Drikung Kagyu practice resuming in Charlottesville

The Charlottesville Ratnashri Sangha is resuming regular practice in C’ville.  There have been occasional practices off and on recently, but we are now resuming regular practice on Sunday mornings.

We are open to doing different practices, such as Green Tara, or focusing on Vajra Sattva purification practice, but at present we are going through a chunk of the Ngondro text (going for refuge, four thoughts that turn the mind toward enlightenment, purification, etc).  Practice is from 10 AM to 12 noon in the Woolen Mills neighborhood of Charlottesville.
Contact Kirby Moore at *434* 465* 0603 or email cvilledharma [at] gmail dot com for more information.

We hope to see you there!

Prepping for major transition, beautiful moment

Today I swung by PVCC on my way from receiving a birth processing session with Janet Evergreen. It was a powerful session in which I explored and renegotiated my taking incarnation. Specifically, I explored what it would be like to have a “perfect” utero situation with 100% of my needs and required resources met. Very potent! I spent time growing my body, having taken incarnation in that well boundaried space. Aahhhhh…

Having done that, that is taking those baby steps, pun intended, I proceeded to check off another box on my list of things to do to transition to graduate school in California. I stopped by my old school, Piedmont Va Coomunity College, where I spent six years slowly grinding through resistance and eventually graduating. I spoke with someone who taught me French in middle school, twenty two years ago, which I thought was fitting. How best to bid Charlottesville farewell than to start from the beginning.

While I was at PVCC, I spent many hours helping to build and weed and water a Garden. It is called Plum’s Garden. The view of Carter’s Mountain from Plum’s Garden is majestic. There was a lot of history between me and the other gardeners from 2002, and I wanted to resolve it. I saw a crow nearby, which to me represents a creature of change and transformation, and I invited the crows to join me in the garden.

I walked through familiar beds, saw the stone wall I had helped lay and then saw the perfect rock to perch on. I had a splendid view of Carter’s Mountain, which is where Monticello is located, and I just soaked in the raw grace and beauty. And sure enough, a crow flew low in front of me and then perched above me. Then another landed in a nearby tree, and they started cawing. I took that as a definite sign that I am on the right path.

So I am slowly moving from incarnating, to growing a new body and soon I may crawl my way to grad school in Ca. I hope you will stay in touch on my journey!

Transiting Pluto Square Natal Mercury: Who are they?

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Thank you for visiting.

This post is about Tr. Pluto square Na. Mercury using Spiritual Astrology – that is Western Astrology as seen through a lens of choice-centered, frequency-based astrology with a touch of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions thrown in for good measure.

I am writing these posts to educate others and for my own good. How often have I personally overlooked aspects to my Natal Mercury saying to myself, “oh, it is just Mercury, what large issue could possibly arise due to this configuration?” He he… Well, we shall see! Even mere mental constructs can have significant ramifications in our lives. And, as we will notice, Mercury has rulership over some physical areas of life too.

What do these two planets involve on their own? (Who are they?)

Mercury is the swift messenger of the gods. It orbits the sun at approx. 30 miles a second, due to being so close to our giant star. Therefore Mercury is the butterfly of the Zodiac, constantly flitting from flower to flower and drifting about on the breeze. I like this metaphor because Mercury is very impressionable – it takes on characteristics of whatever environment (wherever and whoever) it presently finds itself in (or with).

Like Gemini, the diurnal sign of Mercury, there is an element of “monkey mind” to this planet as well. Mercury is extremely witty and intelligent. It is also the prankster of the Zodiac, occasionally tying grandpa Saturn’s shoelaces together. The fiery Mercury (and Mercury in its home signs of Gemini or Virgo) can be very busy, full of nervous mental energy, however the primary characteristic of a well-placed Mercury is curiosity. A child-like sense of wonder and excitement at new mental adventures is what sets Mercury apart from the other, typically more stern planets.

Mercury, along with its higher octave reflection in Uranus, rules the nervous system in the body. So therefore in my opinion, a well-aspected earthy Mercury speaks of having a slower metabolism and less nervous energy, whereas a fiery or airy Mercury may reflect more nervous energy which requires an outlet. Mercury also has to do with the small tubes in the body – and since the body has an enormous amount of tiny tubes, you must look at the sign and house placement to see what if any effect this may have on the Medical Astrology (health) outlook. For instance, Mercury in Libra might reflect the tubes of the kidneys (Libra’s rulership) vs. Mercury in Aries reflecting occasional issues with the tubes of the sinuses (Aries rules the head).

Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun. (Technically it has been reclassified as a dwarf planet, but to me, it stills packs its old punch.) It is one of the three outer planets, which, along with Uranus and Neptune, are generally seen to indicate transformation. Pluto has not gotten the best reputation though, because as the Lord of the Underworld in myth, it can indicate extremes of emotion. And the emotions under Pluto’s rulership are not pretty – jealousy, intrigue, manipulation, seething suppressed resentment, venomous hatred, etc.

