Hope Rocks! Ready when you are, Jupiter!

Hope Rocks!

Many (myself included) are rejoicing in the fact that Mercury the scribe has completed its retrograde period, along with Uranus the rebel—two planets that reign supreme over my countenance of late. All that’s left is the direct motion of Jupiter, coming on Christmas Day! Hooray! Writings in the Sky has a nice rundown of all the exciting planetary activity, as well.

I had commented earlier on Jupiter’s role in lifting spirits, evoking optimism, and providing a foundation of hope. Lord (or whoever you wish to insert in the name of cosmic magnificence) knows, I ride on the pinwheel of positivity whenever I can. And sometimes, I wonder whether I’m mistaking the hopeful influence of Jupiter for the escapist influence of Neptune. I can’t deny the tendency to lose myself in music or daydreams in order to cope with a difficult situation. But then, I realize that there is a distinct difference between the two:

Jupiter = Belief; Neptune = Surrender

When I set forth to achieve something, I believe in its completion. When I listen to music, I surrender to its purpose.

So during these periods of retrograde, it’s not that I lose my beliefs—rather, I need to examine the basis of my beliefs to make sure that they are strong enough and valid enough to support me during a period of testing. Saturn has a nasty way of testing beliefs, especially when they are foolish or outdated. And when I’m ready, I turn to Neptune to lose myself in the Jupiterian safety net I’ve created.

And of course, I can’t forget the gifts of belief and surrender: my “Hope” rock was a gift from a Jupiter-ruled Sagittarian, Zen Ben of the Neptunian Splintered Sunlight family.

“Everybody’s playin’ in the heart of gold band.”- Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia, Scarlet Begonias

Jupiter Retrograde: Where is your hope?

My friend Ben posted this quote on facebook this morning:

The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.

Image Source: http://abyss.uoregon.edu

It got me thinking about the current Jupiter retrograde—set to go stationery direct on Christmas Day—and reminded me how strongly faith, hope, and other Jupiterian qualities are the foundation of my life.

My natal Jupiter sits at the base of my chart, conjunct the IC in Leo. It provides me with a wealth of hope, courage, and spirituality. Since its been retrograde, however, I have noticed it’s not as easy to tap into my usual optimism.

How ’bout you? How’s your Jupiter holding up? Have you lost hope? DON’T. It’s just a passing phase… 🙂

Interview with Author and Cosmopolitan Astrologer, Hazel Dixon-Cooper (and FREE book giveaway!)

[tweetmeme] On the brink of a lovely new moon in Libra, I’m pleased to be able to host one of my favorite authors on the subject of astrology, Hazel Dixon-Cooper. Her latest book, Work on a Rotten Day, is available on Amazon.com and one lucky reader and commenter on my blog will receive a FREE copy!

SignOn2Nine: Astrologers usually have a heads-up on the effects of the upcoming planetary configurations. Did you plan this Work on a Rotten Day blog tour during the current Jupiter/Uranus conjunction due to its surprisingly lucky, unexpectedly opportunistic vibe?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Yes. My natal Sun is 27º Pisces and this conjuction occurs not only in my sign but so close to exact that it’s wildly exciting.

SignOn2Nine: Where does this conjunction fall in your own chart?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: The 11th House. Lucky encounters with new people and groups, new doors opening, breaking new ground. Uranus is also Trine my natal Jupiter, which is at 27º Scorpio in the 6th House, another strongly positive aspect. However, even when the stars indicate the possibility of good things, we still have to make the effort to look for opportunities and make the most of them.

SignOn2Nine: I noticed on facebook that you have a Pisces birthday (March 18). How much do you own/disown your “dustbin of the zodiac,” Pisces rotten day-ness?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: I love my Pisces rotten-day-ness!

SignOn2Nine: Since you’re near the Aries cusp, do you aspire to be one instead?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Nope. I’m not close enough to the cusp to have any Aries traits. In fact, I have very little Fire in my chart which means it takes a lot to push me from friendly dolphin into Jaws mode. I would like to have more of the Ram’s ballsy courage.

SignOn2Nine: Do you get along with Virgos, your polar opposite?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Some of my closest friends are Virgos or have Virgo Moons. We get along fine because we’ve learned to appreciate our polar opposite ways of thinking…and know when to kick each other’s butts.

SignOn2Nine: I’ve read Stella Hyde’s Darkside Zodiac in Love and Darkside Zodiac at Work. They’re good but mimic the theme of your books, as I was attracted to hers after reading yours. In fact, I believe your Rotten Day series started in 2002 before her Darkside Zodiac series in 2004.

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: That’s correct. Her series was the first of many dark-side focused books to appear after the success of Born on a Rotten Day and Love on a Rotten Day. I was flattered to see that happen.

