No sooner had I posted this article on Substack about the equinox, the harvest festival of Michaelmas, the archangel Michael and his colours of brightest cobalt blue, than my eye was caught by a movement through the sitting room window; the most amazing, brightest electric blue dragonfly out over the pond. So huge that I did a double take, thinking perhaps it was a bird. But there is no bird so blue, or not round here.
Only a kingfisher could be so blue, and I have seen one here before. But no, back it came again. An electric blue dragonfly, an insect warrior spirit, the fiercest hunter on the pond. It begins by hunting underwater in its larval state, and it is lethal, and then, once fledged, is a supreme hunter by air over water. Lethal beauty.
There are many dragonflies here during the summer months, some blue, others golden or pale yellow. But not usually so late in the year.
But I had literally, just moments, before hit the publish button on a piece about the harvest festival of Michaelmas, and the archangel Michael and his armour of brightest blue. The closeness of this timing struck me as odd, or was it a real time synchronicity?
Dragonfly symbolism says that the dragonfly represents change, transformation and maturity, while blue is the colour of serenity, insight and inspiration.
A blue dragonfly is a message from a higher realm, possibly angelic, and is a message that a loved one is at peace. In my case, this would be my darling, mighty little mother who died 27 February on a night when the Northern Lights were seen the length of the British Isles, and we could hear the hooting of short eared owls outside the bedroom window. Two treatments of IV antibiotics had failed to stop pneumonia, and now, in accordance with her wishes, she had been brought home on what they termed “end of life care.”
(The hospital ward was bedlam on occasion, but in general the NHS were wonderfully kind,quick and efficient at this,her time of extremis)
So now I drew a Tarot card. What was the ‘message’ of the dragonfly? And by extension, what was the ‘message’ from Michael, archangel of the South, whose name means, ‘who is like God’?
A warrior of Air, a gigantic human dragonfly, an armed angel wearing blue.
Astrologically, this card classically represents a man belonging to one of the air signs, particularly the fixed sign of Aquarius, though he may be a Gemini or Libra subject. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is an Aquarius sun sign subject. Donald Trump is a Gemini sun sign subject. Now we are in Libra territory. My spouse, Il Matrimonio is a Libra sun sign subject, and served in the UK military a long time ago, and served as a helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps. Vladimir Putin is a Libra sun sign native, though his year of birth is uncertain, whether it is 1952 as officially stated or 1950.
This king’s natural ruling element is Air.
Attack by air may mean missiles, with an eye to Crimea or The Black Sea, though I fear we won’t see an end to this war in Ukraine in 2023. I don’t know, of course, but Scorpio or Sagittarius timing is looking more likely to me right now as viewed through the cards, late in 2024, and I pray that this is wrong.
But ‘attack by air’ may just as likely mean a political battle of wills, or misinformation, or airborne infections. My brother has covid now for the third time, though in his case it is only unpleasant and not dangerous, and he has had some, but not all of the boosters.
Many years ago I was diagnosed with a leaky aortic heart valve, now diagnosed as heart failure, and earlier this week had a scan, pending analysis and feedback from the cardiologist (The King of Swords can indicate a surgeon or surgery.)
I have lived with all this a long time. I am not alarmed, and whatever the findings, will not be rushed or pressured in respect of decision making.
Beyond the sun sign meanings associated with this blue human dragonfly, Aquarius rules the astrological Eleventh House of Community, ideas, science. IT and technology. More big news in the space industry any time soon, then.
The message of Archangel Michael, the coincidental dragonfly, and then the King of Swords can be seen and understood equally as something or nothing.
The broadest meaning of the message, whether this is understood as being meant for me personally, or for the wider collective at this turbulent time seems to be,
The Truth will come to light. Confusions will come clear.
Coping strategies: keep your eyes open and keep your cool, no matter what. This way, we can avoid making anything worse. Hold your temper, your tongue and your nerve. Do your research. In the meantime, tread lightly, if decisively. No going stamp-about in the face of provocation. Stand your ground but go high, stay high. Do not buckle. But do buckle up. Not because of any imminent threat, but simply because life right now demands more resilience than it has done at other times.
The dragonfly is a promise of change. A blue dragonfly is change for the better. And on a personal note, I know my mother has reached and attained the wild blue yonder. I felt her, saw her go through the valley on the tenth day after her passing. What she was looking at now, I have to say, looked rather like North Yorkshire, and she was looking away from me, looking up and smiling, clouds chasing the sunshine across the hills.
A rather down to earth vision of paradise, one might feel. Limited perhaps by my own imagination. How do we picture what is so very far beyond our ken? But my mother used to say of herself, that she was all her life, a child of the Pennines. She grew up in Lancashire and used to say the people of Lancashire were peculiarly and particularly warm and kindly. After her children had all left home, she lived her last thirty years and died in her home in Teesdale, on the south bank of the river Tees, marking the old limits of North Yorkshire (and the people of Yorkshire do like to say of Yorkshire that it is God’s own country.)
But to return to that blue dragonfly, and the archangel Michael and his battle with The Devil is above all, a liar, and he is not our friend. Whatever entraps us, takes us into dependency, helplessness or obsession-whether it is our own worst fears, or our deepest desires; whether it is to do with another person, or situation, or a substance addiction, it is not our friend.
See the chains around their necks.
We will all die one day, ain’t that the truth. And people that we love will die before us, and we shall bear witness to their passing, and be left to grieve and mourn their absence, but to be grateful that they were here, and that we knew them, and that now they have gone free and gone forward.
The truth is sometimes painful, but it sets us free, so goes the wise old saying. Michael went into battle with Lucifer in defense of God’s Law, and Humankind. His element is fire, the ultimate fire of creation, and his weapon is the sword of truth.
The battle angel Michael offers safe escort to the souls of the newly dead on their journey back home to the origins of everything beyond the stars.
His colours are blue. It might be any colour of blue, but in battle array, he wears the hottest cobalt blue.
Birthstones: Sapphire- September birthdays. Opal- October birthdays
Lucky Number: 6 (community, childhood)
Tarot card:
Major Arcana: Justice showing the dual goddess, Astraea and Dike
Court card: The Queen of Swords
Minor Arcana 2,3 and 4 Swords.
Justice from The Legacy of The Divine Tarot, Ciro Marchetti
Astronomy
Libra (technically, it is correctly pronounced Ly-bra as in Library) is a small but distinct constellation, 29th in size of the 88 constellations, next door to the constellation of Virgo.
The Libra constellation has been described as looking like a lop-sided diamond and is visible from April to July in the northern hemisphere.
Libra used to be regarded, not as a constellation in its own right, but as part of its neighbouring constellations, Scorpio and Virgo. The stars representing the scales of Justice are the same stars representing the claws of the Scorpion.
Libra, like Cancer, is faint in comparison with other constellations, and contains no spectacular first magnitude stars, but contains its own galaxy cluster, possibly around 10 billion years old, the same age as our own galaxy, The Milky Way.
