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Eyes of the World: Aries and Scorpio
“Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world…”- Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dead, Eyes of the World
Image source: http://carlprox.theworldrace.org/blogphotos/theworldrace/carlprox/Eye_Of_The_World1.jpg
Have you ever felt like you were being assaulted by someones eyes? Have you been stalked by a gaze that made you blush or made you wonder if the owner of the gaze was plain crazy or utterly oblivious to their overt facial operations? If you know what I’m talking about, then chances are you had captured the attention of an Aries or Scorpio.
Traditionally, the war-god Mars was assigned as the ruler of both Aries and Scorpio, until Pluto was discovered in 1913. While the Mars influence is aggressive and brash, the Pluto influence is smoldering and penetrating. These energies—powerful and all-consuming—are difficult to conceal, which become very apparent in the eyes of Aries and Scorpio individuals.
With Aries, the eyes focus with a desire to engage or challenge you—”Notice me!” they say, “I am here, now!” Sometimes, you may notice that Aries isn’t quite looking at you—their eyes are fixated by a primal urge or thirst for action. It’s quite impersonal—I call it the “crazy eye.”
With Scorpio, the eyes focus with a desire to look into the depths of your being—they say, “What are you hiding? I seek truth. Reveal yourself!” This gaze is quite discomforting if you’re not prepared to stare back. A Scorpio will not flinch if caught staring this way at you. I call it the “knowing eye.”
There are many eyes of the world. How have you felt them?
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
Every Circle has a Turn
This song is dedicated to a member of the Splintered Sunlight Family who brings the dance floor to life. She’s a “bull-headed twin,” Taurus/Gemini cusp. It was written during a Sun/Mercury/N.Node conjunction in Sagittarius, squaring Mars in Virgo.
The Circle Turner
“She dances in a ring of fire and throws off the challenge with a shrug.”- Jim Morrison, All the Poems
Every circle has a turn
Everyone!
has a fire to be burned like the sun
Every circle has a turn
Everyday!
has a night to lead the way to the sun
There ain’t a square that can’t fit a circle in its box of rain
There ain’t a moon that can’t shed a light upon your windowpane
There ain’t a song that’ll keep a dancer sitting on the side
There ain’t a dancer like the lady with a twirling in her eyes
Every circle has a turn
Everyone!
has a fire to be burned like the sun
Every circle has a turn
Everyday!
has a night to lead the way to the sun
There is a girl in the midnight floating on a cloud of sound
She is a wispy, waltzy wonder, glowing round and round
She paints a circle with her arms and paints a heart with care
Take your turn upon the dance floor, follow her spinning hair
And if you feel caught up, just get your feet unstuck and let your spirit lead the way
Forget about tomorrow and yesterday, just keep your focus on today
Join the circle dancer among the sparkling notes of the guitar
She’s a jewel-maker, sundrop nightshaker stirring up the stars
Every sunrise has a light
Everyday!
is a fight to keep the darkness away.
Every morning has a sun
Everyday!
is a reason to believe in everyone.
And every circle has a turn…
Capricorn Lady
This song is dedicated to my Capricorn friend, to whom I credit my entry into the world of the Grateful Dead. She also took me to my first Splintered Sunlight show in 2009.
Earth Goddesses
There’s a woman I know, who comes and goes
She’s a gun filled with roses
She runs on the fuel from a beating heart drum.
With a fold of her arms she can shut your face down
With the gold of her heart there’s enough to go ‘round.
Oh, Capricorn lady! Maybe we can build you a home.
Let’s gather the stones of the plans you’ve delayed.
Let’s build you a home with the love that you’ve paid.
From above you were made.
I remember a time, I had fled from a lie
There was no place for hiding
I was dying in slow-motion, watching through fog.
Then I met such a lady, her spirit carefree
I was swept up in laughter when the lady swept me.
Oh, Capricorn lady! Maybe we can plant you a tree.
Let’s gather the seeds of the dreams you have shared.
Let’s plant you a tree with the hope you’ve repaired.
From strength you have dared.
In the traveling winds and the rising of Suns, there is always a keeper of words.
In a dark night of questions and mornings of ash, the Capricorn lady plows through, unabashed.
There’s a lesson I know, it comes and goes
It’s a play on the senses
It stays on my mind like a scorching hot brand.
With time I will learn it and teach it to you
With rhyme I can weave it so you can teach too.
Oh, Capricorn lady! Maybe, oh, maybe.
Oh, Capricorn lady you won’t wait for maybe.
Oh, Capricorn lady, you’ve made it already.
Oh, Capricorn lady, keep shining on, baby!
Our Friend Ben
This song was written during a new moon solar eclipse in Sagittarius for a friend of mine of the Splintered Sunlight family for his birthday.
Inside the Splintered Sunlight temple. Image source: Splintered Sunlight
He takes the chance; first to dance
in time with Mason’s Children.
We are swaying; we are pilgrims.
We have traveled from the hills to hear our songs.
He makes the rounds and hears the sounds
the beat cannot escape him.
We are family; we are kindred.
We belong amongst the wind and sun and fire.
Our friend Ben’s an early riser.
Our friend Ben’s a soul advisor.
Every morning he reminds us
that our lives are here to drive us to the sea.
The sea of peace.
