Night Sky Strategies Strategies
Issue III, Virgo 2008:
Virgo/Porno 1
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The Virgo/Porno Complex By Austin Coppock Virgo is one of the four “mutable” signs of the zodiac. Mutable signs are more flexible, multi-faceted, and adaptable than their Cardinal and Fixed brethren. They also come at the corners of the year preceding the equinoxes and solstices- meaning they come just before the seasons change. For this reason they are also called “dual” or “double-bodied” signs, for they sit in those spaces of time where the season has exhausted itself, and the next knocks at the door, yet does not deign to enter. The other “dual bodied” signs are represented by symbols which actually have two bodies- Twins for Gemini, 2 fish for Pisces, and a creature composed of both beast and man for Sagittarius, the Centaur. Virgo, on the other hand, is represented by a lone figure- the Virgin. And yet this simplicity conceals the complexity of the Virgin’s figure. She is indeed dual bodied, but knows better than to let the world know about her other half. Any psychoanalyst will tell you that the virgin is a libidinally charged figure, a vision of the feminine as pure, her womb still untouched. And yet she symbolizes unlimited fecundity, infinite potential to give birth. She is defined by what has not happened, but certainly will. It is the reason that there are thousands of websites and magazines devoted to what has been mostly aptly titled “Barely Legal.” The virgin, the maid, cannot exist without her promiscuous shadow, the whore. Indeed, the two often find themselves side by side in what has come to be called the Virgin/Whore Complex. And it is complex. Indeed, it is the complexity that comes from the exploration of a polarity. One of the dualities that Virgo is most often associated with is “Clean/Dirty.” One cannot cleanse without an intimate knowledge of what is dirty. And the line between the two is an uncertain one. As always, sex and hygiene are intimately linked. Ever called someone a “dirty whore?” I have. As the Mutable Earth Sign, Virgo represents the process by which the material is refined and purified so as to serve as the most effective vehicle for the spirit. The material is the dirty, the whore, and the spirit is clean, virginal. But there is no life for the spirit without the filthy material playground we’re all in. The fundamental contradiction of our states that Virgo focuses on is worthy of a complex or two. People react badly to such dualities. Intolerant of an internal war, they pick a side. The nun and monk deny the body, siding with the spirit. Doing so, they deny the spirit its vehicle, leaving it without wheels.
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The corrupt materialist, the “whore for money,” solves the problem prematurely as well. They enrich and embellish their vehicle, but without regard for their travel plans. The Virgin/Whore Complex goes deeper than dudes masturbating to pictures of nuns in fishnets. I swear. It is one of the fundamental dilemmas of embodiment. And so, my beloved Virgins of the Zodiac, the next time someone asks you what your sign is, you may respond “Virgo”, which is Greek for “Virgin.” Or, if you prefer to stride out from the shadows, you may just as accurately respond, with perfect Greek grammar, that you were born under the sign of “Porno,” which is, yes, Greek for whore. Me? I’m a Pisces. But I have Saturn in Porno. Sun in Porno, 2008 As is perhaps appropriate to the dual sign, this month sees a contending set of forces set loose in the stratosphere. The first half of the Sun’s trudge through Virgo is dominated by the looming Sun-Saturn conjunction. The weeks leading up to this yearly meeting are shadowed by necessity and constricted by scarcity. The hard outlines of our personal and collective situation emerge with concrete clarity during this period. However, after the Sun-Saturn conjunction on September 3rd, the energies at work will shift significantly. The second half of the Sun’s stay in Virgo has a powerful social focus, for by the time that September begins, Mercury, Venus and Mars will all be in Libra. And it is in Libra that they will remain for the entire time that the Sun travels Virgo. Mercury governs the intellect and communicative ability. Venus the passions, the ability to emotionally connect to the world. And finally Mars, the aggressive and sexual energies. All 3 planets describe a method of relating- Mercury relates mentally, Venus emotionally, and Mars physically. In Libra, the Sign whose energies most naturally lend themselves towards the delicate balance of social forces, aesthetics arrangements and lattices of facts, the combination is indeed potent. And so this year the Sun’s march through Virgo will have an unusually social aspect. Both personal relationships and more casual contacts rise up on the radar. And so as Fall creeps upon the Northern Hemisphere, the grim reality of the Sun’s conjunction of Saturn provides the foundation for the heightened level of social activity. A quick peek at presidential candidates in the United States confirms this, as does the troubled diplomatic relationship between Russia and the West. We need to make friends, because these are times when a person, or a nation,
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needs friends. The triumvirate of Plan Planets in Libra will carefully mix diplomacy, double-speak, passive aggression and a real desire to connect. - In order to understand the Libran trifecta unleashed this month, Nick Civitello breaks down the archetypal outlines of Mercury, Venus and Mars in Libra in “Breeze Through Libra.” - Astrologer ologer Tania Gilchrist explores the ramifications of Saturn’s pass through Virgo on the Pluto in Virgo generation in “Pluto Pluto in Virgo: The Devil In The Details Details.” - Resident heretic Ryan Valentine finds jjust the right words to catalyze your personal rsonal exploration of the Virgo/Porno dichotomy in “Zero Zero Key Key, Chastity Belt.” - Your “humble” editor once again walks you thro through ugh the Sun’s time in Virgo in 3 sections: “Saturn “ Says, Buried Dreams, and Pax.”