SignOn2Nine: How does your book, Work on a Rotten Day, compare to Darkside Zodiac at Work?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Work on a Rotten Day shows you how to handle yourself around the various nutty characters for and with whom you work. Although it points out your own bad behaviors and shoot-yourself-in-the-foot traits, it offers specific advice in a positive way on how to recognize and change them.

SignOn2Nine: Would you challenge Stella Hyde to a Pisces/Cancer, water sign astro-duel? (Apparently, Hyde is a Cancer: http://booklightinc.net/redwheelweiser/author.html?au=182).

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: “I don’t duel,” said the non-confrontational Fish.

SignOn2Nine: On the subject of work and the 6th house, what routines do you adhere to when writing your books?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Routines? You’re talking to a procrastinating Pisces. The good news about my 6th House is my Scorpio Jupiter. That makes me somewhat of a workalcoholic and more focused. However, I’ve had to learn to 1) operate from my Virgo opposition to stay organized, 2) overcome my Neptune-bestowed tendency to fantasize that I can write a million words by sundown of deadline day, and 3) balance work and play. We all deal with this on some level. For me it’s still a daily struggle.

SignOn2Nine: As a teenager, I was a regular reader of Cosmo Bedside Astrology long before I began to study astrology in my mid-20s. I also used to steal the little Bedside Astrology booklets from Cosmopolitan magazine, obviously to read them by my bedside. How do you feel about that?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: You were the victim of your larcenous Gemini ascendant. Thank your lucky stars that your double-Virgo-ness put the brakes on your career of crime early.

SignOn2Nine: Do you favor the Placidus or Equal house system? Why?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Placidus. It’s what I learned because most Western astrologers used it at that time and it’s still the most popular today. I think it adds more nuance to the natal chart.

SignOn2Nine: Who are your top 5 music artists?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper: That’s difficult. I love music and have favorites from classical to punk. These are among my favorites.

1. Norah Jones
2. Van Morrison
3. Eric Clapton
4. R. Carlos Nakai
5. Rhianna

SignOn2Nine: What advice would you give to someone looking to become a professional astrologer?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper:

Read. There are many good astrology books for beginners. One that I recommend often is The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need by Joanne Martine Woolfolk. It’s a classic in basic astrology and written for the lay person or novice student.

Study chart interpretation. Practice on yourself, friends, and family. It’s easy to get a free chart and mini-interpretation from the Internet. I’d recommend doing that before investing in a software program. Anyone can buy a software program and spit out a computerized report. To be a good astrologer, you have to understand what you’re seeing. You also have to have a feel for people. Listen to what they say. See them for the individual being they are. Astrology is so multi-layered, and so is every person.

Investigate free lessons online. Many popular astrology websites have free lessons that can help the beginner not only to learn, but to decide whether he or she is serious about the profession before investing time and money in a formal program.

SignOn2Nine: Is there any professional or educational training that you would recommend?

Hazel Dixon-Cooper:

The American Federation of Astrologers, of which I’m a member, offers different levels of professional certification through a correspondence course. Details are at: www.astrologers.com

The International Academy of Astrology offers an online professional training course. Details at: www.astrocollege.com

Thank you, Autumn, for having me here today. I enjoyed it!

SignOn2Nine: Thank you, Hazel! I’m still reeling in the excitement of having the opportunity to interview you and am so excited to read your latest book. I will add it to my Rotten Day collection.

Readers, don’t forget, one of you will WIN A COPY of Hazel Dixon-Cooper’s new book, Work on a Rotten Day. All you have to do is leave a comment (please keep it related to astrology) and I will pick my favorite response to get a free copy of the book. Happy New Moon!!!

Friendly Astrology: Siobhan, The Aries Ram, Yes She Can!

Siobhan, The Fierce. She just might cut you.

[tweetmeme]If I could choose a lioness to debate with and tear the heads off of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Rush Limbaugh, or Sarah Palin, I’d send Siobhan. No nonsense. No pleasantries. No “aw, shucks” about it. The first time Siobhan and I spoke, we held an hour-long phone conversation, and found common ground talking shit on a mutual acquaintance. (It was warranted.) We also share a Virgo Moon, Saturn, and North Node connection, by way of conjunction. When we were teenagers, we used to sit on the corner in our small town and take turns tearing apart people who walked down the street. (They had it coming.) When we were old enough to drink, you’d better believe we had a ball honing in on the frailties of our fellow bar patrons at the Keswick Tavern. As adults, we have gone our separate ways in accordance with the natural evolution of all relationships in the progression of time. Though, as our relationship as friends has evolved, our intellectual sensibilities remain consistent, which has always been the foundation of our friendship. (We were both in our school’s “Enrichment” program due to high IQ testing.)

