Astrological News and Views for February 2013
Mayflower Bookshop
Robert Thibodeau
available for consultations, readings and talks (248) 547-8227
(Donations welcome to support this work.)
Check out new poetry book, London and Paris Poems, by Robert Thibodeau
and new song She’s a River
“We can say that developing truly genuine love and thoughtful, honest compassion are the right preparation for the soul that wants to find its way clairvoyantly into the spiritual worlds. When you reflect a little on how hard it is to acquire true compassion and the true capacity for love in this world of ours, you will not find these words completely unimportant.”
-Rudolf Steiner, Secrets of the Threshold
“Friendship, like the immortality of the soul, is too good to be believed. When friendships are real, they are not glass threads or frost work but the solidest things we know.” -Emerson
“Unless you love someone, nothing else makes sense.” -e e cummings
1st February, Mars enters Pisces until 12th March. The weak grow strong, the mild get aggressive, the assertive/aggressive types have second thoughts and feel sensitive. Mars in Pisces reverses archetypal roles, the inside turns out, the outside turns in. This is like Mars conjunct Neptune, there are disguises and things don’t seem to quite be what they are.
“Society is a masked ball where everyone hides his real character, then reveals it by hiding” -emerson
Mars forces and outward thrust to Pisces doubt, fear, insecurity, reactions to over sensitivities, even paranoia when biochemistry off. Avoid the tendency to exaggerate fears or escaping in imaginations abnormal. Tendency too for great daring adventures, explorations, spiritual love, far-out expectations and wishes. Mars usually is dashingly clear, a warrior simple true. In Pisces, Mars can be foggy, masked, in disguise, elusive. Unlike Virgoan critique and criticism, Mars/Pisces escapes, hides, projects, lives in feeling pictures rather than facts. Reversals take place when Mars/Pisces exaggerates a fact or two out of harmonious context with greater sense of space and time. An inability to face the right questions, problems, reality and facts, can make a Mars/Pisces person attack strongly the wrong subject or person. Mars/Pisces either wants to escape inevitables or wants to Don Quixote-like, attack windmills and defend idiots (idiot savants is another problem). Positive Mars/Pisces is taking a break from what doesn’t work, mediation in stillness, internship, beautifying or taking up music or the arts. (Great evening 9-10 p.m. at O’Mara’s in Berkley near Mayflower, Great Flamingo Guitar and Music with Dancers; beautifully enchanting romantic get-a-way). Venus entering Aquarius same evening for the month, Higher romance freeing the soul, joining with others, making new friends, breaking away from old or outworn behaviours. Aspect in reverse gives an ‘I don’t care anymore’ attitude, a wanting to be free of the fight or intensity going nowhere.
“We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”
-e e cummings
These two aspects together make for some serious planning by some to escape, change the day-to-day, elevate from the stress, journey anew, travel, try something new, and re-aim one’s direction toward a life-style more at ease with one’s own highest ideals and dreams. The danger of moving to the vision and view on the horizon is that by the time you get there, the horizon moved. Realising the carrot and the stick are both attached somehow to you may allow you to sit still for a moment and ponder your wholeness, or lack of.
“Love seeketh not itself to please, nor for itself hath any care, but for another gives its ease, and builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair.”
-William Blake, Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience
3rd February Moon conjunct Saturn gives needed catch up sleep and rest, or more weariness and feelings of burden carrying others’ weight, making for tough and ultimate secret decisions in the making.
“All of us contain Music and Truth, but most of us can’t get it out.”
-autograph for Stefan Czapka by Mark Twain
4th February Mars conjunct Neptune in Pisces can stir higher intelligence and far-reaching future plans, but usually it is an aspect of more crazy weather, accidents, misguided intentions, deluded, angry, obsessed, mean-spirited, weird, lying, deceitful type experiences. Where are the noble truths and knightly honourees? Medications and guns don’t mix with this aspect. Danger of misfiring or starting war-like behaviour, storms and protest. Wild winds and weather. Although this aspect can bring out the highest bravado and knightly love, it can be bewilderingly blind to the obvious practical right before your eyes. Tendency to think the grass is greener far away. Beware of wasting time and energy, money and love. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Many a con artist is on the prowl, or caught at this time. This aspect is around all month. One’s imagination and moods can really trip one out at this time. Over-active imagination makes it hard to sleep for some, or wake up enough in day. Avoid misuse of all medications, alcohol or drugs. Such aspects can create a false sense of reality, grandiose inflated sense of self or the opposite can occur, inferiority. Bi-polar or Manic-depressive dangers. Flip side is higher calling and adventure, deep listening to the other, the world. Good for divine melancholy, listening to the stillness, witnessing and observing, watching, without judgement awaiting right creative expression actually helping the situation. Neptune/Mars can awaken great heroic and compassionate virtuous action, kindness toward the less fortunate, healing energies. Danger of taking things too personally though. Can be danger of lack of universal love and responsibility. Higher and lower more challenging side to every aspect. Choose the high road if you can, imagine everybody finding happiness and the causes of happiness. Tendency to be psychic from the stomach rather than the higher universal intelligent heart/mind including us all. Tendency to want something for nothing. Higher side is being inspired to do great works, but important to maintain practicality and common-sense, patience and reverence for all life. Weird psychic phenomena and weather around such Neptune aspects, foggy thinking. Important to exercise and keep a simple healthy diet. Good time to restock your miso soup ingredients from the Mayflower Bookshop. Some fly at this time, others crash from false dreams. Usually this aspect brings out liars on the news, outlandish events, mother mary and UFOs sightings, weird psychic phenomena, ghosts, strange prophetic or disturbing dreams. Outer Space or deep ocean phenomena occur. Sometimes good for outlandish Hollywood vignettes, movies, and ads. Danger of injury when foolhardy or party rioting.
