
filled with precise and challenging
mental exercises. (Find midpoints
in parentheses.)
The first half of February continues
January's trend of the potential
for mutual aid, teamwork, and cooperation
between unlikely
participants. This energy lends
itself well to supporting nurturing
with a substantial framework or
structure; and to soften the
discipline that you dispense with
compassion and kindness. To
continue to benefit from this cosmic
endowment, find a way to apply
altruistic deeds or spiritual concepts
to everyday transactions.
Continue to release grudges and
ill feelings, and embrace the oneness
and peace that calms your heart.
From 2/18, the energy shifts to a
powerful combination of motivation
through discerning supportive
shared principles that can benefit
those with parallel ideals.
Venus, Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto
share the same degree of
declination (punctuated by Lunar
crossings every two weeks) between
January 12 and March 15, forming
a Grand Parallel. Much of what
transpires during this time seems
to be outrageous, and may be
elaborate illusion. There may be
confusing interactions that bring to
bare shifts in philosophy occurring
in your personal life - or in
society that influence collective
thinking - that are belied by
subsequent investigation. Invoking
your intuitive sense can help you
to create inner strength. We are
at a turning point in history that
is difficult to discern now because
we are immersed in it. All we can
do individually is to act responsibly,
and develop as much spiritual
awareness as possible.
Within the same-frame time, between
January 30 and February 14,
Neptune is in the yearly overlapping
shadow between its previous and
coming retrograde cycles. Foresight
and hindsight join hands as we
look back over the esoteric/spiritual/mystical/illusory
activities of
2005, and look forward to next
year's encounters. Keep an inner
balance between unconscious and
conscious thought-forms, and between
spirit and personality.
2/1 Be aware of your ability to
influence others, and exercise
it
with caution and responsibility.
Avoid any temptation to mislead
or
to manipulate, as an abrupt turn
of events can change everything.
Mercury conjoins Neptune 17:07
Aquarius, 12:21 PM (=Pluto/North
Node).
2/1 A good time to plan ahead and
organize for future events that
you know will bring extra stress
to your life. The emphasis on
planning is to be flexible. Your
first take on the issue may seem
naïve, however more information
will be added pursuant to the
situation over time. Action taken
now may mar your ability to respond
effectively, setting you up for
possible embarrassment later. Be
yourself, honesty will be remembered
and revered. Mercury squares
Jupiter 17:25 Aquarius/Scorpio,
4:28 PM (Mercury=Pluto/NN).
2/3 If you find yourself between
two opposing factions, study the
past four months' history of both
sides - therein lies the key to
your survival. Survival can be
physical or reputational. Your
word
may be questioned, and your honor
may be at stake. Mars ESB 23:22
Taurus, 3:05 PM (=Saturn/Uranus).
2/4 A great deal of intensity is
present in both personal and group
processes, effecting changes in
the expressions of strategies for
individual success. As these dramas
play out in the public arena,
reactions to the dilemmas ebb and
flow. First one situation peaks,
and then another takes over in
perceived importance. Values are
affected, and much confusion keeps
decisions from being clearly
defined. Many situations are blown
out of proportion, as stated facts
tend to be out of context or misunderstood.
Principles are
questioned, but relevance may be
diverted, as details given are
of
disproportionate importance. Grand
Parallel of 2006 peaks at 12:55
PM
GMT Sun/Mercury/Venus/Jupiter/Neptune/
Pluto parallel 15:32 S to
16:10 S, Moon contra parallel 16:10
N. (an orb of 38 minutes) ** see
Ref.
2/5 Communicate in an honest and
perceptive way with close friends
or relationships before hastily
agreeing to any major decisions.
A
great deal of emotional tension
may tax your endurance. Your freedom
may be curtailed, or it might take
an extraordinary exertion of
energy to cope with the process
most important to you. Unrequited
energy looking for cloture. Mercury
squares Mars 24:13
Aquarius/Taurus (Mercury=Venus/NN,
Mars=Saturn/Uranus).
2/5 Interruptions in energy occur
that affect the status quo. Use
humanity and compassion to align
yourself with lasting values. Some
may act as if they can get away
with dishonesty to achieve their
goals and their activities may
influence many others. Plans rooted
in
deception may tend to unravel.