There also is a red dwarf star Gliese 581 with three orbiting planets, two of which may possibly be suitable for life, about 20 light years from Earth.
The brightest star in Libra is a binary star about 77 light years from Earth. α Librae. or Zubenelgenubi, meaning in Arabic “the Southern Claw.”
The second-brightest star in the constellation of Libra is β Librae, or Zubeneschamali, from the Arabic for “The Northern Claw.”
Mercator
Equilibrium and Equinox
The Sun used to pass through the constellation of Libra at the time of the equinox (c. 23 September) when the length of hours of night and daylight were almost the same- hence the Libran concept of natural balance.
But the zodiac sign of Libra ceased to coincide in real time with the actual placement of the constellation way back in AD 730 because of the wobble of the Earth, and the resulting effect known as precession – the movement of the equinoxes relative to Earth.
Since 2002, the Sun has actually appeared in the constellation of Libra from October 31 to November 22.
This is different to the dates used for this sign in your media horoscope, which is based on modern western or tropical astrology, and says Libra begins around 23rd of September, coinciding with the autumn equinox (in the northern hemisphere).
But this fact of astronomy does not invalidate your horoscope. The symbolic, historic and astrological concept still stands in all its original meaning, absolutely, based on the arithmetic model of the zodiac as codified by the mathematician Ptolemy in the 2nd Century.
We have the Romans to thank for the name of this constellation, as well as the sun sign or zodiac sign of Libra as we understand it today.
It is a complicated history. Libra began as part of Scorpio, and was known in Babylonian astronomy as MUL Zibanu (the “scales” or “balance”) but with an alternative name, the Claws of the Scorpion, while in ancient Greece Libra was also seen as the Scorpion’s Claws.
The Scales were sacred to the Babylonian sun god Shamash, the patron of truth and justice, and ever since these very early times, Libra has been associated with law, fairness and civility.
Because 3000 years ago, the Sun entering Libra marked the equinox, when days and nights were of equal length, i.e. balanced, Roman astrologers likewise considered that the constellation of Libra represented the principle of natural balance, equality, equilibrium and hence, justice.
In ancient Rome Libra was associated with the scales of justice held by the pre-Greek goddess Astraea, or her Roman counterpart Dike, although in Greek mythology she had always been associated with Virgo.
According to the Roman writer and poet Marcus Manilius, the best Roman judges were noted to have been born under the sign of Libra, while The Moon, which in astrology governs mood and temperament, was said to be in Libra when Rome was founded, in a historical passage, which states “qua condita Roma.”
The early born Libra native may therefore be expected to have much in common with Virgo and Astraea, but the later born Libra may have quite a lot of Scorpio going on.
This same principle applies to all the zodiac signs, of course, depending whether you were born early or late in your own sun sign. But it’s particularly acute in the case of Libra, on account of its shared/borrowed stars.
Libra is one of the three zodiac air signs, the others being Gemini and Aquarius. Libra is Cardinal Air- it instigates, where Aquarius is Fixed Air and stabilizes, and Gemini is the evolution and agility of Mutable Air.
Libra is the only zodiac sign that is not represented by a human or animal, but the scales signify the collective and enduring human hunger for justice, as well as Libra’s own especially keen personal need for balance, order, and equality.
Many astrologers view Libra as an especially lucky sign because it signifies the peak of the year, just after harvest time, when hard work yields is rewards…and we take stock and more clearly see, literally in the agricultural sense, the fruits of our labour.
Because Venus, the goddess of love, rules Libra, as it also rules Taurus, the Libra subject is especially, even acutely sensitive to beauty in anything, whether it is a person, nature, art, or music. Libra is suave, clever and extremely easy to like. The classic Libra subject has charm and can be a great listener with sharp observation skills and acute perception.
Libra intensely dislikes loud or sharp noises, cruelty, nastiness, and vulgarity, as they are naturally kindly and civilized people. They are also, may we observe, a teensy bit delicate at times.
Born diplomats, but also anything for a quiet life, Libras try to co-operate and compromise with everyone around them. This can sometimes be tiring, as they change their minds at short notice, constantly re-assessing and adjusting their thinking, swings and roundabouts, one foot to another, while remaining emotionally distant, or playing Devil’s advocate. This may on occasion even seem to call their personal loyalties into question.
They are not averse to keeping secrets, and can be more changeable even than Gemini. Those swinging scales are, after all, seeking balance, which is not the same as attaining it, or maintaining it.
Botticelli: The Birth of Venus, ruler of Libra
Libra is smiling, urbane, approachable, but does not receive or handle criticism as dispassionately as they dispense it. They may show resentment when challenged, jealousy when they are not the centre of attention, and at times be markedly moody. Libra is the sign of the diplomat but it is also the sign of the ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ – smoothly vengeful, or even in the later born Libran subjects, capable of ruthlessness. They have warrior energy, oh yes, and are way more emotionally volatile and passionate than may at first be apparent.
Swings and roundabouts, searching for the centre of balance. Every zodiac sign has its darker potential. But lovely Libra, charming, smiling, civilized. Sunny side up, what not to like?
Your zodiac or sun sign is not the whole story of your horoscope. Your birthday decan provides further insights into your zodiac persona or archetype.
All zodiac signs are archetypes; something that is considered to be a perfect or typical example of a particular kind of person or thing,
The zodiac signs paint a typical portrait of a person born at a particular time of year, in a particular season. The idea here is that we are affected by the seasons in which we were physically gestated, and the season into which we arrive. This might seem like nonsense until we really think about it. A baby born in summer for example, arrives into a different environment from a winter born baby, just as a spring lamb is different to an autumn lamb. The weather is different, and the hours of daylight and the food resources vary, that are or were available to the pregnant mother, in the days long,long before shops and supermarkets.
The zodiac sign of Capricorn, for example, is associated with the knees. Why? Well, Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, also known as Old Father Time, and knee trouble is commonly associated with advancing age.
The winter born baby arrives into an environment with minimal hours of daylight and therefore experiences minimal vitamin D exposure, as perhaps, so does the mother in the later stages of pregnancy. Vitamin D, together with vitamin K2, is required for calcium absorption into the bones. Chronic deficiency is associated with osteo- arthritis—and arthritis of the knee.
Other zodiac signs may be more challenging to explain so easily in these kinds of terms. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a symbolic, seasonal and ancient natural, biological, physiological or metabolic association with each and every zodiac sign.
What are the decans?
The visible area of sky as seen from earth is what we call the wheel of the Zodiac, representing an imaginary circle of 360 degrees. This circle was then arithmetically divided into the twelve zodiac signs we know today, as codified by the Greek mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, Ptolemy in the second century AD.
Each of the zodiac signs represents a 30 degree slice of this imaginary ‘pie in the sky,’ as seen from Earth. Each zodiac sign can be further sub-divided into three blocks of ten degrees, equivalent to about ten days in length. This is not exact, and may vary by a day or two because not every calendar month is the same length- again, for reasons of astronomy.
These three sub-divisions of the zodiac signs are what we call the decans.