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Virgo/Porno
by Austin Coppock
…………………………………….3
Breeze Through Libra by Nick Civitello
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Pluto in Virgo: The Devil in the Details by Tania Gilchrist……...13 The Decans
by Austin Coppock
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August 22nd-31st: Saturn Says
by Austin Coppock
August 1st -10th: Buried Dreams
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by Austin Coppock
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September 11th-21st: Pax by Austin Coppock.…………………….22 Zero Key, Chastity Belt by Ryan Valentine………………………..24 About the Authors……………………………………………..26 Educational Resources……………………………………..…..28
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Breeze Through Libra By Nick Civitello
The First Autumn Breeze The Sun's movement into Virgo is never really followed by much fanfare. Rather, the trumpets blare out a doleful “wahhh wahhh” as children nationwide hunker down and prepare to brave another year of public schooling. This is a Sun that shines light onto cracks in the structure, like emotional insecurities, physical imperfections, and good old fashioned stupidity. Currently intensified by the presence of Saturn in its sign, this year it could really make one sit up and take notice of what they lack. As such, let's just stop talking about it and move onto a more pleasant subject. Libra, being as personable and popular as it is, steals the scene from the number-crunching Virgin this month, as Mercury, Venus, and Mars all make their move into the sign of Cardinal Air. By rules of dignity, this is apt; Venus in Libra will be presiding over the three by rulership, while the Sun in Virgo must take its marching orders directly from Mercury in Libra. In the skies, as in life, the reasonable and responsible (read: prudish) are ignored so that the good times may roll. I had difficulty this month in pinning down just one of the three ripe, Libran archetypes to showcase. I decided, finally, that it would be more within the spirit of The Scales, considering the typical Libran attention span (read: ADD) to cover all my bases with a series of quick and clean character descriptions. Considering that Libra is not typically one for pushing a singular viewpoint, I've highlighted the innate duality of each planetary energy filtered through Libra's rose-colored lens.
Mercury: “I'm out of order, you're out of order, the whole goddamned court's out of order!” Lawyer movies. I'm not talking about actual attorneys as much as I am referencing their silver screen counterparts, who are always found caught between two truths and forced to make a choice at the critical moment - a choice to stand up for the side of true justice, which may be a completely different interpretation of what is right than the legal system states. Oh, they may start off with questionable morals and motives, like in The Devil's Advocate or Primal Fear. They may appear to have a questionable level of intelligence and skill, like in My Cousin Vinny or The Rainmaker. They may be womanizers, drunks, washed-up, simply in it for the money. But at the end of the day, even if you get a sleazeball ambulance-chaser at the center of your story, it's a pretty safe bet he's going to end up being the sleazeball with a heart of gold and a will of steel by the time the credits roll.
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The Mercurial function is one that seeks out fact and truth, and then acts as a mouthpiece for the findings that its curiosity has gathered. In Libra's hands, the tendency toward balance can sometimes skew the drive to discover; the status quo is often balanced enough that Mercury in Libra won't want to rock the boat by digging deeper. However, when the matter of truth becomes a moral issue, one that compromises the native's value system, then Libra will choose the path of the upright and outraged citizen, and will make its voice heard. This is the point in Philadelphia where Denzel Washington's lawyer character comes to terms with his homophobia so that he can properly represent his gay client, who has been grievously wronged. This is the point in A Time to Kill when the Grisham stand-in protagonist decides that he won't be deterred by threats of Klan reprisal, as his AfricanAmerican client has murdered one of their own. And so on. As a mouthpiece for persuasive argument, Mercury in Libra's Venus rulership allows is to present the facts in an arrangement that will elicit a predetermined emotional response from its audience. It can arrange things in half-truths and pleasing anecdotes that will get people on its side. This is ideal for the attorney character, who must encourage the jury to share in his moral outrage. The archetype of “negotiator” could also fall into this category of Mercury in Libra. Again, their function is to arrange and present the terms of a proposal in such a way that it will persuade the listener to agree with the terms. In a hostage situation, the function is, in true Libran fashion, one of peacekeeping; they're trying to talk a person out of hurting or killing another person.
Mercury: “Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.” Not all Merc in Libras pop with precision persuasion and rapier-like wit. It's within Libra's Cardinal nature to work in bursts of interest. This can make it difficult to stay committed to one project, as they'll get excited about something entirely different in the middle of things, or simply lose initiative out of sloth. What doesn't help is that it can be difficult for Merc in Libra to take a definite stand on a point of contention - they don't like contention. They are loath to tell a person he is flatly wrong, and will flirt with both sides of an argument, noting the merit in both without any commitment. If I had to throw a name onto this archetype, it'd be something to the effect of “intelligent slacker.” The only character I can really think of that falls into this category is Jeff Lebowski, aka “The Dude” from The Big Lebowski.
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The Dude is a thirty-something unemployed bowling-enthusiast, who finds himself at the center of a mystery when thugs break into his house and accost him, looking for a millionaire with whom he shares a first and last name. He seeks out this millionaire for compensation, as the men who came looking for the “Big Lebowski” have urinated on The Dude's prized rug, an item that “really tied the room together” (Venusian influence, yeah?) The crusty millionaire flatly refuses to repay him, but seeks him out the next day to act as a ransom courier, as the same thugs have now kidnapped his twenty year-old trophy wife. When the ransom drop-off is botched, The Dude scrambles to fix things so that everyone will just leave him alone. I admit, it's a convoluted synopsis, but it's a weird (and great) movie. Basically, it's the loose plot of a Mercury in Scorpio film noir mystery, but the protagonist isn't even vaguely Scorpionic. He hardly has any desire to solve the mystery, he has no idea of what he's doing, who to shake down for information, who to trust, who to believe, or how to defend himself. He mostly just wants to dodge work, smoke a lot of pot, and keep his overzealous ex-military friend from hurting people. Sound like any Libras you know? He also spends the movie recycling things that have been said to him by characters who are more onpoint than he. A thug threatens him with, “We'll cut off your Johnson!” so he later says, “We're gonna cut your dick off, man!” to a fourteen year-old boy he is shaking down for information. A refined female acquaintance uses the phrase, “in the parlance of our times,” which he later misuses in a tense situation. It isn't that he's stupid, he just relies on others to think for him in situations where he can't be bothered. Sometimes the Libran impulse is to rely on others when they cannot be bothered to act – we'll get to that a little later on. Eventually, through no detective work of his own, The Dude is presented with an explanation for the confusing set of circumstances which have thrown him about for the entire film. But even in confronting the accountable party, the act consists of one part righteous indignation and three parts trying to calm down his violent friend. And when all is said and done, he ends up pretty much in the same place as he was at the start of the film, which is exactly where he wanted to be. This defunct Mercury goes nowhere and has no desire to take steps to change that. Prepare to meet this guy on September 24th, when Mercury goes retrograde in Libra. Best to mix up a White Russian, spark a fat one, and relax until mid-October.