Keep a watchful eye for untrustworthy
situations, and safeguard your
health. You may uncover talents
in the
mystical or creative arts. The
Sun eclipses Neptune. 17:17 Aquarius,
15:44 South declination, 9:32 PM
(=Pluto/NN).
2/6 Through conscious choices about
challenges to existing
situations, ethical practices will
be acknowledged. Make sure that
you are aligned with those who
are above reproach, as their successes
can become yours as well. New products
and processes may come into
view. Don't expect everything to
come together all at once ˆ take
baby steps, and be patient. Sun
squares Jupiter 17:49
Aquarius/Scorpio, 10:16 AM (Sun=Pluto/NN).
2/8 As you value your freedom,
extend that value to others'
independence and self-autonomy.
A study and application of
metaphysical principles or other
comparable levels of consciousness
can be liberating. Mercury enters
Pisces 5:21 PM (=Sun
Neptune /Uranus).
2/12 Projects that have been in
the works are ripe for achievement
or
release. The responsible growth
of your creative ideas can now
be
brought into fulfillment. Keep
in mind that whatever this project
is,
it is still just a part of a larger
whole. Dream big, but solidify
what you have now. Then the next
step can be to grow from there.
You
can afford to be magnanimous if
you have adequately protected your
assets. New contacts may be courted
now. West coast: your creativity
can be shown and grown in appropriate
marketing. Make sure that you
have fulfilled all contractual
agreements. East coast: Be sure
to
elicit support from your family
and ask for their help in promoting
your plans and projects. New contacts
may emerge from far away.
Full Moon 24:20 Leo/Aquarius, west
coast 8:44 PM, east coast 11:44
PM
(Sun & Moon=Mars/Jupiter, Sun=Venus/NN).
2/14 It will be easier for people
to be up-front with their concerns.
Look for subjects and values where
you and others can find common
ground. Avoid dwelling on differences.
Neptune ESB 17:36 Aquarius,
3:15 AM (=Pluto/NN). This ends
the overlapping Neptune shadow,
which
began on January 30 ˆ a period
of 16 days.
2/14 Be straightforward in all
business dealings. Be vigilant
about
energies associated with groups
or communities. Work on your own
and
loved ones' self esteem. Vulnerability
can be an issue that you can
address with awareness. Just an
untimely thoughtless word can be
very
damaging. Mercury conjoins Uranus
9:53 Pisces, 7:35 AM (=Neptune/NN,
Mars/Pluto).
2/16 Keep your expectations reasonable,
and be open to information
that will eventually clarify future
agreements. Add calming
influences to your life. Be open
to new relationships, especially
of
a spiritual or creative nature.
Mercury BSB 13:44 Pisces, 3:05
PM,
(=Mars/Pluto, Sun Neptune/NN).
2/17 Restless energy can be mistaken
for a feeling of loneliness. You
are primed for action, but need
to center yourself and find purpose
for your life. Practice lectures
or other presentations, to make
them
the best they can be. Mars enters
Gemini 2:43 PM
2/18 Open yourself to imaginative
ideas and intuitive perceptions.
Keep your temper, and show a little
self-control. Become a witness
to
the growth of others, and add support
to those you care about as they
step forward on a new path. It
costs you nothing to be supportive
and
polite to someone vulnerable. Sun
enters Pisces 11:25 AM, (=Mercury
Uranus/Neptune MC, Venus/NN).
2/18 Over sensitivity to emotional
tension is present for all. The
best thing is not to over-react
to emotional stimulus. Work on
inner
levels to instill calmness and
composure. A lesser Grand Parallel
occurs today with Venus/Jupiter/Neptune/Pluto,
peaking with the
Moon's contact around 9 PM from
15:40 S to 16:11 S.
2/19 Pay attention to your consciousness.
You may be oblivious to a
crisis right under your nose dealing
with someone in your care, or
someone with whom you have influence.
A good time to recognize and
develop spiritual or mystical abilities.
