Astrologer Bill Attride

New Moon in Gemini - Solar Eclipse (June 1, 2011)

This is the second Solar Eclipse of the year. Here is what I wrote about this in my Overview for 2011:

The Solar Eclipse of June 1 heralds a new series of lessons for us since it occurs in Gemini. The Lunar nodes are moving from Cancer/Capricorn to Gemini/Sagittarius. Yes, that's right, these points in space move "backwards" through the Zodiac. They are established by two intersecting "spheres" formed from the orbital paths of the Earth around the Sun, and the Moon around the Earth. Where those two orbits intersect is the time, every 6 months, where the Sun, Moon and Earth line up with one another. This is what allows for there to be the phenomenon of the Moon's shadow passing across the Earth (Solar Eclipse), or the shadow of the Earth passing across the Moon (Lunar Eclipse).

The June 1 Gemini Solar Eclipse is saying that in order to use this new release of energy that comes at a New Moon, you will first have to go back and repair, correct or finish some aspect of your thinking. Gemini rules intelligence, but true intelligence is founded upon critical self-awareness. Just having the "right" answer does not make you spiritually intelligent; the real issue is are you asking the right question?

At a "normal" New Moon you get a release of new meaning, a new dispensation of energy, to inspire and inform the next step in your continuing unfoldment of spiritual potential. But during the Eclipse New Moon a shadow (the past) falls upon you. There is a need to work out some old karmic lesson before you can move forward. The shadow represents something hidden; or a blind spot in your awareness that obscures the message of the New Moon.

One of the principle gifts of Gemini is in the adaptability of your mind; you possess a unique faculty that allows, even encourages you to consider alternate points of view or perspectives. But even so you develop patterns or habits of observation, assessment and determination. You encounter an event, phenomena or individual and "classify and type" it or them. If this is done too often without being subject to self-reexamination, blind spots will develop. You will fail to see what is really before you. You get stuck in your more limited or biased point of view and errors will be made...You need a re-boot!

Think of the Eclipse as an opportunity to do just that. It is a very visual reminder that although you believe that you have perceived something "truly", you have also, inevitably, fallen into error because your perceptions are limited...you have a "blind spot".

You need to shift your perspective, challenge your assumptions and shine the light of your mind from another angle. Remember, your point of view is like a very bright light illuminating the matter before you while also creating a very strong shadow, (what you do not perceive). You need to move your mind/light to another angle so as to reduce the shadow.

Think of this New Moon as a new beginning in your way of observing the world around you. Challenge yourself to look at your life from a different or alternate set of assumptions. See what you might have been missing; celebrate some new discovery or point of awareness. Ask a question; ask again, but from another point of view. And repeat.

Remember, always approach your world with wonder...question everything! You will be amazed; you will be amazing.

Obama Pluto Trine Pluto (May 26, 2011)

Another of my comments for 2011 regarding Obama's Pluto transit:

Pluto was a great challenge to Obama in 2010, but what a difference a year makes. For 2011 and much of 2012 he will be under a most favorable trine of his Pluto by Pluto. And this at a time when the USA is undergoing the Pluto opposition to Jupiter could provide one of the means by which the US is able to make the most of that opposition.

Pluto rules the willpower, which is the true source of our ability to bring about self-change internally, and which also creates our ability to help bring about changes externally. While the US grapples with Pluto opposing its Jupiter, Obama will be able to harness his own will power, and by extension, the will power of the position his wields, the Presidency, to help bring about, what could be significant transformations in the socio-economic-political order within our nation, and externally with other nations. This is especially indicated by the fact that Obama's Pluto is in his 7th House of relationships, and the transiting Pluto is moving through his 11th House of social ideals.

What this might indicate is that Obama's ability to be a re-builder, re-newer, re-generator of our forms of relationship (Pluto in the 7th house), will play out and be seen in 11th house matters, which in a mundane analysis would be the nation's ideals and dreams about the future as well as the Legislative branch of government.

