by Robert Wilkinson
This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this Capricorn New Moon chart. This one will bring payoffs for our faith, and help us see how we’re part of a Cosmic Choir!
We’ve now left the long period of Jones patterns that shifted between Locomotive, Splay, and Buckets, and now have entered a long term Bowl pattern, anchoring the main way the energies express. A Bowl is defined as all the planets occupying one half of the signs with the other half unoccupied. The current span begin with Jupiter in late Virgo and runs through subsequent signs, ending with Uranus in mid-Aries. While it’s not an “ideal” pattern of all planets within a 180 degree span, it’s close enough.
This Bowl will dominate for about 2 weeks at a time, when the Moon is between Virgo and Aries. The pattern will shift when the Moon is between early Taurus and late Leo. During those 2 weeks, it will again make a Locomotive, Bucket, or Splay, depending on what sign the Moon is in.
Ultimately it will give way to a Bucket pattern (with Jupiter as the handle) once Mars begins its long stay between mid- Scorpio and early Sagittarius. That will dominate February, March, and April, and by May we’ll be back in a Locomotive pattern, except when the Moon is Cancer, Leo, and Virgo in late Feb and mid-to-late March, when we’ll have See Saw chart patterns. To note, these patterns operate their own independent influence, regardless of which planet is in which sign.
In this New Moon, the span occupied by the inner planets (in this chart Mars in Scorpio through Mercury retrograde in Capricorn) is 85+ degrees, making it the major focus in our charts. The most intense part includes Venus, Saturn, Pluto, the Lunation, and Mercury, a cluster with 6 planets in a 46+ degree span.
This month we have 10 planets occupying 6 signs, which are fairly spread out around the zodiacal wheel. We have Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Pisces, and Aries represented, with 6 planets clustered between mid-Sagittarius and late Capricorn. That’s the major focus of action these next 4 weeks.
So What is a “Bowl Pattern” and how does it work?
This type of spread, with all the planets occupying approximately half of the signs with an empty half opposite the occupies half, creates a “special type of conscious selfhood,” which Dr. Jones says “marks the Bowl type of temperament. He goes on to state “Fundamentally it is an extreme self-containment,” which “holds things, and a Bowl individual is one who always has something to bear.”
He goes on to state that with the Bowl, “the whole dynamic of man, his total power of achievement, arises in his instinctive realization that he is set off against a definite part of the world, that there is a complete segment of experience from which he is excluded in some subtle fashion. The Bowl not only holds something, but also places whatever it holds into relationship with a larger consideration.”
Dr. Jones continues that “the occupied segment of the Bowl horoscope reveals the activity and organization of the self, since planets are significant according to their place by sign and house, and the unoccupied segment becomes a challenge to existence, or the need and emptiness to which the native must direct his attention. The outstanding characteristic of the Bowl temperament is its marked sense of what is self-contained in contrast with what the self cannot hold, and this take an everyday form in an advocacy of some cause, the furtherance of a mission, an introspective concern over the purpose of experience.”
He concludes his explanation of how the pattern works with “The Bowl native always has something to give to his fellows, whether literally or psychologically, whether constructively or vindictively, because his orientation to the world arises from division; that is, frustration and uncertainty. The leading planets, determined in exactly the same way as for the Locomotive pattern, give a point of application, and shows where and how the native seeks to carry out his mission or gain his everyday justification for existence.”
He brings up another important point of analysis, as he states “the leading planet is of secondary importance in the Bowl pattern, unless it is found in a strong opposition or cosmic cross. The fundamental attack on the problems of life by the Bowl individual is indicated more significantly by the tilt or house-position of the Bowl-segment.”
He concludes this section by stating “the Bowl character is definitely more self-expending, or self-seeking, and more practically interested in what things mean and what they are. It continually throws the emphasis from the signs into the houses. It a general way the Bowl tends to ‘scoop up’ things and initiate experience when the position of the leading planet ranges from the fourth cusp, up and over the ascendant, to the midheaven cusp, and then inclines to “capture” things or consummate various phases of life when the leading planet is placed similarly from the tenth angle down over the descendant to the nadir.”
With Jupiter as the lead planet in this Bowl pattern, open to experience with a discerning eye to what fits where in the bigger picture, and organize a plan or series of plans that will yield practical innovation or the ability to “apprentice” in a way that opens doors to a larger life and effectiveness. Jupiter teaches us lessons involving Wealth v Poverty, and how our consciousness shows whether we are “grasping circumstances with abundance or neediness.