You may be unduly alarmed at
a perceived injustice. Carefully
examine a situation before you
act.
Sun squares Mars 0:51 Pisces/Gemini
7:33 AM, (Sun=Mercury
Uranus/Neptune Asc).
2/27 Processes dealing with the
communication of creative
imagination, mystical issues, or
spiritual awareness can be
successfully launched. Writing,
speaking, or performing in unusual
venues or with a new audience can
be promising. West coast: dealings
with peers or close relationships
and their significance in the
world. East coast: Finding a way
to be of service, or to present
a
valuable new product can be promising.
New Moon 9:16 Pisces, west
coast 4:30 PM; east coast 7:30
(=Mercury NN/Neptune).
2/28 A simple, innocent conversation
may lead to a more beneficial
union. Coming together for expediency
may lead to more serious
relationships that are at least
mutually supportive, though probably
not enduring. Mercury squares Pluto
26:32 Pisces/Sagittarius,
(Mercury=Moon/Asc NN).
** The Grand Parallel is what I
call a grouping of four or more
planets that stay at the same parallel
for an extended period of
time. Grand meaning vast - referring
to an infrequent convoy of
planets in close declination for
an extended sweep of time. This
is
due in part to faster moving planets
in shadow or in retrograde
motion closely aspecting slow moving
planets in that same declination
degree. Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto
continue in that degree of
declination for most of the year,
and are activated every two weeks
by the Moon's alternating passage
north and south. Interesting that
this phenomenon occurred in the
past in 1944, 1917, 1898, 1879,
and
1861. This is a ripe area for research.
Ref: In her article on outer planet
parallels, Leigh Westin coined
the term "Great Parallel".
For more information about parallels,
see
her articles on the Declination
SIG website: www.declination.org
FEBRUARY 2006 SYMBOLISM
February comes from the Latin, Febris (meaning the fever of love),
and was named for Juno-Februa,
Greco-Roman goddess of fire,
purification and healing. She
was the mother of Mars, and patroness
of the passion, or fire of
love.
February's birthstone is the
amethyst -- the gemstone used in the
rings of Catholic Bishops,
and in many rosaries. It symbolizes
spirituality, faithfulness,
spiritual attunement, temperance, peace,
and quietude. It is the stone
associated with the 7th Chakra, the
royal energy center, and has
been used as an amulet for breaking bad
habits and addictions. Amethysts
were used in hand-fastings, showing
faithfulness and stability.
Valerian, the herb associated with
February, quiets the nerves,
allays pain, and promotes sleep.
Midway between the four points
of the solstices and equinoxes are the
Cross-Quarter Days, the fixed
points of the natural year, represented
in the Catholic Church by the
four Gospels, and symbolized by a man
(Aquarius), a bull (Taurus),
a lion (Leo), and an eagle (Scorpio).
These correspond to the four
Pagan fire festivals. About halfway in
the Sun's journey through the
fixed sign of Aquarius, is the man-
point. The very powerful Cross-Quarter
Days are all 15 degrees of
fixed signs, and support the
eighth harmonic division of the Earth's
orbital year. In concept, this
correlates to the Lunation cycle,
which is an eighth harmonic
division of the Moon's orbital month. The
timing of the Moon's orbit
around the Earth varies from the timing of
the Earth's orbit around the
Sun, which accounts for the offset of
the calendar systems. The shifting
of the Solar calendar with the
addition of one day every four
years, adds up to a range of 54 hours,
or 4.25 days. This year, February
3 actually marks the true cross-
quarter festival in the Celtic
or Pagan calendar.
The beginning of February marks
the pagan celebration of Imbolc, or
Oimelc (both pronounced "ee-melc"), is also the festival
of
Brigantia, which corresponds
with the festival of the Norse goddess,
Brigid (in Ireland, the virgin
goddess Bridhe) who embodies the three-
fold nature of the goddess,
and their powers of healing, smithcraft,
& poetry/divination. In Greco-Roman mythology the triune nature
of
the goddess is maiden, mother
and crone, and at the cross quarter the
goddess is transformed from
the barren hag of winter back again to
the vibrant virgin bride of
spring. Imbolc, which means "ewe's milk",
refers to the first lactation
of the year, promising new lambs and a
blessed spring. Imbolc is a
time of commitment to the waxing Light of
the coming spring, and dedicated
to purification and cleansing.
