by Robert Wilkinson
The next two weeks (and 5 months) will give us the power to integrate or re-integrate our lives at the core, redirecting our focus to whatever secures what our heart wants to see and experience. Grace is in the air, and it’s always good to have a sense of humor at life’s changes, since often what we miss is far less fulfilling that what is coming! This “Buddha Wisdom” is a call to action, and the gateway to a greater compassion, forgiveness, and life.
This Full Moon fulfills the Aries Hybrid Solar eclipse New Moon themes, which means we’re already having some late Aries energies removed from our hologram with the voids to be filled in the near future after Jupiter transits the last degree of Aries. As Jupiter is still in Aries and we’re all still in a 2 year cycle of learning to enjoy life on our own terms, see the humor in things and embrace the new identity already stirring in you.
Because the Nodes are important in any eclipse, “inhale Taurus” and “exhale Scorpio.” Refuse nothing because it seems insignificant, but also accept nothing which limits your power to enjoy life on your own terms. This begins 5 months of letting go of feelings we no longer need arising from the subconscious mind so we can bring hope and happiness to ourselves and others.
With Sun conjunct Uranus in Taurus and both quintile Saturn in a special evolutionary configuration also involving Pluto, the next few months will help us all individualize by going our thing in our own way and enjoying the process of purifying our dedication. This one is a “premobilization” helping us drop the old to prepare for when the doors swing open later this year. Just keep in mind that old answers won’t solve your problems.
This “Buddha Wisdom” Full Moon eclipse fulfills the Aries New Moon themes of having a sense of humor as we prepare for new arenas of work, play, and group connections. The recent Sun/Jupiter conjunction opened doors to surrealistic Nature tours, and the current Sun/Uranus conjunction lights up our spontaneity to the degree we’ve cleaned out our mind of unsatisfying images and attachment.
With Mercury retrograde, it’s time to take a new look at many things in the past, and find hope in the grace you’ve experienced since then. And with the Moon the handle of the Bucket, if we want to get a grip on what’s happening, or know how to express the potential, look to the Moon in Scorpio!
Evolutionary Configurations
This month we have three evolutionary configurations, 1 involving the Lunation and 2 involving the Sun and Uranus, and two involving Saturn. This Lunation is fairly harmonious, despite the tendency for some things to spin out of control fairly quickly. Still, grace is in the air, so open to receiving it by forgiving much. We’re still in a time of rapid forward movement, with tremendous gifts as we stand at important forks in the road in our lives! This month the configurations are (in no particular order):
1) The Lunation is extremely powerful due to two oppositions going on, with the Lunation cut by Saturn into a quintile and tredecile, creating unique circumstances and interactive gifts and blessings. This generates very favorable and serendipitous voids at 1-2 Aquarius/Leo, 2-8 Pisces/Virgo, 8-14 Aries/Libra, 14-20 Taurus/Scorpio, 20-26 Gemini/Sagittarius, and 26-30 Cancer/Capricorn. Saturn quintile Uranus is extraordinarily favorable, bringing high specialization between the awakener and the one who brings maturity and discipline to the lesson. You’ve got great things coming, regardless of what’s taken away!
2) The second configuration is an offset Grand Water Trine between the Moon at 15 Scorpio, Mars at 22 Cancer, and Neptune at 27 Pisces. In this case, Mars “collects the light” of the two trines it makes to the others and creates a trine effect between the Moon and Neptune, even if it’s closer to a quadrelftile (130+ degrees) than a trine. This will deepen the connections, harmonize the “feeling-knowing,” and allow for more flow as we let things go. It’ll prove beneficial for a deeper understanding of planets or points we have in the last decan of the Earth and Water signs.
Our final configuration in play the next two weeks (and 5+ months) involves the Grand Irrationality. In this chart we find the Sun conjunct Uranus powering up the septile to Neptune, bringing its brand of general irrationality to the collective atmosphere. This is a configuration showing us “forks in the road of destiny,” and will primarily affect planets or points we have near 2-6 Aquarius, 24-28 Pisces, 16-20 Taurus, 7-11 Cancer, 28 Leo- 2 Virgo, 19-23 Libra, and 10-14 Sagittarius. The Sun subtracts 2 degrees from the front end of these zones making the spans even wider (22-28 Pisces, 14-20 Taurus, etc.) The next time this will be stimulated will be when Venus in early Cancer septiles Uranus and biseptiles Neptune followed by Mercury conjunct Uranus and septile Neptune.
