Lynda Hill's Sabian Symbols

Newly Opened Lands Offer the Pioneer New Opportunities for Experience: The Gemini Full Moon

Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. Dale Carnegie 

In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration. Ansel Adams

Explorers have to be ready to die lost. Russell Hoban

Explore thyself. Herein are demanded the eye and the nerve. Henry David Thoreau

In my writing I am acting as a mapmaker, an explorer of psychic areas... a cosmonaut of inner space, and I see no point in exploring areas that have already been thoroughly surveyed. William S. Burroughs

Occurring on Wednesday 2nd December, the Gemini full Moon has the Sabian Symbol of Gemini 11: Newly Opened Lands Offer the Pioneer New Opportunities for Experience. This speaks of getting off the beaten track and trying something new, being prepared to strike out for new territory, finding new and better ways of living, the need to start a new, more vibrant life, heading for the Promised Lands, new time zones, foreign customs and languages and generally leaving one's comfort zone. 

The Cautions for this degree are: Clinging to the old and familiar when it is outworn and boring, restricting growth and change, not moving on, invading other's space, claiming what's rightfully someone else's, hanging on when it's time to let go, running off to avoid involvement or responsibilities.

An X-Ray Diagnosis: November's Scorpio New Moon

Life is uncharted territory. It reveals its story one moment at a time. Leo Buscaglia

Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous. Bill Moyers

To him that watches, everything is revealed. Italian Proverb

A smart mother makes often a better diagnosis than a poor doctor. August Bier

DIAGNOSIS, n. A physician's forecast of the disease by the patient's pulse and purse. Ambrose Bierce

God is the Sun and when His rays fall upon your heart, not impeded by the clouds of egoism, the lotus blooms and the petals unfold. Sai Baba

November's new Moon in Scorpio occurs on November 16 in the United States and November 17 in Australia. This is an incredibly perceptive new Moon, not just because it is in Scorpio (which is enough in itself) but because so many of the Symbols speak of getting below the surface of what's going on. This new Moon is very much about digging; emotionally, mentally, spiritually. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is Scorpio 25: An X-Ray Photograph Helps With the Diagnosis.  This speaks of penetrating insight, piercing through external appearances, pure understanding, incredible insight and revelations, having the eyes to see, spying, detective work, reaching conclusions, evaluations, photographs, negatives, radiation, x-ray vision, expensive and up-to-date equipment, chemotherapy, mammograms, scanning equipment, finding causes, Paparazzi. 

Tending Your Garden: October's Full Moon in Taurus

Cultivate more joy by arranging your life so that more joy will be likely. George Witkin

Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul. Luther Burbank

Cultivate peace first in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of lust, hatred, greed, selfishness, and jealousy. Sivananda

By cultivating the beautiful we scatter the seeds of heavenly flowers, as by doing good we cultivate those that belong to humanity. Vernon Howard

November's Taurus full Moon falls on November 2 in the United States and November 3 in Australia. How wonderful with Taurus ruling gardens and gardening, that the Sabian Symbol for this full Moon is Taurus 11: A Woman Sprinkling Long Rows of Flowers.   

This Symbol often speaks of the need to take time to nurture the physical self. Along with smaller, less able things that need care, your body needs water, sustenance and nourishment too. Drinking plenty of water and nourishing yourself with good food is part of this. Hence there may be the need to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Sometimes the mind needs to take a rest, and the body needs to be allowed to come to bloom and bask a little in the sunlight. Now is the time to enjoy the fruits of one's work. Also, looking after younger and smaller things so they may grow to maturity and fullness brings its own type of reward. This might require patience and a determination to work at something. Keeping an eye on things that you are responsible for will ensure that they don't dry out and fade away ahead of, or before, their time. Weeding out undesirable factors is often a necessary part of this process. Taking time out to actually water plants or the garden may bring some wonderful realizations to your life. As fairies and nature spirits are said to live in gardens, meditating whilst "Sprinkling" the garden, or pot plants, may bring nourishing insights to questions that arise at this full Moon.

The Pilgrim's Progress: October's Libra New Moon

To see the world in a grain of sand, 
And a heaven in a wild flower;
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
William Blake

A traveler without observation is a bird without wings. 
Moslih Eddin Saadi

To see a hillside white with dogwood bloom is to know a particular ecstasy of beauty, but to walk the gray winter woods and find the buds which will resurrect that beauty in another May is to partake of continuity.
Hal Borland

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.
Henry David Thoreau   

Occurring on October 18, the Libra new Moon promises some interesting insights and realizations. The Sabian Symbol is Libra 25: The Sight of an Autumn Leaf Brings to a Pilgrim the Sudden Revelation of the Mystery of Life and Death. This Symbol can indicate an insight into something that can change the course of one's life. The "Autumn Leaf" in this Symbol brings to the "Pilgrim" the "Sudden" understanding of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. The "Mystery of Life" seems to unfold before the "Pilgrim's" inner vision. He can see that the seed has grown into a tree and the tree's leaves have now fallen with the change of the seasons, ready for the new birth in the spring. The "Autumn Leaf" becomes the composted material that nourishes the new seeds and fosters and nourishes new growth. Often we go through our lives without noticing the information that can be gained from looking at small or seemingly insignificant things. The "Revelation" that is experienced can change one's life, if time is taken to stop long enough to really look into it. At this point, you may feel that you've learned much but have grown tired of seeking information for life's meaning through more conventional channels. Look for answers to your problems in simple, everyday moments. They are fleeting, but they are around you. Look for the signs, they can have profound effects. 

Emerging From the Mine to Flying in Formation: October's Aries Full Moon

I met a hundred men going to Delhi and every one is my brother. Indian Saying

There is a destiny that makes us brothers,
No one goes his way alone;
All that we send into the lives of others,
Comes back into our own.
Edwin Markham

In isolation I ruthlessly plow the deep silences, seeking my opportunities like a miner seeking veins of treasures. In what shallow glimmering space shall I find what glimmering glory? Jamaica Kincaid

Underground issues from one relationship or context invariably fuel our fires in another. Harriet Lerner

Don't refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase. That's what wild geese are made for. Henry S. Haskins

October's full Moon promises to be a very interesting one. Falling on Sunday October 4, this Moon has very interesting mixed messages for our consideration (consider is an interesting word literally "to observe the stars".) The full Moon degree is Aries 12: A Flock of Wild Geese:

Head Honcho or Playing Second Fiddle: September's Virgo New Moon

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm - that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony. Leonard Bernstein

A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness. Chinese proverb

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry S. Truman

Freedom - to walk free and own no superior. Walt Whitman

Have you felt the tension and the pressure? Many are saying they have felt pushed and rather drained from their responsibilities and the energy has been pretty full on. There's so much to say about this new Moon that it's a bit hard to know where to start...

The Saturn Uranus opposition last year was smack on November 4, the day of the US elections when Barack Obama won. The opposition then was surely about the titanic struggle between the old and the new, the tried and untried and in many people's minds, the good and the bad. Indeed, for many, it felt like the possibility of a new beginning and it certainly felt that way; many felt euphoria and release as Obama won the election and the old guard fell quickly into obscurity. Of course, the old guard is trying to scramble their way back - almost using 'castration techniques' (if you're interested, Google it and read the myth of Saturn castrating Uranus) in an effort to destabilize and undermine the new President, to discredit, defame and generally teabag and deflate. Naturally, as happens, things haven't magically become better and a lot of people have been, and still are, feeling a sense of disillusionment. The birth of the new can be painful and it takes time. Of course, the castration of Uranus lead to the birth of Aphrodite (Venus) and it seems to me that a good, considered dose of Venus is the way to soften the edges of this opposition.

Well, this new Moon is a doozy - exactly conjunct Saturn and opposing Uranus = it is a new Moon largely defined by and constrained by the current Saturn Uranus opposition. The new Moon occurs on September 19 in Australia and September 18 in the United States. The Sabian Symbol is Virgo 26: A Boy With a Censer Serves Near the Priest at the Altar. The 'Boy' doesn’t have the experience or social position of the 'Priest', but that shouldn't put him off his duties or what needs to be done. His position and responsibilities are still important. In a Catholic church service, wine is drunk as a symbol of the blood of Christ. Wafers are placed on the tongues of the believers as the representation of the body of Christ. How the 'Boy' reacts to the ritual or ceremony will depend on his upbringing, beliefs or temperament. He could be rapt with fascination at what is being played out or he could be indifferent, bored and really preferring to go home. It is unclear whether the 'Boy' wants to eventually take the position of the older 'Priest', or colleague, or not. He may grow up to do other things, but right now he's got his position or duty to fulfill. This may be less than he's actually able to do or is truly "qualified" to do. 

This Symbol brings up feelings of being second best, playing second fiddle; feeling like one has no authority. Of course, one can be 'The Priest' - you don't have to be 'The Boy With the Censer', however it is very likely that issues of having a position will come up. Are you fulfilling your duties, your karma, your desires, so completely that you will be able to take your position as the authority in your life? Are you living your life with people that talk down to you, abuse you, don't give you credit, don't listen, don't care and are only there to fulfill their own feelings of aggrandizement and glory? It could be time to stake your claim to those things that will reward you.

I would be remiss if I didn't bring up the Symbol of Virgo 27 as the new Moon falls right on 25Virgo59 = the very last minute of Virgo 26. The Sabian Symbol for Virgo 27 is Aristocratic Elderly Ladies Drinking Afternoon Tea in a Wealthy Home. This definitely has the spirit of feeling 'at home', feeling amongst your peers, taking time out, being able to relax, handing responsibilities on to others. So, this is a fine mix of having to do and finding time to just relax and catch up with others. The pic to the left is my interpretation of this degree ;) (love it!).

