zodiac – True Tarot Tales

Hey Toro! The Season of the Star Bull Taurus

This year the sun is in the sign of Taurus 19 April 2024 -20 May 2024. The dates for the sun signs can vary by a day or two from year to year for astronomical reasons.

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, the sign of the Scales. But in astronomy, even the Scales of Libra are borrowed from the stars of Scorpio and the claws of the giant scorpion in the heavens next door.

Taurus, from the Latin for Bull, is the second sign of the Western Tropical Zodiac and represents the height of spring in the northern hemisphere, ruled by the planet Venus and the goddess herself in all her verdant mythological glory. Venus rules Taurus by day, and the Moon, which is exalted in the sign of the Bull, rules Taurus by night.

Symbolic Associations

· Ruling planet: Venus

· Element: Earth

· Quality: Fixed (mid-season)

· Birthstone: Diamond (April) Emerald(May)

· Metal: copper

· Body: neck, throat, tonsils

· Homeopathic salt: Nat Sulph (Sodium sulphate) used for indigestion or at the onset of cold and flu symptoms

· Flower: the Daisy; innocence, sanctity

· Tree: the Apple Tree; happiness, immortality. Avalon, the resting place of King Arthur was the ‘isle of apples’

· Colours: pastel blue, green, pink

· Spheres of Influence: The Establishment, Church, universities, publishing, agriculture. Professions: Politics, Banking, Agriculture, Church, Government, Construction, Arts, Music/Dance, Entertainment, Beauty, Retail, Fashion, Restaurants

Astronomy

Taurus is a large and prominent constellation bordered by Aries to the west and Gemini to the east. It ranks 17^th in size of the 48 Greek constellations as recorded by Ptolemy in The Mathematics of the Heavens, the Almagest, written AD/CE 150.

The stars of Taurus depict the face, horns and forepart of the bull’s body. His face is made up of a triangular cluster of stars called The Hyades. There are no legs. The bull is imagined half-submerged like the mythical Bull from the Sea. A cluster of stars, The Pleiades, also known as The Seven Sisters, swarms like bees above him.

Aldebaran is Taurus the Bull's fiery eye — Via Earthsky

The best time to observe Taurus is December and January. By March and April, you might see it in the west in the twilight. To find Taurus first you need to find the three stars of Orion’s belt. This is very easy on a clear winter’s night. Now look up to the right, looking north- east, See that bright orange-red star? That’s Aldebaran, ‘The Follower,’ a red giant. Aldebaran is the biggest, brightest star in the constellation, the famous red eye of the Bull, glaring down towards the Hunter. Orion isn’t after the Bull. Orion is chasing the hare, Lepus. But the Bull doesn’t like him anyway.

Should the Bull ever escape his heavenly pen, said ancient Arabic legend, he would stampede the universe to pieces, and it would be the end of things for all time. Let’s hope nothing upsets him up there, and there are plenty of daisies and buttercups, and no flies or mosquitoes to bother him.

History and Mythology

Taurus has been recognized as a sky bull since at least the Early Bronze Age, when the figure of a bull was discerned in the stars by the Sumerians around 3000 BC, and was later recorded in cuneiform by the Babylonians.

In modern astrology Aries is the first sign of the western zodiac, ushering in the spring (vernal) equinox along with the culmination of the first lambing season. Aries was encoded as the first sign of the zodiac by Ptolemy. This remains the case symbolically, although the vernal point of the spring equinox is now technically occurring in the constellation of Pisces owing the wobble of the earth, and the effect known as the precession of the equinoxes. The invisible celestial point that represents the spring equinox changes roughly every two thousand years

4000 years ago, it was still happening in Taurus. For Babylonian astronomers Taurus was the first sign of the Zodiac, and the Bull was also the first sign for the early Hebrews, who called it Aleph, as in A, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Why is Taurus celebrated in spring? Taurus coincides with the calving season. The bull, like its ancestors, the wild aurochs, is a potent symbol of strength and fertility. But where Leo the lion, represents wild strength, Taurus the bull is domesticated, controlled strength, just as the power of the oxen was harnessed for ploughing the fields. One of the archetypes associated with Taurus is ‘The Farmer.’

But the sheer animal power and potency of the bull has exerted a magical influence on the human imagination long before the dawn of agriculture. Paintings of aurochs, the wild ancestors of the modern bull, were discovered in the Lascaux caves in France in paintings, thought to date from 15000 BC/BCE. The most famous section of the Lascaux caves in the Dordogne in France is the Hall of the Bulls, featuring four black bulls, or aurochs. One of these bulls is 5.2 metres (17 feet) long, the largest animal so far seen in cave art.

It is thought that the aurochs migrated at this time of year; a dangerous but potentially highly rewarding hunting opportunity for sabre toothed tigers- and for human hunters. Not only did the aurochs provide the luxury of meat, but the horns,hide and sinews had many uses. Elsewhere, the physical remains of auroch have been discovered on Salisbury Plain near Stonehenge in the UK. Salisbury Plain was once a “lek” -a mass gathering site of the auroch on their annual migration route. These mighty stones were not raised simply on account of ancient ancestors or solar solstice alignments, but to honour the rich and ancient hunting grounds along this resting place on the migration route of the auroch.

a grassy field with rocks in it with Stonehenge in the background — Photo by Karen McKeogh on Unsplash

Hunting gave way to farming, guaranteeing vital survival supplies with less risk attached. The first evidence of the domestication of cattle, goats, sheep and pigs was found in the ‘Fertile Crescent;’ a region covering eastern Turkey, Iraq and south-western Iran from about 12000 years ago.

These farming practices spread westwards, and in time had a genetic effect on the human population, with the sudden appearance of a gene mutation that enabled humans to digest raw cow’s milk into adulthood. It’s not known when this first occurred, but it happened in Northern Europe, probably driven by the food challenges of longer colder winters. Today, an estimated 35 % of the adult human population can digest the milk sugar, lactose, mostly in Europe, while this is much lower in other countries and as many as 99% of Chinese people are lactose intolerant.

Bull Worship

The bull was considered a divine animal throughout antiquity; a symbol of the moon, fertility, rebirth, and royal power, while today, the Lithuanian word ‘taurus’ means ‘noble.’

There is evidence of bull cults throughout the Mediterranean starting in Anatolia, dating from at least 70000 BC. From the worship of the Apis bull in Egypt, to bull-leaping in Knossos and the sacrificial portrayal in Roman Mithraism, the bull has been an integral part of many diverse and important religious traditions. The High Priestess in the Tarot deck wears a two- horned or crescent moon crown with the full Moon in-between in token of Hathor, the cow goddess of Thebes (Egypt).

Smith Waite Tarot

Greek legend associated Taurus with the legend of Zeus and Europa, in which the god Zeus, up to his tricks yet again, disguised himself as a beautiful white bull, coaxed the princess Europa into climbing on his back, then swam away with her to Crete, and made her one of his mistresses, giving her the gift of a pet dog that later became the constellation Canis Major. Their children included Minos, King of Crete, the builder of the Labyrinth and the famous palace at Knossos where the bull games were held.

Bull worship; the concept of the bull as a divine concept, gradually migrated westwards and northwards. The Celtic druids held Tauric festivals at least 2000 years ago, and there is archaeological evidence of bull worship near Newcastle and York in northern England in the UK.

The Buddha was born when the Full Moon was in Taurus (Vesak.) The Buddha’s birthday is celebrated at the Vesak Festival which in 2024 will be celebrated on the day of the Full Moon May 23 based on the Vedic lunar calendar. Vesak day honours the day of the birth, the enlightenment, and the death of the Buddha and is considered a public holiday in South East Asia in countries including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.

shallow focus photo of Gautama Buddha figurine — Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash

The Taurus Archetype

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 paint a poetic portrait of a person born at a particular time of year, in a particular season. A baby born in summer in either hemisphere 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 fixed sign, Taurus rules anything associated with the mid- zone of spring, the height of the season. The other fixed signs are Leo, mid-summer, Scorpio, mid-autumn and Aquarius, mid-winter. The fixed signs are traditionally considered the most stable and steadfast signs, rooted in their ruling element, protectors of the status quo, the signs in tune with ancient things, the guardians of conservation and protecting continuity.

Taurus rules the ears, neck and throat. Taurus is known for its particularly pleasant or distinctive voice. Taurus may seem slower to learn compared with say, a mercurial, quicksilver Gemini native. But their grasp is both intuitive and thorough, and they possess an excellent memory. Once learned, never forgotten.

Taurus has an equable, pleasant, even magnetic personality, always excepting the grumpy, taciturn, self-opinionated natives. Taurus is known for a quiet style of physical attractiveness. Ruled by the Moon and Venus, these are sensual people. This sign especially needs to watch they don’t overdo the whole comfort thing, over-eating and so on. Taurus is a singer and a dancer. They have natural rhythm, but while they are strong and they have good stamina, they are not known as sporty types. This beautiful model is wearing the colours of Taurus.

woman in green and purple floral dress — Photo by Chalo Garcia on Unsplash

Taurus won’t be pushed about. Many a bull has worn a ring through his nose for the safety of the farmer. Masters of passive resistance, notoriously resistant and stubborn, their strength and stability is the bright side of this same coin. Taurus has a gift of soothing and reassuring others, though, like a bull shaking off gadflies while chewing the cud, they can be irritable if you try to rush them, crowding them while their thoughts are elsewhere.

herd of brown and black bulls on brown sand — Photo by Kendall Ruth on Unsplash

Bulls cannot actually see the colour red. It’s the movement of the matador’s cape that provokes them in the bull ring, and not the colour. Taurus is slow to anger but rarely loses in a fair fight. The bull ring is not a fair fight. The bull is weakened by the picadors on horseback, injured before he meets the matador, who would have a far smaller chance of survival otherwise. Still, the matador requires superb courage to meet the mighty bull in an open space, and this is the chance for the bull to have his revenge for his death, a chance denied to other bulls who will go to the slaughter house.s

When the human bull ‘sees’ red they either dig in hard or else charge head on. Taurus in a full-on rage is a ‘bull in a china shop’ – the Earth sign that will withstand or demolish the opposition of the other more famous ‘fighting’ signs, Aries, Leo, and even the famously lethal Scorpio, its opposite number in the zodiac. Other people get a shock when Taurus suddenly turns and starts lowering their head and hoofing the turf. The mistake of the other person was in pushing the boundaries once too often, taking their good nature for granted.

