Mars into Scorpio

From Empowering Astrology:  “Mars moves to the final degree of Libra, pointing us toward critical relationship issues. The final degree of every sign has an urgency to it, a scrutiny that demands we hold ourselves accountable. Mars in Libra has been six weeks of digging into trust, intimacy, and cooperation.



Come tomorrow, December 9, Mars will move into Scorpio. It’s been my feeling, ever since Jupiter arrived in Scorpio, that we wouldn’t really know the true nature of Jupiter in Scorpio until Mars got there, too. With Mars in Libra, however, a lot has been simmering below the surface, just out of view.
Libra is Scorpio’s 12th House (intermediate astrology alert) and if you know the 12th House at all, the action is in the non physical and in the realm of emotion, dreams, and solitary endeavors. And if Jupiter in Scorpio has been dragging up all our secrets, our shame, the darkness we’ve been hiding, then Mars and Jupiter combined may be like a dam breaking. Something to keep an eye on. (Want to know what Mars in Scorpio will mean for you? Check out my sign by sign guide below.)
http://empoweringastrology.com/mars-in-scorpio-sign-by-sign
Ronnie Pontiac: “Also on Saturday at 1AM Mars leaves Libra and enters Scorpio. Mars is weak in Libra but rules Scorpio. Prepare for more ugly secrets about men to be revealed. Libido may turn less romantic and more kinky with Mars in Scorpio. The negative possibilities include vengefulness, underhanded moves, manipulation but the consequences may be surprising. Instead use Mars in Scorpio to explore. It’s good for catharsis and for transformation.


Next Sunday about an hour and a half after midnight Mercury retrograde trine Uranus is exact again. A great time for writing and other creative communication. Read something futuristic. Find new tech or new community that can help liberate you. Instead of lamenting what is passing find ways to prosper in the new environment that is arriving.


Also on Sunday just before dawn Venus square Neptune is exact. On the negative side this can indicate a strong urge for intoxication and escapism. Romance can be misleading, the typical rose colored glasses scenario. But this can also be a time of great artistic inspiration if you put it in the effort. Jupiter trine Neptune and Saturn trine Uranus can indicate the creation of masterpieces.”

Art of Secret Societies

Did anyone see this exhibition in NYC last year?? Here’s an excellent article by Allison Meier on Hyperallergenic.com:

“Installation view of ‘Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection’ at the American Folk Art Museum (all photos by the author for Hyperallergic unless noted)

A strange visual language developed from the 18th to the 20th century behind the closed doors of American secret societies. It’s a languae made up of all-seeing eyes, ominous skulls, hourglasses, arrows, axes, and curious hands holding hearts. Each of these icons was deeply symbolic for the thousands of people — mostly men — who participated in rituals of borrowed meaning, where ancient Egypt, biblical Christianity, and some homegrown amusements like wooden goats on wheels met the rise of American folk art. The American Folk Art Museum’s (AFAM) Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection examines this often hidden history through its arcane artifacts.

Unidentified Man in Independent Order of Odd Fellows Regalia, Artist unidentified (United States, 1840–60), quarter-plate daguerreotype, 4 3/4 x 3 3/4 in (courtesy American Folk Art Museum) (click to enlarge)

Mystery and Benevolence was curated by Stacy C. Hollander, chief curator and director of exhibitions at AFAM, and Aimee E. Newell, director of collections at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library. It features over 200 objects recently donated to the museum by Kendra and Allan Daniel, who spent three decades buying up the once-secretive art. Installed in the museum, the objects are an exuberant display of the “golden age” of Masonic and Odd Fellows objects, when American decorative and folk art merged with the need for a sense of belonging in the new country.

“After becoming an independent nation in the 1780s, America was seeking to establish its own cultural identity; Freemasonry offered a source of images that resonated with the new nation’s values of equality and liberty,” Newell writes in the accompanying catalogue. “Freemasonry’s visual language and American style began to intersect almost as soon as victory over the British was declared, and continued to adapt as the nation grew and the fraternity evolved. ”

Much of the exhibition contextualizes this long-hidden art in the history of the societies, such as their charity work. The Odd Fellows, formed in 18th-century London, were organized as a benevolent group to support the sick, orphans, and those who died without money for a funeral. One of their mission statements is proclaimed in red and gold on a large wooden sign: “Bury the Dead.” There are also axes indicating how the Odd Fellows saw themselves as “pioneers in the pathway of life”; staffs topped with a heart in the hand were a reminder to be open to others.