With a "divided" government, Obama as chief executive should be able to help bring about some concrete actions to address some of the problems the US is faced with now. With his Pluto in Virgo, and the transiting Pluto in Capricorn, we are talking about real, practical workable solutions. Each side will have to sacrifice part of its "agenda" and dogma to get things done. Our constitution, after all, is so arranged that cooperation and mutual agreement are integral to the political process, perhaps this year we will see it at work.

Pluto/Jupiter for the USA - Pluto/Pluto for Obama
With the USA at the same time experiencing the Pluto opposition Jupiter, Obama's transit of Pluto to Pluto takes on much greater significance. The USA is probably facing a great struggle over principles this year; the struggle is over our principles of relationship to one another internally and to other nations externally; it is those principles that end up being enshrined in our laws and our treaties. Obama's transit can provide a counterpoint to the dichotomy and struggle in the USA chart by the practical and responsible exercise of his leadership role. He can be a bridge between opposing factions and steer them toward some compromise over our rules of conduct with one another, as he also helps to bring about new policies in our international relationships.

Will he be able to keep the opposing sides working towards consensus and concrete action? Pluto would say yes. But to know that fully we must look to the other influences moving through his chart this year to see what else is in play on our stage of history.

Obama's Transits

Sun Sextile Uranus (May 25, 2011)

You are unique...you are special...there is only one of you...

Now you need to express some of that exceptional essence. The Sun rules your "self"; it is your pure potential waiting to be manifested. Uranus rules your individuality; it is your capacity to express yourself in incomparable ways. Their combination urges you to move beyond the ordinary and stretch; let your sparkle show today.

The routine, accepted, everyday way will not make it today; try something new, discover a different approach and renew your appreciation for the world around you. Then turn that around and acknowledge something special in someone else too...and repeat.

Amaze others, surprise yourself.

Venus Conjunct Mars (May 23, 2011)

Well, you had better have romantic plans for today! When the Goddess of Love meets with the God of Desire, well let's just say this Universe exists because it too desired to meet its beloved.

Venus rules value. The measure of value in the world for you is to be found within yourself in your hierarchy of values. This hierarchy is based upon and created by that one special value, the core value known as your self-worth, the value you have of yourself. And, this is fundamentally and quite simply created by one truth, from your love of your "self", the first beloved. That love is there and unconditional because at the core of your "self" is a spark of the divine, which makes you and all of creation part of one great Life-Consciousness-Spirit.  

This is the true source of all value and love in this universe; that all of creation springs from one Spiritual source, and so all are held together in this experience of being one of the countless manifestations of that one Great Spirit. You, and I and all of creation are sparks of this one great Divine Light. We are all related, all held together by our love which springs from our being ones of the One.

Mars rules Desire. You and I and all of creation "are" because Spirit desired to be, it wished to become manifest. From the one Spark of the Divine, the countless sparks went forth to evolve into and through this Universe. Through all the ages, through all the forms of manifestation, you and I encounter one another and experience...recognition. We smile, we draw close and experience that we are ones of the One. You love one another because you are one another.

So celebrate today when what you want is there for you. Today Love meets Desire and magic will happen. Love yourself, love another...and smile.

Sun Square Neptune (May 22, 2011)

Dreaming dreams, slipping through the boundaries within and without; this is most certainly not a time of certainty! But it is a wondrous time for Creativity!

The Sun rules yourself; it is the source of all your potentialities. Neptune rules your dreams; it is the power that dissolves your reality in order to show you a greater one. With the Sun moving through the logical, reasonable and rational sign of Gemini, Neptune's Square from the mystical sign of Pisces is a challenge. That is what squares are for; you have to find a way to integrate two seemingly disparate energies.

While the Sun is in Gemini, reason rules the day. You seek to understand whatever is before you and place it into a logical structure of thought. You need to name, categorize and build your world of facts. It is so comforting to know your world.

Now along comes Neptune singing her siren song, of mysterious depths, of castles in the sky, of wheels within wheels....what is really real anyway, she sings, and you realize that things are not as they seemed. You become uncertain, confused...which is exactly what you need.