Like Pluto’s abduction of Persephone in Greek myth, erupting out of the earth to grab her, the planet reflects surprising eruptions. Whether eruptions within (violent expression of pent up anger) or without (Pluto actually ruling volcanoes and mines). Pluto is also associated with death, procreation and transformation – degeneration, generation and regeneration. It has association with the 8th house of death in the astrology chart, which is also the house of deeper thoughts regarding sex and our philosophy of what happens after we die. And I think the French get it right when they refer to the orgasm as the “petit mort” or little death (uniting these concepts).

Now let us leave the lower frequencies of Pluto behind for a moment. What else does Pluto represent? We have all discovered the primal urges of our lower selves, which Pluto may or may not reflect in the astrology chart, but have you heard of Minerva the goddess of wisdom? When the Oracle declared Socrates to be the wisest of all men, it was not referring to a specific god or goddess. Socrates seemed to be beyond the pantheon of quarreling gods and goddesses (and priests and priestesses). He believed in wisdom and in a supreme being, but he knew that mankind could not analyze or know what was happening in the mind of such an omnipotent being.

Similarly, wisdom does not dawn immediately for most of us when we are young. Generally speaking, we have to go through several cycles of the lower frequencies of Plutonian anger / jealousy / covetousness / lust before we begin to realize that the roller coaster of emotions is really quite tiring. We can choose to get off that roller coaster whenever we want, but we typically require a strong mentor or role model to lead the way. In other words, wisdom does not come swiftly to most people – when we are younger, our hormones play a larger role in our decision making than we might like to admit. So who / what then is this Minerva or goddess of wisdom?

The goddess of wisdom was the Roman equivalent of the Greek Athena, although Minerva seemed to be more about music, medicine, arts and wisdom versus the typically Athenian association with war. Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter and Juno, and when represented with these two, Minerva brings out the wisdom seeking side of her father and the wise crone of her mother. Why is Minerva in the conversation with Pluto?

Some metaphysicians and spiritual astrologers, myself included, see Minerva as being the Light behind the Shadow of Pluto. Once we scrub away our afflictions, and if we can prevent the causes for further affliction from arising, then what are we left with? Wisdom and compassion I should think. But most of us are so attached to our lower self egos, that we do not even realize what is possible with (Minerva) authentic spiritual practice. But it is possible to pierce the veils of confusion and ignorance and arrive at an altruistic, inclusive, interconnected realization of our role in the universe. But it takes time, appropriate effort and a willingness to see it through to the end.

Therefore Pluto rules the worst of the venomous emotions and the best of the altruistic mindsets. Pluto / Minerva represents the best of what is possible in transformation and growth in wisdom. Pluto is the dark, murky swamps of the lower self, while Minerva is the humble light of wisdom which is always ready to shine forth when called upon.

And finally, I just want to clarify, the cycles of the lower frequencies of self-oriented ego and Pluto can take many years to sort through.  Depending on how much conditioning we choose to re-pattern and how fast we are willing to go to find deep, stable embodiment and broader awareness, perhaps by the time we are 30 or 40 we might start to see Minerva’s Light.  Otherwise, we might be more the type of person who believes that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  Then we would hold on tightly to old patterns and be resistant to change unless a crisis forced it upon us.  Therefore, we must discern our own or our client’s frequency before we can predict exactly where we or they are, and what Pluto’s dance with Mercury will look like.

Thank you for reading and soon I will post more about what Pluto square Mercury might actually look like.

Pluto square Mercury, adrift on a sea of flotsam

I am starting a short series on this topic. Personally, I have been undergoing transiting Pluto square my natal Mercury for six to twelve months, but now it is exact. You might say the heat is now on HIGH.

In a future post, I will mention who these actors are (Pluto and Mercury), plus I will get into generalizations on the subject. But the most important thing I am communicating is, just because little ‘ole Mercury is involved, don’t discount this time as being potent and transformative! Because good grief! I have been scraping away the layers of my own psyche for some time now, and yet I have been surprised by what treasures Pluto is “helping” reveal.

Day Zero, Cleaning up my diet

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Thank you for visiting.

For the past ten months I have been working full time in a restaurant. This means I go into work around 2 to 3 pm, and I am unable to eat between five and eight on a busy night. In a nutshell, my diet is way off! Actually I ate french fries burgers and sandwiches most afternoons, for more than six months! Ooph! That is a lot of fries! So it was only a matter of time before signs started appearing that there are cracks in my “vessel.”

Yes, I went to the dentist today, and I have one cavity and several potential cavity spots. He recommended I do fluoride trays for a year to get my teeth to remineralize. I told him I wanted to do some research before spending $200 on a contentiously debated product like that. And after research? Yeah, I’m not going with fifty yards of that crap! Sodium fluoride was a waste product of aluminum manufacturing, and they wanted a good industry to dump it in. It has also been used as a rat poison, and the amount of body systems disrupted and depressed by fluoride is unreal. There are numerous studies that show that the percentage of hip fractures in older adults rises dramatically in areas with fluoridated water. Before receiving any fluoride treatment, and especially before giving fluoride to your kids, do some research!! Or just change your diet and avoid it all together.

So I started looking up alternatives to fluoride treatments to remineralize the teeth, and I came across several blogs and articles about the teeth as living organs which can, given the right conditions, heal themselves. This sounds right up my ally!