I’m not going to tell Siobhan’s life story here; though with her Ascendant (ASC) in the critical 29th degree of Scorpio and natal Jupiter at the critical 29th degree of Cancer, you’d be intrigued by the story. I’m merely going to highlight the potential that I see in her chart. Perhaps, one day, you will hear her story in her own words. I say this because her natal chart displays the Moon, North Node, and Saturn at the pinnacle of her chart: The Midheaven (MC). The MC is one of the important angles in astrology, which symbolizes one’s reputation, career, and status in society. Siobhan needed a while to decide exactly what her role in society should be, but she is certainly headed in the right direction after recently graduating, Magna Cum Laude from Temple University (my alma mater), with a BS in Political Science.

Siobhan’s mind has always been an asset, whether she wanted to publicly acknowledge it or not during her teenage, high school rebellion. Her natal Mercury in Pisces sits conjunct natal Mars in Aries, also forming a trine to natal Uranus and natal Jupiter, in addition to a square with natal Neptune. These aspects show a highly energetic, eccentric, and unconventional mind and intuitive, intellectual acuity. Mercury also rules her MC in Virgo, which, to me, is evidence of her predilection towards public life. She initially aspired to be an actress (note the 1st house Neptune). Though, it looks like her recent Saturn Return and its current transit through her natal 10th house of career has now set her sights on something more concrete: Politics.

It is also relevant to add here that Siobhan’s younger brother, Daniel, is an Iraq war veteran and is currently a military police officer in our Nation’s Capitol, Washington DC. She is also planning to relocate there within the next few months. Please note the transiting Uranus in her natal 4th house of home, which is also conjunct her natal Mercury. The winds of change are blowing for my dear companion, as her progressed MC is sitting conjunct her natal Pluto, indicating a rebirth in how she presents herself to the world. Our paths once crossed in 7th grade and our lives have led us on different paths. Perhaps, Saturn, the North Node, and the MC/IC axis will further validate our alliance in future, given Siobhan’s political aspirations and my current activities. We have a shared past in Montgomery County, PA, but life is leading Siobhan to Washington and myself to straddle work and life between Philadelphia and Lancaster, PA. Time will tell how it all plays out. Vive La Femme!

(See Natal Chart below with accurate birth time.) Siobhan, let me know if you want further clarification.

Friendly Astrology: Renee, The Fab Capricorn

[tweetmeme]Back in 2004, my first year in graduate school at Arcadia University, I was sitting in a classroom waiting for the Intro to Humanities class to begin and something happened. That something was a woman who walked in, with a purple bandana, pigtails, and Grateful Dead t-shirt. I didn’t know it at the time but I was to become good friends with that young lady. The Humanities class progressed throughout the semester, taught by the great Finbarr O’Connor (who later introduced us to the “philosophical deep waters of Socrates”), and at one point, the purple-bandana woman revealed that she would love to make out with John Stuart Mill. The class eventually ended, the semester concluded, and I wondered what was next.

The following semester I took an Acting for Musical Theater class to fulfill an Arts requirement. Wouldn’t you know, Miss Purple Bandana walked into the theater for that class, too? And thus began the friendship of me and the Fabulous Renee (Capricorn). Although, we disagree on William Shakespeare—she strongly for; I strongly against—we both ended up in the same Poetry Workshop. You can listen to my poetry reading on my podcast page: http://signon2nine.podbean.com/—there you will also find links to Renee’s reading and the rest of the other amazing poets in my class. You can search for “Signon2nine” on iTunes to subscribe to my podcasts, as well.

Well, now the fabulous Renee has launched a new blog, What’s the Sign for Disillusion?. To answer her question simply, I would say: Neptune, Pisces, and inflated expectations (Jupiter). Let’s peek, briefly at her natal and progressed chart, shall we? (Born Jan 6, 1979, 5:45pm EST)

I have a fairly accurate time of birth, give or take 30mins or so, but off the bat I see retrograde Jupiter in her first house and close to the Ascendant in Cancer. Magnanimous, fabulous, and tragic goddess that she is, Jupiter also rules her sixth house of service and work. This, coupled with her Capricorn Sun conjunct Mars in the 6th house, is a very obvious sign for her obsession with work, volunteering, and community service. Renee is the reason I started volunteering at WXPN—when I met her, she was a professional student and volunteer, with 2 or 3 other jobs! I now have the pleasure of working with her in the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), formerly the School of Social Work (SSW). Furthermore, Renee’s dedication to work and community service is emphasized more by her natal Saturn/North Node conjunction in her 3rd house of community, not to mention transiting North Node is conjunct her natal Sun/Mars conjunction in the 6th. She’s now reconsidering her application for the Peace Corps, which was put on hold because of a boy…