The Saturn Uranus opposition is asking for big changes, big let goes and for us to take charge of a sense of personal authority that can (and will) move us into new life, new possibilities, new realities. We must accept the rewards that personal authority can bring, of course, and we may have to stand up and be firm about it. This is made more manifest by Pluto's placement at Capricorn 1: An Indian Chief Claims Power and Recognition From the Assembled Tribe. This clearly speaks about claiming power and recognition from those around you. Still, we often find that others are doing this at our expense. How to rectify this? Check out the parameters of your own influence, your own sphere and stick to those with a sense of authority, grace and strength. Your 'Assembled Tribe' can be the disparate parts of yourself that can contain differing messages; your career self may feel very much in charge while your relationship self is floundering (or vice-versa). You may be quite strong when it comes to issues to do with your family and those close to you, but like a fish out of water in social situations (or vice-versa). This placement of Pluto asks that we line up the various parts of our personalities and get them to work in concert. This is an empowering placement for Pluto, but we sometimes have to face what we fear before the rewards come flooding in.

Mercury is retrograding back into Virgo now. The Sabian Symbol for Mercury on this new Moon is Virgo 30: Having an Urgent Task to Complete, A Man Doesn't Look to Any Distractions. We all feel 'distracted' from time to time, this is quite normal. Distracted is an interesting word; going off the tracks, going off the rails, not being on target. We need one pointedness of application with Mercury here, staying true to yourself and remaining on the path or on the job. Mercury asks that we don't look to things that derail us. There's a reward here as well - Mercury will very soon head back to Virgo 29: A Man Is Gaining Secret Knowledge From an Ancient Scroll He Is Reading.  This is a wonderful degree, particularly for Mercury to be going over. During the coming week, Mercury will retrograde over the degrees that Saturn is currently highlighting: Virgo 25: A Flag at Half-Mast in Front of a Public Building and Virgo 26: A Boy With a Censer Serves Near the Priest at the Altar. It's certainly time to be letting go - big time! Along with letting go is the acceptance of personal authority.

All of the above can relate to your relationships, of course, and the issue of relationships comes up pretty quickly with Venus on Leo 29: A Mermaid Has Climbed to the Rocky Shore of a Bleak Coast; She Awaits the Prince Who Will Bring Her Immortality. This speaks of coming into conscious form, new ways of being, transformation, looking for love and a relationship that confirms rather than denies your sense of integrity. This is particularly interesting because in this last week Saturn has been on Virgo 24: Mary and Her White Lamb. This speaks of dependence and co dependence and asks you to examine the spaces you have between you and others, particularly significant others and close friendships. Allowing that space for everyone to be more authentically who they are meant to be can bring wonderful rewards and realisations.

Push Me Pull You: It's All Happening With the Saturn-Uranus opposition

Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life. Eleanor Roosevelt

Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be. Anon

There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life. Anon

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Anon

Happening every 45 years or so, the Saturn/Uranus opposition marks a time when we feel we can't live any longer under certain conditions, limitations, systems, relationships, belief systems, jobs, careers, etc, and a part of us comes tearing out. We seek change, reform, relief and the new instead of ploughing on with things that are not working.

Saturn often speaks of the status quo; those things we know to be stable, long lasting, reliable. If not always rewarding, Saturn can bring us familiarity with things we know to be at least predictable. Solid and often quite demanding, Saturn provides us with boundaries, some restrictive, others dependable and life affirming. Uranus, on the other hand, often brings about revolution; it stirs the pot and stretches us to change, it can take things from us without giving us time to reflect, stir up the furies, making us mad, bringing tempers to the boiling point and demanding equality.

This is a simplified estimation of these planetary energies - Saturn can take away things too, just as much or even more so than Uranus. Both have that hard-edged quality that can leave our hearts and minds in tatters... but all the while growing (jeez, these 'learning experiences' - can't we just learn from other people's mistakes)?! Uranus has a particularly 'metal feeling' about it - like a big knife descends and cuts the cords, the tape, the glue or the bindings. The first pass of this opposition occurred on November 4 2008 - the week Barack Obama got elected (btw, the US chart was having a progressed full Moon then on Virgo 4: Black and White Children Playing Happily Together). 

Laying One's Sword to Rest: September's Pisces Full Moon

All those who take the sword will perish by the sword. The Bible

Do you know what astonished me most in the world? The inability of force to create anything. In the long run, the sword is always beaten by the spirit. Napoleon Bonaparte

You mean, you'll put down your rock and I'll put down my sword and we'll try and kill each other like civilized people? The Princess Bride

Never give a sword to a man who can't dance. Confucius

God grant me a good sword and no use for it. Polish proverb

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Proverb

September's full Moon, happening on September 4 in the US and September 5 in Australia, is on the Sabian Symbol of Pisces 13: A Sword, Used in Many Battles, Is Now In a Museum. This Symbol points to dropping issues, laying down one's sword, giving up the fighting, opting for more peaceful solutions. The following is my interpretation from my book 360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With the Sabian Oracle:

Mercury Retrograde: Watching Your Visions Take Concrete Form

The pure impulse of dynamic creation is formless; and being formless, the creation it gives rise to can assume any and every form. Cabala

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul. The Bible

Speak of the devil and he appears. Arabic proverb

Plant the seed of desire in your mind and it forms a nucleus with power to attract to itself everything needed for its fulfillment. Robert Collier

When an idea exclusively occupies the mind, it is transformed into an actual physical or mental state.Sivananda

Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way. Abraham Lincoln

Mercury is heading for it's retrograde period, set to do it's apparent backwards dance from September 7 until September 30, bringing all kinds of issues and events to the surface - things we need to deal with and some things that we'd perhaps rather not have to deal with. This period can be wonderfully reviving, revising, re visioning, revamping, redoing, redirecting and can be a time of adjustments, making life easier, smoother and more efficient AFTER the retrograde period (not during when all hell can, and sometimes does, break loose!). When things go awry, it's usually because they need repairing or re visioning - and Mercury retrograde has well earned the phrase that I sometimes call it 'Mercury Wretchrograde' - a "wretch" (and sometimes a "wrench") it can certainly be. The thing to be mindful of is that Mercury won't clear it's shadow (the degrees that it's already passed over) until around October 15, so this really is a longer period than we might at first think.

It seems to me that the rewards often outweigh the difficulties that this period poses. The rewards are part of the re visioning, rewriting, rewiring even, of our lives, our realities and potentials.

If you're already feeling the effects of Mercury retrograde, it's no surprise as although the actual retrograde period starts on September 7, we're now in the shadow period which started around August 18. This means we're heading over the zodiacal degrees now that Mercury will be soon traversing backwards through the retrograde. Hence, the Symbols that are being highlighted now will be highlighted again in September and then again in October, so it pays to take notice of what's going on now as these things may require revising again in some way.

Now, Mercury goes retrograde on Libra 7: A Woman Feeding Chickens and Protecting Them From the Hawks, a degree that Mercury hangs around for around 4 days - from September 5 until September 9. This degree speaks about nurture, protection and guardianship. It's about being on the lookout for changes in the atmosphere, to be mindful of possible intrusions or intruders - without being worried or imagining things that aren't there, of course. It's a lovely degree unless it gets a little out of hand which can lead to imagining problems when there aren't any and attributing hurt and blame where it is not warranted. Having said that, it still pays to be watchful and certainly nurturing and protective in a way that gives those people, things or situations that you're guarding plenty of room and scope for freedom, expansion and self autonomy.

So, the major thrust of this retrograde Mercury is based around feeding, protecting and being a caretaker. However, Mercury sits for quite some time on Libra 6: A Man Watches His Ideals Taking a Concrete Form Before His Inner Vision. Not only is Mercury transiting this degree for a number of days in September, it comes back for revisioning in mid October. Further, not only is Mercury transiting this degree, but the Sun and Venus pass over it as well. This is a fabulous degree that is very much about conscious manifestation, having one's ideas and ideals taking shape and the need to have positive, empowering and useful stories, images or plans in the forefront of your mind. Negative, dis empowering or harmful thoughts or messages are likely to bring difficult or bad results.

Below is my interpretation of this degree from my book 360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With the Sabian Oracle:

This is a good time to visualize your needs, wants, thoughts and feelings. In the situation facing you, what are the 'Ideals' that need to be made real? Something that we're learning in this new and exciting age of human progress is that conscious concrete manifestation is entirely possible, especially when we feel aligned to our core purpose. When you decide what it is that you truly want, allowing the energy of it to be focused through the power of the mind will allow it to manifest. Here, something new is being formed, even if it is only in its preliminary stage or early days. If these 'Ideals' are really meant to be brought into 'Concrete Form', focusing intently on them will bring them into reality. By doing this, you will make it possible for your creative ideas to be projected out into the real world. However, one must be truly thoughtful about what one wants to create. You may find that your hopes and dreams are not only brought into the light of reality, but are truly being put to the test. Be careful what you wish for. The mind is very powerful, and, if your focus is not used correctly, difficult situations can emerge. Concentrate carefully on what it is that you want and 'Watch' what happens. Think positively as this Symbol can create wonderful magic in your life.

Keywords: Vivid confrontations with one's objectives. Creative visualizations. Imagining things. Meditations and affirmations. Ideas crystallized. Putting things out into the universe. Making things happen. Seeing things take shape and form. Clairvoyance. Film making. Writing and getting published. The power of manifestation. Solidification. Builders. Sculptures. Dreams.