How can we coax our teeth to remineralize without toxic chemicals being involved? Easy, clean up our diet. We can also try mineralized tooth paste, but I’d prefer the natural approach. There are also many examples of indigenous people eating natural local foods and meats (no processed food) and their teeth are perfect – white and radiantly healthy.

I realized I need to make some major changes if I have any chance of cleaning up my diet and mouth. And more than just regular flossing, which is an easy way to disrupt that nasty bacteria. First I went out and bought Blue Ice – one of the highest quality Cod Liver oils on the market. This provides great vitamin A and D and more. Next I read about the best way of absorbing minerals from veggies – eat healthy fats with them, like coconut oil or butter from raw milk. But most importantly, dropping sugar and processed food from the diet seems to be paramount.

Plus I made my own (cheap and healthy) toothpaste. I got this recipe from a fellow blogger who I will site soon (silly iPad makes citations difficult). But I used baking soda, coconut oil, hydrogen peroxide, stevia and peppermint oil. The peroxide makes the toothpaste bubble and pop when I open the jar, which makes me think it is alive! What fun!

I think this is good timing too. I need something to focus my energy on, and I need to improve food intake anyway. I presently am experiencing my Progressed Moon in the Sixth House, which is the house of discipline, routine health and diet among other facets. And I think the sixth house loves to have a problem to solve or a cause to serve. In my case, a $500 dentist bill is a problem, and if I can solve this issue through healthy eating, well how many other areas of my life may also improve?! So this is my new hobby.

I am running an experiment using my body (teeth) as the subject and I am going to give it a year. One year of no added sugar, no desserts at my home or at work, although with holidays coming, I have to eat my mother’s baking. But I will soak my grains, seeds and nuts, eat more greens with coconut and olive oils and primarily go for organic meats and fresh fish. Oh, and that means I have to give up my obsession with the nearby Chinese restaurant. Sorry Taiwan Garden, I don’t trust your $5 lunch special to have free range or local meat 🙂

Wish me luck! I plan to check in from time to time to update my dietary shift. Yay!

Saturn in Scorpio, exaggerated concern

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Thank you for visiting my blog.

You can view a little more information and see how to purchase an astrology interpretation at my website, which is www.mkirbymoore.com

By this point, I have heard from various friends and several readers that they are concerned about Saturn’s transit through Scorpio. I want to attempt to alleviate those worries or concerns here. And perhaps, this example might help.

Imagine yourself as a baby, about to be born. You are ready, but there is still another day or so before your mother’s water is going to break. Are you concerned? If you believe in reincarnation and the possibility of “remembering” previous difficult births, then heck yes you are concerned. But does that concern always reflect what the circumstances are? Perhaps, at times yes. But if your mother has many resources in place to support you both through the birth, to make you feel welcomed and to continue to let you know that you are loved and taken care of, then your concern, pre-birth, would be an unnecessary fear. Right? Imagine that child has all the resources in place to grow and develop in a caring, healthy environment, if you can.

Is it possible you have heard so many negative things about Saturn and / or Scorpio, that you have potentially skewed fears? Is it possible that these fears are unwarranted? Of course. So here in this post, I am going to mention a few combinations of planets and aspects which might lead to concern being realistic and being worth investigating. But otherwise, without many of these combinations occurring in your chart at this time, then what do you have to worry about?

For those of you who read my blog regularly, this piece of info will be no surprise: Astrology is a complicated subject. If you do not consider yourself to be objective and well-versed in the subject, then it is highly recommended you go out and receive an astrology interpretation from a competent astrologer. Or, better yet, go out and find a competent body-worker and allow them to assist you through releasing any unwarranted tension and concern from your system (Osteopath, Craniosacral Therapist, Zero Balancing Practitioner, Rolfing – Structural Integration, Polarity Therapist, etc).

I mention this because I do not want my suggestions below to cause anyone any more concern than can process – because that is neither my intention nor would that do a bit of good!

Personally, what raises my inner yellow caution flag when I see a major planet like Saturn transiting Scorpio? It is the fact that Scorpio is a Fixed sign. And the Fixed signs are also known as the Serpent signs. They represent karma which is more deeply ingrained. Patterns that are slightly more difficult to uproot. And someone with a lot of Fixed signs in their chart would probably have Saturn aspecting a number of those planets during its time in Scorpio. For instance, say I had my Venus in Aquarius, Uranus in Scorpio, Mars in Taurus and my Moon in Leo (these are the four Fixed signs). Well guess what? First I might have a Grand Cross running, but depending on their degrees, Saturn will be making a hard aspect to each of these planets sometime in the next two years.

In this next paragraph, I am going to speak about Saturn like it is having an effect on the astrology chart. But we should know that this is not the case. The planets do not compel from the outside, rather they reflect one’s inner karma. So do not fear or worship or thank Saturn as an outer “entity,” rather look at your challenges and blessings as ways of purifying negative karma or as ways that your positive karma has ripened. If anything, Saturn is an internal process, simply reflected in your Natal chart.

