Hello everyone.
My first post and my first opportunity to examine a current quandary. In fact, that’s part of what you’ll find in this astro-blog, my continuing efforts to understand the cycles of universal time (no big ambition there) and how these cycles apply to and affect our lives here on this dear planet.
This woman from Pompeii reminds me of me - and I like that she survived! (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
I’ve been studying astrology a long time, and I continue to study it day by day. I was explaining to another astrology blogger the other day that astrology chose me; it is my calling in the sense that it called me and continues to call me every day. Since every day is new, there are constant and abundant opportunities to observe the rhythm of this life and see how it synchronizes with the planets and starts.
This blog will be a little bit of everything astro-related: my ah-ha moments, my questions, my doubts; the tools and techniques I’ve learned in the past and still rely upon; reporting about my current learning; and the challenges and joys of professional astrology. I will try to keep it basic enough so that anyone with an interest in learning more about astrology will find something in its pages. And I welcome and fervently hope that practiced astrologers will engage with my questions, point out tools I don’t know about, and recommend resources for all of us to use.
Waxing and Waning
So here’s my first quandary: waxing and waning. I have a very easy time understanding the waxing and waning cycle of the Moon. It just makes sense to me. Intuitively I have learned that I am generally in harmony with its cycle, even when I’m less aware of its position. The Moon provides such a potent visual that it’s hard to miss or misconstrue its meaning.
Venus conjuncts my natal Sun today, so I thought I'd honor her with this beautiful painting by Bouguereau. (Source:Wikimedia Commons)
Waxing and waning applies to all of the other planets too, especially when you think in terms of their aspects to each other. When two planets meet at the same zodiac point they are in conjunction. As the faster one begins to move ahead of the slower one the waxing part of their cycle begins. When the faster planet reaches the exact opposite point in the zodiac that is the opposition point. Then the waning part of their cycle begins until the faster planet laps the slower-moving one again.
The waxing phase of any planetary cycle is the growth and development phase. The waning phase is the distribution and dissolution phase. Simple, right? When planets are waxing we move forward, we create, we take risks, we bud and blossom and bloom. When planets are waning we put forth the fruit, we nourish others, and we withdraw our energy to conserve it for the next growth cycle.
Go or No Go?
OK, here’s the problem. I was working on the weekly forecast for my other blog, Astro4Business Intersections. There are simply three active planets this week: the Moon, Mercury, and Mars. We’re in the waxing phase of the lunar cycle, so the advice, abbreviated, is “go for it!” But we’re in the waning phase of Mercury to Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune, and the waning phase of Mars to Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune.
In other words our feelings and daily moods say, go, go, go, grow, grow, grow! But our thoughts (Mercury) and our energy levels and motivation (Mars) say stop, conserve, wind-down, complete. The new beginning to their annual cycle is still to come when they reach conjunction with these planets in the coming months. So is it go, or is it no?
I’m strongly Gemini-influenced and it’s easy for me to see in terms of black and white. But this apparent conflict calls for a much more subtle perception. What part of us waxes and wanes with the lunar cycle and how is it distinct from the waxing and waning of the other planets? What does it really mean when a planet, representing an aspect of ourselves, is gaining ground in one part of our life and losing ground in another?
Any thoughts on this? Any examples? I’d love to hear back from you and as I let this simmer on the back burner I’ll be sure to let you know if I have any insights on it. But I will tell you this: it’s so nice to begin this blog. Check back often.
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Ellen,
This is exciting since I am a complete know-nothing about astrology. So, good for you and I’ll be a big reader. When Mom was here over the holidays we held a Solstice circle — she and I, my sister, and niece (8) and nephew (6). It was a lovely experience and I learned so much. She and my sister first explained about the four directions, the elements, and the lunar cycle and that flowed into the cycle of life and how attuned it is to the moon’s dance. We lit candles and read incantations. We wrote on slips of paper the things of the past year we wished to banish and burned them in a little cauldron, the smoke wafting softly up and freeing our spirits of those burdens. CedarCrone (mom) gave us each a crystal to keep for energy in moving toward the Spring when we will go, go, and grow and grow. Seems to all tie in so well with what you’ve shared here. Thinking about the lunar cycle and the life cycle were most meaningful to me. Not something we Christians think about much. How lucky I am (in so many ways) to have CedarCrone in my life — and to have you. Forward, my friend, and may the angels bear you up on gentle winds and may Fire illumine your path, and the music of trickling waters inspire your words. I love you.
One of these days, Becca, I’d love to come down for one of your Solstice celebrations. It really resonates with me. My spiritual master once said, “I can’t live without seeing the Moon.” That’s pretty much the way I feel about all of the cycles of nature. They are the outward face of God to me. Thanks so much for commenting. Love you, too.
I was delighted to see this picture of the studious woman from Pompeii. I’ve been studying some philosophical texts from ancient Kashmir lately and yesterday I found an image of a “reading Buddha” that I fell in love with. It has a very similar feel.
I’m so looking forward to following along with your new blog.
Thanks for coming aboard, Annie. I’d love to see the “reading Buddha” picture. I know, isn’t this woman from Pompeii great?
Oh and I don’t seem to be able to subscribe to your comments feed – the main feed is ok though… thought you might like to know
Thanks, Emma, I’ll look into it. The blog is still somewhat under construction with my son, who lives in England by the way, helping me out.
Oh its working now… thank you – I have been able to subscribe
This is an interesting post, I can really relate to this energy right now, it is just how I have been feeling – noticing a real drive to push forward deep in me – yet not having the physical energy to do all this drive admonishes me to, and my thoughts being very conservative, be careful – look after your energy, be patient etc.
I have a sense that it is a time where impatience can be a problem, because of the conflict between the two forces, if I am patient then I can handle the feelings better, knowing it is moving forward in an unconscious way perhaps (moons influence) and that this inner shift will show itself on the external – or rather can fully be acted upon if I am patient and wait for the mars energy of action to be available. I feel a little like it is a bow being drawn back now to be released efficiently later.
I am not a professional astrologer and don’t have a complete understanding of transit meanings – however your post spoke to me and I thought I would share some of my intuitive feel for the current energies for interest as it seemed to connect with what you are saying here.
Thank you so much, Emma. I love the bow image. A reader on my other blog summed up her feelings with “motivation but no direction”. I feel that drive to push forward too, but can’t figure out how to fit everything I want to progress on in any given day. I love your take on impatience. It gives me a lot to think about.