The first ten days of your zodiac sign are the first decan, representing the first 10 degrees of your sign. The second ten days or so are the second decan, and the last ten days or so of your sun sign are the third decan.
The Leo Archetype
Leo, the fifth sign of the zodiac, is a fixed fire sign representing the height of summer in the northern hemisphere (and winter in the southern hemisphere.)
Leo is ruled by the Sun, bestowing radiance, warmth and vitality. The major arcana card in the Tarot representing Leo is Strength, Major Arcanum number 8, ruling the greater part of August, the 8th month of the calendar year, and denoting not only physical strength and courage, but moral courage; resilience, stamina and fortitude in the face of adversity.
There is no Strength without self control. The figure in this card has the lion on a loose chain. But it is on a chain all the same. The lion represents her own inner fire, passions and impulses, and she has them under control.
Image from The Gilded Tarot Royale.
But Leo is of course also associated with the Sun card, its planetary ruler. The image below is from The Gilded Royale Tarot deck, illustrated by Ciro Marchetti.
The court card representing the fixed fire sign of Leo is the energetic, capable and charismatic King of Wands.
There is of course no such thing in reality as THE Leo personality, and this applies to all zodiac signs. You are a unique personality. Your zodiac sign (also known as your sun sign) is a major keynote of your natal chart but it’s nothing like the whole story. These archetypes are based on thousands of years of observation, however, and your decan, which depends on where your birthday falls within your zodiac sign, digs a little deeper.
If you don’t feel like a ‘typical’ Leo, well, you’re not. You are unique, with a uniquely individual natal chart. But it may also because you are a second decan or third decan Leo, rather than the ‘most typical’ first decan Leo.
First Decan Leo
Proud, passionate, purposeful.
Dates: 23 July-1 August
Planetary ruler: Sun sub-ruler also Sun
Tarot card: Five of Wands: ambition, test of strength, contest, competition, stress, conflict, honest intention, summer thunderstorms (Gilded Tarot Royale)
This is Leo-Leo, ruled by the sun twice over, this could be understood as the most ‘typically’ or archetypal Leo decan.
This Leo born native, ruled by the Sun twice over, does not just enter the room. It makes an entrance, and can be charm itself, lively, confident, warm, talkative. Others who are quieter, or who are less confident or energetic may find these Leo natives too loud, overpowering, self-centred or even arrogant. And they may be all these things but the chances are, really, it is just a natural exuberance.
This decan is generally attractive to others and may well play the field, but once committed, is devoted to its own pride of loved ones. This Leo is hardworking, and likely to be something of a perfectionist.
This decan is cardinal in quality, which is to say, it likes to start new things. It is exceedingly determined and persistent, even more so than the other two decans, and that is saying something. First decan Leo will finish what it starts, whatever it takes.
They have high levels of energy and stamina, and set themselves exceedingly high standards and targets, though they tend to be fair minded and realistic in their dealings with others, and as employers, ask only that others do their best. First Decan Leo is a loyal, faithful friend, unless given cause to feel betrayed, which on occasion, indeed they may be, attracting to themselves, not only admiration, but envy.
Tarot card- Six Wands: victory, progress, pride in success, determined effort (From the Gilded Tarot, the predecessor of the Gilded Tarot Royale)
This is Sagittarius-Leo, co-ruled by massive and expansive Jupiter. Subjects of this decan may be literally taller and bigger than other Leo decans, and with a tendency for having rather noticeable square white teeth.
The influence of its sub-ruler, cheerful, outgoing Sagittarius makes this Leo the life and soul of the party when they are in the mood, but this smoothest-talking decan is somewhat restless, for travel, for adventure – or learning. This is Leo on a quest of some kind, with a visionary quality, hungry and ambitious to know more and less settled in temperament than the other two decans. They are still solid and tough, but versatile with it, and generally good at problem-solving.
Leo in general tends to be a cat walks alone. Yes, it loves people, but all the same it retains a certain aloofness. Its sub-ruler Sagittarius however, is about groups and communities, and it is this, somewhat more communal spirit, which sets the second decan Leo slightly apart from the other decans.
They too, are faithful to their loved ones, and they make loyal friends. Second decan Leo in particular may be an artist, writer or poet. They are something of a philosopher. They are interested in social causes, and keen to do their bit to champion the underdog.
Third Decan Leo
Fire, focus and curiosity.
Dates: 12 August -22 August
Planetary ruler: Mars sub-ruler Aries
Tarot card- Seven of Wands: courage, moral courage, stamina, endurance, outnumbered but fighting your own corner, defeating the odds(Gilded Tarot Royale)
This decan is sub-ruled by fiery Mars, Aries- this is Leo with a double dose of warrior energy. The third decan Leo is confident and competitive-combative on occasion. Driven, ambitious, sometimes this Leo decan loses patience and may not finish what it starts, due to restlessness, but it operates on its own terms, and is an excellent planner and problem-solver, finding failure almost intolerable.
This decan needs peace and quiet when its mind is working on something, to figure things out in its own way. It has the usual Leo warmth but with, possibly, an explosive temper at times. Leo in general however, is quick to forgive and forget and is not known for bearing grudges, though others may not necessarily be so forgiving in return.
The third decan Leo is particularly intense, and deeply curious about other people and other cultures. They also have a reputation for being excellent listeners. This is the sort of person who talks to perfect strangers and hears all kind of stories.
Incredible Putin Tarot prediction from Sun Sign School tutor Katie-Ellen Hazeldine at @truetarottales naming June 2023 and showing the ‘stab in the back’ Putin mentions in her cards.
The discussion on Twitter was in reference to Putin’s speech in the immediate aftermath of the Wagner mutiny and Prigozhin’s subsequent hasty relocation to Belarus, and the image in question was the Ten of Swords as shown below, from The Illuminati Tarot.
This card has been turning up for Vladimir Putin again and again since March 2022, and its work, one suspects, has only just begun.
Classically, the Ten of Swords signifies the end of the road; ruin, collapse, betrayal, (stab in the back) The Ten of Swords may also, in my own reading experience, denote health problems, including, but not limited to, migraines, strokes, neck problems, spinal issues and colo-rectal problems. I am not suggesting that Putin himself is dealing with such health issues. But I have seen this connection validated sufficiently often in real life, to be aware of the very real possibilities.
Vladimir Putin and Yevgeny Prigozhin. They go back a long way, these two, since the mid-nineties. But Mr Putin does not “do” sentiment. And as for loyalty, since when has this been a question of honour, or an reciprocal, equitable two-way street in the corridors of absolute power, any place, any time?
Tweeted 28 June @truetarottales
#Tarot What are Mr P’s plans in respect of Prigozhin? Or Lukashenko’s? 5 Wands (post tumult/mutiny) Temperance & Death card. No window/funny tea for Prigozhin. Or at least not yet. Too useful still as a threat, symbol of prowess of terror. A weapon in hand. Legacy Divine Tarot.