Saturn, being one of the Lords of Karma (the other being Pluto), often means a test or a challenge when it makes a hard aspect to another planet. But is this always the case? Not in my opinion. For those of us with a strong Saturn in our birth charts, Saturn’s transit can mean a stable, slowly-building time of ease and abundance – provided we follow Saturn’s advice of being disciplined and taking responsibility. Saturn is recommending (often with very strong words) that we take small steps to work towards our goals with solid ethics and effort, and to mature as a result of this mental shift.

What else does Saturn in Scorpio mean in particular? Well first look to see how many planets you have in fixed signs. One? No problem – believe it or not, in this rare case, you may need to build in more stubbornness and rigidity. Two planets? Still no problem, although it is worth checking to see which planets they are. If we have Pluto and / or Uranus and / or Saturn in a fixed sign in our Natal Charts, and if one of these giants are making an aspect to our Sun or Moon, then we should investigate further. Otherwise, two planets in fixed signs is nothing.

And there are flexible or more fluid planets like Mercury, Neptune and Venus – these planets in Fixed signs might not bring as much physical manifestation as other planets would. Although house placement and aspects to other planets make a big difference. So if we have three or four planets in fixed signs, and two of these are the flexible planets just mentioned, again this is probably not an issue. However, trust that Saturn’s transit over these planets and aspects will heat up that particular dynamic in your life. (Meaning understanding house placement and other aspects becomes a must.)

What if we have a majority of our planets in fixed signs? Well then it would be worthwhile to look at your chart more closely. Where are those planets located? Some houses make for easier transits than others, especially with Saturn being the fulcrum as it were. How many of those fixed planets aspect each other in orbs or six degrees or less? If we have Mars at 1 degree of Scorpio, with Saturn at 11 degrees Leo, Moon in 18 Taurus, Jupiter at 19 Scorpio and Pluto at 27 Scorpio, how many of these are actually aspecting each other? In terms of close aspects, just the Moon / Jupiter square, although Saturn and the Moon would be in a wide orb along with Jupiter / Pluto. So this is a more pleasant spread of planets through the Fixed signs.

So you must be discerning to peel apart any subjective concern for your chart and an objective reality of what you are perceiving. In the above case, when Saturn approaches the 18 degree of Scorpio, and especially if it is stationing either retrograde or direct, then that might be a challenging month (or at least couple of weeks). But again, you must apply the idea of frequency-based astrology. If you are at least 40 years old, what was happening the last time Saturn crossed through Scorpio? This time around, unless Pluto and Uranus are making strong difficult aspects, you can expect Saturn’s transit to be easier.

I need to wrap this up soon, but there is one more piece I want to mention. I just touched on it with Pluto and Uranus. Right now, and for the next year or more, there is a transiting Pluto / Uranus square occurring. They are passing through the early to mid degrees of Cardinal signs (Aries and Capricorn respectively). So if you have a plethora of planets in early Fixed signs (with Saturn involved here) and several planets in early to mid Cardinal signs, then I would recommend having your chart interpreted by an open-hearted, choice-centered astrologer. Because then there could be several potential speed bumps to unpack. Otherwise, do not worry about any of the above transits. Just relax and have some tea and rest down when you can.

I hope this has been helpful. Please feel free to leave a comment. Thank you for reading.

Touched by Gyalwa Rinpoche

Today, in the chilly shade of Downtown Charlottesville, I stood among dozens of Tibetans, along with a few other non-Tibetan people, waiting just to get a close up glimpse of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  I had arrived at the Paramount Theater much too early to get inside.  As I pondered what to do next at that early hour, friends of mine in the Tibetan community mentioned that people were going to wait for Gyalwa Rinpoche behind the building, to greet him as he arrived.

We waited for nearly two hours.  I started shivering and wondering what the hell I was doing.  Luckily I met a young Vietnamese man whose pleasant, yet idle conversation distracted me from the cold.  I obviously had not dressed for chilly fall weather.

We were rewarded though, for off in the distance we could hear sirens.  Then dozens of police motorcycles poured down the street, followed by state police and then by several dark official looking state-department vehicles.  Sure enough, a black Cadillac pulled up to the curb, and we were nearly all, in a hushed manner, chanting little mantras and prayers, being so glad for this good fortune.

I was somehow among several Tibetan children and young adults, which I thought was fitting.  My afflicted mind, when compared to some devoted Tibetans I know, is very child-like.  His Holiness slowly got out of the car and looked around.  The dark sunglasses surrounding him allowed him to come toward us, knowing his routine.  We were lined up along a street, and the police had stopped traffic, so His Holiness slowly went up the line of local pilgrims.  He did not shake many hands or take any Khatas (the white offering scarf with heartfelt Tibetan words and the Eight Auspicious Symbols on them).  He did pat multiple children on the head.

His Holiness seemed a little frail or weak or tired.  I’m not sure which.  I had no idea why I expected otherwise.  Maybe I was just hoping that he could bypass the aches of time (he just turned 77 in July).  I think he glanced at me initially, along with viewing the line of Tibetan youngsters and others, and my ego was hoping for recognition or a smile at least.  I did not get one, which I also think was fitting.

Gyalwa Rinpoche went halfway down the line of Tibetans and well-wishers before he was herded back toward the Theater where he would be talking shortly.  Then he was gone.

