by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in the Leo New Moon chart. This one echoes April’s Great Fracturing with another T-square, adds a square from Leo to Scorpio, and kicks off the Jupiter in Leo era with a major biseptile and tredecile!
While last month’s New Moon in Cancer was the first Lunation in many months where the recent Grand Cardinal Cross was not a factor, this month brings a Cardinal T-square back into play. This time it’s created by Venus at 11 Cancer (Jupiter’s March stationary direct point!) in close opposition to Pluto and square to Uranus, opening the void in Libra.
This means all we learned while Mars was in Libra can now be applied with grace and wisdom. So some primary lessons of this month involve balance, equilibrium, a sense of perspective and proportion, and the ability to be a peacemaker, moderator, mediator, or at the very least, one who blunts erratic or corrosive force. Add the Mars square Jupiter, and a mix of culminations and emergent turning points will be in the air!
Besides these frictional aspects that will help us turn corners, redirect unprofitable efforts or “opportunities” that are just wasting our time, energy, or money, or simply put the brakes on something we don’t need to have running our lives, we also have some really good aspects in play in this chart. Remember that squares release energies that have been built in those planets by productive, harmonizing, specializing, or spiritual aspects, so stay alert to the extraordinary serendipity going on via the FIVE tredeciles I mentioned in part one. More on this downstream.
This Lunation, along with the inner planets, finishes the year span when the New Moons are between Uranus in Aries and Jupiter, which is now in Leo for 13 months. After this, it will fill in the Virgo through Scorpio span, creating a different Jones Pattern than we’ve known in recent months. So this is the last Lunation where we get a “Splay” Jones pattern, and by next month we’ll be in a “Locomotive” Jones pattern.
An aside for astrologers: It can still be a “See Saw” when the planets form strong axes of opposition, but we shall encounter fewer and fewer oppositions in New Moon charts through the rest of the year. A quick look at the New Moons for August through December show no significant oppositions until the Winter Solstice New Moon, which features Mars in Aquarius opposed Jupiter in Leo.
In this New Moon, the span occupied by the inner planets(except for Mars) includes only mid-Cancer to early Leo, which is a fairly intense cluster. That narrow band is still highly active, since this month we find 5 planets in the 23+ degrees between Venus and the Moon.
This month signals a shift in the overall spread in terms of planets in signs, since the 10 planets now occupy 6 signs (instead of the previous 7), and are now longer fairly spread out around the zodiacal wheel. As mentioned, because of where they’ll be in the future, we’re about to shift from a “Splay” Jones pattern to a “Locomotive” pattern, defined by planets between Leo and Aries, with a void in the empty third between Aries and Leo. But for now, the Splay’s in play and the planets are still all over the map!
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. This spread shows a wide diversity of things going on that promotes individuality.
Up to now, the water trines of the past 13 months have ensured a flowing, moving, stabilizing quality. Though the Grand Water Trine in the early degrees of each Water sign left last Autumn, replaced with off and on trines between Jupiter and Saturn in the middle degrees of Cancer and Scorpio, we now get a renewal via this New Moon with Mars in early Scorpio trine Neptune, and Venus in mid-Cancer trine Saturn.
A lot was clarified in March as transiting trines to both Jupiter and Saturn tied together a lot of the mid-water sign lessons we’re learning now about protection, abundance, and caring. As I’ve told you before, these Water trines gave us opportunities to learn how to navigate the feeling-flow over past months. Mars in Scorpio will help us apply that emotional intelligence with precision and focus.
Those who learned well are now able to use their “emotional intelligence,” or “feeling-knowing,” to trust their deepest intuitions harmonized with a vast view of their personal and collective needs. The numerous conjunctions, squares, and oppositions all challenged us to integrate frictional energies in dynamic ways and express the understandings and gifts we’ve learned since June 2013.
Element Balance
Of the traditional 10 planets, there are 5 planets in Water signs, 4 in Fire, 1 in Earth, and none in Air. This indicates a huge emphasis on feelings and experiencing life, as with the last several New Moons.