“For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; Lillies that fester smell far worse than weeds.” -William Shakespeare, The Sonnets
6th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 28th February are important dates for weird drama, weather, intensity positive or negative in the world. Playing out the many subtle turns both money and romance can take this month, these aspects intensify the virtuous or non-virtuous behaviour; it’s the best and worst of times; stormy and weird weather, politics, economics, warring, or transformative times; powerful if one can channel the force and energy, do the good, and avoid the pitfalls or non-virtuous bad karma or ill behaviour. Ideals and dreams start to work out, or the bubble pops one into free fall, or serious re-considerations as to what’s real.
“When falsehood can look so like the truth, who can assure themselves of certain happiness?” -Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
6th February Mercury conjunct Neptune, Moon occults Pluto on 7th with Venus trine Jupiter; Unless you really know what you’re doing, avoid paper work, major decisions, large purchases, and scams. Good day for day-dreaming the many possibilities that life offers. Good day to send flower or poem to a loved one. The 7th brings realisations of ultimate outcomes coming your way. Cardinal and mutable signs and houses are most affected. Write a poem, a love letter, be thankful, mediate or pray, look to your own deeper stillness for answers that clarify right where you are now. The present is the mother of the future, the child of the past.
“Anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.”
-Aristotle
8th February Mercury conjunct Mars, snarled traffic or quick-as-a-whip actions and reactions. The mind is sharp and quick with this aspect, when in Pisces one easily goes off half-cocked and deluded. Take care to slow everything up, avoid velocity and speed, be simpler clear with words, avoid unneeded travel and harsh words. Good or challenging for paperwork and communications depending on one’s other aspects in chart. Avoid too much talk, no action. Strong, clear, honest, simple communications, and patience for response, work here toward bettering future for all concerned. Ask for anything, accept things the way they are just for now, and turn up your universal loving kindness and infinite patience.
“Truth is handsomer than the affectation of love. Your goodness must have some edge to it–else it is none.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
9th February Moon conjunct Venus, Mercury square Jupiter, Moon in Aquarius, Good day for doing a thousand things, giving wings to your imagination and love. The world seems big today, good for socializing.
‘Truth includes all of us, its the sky holding all of us, yet each must prove it privately by the way one lives.” -Trebore Tau Bodhi, a mayflower fellow researcher
10th February to 19th (see below too), Sun and Venus square Lunar Nodes; significant spiritual and sensuous encounters, meetings, connections, friendships, and sense of connection, artistic enhancement, beautifying. Connections with public or larger sense of identity. Inner and outer sense of self works harmoniously with others, artistic or social events bringing people together, sense of extended family and friends. Significant encounters and beginnings (or shiftings, alterations, endings) of relationships, unions, agreements, meeting one halfway, or making greater sense of things. 10th February to 12th Mercury, Moon, Mars conjuncts Chiron too; interesting time for self-healing, or healing of other. Tendency to meet spiritual teacher or teachings, virtue mind light, in novel or new way conducive to new growth and learning. With right loving, healing, intelligence, maverick novel zen lightening approach and growth leap with possibilities at this time. A strong sense of mothering, earth mother wisdom, and mother wit as Sun trines Ceres. Concerns over mother nature, the earth’s little ones, and women in general. A tiring of war and a genuine want of world peace.
“Lovers alone wear sunlight.” -e e cummings
10th February New Moon in Aquarius, Mars square Jupiter, Moon conjunct Neptune, good day/evening for a trip to the Moon, a fantasy dinner and bath; or is it misspending oneself and resources, sense of overdoing or over-eating partying? Concentrated effort and work pays off. True inspiration is always accompanied by disciplined openness and long-term view of horizon. Another good day for doing a thousand things, hooking up with many people, networking, communicating one’s dream.
“It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” -Blake
11th February Venus square Saturn and Moon conjunct Mars/Mercury gives a sense of surrender to what works or holds you. Others may feel the impulse to drive strong and hard, be bold for their loving goals. Conflict of love and hard driving goals can lead to new compromises, negotiations, or long-term plans, contracts, agreements as 12th, Mercury trine Saturn, next day arrives. Otherwise look for more surprises and changes on 13th Moon conjunct Uranus. Not feeling loved enough or respected or paid enough? Work on inner unfolding and flowering, avoid anger, projection, blame and shame, using force. Act rightly, don’t react in haste or wounded vanity/pride. Long-term love works, short-term actions may fail here.
