Before getting into the meat of this astrological bulletin, a word about the practice itself. Don’t be put off by this as it has a direct bearing on the current transits and aspects at work in the planetary matrix. This is a longish post so I’ll try and keep this intro brief…..

For a long time astrology has been associated with prediction, in fact, a whole media based popularised industry has been built upon it, a fact that does not necessarily further its purpose. There is no doubt that it can be used to this end, but, to think that that is the main purpose of astrology per se has, through its media generated image, become a distraction that also serves its detractors. In many ways prediction is, according to the spin, also astrology’s ‘Achilles heal’. If you look into the history of astrology it also becomes clear that it can, without a doubt, be used as much as a platform for raising consciousness as it can be capitalised upon as a soap-box, as well as a vehicle for the dissemination of propaganda and misinformation. It was always going to be that way – cf. the historical role of the astrologer as ‘priest’ and advisor to the powerful. This is something that is also, strangely, fed by its apparent ‘Achilles heal’, in fact, in our times, the boundaries are extremely blurred between consciousness raising and manipulation, which is the point of this pre-amble. That weakness is also a strength and this is well understood by those who utilise it to this end. This continues to include the hyper rich and powerful btw. Why else would ‘the policy makers’ be seeking to impose limitations upon access to esoteric sites, amongst which is astrology, on the www? This is an indicative and emergent issue now. The spin doctors would have us believe their ‘opt-in’ constraints are all about porn…..is that so? When it comes to truth and governance, invariably, it pays to invert what we are being told and sold. And, I’m not even going to mention the NSA etc…..(ooops, too late)

This raises the issue of personal awareness and discernment and ties directly into the current lunation, this full Moon and what comes after. As to my own use of the practice…..I will say more on that towards the end of this post, but, coming to the planetary matrix in hand, this is going out on the full Moon itself with good reason. I wanted to ground this post with the benefit of real time observation – I will invariably bring my own bias to the reading, but, this too is an intrinsic factor in what is now unfolding, and, to that end, I would say it is now important for each of us to own our personal bias – without a realistic degree of self honesty around where we each stand, we run the risk of remaining blinkered by the same!

So, to the planetary matters in hand. There is no time like the present, literally, as the human population, both in numbers, inner orientation as a species and through planet wide impact, is entering unknown territory. The main thing to bear in mind with the August full Moon is that what really matters is what we do with the energy it raises, after the event – we have to find a way of applying it, the more so as it is embedded within a much larger picture and the coming weeks are going to see this energy playing out through that expanded context. There are many so interconnected events and issues playing out in the world that this can be applied to, but, no-one will have to look far for evidence.

Just think for a moment – Pluto in Capricorn, ineluctable pressure and force, transforming at deeply grounded levels; opposite Jupiter in Cancer, thunderous expansion within the mother Waters, pushing on the boundaries from within; both square Uranus in Aries, the spark that ignites the burn off, and fuels the rebellious revolution – there are no coincidences here, and Fracking, for example, is not simply an issue that is firing up social unrest, or bringing more than just the local concerns of residents affected by pollution, drill heads and burn off stacks into the front-line – it is representative of how these, like so many other pressing issues affecting community near and far, are connecting outwards. This is a time when more and more people are beginning to connect up the dots and the picture being revealed in the process is likely to unite those who can see it most clearly.

In line with Cancer, and the Jupiterian facility for multiplicity, this is both all too close to home, as thousands are now experiencing in every country where draconian fuel policy is an imposition, but, is also a facet of a wider debate, in which ‘fossil fuels and the alternatives’ is but one facet, and that too just keeps opening out further into the whole political face-off between the minority who benefit and the majority who suffer the consequences while being told it is for their own benefit, regardless their views and never mind the environmental impact. That too is typical to the moment – a much respected astrologer described Jupiter as two-faced, able to look both ways, and Janus faced politics is very much reflected in the Jupiter Pluto face off. Activism and reaction in the face of forceful oppression and policy implimentation, tactical surprise and unorthodox vision in the face of expanding control and defence of the status quo, Uranus in Aries at the mid-point has the wild-card, the z-pinch that manifests the truth, and that says it all. The more extreme it becomes the more the picture becomes clear. But, is it simply a picture of increasingly opposing sides?