Certainty is over-rated; certainty is an illusion. Neptune shows you that there are many realities, many layers to your world, and wouldn't you like to play in a more wondrous world? Of course you would, but leaps of faith are, well they are leaps.

Neptune reminds you that the core of your spirit, of your never-ending growth is your dreaming mind. You are becoming more than you were, you are unfolding your potentials from within yourself, and the key to this is your imagination.

So, do not worry about your confusion...it is only a passage, a means to the way to your greater spiritual awakening. You are becoming more than you can imagine...now leap!

 

Sun Enters Gemini (May 21, 2011)

First came Aries, you experienced "I AM".

Then came Taurus, you experienced "I HAVE".

Now, as you dance through Gemini you are to focus on the experience "I THINK", (therefore "I AM").

For the next 30 days the core spiritual lesson is upon the development of your mind as it seeks to relate to the world within and without. Gemini is all about networking; it rules your nervous system, your intellectual faculties, your communication skills...it rules inter-connectivity. You have moved from Fire in Aries, to Earth in Taurus, and now you extend yourself through the first of the Air Signs.

The element of Air is all about Mind, Intellect, Ideas...it is about the development of Self-Consciousness. Self-awareness is probably one of the most distinguishing features of your evolving Spirit. The power of your mind is not to be measured by its storage capacity, (it is not how much you know, how many megabytes of storage you have), rather, it is how well you "think", (it is about your processor!). One of the principle gifts of your mind is the ability to examine whatever is before you in such a manner that you come to perceive it from as many different "angles" as possible.

Each angle or point of view is like a facet of a prism or lens through which you look out upon the world around you. When you bring your awareness to bear through one such lens it is as if you are shining a very bright light upon the object of your awareness. It is illuminated....but there are also shadows, and dark spaces that remain unlit. So, you need to shift your perspective, make new assumptions and so create another lens to see with. By doing this you can eventually create a more complete understanding of what is before you.

This is one of the principle gifts of Gemini, the gift of mental adaptability. It is the source of your ingenuity and problem solving, your tool-making powers and critical awareness. Ultimately, it is your means towards the development of knowledge...and that knowledge can be passed on. This gift of Gemini is the fountain-source for the development of Civilization. The foundation for it all is this process of building a network of associated experiences, of seeing the whole world as a network of relationships between you and the world around you.

Celebrate this next step in the journey of life-consciousness-spirit; moving ever onward you reach for the understanding of who, what, when, where and how. You seek to know, by going out and going in, and then you repeat.

Remember always, in every step, and at every stage in your journey, there is but one injunction:

Know Thyself!

Mars Trine Pluto & Mercury Trine Pluto & Mercury Conjunct Mars (May 20, 2011)

Another Triple Play! This time you have Mercury, Mars and Pluto dancing with one another. That's a potent combination, Mind-Action-Will, so how do you make the most of this energy?

Mars in Taurus combined with Pluto in Capricorn favors great accomplishments along meaningful lines. You are not theorizing here, you are building something strong, something substantial and, of course, it has to be practical. Mars, who is acting for material manifestation now, is here shaped by the will of Pluto and so guided towards achievement that is transformational. Whatever seemed impossible...well, now you will make it happen! Today is the day you make a breakthrough...so go for it!

Mercury in Taurus comes along next. Now it's your mind that is being molded by the Will of Pluto. You have a more laser-like power of perception. Normally, you accept the surface appearances of the matter at hand, and why not; today you are stripping away the apparent to discover the underlying layers of reality (or truth). The question then becomes, now that you know that inner truth, that hidden secret, what will you do with it?

You will be very powerful in your communications today, but will you be wise too? Sometimes a discovery, or an insight, or secret, is for you to know. The other party may not be ready to receive it just yet. As in all things, consider whether it is wise to offer up your new understanding; always remember, first do no harm.