Ah, boys, the rise and fall of Renee in the tide of her natal Venus in the critical 29th degree of Scorpio, also in a wide conjunction with natal Uranus. Please note that Uranus is conjunct the Pluto/Scorpio-ruled 5th house of creation and love. And that’s not all. Transiting Uranus is currently in trine to her natal Venus, and transiting Pluto is sitting conjunct her progressed Venus and natal Moon, while trining her natal Moon in Taurus (ruled by Venus). So we’ve got the vainglorious, indulgent qualities of Venus under constant assault by crazy, erratic Uranus and obsessive, destructive Pluto—and the Moon while in stable, earthy Taurus has to deal with a conjunction with wounded Chiron and Pluto’s unrelenting scourging for truth. SHIT!  Keep fighting, Goddess! And fight she will with her natal Mars/Pluto square, which is EXACT (19 degrees Capricorn and Libra, respectively). See chart below. Renee, if you want a further reading, let me know. In the meantime, Power to the Priestess!!!

National Political Astrology: Jupiter in Pisces and SCOTUS Campaign Finance Ruling – Gemini John Edwards’ Road to Redemption

[tweetmeme]I’ll tell ya, that planet Jupiter sure knows how to make an entrance! I was reading the headlines today and thought, “what the hell kind of alignment is occurring now?” Well, according to Astro.com’s current transits, Jupiter is at 0 degrees Pisces. Not only did the Supreme Court of the United States (or SCOTUS) overturn campaign finance restrictions for corporations, but John Edwards decided to start his Baby Mama, Road to Redemption PR campaign in Haiti.

Now, I’m no expert on Supreme Court rulings or the history of campaign finance in America, but boy, oh boy, the reactions to the freedom of corporations and nonprofit groups to spend freely on campaign ads are sure to dominate our political scene for the upcoming 2010 elections. Not to mention, President Obama decided to take on the banks in an address today. Many astrologers have been writing about the current Saturn square Pluto transit, and I find it interesting that, on the day of this court ruling, Jupiter has entered into the sign of Pisces while the transiting Sun and Venus in Aquarius have entered into aspect with the Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn square. Further explained:

• Transiting Jupiter is making a 60 degree (sextile) aspect to transiting Pluto as well as a 150 degree (quincunx) aspect to transiting Saturn
• Transiting Sun and Venus are making a 120 degree (trine) aspect to transiting Saturn, as well as a 30 degree (semi-sextile) aspect to transiting Pluto

When I use astrology, I tend to look for patterns in planetary movement, so when I see…

• Jupiter, which represents the law, entering a sign of Pisces (ruled by Neptune), which represents the dissolution of boundaries, enter into aspect with
• The Sun and Venus, which represents identity and money, and
• With Saturn which represents rules and boundaries, and Pluto which represents power and destruction

… my analytical, Virgo eyes take notice. AND THEN, there is our beloved John Edwards (Gemini), former Democratic VP candidate in 2004 and Presidential candidate in 2008. (Note: John was born on the same day but different year, June 10,  as fellow Gemini Eliot Spitzer, who I discussed in an earlier post.) Oh, John, I won’t trash you because the popular media and American people can do that themselves. And lord knows, my critical Virgo nature is salivating at the opportunity to talk shit. But right now, I just want to peek at your astrology chart and see what the HELL is going on. Sigh…

Hello Pluto! Transiting Pluto has decided to get all up in John Edwards’ dirty business and expose the truth as it opposes Edwards’ natal Mercury and progressed Moon/Venus conjunction in Cancer, not to mention forming a trine with his natal Venus in Taurus. His progressed Sun is also approaching a conjunction with natal Pluto. You CANNOT hide from Pluto. Pluto digs, Pluto exposes, and Pluto destroys, but it also clears the way for a new beginning. You have to hand it to a slick Gemini to time a paternity scandal with a redemptive trip to Haiti, as well as media highlights on service work in El Salvador. I find it interesting that the transiting North Node is also conjunct Edwards’ natal Chiron, a planet associated with healing that I also referenced in my post yesterday regarding Governor Ed Rendell’s orphan rescue in Haiti. There is also some natal South Node activity as John’s progressed Mars forms a conjunction, and in addition, transiting retrograde Mars is forming a conjunction with his progressed Sun. Mars doesn’t only provide energy, fight, and courage—in this instance, it is marring or damaging this man’s reputation. Not that it is unwarranted. Yes, I’ve been reading Game Change and Edwards sure had it coming. (Chart below with 6am default birth time- actual birth time unknown.)