If a Taurus is being unreasonable, or being a ‘bully,’ stay calm and quietly stand your ground. Do as you would be done by, and more often than not, the typical Taurus will respond in kind.

Thank you for reading. Back soon with the story of the Decans, Taurus in the Tarot and the weather in Taurus season 2024…

The Story of Aries, Fiery Sky Ram 2024

Aries, the Decans and general Astrology 2024

Salutations Aries! Spring is here, announced by the vernal equinox which occurred about 3 this morning UK time. But what’s the story behind the zodiac sun sign?

Symbolic Associations

Symbol:

Dates: 20 March – 19 April

Ruling planet: Mars

Lucky Day: Tuesday

Energy: Yang (Masculine/Extrovert. Not gender specific)

Element: Fire

Quality: Cardinal (Initiation- the start of a new season)

Key phrase: I am

Body: Aries rules the Head Constitutional Cell Salt: Potassium Phosphate, “brain food” -helpful for nerve and brain health. Foods containing this salt include but are not limited to: beans, beets, carrots, peanuts, milk, cheese and avocados

Birth Stone: Topaz, Aquamarine, Diamond

Colour: Red

Herbs/Flowers: Honeysuckle, tulip, thistle, bryony, peppermint, tiger lily, geranium, hops, impatiens, onions, hollyhock, thorn-bearing trees/shrubs/firs

Tarot Cards: The Emperor, Queen of Wands, and 2, 3 and 4 Wands (Rods, Batons).

The Spring/Vernal Equinox

Aries is the first sun sign in the year of the Tropical Western Zodiac. The word ‘zodiac’ comes from the ancient Greek word meaning ‘circle of animals.’ The only zodiac sign non-representative of a living creature is Aries’ opposite number Libra, the sign of the Scales of Justice, but even the Scales are borrowed from the claws of the giant Scorpion and the stars of Scorpio in the heavens next door.

We enter the zodiac sun sign territory of Aries on the day that once upon a time used to mark the spring/vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere, and the day of the autumn/fall equinox in the southern hemisphere.

The vernal equinox happens when the Sun is exactly above the equator, and day and night are equal length as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going north.

2,500 years ago, the annual conjunction of the sun and the star Hamal happened at the invisible point of the vernal/spring equinox, and this was the data used in the astronomer, mathematician and astrologer Ptolemy’s modelling of Western Tropical astrology in the 2^nd Century AD.

But now, astronomically speaking, the position of the Sun on the day of the vernal equinox is in the constellation of Pisces near the border of Aquarius. Modern star maps project that the vernal equinox will be entering Aquarius in about 600 years. The spring equinox technically happens in Pisces owing to the effect over time of the wobble of the earth and the precession of the equinoxes.

In the system of Western Tropical astrology however, and for profound historical and symbolic reasons, the spring/vernal equinox is still referred as the First Point of Aries, marking a great energetic re-set.

Astronomy

We can picture the star-ram lying or sitting head downwards, perhaps looking over his shoulder as if to admire his own fleece, or perhaps he’s just chilling, and chewing the cud.

New life is ignited. The planetary ruler of Aries is Mars, the red planet of action, energy, enthusiasm, courage, passion, initiative- and war. The real life ram is strong, brave, and at certain times of year, downright aggressive, charging headlong into the field, king of all he surveys. Ewes can be aggressive too, if disturbed by strangers when they have lambs to protect.

The constellation of Aries is located between the stars of Pisces to its west and Taurus to its east. It contains a galaxy about 100 million light-years from our own galaxy, the Milky Way, and it also contains a planetary system called 30 Ari, consisting of a gas giant and four stars. A supernova in Aries was recorded in May, in the year 1012 AD.

The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning “the Head of the Sheep.” Hamal is twice the size of our own sun, an orange giant star, the 49^th brightest in the night sky-as bright as Mars when the planet is at its farthest point from Earth.

The two lowest stars at the bottom are Sheratan, a blue-white star, and Mesarthim, a whitish binary star, and these mark the horns of the Ram.

The very best time to see Aries is in December. Spring in the Northern Hemisphere spring or autumn/fall in the Southern Hemisphere is the worst time for viewing the stars of Aries, lost in the glare of the sun this time of year.

History

The Sumerians called the sun ‘Subat,’ meaning ‘Ancient Sheep’ or Ram and the planets were known as the ‘Celestial Herd’. The Sumerians were one of the oldest known urban civilizations in what is now Southern Iraq, during the Neolithic-Bronze Age, 4500 BC/BCE to 1500 years BC/BCE.

The sheep was among the first animals domesticated by humans around 11000 – 9000 BC (BCE) and the spring equinox which at that time happened in Aries marked the end of the main lambing season of wild sheep in Europe.

a baby lamb is jumping in the air — Photo by Jonathan Mabey on Unsplash

In ancient Egyptian astronomy, Aries was called ‘Lord of the Head’ – a reference to its symbolic significance, and it was associated with the god Amon-Ra, who was depicted as a man with a ram’s head and represented fertility and creativity. Because it was at the invisible point identified as the location of the spring (vernal) equinox, it was called the “Indicator of the Reborn Sun.”

Historically, the stars of Aries have also been envisioned in human form, as an agricultural worker. But the Ram has triumphed supreme.

The position of Aries at the zenith at that time coincided with the rising of Sirius in the east and the flooding of the Nile and the Temple of Amon-Ra at Karnak bore the likeness of the supreme sun-god with the horns of a ram.

Though long ago recognized as a constellation, and though the ancient Greeks oriented the construction of many of their sacred temples in relationship to the brightest star in Aries, Hamal, Aries was not listed as a constellation until the second century, by Ptolemy.

The Zodiac Archetype

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. Aries is a cardinal sign, marking the start of a new season. The other cardinal signs are Libra, marking the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere, and Capricorn, marking the onset of winter. The cardinal signs are traditionally considered the most innovative and proactive, the signs most at ease with driving change.

Aries is frisky, young at heart, the metaphysical ‘baby’ of the zodiac; adventurous, optimistic, generous, curious, brave, passionate, direct, self-willed and inclined to lose its temper if denied or crossed. Aries represents the concept of The Self. It seeks to express itself through exploration and pushing at boundaries, and it wants its own way.

But of course there is no such thing in reality as THE Aries personality. You are a unique individual. Your zodiac sign (sun sign) is a major keynote, but it is nothing like the full picture in real life – or in astrology either. There are many other factors in play; your ascendant or rising sign, your Moon sign; the planets in your houses and their aspects, and the decan and degree of the actual day and moment you were born.

Aries in the Tarot

The Tarot cards associated with Aries are The Emperor, the Queen of Wands and the 2, 3 and 4 of Wands.

The major arcana card associated with Aries is The Emperor, setting the overall tone for this zodiac sun sign. The Emperor of the Ram seeks to claim territory and to create and impose order in that territory. At his best, he rules wisely and with care and justice. He is the best of fathers. Or he is an able administrator. At his worst, he is a bully; an overbearing or inefficient bureaucrat, or a tyrant and a warmonger.

From the Smith Waite Tarot

Card Meanings: a man of authority, virility, parent, employer, a military man, maturity, order, experience, hard won leadership, discipline, authority, government, organizations, rules, bureaucracy, doing things by the book, ego, I am in charge, what I say goes, Drawn reversed: bully, tyrant, warmonger. Note the ram skulls decorating his throne.

Every suit in the Tarot has its own court with a king and queen, a knight and a page. The Court card associated with Aries is the Queen of Wands though this card may equally represent a man born under Aries. Aries is ruled by the element of fire in the Tarot, Wands is the suit of fire. Aries is ruled by the Sun, the Ruler of the Day, and this Queen holds a sunflower in token of her royal sceptre.

From the Smith Waite Tarot

Card Meanings: A helpful woman, a mother figure, a lucky person (signified by the black cat, also notice the royal lions) She is proud, with good instincts and may possess occult abilities. Warmth, directness, spontaneity and independence, nurturing, generosity, enthusiasm, impatience, ambition and competitiveness are her archetypal qualities. Queen of Clubs. Be there or be square. She may be either male or female in a real life reading. A man born under Aries may appear in a reading as the Emperor, a King of Wands or the Queen of Wands.

Lastly, the minor arcana cards associated with Aries are Two, Three and Four of Wands. These are the cards that talk about the decans (or decanates) of Aries. If you don’t feel like you are a ‘typical’ Aries, well, we are all unique, but perhaps you are also a second or third decan Aries sun sign native, rather than a ‘most typical’ first decan Aries.