However, for the first time since last December, we have no planets in Air signs. That’s a huge shift in the atmosphere! With so much Fire and Water in play, this is a very volatile combination that creates steam power when focused or fogs and mists when uncontained. It should be a wild ride energetically, given the only Earth is via distant Pluto, which is more or less a constant energy field as I’ve explained in other articles.
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, things are going to heat up, with inspiration and feelings at the forefront. The Water element will continue to be strong for many weeks, so keep applying the emotional intelligence you’ve been cultivating since last summer.
Saturn's Influence
I include separate sections on Saturn in two articles in this Lunation series since Saturn continues to wax in importance in all celestial events of these times. This is the twenty-third New Moon of the Saturn in Scorpio era, and it continues to anchor strong Water energy. It’s still strong as one of the legs of the “Splay” Jones pattern in this and past charts featuring Water Trines.
In this New Moon Saturn is extraordinarily important since it is biseptile to the Sun and Moon, setting destiny into motion wherever it falls in our charts. I’ll discuss this in the aspect section below.
Some backstory: In 2012 Saturn helped us cultivate a new strength, came to a philosophical completion, and finish repairing or reconstructing something so that some final dues were paid and old karmas left behind. We grew 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 got a more structured connection and a more powerful Spiritual linkage with others and ourselves.
We ended the first phase of Saturn in Scorpio set into motion when it went retrograde at 12 Scorpio in February 2013 when Saturn moved beyond that degree last October. However, the Solar Eclipse at 12 Scorpio in early November 2013 has been shutting down parts of our life related to those lessons that we couldn’t take with us into 2014 and beyond.
Our emotional body will continue to be cleared out for months to come, so get used to experience occasional intense purifications. While it may lead to feelings of being vulnerable, it will strengthen us and we’ll become cleaner and clearer over time. Slowly but surely we are being shown our integrity once we've been cleaned and scrubbed.
In 2012-2013, Saturn triseptile Uranus showed us how our individuality did or did not cooperate with our sense of purpose. We had opportunities to break free of fear through numerous irrational situations, and this helped us define our expression for years to come. We were shown how limitations could be renovated to express our unique qualities. Some had to confront fear of loss with a willingness to be a pioneer in some realm where they could express their genius or unique qualities.
Spirit has walked with us during the times that configuration was in play, as well as any other major septile series aspects 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.
Saturn taught us a lot about how to conduct ourselves at a higher, more elegant and/or formal way of relating to others in 2013. The Eclipse in Scorpio again put the light on those Saturn lessons, and we’re learning new ways of applying those truths of our direct experience that will be a part of our lives when Mars next enters Scorpio in late July 2014, with major focus on the third week of August when Mars crosses the Moon, Sun, and Saturn degrees of the Eclipse.
Generally, when Saturn was in Virgo we learned lessons of Divine Discernment, practical functioning, and attention to detail as we were educated through learning to see life as a series of experiments. In Libra, we all went through a transfiguration in our ideals and relationships, and many started living elements of their Divine Archetype. That required some ability to do forms of repair and reconstruction work in the last half of 2011 and most of 2012 to pay some karmic dues and come to a philosophical completion.
Now we’re experiencing deeper relationships, within and in external affairs. We’re cleaning out, letting go, purifying, focusing, dealing with death and loss, restructuring how we share with others, and all those other Scorpio keywords that usually terrify the lower ego.
As Saturn rules Pluto in this chart in worldly affairs, it shows that when we are confronted with the need to deal with something or someone in an organized, efficient manner, reference Saturn in Scorpio and the lessons of focusing intensity. Feel what needs to be eliminated to achieve emotional stability or movement, and being efficient and truthful in getting to the core of any matter.
Naturally, the usual Saturn keywords will be crucial to effective behavior - patience, discipline, organization, patience, structure, maturity, patience, understanding, wisdom, patience, authority, responsibility, and of course, patience.