The Caution: Being dissatisfied with what was thought to be the true ideal. Feeling that things are "written in stone" and can’t be changed. Calcified situations or emotions. Neurosis. Focusing on the negative thereby bringing the negative.

Another degree that brings to mind very interesting, useful and dynamic realizations and breakthroughs is the Karmic Condition (the degree before) the Watching Your Visions Take Concrete Form degree. It's Libra 5: A Man Teaching the True Inner Knowledge of the New World to His Students. This speaks about guidance and protection, being a guiding light for others, imparting knowledge, wisdom, looking for truth, seeking answers to complicated questions, listening and learning, turning to others to receive guidance, speaking one's truth, instinctual knowledge, pioneers on the path, teachers and students, secrets of the new age, etc.

There's more to say (there always is) - but suffice to say that this Mercury retrograde period is very much about the thoughts, aspirations, dreams, visions, desires, fears, insecurities, etc, that we allow to enter our mind and heart. We need to project a positive image on out onto the world as for certain it's going to reflect right back at us. We all have lessons we need to both learn and to share with others. Now's a great time for rewiring your possibilities, potentials, dreams and realizations!

The Leo New Moon: Many Little Birds Chirping on the Limb of a Large Tree

The higher you go, the wider the spread of the network of communication that will make or break you. It extends not only to more people below, but to new levels above. And it extends all around, to endless other departments and interests interacting with yours. Donald Walton

After all is said and done, more is said than done. American proverb

All of our operators are busy. Your call is important to us and will be answered by the first available operator. The constant recurring message of busyness 

If the first person who answers the phone cannot answer your question it's a bureaucracy. If the first person can answer your question, it's a miracle. Gerald F. Lieberman

The eagle suffers little birds to sing and is not careful what they mean thereby. William Shakespeare

The Leo new Moon occurs on Thursday, August 20 on Leo 28, the Sabian Symbol is Many Little Birds Chirping on the Limb of a Large Tree.  Below is my interpretation from 360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With the Sabian Oracle:

Things Lynda Loves

The word 'oracle' comes from the Latin word meaning "to pray". It is also connected to the word for mouth. An oracle is a "divine announcement" and "the medium by which a god reveals hidden knowledge or makes known the divine purpose". Further, it is said to be "an authoritative or wise statement or prediction."

In 1925, an extraordinary thing happened: two people - a clairvoyant medium and an astrologer - received messages from the world of spirit for every degree of the zodiac. These messages were channeled from a brother of the Sabian alchemists, astrologers who lived in Mesopotamia in the first millenium. Now, Lynda Hill brings you the Sabian Oracle in an easy to understand guide. This book is about answering questions, and no matter whether you're a complete novice or a seasoned professional in astrology, you will find amazing insight into your self, your friends and your world.

Great news! The book 360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With the Sabian Oracle is available on CD and also as an e-book. All 400 pages of Lynda's interpretations including commentary, oracular meaning, keywords, cautions and over 3,000 quotations. For those of you who already own the book with the cover similar to the one above, please note that this edition is the result of two entire rewrites - you will find Sabian Symbol interpretation far improved!

In a few week's time, I will have the e-book available for downloading from my site. However, if you'd rather have a copy on CD mailed to you, no matter where in the world you live, if you go to my Donate page and pay A$40, which is equivalent to around US$33, you will be posted the CD ASAP. The price includes postage and packing. After you pay through the Donate page, please send an email with your name and address to me at sabiansymbols@gmail.com. The e-book, whether on CD or downloaded from my site, allows you to print out pages, something invaluable for giving to clients or using yourself.

Also available soon will be a video of my lecture that I gave in San Diego last month, an hour and three quarters of my stories, the origins and uses of the Sabian Symbols as an oracle, in astrology and the fabulous story of my links to Elsie Wheeler, the fabulous spiritualist medium that gave birth to the Sabian Symbols. BTW, the Sabian Symbols are having their Uranus return, something I also speak about in the video. Here's a link to a teaser of the video of the lecture in San Diego.

Also, I commend you to check out my good friend Paul Smyth's tribute page at www.paulsmyth.com - in memory of Paul, who did a fabulous design of my book (Penguin were very impressed with the design and layout). Extremely talented, Paul passed away almost four years ago and is greatly missed. If you want to hear some wonderful music, please go to the player on Paul's page and listen to his songs. My favourite is song number 9 - The Ring, a hauntingly beautiful song.

I wish you wonderful days! I'll soon be posting an entry about the upcoming Leo new Moon at Leo 28: Many Little Birds Chirping on the Limb of a Large Tree (sounds very much like the internet, reading my e-book, watching the video, listening to Paul's wonderful music).

Best wishes, Lynda, Avalon, Sydney, Australia

Lynda's Back!: Raptors and San Diego and Revelations of Elsie Wheeler

Greetings from Avalon, Sydney, Australia. Apologies for the lack of newsletters through what was a very special period of eclipses - more on that later.

I've just returned from a five week lecture tour of the US - my 25th - and most definitely my most significant trip to date. I had amazing revelations, amazing experiences, fabulous insights and breakthroughs and spent time with very special people in Arizona, California and Oregon.

There are so many highlights of my trip, it's hard to know where to start. I stayed with Eileen Nauman in Cottonwood, Arizona for the first week. She took me up to Flagstaff to the Arboretum to meet some very special birds and it was as special as Eileen believed it would be. I met Luna (the owl pictured here) and Bella, a Harris Hawk that felt like family to me. Luna is a European Owl and absolutely stunningly beautiful. Her energy is so amazing. We had a lovely connection on two separate visits to Flagstaff. She has an amazing presence and it's hard to take your eyes of hers - they are so big. Owls have exceptional sight and hearing and can turn their head almost completely around (talk about 360 degrees of wisdom!).

Another amazing raptor that I met was Bella the Harris Hawk. What a beautiful and intense friend! She and I were so color coordinated that those watching gasped in unison. Later, I was to realize that 'bella' is a name I've been called many, many times in my life as Lynda is bella in Spanish. Bella's story of her early years so reflected mine that I felt an instant kinship with her... and her Scorpionic look (me being a Scorpio), it felt like a kinship that went way back. A very special meeting for sure. Thanks go to Eileen who was very determined to get me to Flagstaff to visit with these wonderful birds and make a photographic memory of it for me. These moments will stay with me forever.

San Diego was amazing; I visited Balboa Park, the site where Elsie Wheeler and Marc Edmund Jones bought through the Sabian Symbols. I also went twice, once with April Elliott Kent and again with Terry Lamb, to Elsie's grave which was very stirring and it was lovely to see her next to Frank Baxter (some will recall that I almost changed my name to Baxter when I was 9 or 10 as that was my step-father's name - also, Elsie's mother's maiden name was Louisa Hill, and other amazing synchronicities). Terry and I also went to the Fraternal Spiritualist Church for a Sunday service. As the minister was giving me a message about my link to Uluru (Ayer's Rock in Australia) and my spiritual abilities, I was thinking 'Elsie, Elsie' and as soon as she finished, she turned to a young woman sitting to my right and said 'Elsie' - this young woman's name was Elsie. Terry and I got enormous chills! Right next to the spiritualist church was a barber's shop (Frank Baxter was a barber - although this was not his premises, it was a clear message coming through of his and Elsie's presence.)

After the service, Terry took me to an amazing spiritualist medium named Barbara. This reading was totally extraordinary. Barbara knew nothing about me but the messages were very clear; Elsie was speaking through Barbara. Words don't describe how amazing it was and I'm still processing what was said. I'm very glad that I taped it.

We've had 2 eclipses during the time I was away and  these are very meaningful times. I will write more about this soon, but wanted to make contact with you all to let you know that things are really cooking. One message that came through not only in the reading with Barbara but again and again was that I am to take Elsie's work to another level and, when ready, I will take on the work of a spiritualist medium. I had not truly considered doing medium work before this trip but I can now see that my life has been leading up to it. It is so exciting! More later...

Waving to all from Avalon, Sydney, Australia...

Lynda's Lectures in San Diego and Laguna Hills, CA in July

Super Special Event!! - join Lynda for a special weekend topped off with Sunday picnic in Balboa Park and visiting Elsie Wheeler's gravesite.

San Diego Astrological Society presents Lynda Hill 

Lecture - Sabian Symbols Oracle: Degrees of Consciousness - Friday, July 10, 7:30 p.m. Joyce Beers Uptown Community Center, 3900 Vermont Street, San Diego CA 92103 (Hillcrest)
Check out the SDAS website for details of this lecture and the workshop

Our July speaker, for both the Friday night lecture and a Saturday workshop, will be Lynda Hill who is regarded as one of - if not THE - world's leaders in Sabian Symbol research and expertise. You’ll be able to see how astrology AND the Sabian Symbols are one of the best tools for self awareness, insight and discovery.  

Lynda says that she is thrilled to be presenting for the San Diego group in this, her 25th lecture tour of the States. In this lecture, she will explore with us the birth of the Sabian Symbols, the life of Elsie Wheeler and the astounding story of how she came to give birth to the Symbols right here in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

She will talk about how the Symbols give us a brilliant and amazing tool for understanding the degrees of the zodiac, bringing depth, clarity and meaning to life; they bring insight into the hologram we call life. They illuminate the degrees, but can also be used with astounding accuracy as an Oracle. In this lecture, Lynda will show you how to use them as an Oracle. Whatever your level of proficiency in astrology, whether total novice, beginner or seasoned professional, you will learn how to apply this wonderful tool in your life and in the lives of friends and clients. Her writing and presentation styles are captivating!  The cost of the lecture will be $15 for members and $20 for non-members. 