With Jupiter leading the planetary parade, we can see if we’re using time, energy, or money effectively, and open to the eternal abundance of the Universe and accept what we need when we need it. And because Jupiter always searches for truth and bestows mercy according to our faith, be led back to your innocence, or allow your divine discrimination to help you see techniques of learning and teaching innocence in some emotional or social context.
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 20 Capricorn. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.
The symbol for the 20th degree of Capricorn is "A hidden choir singing.”In "the Astrology of Personality," where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 20 Capricorn is said to symbolize "the unrealized fullness of life even in empty hours,” “preparation for activity,” and “Ray of hope through all difficulty.”
In "The Astrological Mandala" he states the keynote is "the fulfillment of the individual’s creative function through (their) participation in a group performance consecrated to a transcendent realization of unity.” He says the symbol of the choir symbolizes “perfectly the supernal harmony of ‘heaven’ – or the music of the spheres,” where “the ideal of social participation is exalted to its highest manifestation, for the choir also represents the multifaceted and polyphonic unity of the community in its transcendent state of perfect harmony.”
He offers that this is where those who have overcome egocentricity and separateness and developed their higher consciousness can find fulfillment in a heightened sense of togetherness, and at the individual level, the “hidden choir” refers to “the polyphonic integration of all faculties in their most spiritual manifestation: the ideal of plenitude of being.” He says it falls in the span of Dependence and is the culmination degree on the Actional level of Group Performance in the Act of Capitalization.
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, this degree is “a symbol of the eternal music of the spheres,” showing an “ideality of experience “ is a “symphony of cosmic reconciliation.” He states that “the differences of individual character which have contributed to a person’s initiative and a conscious selfhood are here brought to their point of ultimate and single source in an over-all existence, and each and every element of inharmony is reordered as a participating distinctiveness of the whole”
He finishes by saying that “all (of us) are at one in the universal pattern, and offers us the keyword WORSHIP. We are told that when positive, the degree is "a unique gift for establishing a common interest, and making it a power for the good of all.”
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 I outlined in part 1, the Lunation makes three important aspects. One is a very favorable to Jupiter, the second is the semisquare to Neptune, and the third is a conjunction with retrograde Mercury, which in turn triggers a “translation of light” and reinvigorates the Sun and Moon conjunct Pluto. As I mentioned, these trines from various points in Capricorn to Jupiter set a whole bunch of favorable energies in motion for any planets or angles we may have in the last half of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces.
Mercury retrograde is VERY busy in this Lunation, making a semisquare to Venus and Saturn, a binovile to Uranus, a novile to Neptune, and a conjunction to Pluto. Because of the “collection of light” with Pluto, it intensifies everything, and brings a purifying clarity as well as gives some seeds another chance to sprout.
The novile series aspects are part of the spiritual harmonics in our charts, and these Mercurial aspects will impact any planets or angles we have near 6-10 Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, 16-20 Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, and 26-30 Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Also those with points near 1 Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.
As I gave you in part 1, other prominent aspects include Venus decile the Sun, novile Mars, binovile Jupiter, and trine Uranus, and Mars pentelftile (11th harmonic) Uranus, and trine Neptune. Outer planet aspects feature Jupiter binovile Saturn, triseptile Uranus, and trine Pluto, Saturn trine Uranus, and Uranus novile Neptune. These noviles, binoviles, and trinoviles (trines) are so strong and numerous that you should stay in a constant state of receptivity to multilevel and multifaceted spiritual realizations.
The spiritual aspects made between Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn involve2-5 Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, 12-15 Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries, and 22-25 Virgo, Capricorn, and Taurus. As you can see, there is a huge number of degrees activated by these spiritual aspects, so make the most of it!
Especially, with Venus and Saturn where they are, many of us will find a new identity and "the power of our spiritual ancestry." If confrontations with your past present themselves, see the spiritual realizations that you had then that led you to where you are now, or see how that past led to the spiritual truths you now accept as part of your value system and relationships. As Saturn rules the Lunation, it will bring a greater spiritual emphasis because of the Sagittarian influence that is so strong at present.
Since there are so many spiritual aspects in this Lunation, if you want to know more about the septile (7th harmonic), novile (9th harmonic), and elftile (11th harmonic) series aspects, when you’re done here you can check out The Spiritual Aspects – Novile, Septile, and Elftile Series. I also have a recorded class for those who want more on these important aspects.