Mars in Scorpio disposits Saturn in Scorpio. Mars in Libra since Dec 2013 helped us all learn qualities of moderation, grace, elegance, and refinement to blunt Saturn in Scorpio extremes. Now that Mars in in Scorpio, Saturn’s energies will intensify, concentrate, and prepare for a new expression after Mars conjuncts Saturn at 18 Scorpio about 5 hours after the 3 Virgo New Moon which occurs August 25, 7:13 am PDT, 3:13 pm BST. I’ll write more about both of these events in August.
So as you open to the eighth New Moon of 2014, take a new look at what Saturn helped you let go of throughout 2013, as well as the long term regenerative self-discipline that’s also been there, if you saw limitations with a mature eye. We continue to let go and go even deeper in a connection with our regenerative life magnetism, or a deeper communion with some inner or outer element of our Being.
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 section covers only forming aspects. As noted, this New Moon and Jupiter biseptile Saturn and tredecile Uranus. This will create serendipitous major shifts wherever these affect our maps.
The septile points are 1-6 Leo, 23-28 Virgo, 15-20 Scorpio, 6-11 Capricorn, 27 Aquarius-2 Pisces, 19-24 Aries, and 10-15 Gemini. The points that set off the tredecile are 1-6 Leo/Aquarius, 7-12 Virgo/Pisces, 13-18 Libra/Aries, 19-24 Scorpio/Taurus, and 25-30 Sagittarius/Gemini. If you have planets or angles in any of these zones, expect important events and decisions that will be perfect for your growth, even if it seems you must go a direction that seems to lead away from your goal. Even a brief redirection can serve a long term plan.
Besides the aspects just mentioned, prominent aspects in this Lunation feature Mercury sesquisquare Neptune, Mars square Jupiter and trine Neptune, Saturn tredecile Neptune, and Uranus square Pluto. While each of these is important, the most powerful frictional aspects that will release a lot of energy and show the turning of corners is found in the Mars square Jupiter and the Venus Cardinal T-square with Uranus and Pluto.
The Mars square Jupiter will affect those with planets and angles at 29 Aries through 4 Taurus, 29 Cancer through 4 Leo, 29 Libra through 4 Scorpio, and 29 Capricorn through 4 Aquarius. Don’t go overboard, watch out when the expression is exaggerated or too dramatic, and show a measure of pleasant and enjoyable friendliness and detachment.
The Venus T reactivates the energies of the numerous Cardinal T-squares and Grand Cardinal Crosses we’ve been dealing with since the Summer of 2010. You will recall these became quite intense beginning Summer 2013, with flow and plunge, flow and plunge, teaching us emotional intelligence and some flexibility in moving down the time stream. Once Mars entered Libra last December, we were in a constant period of seeing how to apply Libra energy to counter the extremes shown by Jupiter in Cancer opposition Pluto with both square Uranus in Aries.
Now we are again challenged to apply positive Libra energy through this T-square, made by Venus sitting on the exact degree Jupiter went stationary direct in March. So this will directly echo something related to the Great Fracturing of April that dis-structured a lot in everyone’s life. (That fracturing actually began in late December 2013, and continued through June 2014, whether through “foreshocks” or “aftershocks.”)
Maintain balance, equilibrium, and a degree of moderation and peacemaking ability. Since the North Node is still in Libra, we continue to learn from the Libra virtues. Keep recalibrating, be reasonable, avoid escalating conflict in situations, while keeping focused on what’s fair, just, and proportionate to the circumstance.
Beside the T-square, Venus is tredecile Mars and trine Saturn. This also sets up serendipitous situations, and promises harmonization and/or understanding in our Cancer/Scorpio areas, as well as those houses where we have Taurus, Libra, Capricorn, and Aquarius. Those with planets or angles in mid-Taurus, mid-Cancer, mid-Virgo, mid-Scorpio, mid-Capricorn, and mid-Pisces will certainly get a clear understanding of something!