Similarly, even the more ghoulish imagery had some meaning connected to charity, and selflessness. The skulls, hourglasses, and skeletons holding shields painted with the word “fidelity” were all reminders of mortality, and how one’s brief time on earth could be better dedicated to others. Reverend Aaron B. Grosh wrote in 1853’s The Odd Fellow’s Manual: “Only the good or evil of our lives will survive us on earth, to draw down on our memories the blessings of those we have aided, or the contempt and reproach of those we have injured.”

Pair of Cherubim, artist unidentified (United States, 1900–25), metal with traces of gold leaf. They likely were once on a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.

Installation view of ‘Mystery and Benevolence’

Odd Fellows axes in ‘Mystery and Benevolence’

Independent Order of Odd Fellows Staff with Serpent, Artist unidentified (United States, 1875–1900), paint on wood, 53 x 5 x 4 3/4 in (courtesy American Folk Art Museum, photo by José Andrés Ramírez)

Painting of a church and cemetery in ‘Mystery and Benevolence’

Independent Order of Odd Fellows Carpet, Artist unidentified (United States,1875–1925), wool, 61 x 35 1/2 in (courtesy American Folk Art Museum, photo by José Andrés Ramírez)

Installation view of ‘Mystery and Benevolence’

Independent Order of Odd Fellows Tracing Board, Artist unidentified (United States, 1850–1900), oil on canvas, 33 1/4 x 39 1/2 x 2 1/8 in (courtesy American Folk Art Museum, photo by José Andrés Ramírez)”

Installation view of ‘Mystery and Benevolence’

Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collectioncontinues at the American Folk Art Museum (2 Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Manhattan) through May 8.

http://hyperallergic.com/271755/folk-art-relics-from-the-golden-age-of-americas-secret-societies/

and…

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/08/arts/design/the-art-of-secret-societies-filled-with-codes-and-glyphs.html?_r=4

Arbatel: The Magic of the Ancients

“The Arbatel de magia veterum (Arbatel: Of the Magic of the Ancients) is a Renaissance-period grimoire – a textbook of magic – and one of the most influential works of its kind. Unlike some other occult manuscripts that contain dark magic and malicious spells, the Arbatel contains spiritual advice and guidance on how to live an honest and honorable life.”

Author: Jovanna Goette

Full article: http://visualmagick.blogspot.com/2017/03/arbatel-magic-of-ancients-occult.html 

“The Arbatel is claimed to have been written in 1575 AD. This date is supported through textual references dating from 1536 through 1583. It is believed that the final editor of the Arbatel was Swiss physician Theodor Zwinger, and that it was published by Italian printer Pietro Perna. The author remains unknown, although it has been speculated that a man named Jacques Gohory may be the author. Like Zwinger and Perna, Gohory was a Paracelsian (a group who believed in and followed the medical theories and therapies of Paracelsus).

The focus of the Arbatel is on nature, and the natural relationships between humanity and a celestial hierarchy. It centers on the positive relationships between the celestial world and humans, and the interactions between the two. British poet and scholarly mystic Arthur Edward Waite (A.E. Waite) noted that the Arbatel is clearly Christian in nature. He wrote that it does not contain any form of black magic, and that it is not connected to the Greater or Lesser Keys of Solomon, which were focused on demonology.

The most frequently cited book in the Arbatel is the Bible. In the manner it is written, it appears that the author of the Arbatel must have had many portions of the Bible memorized, and that this highly influenced his writings.

The Arbatel was an extremely influential work for its time. It is said that one cannot understand the meaning of the Arbatel without also understanding the philosophy of Paracelsus. It viewed theosophy in an occult sense, and was perhaps the first written work to do so. Prior to the Arbatel, theosophy was generally used as a synonym for theology. It was the first writing to make the important distinction between human knowledge and divine knowledge.

Not all views of the Arbatel are positive, however. Dutch physician, occultist and demonologist Johann Weyer condemned the Arbatel as being “full of magical impiety” in his book, De praestigiis daemonum. In 1617, two professors at the University of Marburg in Germany intended to use the Arbatel as a textbook for students. Actions were taken against those professors by the University, and the book led to a student’s expulsion. Further, in 1623, an individual accused of being a witch, Jean Michel Menuisier, claimed to have used incantations from the Arbatel.

