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The Flow! Week of July 4 – 11, 2010

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The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them. It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology.


For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow. All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way. Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions.

If you like what you see, please share it with friends! If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com. Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

The synopsis for this week: Prelude to an Eclipse.
July is a busy astrological month! To help you plan, and be aware of what is upcoming, here is a list of this month’s significant events. And, of course, as they occur in each week we’ll be discussing them in detail!
— July 5, Uranus goes Retrograde. More on that below!
— July 9, Mercury rushes headlong into Leo.
— July 10, Venus says ta-ta to Leo and sachets into Virgo.
— July 11, is the Solar Eclipse. Much more on that below!
— July 21, Saturn promenades out of Virgo and re-enters Libra.
— July 22, the Sun roars into Leo.
— July 23, Jupiter goes Retrograde.
— July 24, Like after making a u-turn and smashing into a truck, Jupiter squares Pluto.
— July 26, Saturn opposes Uranus for the LAST time.
— July 27, Mercury races into Virgo.
— July 29, Mars marches into Libra.
— July 30 and 31, Mars plays dodgems with Uranus and Saturn leading up to the mashup of Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto on August 3rd but now I’m getting a bit ahead of myself.

Without further ado and a riff from the Sound of Music, let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start!

Many of you may have noticed the bright “star” in the West just after sunset. That is our friend and planetary companion, Venus. Venus orbits around the Sun inside the Earth’s orbit, so as seen from here, Venus has “phases” just like the Moon (see diagram below). Oddly enough, when Venus is at its brightest, only 25% of its surface is lit, so Venus is brightest when it is in the Crescent phase, which it will occur this year around August 7th.

This week, on July 9th, Venus is just to the upper right of the royal star Regulus, the “Heart of the Lion” of Leo. About halfway between Venus and the top of the sky is the reddish planet Mars, and about halfway again from Mars to the top is Saturn. They are far, far dimmer planets so you may need a darker location to find them. Next week all three will be joined by the Moon. A beautiful celestial display for a Summer celebration!
On Monday, July 5th at 9:49am, Uranus goes retrograde. All planets except the Sun and Moon go retrograde at some point in their cycle, but generally the only two we normally worry about are Mercury and Mars.

But this Uranus retrograde is a bit different than most. Why? For two reasons. One, because it is going retrograde on the World Degree of 1 Aries, and second, because it is part of the formation that has been governing our public affairs the better part of two years.

I’m not going to suggest anyone get too carried away with the idea of world calamities because of this retrograde. It isn’t THAT big a deal. But it could be. I’ve sensed a heightened level of chaos, or lack of control in many different cultural, social and political arenas, and it is growing. It’s as if there a pot simmering somewhere that’s boiling over, but the lid is still tightly attached. A lid that I expect will remain intact until Uranus squares Pluto in the 2012-2015 timeframe. That’s when the REAL fireworks will be!

The Uranus Pluto combination has had tremendous effect on us in all of these areas, culture, society, and politics. They were essentially conjoined the entire time Uranus was in Virgo, from August 1962 to July 1969; a heady, tumultuous, social and political firestorm. The previous time Uranus and Pluto conjoined was the early 1850’s which certainly was also a social and political cauldron, notable for the rise of the abolition movement. The last time they were square was 1877, which was the precise year that Radical Reconstruction ended.

The late 1870’s saw the beginnings of the Gilded Age and the Industrial Revolution. It also saw the organization of a labor movement that continued until Uranus and Pluto moved to the other side of the zodiac in the early 1930’s, a time that also suffered the rise of fascism. And the 1870’s was the time of the beginnings of segregation and suppression of black civil rights that lasted until the next conjunction between these two planets in the 1960’s.

Much more research will be needed to determine how this next square will affect us, but it is certain to be interesting!

For now, though, the retrograde this week is bound to affect our political landscape. As Uranus moved forward, progress was made on addressing certain critical issues affecting us. Now, with Uranus beginning to move backwards in the sky that progress is likely to stall until Uranus goes direct in mid-December. With the US Congress turning its attention to the mid-term elections in November, this scenario is highly likely. Hanging in the balance is the Wall Street Reform bill, which will need rapid attention if it is to pass. Once Uranus gains steam in reverse in the later half of the month, progress of any type is likely to stall.