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Venus: “You gotta hear this one song, it'll change your life I swear.” The quirky rom-com girl. She's not a stunning beauty, though she's usually comely. Her body isn't the nicest you've seen, but you want to touch her. There's something about her that charms you very easily, naturally, like it's her job. Turns out that it is. I thought I was the only one that wanted Natalie Portman to be my girlfriend after seeing Garden State, but there's a whole internet full of like-minded nerds out there who fell for her portrayal of “Sam” in said film. I have been queried, on more than one occasion, by women who don't understand her appeal, and I don't really know how to explain it to them. She's got the right combination of weirdo and interesting, mixed with a laid-back attitude and a very bright smile. In the movie, Zach Braff plays a young man whose emotions have been numbed by anti-depression medicine for over half of his life. The lithium was prescribed by his psychiatrist father, following an accident which crippled his mother. He has returned from Hollywood to his New Jersey hometown for his mother's funeral. While in town, he meets Sam, a girl who lies about her life for kicks, and who has a love of animals and songs by Frou Frou. As they connect, he discontinues his dosage of anti-depression meds, discovering for the first time in years that he can feel something for another human being, something good. But with the good comes all the unresolved conflict with his father, whose diagnosis has deprived him of a heart for a very long time. Sam's lies are benign, a method of flirtation – when Braff's character offers her a ride home on his motorcycle, she complains that her boyfriend's bike is way cooler, only to reveal at the end of the ride that said boyfriend does not exist. She invites him into her world slowly but surely, keeping his interest with silly quips and noises and stories. There's a lot more flirtation involved in the film than there is actual physical consummation of the romance, and for her part, there is a marked dependency on the relationship that nearly crushes her when it looks like he'll be going back to California for good. These are both Libra relationship staples. But most of all, the carefree charm that she exhibits is telling of the power of Venus in its dignity. It's the intellectual/emotional equivalent to the physical/emotional response that the Venus in Taurus “blatantly hot girl” archetype exhibits. Of course, this is the suburban version of Venus in Libra. The same attributes could be applied to the coy coquette in the black evening dress. But it works just as well in a pink hoodie and jeans. Speaking of that evening dress...
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Venus: “I'm the only girl you can't have, and it kills you.” The manipulative bitch. See, not all women with that easy charm want to use it to connect to nice boys with feelings. Maybe they did at one point, but were dicked over, taught that there is no justice or balance in affairs of the heart, and made a conscious decision to stop looking for love and start getting what they want. Or just engage in some sadism through mental cruelty and instigation of conflict. This is a lady who knows how to bend people to her will, whether they want her for their own or just don't want to piss her off. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that Kathryn from Cruel Intentions was the first one to spring to mind on this, especially since she's based on Marquise de Merteuil from Les Liasons Dangereuses, which would have been a much classier lead-in. But I digress. The plot is the same in each film: manipulative girl bets manipulative boy that he can't corrupt innocent girl. Manipulative boy falls for innocent girl, and manipulative girl tries to destroy them both out of spite. To do this, she employs gossip and sex to move less-clever nobles about like chess pieces, particularly in pitting one of her more angry and impetuous acquaintances against her former comrade. She gets her comeuppance eventually, but not before causing a lot of destruction with her talented lips and tongue. Emma Frost, The White Queen, a former X-Men villainessturned-heroine also fits this profile. However, she doesn't need to rely on words and affection (though she sometimes falls back on this), as she is a powerful psychic who can manipulate minds and bend wills as a part of her innate mutant ability.
Mars: “I live... to safeguard the continuity of this great society.” These are the words of John Preston, the protagonist of the dystopian action flick, Equilibrium. In this world, society has been force-fed a sensory-deprivation drug (repetition of a theme!) and all wars and conflict have ceased. Those who stay off of their meds so they can feel again are labeled as offenders and criminals, and it falls upon a group of high-level Gestapo called “Clerics” to track them down and eliminate them. Christian Bale plays Preston, a seemingly infallible Cleric who lives to protect the peace – a Libran sentiment to be sure. What's more, the Clerics are trained to fight with a martial style called “Gun Kata,” which teaches the user to calculate the probable trajectory of a projectile weapon so they may be in a different place when it fires at them, and may return fire from that safe position. It also looks awesome, and cool poses are just as much a Libran prerequisite to fighting as are safety of attack position and view of combat as a series of lines and angles.
