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Celestial Rhythms – Week 8
February 17 – 23
Guided by determination
By Khoji J Vihara
On February 18, hours prior to the Sun entering Pisces, the Lunar Nodes are changing signs, from Scorpio to Libra. Since September 2012 we’ve been immersed in Scorpionic currents. Emerging from this intense and challenging spell, our horizon gradually is opening up. We have been journeying through complex worlds and had to deal with many contradicting issues. Leaving this zone behind we can expect for life to become a bit more straight and clear.
The Lunar nodes play a very important role in astrology. At the North node the Moon rises from the Sun-Earth plane, and at the opposite end, at the South node it descends again. When both Sun and Moon are close to the nodes, Solar and Lunar eclipses are forming.
The South or descending node represents the past and is related to karma. The South node sign shows what we’re good at, what we can produce just like that. There’s a danger though of getting too self-conscious or even narcissistic.
For the past year and a half, the sign of Taurus was hosting the Moon’s South node. The Bull is considered particularly difficult in this position as it tends to inertia, holding fast to its status and resting on past laurels. Building serious momentum was very difficult. Taurus at the South node often felt like moving in a medium of high viscosity. Every single move seemed arduous.
The North node is a point of departure and demands work. It wants us to evolve. We may be asked to develop new skills, to integrate and consolidate. In these last 18 months, the sign of Scorpio was outspoken, revealing the necessary steps. However, with conservative Taurus holding on to its privileges, most projects and ideas never got off the ground.
The new pair, Libra and Aries are cardinal signs. Over the coming months, with charismatic and assertive energy at the base, hesitation could dissolve. Backed by fiery and forceful Aries, courage may rise. And with Libra at the ascending node the imperative will be serving the common good, aiming for the wellbeing of all. Some might ready themselves to take on new roles of leadership.
It might be good to know that with Aries at the South node there may be too much individualism and not enough cooperation. Sharing of responsibilities and learning the art of delegating are crucial ingredients to achieve lasting results.
We’re not out of the woods. However, the changing Lunar nodes mark an important milestone. The nodal ingress chart of February 18, 7:46 a.m., has an assertive and radical component, which could herald the onset of profound shifts. The separating Moon-Uranus opposition in the plum line of the Greenwich chart stands certainly out. The Moon sits at the threshold of the fourth house cusp, hinting at the build up of a considerable emotional surge. And Uranus at mid-heaven may express increased civil courage and innovative actions.
The particular thing about this Moon-Uranus opposition is that it ties in with what I call the “Uranus-Pluto crowbar.” Between June 2012 and March 2015, these two outer planets are forming seven ninety-degree angles. From the Sun’s perspective, however, their one and only 90 degree angle came exact on November 23, 2013, at 11˚04′ Aries (Uranus), and 11˚04′ Capricorn (Pluto) respectively.
It’s pretty simple and straightforward. The eleventh degrees of the four cardinal signs are super charged. Each time activated the complex theme of transformation and renewal gets pushed another notch higher.
Uranus is in hexagram 21, Biting Through Hardship. Uranus is a fiery, electrifying and highly innovative force. The hexagram’s guidance says: “Biting through difficulty brings success. It is necessary for one to cut through negative influences with decisiveness.” The highlighted second line speaks of tough love. Punishment must be strong enough to be effective.
The Moon in the second line of hexagram 48, The Well, represents resourcefulness. Everything we need to know is readily available. However, in order to harness the treasures, intelligence has to be applied. The skill of drawing water from a deep well is in question. The bucket must be raised from the bottom in such a way that it doesn’t hit against the sides of the well. The second line emphasizes this being a time of readying oneself mentally, preparing for an important task. What matters most is willingness, and the receptivity to learn.
Step by step the story is unfolding. The coming two months will be crucial. Mars’ upcoming retrogration might feel like a retreating ocean, pulling the waters back, accumulating for a dashing tsunami, which will sweep away the shackles.
As the story unfolds, the powerful cardinal grand square builds up in intensity, to eventually peak by late April and May. The very next episode promises to culminate after March 3, when asteroid Juno enters the sign of Aries. The Moon at the time will be in this cardinal fire sign too, set aflame by unpredictable Uranus! Stay tuned!