The first edition was most likely published in Basel. Some claim there had been earlier editions, although there has been no evidence to substantiate this. Since 1575, there have been several reprints. In 1655, Robert Turner translated the Arbatel to English, and printed it in his “Fourth” book of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s “Three Books of Occult Philosophy.” In 1686, Andreas Luppius wrote a German translation of the Arbatel, and in 1855, Scheible completed another German translation, correcting Luppius’ errors. In 1945, Marc Haven created a French translation of the manuscript. Finally, in 1969, it was translated again into English in the British Library’s Sloane Manuscripts. This English translation resulted in many errors and missing sections, and included a “Seal of Secrets” not included in any other version.

Through its original edition and later translations, the Arbatel remains a fascinating look into ancient spiritual advice, and the different philosophies and views of the world from the 16th Century.”

Astro Report: Gemini Season

Sun into Gemini: May 20th at 1:31pm.
New Moon in Gemini: Thursday, May 25th at 12:44pm.
Mercury is Direct in Taurus.
Saturn – Uranus trine at 26 degrees (Sagittarius and Aries respectively) TODAY.
Venus Direct in Aries.  Mars Direct in Gemini.

Silence of the Night, Reiji Hiramatsu

I’d say the big thing is this trine with Saturn and Uranus today. This is a harmonious connection between two complete opposites:

Saturn is reality, time, responsibility, history, discipline, commitment, stability, and the establishment. It is slow, solid change.

Uranus is revolution, invention, science, rebelliousness, genius, Change, disruption, electricity and awakening. It is sudden change.

So these two are having a friendly conversation today, which is interesting.  If you have a duality in your life, you might find some common ground today. The main thing is that Saturn will INSIST on any changes you make being well thought out and solid. In my view, Saturn is heavier than Uranus and so those energies carry more weight, BUT they will have to find a compromise since Uranus will not be silenced.

A new physical reality comes into view.
A revolution with a solid foundation.
A path to making aspirations into realities.

This is a good day to set some goals 

This trine is also happening in the fire signs of Aries and Sagittarius, which brings guts, confidence, self esteem and passion. Creativity and adventure. Composers, artists, actors, musicians and performers are ignited by this energy today. Let your light shine.

Celebrate Earth Day

"Silent in space forgotten among the stars early awakened to grace our heavenly hopes, she who is a planet as star a burning beginning a mental held sphere, that now has billions of hearts to adorn and adore,

but what is the future to those who care not, who seek to be just compost, the bloody war forgot, what of the animal, plants and the trees, what of the ones who wanted not war but peace to see... 

greed killed the future, and replaced it in a plastic coffin so all could die and choke on the forgotten..build as we will and reach as we might, humanity of her is what we should fight for and fight fight fight, 

so call her gaia, some call her mother earth, but until we can exist on another world.... we own nothing but dirt... so serve your mistress and mother alike, because in the end time doesn't stop, nor will it rewind......"

- Luxas Aureaum

April Rewinds: Astro Report

Lots of retrogrades (and introspection) affecting us this month, giving us the chance to review our growth since the start of the year. We are slowing down, making sure we have solid foundations.

April 5th at 10:06pm (pacific): Saturn Retrograde in Sagittarius.
April 9th at 4:14pm: Mercury Retrograde at 4° Taurus.
April 10th at 11:08pm: Full Moon at 21° Libra.
April 15th at 3:18am: Venus (currently R) goes Direct in Pisces – exalted!
…and Jupiter Retrograde in Libra until June 8th!

And TODAY, Sunday, retrograde Venus in Pisces is squaring retrograde Saturn in Sag at exactly 27°.

Partnerships are being seriously reevaluated this week. Relationships regarding love and business are tested to see if they can withstand the pressures of long term commitment. Saturn doesn’t fool around. Are you willing to do the hard work necessary to keep your pledge to another person? If yes, the relationship has a strong center and will probably be a lasting one. But if they are castles built of sand, they will diminish.

This is an important time to take inventory of what’s working and what’s not working, and to gauge the commitment level of each person. This tension will be accented by the Full Moon in Libra tomorrow, and Venus’s’ stationing at the end of the week.
There are four planets retrograding together this week. That’s pretty amazing! I can’t remember the last time this happened. In general, all of us need to:

1. Re-evaluate things you’re committed to.
2. Re-examine your VALUES and adjust if necessary. What’s most important?
3. Start with getting grounded; take each day as it comes.
4. Don’t expand into future worries – but deal with what’s in front of you right now.
5. Be in the present.