Which brings us to alignment number 3, which is Mercury coming across Mars. Okay, you better watch out, take a deep breath, and consider what you should say, (and how you should say it). Your mind is eager, excited and bursting with energy. Yes, you are thinking faster, but that does not mean you are right or that you should just let it out. Do not allow excitement and eagerness to lead you into "foot in mouth" syndrome. And remember, others are just as eager and excited as you are, so do not let things spin out of control.

Communication is not a competition, it is about understanding; it should not be seen as a win/lose scenario. That is not how you advance your awareness or raise consciousness. Just look at that word, "consciousness". It really means Together (Con), Knowing (Sciousness). The growth of your understanding and consciousness is dependent upon you combining your thoughts with others so that you can create a more complete viewpoint.

The combination of Mercury and Mars will certainly speed up your mind and speech. Just make sure that the eagerness to communicate is reciprocal; the most important factor in being a great communicator is in being a really good listener.

Taurus Full Moon (The Buddha) (May 17, 2011)

You walk the path of self-unfoldment, to become what you are to become. Your journey is long, the lessons are many. But there are some who have gone ahead; they have accomplished what must be done. They have shown the way. Their life, their message is a gift that lifts your spirit as you struggle to understand what is it all for; and in the story of the Buddha we have the reassurance that no one will be left behind, the door will not be shut, 'til all have come back home again.

Today we celebrate what many consider the greatest of these Great Souls, The Buddha. Siddhārtha Gautama was said to have been born at the Full Moon of Taurus; achieved Enlightenment at the Full Moon of Taurus; and left of his own volition the human physical form at the Full Moon of Taurus. The teachings that he shared are some of the purest expressions of the Ancient Teachings.

The Ancient Wisdom has been passed down from the beginning of time; it forms the core of understanding behind Science, Philosophy and Religion...and Astrology. At times more revealed, and in times more obscured, it endures as the promise that there is a purpose to your journey and a path that you must follow. Many teachers have come, many unsung and known but to a few, but all have sought to re-affirm and pass on the truths of your existence.

The core understanding of the Buddha concerns nothing less than the way to fulfill your human destiny. The heart of the mystery is that we are sparks of the Divine and our journey through all the forms of existence is so that the Divine may become manifest. Yet, in moving through these forms we become attached to form and so suffer.

We, as spirits of the One Spirit, must descend and be "formed into forms" that delight us, and yet limit us. These forms help us to grow, learn and understand our true nature as our powers unfold. Yet, ultimately our moving into forms causes suffering, because each form is limited and must eventually fail us.

The Buddha's message, which is so beautifully demonstrated by the Sun in Taurus and the Full Moon in Scorpio today, is that the journey of Spirit is from the Un-Manifest to the Manifest, from Pure Potential to Magnificent Fullness...and back again. This is your journey, to go out into the Universe and by your continuous "becoming", to evolve through your experience of Spirit in Matter-Forms. You move from the Ideal of Value and Beauty, to Value and Beauty Realized. But your true nature is Spirit, and it is always about this journey of Spirit, and so you must continuously move through the forms, and not stay in any form.

Buddha taught that the nature of your material existence leads to suffering because you become attached to the form of value. He showed that the way to peace, the way back home to your Spiritual home, is through developing the "Way of non-attachment". The key to life...is to be the light flowing through the forms, breathing life into the forms, but not identifying with the forms of existence.

This is the great message of the Taurus Full Moon. That precisely when you feel most strongly the life force surging, and all of the delights of Material Creation are arrayed before you so that you wish to hold onto the form of value, when all your senses are aroused, and you are most keenly aware of your physical self, it is then that you need to remind yourself that this is only for a time.

Yes, you should gaze with wonder at the dawn of a new day, and dance in celebration at the resplendent abundance of life increasing, but you must always be ready to release the value-spirit behind the form when the day is done. The lesson of Buddha is that even as we celebrate and move through the forms of value, we must develop in equal measure our capacity for non-attachment to the form.

You left long ago on a journey of self-realization, of self-unfoldment, of becoming. You started as an unself-conscious spark of the Divine. You will return when you have achieved a fully awakened consciousness, which is your gift that you offer to the Spirit upon your return. How far away that is no one can say.