SAN DIEGO WORKSHOP WITH LYNDA HILL

The Sabian Symbols as a Hologram Workshop Saturday, July 11, 9:30-5:00 p.m. Location:  Sleepy Hollow Canyon View Club House:  4201 Sixth Ave., San Diego.

In this workshop, Lynda will teach you how to use the Symbols in astrology charts and how to work with them to reveal so much more about any chart you are working with. The Symbols work in a holographic way and bring all of the 360 degrees to light. You’ll learn how the degrees interact with each other, how to interpret a chart using the Symbols and you’ll learn more about your own chart. Bring your chart along with your progressed chart to get the most out of this workshop. By the end of the day, you’ll know more about yourself, the challenges and gifts in your chart and how to apply the Symbols in your everyday life. Lynda will also use examples of famous people and events to illustrate. 

Workshop Fees and Registration:  Fees are $55 for non-members, $45 for members.  Please make out checks to SDAS and mail to SDAS, 1010 University Ave., PMB 1772, San Diego, 92103-3395. If you get lost call Jim Hennum (619.) 299.4633.

Southern California Astrological Network (SCAN) presents Lynda Hill

Lecture - Sabian Symbols Oracle: Degrees of Consciousness - Wednesday, July 8th, 6.30pm
Polly's Bakery Cafe, 23701 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 - 949-380-8383. Lecture is $8.00 for members and $12.00 for non members.
Check SCAN's website for details.

Special! At both lectures and the workshop, Lynda’s brand new Sabian Oracle program on CD (with 400 jam packed pages and a special Oracle selection feature) will be available for $30. There will also be copies of Lynda’s 1995 handy purse-sized book The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle (these will soon be sold out) - these are $20. Both come with a set of Oracle Cards.

Lynda will also be available for consultations. Email sabiansymbols@gmail.com for details.

Special event! To make the weekend very special, bring lunch and join Lynda for a picnic in San Diego's Balboa Park - birthplace of the Sabian Symbols -  for a talk on Elsie May Wheeler (the spiritualist medium who gave birth to the Symbols), followed by a very special visit to Elsie's gravesite. Email sabiansymbols@gmail.com to register your interest in this wonderful day.

Bio: Lynda Hill, Dip Astro (FAA), has been a professional astrologer for more than 18 years. 2008 marked her 24th lecture tour of the States, in addition to the many lectures she has conducted for astrologers and the public in Australia, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada. Lynda is the astrologer for Take Five Magazine, and writes astrological commentary for publications all over the world. She divides her time between Sydney's beautiful Northern Beaches and the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains when she's not traveling the world delivering lectures.

Flying High or Trying to Escape Reality: The Cancer New Moon

Happy Solstice to all! and may the new Moon bring you all kinds of great possibilities

I'll need a magic carpet to get out of this one! Donald Davis

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Albert Einstein

What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet. Woody Allen

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. Henry David Thoreau

Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly. Batman costume warning label

Happening on June 23 in Australia and June 22 in the United States, June's new Moon is the first of two to occur in Cancer. The Sabian Symbol for June's Cancerian new Moon is Cancer 2: A Man on a Magic Carpet Observes Vast Vistas Below. July's Cancerian new Moon, on July 22, is right at the end of Cancer and is a solar eclipse on the Symbol of Cancer 30: A Daughter of the American Revolution. More on that one closer to the time.

Babies in Sunbonnets: June's Sagittarius Full Moon

"I am May.   See May's sunbonnet.  It is my sunbonnet. Do you see May ?   Do you see the Sunbonnet Baby ?"

"I am Molly.  This is my blue dress.  See my pink sunbonnet.   I am a Sunbonnet Baby.  Who are you ?"

The Sunbonnet Babies Primer, written by Eulalie Osgood Grover, published in 1902, was illustrated by Bertha L. Corbett and revolved around the adventures of Molly and May, two little girls whose faces were completely hidden by large sunbonnets.

This month's Sagittarian full Moon is on June 8 in the US and June 9 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol is Sagittarius 18: Tiny Children Playing in Sunbonnets. The children in this image appear to be looked after, protected, sheltered from bad elements and difficulties, whilst being able to play, be creative and live like children are meant to live.

This is a beautiful image, one that should have people feeling safe, secure and looked after, and many will feel this way, but, unfortunately, not all are likely to be feeling that way right now. Still, this image says that we must strive to protect the innocent, the young or the naive, protect and shelter them from harmful or damaging elements that may rob them of their peace and quiet, their ability to be creative and enjoy life.

May's New Moon: Gemini 4: Holly and Mistletoe Bring Christmas Spirit to a Home

Love is like the wild rose-briar;
Friendship like the holly-tree.
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms,
But which will bloom most constantly?
Emily Bronte

"Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed almost over Harry's head. He jumped out from under it. "Good thinking," said Luna seriously. "It's often infested with nargles."
J.K. Rowling

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
Calvin Coolidge

May's new Moonfalls on Sunday May 24 on Gemini 4: the Sabian Symbol for which is Holly and Mistletoe Bring Christmas Spirit to a Home. It is to be noted that the recent Mercury retrogradeoccurred on Gemini 2: A Nervous Gentleman, Dressed in an Elaborate Santa Claus Costume, is Filling Christmas Stockings Secretly. What's with the Christmas theme? you may ask. Well, it appears to me that we're being asked to invite more and more love, kindness, caring for loved ones and family members and generally more sharing and caring into our lives. Obviously, these values are not just reserved for Christmas, but, hopefully, should be played out on a continual basis.

The Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune Conjunction: Healing and The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. Mark Twain

We should let our godliness exhale like the odor of flowers. We should live for the good of our kind, and strive for the salvation of the world. Alexander Crummell

Big doesn't necessarily mean better. Sunflowers aren't better than violets. Edna Ferber

We're all in this together and everyone is important. Dale O'Brien

Like cures like. Samuel Hahnemann

You already have the precious mixture that will make you well. Use it. Rumi

People have been asking me to comment on the Jupiter Chiron Neptune conjunction. This feels like less of a transit and more of a social movement. These planets together bring quite a story to our collective unconscious and stir us up in one way or another. And rightly so - this IS a big story. The Sabian Symbol for the conjunction is Aquarius 27: An Ancient Pottery Bowl Filled With Fresh Violets. This is a beautiful Symbol, one that evokes purity, softness, kindness, thoughtfulness and provides us with a link to things that feel old, worthwhile, enduring, stable, beautiful, romantic. Chiron, Jupiter and Neptune are all rather 'healing' planets, or at least linked very strongly to spirit and the spirit realms and their healing possibilities.

Mercury Wretchrograde! It Could Be Bah-Humbug, But I Reckon Bring On the Gifts!

I'm walking backwards for Christmas,
Across the Irish Sea,
I'm walking backwards for Christmas,
It's the only thing for me.

I've tried walking sideways,
And walking to the front,
But people just look at me,
And... say it's a publicity stunt.

The Goon Show (Youtube vid)

Mercury, that trickster of planets, that elusive and brilliant mind-playing planet, has just gone retrograde again in an air sign - Gemini. Mercury retrograde periods are times when movement forward is littered with "detour" signs and dead ends. Especially in Gemini, the sign that Mercury rules, we want forward movement, not backwards and not sideways. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on what's going on in your life and how you view it, the retrograde periods of Mercury push us to revise, redo, reconsider and go back over things from the past rather than instigating new projects, new ideas, new promises. The past often needs re visioning, and Mercury's retrograde period of 21 days every three or so months gives us that opportunity. It went retrograde on May 7 and will turn direct on May 31.

Getting it Right the First Time: May's Scorpio Full Moon and Mercury Retrograde

The best time to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust. Josh Billings

Accept your genius and say what you think. Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you talk, you repeat what you already know; when you listen, you often learn something. Jared Sparks

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted then used against you. Anonymous

INTERPRETER, N. One who enables two persons of different languages to understand each other by repeating to each other what it would have been to the interpreter's advantage for the other to have said. Ambrose Bierce

May's Scorpio full Moon falls on the evening of May 8 in the United States and around the middle of the day on May 9 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this full Moon is very interesting in the light of the fact that Mercury is just now going retrograde, Mercury retrograde bringing snafus and problems and issues to do with communications, messages and the issue of getting things right the first time. The Symbol is Scorpio 19: A Parrot Listening and Then Talking, Repeats a Conversation He Has Overheard. The following are my Keywords and Cautions for this degree:

April's New Moon: A Bridge Being Built Across a Gorge - You Can Get There From Here

Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting. Karl Wallenda

Faith is building on what you know is here, so you can reach what you know is there. Cullen Hightower

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. J.F. Newton

The hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which to burn. David Russell.

Voyager, there are no bridges; one builds them as one walks. Gloria Evangelina Anzaldua

April's new Moon falls in the evening of April 24 in the U.S. and midday on April 25 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is Taurus 6: A Bridge Being Built Across a High Narrow Gorge. This Symbol speaks of finding creative and concrete solutions to situations. There can be dilemmas or separations to face and at times we may indeed feel like a tightrope walker. As always, it probably pays not to look down but to keep your focus on your trip and your destination.

