Image credits: Candlelight and Wine, by Ralph Hocker, Acrylic ― 11″ x 14″ www.sevenlivelyartists.com/hocker.html ARIADNE, VENUS AND BACCHUS BY TINTORETTO (1518-1594) “Beautiful colors can be bought in the shops on the Riato, but good drawing can only be bought from the casket of the artist’s talent with patient study and nights without sleep.” ~ Tintoretto (such is the […]
This is another earlier blog post of my mine. I reached into my archives where I wrote about astrology; this was before I branched out and wrote poetry, and shared my art, and got more social about my life and my journey. I published a book since I was blogged, yay! I like to blog about ALL THE THINGS! New material is coming in 2023–but right now, this is my blog celebration. I teamed up with Cheer Peppers because I wanted to blog for the whole month with a team. I like to share space with people and I’m so glad that you have decided to read my writing, and truly: I am glad you decided to be part of my world. You matter, and I appreciate you!!! ❤ Please enjoy! Another busy back-to-back day today 🙂 I’ll be around to visit you again very soon!
A little bonus today that I’m excited about is that I linked all my Taurus posts to celebrate this Full Moon Eclipse in Taurus we are currently experiencing.
This first one below—> This was my life-changing Kauai experience when I got my spiritual name Ka Malana. It was a short post. I was very busy experiencing it all. I remember the most beautiful New Moon in Taurus ceremony on the beach… just amazing. The order of the blog posts is from oldest to most recent.
This one I didn’t even get to re-read, but I’m in need of re-reading it, *and* slowing down. Whatever that means! Felicia, our aloe, passed away when we moved South to San Diego…. Felicia never recovered. 😦
Click this for the photo–I also have blogged “some” of my photography in the past. Long time readers of this blog will remember my photography periods. I’m not sure why this link isn’t showing a preview picture of my post.
Ka Malana holding up April Elliot Kent’s book: Astrological Transits.
Some people are just so easy to converse with!
That’s how I feel about April Elliott Kent.
When she and I met, I didn’t realize that I’d be taking my astrology anywhere. As a solo practitioner of astrology, I didn’t really have any astrology friends. I was mostly closeted about it for a while. I was discovering it all on my own, with the help of books, while maintaining and editing my own constant reflections upon the transits. To me, it was my private scientific investigation.
Eventually, I had this blog, and I was meeting with the occasional client. I was still feeling out what exactly I wanted to do with my clients in the astro realm. I kept looking for the “WE,” the co-creating. How could I really be of service in a way that also worked within the flexible framework of my highest values and within my integrity? These were the types of questions that I began asking myself while healing from a major back injury, when I met April two years ago, in my new city.
I didn’t realize that April was such a popular and well-established astrologer!
She was just such a great friend to me from ‘go,’ and I noticed that we linked up nicely when comparing our charts, but I really only looked ‘after the fact’ for any astrological connection. Then, after a while, I started to read her blog posts on the New and Full moon (just like I had been writing about on my blog!) and I kept getting more and more of this sense about her as a WISE woman, with a delightful conveyance of the astrological archetypes. Truly her writings are highly accessible, and contribute to anyone’s monthly astrological undertakings.
To say that I have developed a deep respect for this woman as a person far surpasses even my own understanding for what she knows about astrology! That being said, I want to move onto a review of her book. Yes, I will basically be doing that from the perspective of being a friend and a fan.
A Beginner’s Book is a beginner’s book; it is something that you can understand if you don’t have a lot of background knowledge. The full title of her book is Astrological Transits: The Beginner’s Guide to Using Planetary Cycles to Plan and Predict Your Day, Week, Year (or Destiny). Side note, I can admire a woman who uses parentheticals. It’s one of my favorite features for writing in TODAY’s complex world. I applaud her use of parentheses in the title of this book.
If you notice the way I photographed the book, it appears as though it is as big as my heart–no, even bigger. It takes up the entire space of my chest. Why did I photograph it that way? Although this book is a “beginner’s book,” I see the value in all things “beginner,” and recognize that this book is for me. ☺
I commend this text for its concise organization, while containing a lot of solid “How To” information. April writes to TODAY’s astrologer: Astrological Transits makes what is classic, accessible. I am also referring to her writings, here, where her style really shines.