The great RE-VALUE is here.

Spring Equinox ~ be joyful

Hail unto the Return of the Mighty Spring!

Sun into Aries at 3:39am today.

"The spring equinox falls on Monday, March 20, in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the moment that the sun passes over the celestial equator. On this day, Wiccans and many other neopagans observe Ostara, a festival that celebrates the season's change from dark winter to brightening spring.
Wicca is a pagan religion that emphasizes the cycles of nature and spiritual connection to the earth. Ostara is one of 8 seasonal Wiccan holidays.


























"The Coming of Spring" by Lawrence Alma Tadema.

Happy Valentine's Day

I LOVE this day… relationship or not. I just LOVE LOVE.
To everyone out there, have a wonderful Valentine’s Day ♥
I also believe this is true:
“It is Almost Certain that Between Friends There is at All Times, a Silent Communication, a Sort of Unconscious Mental Conversation Going on Subjectively when This Rises to the Surface of Conscious Intelligence, it is Called Mental Telepathy. The Communication with Others is Going On at All Times, whether the Conscious Mind is Aware of the Fact or Not. We are Always Receiving Impressions that are More or Less Vague, and It is Seldom They Come to the Surface; but They are There Nevertheless and are Gradually Building into Our Mentalities Impressions and Forms of Thought that are Unconscious and Silently Perceived.”

~ Ernest Shurtleff Holmes, The Science of the Mind: Subjective Communication (1926)

Oscar Wilde quote

"With Freedom, Books, Flowers, and the Moon, Who Could Not Be Happy?"

~ Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)



"Ascent of the White Queen" by Maggie Dunne

Creative people’s brains really do work differently

”The common traits that people across all creative fields seemed to have in common were an openness to one’s inner life; a preference for complexity and ambiguity; an unusually high tolerance for disorder and disarray; the ability to extract order from chaos; independence; unconventionality; and a willingness to take risks.”

Source: http://qz.com/584850/creative-peoples-brains-really-do-work-differently/

Written by Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman

“What makes highly creative people different from the rest of us? In the 1960s, psychologist and creativity researcher Frank X. Barron set about finding out. Barron conducted a series of experiments on some of his generation’s most renowned thinkers in an attempt to isolate the unique spark of creative genius.

In a historic study, Barron invited a group of high-profile creators—including writers Truman Capote, William Carlos Williams, and Frank O’Connor, along with leading architects, scientists, entrepreneurs, and mathematicians—to spend several days living in a former frat house on the University of California at Berkeley campus. The participants spent time getting to know one another, being observed by researchers, and completing evaluations of their lives, work, and personalities, including tests that aimed to look for signs of mental illness and indicators of creative thinking.

Barron found that, contrary to conventional thought at the time, intelligence had only a modest role in creative thinking. IQ alone could not explain the creative spark.

Instead, the study showed that creativity is informed by a whole host of intellectual, emotional, motivational and moral characteristics. The common traits that people across all creative fields seemed to have in common were an openness to one’s inner life; a preference for complexity and ambiguity; an unusually high tolerance for disorder and disarray; the ability to extract order from chaos; independence; unconventionality; and a willingness to take risks.

Describing this hodgepodge of traits, Barron wrote that the creative genius was “both more primitive and more cultured, more destructive and more constructive, occasionally crazier and yet adamantly saner, than the average person.”

This new way of thinking about creative genius gave rise to some fascinating—and perplexing—contradictions. In a subsequent study of creative writers, Barron and Donald MacKinnon found that the average writer was in the top 15% of the general population on all measures of psychopathology. But strangely enough, they also found that creative writers scored extremely high on all measures of psychological health.

Why? Well, it seemed that creative people were more introspective. This led to increased self-awareness, including a greater familiarity with the darker and more uncomfortable parts of themselves. It may be because they engage with the full spectrum of life—both the dark and the light—that writers score high on some of the characteristics that our society tends to associate with mental illness. Conversely, this same propensity can lead them to become more grounded and self-aware. In openly and boldly confronting themselves and the world, creative-minded people seemed to find an unusual synthesis between healthy and “pathological” behaviors.”

Read more

Rest in Peace Rebel Princess

How childhood trauma could affect your life expectancy, relationships and mental health

This is an important article. If you feel you’ve suffered from childhood trauma, please get help and support. Please take it seriously. This is a common thread in many of the readings I do for people, and all of us deserve to find peace and happiness in our lives. Mindful Meditation is a fantastic method for dealing with these issues.