We want so much but what’s the rush?
Our time is now unfolding.
We have wheels and we are rolling.
We have wealth inside the gold of our embrace.
Our friend Ben, he is a seeker.
Our friend Ben is a believer.
Every morning he reminds us
that the life we live’s a gift and we are free.
Free to believe.
Come now, children, let’s assemble in the Splintered Sunlight temple.
Bring your lights and bring your flowers; bring your power to the tower of the night.
It’s alright if you feel lonely, in the crowd you’ll find the only friend you need.
And Ben will lead the way, indeed.
Our friend Ben’s an early riser.
Our friend Ben’s a soul advisor.
Every morning he reminds us
that our friends are there to guide us to the sea.
The sea of peace.
When the Muses Meet
This song was written during a Moon, Neptune, Chiron conjunction in Aquarius opposite Mars in Leo, and a Venus, Mercury conjunction in Sagittarius. It is dedicated to the lead guitarist of Splintered Sunlight and his wife.
Butchy the Muse. Image source: Splintered Sunlight
Out on the dusky rails of road
The sun was setting up the show
I saw a woman in the sky
She was a cloudy firefly
I shifted gears into the air
My wheels-a-turnin’ up the stairs
Upon the heavenly highway
I gotta meet my woman there
When the muses meet
(When the muses meet)
Won’t you move your feet
(Why don’t you move your feet)
To the sound of love
(Yea, the sound of love)
To Mother Nature’s beat
(Oh, Mother Nature’s beat)
Across the silky strands of night
Her hair a raven-winged delight
My woman shook her locks for me
They wrapped around my heart so tight
We sailed among the leaves of rain
And washed our souls of earthly pain
I love my woman, she loves me
Oh, won’t you play our lovin’ game?
When the muses meet
(When the muses meet)
Won’t you move your feet
(Why don’t you move your feet)
To the sound of love
(Yea, the sound of love)
To Mother Nature’s beat
(Oh, Mother Nature’s beat)
There ain’t a storm or hurricane that’ll blow away our home
We got an angel on our fence and our love is garden-grown
You may be wonderin’, my friend, how to find your lovin’ land.
Me and my woman can show you—come and play with our Lovin’ Band!
Well, well, when the muses meet
(Oh, when the muses meet)
You gotta move your feet
(Why don’t you move your feet)
To the sound of love
(Yea, the sound of love)
To Mother Nature’s beat
(Oh, Mother Nature’s beat)
Yeah, yeah, when the muses meet
(Oh, when the muses meet)
Your soul will be complete
(Yeah, it’ll be complete)
You can dance in love
(Yea, you can dance in love)
To Mother Nature’s beat
(Oh, Mother Nature’s beat)
Keymaster
This song was written during a Balsamic Moon in Virgo conjunct the Sun and Venus also trining Pluto and Jupiter and opposing Neptune and Chiron, as well as a Mars/Saturn square.
Where’d you get those hands, man?
Way to play that tune!
How’d you set my soul on fire and illuminate the room?
There are only two things, man, that can set me free.
One’s a set of keys and the other: mastery.
You must be the keymaster, you must be the release.
Set us free into the hereafter.
Set us free to be.
When will you return, man?
We will wait on end.
Why does time refuse to wait and forget about its friends?
There are only two doors, man, and you have the keys.
One door to tomorrow’s shores; the other door leads to me.
You must be the keymaster, you must be the release.
See us free into the hereafter.
Set us free to be.
I wonder how high a minute flies when an hour sticks like glue.
I don’t know how the system goes but the years stay true to you.
And my tears shine through…
My tears shine when you play the blues.
Who do you believe in, man?
We all believe in you.
Where do you find the reasons? Will you teach us when you’re through?
There are more than two truths, man, but you make the keys.
Give keys to the children; keep the master as your fee.
You must be the keymaster, you must be the release.
Set us free into the hereafter.
Set us free to be, to be, to be, to be…
Sun Kings of Leo: Jerry Garcia and Ian Anderson
August is the month when the Sun travels through the sign of Leo. August 1st also marks the celebration of the birth of Jerry Garcia, the heart of The Grateful Dead. In medical astrology, the heart is associated with the sign of Leo. August is the birth month of another musical icon, Ian Anderson, lead singer and flutist for Jethro Tull, born on August 10th.
Both Jerry and Ian exhibited their Leonine traits in starkly different ways, however, they undoubtedly shined the brightest in true Leo fashion. While Anderson ostentatiously rocked out with a codpiece and snarling flute, Garcia jammed righteously and chose to rule less conspicuously, though not unnoticed by millions of followers.
These musicians were born five years apart but share a Sun/Pluto conjunction, as well as a nodal conjunction: Garcia with Mars conjunct the North Node; Anderson with Moon conjunct North Node. If the birth times are accurate, both also have planets in the uppermost section of their natal chart which suggests a life led in the public eye.
Whenever the Sun makes its way through the degrees of Leo, it’s a time for us all to celebrate the life force of the Earth and express ourselves. If you learn anything from the Kings of Leo, it’s to be authentic, to shine bright, and to enjoy life. 🙂 Read more about Leo here: http://www.astro.com/astrology/in_kd_leo_e.htm
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!!!
Mercury x3: SignOn2Nine 