Unique interactive blessings and gifts involve 4-8 Gemini/Sagittarius, 10-14 Cancer/Capricorn, 16-20 Leo/Aquarius, 22-26 Virgo/Pisces, and 28 Libra/Aries through 2 Scorpio/Taurus. If you have a planet or angle in any of these zones, unique events are coming over the next 4 weeks!
The Sabian Symbols for the New Moon
A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 4 Leo. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The symbol for 4 Leo is “A man formally dressed and a deer with its horns folded.” According to Rudhyar’s notes from the Marc Jones class, this degree is one of “Self-development through the culture of masculine activities,” “subservience of individual to social pattern of behavior,” and “taste.”
In the Astrological Mandala he states this degree is one of “the masculine will to conquer his animal nature and to impress his peers with his skill in performing the ancient traditional power rituals.” (As an aside, it’s interesting that the “game birds” of the last New Moon in Cancer has now become a “hunter” in this New Moon.)
He states that in this symbol we see the human capacity “to overcome the animalistic tendencies of (our) bio-psychic nature according to certain traditional procedures.” We are told this is important to attaining a goal of proving ourselves in some way.
Further, he states this symbol refers to “eagerness to show oneself to the best of one’s advantage,” and “dramatize our achievements.” This symbol is said to be in the Span of Assurance, Act of Stabilization, and is the technical degree of the Actional level of the Scene of Combustion.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this degree is one of “self-assertion at a point of effective impact on the world,” where “formality becomes a magical ordering of the automatisms of lesser things, enlisting them in an enduring service to each individual’s more outstanding talents.” We are told “achievements become evident in the trophies by which (we make our) consistent contribution of the real essence” of ourselves to others.
He offers us the keyword of MORALE. He states that when this degree works positively, it is one of “exceptional capacity for winning and holding the esteem” of others.
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 and 2013 were 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.
Pluto is now in a zone in Capricorn it hasn’t been in for 250 years, and went retrograde at 14 Capricorn. 14 Capricorn is a technique for sorting out what’s valuable and what’s not in our past, so we can find a way to a greater assurance and “personal immortality” (as strange as that concept is!)
This is a threshold where we can see how the seeds of the future have been “gestating in the past,” or conversely, how the present transformational energy was set into motion in the past. Take on a graceful self-discipline, and you will know Divine Grace in operation.
Now that we’ve learned to attune to the invisible realms and to whatever degree gotten beyond fear, 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 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.”
In February we moved into signs and signs of self-transcendence. These set the stage for current and future new perspectives that has now led us to another phase of self-transcendence in June and the first half of July 2014, with the completion of the process achieved by February 2016.
Because Jupiter in Leo leads the Lunation, the Leo influence will be extraordinarily strong. This shows us our complete freedom to reclaim whatever spontaneity, love, creativity, or natural expression that is truly our heart’s desire.
We can be freed from a sense of heaviness through using will power to recreate our loving expression, and to some degree become “independent of fate.” This promises opportunities to enlarge our view and expression, where our “soul accepts every minor modification of itself in order to perfect the channels of its self-expression.”
Neptune represents what is “in fashion” in the collective. Different cultures and subcultures interpret this global pulse in different ways. The Sabian Symbol for 8 Pisces indicates we stand at the threshold of a major life renewal by hearing “the call,” or “sounding the call.” This one continues to show us the future, and many will be called to a larger social or global work. See how you can best be of service to a greater whole, and allowing your Spirit to find its best expression in a social form.
Since Summer 2013, we’ve found a new dedication to “collective values” we want to uphold and defend, and many have perceived higher goals through a process of “self-testing.” We now flow deeper into that dedication. This will have an impact on the collective atmosphere in August 2014. Withdraw from an old experience so you can regrasp reality in another realm, especially when the situation attempts to repudiate your higher ideals.
Be active in defending and/or maintaining your allegiances “through which life has been made worthwhile,” and by listening to your inner voice, you’ll quicken your Soul’s expression. Follow your conscience into a great compassion for yourself and others, and be independent of spirit while courageously rejecting that which would compromise your highest spiritual principles.