The decans

The Zodiac is the belt of sky we can see from earth, tracking the path of the sun across the sky over the course of the year. We call this annual pathway of the sun ‘the ecliptic,’ as mentioned previously when we were talking about the spring/vernal equinox.

In the second century, Ptolemy, the Greek mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, chose twelve of the constellations straddling the ecliptic, and named the sun signs after these chosen twelve constellations: Aries, Taurus, Gemini Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and lastly, Pisces. Ptolemy chose only twelve for reasons of elegance of arithmetic in dividing the 360 degrees of the wheel of the zodiac.

Each of these zodiac signs therefore represents a 30 degree section of the zodiac belt. Each sign is then further sub-divided into three blocks of ten degrees, each about ten days in length though with slight variations. This gives us the ‘decans,’ from the Latin meaning ‘ten,’ (also called decanates.)

Nicknamed the ‘thirty-six faces of astrology’ the decans bring added depth and nuance to the story of the zodiac sun signs.

First Decan Aries (0-10 degrees)

21 March-30 March

Two of Wands

From the Smith Waite Tarot

Card Meanings: vision, ambition, trade, exports, entrepreneurship, agreements, partnerships, government, meetings, the world is my oyster. Reversed: fear of the unknown, overweening ambition, lack of planning, delays and disappointments

The ruling planet is Mars and the co-ruler is also Mars, giving this first Aries decan a forceful double dose of fiery, headlong Mars, bringing out the positive and dominant side of this Aries subject. They are up for new challenges. This is after all, the first decan of a whole new zodiac year.

Aries seeks power and often has great charisma too. But one of the nicknames of this card is ‘The Melancholy of Alexander,’ referring to the restlessness of the conqueror Alexander the Great, who won great lands but was never satisfied.

The personality is independent, forceful, temperamental, often generous, while potentially domineering, dictatorial or even aggressive. This super active first decan- not coincidentally- tends to be athletic and sporty. They are also known for a gift with words and public speaking abilities.

These natives of Aries think fast and act fast-sometimes too fast. They can be hasty and irritable with others who act more slowly. This person learns quickly and seemingly effortlessly, and will often perform well in a leadership role, but they need to learn to moderate their impatience and practice patience and understanding to have the best experience with other people and get the best from them in return. Respect, it must be remembered, is a two-way street.

Famous first decan Aries natives: Harry Houdini, Robert Frost, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga

Second Decan Aries (10-20 degrees)

1 April-10 April

Three of Wands

From the Smith Waite Tarot

Card Meanings: progress, expansion, overseas opportunities, new horizons, a launch, your ship comes in, planning, critical timing, preparation, teamwork: Reversed: lack of foresight, timidity, thinking too small, unexpected delays

The co-rulers of this decan are Mars and the Sun, the ‘Ruler of the Day.’ The sun is the centre of the solar system, the bringer of life itself, and here it stands for dignity, honour and ambition. This Aries personality not only welcomes change but actively seeks it out, relishing a challenge. This gifted Aries native desires a creative challenge and maybe a global challenge too, why not, while they are at it.

They are generally known for their directness and honesty, but they can be rather stern in outlook. They will tell you something to your face, but though they really do not like to be told what to do, they won’t hold back from telling others.

This Mars-Sun combination is considered a particularly lucky planetary combination. Everyone gets their own mix of luck, good and bad. That’s just life. But still, The Sun governs pride and personal ambition, and this lucky influence can offset the more challenging aspects of the Mars effect. These Aries natives have a knack of landing on their feet.

Famous second decan Aries natives: Otto von Bismarck, Hans Christian Anderson, Bette Davis, Al Gore, Russell Crowe, Jackie Chan, Celine Dion, Quentin Tarantino

Third Aries Decan (20-30 degrees)

10 April-20 April

Four of Wands

From the Smith Waite Tarot

Card meanings: celebration, achievement, professional qualification, property improvements, building, setting up home, homecoming, publishing, creating an artwork. Reversed: bad luck, frustrations, roadblocks

This Aries native is generally more peaceable and easy-going than the other two decans; co-ruled by Mars and Jupiter, the God of Fortune. Jupiter brings good fortune and opportunity in alliance with the energy, drive and ambition of Mars.

There is sincerity, honesty and a gracious, warm-hearted nobility in this last Aries placement. Like the second decan Aries, these Aries natives often have some particular and well-developed creative or artistic talent. They are witty, personable, and with a sense of humour, and gracious to others, although they have a short fuse. These are passionately devoted family people with a keen sense of justice, much concerned with right and wrong. They can become a tad righteous, some might say self- righteous on occasion, and others may find them arrogant, as with other decanates of Aries. They are proud, and they may well have every good reason. They just need to remember that others have their own dignity too.

Famous Third Decan Aries natives: Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Charlie Chaplin, Tom Clancy, Francis Ford Coppola, Victoria Beckham, Gary Kasparov

The Cusps of Aries

Pisces-Aries

If your birthday is March 21 through to and including March 21, you are an Aries sun sign with Pisces tendencies and your ruling planets are Mars and Neptune. These natives are known for combining unusual intelligence, understanding and originality with a studious and cautious approach, and though they are amiable they deeply resent being forced or interfered with in the way they do things. These natives may well have a special talent for mechanical or electrical sciences and they like to lead and direct others. These natives tend to be independent critical thinkers, happiest outside the mainstream. They have an adventurous streak, are loyal to their small circle of friends and often end up with a career very different to where they started out. They can do very well indeed if they can learn to curb a certain tendency to impatience and irritability

Aries-Taurus

If your birthday is April 17 through to and including April 20, you are an Aries sun sign native with Taurean tendencies and your ruling planets are Mars and Venus. This sun sign cusp native is fiery, romantic, ambitious and determined, hardworking and talented but with an impatient or nervous streak. They dislike disorder and can get rattled when things can’t be done properly, one thing at a time. The Aries-Taurus native is competitive, wants to succeed and most likely will, but not at any cost, not if it means trampling roughshod over the rights of others. These natives are exacting and demanding in their own standards, and in their expectations of others. They may come across as arrogant to some, but are well-respected by family, friends and business associates for their honesty, integrity, their sense of honour and fair play.

Aries Season 2024 – Astrology

moon and clouds — Photo by Jack Taylor on Unsplash

March 25 -Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse in Libra

This penumbral lunar eclipse begins at 4:53 UTC on March 25, 2024. This will be 12:53 a.m. EDT in North America. Greatest eclipse is at 7:12 UTC on March 25 (3:12 a.m. EDT.) Its total duration will be 4 hours and 36 minutes.

The spring awakening of the spring equinox 19 March is reinforced a week later by the March 25 Libra full moon, the first eclipse of 2024. This lunar eclipse is at 5 degrees of Libra. The corresponding Tarot card is the Two of Swords, signifying a pause, indecision, a truce, a standoff, or a stalemate.

From the Smith Waite Tarot

This lunar Libra eclipse links back to the new Moon and solar eclipse in Libra which happened October 14, 2023. The Two of Swords suggests we will now see, if not a ceasefire, then a stalemate or a standoff to do with the shocking events in Israel and Gaza, international efforts of diplomacy, and the threat of an impending humanitarian disaster in Rafah.

On a personal level, this first lunar eclipse to aspect Pluto in Aquarius may cast an eerie or melancholy light on troubled relationships or partnerships, and some may now have run their course. It is time to let something go. We may well have no choice in the matter. But how we handle loss is up to us, and only we can decide to let bygones be bygones.

April 1-April 25: Mercury retrograde in Aries

The two week period between the lunar eclipse 25 March and the approaching solar eclipse 8 April is likely to bring significant developments in global events, national events and also possibly, closer to home. More haste, less speed, as the old saying goes, and this is not a time to act in haste. We are liable to have an accident. We can’t go wrong the last week of the month, backing up data and devices, reading the small print or making calls, double checking documentation, plans and arrangements.

April 8 New Moon/Total Solar Eclipse in Aries

This total Solar Eclipse on April 8th, 2024 will be happening at 19 degrees and 24 minutes of Aries, most directly affecting those born with personal planets and points at approximately 14 to 24 degrees of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.)

The first New Moon and eclipse of the Astrological year is a powerful launching pad for new beginnings. However, it is also occurring during a Mercury retrograde in Aries. This may be the time to try again with something that failed to take off before, or to finish something that we started before but never completed. Meanwhile we can expect all manner of revelations and surprises. It could get pretty intense. With the North Node in Aries and the South Node in Libra all year, there is a powerful push and pull between the First and Seventh Houses in our natal charts.This is “me” versus “we” energy, navigating heightened conflicting needs and obligations of sovereignty/alliances, independence/co-dependence/partnerships, autonomy/exchange.

The degree of this eclipse corresponds with the cusp between the second and third decans of Aries, and the corresponding Tarot cards are the Three and Four of Wands. This may be anticipating imminent fresh challenges to do with trade, shipping, and naval power in the Red Sea, the Black Sea or the South China Sea.

white and black wind chime on brown wooden table near sea during sunset — Photo by Rafik Wahba on Unsplash

A solar eclipse is classically associated with the advent of a departure of a highly significant man. This can mean a head of state. Astrologers are particularly fascinated by this eclipse, not only because Aries represents the idea of The Emperor or Head of State, or potentially war, thereby doubling up on that reading of the omen, but this one this will be the only total solar eclipse in the 21st century that will be visible throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada occurring at the time of the first Pluto return of the United States. The Roman Empire endured two Pluto returns. A metamorphosis is taking shape in the United States but it may take until at least 2028 to see what it will look like

Where else will it be visible? See here: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when/

March 11- April 4 Venus in Pisces

For all the heat and action, there is also an undertow of nostalgia in the air, tender and affectionate. A sense of longing for something difficult to define and hard to satisfy. Borders and boundaries blur under Venus in Pisces. The shadow side of this position is illusion and delusion, falling prey to wishful thinking, or we may find we are only getting part of the story, dealing with poor information or evasive or dishonest behaviour. We might overspend. We might overlook practicalities. We need to pay attention, and listen out for what is not being said.