Even though I gave you the link to the main article in part one of this series, in case you don’t know about the Grand Irrationality, there have been two iterations of it. The first Grand Irrationality (1993-2017) was anchored by Neptune septile Pluto, and the second Grand Irrationality (2018-2021) was anchored by Uranus biseptile Pluto, with Neptune occasionally configuring with Uranus in a septile, joining the two evolutionary patterns.
Both of the “Grand Irrationalities” represent non-rational aspect configurations associated with “forks in the road of destiny” blending the transpersonal revolutionizing of Uranus with the transpersonal “fog of mass consciousness” of Neptune with the purifying “death and rebirth” energy of Pluto.
While not configurations, I want to give a special nod Jupiter making its initial waxing septile to Saturn. This is a fork in the road of the process which began at their December 2020 Grand Mutation conjunction at 1 Aquarius. This marks a turning point in the 20 year cycle, where we renew our dedication to the greater ideal we’ve been chasing since then. We stand on the threshold of a shift in field and focus, so face facts and have a sense of humor. This septile primarily impacts 12-16 Capricorn, 4-8 Pisces, 26-30 Aries, 17-21 Gemini, 8-12 Leo, 30 Virgo-1 Libra, and 21-25 Scorpio.
Major Aspects
Besides the various aspects I gave you related to the evolutionary configurations, forming (or partile separating) inner planet aspects include the Moon quintile Pluto; Mercury is quintile Mars, sextile Saturn, novile Neptune and trielftile Pluto; Venus is quindecile Mars, sextile Jupiter, novile Uranus, and square Neptune; the Sun is bielftile Mars, vigintile Jupiter and biseptile Pluto.
Outer planet aspects include Mars square Jupiter and sesquisquare Saturn; Jupiter semi-sextile Neptune and binovile Pluto; Saturn is quintile Uranus and decile Pluto; and as noted earlier, Uranus is again septile Neptune and tredecile Pluto.
Friction is steady this month due to 2 oppositions, 3 squares and 1 sesquisquare. Beware of too much idealism, exaggerated situations, and coercive people. Keep everything open and above board, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and if something seems exaggerated, it probably is. Annoyance could reveal flaws in plans, where a retreat is needed. With Venus, Mars, and Jupiter all making squares, there are some social changes ahead!
This month features many spiritual aspects. In the series related to destiny and “fate,” we find 3 septiles and 1 biseptile. In the 9th harmonic series related to spiritual realizations, we have only 2 noviles. In the 11th harmonic series related to spiritual realizations, we have 1 bielftile, 1 trielftile, and 1 quadrelftile. The specializing aspect series also provides a number of aspects, including 1 vigintile, 1 quindecile, 1 decile, 4 quintiles, and 2 tredeciles.
For those new to the craft, quintiles and biquintiles are 5th harmonic aspects, septiles and triseptiles are 7th harmonic aspects, noviles are 9th harmonic aspects, deciles (semi-quintiles) and tredeciles are 10th harmonic aspects. The elftile series are 11th harmonic aspects, the quindecile is a 15th harmonic aspect, and the vigintile is a 20th harmonic aspect. Each of these has a unique function in the phase relationship of the two planets in aspect.
The 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th harmonic aspects are specializing and bring forth partially or fully developed quintessential elements of the planets involved. The novile (9th harmonic), septile (7th harmonic) and elftile (11th harmonic) series all feature spiritual aspects. All novile series (9th harmonic) aspects represent entry or exit points of periods of gestation which can bring forth possible spiritual developments. These aspects indicate things which need to be put on the shelf for a while, or that which has been gestating can now move forward. They represent gestative energies that can lead to great spiritual realizations.
Septile series aspects represent forks in the road of destiny, where we make choices determining karmic future developments. This series is ruled by Saturn, where we create and fulfill karma by our choices during those phase shifts. The 11th harmonic elftile series aspects involve situations where there is a need to transcend and master some form of duality by making a leap of faith. In transcending those dualistic situations, dilemmas, challenges, and thinking, we resolve the problem and learn techniques of mastering those sorts of dualities in the future. This series tests our faith. Both the 7th and 11th series involve non-rational aspect values, bringing an element of irrationality in behavior and circumstances.
The various aspects in all these different harmonic series indicate points where the theme of the Whole Cycle becomes clear, whether through major developments or minor refinements in the process. Each aspect shows a phase relationship, specific to the special and unique circumstances of that particular Whole Cycle. It's how we can know when to work, when to play, when to create, when to imagine, when to have faith, and when to mobilize!