Venus Goes Direct! And Emerges From the Ocean Yet Again

Life is a quarry, out of which we are to mold and chisel and complete a character. Goethe

For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is. You must see your goals clearly and specifically before you can set out for them. Hold them in your mind until they become second nature. Les Brown

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be. Kurt Vonnegut

I always wanted to be someone, but I should have been more specific. Lily Tomlin

After some forty days, Venus is now going direct and there's the promise of moving forward after this recent rather long period of retracing our steps in many ways. To recap, I said in my Venus Retrograde newsletter:

Venus is retrograde for 40 days. This reminds me of the "40 days and 40 nights" story from the Bible. Jesus wandered in the wilderness, fasting, after which he is said to have been tempted by Satan. It was the number of days in Noah's flood. For more information click here for a Wikipedia page on the number 40.

The Benefit of Rituals, Performing One's Duties and Going by the Book: April's Libran Full Moon

Any ritual is an opportunity for transformation. Starhawk

Rituals are important. John Lennon

Impart as much as you can of your spiritual being to those who are on the road with you, and accept as something precious what comes back to you from them. Albert Schweitzer

I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, and receives new truth as an angel from heaven. William Ellery Channing

April's Libran full Moon falls on April 9 in the United States and April 10 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol is Libra 20: A Jewish Rabbi in a Tiny Room Full of Manuscripts and Books, Performing His Duty. This is a wonderful degree of connection with ancient sources of truth and understanding. Regardless of one's religious or spiritual affiliations, this degree holds that we are to 'do our duty', and to perform society's rituals in ways that suit your sense of center and spiritual conscience.

March's New Moon: A Man Successfully Expressing Himself in Two Worlds at Once

I've been trying for some time to develop a lifestyle that doesn't require my presence. Gary Trudeau

Each of us lives in two realms, the "within" and the "without".Martin Luther King Jr

I'm happy when I'm juggling, but I feel like I've gone from, like, 3 balls to 10 bowling balls. Kirstie Alley

Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When you don't know what harbor you're aiming for, no wind is the right wind. Seneca

The new Moon in March falls on March 26 in the United States and March 27 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is fabulous and rich and contains a lot of promise, diversity and possibilities as it's on Aries 7: A Man Successfully Expressing Himself in Two Worlds at Once.

This new Moon shows the necessity, during these very interesting and testing times, of being adaptable, moving with the times, taking on new information as it arises and being able to focus our energies on the things that are rewarding or necessary, or, perhaps, dealing with the things that just get in the way of what we need to be doing.

A Man Successfully Expressing Himself in Two Worlds at Once shows someone having the ability to be versatile and adaptable. When operating in 'Two Worlds', one's life may seem divided, with divergent responsibilities, needs and urges. But this image implies that this person is 'Successfully Expressing Himself', which shows that this is a time when it is possible, or necessary, to integrate or successful deal with separate or diverse areas of life.

The Value of Love, Compassion, Goals and Teamwork: March's Virgo Full Moon

Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.
Vince Lombardi

One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one cannot make a team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Life begins when you get out of the grandstand into the game.
P.L. Debevoise

The Full Moon falls on March 10 in the United States and March 11 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol is Virgo 21: A Girl's Basketball Team. This degree talks about people teaming up; banding together and working together for a common goal. There's the give and take and taking turns in playing one's role; sometimes you're on the edges of the court and other times you're the star shooter going for the objective to score. In an organized team with rules to follow, everyone has their place and needs to work together. A disorganized arrangement just won't cut it nor will being all over the place or merely working alone.

Of course, we can work alone, but we need our support systems, our teams, our friends and family, those we can count on. Here "A Girl’s Basketball Team" is pictured. They may be lighthearted about their game, enjoying the fun, the friendship, and the sportsmanship. Whether this is a professional or amateur game, there is a need to cooperate with others and to play by the rules to achieve the "Team’s" goals. Some on the team may take the outcome very seriously, like it's a 'life and death' situation. Playing the game to the best of their ability is necessary, as they will be judged by the others in the team, their coach and those on the sidelines. Popularity is often a factor, with some being star players and trendsetters and others merely making up the numbers, there to close the gaps and pass the ball. We all play our part, that's what being human is about; sharing and caring and having a sense of belonging. 

Retracing Our Steps: Venus Retrograde! The Prescription? Invite the Brownies

Venus favors the bold. Ovid

When archaeologists discover the missing arms of Venus de Milo, they will find she was wearing boxing gloves.  John Barrymore

At worst, a house unkempt cannot be so distressing as a life unlived. Rose Macaulay

Few tasks are more like the torture of Sisyphus than housework, with its endless repetition: the clean becomes soiled; the soiled is made clean, over and over, day after day. Simone de Beauvoir

To the man who himself strives earnestly, God also lends a helping hand. Aeschylus

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another. Luciano de Crescenzo

For the elemental creatures go about my table to and fro. William Butler Yeats

Happening only every 18 months or so, Venus is going retrograde on March 6, 2009. Venus will station (seemingly stop) at 15 Aries 27 and retrograde (seeming to go backwards) until April 17 when she turns direct on the last degree of Pisces - Pisces 30. This backwards movement of 16 degrees feels extremely meaningful as the myth of Venus has her born out of the sea, which fits the cusp of Pisces and Aries, the place that Venus crosses over in her retrograde journey.

Seeing the Light and Rebuilding Faith: February's Pisces New Moon

When things are at the worst they begin to mend. Proverb

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present. Francis Bacon

Crosses are ladders that lead to heaven. Proverb.

No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne, no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
William Penn

February's Pisces new Moon occurs on February 25 in Australia and February 24 in the United States. The Sabian Symbol is Pisces 7: Illuminated by a Shaft of Light, a Large Cross Lies on Rocks Surrounded by Sea and Mist. This is an image that inspires feelings of chaos, concern and a sense of misplaced priorities. There is hope, though, and plenty of it; there is 'illumination' from a 'shaft of light'. One needs to focus on the light that can lift one up from the 'rocks surrounded by sea and mist'.

Lunar Eclipse! February's Leo Full Moon: A Messenger Fulfilling Their Mission

When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.
W. Clement Stone

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't.
Richard Bach

If you love something, you set it free. With homing pigeons, that is absolutely the seminal step you take. One day, you watch them take off and disappear. Almost all of the time they come back. For a child, that is a pretty magical thing. It makes you a better person.
Jim Jenner

February's full Moon is a lunar eclipse. Falling on February 9, it's influence is likely to be felt for several months to come. This is a very powerful eclipse in that Chiron, the Wounded Healer and the archetype of the stories we tell ourselves, is smack on the Sun on this lunar eclipse, which means that Chiron is exactly opposite the Moon. Neptune, just a few degrees on, is firmly in the mix, as well. The lunar and solar lights, representative of female and male energies, are tuning up for a healing and the messages we tell ourselves and others are the focal point of this eclipse, especiallyas the Sabian Symbol for the eclipse is Leo 22: A Carrier Pigeon Fulfilling its Mission.

Solar Eclipse! The Aquarian New Moon: The Birth of a New Creative Impulse

Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. Erich Fromm

We are all cells in the same body of humanity. Peace Pilgrim

The creator, Awonawilona, thought himself into being. Zuni Indian Saying

"Exovo omnia." Everything from an egg. William Harvey

Monday's new Moon in Aquarius is an annular solar eclipse. Partial phases of the eclipse are visible primarily from southern Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. More information click here. A solar eclipse is a concentration of energy and signifies a time of both death and birth - the death of something old and outworn and the birth of something new. It is said about eclipses that the effects last in as many years as the eclipse lasts. This eclipse is 3 hours and 46 minutes, meaning it is laying down seeds that take us past 2012.

This solar eclipse has a very Aquarian energy with Jupiter, Moon, Sun, the Moon's north node, Chiron and Neptune all in that sign. Jupiter's contribution, especially, will magnify it's effects enormously. The Sabian Symbol for this solar eclipse is Aquarius 7: A Child Born Out of an Eggshell. This degree signals the birth of an entirely new, creative and original impulse and it ushers in the urge to individuate and to give birth to our creative and spiritual ideas. It seems that Jupiter has a big hand at our backs; pushing us forward. The Sabian Symbol for Jupiter is Aquarius 5: A Council of Ancestors Has Been Called to Guide a Man.

The Inauguration: Barack Obama's Mountain Pilgrimage

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. Anonymous

First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is. Zen Aphorism

It is the ultimate wisdom of the mountains that a man is never more a man than when he is striving for what is beyond his grasp. James Ramsey Ullman

As Barack Obama is preparing to become the 44th President of the United States, there is a huge gathering of energies in Aquarius, with 4 planets, the Sun, Mercury, Jupiter and Neptune and the Moon's north node and Chiron in that sign. This is a big line up of Aquarian energy and is reminiscent of the flavor of the '60's when there was hope in the air along with winds of change in every direction. Obama being the 44th president feels quite apt as 4 + 4 = 8 which is a power and money number, built on the foundation and organization of the two 4's.

Becoming President of the U.S. has got to be somewhat like climbing a mountain. Interestingly, on every Inauguration Day (Jan 20), the MC (the point ruling status and career) is at Capricorn 27: A Mountain Pilgrimage.

Waiting for That Sailboat: January's Cancer Full Moon

We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting. Samuel Johnson

You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. Don't let yourself indulge in vain wishes.
Rabindranath Tagore

Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it. Jack Canfield

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust

January's full Moon in Cancer is on the evening of Saturday 10th January in the United States and Sunday afternoon on January 11 in Australia (*see note below). This full moon is a very interesting one. Not only is it in Cancer, which is the sign the Moon rules (it speaks of home and family and emotions and mother and sense and sensibilities), but it has some very interesting Sabian Symbols illuminating it. The Sabian Symbol for the Moon is Cancer 22: A Woman Awaiting a Sailboat.