And then, speaking of extremes, there’s Fukushima…..while radio-active fallout spills into the water system and contaminates the Pacific, and in doing so affects the entire planet’s water cycle and supply, the fuel rods are burning into the earth, and the available ‘aid’ simply does not come, even while the Japanese government itself falls into chaos…..you’d think it was all planned, an intended strategy, ‘the worse the better’, so to speak…..and, in the midst of it all, there’s the full Moon in Aquarius.

There is some hope in the full Moon on August 20th through 22nd, and, just like the traditional british confection Brighton Rock, it has a message written right through it, and you need to know what you are biting down on. ‘Look Up’. Not just the cry of the Chemtrail campaigner, this is about raising the game. Listen Up, Wise Up and Rise Up. Get informed, beyond your bias, and raise your awareness. Of course, if you are plugged in to the cultural milking machine its going to be the usual flow of ‘interesting’ news speak, between the commercials and mass hypnosis, and you may not even notice anything unusual, or anything at all for that matter, save a few noisy ‘trouble makers’ letting off steam beneath the criss-cross patterning in the skies. And, rest assured, the government won’t allow anything to get out of hand, will they…

…if, however, you are unplugged, free-range and awake it is going to be essential to tune in inwardly, follow the juice that’s rising, find an outlet for it, and while in the midst of taking action, keep your wits about you…..

Yes, the noise and interference levels are pushing the emotional climate, especially around those important key issues of Home, Self-authority, Environmental Integrity, Earth Rights and Civil Liberties, but, be of good heart as, by the same token, this is the pressure wave that releases the adrenal rush.

The ‘big picture’ is also a part of this full Moon in as much as it keeps the informed empowered to speak with wider authority. With Mercury conjuncting the Sun through this time this matters. Late Aquarius and late Leo emphasise strong mental awareness and a developed, and preferably, matured ego. That’s indicating ‘the mind of a leader’, and it is the prerogative of this Moon that each individual claim that role and learn to dance with it. The shadow side of this aspect of the Moon is the forked tongue, the slippery lie and the embarrasing gaff. But, the full Moon is also conjunct asteroid Nessus whose tag line is ‘the buck stops here’! And that means you and I. True allegiances covered up by tall tales won’t wash any more…..we are seeing the world becoming increasingly polarised in this and the cracks are beginning to show. However, Sun is also conjunct Ceres, which brings a powerful injection of grounded realism into the world – much food for thought.

Just take a moment to survey the field of action right now and you’ll get the gist of one half of the equation : invasive surveillance, identity farming, environmental violation, atmospheric manipulation, eugenic control implementation, land-grabbing, suppression of dissent and social uprising, corruption of foods, poisoning of the waters and skies, the falsification and propagandisation of economies, continuous disinformation through ‘establishment’ media and ‘official’ bodies, to name just a few of the umbrella facets covering the debacle we are in the midst of. You will no doubt be able to put the detail on at least one of these elements from your own personal experiences unfolding now.

And, what of the other side…..?

There is little need to go into the detail of the whole chart for this FM, mostly as it is dominated by that T square between Jupiter, Pluto and Uranus…..all pushing the cardinal signs energetic template to establish and firm up an emergent new world. In the tradition of conspiracy theory that new world is synonymous with the NWO. But, that’s also a dead ringer for more and more of the same….simultaneously, however, the planets are coming into a rare configuration manifesting change of a different order, one arising through the lens of impulse driven decentralisation of power with an expanding common purpose. Mmmm…..that sounds tasty enough but, look out for the nano-fibres as you bite down.

Yes, as the Moon in Aquarius suggests, its time to step into your cool shoes and observe, become informed, assess and make the appropriate moves in preparation for what’s coming. This is a moment in which spreading awareness gained is utterly vital, and, as the Sun in late Leo says, the ability to change is only as good as our willingness to embody and carry real change forward. For every individual this means decision time, and those not aware of this will have their decisions made for them – sound familiar? Its a question of either letting yourself be led, or, choosing to opt out, in order to opt in.

Ok….’opt in’ to what? I hear you ask……so, here’s where this Moon gets useful. To get a feel for the answer lets consult the Sabian oracle…..here is the juice on the degree at which the Sun opposes the Moon on the 21st Aug :

“Leo 29
A MERMAID EMERGES FROM THE OCEAN WAVES READY FOR REBIRTH IN HUMAN FORM.
KEYNOTE: ……..intense feeling-intuition rising from the unconscious is about to take form as a conscious thought.

