by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this month's Leo New Moon chart which will show us new forms of self-expression, enjoyment, and activate the “spiritually integrated knowledge” we’ve been learning since the Cancer New Moon that is freeing us for new adventures that remind us of the past.
This Lunation, along with the inner planets, continues to put the focus of activity outside of the usual "anchoring" span occupied by slow moving planets. The span occupied by the outer planets runs from Saturn in Scorpio to Pluto in Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces to Uranus in Aries. Jupiter was the first to put the focus outside of the Scorpio to Aries span when it moved into Gemini and put some distance between it and Uranus.
In this New Moon, the span occupied by the inner planets out to Jupiter involves mid-Cancer through mid-Virgo. Wherever we have Cancer, Leo, and Virgo is going to be highly active, due to the presence of 6 planets in that 69 degree span between Jupiter at 10 Cancer and Venus at 19 Virgo. If you have a planet anywhere in that area of the zodiac, you’re going to go through major changes in the part of your psyche represented by the planet and the part of your external affairs symbolized by the house it’s in.
We’ve now left the “Bucket Pattern” we’ve lived with for many months, and for the time being, we’re in what is terms a “Splay” Jones pattern. In other words, the planets are all over the map! We have one or more planets in 7 of the signs, all built around the now separating Grand Water trine of Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio, and Neptune in Pisces.
So What is a “Splay Pattern” and how does it work?
This type of spread, with all the planets in odd angles to each other with differing distributions among the signs, creates a “Splay” Jones Pattern. As Marc Jones put it, “the arrangement is neither even nor symmetrical,” revealing “strong and sharp aggregations of the planets at irregular points.”
Dr. Jones states “This suggests highly individual or purposeful emphases in the life, where the temperament juts out into experiences according to its own very special tastes.” This pattern “makes its own anchorage in existence,” and has a quality of “rugged resistance to pigeonholing, either in the near conventional compartments of nature, or in the idea-pockets of associates.”
He goes on to state this pattern gives a “persistent emphasis on individuality,” and the “spokelike emphases of the planetary groupings” are random, but have a “tripod” footing and approach to life circumstances. He says this pattern “reveals a very intensive personality who cannot be limited to any single steady point of application.” This temperament is “particular and impersonal in its interests,” rather than “universal-impersonal” or “particular-personal.”
This implies that affairs will be diversely spread out, some will not mesh well with others, and there will be a “hub and spoke" quality to what happens these next 4 weeks. The trine ensures a flowing, moving, stabilizing quality, but the spread shows a wide diversity of things going on that promotes individuality.
Of the traditional 10 planets, there are 5 planets in Water signs, 3 in Fire, 2 in Earth, and none in Air. This indicates a heavy emphasis on feelings, experiencing, caring, vulnerability, self-gathering while flowing through a larger feeling field, with a fair dose of inspiration, warmth, and creativity.
There is less of an emphasis on efficiency, practicality, and organizing things so they are in our “enlightened self-interest, and with no planets in Air signs, there is a deficiency of thinking and information gathering. So we’ll all have to find interactivity and relatedness within to compensate for what's lacking externally.
Air and Earth are cool, Fire and Water are hot. With the distribution, expect feelings to run VERY high these next few weeks. Try to be as cool and practical as possible, and once you act then don’t get caught in eternal reviews and reconsiderations. While emotions may run high, Venus in Virgo heralding things to come offers us ways to be thoughtful, practical, and mindful of details in whatever plans we’re making for the near future.
The very powerful Grand Water Trines of June and July helped us all to experience a vaster time frame and a sense of finality as we turn various corners in our lives, with feelings of being connected on deep and vast levels. As that set future patterns to be fulfilled over time, keep recognizing what you feel, and move that deeper and vaster feeling into action in conformity to the new life order already presenting itself. Just stay balanced in the face of those who are out of balance, and keep a sense of perspective when confronted by people who don’t have a healthy sense of proportion.
Because of Saturn’s path these past several months, through past understanding and practice we have begun to demonstrate a higher level of social functioning. Now that we’ve learned what is permanent and stable in our life structures, we can now “tear ourselves away from the known and familiar” and move into a new dream, a new ideal, a new sense of purpose. Follow the “avidity” and you’ll move easily into new patterns.
Back when Saturn in Scorpio was of paramount importance when it was the handle or nozzle of the Bucket pattern for many months, we got to focus on some very important Saturn lessons and skills. It is still a major player as one of the legs of the Grand Water trine, and will assist in the Jupiter in Cancer lessons that will be clearly seen and learned over the Autumn as Saturn moves forward and Jupiter slows to go retrograde.