Tweeted 29 June @truetarottales
#Tarot 7 Swords=diplomacy/stealth…while I am not convinced all this was some carefully worked out master plan. 10 Wands=consequence of massive Wagner frustration with Russian high command but perhaps Putin/+Lukashenko see another use for Prigozhin based in Belarus-closer to Kyiv.
Here is another curiosity about the Seven of Swords for tarot students and aficionados. The suit of Swords represents the element of Air and of all things airborne. Here we have the seven of that suit, and Wagner’s forces have shot down six Russian military helicopters plus one military reconnaissance plane and killed their crews.
But why did Prigozhin launch this “protest march” as he called it? I asked the tarot and drew the Nine of Swords (also from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot deck.)
There is a sense here that the mutiny was genuine, at least at the beginning, and at ground level, and was born of Prigozhin’s exhaustion and frustration with the top brass in the Russian military. The Nine of Wands is classically soldier like, but here,it shows someone who is stuck in a rut and metaphorically (or literally as may have been the case here, “running out of ammo,” while the Seven of Swords suggests a situation in which Prigozhin no longer had a direct line of communication with Putin.
Perhaps he believed that his communications were being blocked or kicked into the long grass (or were being actively sabotaged?) by his supposed colleagues, comrades- or are they his rivals and “gatekeepers”- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff General Valery Gerasimov.
Putin meeting with Shoigu in April 2022, after Russia’s defeat at the Battle of Kyiv (Wiki)Putin meeting with Shoigu and Gerasimov 2012
It has emerged since the mutiny and since these tweets that Prigozhin was planning to kidnap Shoigu and Gerasimov as they were travelling south (and do what with them exactly?) But then someone leaked his plot to the FSB. They changed their travel plans pronto, and Prigozhin changed tack and started the “protest march” towards Moscow
The Seven of Swords refers in particular to the arts of diplomacy, and to intelligence, strategies of stealth, surveillance, sabotage and the pre-emptive strike.
In a personal reading, it may be alerting you to watch out for a stalker or a scammer. Guard your personal intel. Change your passwords. Vary your routes and your routines.
Here, the Seven of Swords was also be picking up on the involvement of the FSB…former KGB.
But what threat from these two might Prigozhin have thought he was pre-empting by planning to abduct them? Telling lies about him to Putin? Telling truths about him to Putin, truths Putin would not like? Prigozhin said, apparently, that he “had scores to settle.”
It won’t be surprising to anyone, no cards needed, if there is another major development here in respect of Putin and Prigozhin and the Wagner situation during the first decan of Leo Season (because of that fiery – and imminent-Five of Wands) and if then there is a further follow up late October-late December 2023 (Death card =Scorpio, late Oct-late Nov and Temperance =Sagittarius, late November until 21 December.)
Meanwhile, people in Belarus are not happy to have the murderous Prigozhin there, at the potential beck and call of the execrable Lukashenko, even if it is true that Prigozhin is at this moment most miserably sequestered in a (windowless) hotel room, as reports suggest.
It is important to remember for students of Tarot, looking deeply into our cards may extend the reader’s “line of sight in extraordinary ways”. But the reader is only human and fallible. We are seeking to DIVINE what is hidden or obscure, but the variables are many and complex, and tarot deals in the detected/divined possibilities or probabilities, and not in certainties.
Do my cards show that Putin leaves power in Russia before Christmas 2023, whether by his own choice or by other means?
My cards are not clear on that point. Other tarot readers may feel differently and some eminent Western astrologers have divined the months of July-August 2023 as a very tricky time indeed for Putin in terms of internal power politics. We are all agreed there.
But Prigozhin’s rebellion, however short lived (and quietly supported by what shadowy figures in Putin’s orbit?) has exposed “something rotten” in the state of Putin’s empire. The events of June 2023 have unleashed a genie that is not going to fit back in the bottle.
One vedic astrologer has said that Putin will stay in power until 2030. I can’t see that, but have tended to feel that Putin could stay in power at least until the autumn months of 2024.
I have never written this up before, but one afternoon late last year, 2022, I was chatting online with a friend, astrologer Patrick Arundell, and he wondered what my cards had to say about the departure of Putin. He had his own analysis of course, and you can find a number of videos Patrick has made about Putin. But it is always interesting to talk to other practitioners, not just in our own disciplines, but in other disciplines. and while I am not an astrologer, still, there is a lot of astrology embedded in tarot cards.
I pulled cards one by one and laid them out in a line, each card representing a month of the year until eventually I saw the signal I was looking for and drew the Death card and the Ace of Swords.
These two cards are undeniably and clearly indicative of an ENDING, and no bones about it. But because of all the cards I had to draw before I got to this point, I have felt slightly more inclined to anticipate Putin’s final departure from power as likely later than sooner, between Scorpio season Oct 2024-Aquarius Season 2025 (based on that same stealthy Seven of Swords we talked about earlier.) This does not mean events won’t happen sooner. Maybe Scorpio 2023-Aquarius 2024.
The Ace of Swords has a suddenness about it. Putin’s departure may be very sudden when it finally comes to it, even if the situation has been a long time coming down the line. The Ace of Swords could be detecting a coup. But this card is also legal, military, and could be signifying the end of the war with Ukraine.
Timing with Tarot is a subtle business, generally less precise in terms of timing than astrology, and as ever, only time will tell.
Maybe he will indeed survive this summer, and this is going to play out in Scorpionic slower time. But whatever the actual weather in Russia (and at his place in Sochi) Putin is clearly in for a hot and sticky summer, says the Five of Wands, the first decan card of Leo, and the ultimate card of in-fighting.
And the Ten of Swords says, whatever happens about Prigozhin, Putin has made a lot of enemies and he had better not keep his back turned…on anyone.
This of course, he already knows, which is why he is so cloistered away, deeply hidden away in his security bubble. But that brings its own problems and there is such a thing as a self fulfilling prophecy, and how did it happen, what happened to Indira Gandhi?
And cruel as Putin is, and desperate as we are, not only for the sake of the people of Ukraine- and Russia- but for the sake of all Europe, for the war to end in Ukraine, who would come after him? The likes of Alexei Navalny? How likely does that seem right now, even if Putin departs tomorrow? Especially if Putin departs tomorrow? But for now there seems good reason to be mindful of that wise old saying, be careful what you wish for.
#Tarot Ukraine Question. When does war end? Possibilities. Neptunian Hanged Man Rev (even looks like Zelenskyy!) suggests March 7, 2023-May 24, 2025 during Saturn in Pisces. Pisces=breach of boundaries. Saturn=redrawing/restoration of boundaries. But this tsunami leaves a long and turbulent wake.
Saturn in Pisces
A Saturn in Pisces transit lasts 2-2 1/5 years. This one we are currently experiencing, March 7, 2023-May 24, 2025 is still not over then, and will be back again September 1, 2025 to February 13, 2026.
Saturn takes about 28-29 years to come full circle and weaves in and out of its present zodiac sign due to retrograde cycles.
So what?