February 2 is Groundhog's day
and Candlemas. Proverbs of many
countries equate the weather
on Candlemas with a forecast. An
American folk tale tells us
that if the groundhog sees his shadow,
there will be another 6 weeks
of winter - a correlation to the 40
penitence days of Lent. Candlemas
is the Christian feast of the
purification of the Virgin
Mary. A Mass is said for the blessing of
the candles and the return
of the Light, commemorating when Jesus
(who is called "The Light of The World") was first presented
in the
temple. This is in tradition
with the Jewish religion, which states
that the firstborn male belongs
to God, and must be presented in
Temple 40 days following his
birth. Many Roman Catholics perform a
novena (9 days of formal prayer),
ending on February 11th: the
festival of The Lady of Fatima
(which was the name of Mohammed's
daughter). Our Lady of Fatima
is said to have appeared in Lourdes
near an ancient Celtic healing
spring (once in Islamic territory),
which was associated with the
goddess, Februa.
February 3 is also the feast
day of St Blase (Blaise) was a martyred
Armenian Bishop in the fourth
century, who tamed and healed wild
animals. On his way to prison
for heresy, he healed a boy who was
choking to death on a fishbone
with a blessing that dissolved the
fishbone. His feast day celebrates
the blessing of the throats, using
two candles. He is associated
with the Slavic horse-god, Vlaise,
champion of animals. Saint
Blase is honored as the patron of wild
animals, wool combers, and
all persons who have ailments of the
throat. Four healing miracles
have been recorded at his shrine.
In 2006, February 28 is Mardi
gras, which means Fat Tuesday, aka
Shrove Tuesday (shrive: to
confess and gain absolution), the final
day of "Carnival" which comes from the Latin root, meaning "farewell
to meat". The next day (March 1) is Ash Wednesday, the beginning
of
Lent, the Christian season
of penitence and renewal in preparation
for the festival of Easter.
Lent comes from lencten, the Chaldean
word meaning "spring" or "lengthening" (of
days). In Medieval Europe
meat and dairy were to be shunned,
and only one meal was eaten - in
the early evening. Good deeds
and disciplinary behavior were offered
in thanksgiving for the sacrifice
of Christ, and in acknowledgment of
His death and resurrection.
This has a parallel in the 40 days of
abstinence that precedes the
pagan festival of the fire-goddess of
the morning star, Astarte.
On Ash Wednesday in the Christian
tradition, a cross is drawn
on the forehead of the penitent with
ashes made from palm leaves
that were burned on Palm Sunday, as the
symbolism of sorrow, regret,
and humility, and a reminder of our
humanness, and that we are
worthy of redemption. The palm tree is the
tree of life in the Babylonian
Garden of Eden story, and symbolizes
hope for the future. The Hebrew
word for palm is Tamar, their name
for the goddess, Ashtaroth,
aka Astarte, Ishtar, and Venus-Hesperos
(Evening Star). Astarte rescued
and healed a palm tree uprooted from
the Garden of Eden by a great
flood.
The Chinese New Year of the
Fire Dog took place on January 29, 2006.
(I apologize for omitting this
and the Islamic New Year from the
January Report.) The dog is
one of the animals of the 12-year zodiac.
Each year gives sequence to
one of the 5 elements of the Chinese
zodiac ˆ a 60-year cycle. This is the year of the Fire Dog.
Fire
emphasizes fierceness, enthusiasm,
dramatic expression, magnetism,
and spirituality. The year
of the Fire Dog brings up issues of
loyalty, friendship, honesty,
and innocence.
In 2006, January 31 was the
Islamic New Year, al-`aam al-jadid. And
ten days later (February 9)
is the Islamic Day of Atonement, Aashura.
When a cultural/religious calendar
is based on the Moon, as are the
Islamic and Jewish calendars,
the dates vary from our present
secular, Solar calendar, and
their holy days are categorized
as "Moveable Feasts".