But Venus is exalted in Pisces. It’s deep, beautiful, compassionate, generous and capable of sacrifice. Here is Art and Heart. Here is Grace. Venus in Pisces somewhat soothes, slows and offsets the heat and energy of Aries 2024.

a statue sitting on top of a rock next to a body of water — Photo by Matteo Panara on Unsplash

Thank you for reading.

Back soon with a general Tarot spread for the coming season….

Enter the Season of Pisces The Heavenly Fishes, 2024

Most of us know our Western Tropical zodiac sun sign, but what’s the story behind it? And what are the decans? It’s time to find out more about Pisces the Heavenly Fishes

13th century window in Chartres Cathedral

Traditional associations

Symbol:

Date of Birth: 19 Feb to 20 March

Ruling planets: Traditional: Jupiter Modern: Neptune

Element: Water

Quality: Mutable

Lucky Days: Monday and Thursday

Energy: Yin (receptive)

Key phrase: I believe

Body: Feet, eyes, bladder

Tissue Salt: Ferrum Phos (Iron Phosphate) An oxygen booster.

Birth Stone: Aquamarine but also amethyst, ruby, blood-stone and jasper. Aquamarine is the blue variety of beryl. Emerald is a green beryl. The aquamarine is believed to enhance foresight, clairvoyance and a sense of well-being.

Colours: Purple, violet, sea-green

Herbs/Flowers: the water lily (associated with Neptune)

Tarot cards: The Moon: ebb and flow, cyclical shifts, intuition, dreams, visionary capabilities, ghosts, fertility, instinct v societal norms, wild creatures, difficulties with travel, infection, poison, uncertainties, shadow boxing, wild creatures.

Other cards: the Knight of Cups and the 8, 9 and 10 Cups.

Smith Waite Centennial deck © U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Pisces Astronomy

Pisces, named for the Latin plural of fish, is the 14th largest constellation overall, located in the first quadrant of the Northern Hemisphere and covering a large V-shaped region. But although it’s a fairly large constellation its stars are faint, none brighter than fourth magnitude. Not easy to see with the naked eye.

Even so, its brightest star, Eta Piscium, also known as Alphergor Kullat Nunuis a bright giant star 294 light-years from Earth, 316 times more luminous than the sun. Its Babylonian name is Kullat Nunu, ‘Nunu’ meaning ‘fish’ and ‘kullat’ meaning a bucket.

The fish of Pisces are often depicted in art as two koi carp swimming at right angles to each other; one to the north, one to the west, and attached by a cord. This imaginary cord, Alrescha or Alpha Piscium, is made up of a pair of white dwarf stars. Astronomer Ian Ridpath explains: “A cord joins the tails of Pisces. The horizontal dashed line passing through the southerly fish is the celestial equator, and the diagonal dashed line is the Sun’s annual path, the ecliptic. The point where they cross is known as the vernal (spring) equinox.”

Pisces rules the feet. Symbolically Pisces has one foot in the death of the old year, and one foot in the new life of springtime.Pisces is the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac year, ruling the twelfth house in a personal horoscope, representing hopes, dreams and fears- what lies beneath. “Can thou draw forth leviathan from the deep?”

In Christianity, Pisces represents Christ, and its opposite sign of Virgo represents Mary, the mother of Christ.

Pisces stands for what is unknowable.

The nature origins of the Pisces story

green pine trees beside river during daytime — Springtime snow melt Montana Photo by Gary Yost on Unsplash

February and March is the time of the winter melt, the fullest mountain rivers and the first spawning of fresh water fishes in the Northern hemisphere. This was the flooding season in Mesopotamia where the zodiac signs and stories of the Western Tropical zodiac first originated. There is evidence of recorded astrology dating back to the third millennium BC/BCE.

Pisces is a mutable sign, marking the subtle transition of one season into another. Pisces marks the end of winter leading up to the vernal equinox. Of all the zodiac signs, the mutable signs; Pisces, Gemini and Sagittarius, are traditionally the most adaptable, the ones most at ease with endings, transitions and change.

The fishes of Pisces are attached by a cord of stars, just as life and death, and winter and spring are conjoined, and cannot be separated. Pisces is not only the last sign of winter, moving into spring; it is the last sign of the zodiac year; a symbolic culmination of all the signs that came before it.

undefined — From Urania’s Mirror, Sidney Hall, 1824

The end of winter often brings mourning. More than any other season, it is the end of winter that carries away the old and frail. A mild or green winter was especially feared as it “made fat the graveyard,” as the old saying went.

Pisces straddles winter’s grief and the bright green shoots of spring.

The Pisces Archetype/Astrological Personality

The court card of Pisces is the Knight of Cups, signifying an offer, an invitation, a proposal, a welcome message, a bringer of good news, an admirer, lover, chivalry, a Sir Galahad, good health, a healing cup, a loving cup, fertility, pregnancy.

Pisces is famous for its emotional depths and visionary capabilities; sensitive, intuitive, psychic, often musically or artistically gifted, but also capable of not only scientific or technical competence, but brilliance.

These are talented individuals and famously loyal once committed; compassionate and sensitive. They adapt with ease, are spontaneous and full of surprises, but while their steel may be largely hidden, all the same, it is there. Not much is said about this Piscean steel but Pisces can be, not just resilient, but downright tough in its own quiet way.

Many police officers, arbitrators and judges are born under Pisces, as well as artists and musicians. Administrative work, although Pisces can do it perfectly competently, is not their forte by and large.

Strengths

Pisces can make excellent and approachable leaders of small teams, loyal to the staff in their charge. They will take on injustice, and challenge those of superior status. But Pisces, unlike Aquarius, confines their remit to action on an individual basis. Pisces is not temperamentally disposed to the mounting of group actions, campaigns or crusades. Unless perhaps, they are early Pisces, born on the Aquarius cusp. The later subjects of this sign, born close to the Aries cusp are potentially very much the warrior ‘doers’ of Pisces, and they will keep their own counsel and act alone if their blood is up.

Pisces is brave, kindly and instinctive, but their constitutional physical energy, once depleted, is not buoyant or easily restored. If Pisces is prone to headaches at the back of the head, there may possibly be related bladder infections or other issues.

Pisces, while sociable, needs a fair bit of time to itself. Pisces thrives on rest, music, hobbies and relaxation time near to rivers, ponds and sea. The writer personally knows two freshwater anglers who are Pisces sun sign natives. One keeps his own pond of koi carp at home.

Challenges

Depending on other planetary placements, Pisces may fall prey to wishful thinking, melancholy or unhealthy lifestyle habits. They may struggle to recover and regroup from setbacks. Without enough to do, or without a clear sense of purpose or direction, Pisces can drift loose from their cord, becoming detached and living too much in their own imaginary world.

But of course there is no such thing in reality as the Pisces personality. You are a unique individual. Your zodiac sign (sun sign) is a major keynote, but it is nothing like the full picture in real life – or in astrology. There are many other factors in play in your natal chart; your rising sign, your Moon sign; the planets in your houses, the aspects, your decan, and the degree of the actual day you were born.

If you don’t feel like a ‘typical’ Pisces, perhaps you are a second or third decan Pisces, rather than a ‘most typical’ first decan Pisces.

The Decans of Pisces

two Siamese fighting fishes — Photo by Worachat Sodsri on Unsplash

The decans (or decanates) are a further way of marking time, breaking down each of the zodiac signs into three shorter blocks of roughly ten days each.

While the Mesopotamians (Babylon and Sumeria in what is modern day Iraq) were developing the signs of the zodiac and the concept of natal astrology, astrologers in Egypt were developing the system of the decans. These two astrological traditions came together sometime around the 1st Century BCE and the 36 decans were merged with the astrological signs.

The Zodiac is a belt of sky we see from earth, tracking the path of the sun across the sky over the course of the year. We call this pathway of the sun ‘the ecliptic.’ The Greeks named the zodiac signs after twelve of the constellations appearing on, or crossing this zodiac belt: Aries, Taurus, Gemini Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and lastly, Pisces.

Each of these designated zodiac signs represents a 30 degree section of the zodiac belt. Each sign is then further sub-divided into three blocks of ten degrees ten days in length, with slight variations. This gives us the decans or decanates from the Latin meaning ‘ten.’

The decans are popularly known as the ‘thirty-six faces of astrology,’ adding subtle depth and nuance to the stories of the signs of the zodiac, distinguishing between someone born at the start of their zodiac month from someone who is born during the middle or at the end of the zodiac month.

Readers may also use decans to help with the determining of timing issues.

First Decan Pisces

Pisces- Pisces

Dates: 19 Feb-29 Feb

Planetary rulers: Traditional: Jupiter/ Modern: Neptune

Tarot card: Eight of Cups

Card meanings: Moving on, cutting ones losses, leaving something behind, but not in anger. Reversed: disillusionment, regret

The first decan of any sign is considered the most typical. Pisces makes for versatility and adaptability, while Neptune presents a soft or gentle manner or appearance. This Pisces decan is rarely aggressive or confrontational.