So why am I even writing this?  Because as I walked the three or four blocks to where the end of the terribly long line had settled to enter, I felt a huge wave of cathartic gratitude and grief wash over me.  It was one of those moments which I have only felt in the presence of true masters.  I wanted to just let go and cry right there, in my hometown, among so many people who I knew standing in line.  But I had been shaking too many hands and saying too many hello’s to keep my who-am-I-being-observed-by mind out of the process.  Therefore the tears welled up, but barely any fell by the time I got to the back of the line.

Nonetheless, something had happened.  My heart had widened without my seeming to do anything.  Expansive feelings of warmth and kindness had rushed through me, and I had wanted to cry in the one place I would have been so hesitant to do so previously.

I think, that without actually touching His Holiness, I had been hugged.  Brought into a cosmic embrace with his vast awareness and universal compassion.  And it was awesome.

I wonder though, in hindsight, if in expanding like I did, I also caused or permitted a subsequent contraction.  After attending both of the Dalai Lama’s Charlottesville events, I felt very tired, just exhausted.  My parents had also attended the afternoon event, and it is never easy for me to be completely at ease around them (I think old stuff – conditioning and the like which I am still working through).  But I doubt this had anything to do with my condition.

I had been invited to a dinner with friends from out of town, and to a house blessing of another friend, with a visiting Lama from the TMC (from Frederick Maryland).  Instead I just went home and collapsed.  I now find myself beating myself up over this.  Instead of sharing my time with friends, I slept and then went out to eat by myself.  So I am noticing a mixture of emotions from the day – large surprising highs, contracted self-isolating lows, and several in between.

At least I got to connect with several Tibetan friends who I had not seen in a while and I told them I would call them.  Perhaps that is the answer for me – continue to study and practice speaking Tibetan.  At least I can put Geshe Jamphel Thardo’s advice into effect.  Or maybe, one day I will be kind to myself and stop comparing myself to others.  🙂

Maybe.

Saturn in Scorpio, pt Two, Scorpio Rising continued

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  Thank you for visiting.

If you are interested in what Kirby offers, you can also view his website at www.mkirbymoore.com for more information.  This site is nearly complete, so please pardon the mess if you find it.  🙂  You can also find more about Saturn in the Spiritual Astrology category of this blog and at the Astrology page above.

This is a continuation from a previous post on this topic. Go back and start from the beginning to catch up 🙂 (peek in the Spiritual Astrology category)

Where were we?  Yes, we were discussing the ramifications of Saturn in the 12th house.  This is a very important time for you Scorpio Risings!  Saturn only crosses the Ascendant once every 29 years.  Therefore we should take advantage of this transit if at all possible.  But don’t worry, generally life will do this for us.  If you feel you need some guidance, then of course go out and get some counseling or coaching as it would be good to know what you want and why and be as clear as possible about it.

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Once Saturn crosses the Ascendant, several things happen.  Saturn is near the Ascendant, which depending on its retrograde cycle, for as many as twelve weeks or as little as five weeks.  At the moment, Saturn will push forward through early Scorpio until it arrives at 11 degrees, when it stations and turns retrograde.  If you want to understand the retrograde cycle better, see previous posts about the subject in the Spiritual Astrology category.

Initially, the body / mind system is having a difficult time integrating all the changes that have been happening for the past two years (when Saturn was in the 12th house).  That means it will ask for a break.  When Saturn is directly conjunct the Ascendant, you will want to schedule some down time if at all possible.  If you do not do this, then the conventional wisdom around this aspect is that you may get “sick.”  Of course, if we have children to raise, a busy 60 hour a week job, or other major responsibilities, then it will be difficult to get the necessary time off to integrate everything that is happening.  This is why it is good to get an astrology interpretation done at least once every two years, because then you will know about these Timing events well ahead of time! (As it happens, Saturn conjunct the Ascendant typically indicates that you will be busy, whether building a business, climbing the corporate ladder or caring for your family. Try to find some balance in your energy expression.)

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Where was I?  Oh yes, we can get “sick” under this transit.  Why?  Because Saturn, even at the highest frequencies, has to do with contraction and setting boundaries.  We have just turned a new leaf and we are starting a new cycle here, but we do not fully understand how this will affect our body.  Therefore there can be a little “request” made by the body to slow down.  Certainly (and see a licensed health care provider before implementing this advice) Vitamin C will help, as Vit C is under Saturn’s domain.

Then, once Saturn is clear of the Ascendant, we will be ready to stride boldly forward.  We will want to work hard to try to implement our new project / plan / idea.  Whether we are going through school, starting a new business, or other new endeavor, once Saturn is 5 degrees clear of the Ascendant, we will want to have a serious work ethic.  Except, and here is the catch, we won’t know exactly what we are striving for!  This is the nature of the first house.  We find ourselves on a new island, in a new environment internally, but where are ultimately heading?  What will this project morph into?  We don’t know yet.  This may not become completely clear until later, when Saturn crosses into the 4th house.