If this is you, please reach out and GET HELP.

Article by Sarah Young:
“Childhood abuse can create long-lasting scars, damage our perception of the world and set our brains to self-destruct until we are well into our 50s, say experts.
While the relationships that we form at a young age help us to develop, if they are destructive, they can negatively impact the rest of our lives.
Research has shown that childhood trauma, ranging from sexual abuse and parent’s divorce to alcoholism in the home, actually increases the odds of heart disease, stroke, depression and diabetes later on in life.

Furthermore, it also increases risky health behaviors such as smoking or having a large number of sexual partners, and even contributes to a lower life expectancy.
The study revealed that those traumatized as children, with six or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), died nearly 20 years earlier than those who had none.
As well as physical affects, these experiences are known to increase the risk of poor psychological health later.
Children who suffer trauma often grow to distrust others as a result of being betrayed by the very adults who are supposed to nurture and protect them, according to the Australian abuse support group Blue Knot Foundation.
Similarly, a study of more than 21,000 child abuse survivors age 60 and older in Australia revealed a much greater rate of failed marriages and relationships, with abuse survivors more  likely to rate themselves “not happy at all” or “not very happy.”
Other problems people with a history of child trauma are more likely to experience include depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol abuse, addiction to gambling and shopping, and low self-esteem.
Despite this, there are a number of therapies and tools known to help trauma survivors such as mindful meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. “

Love for Oakland

I’m so moved and saddened by the lives taken in Ghost Ship fire Friday night. When I first heard the story, I understood exactly what it was, because myself and many of my friends have attended gatherings like these many times around the Bay Area. They are exuberant, liberating, creative, inspiring and energizing events for the underground artistic community. To me, they are the heartbeat of the Bay Area, and communities everywhere. I’ve personally been inspired musically by attending these events.
But I wasn’t ready to start seeing the faces and hearing the back stories of the people that perished. I feel rocked to my core this morning; helpless and grieving for the young lives lost. To me, the artists, writers, performers and musicians of this world are hugely important and VITAL – especially as the world is becoming more conservative and protectionist. The world desperately needed to hear more from these brilliant kids, who had their whole lives in front of them.
You can read some of their stories here.
What can be said? What can be done other than to grieve? There is something each of us can do for the ones we lost. We can speak up. We can get disciplined and get to work. We can express ourselves. And we can DO OUR ART. I’m picking up my guitar today in honor of them.

Bob Newhart: Stop It!

Friday Funny!

Neptunian Direct

Neptune Direct in Pisces today at 8:38pm Pacific

Excellent day to float around your house in a creative dream world, do Magick, draw, paint, write and ESPECIALLY make MUSIC!

Neptune, planet of fantasy, dreams, spirituality, clairvoyance, movies, divine power, spiritual strength, and the occult is standing still over our heads this weekend. It has been moving backward for the last several months and will turn forward, or Direct this evening at 8:38pm. When a planet is standing still or “stationing” overhead, it’s energy is more concentrated than usual, and greatly impacts our personal lives and society at large.

The influence this weekend is powerful because of this stationing – AND the fact that it’s happening IN Pisces – Neptune’s natural home. It’s cold and raining where I am; the two qualities of elemental WATER, which inspire us towards imagination, music and creativity. We want to stay in and watch movies or daydream – both very Neptunian activities. Pay attention to any intuitive insights or flashes of inspiration you receive, because the air is crackling with divine communication. The only thing to watch out for is escapism – don’t overdo drugs or alcohol right now because it will backfire on your efforts. Tap into the deep, spiritual eddies flowing around you, and embrace the current of Love. Write out your dreams because they contain powerful keys of inspiration and self knowledge.

From Mystic Medusa: “Neptune peeps can be hideously alluring, charming and yet deceptive. Haute Neptune is great art, mystics and people such as Jesus Christ. Low Neptune is, well, out of it. Neptune energy infuses your perceptions when you’re drunk or otherwise escaping or enhancing reality.

Some peeps give their whole life over to Neptune, never a particularly good idea.

You need to master Saturn before you can ‘do’ Neptune satisfactorily.  Neptune always makes me think of the kind of beach that has a steep drop all of a sudden and you can go from bopping about in the shallows, shore in sight, to swimming with slippery, deceptive and potentially dangerous sea monsters.