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After a lifetime of hunting down sensory rebels, Preston himself goes off his dosage, and is overwhelmed and changed by the surge of old feelings and new sensations. He tearfully remembers the day that they came for his own wife, and how he stood back and let them take both her and his children because it was the accepted protocol, “justice.” Acting in a way that is socially acceptable is Libra's bread and butter, even when it comes to Mars. But like the lawyer character we discussed in the Mercury section, Preston finds himself seeking out a justice and a balance that is higher than what is socially accepted. While using his ties as a highranking officer of the state, he secretly plots the violent overthrow of this peaceful-but-oppressive society with the same rebel groups he used to hunt. In taking this leap from a point of balance to seek out a higher balance, he exhibits a rare dedication that makes him a true instrument of justice. Why is this such a rarity? Because Mars doesn't typically do so well in Libra. It's one of the two detriments of the war planet, the place where it simply doesn't know how to perform. After all, Mars' energy is one that severs ties, but Libra thrives on its network of connections, and doesn't want to do anything to disturb that delicate balance. It's more likely that a native of this position will suffer in repose, venting and complaining about a problematic situation without taking any steps to change. It is more likely that they will try to rely on a separate party to take action on their part. But there are other good things about this position. Sometimes, it only takes the strength of numbers and a group identity to get this sort of energy mobilized. The loyalty of the Three Musketeers, for example, is legendary, as is their battlecry of, “All for one, and one for all!” Like Preston from Equilibrium, they fight the false justice of the powers that be in an effort to bring righteousness back to rule. The Musketeers also fight in a stylish swashbuckling fashion, which shares a Cardinal Air connection to the concept of Gun Kata. Both rely on a speedy burst of metal (Air can be coded as Metal in the Chinese cosmology,) and both seek out an opening in a vital area (Venus-rulership likes to choose its targets very carefully.) Compare this against a Mars in Aries style of fighting, which would probably rely on the power of a double-handed Claymore or a pump-action shotgun rather than a precision instrument.
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Mars: “Ya know, when a man works hard his entire life enduring hundreds of ladies, many of whom he does not even remember you'd like to think that at the end of the day he will be given a lot of money, without having had to earn it. it.” And these are the words of Leon Phelps, aka “The Ladies Man,” who you may remember from his skits on SNL or from his sub-par par movie of the same title (the initial skits were pretty funny, to be fair.) Whether or not the film is any good (it isn't,) iitt doesn't change the fact that this character is a pretty good illustration of the less-martial martial Mars in Libra, the one who's more concerned with the rapier between his legs. In this film, and others of its ilk (Jude Law's remake of Alfie comes to mind,) the plot revolves around an amorous man's struggle to curtail his womanizing ways after meeting “the one.” In many ways, it's the same story as Garden State, but the drugs are replaced with a ton of sex. The perceived inability to feel is not so much uch acknowledged as problematic, but regarded as a boon which allows this type of Mars to dominate the bedroom with sweet words of coercion. Come to think of it, this is kind of like the first Austin Powers movie, too. However silly he might be, he strikes a good balance (wah wah) between the action action-oriented Mars in Libra and the romance-oriented oriented variety. I think that this latter variety of Mars in Libra will be more likely to pop up this month than the former, as Venus' influence in the same sign should add dignity and pro pro-activity in the field of love to this otherwise detrimental placement. Here's hoping so, anyway. Like Tim Meadows, I'll be keeping my Courvoisier and condoms handy in case I have to fight the good fight and tip some scales.
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Pluto in Virgo: The Devil in the Details By Tania Gilchrist For a while now, I have had this sense of foreboding. Not just an intellectual understanding, but a real, cold ache in the pit of my stomach. Saturn is making his inexorable way towards the delivery of my come-uppance. And not just mine, but my entire generation is being called to account. Those of us with Pluto in Virgo have or will have Saturn conjoining our natal Pluto in the next couple of years. To quote one of my favorite Pluto girls, vampire-killer Buffy Summers, “that doesn’t usually lead to hugs and puppies.” According to The Book of Pluto, by Steven Forrest, precision is the essence of Virgo. Perfection itself is the core Virgoan ideal and my generation’s prayer is: “Let us see clearly. Let us act upon what we see.” The Pluto in Virgo generation—those of us in our late thirties to our early fifties (those born between 1956-1971)—love to break things down into component parts, machines, systems, words, people, whatever. An accurate picture and understanding of what we are looking at helps us to determine how something works and how we can make it work better or work for us. We are precise in our language, in our dress, in the way we organize what matters to us. An untidy Virgo is avoiding something. A Virgo who is not doing the work of perfecting is in danger of denial. Demanding Perfection Pluto in Virgo amplifies the need to weed out the pieces of our lives that do not work, are ineffective or imperfect. Virgo analyzes to determine what needs fixing, but it can be depressing to exist in a steady state of fault finding. It certainly is for the people around us who are constantly failing to live up to our ideals. But none disappoint us more than ourselves. We hold ourselves to such a high standard that sometimes it is easy to throw our hands up in despair and say “why bother?” When Virgo does that she dives into the shadow of escapism and victimhood. She hands her power over to circumstances beyond control. She becomes bitter, waspish and unfulfilled. Virgos who live in the shadow turn into hypercritical mothers and undermining husbands. Civilizing Nature The Constellation Virgo is associated with the Goddess Astraea, daughter of Zeus and Themis in Greek mythology. This starry goddess was the last of the immortals to leave earth. She left the world because man had become too barbaric for her and so she fled to the heavens to take her place amongst the stars.