Many of you may have noticed the bright “star” in the West just after sunset. That is our friend and planetary companion, Venus. Venus orbits around the Sun inside the Earth’s orbit, so as seen from here, Venus has “phases” just like the Moon (see diagram below). Oddly enough, when Venus is at its brightest, only 25% of its surface is lit, so Venus is brightest when it is in the Crescent phase, which it will occur this year around August 7th.

This week, on July 9th, Venus is just to the upper right of the royal star Regulus, the “Heart of the Lion” of Leo. About halfway between Venus and the top of the sky is the reddish planet Mars, and about halfway again from Mars to the top is Saturn. They are far, far dimmer planets so you may need a darker location to find them. Next week all three will be joined by the Moon. A beautiful celestial display for a Summer celebration!
The last main event for the week actually occurs next Sunday, but to speak of it then would be a bit too late, so I am including the Total Solar Eclipse of the Sun on July 11th in this week’s edition. It is part of Saros Cycle 146, a cycle that began on September 19, 1541 and will end on December 29, 2893. We are almost midway through the totality part of the cycle (5m20s), just a second behind the longest total eclipse that occurred in 1992. This cycle’s solar eclipses have in recent historical times occurred on:

– May 29, 1938 at 13:50:19 UT
— June 8, 1956 at 21:20:39
— June 20, 1974 at 4:48:04
— June 30, 1992 at 12:11:22

And will next occur on July 22, 2028. If there are any numerologists in the house, I’d be interested in hearing their thoughts about the 11’s and 22’s that seem to be in this eclipse cycle recently!

Researching the beginning, end, and some of the middle dates of this cycle lead me to believe that the ultimate purpose of this cycle is to cause us to reflect as a people about our past, present, and future and decide which direction we wish to pursue. In 1938, in spite of all kinds of attempts to avoid it, we were hurled into a war that still forms the basis of much of our international relations. In 1956 the US began to turn away from the Red Scare and Yellow Peril, and began to lay the foundation for John F. Kenny’s election. June of 1974 began the climax of the Watergate scandal. And in June 1992, we turned away from the policies of Reagan—Bush I, and paved the way for Clinton’s election in November.

If this trend continues, there is a new path being prepared for us as a people. The optimist in me hopes that it may be the time we understand the negative impact of extreme political rhetoric, and the impact of our policies on our environment, culture, and globe. The pessimist in me worries that, like 1938, we could be headed toward a time of confrontation not between countries, but within them over social issues and the politicization of the media. There are reasons why I’m slightly more optimistic than pessimistic, for even in the darkest days of 1938, Winston Churchill was laying the political framework for an alliance between Britain, the US, and USSR that was ultimately victorious. But that was a long, tough slog, and reason will triumph over our darker passions. The final eclipse of this cycle ends with planets in both Cancer and Libra, giving hope that empathy, humanity, fairness and justice will eventually carry the day.
For more scientific information on the eclipse than you could possibly use in one lifetime, visit  http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEsaros146.html

To the weekly details!

Sunday, July 4th

Happy 4th of July!

Last Quarter Moon at 7:35am at 13º Aries

Sparks are flying and it isn’t just from fireworks. We have the Last Quarter Moon this morning and it has everyone on edge, cranky and restless. Fire (Aries Moon) and Water (Cancer Sun) create steam, and everyone has lots of steam to let loose. Find a quiet space, hold onto your hat, and just let it go! The more negative energy you let out privately will be all the less that can come out publicly, and everyone will be the happier for it. The afternoon and evening should be much more conducive for celebrations, and watching things go bang in the sky is much more pleasant than watching them go off between people. Have a happy and SAFE 4th!

Monday, July 5th

Uranus goes Retrograde at 9:49am (see above)

Monday is a day that just keeps getting better as the day progresses. It starts off with a square between the Moon and Mercury at 12:40am, so the half of us who aren’t drunk will chalk up the previous day’s events to a quirky 4th of July, the other half won’t remember anyway. Bygones are bygones later in the morning as we bask in the warm salubrious glow of the Moon trine Venus at 6:52am which should last at least till noontime, and the afternoon tops off with a sextile between the Moon and Neptune at 2:44pm. By the time the Moon enters Taurus (yay!) at 5:29pm, everything is alright with the world once more.