How much of a human life is lost in waiting. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Resolutions, Revolutions and Revelations: 2009 - The New Year!

Change starts when someone sees the next step. William Drayton

January and the New Year always invoke feelings of the need to make new starts and promises; to do better, to strive harder or to 'turn over a new leaf'. Even though time is a man-made construct, we certainly respond to the changes and shifts in gears that the New Year brings.

January is named after the god Janus, the god of doorways and gateways, and also of new beginnings. The Romans believed worshiping Janus ensured smooth endings. His temple in the Forum had doors facing east and west for the beginning and the end of the day, and between them stood his statue with his two faces looking in opposite directions. In Roman art he is portrayed as a porter, with a staff and key in his hands and with two bearded faces placed back to back.

A Veiled Prophet Speaks, Seized by the Power of a God: The Capricorn New Moon

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.
Ben Jonson

But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
Lord Byron

The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have it.
Ernest Hemingway

In medieval times, people thought that evil spirits could enter a person through an open mouth. These days they more often leave that way.
David Deckert

The Capricorn new Moon, happening on the 27th December, is a very powerful one as Mars and Pluto are smack together with the Sun and the Moon, all in the first 6 degrees of Capricorn. We also have Mercury and Jupiter in Capricorn, so that makes 6 planets occupying this rather practical, money and security-oriented earth sign. This is a powerhouse of energy packed-up and backed-up and needing to be released in some way.

It is especially powerful as the Sabian Symbol for the new Moon is one that contains enormous energy in its own right; Capricorn 7: A Veiled Prophet Speaks Seized By the Power of a God. This Symbol makes this new Moon a very strong time to be making your affirmations and intentions not only for the month, but for the year ahead.The message is to get started on your new year's resolutions now as the energy is geared up and ready to go forth.

Celebrating the Harvest vs. Working in a Laundry - Our Choice: The Gemini Full Moon

Life is a festival only to the wise.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.
John Petit-Senn

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Romanian Proverb

Wives are people who feel they don't dance enough.
Groucho Marx

December's full Moon, happening on December 13 in Australia and the United Kingdom and December 12 in the United States, is a big one.

Such an amazing Moon this full Moon, particularly as the Sabian Symbol is one of joy, harvest and celebration in the weeks leading up to the festive season and new year. It should be noted that the effect of the new and full moons lasts into the future. So if you're reading this a little later on you can be assured that the energy and repercussions of it still are in effect for quite a long time to come. The Sabian Symbol for this full Moon is Gemini 22: Dancing Couples Crowd the Barn in a Harvest Festival.

This degree Symbol is about celebrating the warmth and providence of the earth, the joy of nature's harvest, joining with others to celebrate, the reality of rhythmical or seasonal adjustments, agriculture, good old-time values, going out, having fun, listening and dancing to music, barns and dance halls.

Oh Poetry! - Moon, Venus, Jupiter Together in Capricorn

When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy. Samuel Goldwyn

Fortune favors the brave. Virgil

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. Mark Twain

To refuse awards is another way of accepting them with more noise than is normal. Peter Ustinov

I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either. Jack Benny

When I stand before thee at the day's end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing. Rabindranath Tagore

The Moon, Venus, Jupiter conjunction is a wonderful sight to behold. Those in Australia will see it at night on December 1. In the United States, the conjunction will be exact at 10.30am and in the United Kingdom at 2.30pm. The display in the sky will be worth watching the night before and the night after the conjunction. On the Sydney Morning Herald website, they described how the conjunction would look - like an emoticon :). Well, that symbol certainly fits what it describes; it's something worth celebrating and enjoying. This event is celestial in magnitude in terms of bringing good luck, abundance and joy into your life. Certainly thoughts sent out in the next 24 or so hours will have a wonderful wave of energy behind them. What better than Venus and Jupiter together (and throw in the Moon to make the stronger emotional and body connection with us here on Earth).

The Sagittarian New Moon: Playing By the Rules and Opening the Heart

Always keep your composure. You can't score from the penalty box; and to win you have to score. Bobby Hull

If you must play, decide on three things at the start; the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time. Chinese proverb.

How a person plays the game shows something of their character, how they lose shows all of it. Anonymous

Please don't ask me what the score is, I'm not even sure what the game is. Ashleigh Brilliant

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun. Indian proverb

The Sagittarius New Moonfalls on Thursday 27th November and Friday 28th November in Australia. The effects of a new Moon last for about a month and set the tone for the month between this new Moon and the next. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon at Sagittarius 6 is A Game of Cricket.

The trick with this new Moon is playing by the rules of the game, being particular about details, dressing the part if necessary, giving things your best shot, being competitive but also aware of every other player's needs or desires. Cricket games sometimes went on for days, so there's also a need to know when to call a halt, when to draw up the score and accept the umpire's decision and when to claim victory of accede defeat. One is never really defeated in a game of cricket, though, it's more about the enjoyment of playing the game out in the fresh air under the sky, and, hopefully the Sun. One has also to make sure that the outfield is protected - you have your distant bases covered so nothing untoward can slip through; like having your bases loaded in baseball.

A White Dove Flying Straight and Fearlessly Over Troubled Waters: The Taurus Full Moon

Lift me like an olive branch, be my homeward dove.
Leonard Cohen

Yeah we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars, and the sun.
John Lennon

I always liked the story of Noah's Ark and the idea of starting anew by rescuing the things you like and leaving the rest behind.
Zach Braff

November's full Moon is a very powerful one. Happening on November 13, it is in an exact t-square with Neptune. This can bring idealism, hope and enlightenment or confusion, mixed messages or a sense of abandonment. Of course, how you respond depends on what's happening in your life.

The Sabian Symbol for the full Moon is Taurus 22: A White Dove Flying Straight and Fearlessly Over Troubled Waters. The "White Dove" is a reassuring symbol of messages regarding peace, hope and redemption. It shows a clear mission that needs to be fulfilled, sometimes without worrying about any personal consequences. Noah sent out a White Dove from the Ark. It flew "Straight and Fearlessly Over Troubled Waters", bringing back an olive branch, a sign that landfall was near and redemption was at hand.

Lynda's Daughter Jess in Chicago for Obama's Big Night

Daughter Jess and her partner David are driving across the US to report back to Australia about the election - pre and post. Click here to read about their adventures.

Breakthrough! - the Uranus Saturn Opposition Heralds the End of an Error

Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection - Virgo 3 -the progressed full Moon of the United States chart set for July 4 1776 at 5.10pm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.

We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; and God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be our teachers and guides.
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you... Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.
Saint Francis de Sales

We forget to pray for the angels and the angels forget to pray for us.
Leonard Cohen.

Wow, what a time it's been. The world has turned somehow, it's turned in a new direction and it feels like a breath of fresh air and a new page of history is in the making. The progressed Moon for the chart of the USA is Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection - what a fabulous degree! In the next week or so, the progressed Moon goes onto Virgo 4: Black and White Children Playing Happily Together. 

Gold Rush! November's Scorpio New Moon

All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost. J. R. R. Tolkien

Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are worth the risk. Shirley Hufstedler

He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has. Henry Ward Beecher

Gold will be slave or master. Horace

November's new Moon on Tuesday 28 October in the United States and Wednesday 29 October in Australia has a particularly Scorpionic theme - the Gold Rush. The Sabian Symbol is Scorpio 6: A Gold Rush Tears People Away From Their Native Soil. 

The Gate Opens to the Garden of All Fulfilled Desires: October's Aries Full Moon

When the doors of perception are cleansed, Man will see things as they truly are, infinite. William Blake

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. Alexander Graham Bell

Be an opener of doors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Opportunities multiply as they are seized. Sun Tzu

Paradise is always where love dwells. Jean Paul F. Richter

This Aries full moon, happening on the 15th October in Australia and the 14th October in the United States, is one of promise, a desire for happiness, hopes and dreams for the future, along with a need to find one's place and part in the greater scheme of life. The full moon occurs at 21 Aries 50 - the Sabian Symbol for which is Aries 22: The Gate Opens to the Garden of All Fulfilled Desires.

As this is an Aries full Moon, we're being asked to analyze our own desires, our own wants and needs - although, as usual, we have to allow for and integrate the needs of others. It seems that the trick with this full Moon, with the Sun in Libra, is to keep one eye focused on what's expected of you, but to also make sure that you're not sacrificing your needs, your wants, your desires in order to keep others happy. If we're so busy caring about what others want, need or demand of us, we can miss our opportunity to slip into that place that truly rewards us in so many ways.

Feeding Chickens and Protecting Them From the Hawks: September's New Moon in Libra

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop

Power is no blessing in itself, except when it is used to protect the innocent. Jonathan Swift

If this country is to survive, the best-fed-nation myth had better be recognized for what it is: propaganda designed to produce wealth but not health. Adelle Davis

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. Edward R. Murrow

The new Moon on September 29 highlights an issue that many have been talking about - how to protect the innocent, our families, our homes, our livelihoods. This has been a very interesting, if not distressing, period of watching and waiting and observing - what will happen with the financial situation going on in the world - particularly in the US? Well, from my observations, particularly this Wall Street bailout - it is likely to be exactly more of the same - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Of course, in this world of opportunity, we have gateways and opportunities to move past the limitations of lack - but for many this period could see their lives adjusted in terms of their financial situation and their possibilities for the future. The Sabian Symbol for the Libran new Moon is Libra 7: A Woman Feeding Chickens and Protecting Them From the Hawks.