These are deepest waters we are navigating right now, deeply unsettled times. Deep and dreamy Neptunian Pisces blurs boundaries of all kinds; physical, mental, emotional, social, legal, technological. Saturn imposes boundaries, borders, regulations, oversight, containment, structure. Pisces is all about inspiration – and illusions and delusions. Saturn strips away illusions, forcing us to face realities – and our duties and responsibilities head on.
Robin is Pisces, Batman is Saturn with a whole lot more slapping still to come.
Putin dreams of a new Russian Empire and the Emperor is himself. And he is ready to spill a lot of blood to make that a reality. But history has moved on while others are also dreaming of rebuilding former empires. Or are utterly determined never to be be subsumed ever again. Meanwhile, there are others waiting in the wings, even worse than Putin.
The Hanged Man
This card is associated with the planet Neptune and also with the zodiac sign of Pisces (as is The Moon card.)
This card is saying, what would Zelenskyy sacrifice for peace? But here the card has been drawn reversed or upside down, and this is the Tarot’s way of saying what we already know, that Zelenskyy is not ready to negotiate or to make any sacrifice for such an unreliable and short lived peace as this would inevitably prove.
Why should the government of Ukraine sacrifice anything to an enemy who has proved so utterly ruthless, and who will be back for more, until they’ve got the lot, no matter what? How CAN they?
It is startling, how like the real Zelenskyy he looks, the figure in this version of The Hanged Man (deck is the Tarot Illuminati)
This card is associated with the zodiac sign of Pisces and the 12 House, although Zelenskyy himself is an Aquarius subject (King of Swords) while so far as we know Putin is a Libra subject (Queen of Swords.) I say so far as we know because the birth data is not considered 100% reliable though it is the year that is open to question and not the date.
Putin’s birthday is officially 7 October 1952 but some have suggested it is actually 7 October 1950. Either way, the Queen of Swords remains Putin’s natal court card.
This is Nemesis at work. These two, Zelenskyy and Putin, the King and Queen of Swords are locked in some long fated duel.
Putin had every reason to think he could do this. Russia has succeeded in its previous territorial invasions during his regime. In Georgia. In Crimea and with a real and present threat to the territory of Moldova.
This time, the cards show Putin will not win, meaning, Russia may succeed in tearing further chunks out of Ukraine and hanging on to some of them at least, though Ukraine is now taking back some lands, but Putin will not succeed in re-integrating Ukraine under Russian control. A horrible stalemate seems the most likely outcome.
Whatever stops Putin now, with the stakes so high for himself, personally, it seems to be the fear of losing this war, and a Ukrainian counter offensive that takes back Crimea. But it may also come down to the interests of Turkey and the machinations of Xi and the West’s responses to China.
Xi has made food security a top priority but seems to be facing difficulties with his agricultural policies. This article makes no mention of crackdowns by ‘rural enforcers’ against people growing their own fruits or veg in their own back yards. Covid restrictions were partly to do with it, but there is something more to this, and Xi has now faced a pushback, and had to rein in the ‘rural enforcers.’
Putin must reckon with, in a way Zelenskyy perhaps does not, with China’s own ambitions and the growing tensions between China and India, Taiwan, Japan- the entire Indo-Pacific, and the West.
Money talks loudest, and though Ukraine says it took the precaution of not over-planting wheat close to the fighting zones, Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka Dam has rendered some wheat silos inoperable, with a resulting jump in the price of wheat and other grains with implications for Turkey and the developing world far beyond the Black Sea.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Global prices for wheat and corn soared Tuesday after a major dam in Ukraine collapsed, renewing market fears about the fragility of the country’s ability to ship food to Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia as it fights a war with Russia.
Wheat prices gained 2.4% in early trading Tuesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, to $6.39 a bushel. The cost of corn rose more than 1%, to $6.04 a bushel, and oats gained 0.73%, to $3.46 per unit. Prices were higher earlier in the day but faded.
The destruction of the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station, which sits in a Russian-controlled area on the Dnieper River, raised concerns about disruption to Ukraine’s affordable supplies of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil getting to developing nations where people are struggling with hunger and high food prices.
“Anytime this war shows signs of getting further escalated, there’s a lot of concern,” said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. “Markets react to that.”-SOURCE
Some have questioned whether it was Russia’s doing. It was Russia. I don’t doubt it. Russia has used this tactic before, during WW2 when it blew up the Dnieper Dam to hold back the German advance.
The Moon
Back in December 2021, in a piece first published at Ask Astrology, and then again in December 2022, The Moon card (Pisces again) figured ominously in the general predictions for 2022 and then again for 2023.
The Moon card, among its many other meaning in tarot, represents danger, contagion- and flooding. A sweeping away of boundaries. Chaos, muddle and mess.
The Moon can mean cancer. It can mean Poison. The floodwaters of the broken Kakhovka dam are contaminated with pesticides. This water is undrinkable. Poisonous. This is a man-made ecological tragedy, as well as a human disaster.
Here is Pisces at its fathomless worst before Saturn can get a grip on it again and reimpose order, though what kind of order will it be?
#Tarot Moon card showed higher risk major flooding 2022. Then landslide in Peru March 2022. Pakistan monsoon floods June-August. Australia severe flooding Feb-late April and again from Oct. Posted 20 Dec 2022 unease re 2023 Saturn (STRUCTURE/dam?) in Pisces (fresh water flood)
The Ten of Swords
Time and time again since the invasion in February 2022, asking about the prospects for Vladimir Putin, and the outcome of this war for him personally, the Tarot has shown me the 10 Swords. This card classically means ruin. The end. It is time for a new dawn. It also traditionally signifies betrayal, as in a “stab in the back”. (UPDATE. This is particularly interesting in light of today’s news 24/6/2023 and the unfolding situation with the head of the Wagner group Prigozhin The 10 Swords says no matter what happens next, this is the start of the end for Putin as Russian leader.)
Image: Rider Waite.
In terms of health, I have known this card to flag up issues to do the neck, spine, colo-rectal issues and nervous system issues. I am not suggesting that Putin is dealing with any of these health problems. I am simply pointing out that this card has come up time and time again, and these are lesser known card meanings for the 10 Swords.
Reading this card purely in terms of timing, the 10 Swords traditionally correlates with the third decan of Gemini and the dates 11 June -20 June.
Which is where we are right now at the time of writing. But are we looking at 2023, 2024 or 2025? Slow Saturn in chaotic Pisces suggests a culmination during this transit, by or before the end of June 2025. Saturn, planet of old Father Time, reintroduces and re-establishes order, structure and boundaries before it leaves Pisces.
Here is the end of a “tsunami”- the end of a cycle, though we’ll all be hoping it comes before we reach that point in the astrology. I wouldn’t be surprised, based on the cards, if we will look back and see that Putin left office or stood down before Christmas 2024.
I need to look at Navalny and Kara-Mirza next time.
Gemini the sign of the Heavenly Twins is a mutable air sign, and the third sign of the western or Tropical zodiac, representing late spring/early summer in the northern hemisphere.
The word ‘zodiac’ comes from the Greek meaning ‘circle of animals.’