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And now perhaps the work of the Pluto in Virgo generation, born in a time of social change and coming of age in a society poised on a knife edge of collapse, is to return civilization to a state of civilization. While the economy is shrinking and our sons are at war; our investments are going belly up and our governments are changing guard; while the price of oil rises and the globe warms, we are being called to account. We are being asked to stand up and deliver on the promises of our birth. Will we, like Astraea, leave the earth because it’s just too barbaric? Or will we own up to our responsibilities as individuals to help to heal the whole? Will we roll up our sleeves and work to restore faith in each other, reactivate our sense of service, reexamine our tools, all shiny and precise, and decide what to build with them? Then build it? Are we part of the problem or the solution? Disorder As a generation we are preoccupied with our disorders. Those of us manifesting healthily are well on the path of self awareness and analysis, weeding out our neuroses, cleaning up our childhood issues and polishing off the rough edges so that we can get on and do what we are here for. Those of us who are not manifesting healthily are locked in dysfunctional patterns, mired in the failures of the past and, aided and abetted by Neptune in Scorpio, prone to addiction to drugs (prescription or otherwise), alcohol, gambling, sex, work or anything else that stops us from seeing what we need to see and acting on it. Name your poison. For me it’s the internet and Sudoku. The position of Pluto in our charts tells us what we are here to transform, what part in the evolutionary cycle we are here to play. His is the power of reformation. God of the underworld, he holds onto our deepest fears and confronts us with the simplest of evolutionary truths: change or die. He harbors what terrifies us. It is the dominion where our demons reside, the hidden underworld. It’s the place we send the truths we cannot face and do not want to deal with: the horrors of our childhood: the bogeyman, bad daddy, Mommy Dearest, our pain at rejection, our fear of abandonment, the simple shame of not being good enough. All of these chronic psychological hurts are buried in our Plutonian catacombs. Order It is in these Plutonian catacombs that Saturn is making his presence felt—that stone cold ache. Saturn in Virgo is auditing our debts. Everyone is affected; we all have Virgo somewhere in our chart, but the children of Pluto in Virgo have the most work to do. In this, we must lead the way. We cannot do it while we are in denial about who we are or the forces that shaped us. Saturn is going to roll right over the walls we have built around our fears and chase them all into the light. So the underworld journey is upon us and there is no getting out of it. The good news is, this has been done before by the generations that preceded us. The way has been mapped. Pay attention Pluto in Libra babies, your turn is coming. There will be rivers to cross and payments to make. There will be demons to face and face them we must if we are to change. And while we are all in this together we
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must face our demons alone. That is not to say that we cannot arm ourselves but choose wisely. The point of the underworld journey is to allow the transformation. Acceptance of reality, humility in accountability and surrender to the inevitable are the attitudes required for Pluto in Virgo. Virgo When I look at the work ahead of me I have to admit to certain trepidation. Many of my clients c are from my generation and some of them have been through this transit already. Some have faced challenges; others, tragedy. For all of them it has been a reality shift, their lives changed forever. Saturn conjoining Pluto heralds our time to grow up. We must, as a generation, take control of our lives so that we can put them to good use. It is time ime to let go of the fears that hold us back, to release the demons that take up so much of our time and energy and get on and do the work. Virgo’s work is practical and realistic. She does thing things in an ordered and organized way. That is how we restore civilization, each of us playing our own small part to make a big difference.
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The Decans By Austin Coppock
Night Sky Strategies presents each Zodiacal month in 3 separate sections. These divisions of each Sign are called decanates, from the Latin “deca”, meaning “10,” because each decanate is 10 degrees of the complete, 360 degree circle of the Zodiac. Since each Sign is a 30 degree wedge of the pie, there are 3 decanates in each Sign. The decanates are as old as Horoscopic Astrology itself, and can be found in the Greek and Latin writings that are the swaddling clothes of the newborn system in the first few centuries B.C. The decanates serve to divide each Sign into 3 further subdivisions, each with its own particular energy, represented by the Ruling Planet of the decanate. This further division sharpens the astrologer’s ability to assess the quality of time, as well as the character of those born to that time. The decans are also called the “Faces” and in them we see the character that this word suggests. The decans provide us with the Faces that the Signs of the Zodiac wear. But the history of the decanates goes beyond the passive assessment of qualities of time. As much or more than any other element of Astrology, the decanates, or decans are tied into a magical tradition that stretches back into antiquity, disappearing into the harsh sands of Egypt’s mystery traditions before Astrology as we know it was created by the Hellenistic Greeks. Since that time, the decans have been associated with deities, angels, and daemons. In Muslim Empire, Gayat Al Hakim detailed their usage in the Picatrix, The Goal of the Wise. In Renaissance Europe, Kabbalists assigned the angels and daemons of the Shemhamephoresh to the 36 decanates. Years later, the grandfather of the modern Western Occultism, Henry Cornelius Agrippa, described the decanic images, their qualities and uses, in his famous 3 Books of Occult Philosophy. The 36 decanic images also form the basis of the modern Tarot’s Minor Arcana. They are vertebrae in the backbone of the mystery traditions. For reasons unknown to me, modern astrologers have favored the Signs, but neglected the decanates. In some places, the decan system is used, but without the traditional planetary Rulers, which provide the essential character that each Face wears. The decanates are important tools and carry with them a rich legacy. For these reasons I have chosen to reintroduce the practical use of the decanates in this publication. Enjoy.