The Lion Tamer and the Spiritualist Medium: September's Pisces Full Moon

 What does mysticism really mean? It means the way to attain knowledge. It’s close to philosophy, except in philosophy you go horizontally while in mysticism you go vertically. Elie Wiesel

The act of contemplation creates the thing contemplated. Isaac D’Israeli

Faith is power to believe and power to see. Prentice Mulford

Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible. Frank Gaines

Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment. Lara Gassen

September's full moon in Pisces has a rather Piscean image. It's Pisces 23: A Materializing Medium Giving a Seance. This is an image of strong sensitivity to the fields of energy around us. It can bring up the need for a good radar about what's going on in and around us; to sort out the real from the imagined, the truly desirable from one's desires, the obtainable from the unobtainable and to sort out the future from the past.

The trick with this full Moon is to be able to decipher, decode, deconstruct and decide what's real and what's not. This is a powerful full Moon as Uranus is smack in amongst it, riding side-saddle and it's rather electric and 'what's in it for me?' attitudes can clash with the softer side of Pisces, causing overreaction, bluster, storms of all kinds and the desire to run amok and make things better or different or 'your way' against sometimes overwhelming opposition.

It's not all bad, of course; it can be a marvelous freeing up of stuck or earthbound energies. There is indeed, as Elie Wiesel said, a need to go vertical - to head for truth and justice and clarity, leaving behind the past and forging to new opportunities.

Removing the Veil - the Sun/Saturn Conjunction

 

When the disciple knows Saturn as the God who offers opportunity and does not only feel him to be Deity who brings disaster, then he is on the path of discipleship in truth and in deed and not just theoretically. 

Alice Bailey

Whatever limits us we call fate. Ralph Waldo Emerson

There was the Door to which I found no key; There was the Veil through which I might not see. Omar Khayyam

How does Saturn enter, except by forcing its way in? James Hillman

If you've been feeling stressed, weighed down, not listened to, like you've run into too many brick walls, tired, unsatisfied and unrewarded, welcome to the land of Sun/Saturn. Of course, as Alice Bailey says in her quote above, Saturn can be the God who offers opportunity, the trick is to know how to make that ol' disciplinarian Saturn work for you and not against you.

The Sun/Saturn conjunction occurs on September 4 in Australia and September 3 in the States.

Learning the Steps of the Dance: August's Second New Moon

Life’s a dance, you learn as you go, sometimes you lead and sometimes you follow. Don’t worry bout what you don’t know, life’s a dance…. you learn as you go. Katie Schrimsher

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.
Faith Whittlesey

I don’t try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself. Mikhail Baryshnikov

Will you, won’t you Will you, won’t you Will you join the dance? Lewis Carroll

August's second new Moon falls on 30th August in the United States and on the 31st of August in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon is Virgo 8: A Girl Takes Her First Dancing Instruction. This degree speaks of the need to know when to lead and when to follow, along with being open to the lessons that life brings. It's a wonderful degree of freshness and newness combined with pleasure and romance. The Virgo factor asks for accomplishment, order, practicality and attention to detail. This new Moon contains the promise of a period of swift learning, particularly if you're open to what life is instructing you.

Lightness of Being Vs Carrying the Load: August's Lunar Eclipse

Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world.
Hans Margolius

A bird never flew on one wing. Proverb

I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work and my God. Helen Keller

August's lunar eclipse occurs on the 16th in the United States and on the 17th in Australia and New Zealand. Lunar eclipses are full moons with a much stronger twist and their effects last far into the future. Many say that the effects last up to nine months. My observation is that it can be far longer than that, especially if your chart is being aspected by the eclipse, or, if a major event happens in your life in the weeks before or after the eclipse.

The Sabian Symbol for this lunar eclipse is Aquarius 25: A Butterfly With the Right Wing More Perfectly Formed.

It was Marx who famously observed that everything is connected to everything else and the Sabian Symbol for this month's partial lunar eclipse brings to my mind the concept of the Butterfly Effect.

The butterfly effect is a term referred to in Chaos Theory to describe how extremely small variations can affect giant systems, and complex systems, like weather patterns. The term "butterfly effect" was applied in Chaos Theory to suggest that the wing movements of a butterfly might have significant repercussions on wind strength and movements throughout the weather systems of the world, and theoretically, could cause tornadoes halfway around the world. See Wise Geek for more information.

Early Morning Dew Salutes the Sunlight: August 1 Solar Eclipse

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope. Bern Williams

One may not reach the dawn save by the path of the night. Kahlil Gibran

The darkest hour is just before dawn. Thomas Fuller

The morning pouring everywhere, its golden glory on the air. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This month's new moon is a total eclipse of the Sun. Occurring on August 1, the path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in Canada and extends across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia, and China. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes northeastern North America, most of Europe and Asia.(See NASA's site for more details).

With the Olympics starting on the 8th August, it is rather telling that this eclipse stretches across China. This could portend all kinds of happenings at the Olympics - I imagine some will be surprising, some less so and rather more predictable. Certainly I can't imagine how some athletes are going to cope with the smog and the shocking air quality, not to mention the strains hanging in the air around China's policies towards Tibet and their business dealings with Sudan (and blind eye to what's happening in Darfur).

Certainly the big issues at this Olympics is the issue of human rights. A symbol that is commonly seen in relation to human rights is the white dove. At the opening ceremony of the Olympics, after the cauldron is lit, doves are released as a symbol of truce; all people coming together in peace and harmony. With all the concern about these Olympics with human rights issues, protests and the issue of people having the right to protest, terrorists attacks, who's going to attend and who's going to boycott, etc, it's insightful to note that Chiron, the 'wounded healer' and the story teller is on Aquarius 20: A Big White Dove Bearing a Message. It will be interesting to see just what the message of these Olympics will be. Certainly, a lot of concerns about human rights and abuses are being swept under the carpet. Note that the Olympic flame is also a major component of the meaning of the Olympics and the Moon's North Node, a karmic point, is on Aquarius 19: A Forest Fire Finally Quenched. The image shown to the left is the Olympic dove seen on the background of flames. How synchronous that the Beijing Olympics has Chiron and the North Node on the Sabian Symbols of the Dove and the Fire.

Interestingly this eclipse is called a 'midnight Sun eclipse' as it will be visible in places that have a midnight Sun (in the case of this eclipse, those countries that are close to the Arctic circle).

This solar eclipse is in Leo. It may be called a 'midnight Sun eclipse', but the Sabian Symbol is Leo 10: Early Morning Dew Salutes the Sunlight. One could wonder what the "early morning dew" in China might be composed of. 'Particulates' is sadly one word that comes to mind.

Mars also throws out an interesting challenge, not only to the Olympics, but to the world at large. The Sabian Symbol is Virgo 19: A Swimming Race - the keyword being 'competition'. Playing by the rules of the game are also inherent in this degree, although Mars likes to throw some curve balls. Right before the opening ceremony of the Olympics on August 8, Mars is on Virgo 23: A Lion Tamer Rushes Fearlessly Into the Circus Arena. Apart from the obvious that athletes from all over the world will be in the 'arena' - and the fact that they need to be in control of their energies, well rehearsed and well-trained, all kinds of wild, and, possibly untamed, energies are likely to be flying around. Mars will be directly opposite Uranus on Pisces 22: A Man Bringing Down the New Law From Mount Sinai. Laws and regulations and prohibitions are likely to be thick on the ground. The Chinese have apparently allowed three small parks well away from the Olympic arena for people to protest. They have to register with the authorities first, of course. No protesting here, nothing to see, move along. I'm driven to draw a parallel to the Christians and the lions. While the 'Christians are wrestling with the lions', the corrupt officials of the empire are twiddling their thumbs or making further plans for domination.

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. Traditional proverb

One can draw hope from the fact that the Olympic's chart set for August 8 has Venus on Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection.

Ascent in Consciousness: July's Capricorn Full Moon

First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is. Zen Aphorism

It is the ultimate wisdom of the mountains that a man is never more a man than when he is striving for what is beyond his grasp. James Ramsey Ullman

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. Basho

July's Capricorn full moon falls on the 18th and promises to be interesting and challenging and confronting and uplifting and cleansing - and probably all at the same time.

The Sabian Symbol for the full moon is Capricorn 27: A Mountain Pilgrimage, which brings a sense of spiritual retreat, striving for a destination or a desired outcome, wanting to surpass previous efforts, the desire to leave behind the complications and complexities of life in order to reach for something better, higher, purer, more rarefied perhaps.

The Mountain Pilgrimage is a wonderful image, especially for a Capricorn Symbol as it fits in with the archetype of the mountain goat, the image of Capricorn. (It's interesting to remember that Elsie Wheeler, the spiritualist medium who gave birth to the Sabian Symbols in 1925, did not have any conscious awareness of the sign or degree of the zodiac she was seeing when she described the images she saw in her mind's eye for the Sabian Symbols. This shows, again, how astoundingly amazing the Sabian Symbols and the method of their birth was).

It seems that, at this full moon, there is, or needs to be, a bit of "mountain goat" in all of us. We have to be sure-footed, persevering, able to withstand the rigors that life puts in front of us, prepared for our journey and taking it willingly, being and staying on the path, and, often, having to or choosing to go without some of the things or comforts we normally have in our lives. We are often asked to have expectations, but to let go of them at the same time - quite the paradox. 