The only zodiac sign that is non-representative of a living creature is Libra, representing the Scales of Justice. But even the scales of Libra are borrowed from the stars of neighbouring Scorpio, the heavenly scorpion.
See the Scales of Libra, doing double duty as the claws of the Scorpion.
Gemini Associations
Dates: May 21- June 20
Astrological symbol:
Ruling planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Quality: Mutable
Affirmation: ‘I think, I inquire.’
Birth Stone: For Gemini born in May, Emerald. For Gemini born in June, Pearl (although it is not a stone, and it is a product of the sea it is classically ruled by Mercury)
Lucky stone, The Tiger’s Eye. Why? Grounding of ‘flighty’ Gemini energy, brings focus
Colour: Yellow
Tree: all kinds of nut trees
Flower: Lily of the Valley, Lavender
Astronomy of Gemini
The Gemini constellation was listed as one of the 48 ancient constellations by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century, though Ptolemy referred to it in terms, not of the constellation as a whole, but of its two brightest stars, Castor ‘ The Star of Apollo,’ and Pollux ‘The Star of Heracles’.
Gemini is the northernmost constellation in the zodiac, in size the 30th largest. To see Gemini with the naked eye, we need to look north east of the constellation Orion between the Taurus and Cancer constellations.
Best viewing is during February. By April and May, the constellation is visible in the west soon after sunset.
Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars in the Gemini constellation, represent the heads of the twins from Greek mythology. Fainter stars are the outlines their bodies. Pollux, the westerly twin, is a red giant star, 33 light-years from Earth while Castor is about 51 light-years away.
(One light-year is the distance that light travels in a year – approx 6 trillion miles/9.6 trillion KM.)
Pollux is the brighter of the two stars, orbited by a massive planet orbiting it, Beta Genorium B, 1.6 times bigger than Jupiter.
Castor is actually not a single star, but a star system made of up six stars not visible to the naked eye.
Ancient History
Gemini represents the key principle of duality or polarity, similarities and opposites, life and death, light and dark, night and day, hot and cold.
We see this principle in active operation in spring, in the climax of splitting or cloning. Pollen flies free. Eggs hatch. Butterflies and dragonflies hatch out of their chrysalis. The mythology of twins goes back at least as far as the so-called Age of Gemini, during the Palaeolithic, 6, 500 BCE, arising from our understanding of the duality fundamental to the nature of reality.
There are countless stories of the twins in world myth, representing dualities and polarities; night and day, light and dark, heat and cold, male and female, war and peace, good and bad, life and death. The creation myths of ancient cultures across the world reflect this eternal battle of seeming opposites. Many surviving objects feature twin gods and goddesses. But there is a shadow side. In some cultures twins have been feared
In Egyptian astrology the stars of Gemini were twin goats, or else they were the two gods, Horus the Elder and Horus the Younger, while classical Greek mythology identified them as the twin brothers, Castor and Pollux, The Gemini.
Gemini is the first sign of the western tropical zodiac year that has a human representation rather than an animal one, following Aries the Ram and Taurus the Bull.
Castor and Pollux
Gemini is the name by which the constellation is known today throughout the western world. Gemini is Latin for “twins,” and Gemini is The Hellenistic names of the Heavenly Twins, Castor and Pollux.
Castor comes from the Greek Καστωρ (Kastor) and means “to excel, to shine.” In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux.
Pollux comes from the Roman form of Greek Πολυδευκης (Polydeukes) and means “very sweet”.
The circumstances of their birth were unusual, to say the least. Queen Leda of Sparta was seduced by Zeus who had disguised himself as a swan. ‘Seduced’ is putting it rather too politely. She was bathing in the river. He glided about pretending to peck at things and then pounced on her while she was looking the other way, minding her own business. Later that evening, notwithstanding this shock, or perhaps, who knows, because of it, Leda also slept with her husband King Tyndareus and went on to produce four children; Castor, Pollux and their sisters Helen (later Helen of Troy) and Clytemnestra (later married to Agamemnon as queen of Mycenae.)
Pollux and Helen were fathered by Zeus, and were immortal, while Castor and Clytemnestra, fathered by Tyndareus,were mortal.
Source: Public Domain, the young Castor and Pollux (Meissen)
The brothers, known as the Dioscuri, meaning ‘Sons of Zeus’, were handsome, curious and always up to something. The mortal Castor was a renowned horseman and a master at fencing, while the immortal Pollux was known for his great strength and skill at boxing.
But then Castor was killed, possibly in a quarrel over dividing the spoils after a cattle raid. Pollux was distraught. He didn’t want immortality, not if it meant being without his brother, he said, and he begged his father, Zeus to make him mortal, and then kill him so he could be with his brother. Zeus couldn’t bring himself to do that, scratching his head, wondering how to fix this, and decided to place them both in the stars, to be immortal together forever as the constellation of the Gemini.
The Greeks, in particular the Spartans, though the twins had a temple in Athens, worshipped the twins as horsemen, and also as patron saints of shipwrecked sailors. Sacrifices were offered to the Dioscuri before a voyage, with a request for favourable winds.
The Romans later developed a cult around Castor and Pollux, dating back to 484 B.C. They built a temple to the twins in the Roman Forum in 414 BC in thanks for their help in defeating their old enemy The Latins, in the battle of Regillus.
Castor and Pollux were the patron gods of the Roman cavalry, the mounted knights or equites, and appear in this role on many early Roman coins.
The Zodiac Archetype
Mercury by Hendrick Goltzius, 1611, Public Domain
The planetary ruler of Gemini is Mercury, the planet nearest the Sun, representing the winged god Mercury or Hermes; patron deity of all forms of communication, media, trade, global commerce and travel, medicine, research and analytics.
But Mercury has a lesser known role as a psychopomp; one who can go between the realms of the living and the dead, a go-between and safe escort to the dead. It was Hermes who escorted the souls of the newly dead to the banks of the Acheron or The Styx, where they waited for Charon to come in this boat and ferry them across to the Underworld.
It was Hermes who escorted Persephone out of the dominion of Hades to be reunited with her mother Demeter, not knowing that despite his instructions that she was not to eat anything, or the deal was off, Hades had tricked Persephone into eating six seeds of her favourite pomegranate fruit. Seeds don’t count, Hades told her, and she believed him, but now she was bound to his side for six months of the year.
Painting by Frederick Leighton
All the zodiac signs represent archetypes; meaning something that is considered to be a perfect or typical example of a particular kind of person or thing.
A zodiac sign paints a poetic portrait of a person born at a particular time of year, in a particular season. A baby born in summer arrives into a different physical environment from a winter baby; differences of temperature, hours of daylight, maternal diet during pregnancy and so on, with potentially different effects on the baby’s physical makeup and constitution.
As a mutable sign, Gemini rules a borderline between seasons, in this case late spring into early summer. The other mutable signs are Virgo and Pisces, and all three mutable signs are considered the most changeable and agile of the signs, inquiring, analytical, logical and restless.