If you want to know more about these aspects, when you’re done here please go to The Specializing Aspects Pt. 1 – Quintile, Tredecile, Decile, and Biquintile, The Specializing Aspects Pt. 2 – The Quindecile and Vigintile, and The Spiritual Aspect Series – The Novile, Septile, and Elftile Harmonic Aspects where you’ll find more about the meaning of these aspects and the glyphs associated with them. Also, remember that all of these set up harmonic resonance void points all over our charts.
The Eclipse Factor
We’ve had a long run of eclipses which continue to affect us. In 2020 we had an abnormal year of 6 eclipses. We had a January Lunar eclipse at 20 Cancer, a June Lunar eclipse at 16 Sagittarius, a Solstice Solar eclipse at 1 Cancer, a July Lunar eclipse at 14 Capricorn, a November Lunar eclipse at 9 Gemini, and a December Solar eclipse at 24 Sagittarius. As all the Lunar eclipses have a duration of a few months, all of these took away parts of our Lunar expression in 2020 and early 2021.
In 2021 we had the usual 4 eclipses. The May Lunar eclipse was at 6 Sagittarius, the June Solar eclipse was at 20 Gemini, the November Full Moon was a Lunar eclipse at 28 Taurus, and the December New Moon was a Solar eclipse at 13 Sagittarius.
In 2022, we had 4 eclipses. We had an April Solar eclipse at 11 Taurus and the May Wesak Festival Lunar eclipse at 26 Scorpio. We then had the October Partial Solar eclipse at 2 Scorpio and then the November Total Lunar eclipse at 17 Taurus. Again, all the Lunar eclipses work over just a few months, while Solar eclipse effects last for years.
As you know, I see all eclipses as “cosmic recyclers” removing what we no longer need in the houses where they occurred. The June 2020 Solstice Solar eclipse in Cancer marked a change of allegiance for everyone, with hard adjustments and sacrifices for all, while the December 2020 Solar eclipse in Sagittarius has been removing all which would block our happiness. The June 2021 Gemini eclipse is removing old ideas, while the Dec 2021 Sag eclipse is removing blocks to our seeing a new identity.
We’re also still experiencing past Solar eclipse “cosmic recycling” wherever we have 16 Capricorn, 21 Cancer and 19 Leo, due to eclipses on these degrees. The endings of 2018 and 2019 helped us get organized, explore what success really means to us, and find techniques to let go of prior fixed social roles.
All these Solar eclipses, along with others, have allowed us to “shed skins” wherever we have 9, 19, and 30 Pisces, 28 Aquarius, 29 Leo, 10 Virgo, and 21 Virgo, as well as the degrees of the recent eclipses at 1 Cancer, 24 Sagittarius, 20 Gemini and 13 Sagittarius. As you can see, that involves a large part of our charts! You can find out which Solar eclipses are still showing effects by referring to Astrology in May 2023 - On The Threshold of a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse at 15 Taurus-Scorpio which lists which eclipses are done and which are still in play. And of course, there are numerous articles on the 30 Aries Solar eclipse which happened just a couple of weeks ago.
A good meditation would be to take a look back at how something related to those points in your chart ended after those eclipses, and examine how new events, new people, and new life experiences came in those chart areas. All our losses of the past few years associated with these signs have left voids which have attracted, are attracting, or will attract life contents more appropriate to who we are now. Alternately, you may be feeling a void because someone else really isn’t there. Now it’s time to turn to what will nourish you.
Element Balance
This Full Moon eclipse features an imbalanced element distribution. At this time, of the traditional 10 planets, there are 4 planets in Water signs, 1 in Fire, 3 in Earth, and 2 in Air. This makes Water (Feelings and Experiencing Life on Deep Levels) and Earth (Practicality and Grounding) preponderant, with a lesser degree of Air (Relatedness and Communications) and the only Fire (Inspiration and Light) provided by Jupiter.
Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, it’s perfectly balanced with more Earth and Water, which are great for making bricks but avoid getting stuck in the mud of ambivalence or thinking what’s passing is viable in your future.
The current sequence at present of Deciding, Feeling, and Thinking
We’ve been through several different sequences over the past few months. There are six patterns, and each has their strengths and weaknesses. For now, as a process of moving through events, the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience over the next four weeks involves leading with our thinking, communicating, envisioning and finding a new view of things, followed by decisions and actions, and then feeling what we’ve done and seen.