Recognising Greatness Within: July's Cancer New Moon

A little body often harbors a great soul.
Romanian Proverb

Every man is a divinity in disguise.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

We hear about the birth of a child and ask questions like, "What did she have? How much did it weigh?" and "Does it have any hair" The Athabaskan Indian hear of a birth and ask, "Who came?"
Lisa Delpit

Where are you searching for me, friend? Look! Here am I right within you. Not in temple, not in mosque, not in Kaaba nor Kailas, but here right within you.
Kabir

He whose face gives no light can never become a star.
William Blake

The Cancer new moon occurs on July 2 in the United States and July 3 in Australia and Europe. The Sabian Symbol is Cancer 12: A Chinese Woman Nursing a Baby Whose Aura Reveals Him to be the Reincarnation of a Great Teacher.

Dane Rudhyar, the astrologer whose work popularized the Sabian Symbols, said of this degree that it's "The promise to all men that God may take birth within their souls".

You Can Get There From Here: June's Sagittarius Full Moon

We are told never to cross a bridge till we come to it, but this world is owned by people who have “crossed bridges” in their imagination far ahead of the crowd.
Anonymous

The bridges you cross before you come to them are over rivers that aren’t there. Gene Brown (Meaning: don't sweat the small stuff.)

If you destroy a bridge, be sure you can swim.
Swahili Proverb

June's Sagittarius full moon is one of assurance and reassurance. It's about knowing that there's links, bridges, possibilities and passageways that will allow us to cross over to where we want to go and to where we need to be. The Sabian Symbol for the full moon is Sagittarius 28: A Splendidly Built Bridge, a Heritage of Unknown Ages, Still Spans the Beautiful and Wildly Primitive Stream.

A Conversation by Telepathy: June's Gemini New Moon

To the query, “What is a friend?” his reply was “A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” Aristotle

I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time. Bill Watterson

I waited and waited, and, when no message came, I knew it must be from you. Ashleigh Brilliant

June's new moon is one of communication, clairvoyance, telepathy and being in tune, not only with one's self but with others. The Sabian Symbol for the new moon is Gemini 14: Two People Living Far Apart in Telepathic Communication. Like most of the Sabian Symbols, this image has morphed over the years with Dane Rudhyar's version being Bridging Physical Space and Social Distinctions, Two Men Communicate Telepathically, while Marc Edmund Jones stuck to Elsie Wheeler's original version - A Conversation By Telepathy. Whichever version you prefer, this new moon speaks of communication - getting your point across - breaking through barriers that keep you separate from others and going deeper and deeper into your clairvoyant and communication abilities.

Dane Rudhyar, in his 1973 book An Astrological Mandala, says of this degree "... a time comes when the individual can transcend the limiting boundaries of culture and ego. An effort should then be made to enter a realm of consciousness in which the communication from mind to mind can take a more direct form, because the minds then operate within the One Mind of humanity. It is then as if two cells in a human body were communicating to each other, perhaps through some kind of invisible nerve channels, or, as it were, from nucleus to nucleus by means of vibratory resonance."

In my book, I have the Symbol as "Two People, at Widely Different Points, Are in Conversation With Each Other by Means of Telepathy". As you can see from the various readings of this Symbol above, the idea of this Sabian Symbol is one of communicating, it is about communicating whether you're "Living Far Apart" or in the same room as each other.

From my book The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle: 'This Symbol shows that lines of communication can still be established if you can’t be near a friend or loved one. It seems that you have bonds with another, perhaps with many people, that are unaffected by distance or frequency of communications or visits. When you are unable to be together, it is possible for you to remain connected through sending messages from your mind and heart. You could also be feeling as though you are receiving messages from or about them, but are afraid to pay attention to them. If you have been receiving clairvoyant flashes or premonitions, don’t block them, as it is highly likely that they are trying to tell you something worth listening to. Society often frowns on things concerning psychic matters; but don’t allow yourself to submit to other people’s disapproval and opinions. Trust your intuition, both in the sending and receiving of messages. You may feel isolated or unable to physically bridge the gap between yourself and someone special. Try to set aside a time of the day or night when you can meditate on each other. Let your heart tell you that you are always in their company and there is no need to feel alone.'

The Keywords for this Symbol: Conquering space and time limitations. Psychic and mental communication. Sharing and thinking the same ideas. Knowing what is felt or thought by others. Feeling connected regardless of physical contact. Being on the same frequency. Mediumship. Telepathic communication. Conversation. Direct lines of communication. Mind reading.

So, amongst other things, this Symbol speaks of communicating, sharing, sensing, feeling, mind reading, etc.

Amazingly, Mars in Leo at Leo 14 completely backs up this theme. Further, this degree is sextile (60 degrees apart) the degree of Mars is Cherub-Like, A Human Soul Whispers Into Every Receptive Ear, Seeking to Manifest. This a Symbol of the desire to be heard and taken seriously. This ‘Human Soul’ is trying to find a ‘Receptive Ear’; someone who will listen to or understand what’s being said, perhaps to spur others to take some kind of action. Something that has been waiting to be ‘Manifest’, said, heard or realized could come out quite suddenly.

From my book, The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle: There is likely to be a deep realization that will transform your life on some level. The time may not be quite right, but it is coming soon. Your creative or spiritual talents are attempting to come through into conscious expression. Listening to your inner voice, and heeding messages from others, can lead you to the next level of your life. On the spiritual level, this Symbol shows the movement of the ‘Soul’ to new possibilities and opportunities. On the more everyday level, it can imply that in order to find those who wish to join our process or task, ideas need to be communicated in a quiet and suggestive manner, rather than being loud and demanding. Often when there’s a new idea in the air, many people seemingly come up with it at the same time. This can be rather astounding; it’s time for this new thing to ‘Manifest’ and those that are ‘Receptive’ to the message will hear and respond. However, if the messages coming through are not clear, intelligent, or useful, it may lead to wild-goose chases and extremes of behavior. Parts of the mind can come tearing out – wishing to make themselves heard or known. Discriminate between what’s important and what’s not. Listen to messages, something is seeking expression and needs a vehicle to be able to ‘Manifest’. Are you the “vehicle”?

Further to this rather intuitive or clairvoyant or all seeing theme is Uranus on Pisces 23: A Materializing Medium Giving a Seance.

From my book: Many things can be ‘Materialized’ in our lives; they can come seemingly out of nowhere. They may be messages, voices, noises, stories or episodes from one’s life. Objects can be ‘Materialized’ as well; we can conjure them up. Sometimes it can cause confusion, other times enlightenment. Realizing that one can create their own reality and the responsibility implied can lead to the belief that just about anything is possible in one’s life. The things that are ‘Materialized’ can be tangible and rewarding things, however, there should be some caution as sometimes they can have more to do with drama and show rather than having any real or lasting substance. Sit with any new impressions you may be receiving until you understand the authenticity or depth. If you have to do something or perform in front of people, rest assured that with the right attitude and a little preparation there should be no problem. You may have the talent and the ability to make things up as you go along. Energy can feel as though it is coursing “through you”. Notice the physical evidence that leads you to realize, see or “hear” messages. Certain words standing out in a newspaper or magazine, words of a song that bring messages, something special noticed in a photo or other image, etc. Pay attention to these messages and allow them to inspire you to connect with whatever and whoever is guiding you. Aspects of personality can erupt, at appropriate or sometimes inappropriate moments. How much is true in this situation and how much is made-up or imagined?

Venus is on Gemini 13: A World-Famous Pianist Giving a Concert Performance. This Symbol speaks of the need to not only be rehearsed and talented, but also to be willing to share your talent and abilities with others. One needs to be confident and secure in what you do, to feel that you have something of merit to offer to the world.

The ruler of Gemini is Mercury, therefore Mercury is in high focus in this Gemini new moon. Mercury is retrograde (meaning that it appears to be traveling backwards through the zodiac). The degree of Mercury in this new moon is Gemini 20: A Cafeteria With an Abundance of Choices. This Symbol speaks of the need to be discriminating about your choices, to be careful of what you choose to nourish, feed and fulfill you. It can be rather confusing in this day and age with all the choices we have before us, and, particularly with the number of choices we have, this is a time to be thoughtful about the choices we make; about what we reach for, what we can afford, what will nourish and satisfy our appetites.

The major theme of the Symbols for the Sun, Moon, Mars and Uranus are all rather clairvoyant and all seeing. What is it that you can bring through into your life now? What is it that you need to learn or share with others? What messages are you receiving through the ethers (sometimes continually)? What talents, messages and insights do you have that you could share with others?

This Gemini new moon seems set to be a meaningful one and one that could teach us many things about ourselves and others.

Straight to the Source: An Addendum to the Scorpio Full Moon

This month's full moon in Scorpio has the Sabian Symbol of Scorpio 1: Tourists on a Sightseeing Bus. Of course, we're all tourists in life in one way or another, and this month it can be interesting to observe our lives. In fact, observing one's life and the way one 'is' in life, your souvenirs - those things you pick up and take with you, etc, can be illuminating, interesting and insightful. What are the snapshots of your life? How often do you take them? Do you reflect on your journeys and what it took to get you to where you are now?

The Symbol for the Sun in the full moon is Taurus 1: A Clear Mountain Stream; we are asked to stay on our path, determined and positive about the flow of our lives and ready and prepared for what might come on our journey. We 'mix it in' with people all the way, we become more and more strong as we journey downstream to join in with others and spread out in life with others, becoming more and more somehow integrated into the great outside world as we continue along our path.