Neptune can break your heart. Via drugs, alcohol, madly escapist tendencies or those strange, addictive romances some people get hooked up in where the feelings evoked are nothing short of religious…but it’s basically hopeless.

Sometimes i get people emailing me who are clearly in the grip of Neptune – not drunk (?) but wanting my idea on when someone they last saw eight years ago but still hold our hope for might return. Or the classic someone-married scenario. I always want to tip an urn of Saturn-chilled ice water over them but nothing works when Neptune has gotten a grip.

You can have Neptune strong in your chart – in which case you need to get some good Saturn habits strong to augment the good qualities of Neptune – or you can have a powerful Neptune transit going on that renders you temporarily Neptunian. When you’re Neptunian, you get easy access to other realms – ghosts, visions, angels, spirit guides….dark matter maybe. You will have a Muse. You will be exquisitely sensitive….like a Medium. Every night your R.E.M. mind is a like a blockbuster epic movie.

So how Neptunian are you?  Do you have the “easy” or “challenging” aspects of Neptune to other planets in your chart. Never mind the sextile to Pluto. We’ve basically all got that one. Think more of what Neptune is doing to Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Ascendant.

Or are you having a Neptune transit?  For the next two years, Neptune hangs out in the late degrees of Aqua/early Pisces…So that’s your key Neptune zone. Also, if you’ve got anything in a late Fixed sign (Leo, Taurus, Scorpio) or early (up to three degrees) of a Mutable (Virgo, Saggo, Gemini) consider that Neptune haunted as well.

Also, how many of you got nearly drowned by a Lower Neptunian? Or had Neptune break their heart? I think it happens to lots of peeps when they’re young.”

Reclaiming The Radical Legacy of The Witch

Article by Danielle Prohom Olson:

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about witches. Not just because top ten lists of hot tv witches and sexy Halloween selfies currently swamp my social media feeds, but because my tables and shelves are currently so laden with herbs, plants, berries, phials and bottles that if an inquisitor of old were to enter, I’d find myself quickly tied to the stake. And while this worry seems remote, it’s a plain fact that women in third world countries are still hunted down, tortured and set aflame for the crime of witchcraft.

Sure, the witch is emerging from the world of taboo and shadows onto the world stage. Sure, she’s being touted as a feminist icon  – a “powerful feminine model free from male influence or ownership”. But I’m not so sure. Because how can it be that the witch, once associated with everything transgressive and beyond the realm of normative society, is now so trendy and positively mainstream?  Is it really a feminist step forward that W magazine declared Fall 2016, the season of the witch, replete with pouting models in gothic dresses, chains and black lace underwear?

And while many believe the witch of the middle ages was a spectre created by the church, I believe she was real. Yes, many put to death were just ordinary women who practiced folk magic, herbalism and midwifery, but many were powerful spiritual leaders of the indigenous, animist faith traditions of the old world – and their magic was earned through a lifetime of spiritual discipline spent in communion with nature.

And I worry her make-over into nubile fashion siren not only obscures this history, but her true relevance as a role model to us today. One that if resurrected, would be just as subversive and dangerous to the powers that be. 

Today the witches tall black hat and burbling cauldron have become icons of Halloween kitsch, but they were once hallowed items of the holy women and priestesses, the healers and herbalists, the oracles and diviners of old Europe. Their conical hats and cauldrons date back to the 2nd Millennium BCE and were connected to the female shamans of the Indo-European peoples.

Their cauldrons (as well as crystal balls and magical wands) were still being used thousands of years later by the “witte wieven” or wise women, the sibyls, seers, and female druids of Celtic, Anglo Saxon, and Norse traditions of the middle ages.

According to Max Dashu, author Witches and Pagans: Women in European Folk Religion,  these “dream-readers, sooth-sayers, and herb-chanters, fire-gazers in Switzerland, or water-gazers in France and Spain”, practiced “all the elements of shamanism: chants, prophecy, healing, weather-making powers, and shapeshifting”. Legends tell of their sacred cauldrons in which “they simmered mysterious herbs to produce a drink of immortality and resurrection.”

These women were the guardians of the earth, the protectors of the sacred groves, lakes and springs, from which they derived their magical power. And until the middle ages they were highly respected, sought out and consulted for healing and divination by common folk, nobility and clergy alike.

But according to Barbara G. Walker , it was during the 14th century that the Catholic Church, during its relentless expansion and appropriation of sacred land, began to distinguish between witchcraft, perpetrated by women, and sorcery, a legitimate pursuit of men.