This pattern leads with a vision, or an understanding, or a communication, and then makes decisions and actions based in those things. While it is tempting to move back into more thinking, communicating, and envisioning, it is more important to move from deciding or acting into feeling what we’re experiencing as a result of those actions and decisions, and bring those feelings to the surface of your consciousness and get clear about what you’re feeling and why.
By naming the feeling or experience, it will naturally lead us back to new information, new vision, new ideals, and new understanding upon which you can do your next set of decisions and actions. Then again name what you’re feeling. That way nothing will get bottled up through underuse, and you can move through experiences with power and clarity.
So lead with your vision, understanding, and what’s being communicated into decisions and actions. After the decision or action, sit with the feelings and experience them, bring them to a conscious focus and get clear about what you’re feeling and why.
Due to Mercury being retrograde, don’t be surprised if you find yourself reflecting on the past, or remembering a way you used to listen to your inner voice. Just don’t overthink things, and be aware not to get caught in a loop between thinking and doing, believing you need more and more information. The way to get clear about the vision or understanding is to go to your feelings, and not your mind!
Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend
Because this Full Moon eclipse has Saturn driving “high specialization” and interactive gifts and blessings on a degree of renewed dedication while still in its initial entry phase into Pisces, forgive and move forward! This “Buddha Wisdom” eclipse will cut us loose from people and dramas we no longer need while continuing to offer the Pluto in Aquarius seeds which will sprout over the next decades. Great visions are available for those who dare to dream!
Saturn, our “spiritual teacher and spiritual friend” is now firmly in Pisces which brings more water and less air in how we express our Capricorn and Aquarius sectors and any natal or progressed planets we have in those signs.
Though Saturn can feel heavy and bring heavy life lessons, it also in the part of us which can take charge of our lives and destiny by using Saturn’s virtues in the right way and time. Our ability to steer our “ship of personality” into its rightful “role of destiny” has brought us to the threshold of new parts to play on the stage of Life.
We’re still in a long wave period of crystallizing a deeper feel for the roles we are to play in the emergent Aquarian era. Uranus has awakened us to new roles to play, while Saturn has “lightened up” and structured our Aquarius sector. Having brought us an accelerated evolution and tests of “picking up and delivering spiritual power” we now get to master the fogs and illusions of Pisces, finding understanding and spiritual power in forgiveness and steering the process of closing out old ways as they present themselves.
I explain how Saturn and Uranus work together so we can take command of our destiny in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. Saturn helps us give form and structure to our quest for Self-realization; in Capricorn, it teaches us how to use personal power within a socially responsible context, while in Aquarius it teaches us how to make a greater contribution to our civilization and come together with others in a great effort “ensouled by a great vision.” Coupled with Uranus having awakened us to the fact that the old answers aren’t enough along with the need to accept spiritual power to shape our world, we are collectively “breaking on through to the other side” into an unfolding Higher awareness.
The book was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers. Even those with little or no understanding of astrology will benefit from understanding why you had to make certain choices at crucial times that shaped your life in profound ways.
Each time you read any section of this book you will find new insights about your power to throw off all the attitudes and memories which hold you back from finding and living the life and purpose. If you’ve haven’t already gotten your copy, you can go to the Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend page on Amazon and this should be all you need to order your copy. It’s also available on Amazon and as an ebook on Kindle, so if that’s more to your liking, go for it! If you would, whether you’ve gotten the ebook or the paperback, please write a review on the Amazon site, since the more reviews, the more of a boost they give it.
And now, on a related note….
Venus is a key player due to being the ruler of the Sun, Mercury, and Uranus and in a mutual reception ruling all the other planets except the Moon and Mars (also in a mutual reception) and Neptune, always a “standalone” ruling itself as it dominates the collective consciousness. In this eclipse, Venus shows us where we will be “liberated from pressures we no longer need to bear,” and is in an extraordinarily productive sextile with Jupiter, it promises healthy interpersonal connections in the future as we let go of those which no longer have value to us. Again, when you find the old answers aren’t working, refocus your potential in new actions which detach you from the traps of perception.
Venus was the first inner planet to conjunct Saturn this year. That began a new cycle of forward-looking relationships for us all. Saturn was in the emotional/social level of management, bringing that quality to Venus’ 2023 Aquarian lessons. She recently conjuncted Jupiter on a degree of the stirring up of a new perspective, and now prepares to enter Cancer, bringing more tenderness and concern to our relationships.
As Venus is leading the way between Aquarius and Leo for the inner planets this year, it will be helpful to learn all you can about Venus’ power to create better relationships in the future, where we’re attracting friends with whom we can have fun and a sense of genuine fellowship.