You can take comfort in the knowledge that your journey is guided, encouraged and inspired by those who have gone before you. For at the end of the path, The Great Ones, the "Buddhas of Compassion" stand, watch and wait for you to return. This is the Buddha's great sacrifice; that although he has finished his journey in the human form, he will not cross over till all have completed their journey. The door will not be shut.

We began as many coming from the One. We return to the One, bringing our gifts of experience, of life and love made manifest. So celebrate the Taurus Full Moon, of life surging and beauty beheld for it is a necessary part of the great circle of Life-Consciousness-Spirit...and then think of those who patiently wait for your return, and be thankful.

Mercury Conjunct Venus while Mercury & Venus Sextile Neptune (May 16, 2011)

Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods, the "fleet-footed" one, overtakes Aphrodite and bestows a gift in passing. Remember it was just last Monday that Venus passed over Mercury; today Mercury catches Aphrodite...we are dancing a "do-si-do" indeed!

Now Hermes calls the tune as he brings steadied thoughts to your appreciation of the beautiful; listen for the message that he brings from the Sun. The Solar Logos, the manifested Light of the light that is within you, calls upon you to remember that the source of value/beauty, the true fountain-source of love, is to be found within yourself. The light that is within you is a spark of the Divine; it is that which connects you to every other part of this Universe. The true source of your value, of your love, of your potential to be fulfilled, is that you and all of creation are sparks of the divine; we are all lights of the Light. You are truly of One Mind, One Love, and One Spirit.

Hermes timing could not be more perfect as he prepares you for the great blessing of tomorrow, the Full Moon of Taurus, the Buddha Moon! This is one of the most sacred events in the calendar year; you follow the "Shining One" who has walked the path that you are still upon. As you approach this sacred event, another message of illumination is offered by one of our planetary companions.

While Mercury and Venus dance their dance today, the gentle voice of Neptune, the planet of imagination, illumination and transcendence whispers to them both. She is moving through her home sign of Pisces and bestows her blessings upon your inner companions.

To Mercury, Neptune offers the wisdom that in order to perceive the truth you have to remove your blinders and see what has always been there. Wash away your illusions with Neptunian trans-lucidity.

To Venus, Neptune offers the wisdom that in order to hold the truth you have to remove your shadow and see that you have always been loved. Wash away your fears with Neptunian compassion.

Now, turn to the heavens and pay homage to all those who have shown the way. For tomorrow is the day of the Full Moon and we should all bow our heads and acknowledge the continuing sacrifice that has been made for us all.

Venus Enters Taurus & Mercury Enters Taurus (May 15, 2011)

As Hermes catches up to Aphrodite, she slips away and dances into Taurus. There is no place like "home"; and Venus is back in her sign of sensual, marvelous, material manifestation.

With Venus ruling value and beauty, the earthly delights of Taurus are a source of true joy for Aphrodite. You appreciate the finer things in the world now; indulge your tastes, sing your song of creation and bring more beauty into your world. The ideal of aesthetics has been considered; now it is time to draw down the ideal and make manifest the good. Enjoy the next 3+ weeks as you remember how wonderful it is to be able to touch, taste, smell, hear and see the world around you.

Celebrate Venus as she brings you closer to the Beauty of Wisdom.

Right on the heels of Venus, Hermes follows into her garden of earthly delights. The mind is tempered; your thoughts become more focused, steadied...slowed down. After all the excitement and frenetic agitation in Aries, it is nice to take time to consider what's important.

Mercury will only be here for about 2+ weeks, (he's still picking up speed after that retrograde), so do not miss this opportunity to center your mind by harnessing your point of view to lasting, practical values. The only ideas that matter now....are the ones that work! No flights of fancy; your thoughts have to be solid and your answers have to work. The good news is you will certainly see your ideas becoming realities as Mercury moves through Taurus.

Celebrate Mercury as he guides you to the everlasting Truth.