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August 22nd-31st: Saturn Says Essential Nature of the Decanate The energy of the first decanate of Virgo hovers around the little, simple things. The mind’s eye becomes a microscope, magnifying the process of everyday tasks. The world inside small actions opens up. The state of mind induced by the decanate’s energy is akin to the mundane trance of Zen Buddhism. “Chop wood, carry water.” The energies of this decanate lend themselves naturally to an assessment of material easily ignored. As Agrippa writes of this decanate, “it signifieth getting of wealth, ordering of diet, plowing, sowing, and peopling;” The Tarot card associated with the 1st decan of Virgo is the 8 of Pentacles, or Coins, called “Prudence.” In the popular Ryder-Waite deck, it depicts a man at a work bench. It represents attention to one’s craft, and often indicates a person is going back to school to work on their art, whatever it may be. This is the “Prudence” of not pushing forward past one’s ability. Instead, it is the introverted work of evaluating and improving one’s capacity. The decan is considered by Hellenistic era Astrologers and most modern occultists to be ruled by the Sun. The solar light shines into the cracks in our floorboards, illuminating what normally escapes us. The title “Prudence,” is instructive, as well, as it evokes the act of “pruning,” which seems intended in the Thoth Tarot Deck depiction of this card. The flowers in the card are the solar blooms of self, but the spirit often outstrips the body’s ability to deliver. We cut back our pride in order to focus on living up to aspirations. It is in this sense that we may understand the Sun’s rulership of this decan.
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August 22nd-31st 2008, Saturn Says This year, the “pruning” implied by this card is likely to be more severe than most. As soon as the Sun enters Virgo, on the 22nd, he will be grudgingly on his way to meet with Saturn. Saturn is no stranger to pruning, although he generally tends to prefer straight-up reaping. There is a tradition of depicting Saturn wielding a scythe that stretches back to antiquity. Currently residing in Virgo, perhaps he has converted to a monstrous pair of shears. The Sun’s growing proximity to Saturn throughout the first week and half of Virgo will intensify the attention to the details of health, wealth and craft already suggested by the decanate. This is an excellent time to clean up your diet, tone down your spending habits, and pay attention to the details of your profession. It is also a terrible time to take a vacation. The already somewhat subdued tone of this time period is additionally soured by the presence of serious Saturn in it, making it a poor time to plan celebrations. Unless it’s your birthday, in which case, you can cry if you want to. Mercury and Venus, in celestial lockstep, move into a difficult configuration with Pluto. Mercury squares Pluto first, on Wednesday the 27th, and then Venus follows shortly, on the 29th. Mercury’s aspect to Pluto dredges up secrets and puts the nail into the coffin of plans. Communications take on a serious tone. On the 29th, Mercury moves into Libra, where communications shift from analysis to diplomacy. Mercury will be in Libra not only through the rest of the Sun’s stay in Virgo, but for the following month as well. Yes friends , Mercury will be travelling back and forth through Libra, retrograde style, through the end of October. Although Mercury enters the first, shadowed leg of the retrograde cycle in early September, the small and swift planet will not actually go retrograde until September 24th. Venus squares Pluto on the 29th, making it a particularly bad Friday to plan a festive event or be around people. Venus’ aspect to Pluto dredges the heart for secrets and fears, setting the stage for transformative insight, but threatening to interfere with plans for laid back times. That changes soon, as Venus enters Libra the next day. Tired of playing the peasant girl in Virgo, Venus enacts the Cinderella story as she dons her ball gown and coy smile and enters Libra, her autumn home. Venus’ position in Libra will be the saving grace of much of this month, purring orders to Mercury and Mars, who will accompany her through Libra throughout the month. The social lubrication that Venus in Libra will provide throughout the coming month is not likely to be terribly apparent before the Sun conjoins Saturn on the 3rd. Indeed, Venus’ grand entrance into Libra will likely be overshadowed by the New Moon in Virgo on the 30th, which takes place a scant few degrees away from Saturn himself. The New Moon sets the stage for the lunar cycle to come. After August’s set of eclipses plunged the world into a temporary darkness of bus decapitations, temple stampedes, cold war flash backs and all manner of personal drama and transformation, the New Moon in Virgo conjunct Saturn will plant us firmly back in the rather fallow soil of the real. What we plant during this time must be engineered, genetically or otherwise, to withstand the cold winds of the
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material world. If its dreams you’d sow this September, be certain that the shell that shields them can withstand the elements themselves.
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September 1st-10th: Buried Dreams Essential Nature of the Second Decanate of Virgo The second decan of Virgo shifts the emphasis from the details of daily actions to the benefits accrued via increased efficiency. In this, the symbolism of the second decanate follows and builds on that of the first. It’s planetary ruler is Venus, who represents nice things and small gains. In classical astrology, Venus is considered to have a difficult time in Virgo. Correspondingly, the gains made in this decanate are the result of running a tighter, more efficient ship, rather than pennies from heaven. As Agrippa writes of the symbols of this decan, “they signifie gain, scraping together of wealth and covetousness.” The Tarot Card given to this decanate is the 9 of Pentacles, or Coins, called “Gain”. A woman stands alone in a garden with a falcon perched on her hand. This woman is a representative of Venus (as indicated not-so-subtly by her Venus-pattern robe), who maintains her gains through watchful and ruthless attention, represented by her falcon. That which has been gained through efficiency may be lost through sloppiness. Vigilance over improvements preserves them and allows us to continue enjoying them.