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On a health level (Medical Astrology), Scorpio is associated with the reproductive organs and with the colon.  If you have a family history of issues with these organs, then under this Saturn in Scorpio transit, it would be good to get regular check ups and get any concerns resolved.  But this is where it would be good to see a competent astrologer too.  If you have Neptune in Scorpio (in the 1st house) or if you have Neptune in the 6th house, then it might be difficult to diagnose your health issues.  So a competent astrologer will be able to look at your whole chart to see if there is a legitimate concern which should be looked into further.  If we have Mars in Scorpio, Mars square Venus, Pluto in Scorpio, Pluto in hard aspect to Saturn or Mars, or a plethora of Scorpio / 8th house planets, then we should be cognizant of reproductive / elimination organs and potential health issues.

Provided there are not many other challenging transits occurring while Saturn crosses the Ascendant, if you do get sick, it will probably just be a cold or flu, which will pass when Saturn clears the Ascendant (if not sooner).  While Saturn is within three degrees of either side of the Asc, do not expect to have high energy levels.  Eat well, get plenty of rest, drink lots of delicious clean water and keep your kidneys warm!  In other words, practice good self care and you will be fine.  See previous posts to see more about Self Care topics.

If we have Jupiter or Progressed Venus making positive aspects during Saturn’s transit of Scorpio, then it will be much easier and you will have a “guardian angel” of sorts.  Especially Jupiter making positive aspects to the Sun – then our energy and vitality will stay higher, no matter what Saturn is doing during that time.  The strength of Jupiter versus the strength of Saturn in your chart will help to determine which planet has more “effect” in your chart.

Hopefully I covered everything I said I was going to.  Actually, entire books have been written on Saturn, and on Pluto (Scorpio’s ruler), so I could easily go further.  But I don’t want to spoil your fun!  🙂    I briefly touched on psychological ramifications of Saturn in Scorpio, Scorpio Rising, and I also mentioned a bit about Medical Astrology (always see a licensed health care practitioner in addition to working with Astrologers).  Plus I touched on what Saturn in the 12th and 1st houses mean, at least on one level.

So in case you have not been bopped on the head enough with this concept, it is very beneficial to get your chart done by a competent astrologer.  Preferably someone who has some knowledge of both psychological and health areas of this vast subject.  That way you will know what else is occurring while Saturn cruises through Scorpio, and you will know what combinations to expect and when to expect them.

Thanks for reading.

 

Saturn entering Scorpio, pt Two, Scorpio Rising

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  Thank you for visiting.

Kirby has a website available at www.mkirbymoore.com if you would like to see more of what he offers for Astrology interpretations.  Astrology is a very complex subject, and it is definitely worth having your chart done by a competent Astrologer at some point.

This post is a part of a series on Saturn.  You can find more posts about Saturn in the Spiritual Astrology category of this blog.

This post will primarily be for you Scorpio Risings out there.  But keep in mind, that most of you who have Scorpio Rising (Ascendant), will have Saturn in your 12th house right now, so part of this post will be for that area.  Also, I wrote two more extensive posts previously about Saturn in the 12th.  Glance back through the Spiritual Astrology category to see more about that.  Because the Rising sign plays such an important role in determining who we are (it is what we wear, appearance; it has to do with our inherited health, inherited geneology, genetic health; it has to do with what we are growing into as we mature; and the Rising sign is what we share with people who we know and trust), I am also going to suggest that this post will have a little bit of extra significance for those with their Sun in Scorpio.

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As a little tangent, which you may or may not be tired of hearing about by now  :-), astrology is a very complex subject.  If you know your chart well, you are in the minority of the Western population.  Unfortunately the mainstream media has done a solid job of squelching authentic astrology, or by simply posting the vague horoscopes (no disrespect here), it gives astrology a hollow vapid reputation.  So if you do not know what your Rising Sign is, it is definitely worth looking into.  I can do your Spiritual Astrology interpretation if you would like (see my website or the Astrology page here).

Back to our subject at hand.  It is my intention to superficially touch on what Saturn in Scorpio means to those with Scorpio Rising.  This is because without knowing the rest of your chart, this description may be very accurate, or just moderately close.  And, I intend to mention a little about psychological aspects, health aspects and potential events.

Because we are dealing with Scorpio (and Pluto by association), I am going to just tell it like it is.  Sorry if this blows anyone’s mind.  But I think Scorpio prefers it this way.

What does Scorpio Rising mean in general?  According to Isabel Hickey, Scorpio is one of the more difficult Ascendants, because you have a lot of bound up power.  Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, which is a very subconscious and even unconscious energy.  It requires work and effort to unwind and unearth our gems of psychological insight and self-awareness with Scorpio on the 1st house.  Plus Hickey mentions that there are basically two types of Scorpios (Rising) – the Saint or the Devil.  You choose what you do with your power, and there is very little gray in this case.  I usually do not like to dwell in such black and white terms, but I think she has a point.  Here is why: just about all Scorpio Rising people go through a significant trial or challenge.  It usually involves being wounded or traumatized early, whether sexually, emotionally or psychologically (or it could simply mean a very significant birth trauma which takes years to unpack). Generally speaking, I think most massive tests of Scorpio Rising people happen before they are eight years old (the developmental years), however, I have also known some Scorpio Rising people to come out of substance abuse with a lot of strength and resolve. So the biggest test is probably behind you, but if you are living your life in reaction or like a pinball, just bouncing from encounter to encounter without a lot of consciousness around your motivation, choices or intentions, then maybe you have a big test in front of you as well.