The mermaid personifies a stage of awareness still partially enveloped by the ever-moving and ever-elusive ocean of the collective Unconscious, yet already half formulated by the conscious mind. Any creative thinker or artist knows well the peculiar mixture of elation and anxiety characterizing such a stage. Will the intuitive feeling fade away reabsorbed into the unconscious, or will the inexpressible realization acquire the concreteness and expressible form of a concept or a definite motif in an art form?

…….the fire of desire for concrete and steady form burns at the root of all techniques of self-expression. An unconscious energy archetype is reaching toward consciousness through the creator, as cosmic Love seeks tangible manifestation through human lovers. The whole pre-human universe reaches eagerly to the human stage of clear and steady consciousness. It is this great evolutionary urge, this elan vital, which is implied in this symbol of the mermaid seeking human incarnation — the YEARNING FOR CONSCIOUS FORM AND SOLIDITY.”

This is obviously a time to listen clearly to what is emerging from our deepest levels, the inner realms of home truths, that hold survival codes, instinctive knowing, an evolutionary impulse, and apply them with a will to live beyond current limitations. What mirrors this is the instant connection with and within ‘the mind of Nature’, a quality of being that is Uranian and Aquarian by nature. This is a strong hidden element seeded within this moment of the lunation, with the Moon so close to the Piscean cusp – the sentient energy sourced in the unconscious that flows through us if we allow ‘the muse of our dreaming self’ to enter the living world. For the ‘brainwashed’, this is simply no longer a reality – a pathology of disconnection has intervened and we can see those cracks widening further now as the pressure forces through the bedrock of society. However, if anything, this push towards connectivity is the quality of consciousness at work on this Moon, the nature of solar awareness that is illuminating our inner lunar mirror. It is both pristine in its primal nature and endowed with creative potential that can be given form to.

It is also, in the Sabian symbol, a developed, mature and feminine part of ourselves, ready to emerge into manifestation (just as the Sun readily enters Virgo) and, here it reflects the paradigmatic shift from patriarchal dominance and ‘power-over’ into matriarchal values of creative relationship and ‘power-to’. You can clearly see this in the quality of ‘protest and rebellion’ manifesting now. The Lioness is beginning to roar.

The Sabian symbol also shows a trade off of the singular fluid and deep ranging power of the fish’s tail, what has powered us unconsciously, for the grounded and far ranging articulate independance of the binary power, self-reflection and bicameral sentience, symbolised in human form. Theres a lot to consider in this image, but, the main thrust is in wilfully uniting evolved form and function, intuition and instinct, to reach a higher state of being, one indigenous to humanity. Apply that to the outside world and the world transforms, and we entrain with it. And now, lets look at the opposing degree in which the full Moon is manifesting….the Sabian symbol really brings it home.

“Aquarius 29
A BUTTERFLY EMERGING FROM A CHRYSALIS.
KEYNOTE: The capacity to utterly transform the character of one’s consciousness by radically altering the structural patterns of everyday living and the types of relationships one enters upon.

“This is the second time within a very short span of the cycle that the butterfly symbol appears. Here what is emphasized is the process of metamorphosis itself……it stresses the essential character of the activity required; i.e. nothing short of a complete renewal of all the implications of being alive as a human individual will do. A radical change is needed. At this stage, this change is individual and mental, and it should be seen against the background of humanity as a whole. What is revealed is the potential ability of every human being to participate in a higher realm of evolution AFTER his or her emergence from a critical state of transition.

……the Keyword is METAMORPHOSIS. In spiritual terms, this implies “Initiation,” i.e. entering a higher realm of conscious existence and there joining a sacred Company.”

There we get to the point. “Nothing short of a complete renewal of all the implications of being alive as a human will do”…..this is the individual’s mandate and, both Sun and Moon are showing us clearly through the Sabians that this is the time for Emergence. What is more, it is emergence into a sacred reality. The time for pontification, analysis and maneuvering is rapidly becoming superseded by holistic realisation. What else does an emergency ask of us if we are to become emergent? Look again at the Keynote “The capacity to utterly transform the character of one’s consciousness by radically altering the structural patterns of everyday living and the types of relationships one enters upon.” We will be able to capitalise on this more as the Sun moves into Virgo.