September 1st-10th, 2008: Buried Dreams The energetic weather shifts significantly during this decanate. It begins with Sun about to conjoin Saturn, squeezing wallets and churning stomachs with worry. However, after the Sun finally meets Saturn on the 3rd, the focus shifts from restraint to opportunity. Mercury, Venus and Mars in Libra all create a social, high energy wave that will blow through the landscape once the Sun’s conjunction with Saturn is complete. Whether the Sun-Saturn conjunction provides us with the experience of being able to meet difficult deadlines, or merely paints a more detailed portrait of our own material short comings, the response
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orienting ourselves to the situation. 2008 has, thus far, been a year of that follows will be a focus on re-orienting profound shocks for many people, on both material an and emotional levels. The movement of o planets through Libra will preside ide over a period where we look at where we are and attempt to find a balance between where we are and where we’d like to be be. This search for new equilibrium is not only about understanding how to meet the exacting standards s represented by Saturn in Virgo. go. It also involves incorporating the latent opportunities ties represented by Jupiter in Capricorn. Jupiter has been retrograde since the northern hemisphere’s Spring, in the process of reassessing potential directions of growth. The very next day after its conjunction with Saturn, the Sun moves into a trinal configuration with Jupiter, spotlighting those dreams buried by the last several months. But it will not only be the Sun’s gentle light that sweeps across the neglected or blocked growth that Jupiter represents. After months retrograde, the gas giant awakens on the 7th, and starts to move forward once more.. Mars and Mercury, in a tight conjunction, nction, also move into a tight ssquare with Jupiter, further spurring spurr the th hibernating bear to action. The following day (8 ), Jupiter moves into a trine with Saturn, indicating a newly established harmony between the desire and opportunity for expansion and the restrictions and requirements off the current situation. The next day, Venus in Libra, trailing just behind Mercury and Mars, makes another square to Jupiter, likely stimulating a rash of positivity. In the midst of this improving situation, we also see Pluto, the silent-but-deadly member of the solar system m stir and awaken as well. Retrograde since Spring, Pluto withdrew from his first foray into Capricorn, slinking back into Sagittarius in early June. On September 8th, Pluto begins his slow march forward again, moving inexorably back toward Capricorn, wh whose gate he will crash once again this November. ber. With Pluto moving forward again, deep changes that have remained latent over the summer months will once again begin asserti asserting themselves in people’s lives
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September 11th-21st: Pax Essential Nature of the Third Decanate of Virgo The 3rd and final decanate of Virgo shifts the energy to the fundamental question of wealth itself. Indeed, the Tarot card given to this decan, the 10 of Pentacles, or Coins, is simply named “Wealth.” “Wealth” refers to an abundant material situation, where the question is more what to do with money rather than how to get it. This reflective and cerebral decan is ruled by the thinking planet, Mercury. Here we both count coins and consider their true value. Here, traditional occult explanations of the 3rd decanate and the 10 of Coins seem at odds. 16th century occultist Henry Cornelius Agrippa presents a different take on the decan: “the signification of this is to shew weakness, infirmity, loss of members, destruction of trees, and depopulation of lands.” In a sense, Agrippa’s text describes something not alien, but diametrically opposed to the meaning of the 10 of Coins. In fact, it is very close to a reading of the 10 of Pentacles if it appeared inverted. The 3rd decan of Virgo is the last 10 degrees of the earth sign already concerned with the final stage of the material process. It is a stage that shows the results of all the steps that have come before it, resulting in either a state of poverty or a state of wealth, along with the attendant questions of how to spend it. “What truly maketh a man rich?” That this decan represents the end of the material process is depicted in both cases by means of each image’s central figure, an old man.
September 11th-21st, 2008: Pax By the time Sun rolls down the final stretch of sky before the Equinox, the month will have taken on a more pleasant tone than it began with. The grave intensity of the Sun-Saturn conjunctions well behind us, the principal players in the sky will certainly be Mercury, Venus and Mars in Libra, moving in lockstep since the month’s beginning. The strong interpersonal tone set in the 2nd decan continues throughout the 3rd. However, the Sun’s opposition to Uranus and the subsequent Full Moon atop the eccentric planet will toss a wild card into the deck.
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As the Sun moves into the decanate on the 11th, Venus and Mars make their annual conjunction. This year it takes place in the 16th degree of Libra. This conjunction is particularly telling in matters of the heart, and represents a full cycle in our collective attempt to reconcile the harmonious and tempestuous parts of our natures. It is, perhaps, a more natural date for Valentine’s day than February 14th. The Sun in Virgo opposes Uranus in Pisces on the 12th, bringing a unstable charge to the air. However, the swift changes of mind and circumstance that Uranus often brings will likely be reserved for the Full Moon on the 15th. The Fulll Moon in Pisces will sit astride Uranus, likely indicating a crop of unexpected results from this month’s endeavors. IIt is curious that on the New Moon (August 30th),, the Sun and Moon sit too-close-for-comfort comfort to Saturn, the planet of cold reality, while the lunar cycle’s Full Moon th blossom on the 15 sees a conjunction with Uranus, us, the planet responsible for violating the norm rather than maintaining. It suggests that those efforts begun wit with h practical means in mind are likely likel to flower in surprising ways, or sweet lord forbid, meet with unforeseen obstacles. Or both. It also foreshadows the coming oppositions of Saturn and Uranus, which will characterize the landscape ape of the next 2 years to come. It begins on America’s election day this November. Be there or be square. After the Full Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars in Libra all move into trines with Neptune in Aquarius. The Full Moon’s charge of Uranian energy will no doubt elevat elevate spirits its and perspectives, leading easily into the Neptunian world of idealism and fantasy. The period between the Full Moon and the Equinox, already a naturally reflective time, will likely be more spaced out than usual. As Venus, Mercury, and then Mars rs all aspect Neptune, first the passions, then the mind, tthen hen the aggressive instincts will have their edges softened and then blurred. It is a time where relationships are likely enter a phase of ideal feeling, and it will become easier to forgive and llet go of ego-based based frictions. New connections are also more likely to gel. There is, however, a dark cloud inside this silver lining. Many of the truces struck during this period are exactly that. Truces, without a resolution to the underlying conflicts. nflicts. Mercury is destined to turn th retrograde on the 24 , and will be retracing his steps through the kind words used during this period. period There are points of contention underneath the connections seemingly reconciled, and they are destined to be revisited during the Sun’s tour of Libra. But that’s next month.