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So the real question is what do you do with your heart after that wounding.  It is really very easy to become “me first” oriented, to close up and become manipulative, to become like the people who wounded you.  It is also relatively easy, and maybe even fun for a while, to become a victim – “poor me,” “my wounding was worse than yours,” etc etc.  And it can take some time to sift through our psychological layers.  I think it is the rare Scorpio Rising, who has dealt with a significant wound, and always maintained a kind heart.  This is just difficult to do.  The ego does not want to be kind after something like that.  This is why it is Saint or Devil – because there is so much power bound up in Scorpio.  This sign has the potential to purify a ton of negative karma in this lifetime (which is quite a blessing) and the theory is that if the soul was not strong enough, it would not have chosen this sign on the Ascendant!  Hopefully by the time they are 40 or 50, most Scorpio Risings have done some big healing work and are moving toward saintly behavior, dissolving the manipulative, devious wounds through deeper understanding and acceptance.  It is important to bring illumination to your shadow material with this sign Rising.  And in my work with healing facilitation, we must feel it to heal it, meaning we can definitely shift our body on a deep cellular level, but we need someone who has been there and done that (and who we trust and who knows what they are doing). To reiterate, to do most resilience-building healing work, we have to work with a qualified professional, someone we trust, who has appropriate training, etc.

Let’s lighten the conversation as that was pretty heavy stuff.  🙂  But I think it is shadow material that some people need to hear.  But now I will discuss Saturn in the 12th, moving toward the 1st house.

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Saturn in the 12th House speaks of an old cycle resolving, completing, which means the inevitable beginning of a new direction.  Whenever any planet crosses the Ascendant, there is a fresh start, the beginning of a new cycle, a re-birth as it were.  And of all the planets transiting the Ascendant, Saturn makes for a serious fresh start.  Only Uranus and the Progressed Moon play an equal or more significant role when it comes to crossing the Ascendant (and of course Pluto and Neptune are strong in this regard, but not everyone gets to experience these transits in their lifetime).  When Saturn is in our 12th house, we might make some decisions which are very strange to our friends and family.  This is because we feel something intuitively – something has got to go, and it may come as a shock to some of our close ones.  But generally that which we release with Saturn in the 12th is usually beneficial in the long run.  Of course it is important to have a mentor, someone you trust to bounce ideas off of, because the 12th house can also be the area of life where we work against ourselves – occasionally we can be our own worst enemy! (Especially if you have Saturn in your 12th house in your Natal Chart.)  So if you are feeling really confused about what direction to head in life, especially with Saturn in your 12th house, then it would be wise to get some coaching or mentoring or counseling.  Make certain you are as clear as possible (keeping in mind that much of this house happens unconsciously!).

Continued in the next post.  Thanks for reading.

Saturn’s Entrance into Scorpio, pt One

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  Thank you for reading.

If you would like to see more about what Kirby offers, visit his website at www.mkirbymoore.com

This post is more of an introduction to Saturn in Spiritual Astrology, more to follow on Saturn specifically in Scorpio.

Recently, a reader submitted a comment asking me to elaborate on Saturn’s entrance into Pluto’s domain.  She mentioned that she had some planets in Scorpio, so she may have a bit more than mere curiosity riding on it.  However, in order to be specific in answering her question, I need to know more.  This is because Western Astrology is a complex subject, especially if it is practiced appropriately – keeping the language open ended (choice centered, frequency based) and staying away from fortune-telling-esque fatalistic predictions.  And when dealing with Saturn, unfortunately it is easy to revert to older Astrological-recipe-cookbooks and talk about the delays and restrictions which Saturn can impose.

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But does Saturn have to be the stern disciplinarian?  How much of the ancient, “Saturn is the edge of the solar system, therefore it guarantees a cold, distant, restrictive influence in the chart” attitude is still necessary today?

If you have read my previous posts in the Spiritual Astrology category, you will notice that I am actually a huge fan of Saturn.  Even Saturn in Scorpio, even conjunct some “difficult” planets, I love Saturn and the structure and responsibility it indicates.  Why is this?  Because Saturn, in addition to being associated with a dry, cold, distant, contracting energy, has to do with growth, maturity and taking responsibility.  It is the Buddhist’s planet (aside from Chiron, but there is a strong association between these two, which is a tale for another day.  Sorry I digress.).  That is, if you want to work on yourself spiritually, then you have to have many ducks in a row with regard to personal responsibility – we need to be fiscally responsible, we need to be practical in our outlook, we need to be emotionally responsible and we need to admit when we have made a mistake and act to clean up our inner and outer environs.  Let me unpack these statements.