For the non-astrologer: Other books like it (Beginner’s Guides: sure there are some exceptions but…) rarely do they include a tiny little box of helpful tips specifically like, “how long this transit lasts,” and the approximate age that you may experience a particular transit. You do not have to be an astrologer to learn from this book!!! Whether you are an astrologer or not, consulting with another astrologer can be very helpful, as it helps to guide your understanding of what you are learning, experiencing, and evaluating.
Here’s an excerpt: I like April’s advice here about the Sun transiting the 10th house of a natal chart; it’s good advice for anyone, at any time!
The trick to enjoying the Sun in the tenth house is to imagine not that you’re in an inferior position that must be escaped at all costs, but rather that you’re in the perfect position to get where you’re going. Part of that journey begins with a plan—for your career or even for your whole life. If you already have a plan, revisit and revise it. If you don’t know where you are going, you won’t recognize it when you arrive. Also, since you probably work plenty hard already, work smarter—and learn to delegate. Even if you can do anything, you don’t have to do everything. Partner with others who like to do things you don’t care for, and vice versa. You’ll go much further with help from others than you can alone.”
Please visit her here @ BigSkyAstrology.com, where she’s been publishing for 15 years! Astrological Transits: The Beginner’s Guide to Using Planetary Cycles to Plan and Predict your Day, Week, Year (OR DESTINY) is her newest book!
In Astrological Transits, astrologer April Elliott Kent teaches you:
How Today’s astrological weather affects your birth chart and what is going on in your life
Ways to make the most of good transits and harness and transform the energy of challenging ones
The roles recurring planetary cycles play in your life and how to anticipate important transits
The moon is in Virgo now (Moon trine Sun) and my attention can easily be turned to the affairs of my daily life. My own personal challenges are stabilizing again and the sunny San Diego sky is shining in my living room. My orchids and Felicia, my special aloe, are happy. One of my friends really enjoys the acronym “ADL.” I suppose, so do I.
Activities of Daily Living are those things that you do that can also be considered ritual. Our ADLs relate to health, what we eat, how we preserve space/energy (Taurus). Some people have very fixed patterns here, and others don’t. There’s really no “good” or “bad” to it – it’s mostly about how well it suits you as an individual, and then, of course within your surroundings (the other people, plants, and animals with whom you are in relationship).
After all, one thing is defined in relationship to another, so I’m talking about all the Earth signs, together.
Taurus-Virgo-Capricorn Triangle
We can build trust/substance/material (Taurus) from our ADLs (Virgo) by some way or method. Here’s another natural trine: the earth elements. It doesn’t matter what the transits are doing, if you can tap into the natural trines for flow, the natural squares for challenge and growth, the oppositions for clarity, and the grand-crosses for ass-kicking-wake-up-a-thons (square-square-square-square) – four 90 degree angles or two lines perpendicular to one another makes ONE beautiful cross.
Finally, to close the triangle part of the discussion, let’s add-in Capricorn – structure. Capricorn represents the “bones,” or the scaffolding of life. If you like to mix metaphors as I do for fun, personal entertainment, and/or experimental reasons.
Walking Meditation – Going slowly
I choose walking meditation to contemplate each step, as my healing (Virgo) takes place. A special ‘Thank you’ to anyone who supported me with kind vibes, thoughts, or left little notes to me wishing me well. The first time around (with the pain), I just dealt with it “all by myself,” preferring to share it with only one or two people. But, as a friend told me yesterday, this is just what we do…as friends. So, thank you for being present with me through any ups and downs. Heres or theres.
Finally, as a result of today’s blog and thought processes, I was able to make the following discovery
A couple of blogs ago I wrote about Mars and initiation. I’m not sure if it will become a series or not, but it’s definitely a theme in action. Now, as I look at the New Moon, it’s filled to the brim with Aries/Mars energy!
First, the New Moon is sandwiched between the Sun (definition of New Moon in astrology is Sun/Moon conjunction) and Uranus in the Mars-ruled sign of Aries. Second, the New Moon opposes retrograde Mars in Libra (Aries counterpart).
Mars in Libra conjuncts the N.Node of the Moon, and is opposite the New Moon. The node is the point where the moon’s path crosses the ecliptic, and it indicates the evolutionary direction—in evolutionary astrology. The North node is the future trajectory, while the South Node describes the evolutionary past of the soul. With the Mars in Libra conjunction to the transiting N. Node, we are sent right back to Venus (Libra-ruled) to connect the dots.