But there is a sense of a push and pull going on here. Jupiter means Pisces thinks big and steps forward. Neptune means Pisces swims in circles or hides in the weeds. This Pisces native connects with other people on an unconscious level, almost hearing what they are thinking. Maybe they haven’t noticed this about themselves yet, or they take their telepathy for granted, but if this is you, watch out for the signs.

While quiet, this Pisces has deep passions and their love life can be tempestuous. Their ideal partner will be lively and communicative with a can-do approach but the first decan Pisces tends to go on a lot of detours before arriving or settling in their happy place or rightful destination.

They often look younger than their age, but they need to be especially aware of their dietary and other habits in order to protect their health; mood, and the chest, lungs and feet in particular. Pisces is extra-sensitive to the effects of overindulgence of alcohol or mind altering drugs.

Second Decan Pisces

Pisces-Cancer

Dates: 1-10 March (approx.)

Planetary ruler: Moon

Tarot card: Nine of Cups

Card Meanings: the wish card, dreams come true, food and drink, the hospitality industry. Reversed: overindulgence, complacency, self-satisfaction

The sub-influence for this decan is Cancer, ruled by The Moon. Cancer is the natural ruler of the fourth house of home, family and security. These Pisces subjects typically stay close to birth family members. This Pisces may struggle to loosen parental ties, becoming fully independent, but must do so if they want to progress and develop and become the adult in the room (Saturn in Pisces

The zone of the sky from March 1 –10 houses the stars of the water of Aquarius, Eridanus the river and the western fish of Pisces. These are the faintest, most elusive stars. Now you see them, now you don’t.

These Pisceans blend in anywhere. Sensitive and psychic, this decan absorbs like moss. For the same reason these highly empathic people need to choose their company with care, and form healthy habits early on in life. These subjects are supremely susceptible to the influence of others in their environment, and this can work positively or negatively.

Third Decan Pisces

Pisces-Scorpio

Dates: 11 March-20 March

Planetary rulers: Ancient Mars Modern Pluto

Tarot card– Ten of Cups

Card Meanings: contentment, completion, arrival, family life, stability, safety and security, team effort, a happy home Reversed: losses,family conflicts, break-ups, unhappiness

The sub-influences for this decan are Scorpio and its rulers, traditional Mars or modern Pluto. Energetic Mars and Scorpio – natural ruler of the eighth house of desire, willpower, drive and determination – brings to this Pisces extra charisma, and the drive and determination to push forward where Pisces in general can tend to err on the side of caution, holding back. This Pisces native has the artistic creativity of Pisces/Neptune with extra sticking power to turn dreams into realities.

Pluto brings depth and Mars brings speed and energy of attack. This Pisces native needs to keep busy, with plenty of energy outlets. Pisces marks the completion of the zodiac wheel. This final decan marks the point at which we move into Aries, the cycle starts over again and Aries too, is ruled by energetic Mars. What these Pisces natives start, they finish.

These Pisces natives, like the other decans, are enormously attuned to their environment, but they tend to stay more aloof and watchful, less likely to blend in. They are highly observant, natural detectives, well suited to police work or other kinds of investigative work. Pisces-Scorpio listens between the lines and notices what is not being said.

The Cusps of Pisces

Aquarius-Pisces: February 15-21

Aquarius-Pisces: This is a Pisces native with Aquarius tendencies; a person of high principles, quiet, refined, and with strong likes and dislikes. This Pisces native is likely to do a lot of travelling. They have executive capabilities and can earn or make a lot of money, but tend to become bored quite easily. This native needs to be careful not to get trapped, committing too soon in a relationship that doesn’t suit them, simply out of a fear of being left on their own.

Pisces-Aries: March 17-23

Born on the Pisces-Aries cusp, this native is especially instinctive and brave. This mix of energy combines physical and moral courage with compassion for others which can make this Pisces individual a successful leader. This person is loyal to friends and colleagues and they are also generous, and eager to see others do well.

Famous Pisces subjects

Michelangelo, Copernicus, George 111, Albert Einstein, Neville Chamberlain, Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor, Yuri Gagarin, Michael Gorbachev, Osama Bin Laden, Steve Irwin, Steve Jobs, President Erdogan of Turkey

Thank you for reading.

Back soon.

Here Be Dragons by the dark of the Moon

Entering The Chinese New Year of The Wood Dragon

gold dragon statue — Photo by Martin Woortman on Unsplash

Previous Dragon Years: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940

The Year of the Wood Dragon begins 9/10 February 2024 at the Lunar New Year in Chinese astrology. The Dragon is the 5th of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, so there’s a Dragon year once every 12 years. Then, in Chinese element theory, each zodiac sign is associated with one of the five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth, so that we will have a Wood Dragon Year only once every 60 years.

This is a New Moon in Aquarius – and also the very first new moon of Pluto in Aquarius. The moon changes zodiac signs every two and a half days. No big deal on the face of it. Why even bother to notice, even? The effects are transitory. But the changing moon signs still function as a weather vane, while events at the new Moon and full Moon operate on a different scale, mirroring or triggering profound and potentially, long term effects and consequences.

This New Moon could prove momentous “in the affairs of men” across the world, marking as it does, the start of a new age that will continue until March 2043. It is also a Super Moon, and we may notice disturbed sleep or unusually vivid dreams, although the Moon is invisible.

What can we expect from this new Dragon year? Astrologers look at the events in previous Wood Dragon years for hints and clues. The last Wood Dragon year was in 1964 when:-

-the U.S experienced its greatest ever recorded earthquake in S Alaska; 9.2 magnitude. -NASA launched Mariner 4 on a successful mission to Mars.

-There were race riots in the U.S. and President Lyndon Johnson signed into law The Civil Rights Act.

-Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace prize.

-3 North Vietnamese torpedo ships approached and then fired on the destroyer USS Maddox in the Bay of Tonkin after it fired warning shots at them, and then, citing an alleged/unproven second attack, the U.S under Lyndon B Johnson authorized a resolution for war against N Vietnam…

In Western Tropical astrology, the Dragon corresponds most closely with the zodiac sign of Aries the Ram. This is yang energy; bold and brave, optimistic and determined. A Dragon year is anything but quiet and uneventful, whether on a global level or an individual level. But a Wood Dragon is somewhat quieter, more thoughtful and reflective than the Dragons of the other elements.

The Chinese New Year begins during Aquarius season in Western Astrology. Aquarius, the air sign of the Water Carrier, is also called The Cloud Bearer.

The Dragon of the Chinese zodiac does not breathe fire, but clouds.

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

China, Taiwan and the Philippines

The nodes of the moon- the lunar nodes- are also known as The Head of the Dragon and The Tail of the Dragon. The north node is where we are heading next, according to our natal chart, and the south node is about our history and where we have come from. Maybe even our past lives or ancestral karma.

bird's eye view of a mountainside village at night — Photo by Andy Wang on Unsplash

I’m not seeing a land invasion of Taiwan in 2024. But nor is there any sign that China will cease and desist its provocations in the Strait of Taiwan or its incursions into the territorial waters of the Philippines in the South China Seas.

My cards did not show such an invasion last year, 2023, The Year of The Black Water Rabbit, nor did they detect any outright attempt at invasion in 2022 The Year of The Black Water Tiger. I was, I must say, more nervous about the Tiger than the Rabbit. The Rabbit is prudent, wary, where the Water Tiger is maritime and expansionist.

(This is recorded in the archives here at True Tarot Tales.com)

I’m not seeing Chinese military boots on the ground in Taiwan. But one never says never. We are in for all manner of big surprises. President Xi is under economic, as well as political pressure to be seen to “reclaim” Taiwan. Despite a cordial meeting with President Biden in November 2023, Taiwan was not discussed, while at a top-level national security meeting in May 2023, President Xi advised his team to “be prepared for worst case and extreme scenarios,” and called for “combat readiness.”

It may seem only a matter of time before Beijing decides to make the attempt to annex Taiwan by force. I have drawn the Seven of Cups, suggesting it is high on the wish list.

Image from the Gilded Tarot Royale deck.

But much depends on its assessment of the risk, in seeking to avoid a direct conflict with the U.S. This year’s elections in Taiwan have not gone China’s way. And it won’t be known until very late in the year, who will be the next President of the United States. I will certainly be looking at that again in my cards and posting here.

The astrology signs point to a potential crisis during April 2024. I draw The Queen of Wands (Aries) and the King of Pentacles (Taurus.) This seems to be a crisis at sea and this could equally mean the Black Sea or The Red Sea or Strait of Hormuz.

But the landward facing Wood Dragon is room for hope that tensions will not escalate into direct conflict in the South China Sea, while in Chinese astrology, the Dragon relates well with the Monkey. The United States was “born” in 1776, in a year of The Monkey. So far so good, from a purely symbolic point of view in Far Eastern astrology.

the roof of a building with a group of figurines on it — Photo by Jéan Béller on Unsplash

But historically, the United States IS now undergoing its first Pluto return. Such returns have marked the collapse of empires and dynasties, but not necessarily at the first or even second Pluto return. The Roman Empire did not fall until its second Pluto return. In England, the second Pluto return marked the age of Elizabeth 1; an era of great prosperity and expansion. The third Pluto return marked Britain’s abolition of slavery.