In this chart, we have only one septile series aspect, but it’s very powerful! Jupiter has been and continues to be in triseptile with Uranus, showing a new level of pioneering cooperation (or lack thereof!) has been reached in our world at large.
This is a long range influence, and is exact or very close between late November and mid-February, indicating a threshold state, and whatever is promised during this time should be in major motion by late August and early September. The degree spans most affected include 17-21 Aries, 9-13 Gemini, 1-5 Leo, 22-26 Virgo, 13-17 Scorpio, 5-9 Capricorn, and 26-30 Aquarius. If you have a planet or an angle near these zones, you can bet you’ve hit a major fork in the road of your destiny, so get ready to “join together with the band.”
Element Balance
Of the traditional 10 planets, there are 3 planets in Fire signs, 2 in Water, 5 in Earth, and none in Air. This indicates a major emphasis a workable expanding practicality, with a lot of inspiration. There’s a strong dose of intense feelings via Mars and Neptune in their home signs, but NO interactive idealism or sense of intellectual curiosity.
With the emphasis on Earth and Fire, we have a preponderance of practical functionality with a studied inspiration in ways of relating to others and to values in general. Fire and Earth when combined make for strong bricks with which to build, but when competing with each other Earth smothers Fire. So be inspired in practical ways, and be practical in how your express your inspiration!
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, things will be running in a curious sort of balance, with the Earth element steadying the energy.
What's the proper sequence at present of deciding, feeling, and thinking, with an Overview of the Lunation
As a process of moving through events, over the next 4 weeks we’re all going to be inclined to feel our way into decisions and actions. After we decide and/or act, it will be important to get new information to come to a new vision or understanding. Once we get the right view or understanding, then a new feeling-experience will naturally arise that points the way to the next action.
So we’ll naturally lead with our feelings, then make decisions on the basis of those feeling experiences, followed by new information, new ideas, new interpretations, and new views. We’ll be “feeling our way” into new experiences, then deciding and acting on the basis of those feelings. After a decision or action, then we’ll have to find newer, more up to date information, facts, and understanding so we can get a new vision.
So learn and teach through anecdotes, seeing how others handled things practically, or how you handed things practically in the past. Let your thinking and communicating and envisioning follow your actions, and let your feelings follow a new understanding, a new perception, or a new view.
A New Look At Mercury Retrograde
Mercury is now solidly into its retrograde span, and has re-entered Capricorn. Because it rules Jupiter in Virgo which leads the entire Bowl chart, it exerts a very strong influence on all things Jupiterian, as well as all initiatives happening during these months.
If you want to know what we can expect from Mercury retrograde in Capricorn, as well as all the other signs and houses, if you haven't already gotten your copy, you may want to buy a copy of the new expanded 2nd edition of my pioneering book A New Look At Mercury Retrograde, the 2015 winner in its category of The Indie Spiritual Book Awards.
The first major work on Mercury retrograde ever written, it offers in-depth information about Mercury retrograde people, Mercury retrograde in the various signs and houses, and what the entire Mercury Retrograde phenomenon is about. If you want to know what we can expect from Mercury retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn, or the last one in Libra, or the others in any other sign and the influence in the houses, it’s all in there.
As I’ve mentioned before, it is written for both astrologers and laypeople. I have just about everything you could want to know about Mercury retrograde, including how it works, what it means, celebrities who have it in their charts, historic events that happened during Mercury retrograde, and what signs are involved in future Mercury retrograde periods.
By knowing more about 2014's Mercury retrograde periods in Pisces/Aquarius, Cancer/Gemini, and Scorpio/Libra, or 2015’s Mercury retrograde periods in Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra, you may see patterns in what was going on in your life, what you were taking a new look at and why, and how this "looking back" influenced your choices as you moved through past events. And you can get a heads up by taking a look at the coming 2016 Mercury retrograde periods in Aquarius/Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn/Sagittarius. It’s all in the book!
Here's the Amazon link to the page where you can order your paperback or ebook copy of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. It is an invaluable resource for understanding past, present, and future Mercury retrogrades, so get your copy today. Just make sure you get the 2015 edition, and not the 1997 first edition, since the second is a far superior product!