Mid- May is the start of grass pollen season which then builds to a peak in mid July:-
“May is quite the roller-coaster when it comes to tracking pollen. Dock and lime pollen start triggering hay fever in May as they begin their season, while both pine and oil seed rape peak and end within the month. Oak and plane end their peak – but grass pollen begins hitting its high notes.“
The Gemini temperament is friendly yet watchful, generous but changeable -mercurial as personified by Hermes with his winged sandals and his staff, caduceus- emblem of messages and trade. The well-known delivery company of the same name clearly chose its name for this same reason.
In medical astrology, Gemini rules the arms and hands. The typical Gemini native is of above average personal appearance, personable, attractive, usually slim and of average height or taller and with neat, tidy facial features. The Gemini is socially gifted, cheerful, humorous, witty, capable and quick to learn.
Limbourg, Anatomy of The Zodiac, Wiki via Photo. R.M.N. / R.-G. OjŽda
At the same time, Gemini can also be surprisingly dogmatic, attaching themselves to causes, even inclining towards fundamentalism, whether it is to do with religion or an entirely secular creed or manifesto, or to do with lifestyle, for example, exercise or diet choices.
Gemini can be, not insincere, at least, not in that moment, but quick to lose interest, fluttering like butterflies, looking for the next new thing, looking for some better, brighter flower. This can apply to the way they interact with other people, here today and gone tomorrow, even though once mature, and once committed, they make dutiful and devoted partners and parents.
Gemini in the Tarot
The Tarot cards associated with Gemini are The Lovers, The Knight of Swords and the 8, 9 and 10 Swords.
Every suit in the Tarot has its own court with a king and queen, a knight and a page. The principle Court card associated with Gemini is the Knight of Swords.
Smith-Waite
Card Meanings: speed, action, forward movement, sudden developments, attack, assertiveness, intelligence, sudden news, cunning, calculation, good timing, a pre-emptive strike, a confident, forceful young person, windy weather, east wind, motorbike
The Decans of Gemini
The word ‘Decan’ comes from the Latin meaning ‘ten.’ Each zodiac sign lasts about 30 days and is further divided into three blocks of roughly 10 days each. These are the decans or as they’re sometimes called, the ‘thirty-six faces of astrology,’ bringing added depth to the psychological profile associated with your zodiac sign/sun sign.
The minor arcana cards associated with Gemini are the Eight, Nine and Ten of Swords, correlating with the dates of the decans.
If you don’t feel like you are a ‘typical’ Gemini, well, we’re all unique, but perhaps you are also a second or third decan Gemini native, rather than a ‘most typical’ first decan Gemini.
Gemini is still Gemini, whatever the decan and this holds true for all the zodiac signs. But an early born Gemini is born under a slightly different planetary influence than a later born Gemini. It’s all still Gemini, the same heavenly recipe, but with varying amounts of classic ingredients.
First Decan Gemini
(0-10 degrees of the sign)
21-31 May
Eight of Swords
Legacy of The Divine Tarot
Card Meanings: Entrapment, uncertainty, a sense of helplessness, waiting for rescue, there is a way out if only you will open your eyes, look around and take a step forward. I have personally also come to associate this card with plumbing, drainage issues.
This decan gets a double dose of the planetary influence of inquisitive, rational, Mercury. This is an alert, perceptive, intellectual and forceful personality. The acumen is sharp. The negative side of this coin is a Gemini native who is just as inquisitive but careless, flighty, forgetful, restless and unreliable.
First decan Gemini is a multi-talented juggler, light on their feet, graceful and agile. But at the same time they tend to develop a strong point of view on a wide range of subjects, and they have a clearly defined belief system. For all their apparent flightiness they are also tough and resilient- even stubborn, a quality more usually associated with Taurus, its next door neighbour and predecessor in the zodiac.
Gemini make devoted partners, contrary to whatever people might assume. They will hang on in there when the going gets tough, though they are prone to boredom, can quickly tire of routine quickly; and have considerable charisma or sex appeal. But they know when they have a good thing so long as there is plenty of social interaction and short distance travel to keep their restlessness under control.
Second Decan Gemini
(10-20 degrees of the sign)
June 1-10
Nine of Swords
The Golden Tarot
Card Meanings: The Nightmare card. Worry, ‘the black dog’ anxiety, stress, grief, insomnia, things that keep us awake at night.
The personal planet of this decan is Venus, planet of love, beauty- and money. This Gemini has charm, and a generous and giving spirit. The sub-ruler is Libra, ruled by Venus, the natural ruler of the seventh house of marriage, partnerships, close associates, associations, and legal matters. This Gemini is more of a “me-too” person, rather than an “I-am” person when compared with a first decan Gemini.
This Gemini native needs to be especially careful in the selection of companions/associates. The choice of a mate is, of course, of the utmost importance. This Gemini especially needs to avoid making big decisions about a choice of partner when they are too young to fully understand what they are doing.
These are easy going and pleasant people. Gemini strives on change while Libra works to establish equilibrium. Their Venus/Libra influence is their salvation, because it makes them artful in their judgments and full of affection for those they do judge.
Gemini 2nd decan is drawn to quiet, reserved people. Not only do opposites attract, but the secrecy fascinates Gemini-Libra, ans they also match up well with reliable, practical types who can get the job done with little fuss or excitement. A person that will ground, refine and implement the Gemini-Libra.
People respond well to the Second Decan Gemini warm and effusive nature. They also have a sense of adventure, same as the other Gemini decans, and they enjoy travel for the sake of new experiences. Sharing is part of the Gemini-Libra life; they are generous with their time and friendship and also with possessions.
Gemini-Libra is great company, with a great deal of magnetism. They are kindly, sharp and witty. Just cut your cloth to suit and don’t be too surprised or upset if they disappear as suddenly as they appear or go quiet on you without warning. It’s not personal. It’s just the way they are.
Third Decan Gemini
(20-30 degrees of the sign)
11-20 June
Ten of Swords
Tarot Illuminati
Card meanings: Destruction, despair, betrayal, ruin, dark night of the soul, darkness before dawn, the only way is up, illness, comatose, a fall, spinal injury, head injury.
Incidental perhaps, but this card has come up repeatedly in respect of events and outcomes affecting the personal destiny Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine, 24 February. We shall see what occurs during these forthcoming decan dates, June 11-June 2020.
The personal planets of the third decan Gemini are Saturn and Uranus, painting a portrait full of contradictions. Sometimes this person is ultra-careful, dutiful, responsible, serious, at other times carefree or even careless. Uranus combined with the planet Mercury suggests an unusually active or even brilliant mind possibly even verging on genius. This person may be a thinker who is ahead of their times. Or maybe they are just zany.
Aquarius – natural ruler of the eleventh house of friends, hopes, and wishes-makes this Gemini a social type, a friend-oriented individual interested in social causes. This Gemini is an optimist, always interested in trying out what is new, and never happier than when they are on the move.