While books on sorcery were condoned well into the enlightenment, female witches in contrast were said to “magically injure crops, domestic animals, and people, and in general “outrage the Divine Majesty”. And thus their religious practices (as described by Dashu) of “sitting-out” on the land “gazing, listening, gathering wisdom” were extinguished by a priesthood that sought to bring nature, magic, women (not to mention their land and property) under male control.

These women did not go easily, or take usurpation of their holy sites and old ways lightly – it took the Church hundreds of years to hunt them down. And so it seems likely, at least to me,  that the stereotype of vengeful witch, casting curses and blighting crop, was real, at least for the church. She must have been the original eco-feminist, fighting the patriarchy with one of most powerful tools at her disposal, magic. And the Church took it pretty seriously indeed.”

Read More here: https://gathervictoria.com/2016/10/23/reclaiming-the-radical-legacy-of-the-witch/

Full Moon In Aries

Full Moon in Aries at 9:23pm Pacific, Saturday, October 15th.

The Full Moon was exact last night, but we are experiencing the effect today, Monday and Tuesday. It’s a VERY powerful Full Moon because it’s in a conjunction with Uranus (revolution, truth, rebellion and “shaking things up”).

This will be a dramatic week. The Full Moon will set off more disruptions and drama on the world stage. The last debate takes place this Wednesday – the same day as a conjunction (combining) between Mars (energy, war, men) and Pluto (toxic purification). Should be interesting! Mars and Pluto both rule Scorpio which is Clinton’s sign, so she should be able to ride the wave. Trump will have women coming out of the woodwork to challenge him, and his supporters will stay resolute.

This is a good week to take things a step at a time and be cautious in social interactions. Creativity is highly enhanced, especially if it goes outside of social norms. This is a week for the revolutionary, unconventional, rebellious genius to fully express herself or himself. Expect revelations regarding your life and personal belief systems. Do something physical; push yourself at the gym or exercise in nature. If you have some great truth to impart to someone, I would wait until next week.

The rest of October is about radical transformation, on a personal and social level.

Autumnal Equinox: horoscopes

Fall Equinox at 7:21am, Sun into Libra.
MERCURY DIRECT at 10:31pm last night, 9/21.
Libra: Love, Beauty, Harmony, Socializing, Parties, Negotiation, Friendship, Teamwork.

Welcome to Fall! The Autumnal Equinox marks the midpoint between Summer and Winter. Today we have equal day and equal night. Libra is about balance, harmony, justice, and partnerships of ALL kinds.

Today is referred to as the festival of Mabon. This is the second harvest festival of the year, the first being Lammas (August 1st) and the third being Halloween (October 31st). Whatever was started in March this year is now coming to fruition. It's harvest season, where we see the result of our labors. We reap what we have sown. It's the time to take stock of where you are in your life right now - what you've brought forth and what you still want to manifest.

Today we feel the turn of the wheel of the year. Standing in the middle of equal daylight to equal nighttime, we look at BALANCE. Are we out of balance in our lives? Are we taking care of ourselves? Are we working hard AND making time for our dreams and having fun too?

Mabon also relates to mid life; to our 40's and 50's when we have accomplished some things, but also might harbor regrets. The Equinox is a time to give yourself credit for all the wonderful things you've created and the positive difference you've made in the world. Honor your courage! And how much smarter you are now than when you were young.

This holiday was pivotal in ancient times, since a good final harvest was crucial to surviving the winter months ahead.  Relationships are reassessed so we can decide who is best to take into the harsh winter with us. If someone is draining your energy, now might be the time to let go.

Current Astrology:

     The Sun, Jupiter, and Venus are now in Libra, which is BIG energy. The Sun and Jupiter are the largest bodies in our system and radiate expanding, positive light. Jupiter will be in Libra for the next couple of years, giving new insights into the themes of relationships, teamwork, creativity, beauty and luxury.

Jupiter rules our beliefs, faith and truth. Now that Jupiter is in Libra, we will redefine our beliefs about partnerships. There will be a renewed interest to connect, make peace, and find balance. Meanwhile, Venus (ruler of Libra) is moving into Scorpio tomorrow giving a lot of intensity to the current themes in our lives. Avoid socially awkward situations and causing drama.