In Buddhism, the theory is that no Divine Deity can save us.  The Buddha said that we must work at our own salvation.  We all possess Buddhanature, a pure seed of clear-light-mind.  But for the majority of people on this planet, this seed is grossly obscured by deeply ingrained patterns and umpteen bad habits.  Therefore we must work to get to know ourselves better and to take responsibility for cleaning up our inner psyche – resolving misunderstandings, dissolving misconceptions and coming into a comfortable, embodied alignment.  It is then that we have a chance to move forward on a spiritual path.  But if we have a mindset that constantly yearns for an easy solution (Jupiter or Leo or Aries), or if we believe exclusively in magical “it-will-all-work-out-in-the-end” solutions (is there a difference between these two?) (I’m talking to you Neptune and Pisces), then we might be groping around in the dark for a long time.  What I am trying to say is that we can change our karma, but it takes some effort.  And this effort is Saturn’s domain.

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[I am getting on my soapbox for this paragraph.]  When we seek an easy solution, a more Jovial or Neptunian resolution filled with ease and as little work as possible, then Saturn will reflect a challenge, a test or a limitation.  And then, quite unfortunately, Saturn gets that bad name.  We will say, “Yeah, I was doing so well, things were flowing and I was so happy; and then Saturn came along and slowed everything down, I got sick, and everything got to be so much harder.”  Really?  With a little disclaimer (see the end of this article below) I would argue that if this is your answer to Saturn’s call to responsibility, then you were procrastinating a bit much when things were easy, when your positive karma was manifesting, you were sitting back and soaking it all in, expecting that it would never cease.  But end it always does.  Impermanence is Saturn’s worst fear, and its greatest ally.  Everything changes.  So we should keep working on ourselves even when it disrupts our idyllic vacation from discomfort.  Then, during Saturn’s transits, we can be rewarded for self-reflection and the “it hurts so good” cathartic personal growth work.

Don’t get me wrong though.  Timing is everything.  If we work with divination tools like the I Ching, we swiftly notice that there are times when the tide is coming in and times when it is receding, times when we must slow our roll and times when it is ideal to exert a lot of effort.  There are times when we need to rest and recover.  And there are times when hard work is easier, necessary even, and when it pays great dividends.  And the payoff can be great.  But we have to know when the tide crests and when the receding water reveals previously unknown treasures.  This is where knowing the Transits and Progressions of Timing Astrology comes in handy.  Because many people worry about meeting ends, getting bills paid, which is necessary of course, but it would be best to save while we have abundance, so we are prepared (a Saturnian word) for tough times.

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Astrology is a complex subject.  To fully answer a question like, “I have several planets in Scorpio in my sixth and seventh houses, and here comes Saturn, what does this mean?”  One must know what frequency is the individual at?  Are they the type of person who respects the wisdom of taking responsibility for their lives?  Or are they the type who frets about Saturn and chooses to curl up in a ball, waiting out the storm?  (Which might be smart at times!)  What do they do when they encounter stagnation?  Because the results of spiritual practice are only revealed when we encounter difficult situations.

Then, knowing the frequency of the individual (do they have a meditation practice?  Do they have a living lineage of healing wisdom that they connect with on a daily or weekly basis?  Do they receive bodywork / energy work?  What are their goals and objectives in this lifetime?  Are they more stubborn or more open in general?), we can start to apply Spiritual Astrology to meet them where they are.  But even knowing someone’s frequency, we still need to know the rest of their chart.  Because Saturn’s entrance into Scorpio will be much different for someone with a Sun or Moon or Rising Sign in Scorpio than for someone with more outer planets in Pluto’s domain.

Either way though, having multiple planets in Scorpio, it would probably be good to continue reading future posts on this subject.  Because Scorpio is the most powerful of all the signs (Leo and Aquarius might disagree, but ultimately, Scorpio is Pluto’s domain, and the god of the Underworld has sway over the lowest venomous energies and the highest wisdom of healing in its Minerva aspect), it is good to generate understanding about the subconscious world.  It is good to know what Scorpio is about and it is good to know about Saturn.  Then we can be prepared for whatever karma we may have unfolding, positive or challenging.

Therefore I will just touch the surface of this subject, because we are all approaching astrology where we are, and I cannot write a single article which will deeply touch many numerous individuals’ subjective experiences.  But I will brush the surface of Saturn’s entrance into Scorpio pertaining to the houses of the horoscope.

Look for this in an upcoming post soon.  Thank you for reading.

As for that disclaimer from above, occasionally, Saturn’s influence in a chart will indicate karma which we do not have a choice about.  If this is the case, and I will provide examples here in a second, then my statement above does not hold water.  For instance, if Saturn is doing some funky aspects in the Natal chart with Mercury, Jupiter and / or Uranus (3rd or 12th houses) and it has manifested in a learning disability, then you have to work with what you have.  Do not push where pushing will cause obvious harm!  We must know ourselves and work within our limits (which is also Saturnian wisdom).

Similarly if we are born with highly functional Down’s Syndrome, there will be different talents and abilities from someone else.  So start where you are and only challenge yourself appropriately.  Do not take my words as gospel, rather see if they work for you.  If not, then please discard them  🙂

[Updated Nov 2017: I would highly recommend reading the book “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” a book by a British doctor and nutrition expert who looks at all the manifestations that an unhealthy bio-flora can cause, including ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, depression and other mental health issues plus an unhealthy gut can lead to serious auto-immune problems! Wild stuff – and it can all possible change just by changing our diets!]

Thanks for reading,

km