If you want to know more about your Venusian power to shape your relationships into enjoyable interactions and friendships, please consider getting a copy of my newest book The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames.If you want to see why you have attracted the friends and Soul Mates throughout your life, as well as learn why some of them had to move on, please consider getting a copy of my newest book, The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and explains why we attract who we do and how to create more satisfying relationships in the future. You will understand the foundations of long term healthy relationships and friendships, why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to dance with your inner Beloved and mirror that to your world.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
Summing it Up
We now begin 5 months of endings, shifts in field and focus, transitions, and saying goodbye to many old things, people, and ways of living while embracing the rapidly developing forward movement requiring clear vision, dual actions, and deeper communion with our spiritual Brothers and Sisters. This is a time to move forward with a sense of humor and purpose, and if you can accept more power, do so.
The old answers and old ways may not work, but as we embrace the dance, we’ll find those who speak our language as we renew our vision and freedom. Because of where Mars went stationary direct, use your “zen archer” skills to take aim at whatever social or emotional target you want to connect with. This is a time for optimism, compassion, contemplation and peace. When in doubt, detach from preconceptions and old ways of responding.
We’re still riding the new wave created by Mars conjunct Jupiter at 4 Aries in late May, learning ways to have fun naturally and being spontaneous as we eliminate negative energy and stuck feelings which leave us discontent. We have found a new level of focused spiritual expression during Jupiter in Aries and now get to get experience in ways which Jupiter will expand as it transits Taurus beginning mid-May through early 2024. Remember to have fun as you learn to dance into your future rather than be bogged down by the past.
We have now hit the first “fork in the road” of the cycle which began when Jupiter and Saturn conjuncted in Aquarius. This is a huge turning point which will lead to maximum productivity beginning late May and lasting all year. With each coming year, we’ll see definite movement away from the ideas which dominated the old 200 year Earth Era and see more of the emergent 200 year Air Era launched at the December 2020 Solstice.
This transitional period requires that we ask ourselves certain questions related to our spiritual purpose, fearless as we are One with the World Soul and walk through the world but are not “of” the world. We have been navigating the final season of humanity’s “liberating ordeal” while learning to find new inner strengths and powers the past three years, as well as assistance from Devas and Angels who bring “divine help when human efforts seem to fail.”
In the past 2 years, we’ve all reached some level on the “mountaintop” where we’ve found a “fellowship of spiritual Sisters and Brothers” we’re a part of. Demonstrate your skill, and remember that attaining the mountaintop only requires a) that we enjoy the view and accomplishment, and b) the awareness of when to begin the careful descent, since we don’t want to get caught on a mountaintop when lighting clouds are blowing in!
Forgiving much with compassion for the generic human condition, we are being released from all which doesn’t serve our momentum into our greater purpose. This is the heart of a global acceleration in transforming those who are part of a greater service and group work. Embrace a new identity, a new love, a new spiritual awareness, and a new spiritual expression in grounded ways, so keep your mind and heart open and keep coordinating your body, feelings, and mind to demonstrate a stable and harmonized Soul energy. That's a great part to play as we dance through life's changes!
A Meditation on Light and Shadow
Because life seems to be a never-ending experience of out-breathing elements of the past and in-breathing elements of the new, it is useful to remember that when we are moving through major changes, and something new is introduced into our lives, it means that something else must leave, or has already left, to provide space for the new to be embraced. And lesser wisdom must give way to greater wisdom, and old forms give way to newer realities. As I’ve offered before “enlightenment” is a verb more than it is a noun.
While sometimes having to say goodbye to older, lesser ways of life can be a drag, it is important to remember that even though life can occasionally be painful, we do not have to suffer. And as we learn to break the link between pain and suffering, we heal our part of humanity and the world.
For your contemplation, a final meditation I offer each month at the end of our Full Moon journey of exploration.
We are Light. All things are composed of Light in various frequencies that express as limitless forms. Some light frequencies are of greater density than others.
All shadows result from light hitting a dense object. Psychological shadows too. Therefore, it’s good to become as translucent and translucid as possible to dispel lurking shadows.
If you must look at and/or deal with shadows, whether your own or another’s, then refocus your Light on the object being illuminated, since that form is the source of the shadow.
Find the correct 4 angles of illuminating whatever you want to focus on, and all shadows will be dispelled. Then you’re seeing things with an illuminated mind, and can act accordingly.
© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson
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