Venus and Mars are the dance partners in this show of planetary design. The themes of right/left, male/female, passive/active, etc. The main theme is initiation. Ask yourself how you have started relationships (Venus) in the past (S. Node in Aries). Transiting Venus in Aquarius will help you to be more objective about what you see when you look. It will help you to keep a reasonable distance to examine your relationships with a “cool” mind.
Venus and Mars are in sextile to each other during this New Moon, showing that masculine and feminine energies unite in relative balance, with a tad bit of work.
Nevertheless, the new moon brings us right into the larger pattern of Pluto square Uranus, since Uranus is conjunct the New Moon, while squaring Pluto and Jupiter. You know, the biggie that everyone is talking about? Seven exact aspects spanning 2012-2015, transforming everything… What’s Jupiter’s role in this?
The Jupiter and Pluto opposition is asking us, “what’s possible?” and likewise, “what is impossible?” This is your chance to expand (Jupiter) your home (Cancer). Also, you can transform (Pluto) the structure (Capricorn) of your work, your business.
The presence of Saturn (in mutual reception with Pluto) still calls for restraint, and boundaries. Why? Because, we are still working out the negotiations (Libra), and involved in deep processes of self-(re)discovery (Uranus), for something that will be fairly long-lasting (Saturn).
When we have such intense aspects within the Aries/Libra archetypes, we want balance but not the stagnation that comes with perfect balance. I’m sure those very Virgo-identified are wondering why perfection has been “taken off the table” for such a long time. In other words, why are we working so hard?! Well, Capricorn wants results, measurable and substantiated results – and Pluto carries the wreaking ball of transformation, er… the hidden key.
When Pluto is in an Earth sign, all the Earth signs are affected, since they form a natural trine. Re-forming the Earth is happening: that means how we serve others, our work (Virgo), and our values (Taurus) are moving with Pluto in Capricorn. They are like the arms that have to move with the body. Remember, we need a body to drive the chariot – to light the kingdom of heaven on Earth.
Image credits: Candlelight and Wine, by Ralph Hocker, Acrylic ― 11″ x 14″ www.sevenlivelyartists.com/hocker.html
ARIADNE, VENUS AND BACCHUS BY TINTORETTO (1518-1594)
“Beautiful colors can be bought in the shops on the Riato, but good drawing can only be bought from the casket of the artist’s talent with patient study and nights without sleep.” ~ Tintoretto (such is the tenacity of Saturn and the depth of Pluto, influencing this full moon)
As I sit to write about the full moon in Taurus on November 17, 2013 PST at 7:16am and UT 15:16, I’m savoring some wonderful aspects. Mercury is trine Neptune after just turning direct in the sky on the 11th, providing forward momentum in the mental clarity department. Mercury and Neptune are conjunct the North Node (the future direction), and so some of the fog and uneasiness of the solar eclipse experience is lifting. Also, Neptune will be turning direct on the 14th of the month—bringing some “AHA” moments and spiritual insights during a time of continued dramatic and dynamic change (Uranus square Pluto).
*Sigh* Taurus is an energy for sensuality. It is the experience of the material world of the senses, of the sounds, of tastes, the smells, and the touches. It is the ability to savor a thing or two.
Sure, we still have Saturn conjunct the Sun, keeping us busy working and keeping us from indulging too much (Taurus). Saturn is, however, sending super-friendly trine vibes to Pluto/Venus (which are currently side-by-side), Jupiter, and Mars at the full moon. I try to remind everyone that Saturn isn’t “the bad guy.” In this case, Saturn is still keeping things strong while other planetary actors are involved in some ruckus. Whenever Venus is aspected like it is, relationships are effected.In this case, it looks like relationships are being re-arranged. With Venus square Uranus, the keyword is WEIRD.
Huge transformations in the relationships department–not just romantic, these are transformations that are long overdue and likely to be long-lasting. Mars in Virgo is where to put the energy, into exercise, work, and analysis. Virgo symbolizes the mentality, using discretion and clarity. It is also an earth sign which goes so nicely with our earthy Taurus full moon. One way or another, this full moon will stir your senses to eat, decorate, and/or make love. ~maybe even desire chocolate 🙂 Taurus (by itself) is a lazy energy, a slow moving and reliable sort of settle-down-and-get-cozy, energy. It’s a good time to write poetry, enjoy music, savor good cooking, and take in all the smells of autumn…
Fiesta Estrellas 
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