Feeling, then Thinking, then Deciding
As a process of moving through events, as with last month, we’re all going to be inclined to feel our way into ideas, perceptions, view, and interactions. Once we’ve gotten a new idea, vision, or understanding, then make a decision and act on it!
Try not to overplan too far into the future. Take your feeling-knowing one step at a time, and keep things in balanced motion, even if they go all over the place at times.
Once we’ve made a decision and acted on it, then a new feeling will naturally arise showing the next thing to learn about, communicate, or understand. So feel, flow, and experience, since these will lead you to ideas and views that will in turn lead to the next decision.
This Lunation will show us how to prove our abilities in some way, while also being freed to greater, more loving and authentic self-expression of our “Will To Good.” We are going to understand much about what we used to believe “success” meant, as well as why it’s been good to develop a sense of humor since February. This period will help us understand a lot about why some things ended, and why we still are living with certain feelings and ways of experiencing things.
A final reminder: With Saturn in Scorpio, the more you understand how Life itself requires constant elimination of old forms and occasional major restructuring regarding duties, obligations, and ultimate loyalties, the more you make Saturn your friend through embracing its virtues of self-discipline, patience, persistence, understanding, and long range vision. Keep growing into a reflected, illuminated transcendent wisdom that allows your maturity and authority to come forth in potent, focused ways.
Stay focused on experiencing feelings of deep connectedness with the life that’s all around you as you eliminate the next layers of what you no longer need and move into a new expression of your individuality and/or unique qualities. Now that much has ended, we should be experiencing a sense of relief that things are moving forward in a slow but measured pace. And take time to enjoy yourself by seeing how everything is playing the exact part it should!
To sum up, this is a specializing and challenging New Moon! This one helps our future flame on! Keep withdrawing from obnoxious and nasty people and situations, trust your inner Truth, hear the call to renewal, and if things get weird and magical, keep your balance as you embrace a more unique and blessed destiny. Embrace a new creative vitality, since freedom is in the air! And of course, since God loves gratitude, practice appreciation for what is gone, what is, and what’s to come.
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I’ve given you these links the past several months, since Solar Eclipses are powerful influences that persist for years. Please peruse them if you want to know more about what’s been shut down and why over these past 3 years. Consider all I’ve written with an eye to these things occurring in the houses where these Eclipses fell. Briefly, we’ve all had major Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, and Sagittarius energies shut down, and new forms of these have come forth.
As long time readers know, we all had to let go of the ghosts of the past as we experienced many months of Grand Irrationality “forks in the road of destiny” after the June 2011 Gemini Solar Eclipse. Though we’ve finished the effects of that very powerful Eclipse, the other Solar Eclipses since then continue to affect all of us. One thing is for sure - we'll be feeling the effects of the 2013 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio (gave you the links yesterday) far more than we felt the 2012 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio!!
Here are the articles explaining the Solar Eclipses of late 2011, 2012 and 2013 still playing out on the world stage and in our lives in major ways! They are listed from newest to oldest.
2013
The Annular Solar Eclipse at 20 Taurus May 9-10, 2013 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The May 2013 Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 3 – How Will This Lunation Affect Us?
The May New Moon Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 4 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means
2012
The Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
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
2011
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 2014 Robert Wilkinson
Thank you Robert. Your articles on the New Moon help pieces of life's jigsaw fit into the big picture - much appreciated.
Posted by: ann | July 26, 2014 at 09:46 PM
Thank you Robert for another great article. Mine MC is at 16 Leo, Pluto 25 Virgo, and Jupiter at 28 Libra and Ascendent at 1 Scorpio. Many planets are falling to the "Unique interactive blessings and gifts" zone. Could it be related in my case to a job opportunity matter? Thanks!
Posted by: Angela | July 27, 2014 at 02:46 PM
Seems like I´m in a hot spot Asc 25´in Scorpio..Sun in Cancer..North node in Leo 8´u
Posted by: ullis | July 28, 2014 at 04:14 AM