Summing Up
The Virgo energy leading the occupied half of the map should help us be practical in how we express the new adventures initiated when Mercury, the Sun, Mars, and Venus were in Virgo between August and October. This should bring a grounded practicality and productive use of power that will be a permanent part of our tool box in 2016.
The next 4 weeks will offer us all opportunities to act within a larger group purpose, and/or see how we fit into the “Cosmic Choir” however that manifests in our life. This one brings the promise of power, influence, recognition, and effectiveness for those who work with diligence and accept responsibility, and should bring an easy, natural, and organic stability, growth, harmony, and understanding where we have Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Pisces in our chart.
As with last month, this is a very productive period, and all of us will be educated in ways that will help make solid progress in 2016. Find the right view, and your sense of humor can show you the way to integrate on all levels through finding what we need as we close out the old. Take nothing for granted, since things may not be as they seem. Much that is designed and structured at this time will yield major results between August and October 2016.
The next four weeks show a lot of great growth where we have mid-to-late Earth and Water signs in our charts. Be open to the adventure and promise of what is to come, focus your power in practical ways, and be bold in asserting your individuality, leaving the past behind as you harvest the rewards of the past 12 months.
© Copyright 2016 Robert Wilkinson
David Bowie just joined the choir...
Posted by: sue | January 11, 2016 at 11:04 AM
On Jan. 10th, I sang HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN & a few others with a band who's sore-throated lead singer's Cancer Sun trines my Pisces Sun. Orb within a degree. Directly after that song, I was introduced to someone of interest whose Leo Sun is quincunx my natal Sun, within 2 degrees. A very wonderful and humbling night, really.
Glad to find that I was singing when Bowie was entering another choir.
Posted by: ThanQ | January 13, 2016 at 02:53 AM
Hi Robert, do you use Sabian Symbols rather Kozminsky Symbols for a particular reason? Would you be willing to offer your insight and opinion regarding the merits (or deficiencies) of one symbol system over the other? Many thanks!
Posted by: Heather | January 15, 2016 at 09:43 AM
Hi sue - Yes, Ziggy blasted off for the last time. His works remain a tribute to his avant-garde approach to pop music.
Hi TankQ - Glad you can find your voice and celebrate it so publicly!
Hi Heather - Yes. I extensively studied and used ALL the degree symbols I could find in the mid-70s through early 80s. Kozminsky, La Volasfera, Carelli, Henson, Koparker, and others. I found them mostly pessimistic, fatalistic, and judgmental. I also found them inaccurate more than accurate, and many didn't describe my character, inclinations, or life experience in any way that I could identify with.
The problem with most symbol systems is they are inconsistent, and judge certain degrees to be better than others, which I completely reject as a Spiritual Individual. Kozminsky's symbols are VERY fatalistic at times, and place the power in external circumstances rather than within us to manage those energies. To be fair, that's also why I studied and then rejected the conventional meaning given to the fixed stars. The ancients were very superstitious and fatalistic, and I found that the attributes to the fixed stars had no consistent application, either for modern individuals or for modern nations and their rulers.
The Sabian Symbols were the first time in history where a coherent structure was offered for the existing 360 phases of the "whole cycle" of human experience. None of the other systems is coherent. None of the others offer us a way of understanding how each phase of experience relates to previous and subsequent phases of experience. None are tied to the natural 12 fold division of energy, and none offer how the first half of a sign is related to the second half of a sign, nor how each 5 degree "face" within a sign relates to the larger energies of that sign and the faces that precede it and follow it.
You can find out more about why the Sabian Symbols are the gold standard for these types of analysis in Chapter 3 of Rudhyar's "Astrological Mandala" titled "The Positive and Negative Approaches to Individual Experience." I also believe that symbols, being archetypes, should not have a negative connotation, nor a positive one. Each phase of human experience offers us a chance to take the high road or the low road; each phase of our experience shows us the means to become more loving, wise, and intelligent than we were before that experience. There are no phases of experience that are inherently positive or negative. We make it so by our response to that experience.
With Kozminsky's symbols, as well as the others before the Sabian Symbols, I apply my old dictum that they are like perfume; we may smell them, but should not swallow them. And I don't find them accurate, Entertaining, thought provoking trying to stretch the positives and negatives to fit my actual experience, and while I can certain find correlations, I also find that they just are not accurate on a consistent level, due to their inherent lack of coherency and structure.
Posted by: Robert | January 15, 2016 at 11:07 AM