February 11 is the celebration
of the last apparition of Our Lady at
Lourdes, at a grotto in France
(1858), which was known for many
centuries as a shrine of the
goddess.
St. Valentine was a Martyred
Roman Priest of the 3rd century. St.
Valentine's Day, February 14
holds sacred the number 5 (1 + 4). In
ancient times, when a woman
wanted to attract a lover or husband,
five bay leaves were placed
under her pillow on St. Valentine's eve.
This holiday has an association
with lovebirds, and their first
matings of the year. St Valentine
is associated with Juno, goddess of
maternal and married love,
and also with the Norse/Teutonic goddess
of Love, Sjofn, who shares
this feast day. In Scandinavia, they ran
the Labyrinth on this day,
as a test of love. Love is like perfume;
you can't give it away without
getting a little on yourself.
February 23 is also the Roman
festival of Terminalia, which is
associated with Terminus, god
of boundaries, and Saturn, god of
limitation. Its purpose was
to encourage people to honor the
boundaries of their neighbors.
Statues of the god, Terminus were used
as property markers, and may
have been the forerunners of address
markers, much like European
house names.
This month's full Moon falls
on February 12, which is Abraham
Lincoln's birthday. Calling
our only satellite "the Moon" is rather
lacking in imagination ˆ rather like calling your feline,
the Cat, or
your canine, the Dog. Because
the Moon's phases were so closely
correlated with the monthly
cycles of women, ancient peoples
associated it with the feminine,
and recognized within it the power
of the Goddess. The Romans
called the Moon Luna and Diana; the Greeks
referred to her as Selene and
Artemis; Egyptians called her Isis; and
the Norse called her Freya.
In the American Indian tradition, each
month was named a magical name
that culminated at the full Moon to
honor and invoke protection
from the changing spirit of the Moon. The
Algonquin knew the full Moon
in the month in February as the Snow
Moon, as the heaviest snows
fell in that month. The Inuits called the
February Moon, Anningan. The
Moon goddess in ancient Mexico was known
as Coyolxauhqui, and in ancient
China, she was known as Chang O.
Hindus refer to her as Soma,
and the Shinto Japanese name for her is
Tsuki-Yomi.
The Moon is very important
to us on the Earth, in a number of
different ways. She is the
major gravitational cause of our tides,
both the tides of the oceans,
and the liquid tides of our bodies,
since our bodies are about
80 percent liquid. Blood being highly
liquid tends to ebb and flow
with the phases of the Moon. Gardening
and fishing tips due to the
phases of the Moons have been listed in
the Farmer's Almanac for many
generations. Emotional states of mind
are greatly influenced by these
phases, as we see Great Britain's
Lunacy Act of 1842 giving allowances
for crimes occurring at new and
full Moon times - hence the
word Lunacy. As a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln
used the Full Moon as ample
light to identify a suspect in a murder
trial, dubbed "The Almanac Trial". Many authors and scientists
acknowledged the power of the
Moon over humankind.
"I think that a particle
must have a separate reality
independent of
the measurements. That is an
electron has spin, location
and so forth
even when it is not being measured.
I like to think that the moon
is
there even if I am not looking
at it."
Albert Einstein
"If the Sun and Moon should
ever doubt, they'd immediately
go out."
William Blake
"What was most significant
about the lunar voyage was not
that men
set foot on the moon but that
they set eye on the earth."
Norman Cousins
"The moon develops the imagination,
as chemicals develop photographic
images."
Sheila Ballantyne
"Oceanography is a terrific
career because gradually we seem
to be
coming around to realize that
we had better become as acquainted
with
the seventy percent of our
planet that is covered by water
as we are
with the dark side of the Moon."
Peter Benchley
"Three things cannot be
long hidden: the sun, the moon,
and the
truth."
Buddha
"The moon is nothing but
a circumambulating aphrodisiac
divinely
subsidized to provoke the world
into a rising birth-rate."
Christopher Fry
"If man is not affected
in some way by the Moon, he is
the only thing
on Earth that isn't."
Robert Millikan, U.S. physicist, Nobel Prize winner (1923)