Some are going to find this hard. But, the key is in holding fast to your deepest knowings as you act and walk your own true path. This is also going to become radicalised as ‘an emergent way of living’ with great rapidity if the present energy is allowed to flow through. The ‘ascent’ of civilisation that has led into hubristic decadence is being replaced by the ‘descent’ into a new civility represented by the garden and a partnership with ‘the divine’, otherwise known as Nature. Given the state of the planet it is a tough call as we each have to learn how to create the path as we are walking it, while appreciating and respecting that we do not all have to be the same. And, no illusions, Jupiter brings the benefit of an overview and expanding movement at grass roots level face to face with the Plutonian counter controls imposed upon that movement, and, if Uranus stands alone squaring both, the punches are not going to be pulled – sparks will fly. Wait until the end of the month when Mars enters Leo – we’ll look into this more next time. It is no small matter then that, as this Moon is at its highest energy point within the lunation, Venus is also coming into opposition with Uranus and turning that T square into a grand cardinal cross!

This, for me, is where the lunar thrust finds its true form. Venus in Libra is here bringing the perfect balance to Uranus in Aries – this is how that radical and initiatic fiery energy of invention and intervention becomes deeply and creatively grounded, infusing our minds with heart wisdom. In doing so it founds an energy upon which a culture can be formed based upon civilised values that are the counter to those now destroying our planet. There is no soft edge here, no love and light idealism – this is in-the-moment ‘dancing with the sword unsheathed’, a dance that must be learned to understand how the cutting edge of the sword can become the transformative edge of creativity – more a display of fearless beauty and truth than any kind of aggression or destructive intent. In this instance Venus shows her own radical face, the immense life engendering and inspiring power that issues from the organ of total connectivity, the heart, and takes the opposition of Jupiter and Pluto to an evolved and very creative new level.

Venus opposition with Uranus is building and becomes exact on August 26th, just preceding Mars ingress into Leo, indicating the on-the-ground effects in which the warrior planet’s energy may be most visible. There may well be unexpected developments around money and the financial markets, we could see ‘breakaway movements’ being more coherent, increasingly effective and politically active, and, almost certainly, the rise in women’s voices will continue to gain power at that cutting edge, demonstrating respect and exerting an increasingly effective and transformative balance against the patriarchal hegemony, all reflecting the movements and aspects of Venus as we move towards equinox.

There is a wonderfull opportunity now to bring the emergent elements of the full Moon into reality and really make them count. The Moon’s Sabian tells us clearly that we are here to live as we, and our children’s children would wish to live, according to an as yet unrealised potential inherent in our indigenous human nature. For us, at large, this is means we have an unknown territory before us, waiting to be discovered, but, there will be few now who do not sense and know that a crucial point has arrived in the process of entering that place. Perhaps you can feel it as that emergent element within the midst of everything, seeking concrete form, wanting to stand on its own two feet. It is also true that our ancestors have been here and lived this reality before us, even as we carry their memories and knowing, as if from a journey through a half remembered foreign land.

Just as Venus comes into exact opposition with Uranus the Moon transits the degree of its own south node. It has always been the right time to do so, but, the time for rejecting the untenable and unworkable, and claiming that which serves us most on this journey, is now truly upon us. It does mean that the world will seem a much more polarised arena, but, the positive gains are there, if we have the courage and heart.

Some astrologers are playing down this full Moon, others are emphasising the uncertainty and upheaval – for this astrologer its all about bringing inspired action to bear in the world. We do live in unique times and astrology can encourage, engender and stimulate the dialogues, offer the tools and help develop the perspectives needed to navigate them. It is intrinsic within its roots that it is used as such, an ancient practice that helps us to ‘integrate and integrate-with’ the bigger picture. Something can happen that has never happened before – untold skills, knowledge and abilities are available to us now, inherent riches and human gifts that can serve a higher purpose. ‘Looking up’ here means raising the bar on our requirements and expectations, both of ourselves and our global family. Yes, we’ve fucked up, and the past, for all our errors and those of our ancestors, may well be a foreign place to us, precisely because we have suffered the consequences of those errors, errors which are still blatantly being perpetuated. But, the future, in true Jupiterian spirit, is ours to claim, and that place, we instinctively know, is nothing other than our true and rightful home…..time to unsheath our swords, join the dance and cut the Gordian knot of time that binds us!