“The religion of one age is the literary entertainment of the next.” -Emerson
15th-16th February Mars sextiles Pluto and trines Saturn makes for strong future moves, business and practical realisation planning for long-term; settling the past, completing issues, people, and things. Good for making deals, cleaning up messes, making sure plans. Good aspect for making strong politics, business plans, serious assertive moves work. Strong forceful action for the good of whole works here.
“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” -e e cummings
18th February Moon occults Jupiter can make for strange changing weather or plans this week. Soured things getting sweet again, or the sweet now souring? Sun enters Pisces and Saturn goes retrograde until 8th July New Moon making for backing off on hard lines, taking a breath from forcing issues, re-thinking a few of the long-term demands and commands, reviewing and re-searching one’s needs. Perhaps one is not quite ready to face reality and make the necessary cuts or demands on oneself needed for further success. A need to rid oneself of negative habits and behaviours holding one back; rid self of unwarranted fears or needs to control. Patience, persistence, and avoidance of anger; listening deeper to one’s own and others’ needs helps bring about wise choices and right decisions at this time that further one’s goals. Perhaps even if truly committed, it may take until summer to see the results wanted if your natal chart is hooked into this Saturn retrograde.
“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
-William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1, Scene 2
21st February Sun conjunct Neptune, Moon oppose Pluto; Flying off into the sunset of dreams and schemes, fantasies and illusionary bodies? The balloon popped and you realised you weren’t driving? Sudden exposure of what you thought secret? Avoid get-rich-quick schemes. This aspect may amaze us with bizarre scientific or psychic facts and discoveries (all month really); can inspire, but most often a set-up for rude awakening. Good for higher love and compassion, helping the little one’s out, and living a more organic or healthy lifestyle; meditation, yoga, prayer, exercise, natural foods.
“Of all the ways to lose a person, death is the kindest.”-emerson
“Tis the good reader that makes the good book; in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakenly meant for his ear; the profit of books is according to the sensibility of the reader; the profoundest thought or passion sleeps as in a mine, until it is discovered by an equal mind and heart.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
23rd February Mercury goes Retrograde until 17th March; will trine Saturn and near conjunct Neptune at end. False starts to the recovered economy. Many many good aspects May through July/August for economy growing strong again for awhile, but maybe here we may see problems or troubles, little fall backs. Avoid any risky investments at this time. Be clear and simple practical, get things in writing, write stuff down. The spiritual ideals and practical needs either conflict or work out a deal here. Spiritual and material forces clash or meet and agree.
“The purpose of life is
to be defeated by greater
and greater things.” -Rilke
25th February Full Moon in Virgo, Sun square Jupiter, Venus enters Pisces; Danger of sudden loss, financial reversals, moody shaky markets or weird weather (especially 17th to Full Moon 25th here). Sudden shifts and shake outs, exciting news for future more than present. On the other hand, for some the pendulum will swing for big success. Need to act, not just talk or dream. One’s life, one’s work, proves oneself. Tendency to want to have a good time and avoid negativity and craziness of the world. Good day to catch up or go play.
“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.” -emerson
26th February Mercury conjunct Mars, moon in Virgo; many critical remarks and casting of blame, argumentative aspect. Tough critical analysis of situation along with tough talk and need for decision-making by leaders. Good for taking heed, re-analysing situation. Need for greater wisdom and harmony. Avoid angry, obsessed, weirdo people or projects. Avoid heavy work or machinery, unnecessary driving or travel. Mercury/Mars can be the most articulate intelligence, constructive, musical, or other talent if the mind and hands are trained; untrained, the circus can lose its animal trainer. Good aspect for nailing problems, fixing things, cleaning up messes or confusions.
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” - Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1, Scene 1
28th February Venus conjunct Neptune brings more pleasing softer harmonious approach to dealing with people and issues. Avoid false dreams fooling you into being a fool, or feeling deluded, under illusion or fantasy spell. If one is practical, and not attached to results, and knows what they’re doing; good aspects for higher love, future planning, festive artistic musical adventure, and taking it easy having fun. Good for yoga, meditation, spiritual retreat, day-dreaming and song-writing or poetics. Flowers and good food work too!
“Trust your heart if the seas catch fire, live by love though the stars walk backward.” -e e cummings
Robert Thibodeau is a predictive astrologer, an astrological intuitive and spiritual scientific researcher, available for private consultation, public talks, radio/tv interviews. Call Mayflower Bookshop
(248) 547-8227
on the web at www.mayflowerbookshop.com
Mayflower Bookshop
(248) 547 8227
Astrological Calendars
20% off
mention this ad.
“To fall into a good book is
to remember the tree of life;
the hard part is waking each
new morning anew, world
falling thru cracks to old
world roses timelessly spirit
present, being, becoming,
timeless
forever a tree of knowledge
up and down the spine,
we both bind and cover
naked with mind,
this heaven and earth
together we are truth & love,
the eternal mother father,
we the mind of sunshine
the child of grace and wonder,
joy growing into working
relationship with everything.”
-robert of mayflower
“Beauty is the virtue of the body
as virtue is the beauty of the soul”
-Emerson
Robert Thibodeau
Mayflower Bookshop (248) 547-8227
This newsletter supported by donations.