Life is rarely dull with a cheerful Decan 3 Gemini around, but they are the most independent- natured Gemini decan. They need plenty of space and freedom, with a partner who makes few demands on their time and attention. They are very hard working when they put their mind to it. But keeping promises, fulfilling obligations and routines are not their strongest suit. It is a mistake for this Gemini native to marry early or settle too soon. Adventure, exploration and experimentation with ideas, people and places- this is what they are about. This is what makes them tick.
Famous Gemini people
Carl Linnaeus, Peter the Great, Adam Smith, Richard Wagner, Arthur Conan Doyle, John Maynard Keynes, John F Kennedy, Frank Lloyd Wright, Boris Johnson. Johnny Depp, Queen Victoria, Charles 11, George 111,George V, Donald Trump, Muammar Gaddafi, Angelina Jolie, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Happy birthday, Gemini 2023
What is the advice for Gemini in 2023?
Astro-dice Casting
We have drawn The Sun in Gemini in the Second House.
Here is the mystery of synchronicity at work in real time. I throw 3 dice, asking, what is the keynote message for Gemini in 2023, and, blow me down, we have drawn the Sun in Gemini, reflecting an exact mirror image of the question as stated, and then the Second House, ruled by Taurus, represents the answer.
And here is more real time astrology. The astro-dice are picking up on the current transit of Mercury (ruler of Gemini) in the second house of Taurus.
These die have already been cast. What we have been dealing with since April and May may start to bear fruit (or deliver further baggage) from June onwards in 2023.
The focus this year is on material and financial security, and also perhaps wining and dining and other earthy luxuries. The money sign of Taurus, ruled by Venus, planet of beauty AND money, as the best things in life may be free, but the basics cost money, and beautiful things cost more money. Taurus also refers to agriculture and food- all good things.
The second House is also to do with our values and priorities, and these can change over time.
This is a year for cautious rather than exuberant optimism. New opportunities and adventures are coming this year, and new relationships, though these may be slow to start with.
Taurus gets things done, sharpened by the wit of Mercury. But you may find yourself making slower progress than you are used to. Gently does it.
There is a sense of needing to make peace with the past, letting go of griefs or grudges to do with past disappointments in relationships and business.
Health wise, though butter for instance is a real food, where margarine is not, and Taurus is all about real, rather than processed foods, rich heavy foods may not suit the slightly slower Gemini digestion, or the Gemini mood this year.
Once upon a time there was a fertility festival called The Lupercalia. Men in wolf masks ran about the streets of Rome, and in honour of the fertility god Lupercus and in memory of the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus, would symbolically thrash (lightly touching) any women they met of child-bearing age. Any woman not wanting to be fertile had better stay indoors. But some would deliberately loiter in the streets, hoping to encounter the wolf men.
Later Christianity claimed the festival, originally held on February 15th, renaming it in memory of poor Valentine, a physician who was cruelly beheaded in Rome after doing many a good turn to other people, including the daughter of his jailer, whom he apparently cured of blindness.
The violent death of a well-disposed person on religious grounds. What could be less romantic?
Today is a new moon in Capricorn. It is also a super moon- the moon at perigee, closest in its orbit to the earth, and at its most powerful even though unseen, while the asteroid Chiron, ‘the wounded healer’ stations direct after being retrograde since July. Symbolically, a time of powerful memories; mending and healing. Christmas time always brings a tallying, a counting of heads and faces round tables, present and past. There are more ghost stories attached to Christmas than to Halloween.
The vein is thin again.
Orion is spectacular right now, striding westwards in the southern sky. It is the season of the brightest stars, as seen in the northern hemisphere. The story of the Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 where “wise men from the East” are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. These magi were later re-designated kings, but they may well have been astronomers.
Norah Lofts wrote a novel, ‘How Far to Bethlehem?’ published 1965 in which she retells the story.
Melchior had never seen anything like it; the star was so bright, so full of tragedy and glory. He knew at once that it was his task to find the child and warn its parents. But Melchior was old, poor and unwise in the ways of men. Providence took him to the barbarian king, Gaspar, who wanted to know if this great King in the East would be a threat to his empire. It was Balthazar, the escaped slave with a wonderful knowledge of languages, who helped them find their way across hazardous and violent country to Judea. Just as the three men began their journey, a young girl stood bravely before her betrothed husband in Nazareth trying to find the words to tell him that she was pregnant. Not only was the child not his but she had never known a man. How could she make him understand that their destiny was to raise the Christ-child together?
Astronomers speculate that the Star of Bethlehem may have been a
*supernova
*comet
*triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn c 7-5 BC
*conjunction of Jupiter, Regulus (little prince) and Venus (birth).
We are in the first decan of Capricorn territory, the element of earth. The quality is cardinal. These natives are instigators, initiators and executors; natural born leaders, naturalists and historians. Their drive is to inquire, build, conserve and consolidate.
The first decan of Capricorn is associated in the Tarot with the Two of Pentacles/Coins/Disks-or Stones.
The Illuminati Tarot
The symbolism here is bridge building, or juggling resources.
Vladimir Putin is a Libra subject, but this card has previously shown his ambition to create a new land bridge, joining port to port. He will join a Russian controlled corridor Mariupol all the way to Kaliningrad if only he can. Though it isn’t looking as though he can though he may have another go at taking Odessa, thus land locking Ukraine, hence the recent public display of talks with Lukashenko.
But should he launch a new front in Transnistria come the New Year, this may be the ultimate aim. What if Germany, using Putin’s same arguments, decided it wanted to liberate Kalingrad, and take it back…decided it was still Konigsberg, actually.
In more general terms Capricorn says, what do we mean by homeland?
It is my mother’s birthday today. A true Queen of Pentacles, daughter of Demeter, she wrote this poem:
The Stone People
We are the people and we are the stones
The greater the stones, the higher we stand
We are the stones, our feet in the earth
And under the earth and over the ground
The shape of the stones is the shape of the land
And the shape of the land shapes us
And the shape that we are says who we are
And the shape of the land is us
And the stones where we are is the place where we are
And the place where we are is us
And we are the stones and our bones are the stones
And the stones are us, are us
When we are not here to hold hands in our ring
To talk and plan as we must
You can hear the beat of our stony feet
In the circles that stand for us
-Margaret Whyte
from ‘Mrs Noah Lives In The Real World.’
People of the stones. Our natal, native, physically formative patch of ground can be identified thousands of years after our death by the mineral profile of our teeth.
Castlerigg, Cumbria, UK, via Wiki
The lucky stone particularly associated with this time of year is the Moss Agate. It is not a true agate, as it is not banded, but is counted in this family and considered a semi-precious crystal. It’s made of silicon dioxide and chalcedony. The hue comes from emerald ore and a minute quantity of metallic particles, such as iron or chrome.
In superstitious or magical terms it stands for Earth itself and the element of water on Earth. It is said to be a wealth attractor; to soothe anger and calm grief, and to protect against atmospheric pollutants.
Season’s Greetings. I’ll leave you with We Three Kings…wait for the bagpipes-are they Northumbrian pipes-or Persian?
Painting Andrea Camassei 1635, Museo del Prado