As Saturn rules the bones, and Scorpio rules regenerative processes, you may want to regard the current Saturn in Scorpio transit as symbolizing a type of “bone regeneration,” or the elimination of all in our skin and bones that would block our ability to meet and greet others at a higher level of dignity, reserve, and “civilized” behavior. This shows us a long wave elimination and regeneration work each of us is doing in our own ways and times.
Important Aspects
Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. This New Moon makes two extremely important forming aspects.
The Lunation makes only three minor aspects, a decile to Jupiter, binovile to Saturn, and biquintile to Pluto. In order, these are mildly specializing, a counterpoint revelation, and a unique return involving a specialized interaction. So we can expect a partially developed gift to come and/or be displayed, a revelation about purpose or limitation that shows us what is stable and what we need to separate from, and a boomerang of some kind, where if we took care of business in a critical Pluto area in the past we can receive rewards, but if we didn’t, there will be blowback related to that.
This Lunation does not emphasize the Grand Irrationality. However, it will be back in force just after the New Moon as Mercury transits transits the Leo zone and makes triseptiles to Neptune and Pluto from August 10-13, activating the larger pattern. What Venus brought forth when it transited the Leo zone the first 5 days of July that was powered up by the Sun at the end of July will be understood in a different light when Mercury transits the zone.
Because of the angle between Neptune and Pluto during this Summer, we’re experiencing the Grand Irrationality as an off-again, on-again pattern that works sequentially rather than simultaneously. I explained this in a recent article. Enjoy that this marks the beginning of the end of this long wave obsessive, compulsive, non-rational, “fork in the road of destiny” configuration that the entire planet’s been dealing with for 20 years. Still, with Saturn triseptile Uranus setting a different “non-rational” pattern into motion, it’s probably safe to say that EVERYONE is going through major shifts and making important choices that will affect their destinies for the rest of their lives.
I gave you the 7 current “hot zones” where the Grand Irrationality is most active in the recent article The Grand Irrationality in May and June 2013 – Jupiter Leaving, Setting Up Triggers and also gave you the times in May and June when the planets were activating this configuration. Still, even though we’re not directly affected at present by this irrational, obsessive-compulsive, hard-edged, and weird energy field, due to Saturn and Uranus also in an irrational aspect to each other, let go of believing it has to make sense, and see what choices you must make so your future trajectory is to your best benefit.
The seven zones activated by Saturn and Uranus show us how our tradition can transmute and accept our individuality, and how our limitations can be renovated to express our unique qualities. Here we confront fear of loss with the willingness to be a pioneer in some realm where we can express our genius. The seven zones activated by Saturn triseptile Uranus are approximately 4-9 Scorpio, 26-30 Sagittarius, 18-22 Aquarius, 10-14 Aries, 1-5 Gemini, 22-26 Cancer, and 13-17 Virgo. If you have a planet or angle in one of these zones, your destiny has been on the move, and continues to be on the move these next 4 weeks!
Spirit walks with this configuration, as well as any major septile series aspect between the planets. The choices we make as a result of these non-rational aspects show us our “direction of destiny,” and determines if the Spirit will grow stronger and closer with you, or if you will move in directions away from Spirit. Given that most of this community is intentionally trying to live in harmony with Life, Nature, and each other, chances are that whatever you – yes, YOU the reader – are confronting will show you a deeper, richer, more powerful Spiritual life. Which is a good thing.
Other than these important forming aspects, others made in this Lunation involve Mercury biquintile Neptune, Venus decile the Sun, quintile Jupiter, and semisquare Saturn, Mars tredecile Saturn, the incredibly powerful Cardinal T-square made by Jupiter opposed Pluto with both square Uranus, and Saturn sextile Pluto. Overall, these indicate a period of specialization, unique developments, many gifts, some minor crises in relationships, serendipitous events, and huge releases with a need for balance, a sense of perspective, and a fair and just approach to everything.
The gifts will come via Venus decile the Sun and quintile Jupiter, and serendipity via Mars tredecile Saturn. Areas blessed by Venus quintile Jupiter include 6-11 Cancer, 18-23 Virgo, 30 Scorpio-5 Sagittarius, 12-17 Aquarius, and 24-29 Aries. Unique gifts to fit circumstances or unique circumstances to fit gifts occur for those with planets or angles around 16-19 Cancer and Capricorn, 22-25 Leo and Aquarius, 28 Virgo and Pisces-1 Libra and Aries, 4-7 Scorpio and Taurus, and 10-13 Sagittarius and Gemini.