Tuesday, July 6th

No major aspects.

Tuesday is one of those rare days when people are more cheerful (or at least resigned) and less glum about returning to work. The Moon is in Rock of Gibraltar sign of Taurus, and we feel that nothing can rock us off that block as we start the work week. We feel confident, in-charge, cooperative, and ready to be practical, prudent, and productive. Today is a great day for addressing financial matters, so if you have bills to pay or a budget to make for the month this is the perfect day to manage them. Speaking of management, workers and their managers will find their working relationship go fairly smoothly today as most people feel their needs are being met without tantrums on either side of the office. Similarly, if you have a favor to ask today is not a bad day to make your case, just remember that everyone is in a practical mood, so don’t ask for more than what is prudent!
Wednesday, July 7th

No major aspects.
The later part of the week we are affected by the opposition between Venus and Neptune that peaks tomorrow, at 4:56pm. Venus is the planet of our relationships, charisma and the women in our life. Neptune is the planet of our beliefs, ideals, and mysticism. With the opposition, they are both literally opposed and at odds with one another. It is often not a pleasant time, since what we think about our relationships and what is actually the case are in conflict. During this time it is easy to make false assumptions about our relations with others and to either idolize or demonize them beyond recognition. If you take away the halos and pitchforks from your mind, you’ll be closer to the mark!
Otherwise, today is not that bad a day. We are energized, communicative, and willing to work hard for our objectives. The Moon is in the final degrees of Taurus and we are still feeling fine. The trouble begins tomorrow…
Thursday, July 8th

Venus opposes Neptune at 4:56pm
Mercury sextiles Saturn at 10:35pm
The Moon enters Gemini at 12:51am and the gremlins come out of the woodwork. While normally a sextile between Mercury and Saturn would be a harbinger of sanity, with the Moon in Gemini, and the Venus Neptune opposition in high gear, we’re just not in the mood. We want our ponies, and we want them NOW. In fact, the otherwise intelligent and communicative Mercury Saturn sextile just makes us all a bit too scheming for our own good. Relax, take a deep breath, and tomorrow you’ll have a much better perspective on what is achievable, and what is fantasy.
Friday, July 9th
Mercury enters Leo at 9:29am
Mercury trines Uranus at 4:46pm
Today we are all on fire. Forget that it’s Friday. Forget that normally on this day we have one foot in the office and the other in weekendland. We are blazing with mental fire and want to have an outlet for all that heat, light, and energy. If you ever wanted to figure out how to program your DVR, today is the day. If you bought a piece of equipment recently and have the manual sitting unopened on your dining room table, today is the day to brush off the dust and crack it open. Whatever you have to do today, if it includes using a brain, you should be successful. Get cracking!
Saturday, July 10th
Venus enters Virgo at 4:32am
Sun sextiles Mars at 9:13pm

The Moon enters its own sign of Cancer at 4:38am, and we all take a deep breath and calm down after the hectic end of the week. While the Moon is always at home in Cancer, this time it feels a bit under siege. Almost as if after making it home after a frantic week at work, she puts her back to the back door and gives a huge sigh of relief to be alone and catch her breath. And then the doorbell rings with a mob of friends trying to pull her in 24 different directions. It’s almost enough to make one scream — which more of us would do if we didn’t have the Sun Mars sextile to give us the added energy to survive the plans and chores we have scheduled for the weekend.

Actually, the mood on Saturday isn’t actually bad. In fact, in spite of it all, we’re feeling rather buoyant and in the mood for some good adventurous fun. Just leave lots of extra time for the unexpected, and for the expected to take longer than usual to get done. And if you have some extra energy to spare, give some thought to how you might be affected by the eclipse tomorrow that occurs at 12:40pm!

The aftermath of the eclipse looks fairly calm for next week. I also understand there’s another Harmonic Convergence set for next weekend, but more on that in next week’s edition!

That’s it for this week, folks…have a great week!



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