On a different note, this Wood Dragon year will likely see new legislation relating to issues of natural sustainability, and in particular, as one might imagine; Forestry and Forest ecology in the Amazon and other rain forests, while there are already plans to recycle Forestry residue in aviation technology.

green-leafed plant — Photo by Raphaël Menesclou on Unsplash

On a Personal Level

The individual Wood Dragon native can really forge ahead in 2024. This is a time for clearing out dead wood, making new plans. A career shift or change in direction is highly likely, and there are good prospects for progress and promotion. There will be some times of stress. Be sure to allow enough rest. Finances may be an issue, notwithstanding job progress. But the Wood Dragon is nothing if not capable, often talented in engineering, architecture, design and the fields of arts and crafts.

This yang energy Dragon is as go-ahead as the other Dragons, but somewhat more easygoing. Essentially good natured. High minded even. When the going gets difficult with other people- this will be something of a roller coaster year of ups and downs-then mood management is the order of the day. Least said, soonest mended. Bask on a rock. Take a nap in the sunshine. There’s a good Dragon.

multicolored dragon float — Photo by 冬城 on Unsplash

Tarot for today

The Seven of Swords= Moon in Aquarius. But this card could be playing out in ways we will notice, not just today, but over the next ten days or so.

There’s a lot going on. New Moon in 20 degrees Aquarius-the first one in Pluto as we enter the third decan of Aquarius in Tropical astrology.

Associated meanings: Scouting, surveillance, diplomacy. Sabotage. We may need to move fast. Preventative measures, or even a preemptive strike. Oh look, says the Seven of Swords. I see your game and I am ahead of you. Averting trouble. Breaking up a fight. Guarding our info. Changing our passwords. Smiling while keeping a cool head. Playing our cards close to our chest. Looking way ahead, taking the strategic long view.

Thank you for reading.

Back soon.

Here comes Aquarius 2024 (and here comes Pluto in Aquarius)

We have entered the sun sign territory of Aquarius today, and also today, the small but symbolically mighty and radical dwarf planet Pluto has entered or ingress-ed into Aquarius for the first time in 266 years.

But what’s the ancient story behind the sun sign of the Water-Bearer?

Traditional associations of Aquarius

Element: Air

Quality: Fixed (meaning a sign that corresponds with the height of a given season) Ruling planets: Saturn the Taskmaster (originally) AND Uranus the Eccentric Up-heaver.

Body: The circulatory system, shins, and ankles.

Birthstone: Amethyst

Tarot Card: The Star (Hope, Vision, Ideas, Systems, The Wider Collective, Humanity as a whole, Recovery, Equilibrium, Bridging, Searching, Exploration, Technology, Space Exploration)

Minor Arcana cards: the 5, 6 and 7 of Swords.

The figure is unclothed because The Star (Truth) has nothing to hide. The truth is naked, unadorned.

Astronomy

From the Earth’s perspective, the Sun actually passes in front of the constellation of Aquarius from February 17th to March 11th, a month later than the dates associated with its zodiac sign.

However, zodiac constellations are not to be confused with zodiac signs. The dates did used to coincide, but Western (Tropical) astrology is a fixed arithmetic system dating back to more ancient calendar systems.

The dates of the zodiac signs and the constellations after which they were named have separated over time due to the ‘wobble’ of the Earth – an effect known as precession.

Astronomers who deride astrology on these grounds are not taking into account the basis and history of western (Tropical) astrology as a mathematical, not an astronomical model of the heavens.

Aquarius the Water-Carrier is one of the oldest identified constellations of the Zodiac (the area of the sky as seen from Earth through which the sun, moon and planets all pass, occasionally or regularly.) Aquarius is the tenth largest constellation, a big though faint constellation in the southern hemisphere, and its appearance is almost universally associated culturally and historically with sky, clouds, water- and therefore rain.

Aquarius lies in the dark region of the sky called The Sea, containing other ‘watery’ constellations; Pisces (the fish), Eridanus (the river), Cetus (the whale), Capricornus (the Sea-goat), Delphinus (the Dolphin), and Hydra (the Water serpent). The start of Eridanus can be seen to the right of Rigel, the bright star at the left foot of Orion The Hunter (seen on the bottom right of Orion as we are looking up from Earth).

See Eridanus the River in the January sky

Helped out here by those added lines, we see the pitcher of Aquarius, pouring out water.

The brightest stars in Aquarius are two yellow super-giants, several times more massive than the Sun; Alpha Aquarii (Sadalmelik) and Beta Aquarii (Sadalsuud) 537 light-years distant.

Sadalsuud is the brightest star in Aquarius, with a mass six times that of the Sun. It’s 2,200 times more luminous than the Sun and its name comes from the Arabic phrase sa’d al-suud, meaning the “luck of lucks.”

Other deep-sky objects include the Aquarius Dwarf Galaxy and the quirkily named Atoms for Peace Galaxy.

Aquarius also contains the Saturn Nebula and the Helix Nebula, the remnants of dying stars, and these are the closest planetary nebulae to Earth, 400 light-years away.

(Talk about The Eye of Sauron)

Aquarius is home to at least 3 meteor showers. The Eta Aquariids, 5th and 6th of May, are the strongest with up to 35 meteors per hour coming from materials shed by Comet Halley as it travels through the solar system. The less active Delta Aquariids peak twice: on the 29th of July and again on the 6th of August. The weakest is the Iota Aquariids, peaking August 6th each year.

The constellation of Aquarius is large but faint, complicated and not easy to spot, though it can be seen from almost anywhere on Earth. The best time to see is 9-10 PM in October but you will need a dark sky to pick it out.

History and Mythology

Throughout the whole of human history, arguably the number one danger to Man has been the threat of flood, knocking spots in terms of the sheer frequency of threat off even the Biblical Horsemen of the Apocalypse; War, Famine, Pestilence and Death. Though just one volcanic winter could, and once did come pretty close to making the human race extinct altogether. Toba.

Aquarius overhead meant winter rain was coming to the lands of Mesopotomia, and this meant the waters of life itself- aqua vitae -but it wasn’t all good news.

The water carrier, the cloud, brings new life but can also act as an agent of death, destruction, flood and disease.

For the Sumerians, Aquarius was a frightening figure, holding the vessel from which a great flood flowed from the heavens onto the earth, while the Babylonians called Aquarius’ appearance in the night sky ‘the curse of rain’.

To the Babylonians Aquarius was the god Ea, or GU.LA , ‘The Great One’ in the Babylonian star catalogues, often shown holding an overflowing vase. During the Early Bronze Age, the appearance of Aquarius, or the ‘Way of Ea’, corresponded to the period of 45 days on either side of winter solstice, when the Babylonians regularly experienced destructive levels of flooding.

In Ancient Egypt, their own version of Aquarius, the god Hapi, God of The Nile, was associated with the annual flood of the Nile when Hapi put his jar into the river, and this marked the beginning of spring, replenishing their farming soil. But their flooding season was June.

Greek mythology describes three floods, the flood of Ogyges, the flood of Deucalion, and the flood of Dardanus. The Ogygian Deluge, they said, ended The Silver Age, and the flood of Deucalion ended the First Bronze Age, ‘parting the mountains of Thessaly.’

The Greeks said that Aquarius caused a great flood which inundated the Earth during the Bronze Age, of which only Deucalion, son of Prometheus, and his wife Pyrrha survived, either by climbing in a chest and toughing it out, or building a great boat stocked with provisions, just as later in the Old Testament, Noah built his Ark.

The ancient Greeks largely avoided living near lakes and rivers, it’s thought, for hygiene reasons as well as protection from floods. There are apparently, impressive remains of hydraulic anti-flooding works; dams, walls, and channels in cities and other settlements in the Minoan era, and the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Another Greek legend associated Aquarius with the beautiful Trojan prince, Ganymede, who was carried off by that arch-sexual predator Zeus (Did Zeus ever give it a rest?) This time, Zeus disguised himself as an eagle, and Ganymede, whether he liked it or not, became his lover and protégé; the cup-bearer of the Gods.

The ‘Age of Aquarius’

Is it here? What does it mean? What might it portend? There has been a lot of discussion about this, and much excitement surrounding the Great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius that occurred 21 December 2020.

The Age of Aquarius has become synonymous with a mythical new Golden age of Humankind. This year, 2024, as no doubt many of us have been reading ad infinitum, we will be entering a new 20 year period of Pluto in Aquarius. This starts today, 20 February, at 7:56 PM Eastern Time but then Pluto moves back into Capricorn for one last swan song in September before re-entering Aquarius for good 19 November 2024. The last time we saw Pluto in Aquarius was 226 years ago, and it witnessed the first Industrial Revolution, The French Revolution, The American Revolution, the Haiti Revolution…

We are entering a new astrological era of radical change. But is this THE fabled new “Age of Aquarius”?

In astrological terms, an age lasts roughly 2200 years and is identified by the name of the constellation in which the Sun appears in on the first day of spring (the vernal equinox). To know when THE age of Aquarius begins, we would need to agree the start date for the previous/present Age of Pisces- but astronomy and astrology don’t agree, even among themselves.

Some, but not all astrologers say the Age of Aquarius is already here, that it began in 2012. To arrive at this, they are using the star Regulus, the heart of the Lion in the constellation of Leo as the marker of the ancient border between the constellations Leo and Cancer.

Via Wiki

Regulus moved to within 30 degrees of the September equinox point in 2012, Working with the arithmetical model of constellations as calculated by Ptolemy in the second century AD, this places the border of the constellations Pisces and Aquarius at 150 degrees west of Regulus, or at the March equinox point. By this reckoning, the Age of Aquarius started in 2012.