The horoscopes below take the Sun into account, as well as the ruler of your sign. Be sure to read your Sun sign AND Rising sign. The Rising Sign is the most accurate reflection of your chart when reading most horoscopes. You can calculate your Rising sign here.


Aries:  The Ram
     Partnerships of all kinds will be significant in your life over the next month (and year, with Jupiter's influence). The Sun, Jupiter, and Venus are in your House of Partnerships, bringing a new shift in relationships, faith, healing, expansion and balance.

Taurus:  The Bull

    Your ruler, Venus, is about to enter Scorpio, the sign of relationships and your polarity. Tomorrow begins a foreshadowing of the lessons this season will have for you. They aren't bad or good, just themes for you to work on. You've had some tests in your House of Work, Health and Habits over the last year, but with the entrance of the Sun and Jupiter into this area, you should be able to gain some new traction in daily life matters.

Gemini:  The Twins

     The Sun is in Libra, putting focus on your Romantic and Creative Life. Jupiter is there for the next year giving you huge opportunities to attract romance! Be sure and get out and socialize a lot. Good luck also comes in the form of creative partnerships. Your ruler, Mercury just went Direct last night too, so you are in forward motion again.

Cancer:  The Crab

     Cancerians love their home environments, so you will be thrilled to know that the skies are sending you ample opportunities for home improvement and social gatherings.

The next year also supports you healing your ties with your family of origin, and increasing your self knowledge and faith. It's a time of digging into your roots and healing your soul.

Leo:  The Lion

    The Sun and Jupiter are shining in your House of Learning and Communication this month. You will love this because your self expression will get a huge boost. Speaking, creativity, visibility in your community will all be expanded for the next two years. Meanwhile Saturn brings maturity to how you communicate with important relationships and your neighborhood pals:)

Virgo:  The Virgin

   Your ruler, Mercury, is giving you a last birthday present by turning Direct in your sign last night, AND at an auspicious degree! New, positive, forward motion has begun. Meanwhile the Sun and Jupiter are in Libra, and the focus shifts to your financial world. For the next year ask yourself, what do you value most? And what is the truth about what you value?

Libra:  The Scales

     It's birthday season! The Sun and Jupiter have entered Libra and the spotlight is on YOU! It's the rebirth of your identity for the next solar year. Who are you now? It's time to set goals for where you'd like to be this time next year. Your ruler, Venus, is moving into Scorpio tomorrow giving some intensity to your relationships.

Scorpio:  The Scorpion

     All the action is in your 12th House of spiritual strength, solitude, artistry, universal connection and the soul. It's the place you retreat to for healing, safety and security. The inner planets will be visiting you there over the next month to assist you in clearing cobwebs and brightening up the place. You ruler, Mars is traveling with Saturn through Sagittarius, bringing focus to your TRUTH and faith. 

Sagittarius:  The Archer

     Had some romance lately? Uranus (sudden events) and Jupiter (good fortune) are hosting a party in your House of Romance right now. Jupiter enlarges your social circle and Uranus brings unusual and revolutionary people into your love life and creative work! Jupiter is also your ruler, so wherever he travels brings focus. The theme of your life for the next year is a reality check with your personal truth, and an expansion of your friendships and social network.

Capricorn:  The Goat

     Saturn, your ruler, is still moving through Sagittarius in your House of Spiritual Connection. What's the reality of your ambitions, and are you including your spiritual life in your plans? Do they still suit you and do you need a change? Saturn isn't big on changes, but DOES support your climb up the steep mountain to reach your goal. Think about what that goal is and shift it if necessary. Remember you have Pluto in your sign right now, and that's a VERY powerful ally. He brings up toxic energy to be purged and healed. Also, you will see good luck regarding career and public image over the next two years.

Aquarius:  The Water Bearer

     The Sun and Jupiter are traversing your House of Life Perspective right now. The next two years is a time of education, training and travel. The transit of Jupiter in Libra expands your mind, faith, self knowledge and personal philosophy. Your ruler, Uranus, is still in Aries which lights a fire under you, and brings confidence, optimism and ambition to your peaceful and humanitarian perspectives.

Pisces:  The Fishes

     All the action is in your 8th house for the next year! This area of your chart represents Other People's Money - i.e. banks, loans, real estate, rentals and credit. Don't overspend. Kinda boring stuff for artistic Pisces, but with the Sun and Jupiter there it's a great time to negotiate with authority and solidify your relationships. You can attract helpful people to your life right now. This house also relates to SEX, so it could be a hot and steamy year for you!