The Sabian Symbols for the New Moon
A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following 4 weeks will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 15 Leo. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The symbol for 15 Leo is “A pageant.” According to Rudhyar’s notes from the Marc Jones class, this degree is one of “Spectacular, dramatic release of subconscious energies,” “Self-exaltation for social approval,” and “Self-indulgence and license.”
In the Astrological Mandala, he says this degree involves “the more or less sensational release of energies in a form dramatizing the unconscious aspirations of man’s primitive and instinctual nature.” He states this degree shows us the fulfillment of a form of “combustion,” bringing others to a state of “emotional excitement, and perhaps incandescence. He continues that this symbol shows us that any spontaneous expression that arouses others must be planned carefully so that it gives “concrete form to the desires and expectations of the collective…”
Here “theatricality” is fully expressed, and this degree offers that “the mind of the individual is able to give a public demonstration of (our) ability to sway (others) by a dramatic presentation of popularized ideals.” He says it falls in the span of Assurance, and it’s the fifth and final degree of the individual, mental, and spiritual level of the scene of Combustion in the Act of Stabilization.
Though technical, what I’m about to tell you is important for the next 21 months! First, what comes down in the next 4 weeks will prove important when Mars transits 15 Leo on September 18-20, reactivating the lessons of this New Moon.
In turn, the events indicated by this New Moon, activated by Mars just before this year’s Autumnal Equinox at 1:44 pm PDT, 9:44 pm Greenwich on September 22, will be a source of Jupiterian truth, adventures, wider vision, mercy, opportunity, and/or protection beginning September 19, 2014. As Jupiter then retrogrades back over this degree in early March 2015, and then moves forward again over this degree in May 2015, you can bet something related to this Lunation set into motion by Mars in September 2013 will continue to come forth in some dramatic ways between the Autumn of 2014 and the Spring of 2015!
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, the degree is one of “man’s constant delight in exhibiting the fruits of his achievement, and of a naivete’ dramatized in the world… through a very human pride in common works and co-operative accomplishment.” He continues that “there is high magic in the public display of all the things in which the least of individuals may have had some minor part, and out of it comes a sense of fellowship through which the whole is revealed in an over-all excellence and every last inarticulate ideal somehow is exalted.”
This implies that we can easily express ourselves through cooperative works, and that fellowship can develop through the contributions of each to the whole effort that brings forth a natural excellence. He offers us the keyword of DEMONSTRATION. He states that when operating in a positive manner, this degree is “an irresistible heightening of self-significance across the whole face of experience.”
So we entered a time of cooperative planned efforts in expressing something creatively to give a demonstration to others of something excellent. Given that the Sun and Moon are biquintile Pluto, this will create unique ripples in the time stream for those with planets or angles near 14-17 Leo, 26-29 Libra, 8-11 Capricorn, 20-23 Pisces, and 2-5 Gemini.
The Past 4 Weeks as Prologue for the Next 4 Weeks
This month I’ll do something I don’t usually do. Because Mars in this Leo New Moon is the exact degree of last month’s Cancer New Moon, it will activate what that symbol began 4 weeks ago. As Mars is the dispositor for both Saturn and Uranus, it is extremely important in each celestial event happening between late October 2012 and late December 2014, as well as mid-June through mid-September 2015. So for your reconsideration, here is the Sabian symbol for last month’s New Moon and this New Moon’s Mars.
The symbol for 17 Cancer is “The germ grows into knowledge and life.” According to Rudhyar’s notes from the Marc Jones class, this degree is one of “gathering of all life values and experience in the perfectly formed consciousness,” and “spiritually integrated knowledge.”
In the Astrological Mandala, he says this degree involves "the life urge to actualize one’s birth potential.” He states this degree shows us “the process of germination,” where the seed is moving through the soil seeking the light. He says “this is a dynamic process turned outward,” where “germination is the crucifixion of the seed,” and “the seed becomes the germ.”
He continues that this symbol shows us a contrast with the preceding symbol, where “action polarizes meditation.” This symbol is about expansion, growth, and “self-actualization.” He says it falls in the span of Ingenuousness, and it’s the second degree of the actional level of the scene of Consolidation in the Act of Stabilization. So from July 8 through August 6 we were freed to grow, to express our Light through a more perfectly formed personality structure via the process of active integration. That now activates for another month via Mars.
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, the degree is one of “the irresistible determination of living substance to press forward indefinitely and uncompromisingly in the expansion and refinement of its own special genius and identity, and thus to establish every possible phase of self-existence in more eternal lineaments.” This implies that we could expand along lines that are both natural for us, as well as expressive of our unique gifts and talents. This now becomes a Mars function for the next 4 weeks.