Alternatively, according to the Belgian astronomer and mathematician, Jean Meeus, the sun at the March equinox passed from being in front of the constellation Aries to being in front of the constellation Pisces in 68 B.C.

This would mean that the March equinox will cross over into the constellation Aquarius in 2597. But again, these are the astronomical, not astrological dates.

The Age of Aquarius denotes or predicts on the one hand the space age, the age of super-technology, and on the other, the age of the human collective, The Brotherhood of Man as opposed to the age of the One, and the individual, where the current Age of Pisces is associated with the rise of the monotheistic religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Space Technology 2021

Prefiguring today’s arrival of Pluto in Aquarius, was the mega conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in sci-fi Aquarius on 21 December 2020.

Back in December 2020, this meant Mars was having visitors -us. Oh yes. Put the kettle on, Mars peeps. And we don’t suppose you’ve got any biccies? Sarnies? Cake? No? OK, OK, well, we know we weren’t invited, but you could have just…you know.

Well, never mind. For a month or so, Earth and Mars lined up in a way that made it viable to land a probe. Miss that window, and it would have meant waiting two years for the next opportunity.

The United Arab Emirates, China and the United States all launched in July 2020, all three due to arrive starting with NASA’a mission, scheduled to land Thursday 18 February 2021.

NASA landed its rover, Perseverance in the Jezero crater, an ancient river delta.

China and the United Arab Emirates sent their own exploration missions to Mars…all due to arrive February 2021.

China sent the Tianwen-1 Rover. After sending a rover to the far side of the moon, this mission was called Tianwen-1, meaning ‘quest for heavenly truth,’ and aimed to be the first Mars mission to drop a landing platform, deploy a rover, and send a spacecraft into the planet’s orbit all at once. The rover has been equipped with a radar system that can detect underground pockets of water and will help China prepare for its own mission to return a sample from Mars to Earth in the 2030’s.

The UAE sent The Hope Orbiter, the Arab world’s first mission to another planet, to study the Martian atmosphere.

Russia was planning to send a mission to Mars, as was The European Space Agency, but the Covid pandemic demanded a postponement.

The European Space Agency likewise had to delay the first flight of its new Ariane 6 launcher which was rescheduled to launch during the second half of 2021, and has since had to be rescheduled again for the second quarter of 2022.

NASA is also working to return to the Moon – robotically. The Artemis Project is using commercial delivery services to send science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon twice per year, with the first such flight currently scheduled for a flight in 2024.

Cue 2024 and Pluto into sci-fi Aquarius.

We ain’t seen nothing yet.

The Aquarius Personality/Archetype

Aquarius is a Fixed, Masculine Air Sign. The Tarot court card to watch for here is The King of Swords though the Queen may also represent an Aquarius born subject.

Of course there is no such thing in reality as THE Aquarius personality, and the same goes for all the zodiac sun signs. Your sun sign is an archetype, a keynote, but of course it is not and never could be the whole story.

The archetypal persona, male or female, is keenly observant, sharp, clever, firm, fair, analytical logical, legalistic, brave, amusing and charming. They are often musically gifted, numerate, and very often work in teaching, or in Law, or music, medicine or dentistry in technical, forensic or surgical consultant roles. This is someone who uses logic and reason to cut through confusion. But they need plenty of personal space and fresh air, and if emotionally challenged, they are more likely to administer advice or medicine than take it themselves. And they can be quietly, stubbornly ruthless.

Aquarius is ruled by two planets, Saturn, known to the ancients as the planet of duty and structure, but also Uranus, ‘discovered’ 1781, designated the planet of upheaval and rebellion. Therefore, as you might imagine, this is a sign of acute paradoxes.

There is on the one hand the authoritarian Aquarian, prone to dogma, and the freewheeling Aquarian archetype. Either way, Aquarius is radically independent in their thinking, often for good, but not always. Even a rebellion may become just another kind of dogma.

Aquarius is generally exceedingly kindly, humane, civilized and honourable in dealings. They set great store on friendship and loyalty, and they need to belong and be of service, just as their symbol is the water-bearer or cup-bearer, a person pouring water for another.

This symbol can be interpreted to imply a destiny to serve others, but by the same token Aquarius may carry water to ‘cleanse’ the world of ‘errant’ thinking. Taken to extremes, Aquarius therefore represents a communal potential for crusading or fundamentalism.

Aquarius excels at cerebral thinking, dealing in abstracts, but does not necessarily see the reality of the individual standing in front of them. Where they make a false step, it may be because they trusted their cerebral processes at the expense of their instinct.

Aquarius may be difficult, moody, prone to bouts of depression, or they may sparkle with the brilliance of diamonds, when their chart is warmed by courage, warmth, honour and charisma.

Famous Aquarius subjects

Abraham Lincoln, Ferdinand Magellan. Galileo Galilei, Thomas Edison. Charles Darwin. Frederick Douglass, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Virginia Woolf, John Travolta, Oprah Winfrey, Shakira

Thank you for reading.

Back soon with a general collective Tarot card reading for this new Aquarius season.

Till next time 🙂

Freya’s Day, The Empress and a Waxing Moon in Taurus

The Queen of Coins, court card of Capricorn from The Touchstone Tarot.

Today is a waxing Taurus Moon, just greater than last night’s waxing half Moon. How apposite for a Friday, ruled in Mythology by the astrological ruler of Taurus; Venus/Freya/Ishtar/Hathor…fruitfulness, fertility, beauty, luxury …and money and finance.

“She’s looking good, for beauty we will pay…”- Kraftwerk

The Tarot card representing Friday is The Empress. When the world is ugly, still, there is always beauty, and where the ugliness is at its most terrible, the enduring beauty is in even the humblest, simplest acts of kindness, without which there is no fuel for the upkeep of courage…en -courage-ment. The Empress is Woman; The Mother, Gaia, Demeter- the earth beneath its crown of stars.

Taurus, the Bull of The Empress Gaia, and the ruler of today’s moon, can represent earth tectonics.

Taurus would much rather not charge, or smash up the china shop. He much prefers to be left to graze in peace. Chew the cud. Guard his cows. But he will do what it takes to guard his meadow, glaring down from the heavens with his giant red eye, the star Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull, at the constellation of Orion the Hunter.

Orion boasted that he could and would kill any creature on Earth. It was a boast that got him killed when Demeter sent a giant scorpion to deal with him for his hubris. And Taurus is having none of it either.

If you’re in the mid-northern latitudes, you’ll locate the mighty Orion in the southeast in the early evening, shining high in the south by mid-to-late evening. South of the equator, you’ll see Orion high in your northern sky around that same hour.

There was an old story in Arabic lore, that should Taurus ever break free of his pen in the skies, he would stampede the Universe to pieces. Taurus was to be feared. Totally. And sometimes gets a bad rap for supposedly being dull or docile or stubborn. But he is the very spirit of springtime in its full flowering, beloved of Venus, The Empress. The flowers in the picture are knit-bone which flowers in April and May where I live.

blue petaled flowers — Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

By Jove, by Jupiter!

Jupiter last night was glorious, stupendous, almost conjoining the moon in optimistic – or aggressive Aries, while today’s Moon in Taurus is trining Mars in Capricorn. AND Mercury in Capricorn is trining Jupiter in Taurus. An auspicious angle.

January Moon-Jupiter close approach views from 3 different cities - New York, Singapore and Sydney.

Source TimeandDate.Com

Today’s astrology is rather upbeat, perhaps surprisingly given the manifest problems in the world right now. But a waxing Moon in Taurus trine Mars in Capricorn. AND Mercury in Capricorn is trine Jupiter in Taurus? This is rather lively, bouncy, and money orientated, conjuring in my mind’s eye, an image of the Bull of Wall Street.

a statue of a bull on a brick street — Photo by fabio Spano on Unsplash

One looks at the card/s. One looks up the astrology and then one checks out the news pertaining to these signals, clues and signs. So now I look up the headlines for what is happening today on Wall Street, and how about this for real time synchronicity:-

“Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Toward the Edge of Its All-Time High Set 2 Years Ago…”

Source: Associated Press

On a personal level, likewise, today’s transits are potentially excellent news for all manner of business and material matters; financial, and practical, but also pertaining to work, business and education. Again, this is a celestial booster for work prospects, projects for home improvements, educational prospects, or domestic matters that span these activities, to do with finding the right locale, school or university for us or for our children. Now in the UK is the time for applying for a place at university.

A note of caution

Venus in Sagittarius is square Neptune in Pisces, while I draw the Ace of Pentacles reversed, and the Knight of Cups. Today is a squirreling kind of a day, or a planning kind of a day. This is pro-active energy, so far, so good. But this is not a day to commit. Now is not the best time to sign a really big money contract. Chances are, because of that reversed Knight of Cups, amplified by today’s foggy Neptune in Pisces- we are not sufficiently fully in the picture. Don’t believe everything you hear, says this Knight of Cups when drawn with the Ace of Pentacles reversed. Don’t lend money to any new or unproven friend or admirer, or spend money on them, or automatically believe everything they tell us. Not until they have proven themselves trustworthy. Reality checks all round, even when it’s a harsh reality. At least that’s workable information.

Knight of Cups: Love Advice, Future Outcomes, Yes or No?

There is a feeling here of issues to do with digestion and hydration or UTI’s. This could be to do with overeating or correcting recent seasonal overeating…(thank you for that, Jupiter.) It could mean that those dealing with IBS or similar issues may need to eat more lightly today, or may require extra peppermint, or whatever is the go-to remedy.