He continues that this symbol shows us “the concept of the philosopher’s stone, or of that sure core of immutable distinctiveness which actually constitutes self as such.” He offers us the keyword of UNFOLDMENT. He states that when operating in a positive manner, this degree is “a completeness of personal realization and self-consummation in every context of immediate concern.”
So we entered a time of actualizing some part of our “birth potential,” through the retrograde process, and could integrate our personality more perfectly to express elements of our unique gifts and talents. This has freed us to move into unknown zones of understanding, truth, and potential, where we can unfold in some way natural to what we care about. And gifts and unique circumstances are there for many, as well as choices that will individualize our destiny.
Other Influences
Pluto, the Cosmic Purifier, will be in Capricorn for many years. It continues to teach us deep lessons about practical, organized economy of energy and efficiency in sprouting seed forms of the new "laws of our lives" we can relax into. 2012 was mainly about being organized in finding and demonstrating ways to get beyond fear and radiate harmlessness and mature fellowship with Nature, whether our own, another's, or Nature Herself.
We’re still reviewing Pluto’s path showing us core lessons that we first experienced between January and early July 2012. We were exposed to these themes again from late November 2012 through mid-January 2013, after which we entered an unknown zone of Plutonic experience. Since March 2013 we’ve been learning how to see life as a science experiment as we find hints of a new dedication within the collective field. From mid-July through late November we’re finishing our lessons around attuning to the realm of Devas and angels, as well as overcoming fear and receiving rewards for cultivating harmlessness.
In 2013 and 2014 we are in a time of opening to new ways of viewing how to claim our divine power and express it creatively and without fear as we explore the natural laws underlying manifestations, and see Nature Herself as a laboratory where we learn about how our system is constructed. We can “pierce through appearances” to see the magic at the core of things, and through a “keen vision” can find or demonstrate a “universal living touch.”
Through Jupiter, we can now see how we’re being “crafted for perfection” in our social existence, and with Mercury in Cancer, we will experience tremendous growth in understanding how our mind influences our feelings, and our feelings influence our minds. Because Mercury leads the Lunation, we can find understanding, signs, and signals of how we’re being led to an “inner rebirth through a total acceptance of the primordial values manifest in the human body and its natural functions.” I believe our feelings are leading our minds to a more natural way to live.
The next 4 weeks requires that we get oriented in a balanced way and see past events from a symbolic angle with a wider scope and meaning in order to find a sense of relief at having made it through the rapids of recent crises precipitated by the Cardinal T-squares in play since early June. We also need to accept that it’s time for radical self-transcendence, using our creative imagination within some collective or shared situation, and cultivate strength of character along with flexibility.
Do not let passing “emotional or mental storms” set you off course. Get oriented and plug your drive into gear!! This is the end of some old binding forms, and the surfacing of new social roles. Do not be seduced by opportunities that are dangerous, marginal, extreme, or too risky. Be alert for people that may not have honest intentions, or who want to make secret deals and agreements. Be open and above-board in asking for what is in your best interests.
Keep furthering the potential for growth already in motion the past month. This is about an inner rebirth through “getting back to the garden” even as you follow through on what has expanded the past several weeks. The experiment nears completion! Though you may feel like you’re improvising, you’re also learning how to relate seemingly unrelated things, and cultivating persistence and caution in understanding what or who must be “outwitted” so you can give the world your gifts.
This Lunation is the eleventh New Moon with Saturn in Scorpio. In 2012 we cultivated a new strength, came to a philosophical completion, and finished repairing or reconstructing something so that some final dues are now paid and old karmas left behind. We are growing into a new intensity, focus, emotional depth, and greater maturity relative to shared values, shared resources, deeper ability to commune with others as well as Nature and Spirit, and getting a more structured connection and a more powerful Spiritual linkage with others and ourselves.
This Full Moon is intensely dynamic, and puts thinking and visioning front and center! As a process of moving through events, find the knowledge, information, interaction, or vision that enables you to make a decision you will act on. Then get clear about how and what you’re feeling to get clear about how you’re experiencing that decision or action. Once you know what you’re feeling, it will naturally lead to a new vision, new information, or new understanding, which will easily lead you to new decisions and actions.
So this is a Lunation indicating that we’ll lead with our vision, understanding, or need to communicate something, which will result in us making decisions and acting on those decisions. After we decide or act, then we need to go deep within and feel the experience of those actions that led to that feeling. Once we know what we’re feeling, new information or understanding, as well as a new vision, will naturally arise.
A great Life Mystery has begun to beckon each and all of us. Search for it. We are in the heart of the passage. Allow the revelation to present itself so your mind may be illuminated by the feeling-wisdom of your Soul. We are offered new forms of expression, new loves, new cares, new ways of “being crafted to perfection,” new ways to cooperate, and new ways to outwit whatever or whoever we need to.
As I’ve noted in other articles, the Grand Water trines came first, then the plunges of the Cardinal T-square second. We are now entering the heart of several weeks of the T-square dominating public affairs. I just posted some headlines to articles I’ve done illustrating the power of Jupiter opposed Pluto. Keep your balance, sense of perspective and proportion, and if something is not fair, do whatever moderate steps you can to restore the balance.
Here are the other two New Moon articles for quick reference:
Here's part 1 about this Leo New Moon: New Moon in Leo pt 1 - What's Happening in August-September 2013
Here’s part 2 about this Cardinal T-square New Moon: New Moon in Leo Pt. 2 – How Will This Cardinal T-square Lunation Affect Us?
If you want to take a new look at the Grand Water Trines that have dominated this Summer, here are some articles explaining those trines that have been followed by Cardinal T-squares.
Astrology in June 2013 – Grand Water Trines Breaking the Ice Jam!
Astrology in June 2013 – The Grand Water Trines in Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces Continue
Astrology in June, July, and August 2013 – Grand Water Trines, Cardinal T-Squares
Here’s Jupiter in Cancer
Besides the 2011 Gemini Solar Eclipse that triggered the Grand Irrationality for years after, we’ve also had a couple of other Solar Eclipses since then that continue to affect all of us. Here are the articles explaining the "Ring of Fire" 2012 Solar Eclipse in Gemini still playing out on the world stage and in our lives in major ways!
Astrology in May 2012 - On The Threshold of an Annular Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini
The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21, 2012 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means
Since November and December 2012 brought inner planet transits very close to the degree of the November 2011 Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius (which is still in full force), and the Gemini Eclipses have opposed that Sagittarian Solar Eclipse, here are some links for you to compare and contrast how they are similar and different:
The Solar Eclipse at 3 Sagittarius November 24-25, 2011 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 3 Sagittarius November 24-25, 2011 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
© Copyright 2013 Robert Wilkinson
oh my!I hadnt made the realisation that my whole 10 th house was lit up during that gathering through Leo, (MC Divine Mother, True Lillith (15 Leo), Uranus, Mars, Nth Node and Pluto at 6Virgo) and had never read the Sabian symbol for natal true lillith, that makes sense that she has always been this melodrama queen in my subconscious, just not sure I am happy about her being publicly a melodarama queen lol!
Posted by: Debbie | August 08, 2013 at 08:48 PM
Nostalgic Cancer just love past and tradition. Now I feel that we have to give up, release and "breath out"...
These two New moons (Cancer 17 on my Sun and Leo 15 on my south node) have just continued the theme I have lived more than 5 years: Give up - Rest - Silence - Patience - Rest - Listen.
You had exact notices about Saturn biseptile Uranus, which also touch my IC (sagittarius), Mars (aquarius), Cheiron (aries) and Saturn (gemini). Thank you for your reading. It is easier to be "in silence" when I have something inspiring to read:)
Posted by: helina | August 09, 2013 at 12:27 AM
Hi Helina,I am simply another interested in astrology on these boards so I dont know if this will help, I am cancer sun and merc and yes love history, yet it is the ancient past of true home true mother/nurturing/nourishment etc that we yearn for from the heart so we are drawn through history back to those very roots, which I found to be the roots of myself, who I really am? It is a tough and tiring journey to no longer be juggling all those balls up in the air of our recent past and a lot of strenghth and courage to let them fall and simply rest and recover, yet that is actually "doing something" it is doing resting and recovery, which also matter? Hope something in my unusual perception may help.
Posted by: Debbie | August 09, 2013 at 08:20 PM
Thanks Debbie!
When the roots are loving - it is easy wake up.
Happy to be Cancer.
Posted by: helina | August 10, 2013 at 12:28 AM
"publicly a melodarama queen" :)
With South Node 15 degree Leo, I think I also know how to Act as Melodrama Queen...
Loved to play yesterday Easiest (!) Two Little Preludes (From 12 Little Preludes of J.S. Bach. No 2 BWV939 C major & No 3 BWV999 C Minor) Intensively...
...Luckily only neigbour have to suffer!
Posted by: helina | August 10, 2013 at 01:51 AM