Likewise, this is a day for not losing our cool…not blowing our top. Taurus was called by the ancient Greeks The Bull From the Sea, and they associated him with Poseidon the Earth Shaker, god of the sea…and of earthquakes. A waxing Moon in Taurus can suggest an increase in the next few days of seismic or tectonic activity. This is not to say there is any cause for alarm. The Pacific is merrily bubbling away, but then again, it always is.

a man standing in the water with a pole in his hand — Photo by Lance Reis on Unsplash

Thank you for reading. Farewell for another year to the sun sign of our Earth magic friend, Capricorn the Celestial Sea-goat. Back soon with a spotlight shining on Aquarius, Cosmic Water Carrier- The Cloud-Bearer.

Songs of Solstice, Capricorn the Cosmic Sea-Goat

On 22 December 2023 at 3 AM we experienced the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, and thereby entered the first decan of the zodiac sun sign of Capricorn the Goat.

Traditional associations

Symbol:

Date of Birth: 21/22 Dec to 20 January

Ruling planet: Saturn

Lucky Day: Saturday

Lucky Numbers 2 and 8

Energy: Yin

Element: Earth

Quality: Cardinal (the start of the season of winter)

Key phrase: I build, I use

Body: Skin, knees, skeletal system

Birth Stone: Red Garnet and Black Onyx

Colour: Deep red

Herbs/Flowers: Wintergreen, Ivy, Carnation

Origin Story

The story of Capricorn evolved from an ancient creation myth of the Akkadians and the Sumerians. Enki the Mer-Goat, the wise teacher, found himself all alone when the rest of his kind left the oceans for ever, and went on to the land, ascending to the mountains.

Enki mourned the loss of his children, and in his terrible loneliness was placed in the heavens where he could look down and still see them, following their new destinies as creatures of the land. The Greeks later told a similar story, in which Enki was known as the Sea-Goat Pricus.

But why was earthy Capricorn ever seen as a sea-goat? A mer-goat? Here is one of those curious things. The planet Neptune was discovered in the constellation Capricornus, near Deneb Algedi, the brightest star in the tail of the goat, on September 23, 1846.

This illustrates a powerful mythic connection between earth sign Capricorn and the deep water sign of Pisces the Fishes. This connection is many ages old and goes back to the Babylonians 21 centuries BC. But how did the ancients know? How could they have known, to have come up with the story of the Sea-Goat?

So far as we aware, they didn’t. They could not have known about Neptune to have made any such connection. And yet somehow they seemed to have apprehended this cosmic connection, poetically, understanding that life on Earth had begun in the seas, and then some of that life had left the seas for ever.

a mountain goat standing on top of a snow covered mountain — Photo by Jack Charles on Unsplash

The constellation of Capricorn which gives its name to the sun sign, was known to the Neo-Platonists as The Gate of the Gods, through which the souls of the newly dead ascended, returning home to the Source of all things.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is capricorn-stars-wiki-256px-capricornuscc.jpg

Tarot

Tarot cards: The Devil (Pan/Nature, Mystery, Charisma, Fascination, Obsession, Powerlessness, Fear, Entrapment.) Also the Queen of Pentacles and the 2, 3 and 4 of Pentacles.

Tarot card: The Devil (Pan/Nature, Mystery, Charisma, Fascination, Obsession, Powerlessness, Fear, Entrapment.)

This card from the Gilded Tarot deck paints The Devil as one hell of a beguiling sexy beast. We know that the Devil- whether this is our own worst nature or Nature itself -can be downright cruel, vile and nasty. “Nature red in tooth and claw” (Tennyson)

But one can appreciate the artist’s take on this. The Devil is also the angel of the Morning Star, fallen or not. And if he is invariable hideous and stinky and manifestly hostile, who is going to let him anywhere near them? Whom shall he snare? Whom shall he tempt? And entrap.

The complexity here is that the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn is the most grounded and self-disciplined of all sun sign archetypes. Responsible, shrewd and also devoted. But “all that glitters” is not gold. For someone to get EVERYTHING they want, who is going to get hurt? Who else is going to do without? Capricorn at the macro level is about worldly power and the price that is paid for that power, and by whom. Capricorn represents the rock bottom line of our material reality and all that attaches to it: safety, comfort,identity and the luxury of free time.

Resources are not infinite. Who loses so that someone else gains? Here is the the danger of Capricorn as the Devil. Here is the flex playing out on the world stage as power-monger Pluto gets ready to leave Capricorn by stages in 2024. Pluto sweeps a board clean, but not kindly, and not without creating a whole lot of mess.

History has shown this many times. When Pluto changes signs as it will finally do in November 2024 when it settles in Aquarius until 2043, world changing events occur.

1853 Pluto into Taurus: The Crimean War

1914 Pluto into Cancer: World War One

1938/1939 Pluto into Leo: Spanish Civil War/World War 2

It does not always or necessarily signify war when Pluto changes sun signs, but it is always huge.

1984 Pluto into Scorpio: the AIDS epidemic

2008 Pluto into Capricorn: the financial crash which impacted the entire global financial system, caused by bad lending practices which created a mortgage crisis in the United States.

In 2024 we say farewell to Pluto in Capricorn. Astonishing things are in store during Pluto in Aquarius, the sun sign of I.T and Space Tech and “The People” versus “The Establishment.” The possibilities are fascinating, the challenge being that history shows us “The People” have a way of becoming “The Establishment.”

The Queen of Pentacles

From The Sacred Circle Tarot.

The court card of Capricorn is The Queen of Pentacles. She may equally represent a Taurus or Virgo subject, and she may be male or female when we are reading for someone, but this is her specific archetypal card.

She is the Queen exalted in the Earth. Born older than her years. Wise and canny, shrewd and patient, she initiates. She works. She provides. She creates and conserves all things beautiful. Her feet are planted in the soil, connected with the wild creatures but her spirit spans the globe. She is a cook. She is a gardener. She is a keeper, a curator, the queen of rocks and gems. She is a wise woman, consulted by many, bridging traditions of the the ancient past with the present, building a future, sure-footed, one nimble step at a time.

In some tarot decks she is called the Queen of Pentacles. In others, the Queen of Coins, Disks or Stones.

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 is what shapes us

And the shape that we are says who we are

The shape of our land is the secret of us

And we are the stones, and our bones are the stones,

And the stones are us, are us.

Margaret Whyte, 23 December 1939-27 February 2023

Capricorn says we stay earthed and grounded. We keep our own counsel. We look out of the window, lick our finger and stick it in the air to feel the wind direction for ourselves. We neither preach to others nor do we subscribe to mass hysteria, dogma or disinformation. It is hard right now, not to get angry and upset at the things we see and hear. But Capricorn has a way of going high while staying rooted. We know where we came from. We are children of the stones of our forefathers. We know where we belong. We are of a people, shaped by the landscape that formed our people, whomever they may be.

But a people, however distinctive, is not a homogenous, uniform entity.

Capricorn says we honour the land but we think for ourselves.

Back soon with more stories about Capricorn, the cosmic sea goat.

Thank you for reading.

Sagittarian vulcanicity…and tarot in real time synchronicity

black mountain with flowing lava at nighttime — Photo by Shawn Appel on Unsplash

We are about to leave the season of Sagittarius, entering the celestial territory of Capricorn 22 December 2023.

The astrological sun sign of Sagittarius the Archer represents the elemental power of Mutable Fire. The sun sign of Sagittarius is represented in the Tarot deck by the Knight of Wands, generally signifying an explosive speed of travel, attack, or action, or, whether these things are connected or not, a string of beacons. Passing of messages. The Ace of Wands is the Divine Spark. Inspiration, vision and philosophy. The Knight comes and goes without warning. Changeable states. Well, blow me down, if this depiction of Sir Knight Sagittarius does not actually show a volcano spewing magma.

IMG from The Gilded Tarot Royale.

In Sagittarius season 2021 the La Palma eruption became the longest running on the island. Then in Java, Mount Semeru erupted 4 December 2021, spilling out a deadly pyroclastic flow with tragic consequences and widespread disruption.

So far, the latest ongoing volcanic eruption in Iceland is not declared to be a danger to life. May this continue. The Earth itself is always restless but currently more unsettled than “normal.” Perhaps it is little wonder that we are too. The world is never quiet, never at peace. It is always relative. But we are in a particularly unsettled geomagnetic cycle. Solar Cycle 25 is turning out much stronger than predicted. Read more about that here

On a mundane level I have known this card to alert me, correctly, to client problems with travel plans, with boilers, cars and central heating. I have known it to advise me, correctly, that a client is struggling with liver problems, or with side effects of medication which are having an adverse effect on the liver. Why might that be, I wondered, deducing it was because the liver is a powerhouse, aka the engine room of the body’s metabolism.

Meanwhile we are witnessing horrible terrible events; man-made fire raining down relentlessly on the heads of the defenseless masses in Ukraine and Gaza.

None of this is to say that the month of the zodiac sign of Sagittarius= volcano eruption month. This would be a false equation. Nevertheless, we do say “as above, so below.”

And as within, so without.

And here it is. A tarot card specifically correlating with the dates 22 November-21 December and we are looking at vulcanicity in full flow. The oddity, the sheer symbolic synchronicity of Sagittarius as the vulcan archer of Fire in 2021, and now again in 2023 may be mutable as we segue between seasons.

And yet it is irrefutable.