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Zero Key, Chastity Belt By Ryan Valentine Saturn is here, in Virgo I mean, and has been for so long that I find the idea of discussing it in text to be wildly boring. The romantic planets, Mars, Venus and Mercury, all plow headlong into Libra halfway through the Suns journey through Virgo. If you ask me they are getting the fuck out of dodge. All that lonely self-reproach will have finally spent itself, and we will have shaped our hurts into a language of seduction, as all languages based on the body must be. Forests of bone, like the poet Anne Micheals once wrote. It’s all so transient in the end, it’s OK that you’re a dirty whore. More than OK actually, it’s one of the things that we all love about you. I think that the best devotional piece for a period such as this would invariably have to be John Dee's 0 Key. It is a sort of fetishization of and lamentation of Lilith, and is a truly unique jewel among Dee's prosaic work. It is a seminal moment in the texts we have which record his work with Kelley, a vision which overcomes them both. Dee rigidly denies of her presence throughout his work right, until finally, inevitably, her very absence makes her presence inevitable. There are no clearly defined ritual aspects to accompany this oratory, but I always had the feeling my first read-through that a properly dedicated space was just a good idea. In the end, a nun in latex is only as kinky as you can imagine. Ain't that right ... you pervert. Received by Sir Edward Kelley with Dr. John Dee in 1595 as a communication from the spirits. Transcribed from Cotton Appendix XLVI, Division XII, "Actio Tertio Trebonae Generalis", ff. 218-220 “I am the daughter of fortitude, & ravished every hour, from my youth, for behold, I am understanding, & science dwelleth in me : & the heavens oppress me, They covet and desire me with infinite appetite few or none that are earthly have embraced me for I am shadowed with the circle of the sun : and covered with the morning clouds: My feet are swifter than the winds, & my hands are sweeter than the morning dew. My garments are from the beginning: & my dwelling place is in myself. The lion knoweth not where I walk: neither do the beasts of the field understand me. I am deflowered & yet a virgin. I sanctify & am not sanctified. Happy is he that embraceth me, for in the night season I am sweet, in the day full of pleasure. My company is a harmony of many cymbals And my lips sweeter than health itself. I am a harlot for such as ravish me : and a virgin with such as know me not : for lo I am loved of many : & I am a lover to many : and as many as come unto me as they should do, have their entertainment. Purge your streets o you sons of men, & wash your houses clean. Make your selves holy, & put on righteousness. Cast out your old strumpets, & burn their clothes. Abstain from the company of other women that are defiled, that are sluttish, & not so handsome, &
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beautiful as I. And then will I come & dwell amongst you. And behold I will bring forth Children unto you: & they shall be the sons of comfort comfort.. I will open my garments, & stand naked before you that your love may be more enflamed toward me. As yet, I walk in the clouds, As yet, I am carried with the winds : And cannot not descend unto you for the multitude of your abominations, & the filthy loathsomeness of your dwelling places. Behold these fowre, who is he, that shall say, they have sinned : or unto whom shall they make account? Not unto you, you sons of men, nor unto your children : for unto the lord belongeth the Judgment of his servants servants. Now therefore, let the earth give forth her fruits unto you : And let the mountains forsake their barrenness where your footsteps shall remain. Happy is he that saluteth teth you : & cursed is he that holdeth up his hands against you. & power shall be given unto you from hence forth to resist your enemies : & the lord shall always here you in the times of your troubles. And I am sent unto you to play the harlot with you : And am to enrich you with the spoils of other men : prepare for me, for I come shortly. Provide your Chambers for me that they may be sweet & cleanly : for I will make a dwelling place amongst you : and I will be common with the father & the son, yea and with wit all them that truly favoreth you for my youth, is in her flower and my strength is not to be extinguished with man. Strong am I above & below. Therefore, provide for me. For behold I now salute you. And let peace be amongst you : for I am the Daughter of Comfort. Disclose not my secrets unto women : nether let them t understand how sweet I am. For all things belongeth not unto everyone ever I come unto you again.�
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About The Authors Austin Coppock(alypse) Austin Coppock is an author, astrologer and occultist living in the Northwestern United States. He graduated from Antioch College with majors in Philosophy and Psychology, but was soon seduced away from ivory-tower approved reading lists by the insistent allure of arts and sciences forbidden and forgotten by our modern era. After a few years immersed in the study of an obscure style of kung-fu, the fates pulled him to his current work as an astrology instructor and consultant. He is reportedly the depraved mind behind the weekly astrology column “Abyssal Epistles,” and is the editor and creator of “Night Sky Strategies.” You can contact Austin for private consultations, astrology classes, and rabid praise. Email: xroadsconsultations@gmail.com Weekly Column: http://www.myspace.com/baronsamadhi
Tania Gilchrist Tania Gilchrist is an astrologer with an armory of planets in Virgo. She dispenses practical, useful strategies for managing the present through the mythic lens of her Maori and Irish heritage. Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Tania holds a Diploma in Astrology and has been living and breathing astrology for over 12 years. You can contact Tania for private consultations. Email: tania@taniagilchrist.com
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Nick Civitello Nick Civitello is a playwright and astrologer based out of Orlando, FL. His work has been featured in Sydney’s Short and Sweet New Play Festival as well as Playwrights’ Rountable ’08 Launch. He maintains a blog which matches up pop-culture mythos with astrological archetypes: Nerdcore Astrotypes. For more information, please visit the following url: Nerdcore Blog: http://nerdcoreastro.blogspot.com/ Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/boomboomastro
Ryan Valentine Ryan Valentine lives quietly in Canada where he tends to his immense garden of marijuana, and performs gay marriages when he isn't fervently campaigning the American Government to relax its censorship of the pornography industry. He is also the editor of the Sutra of the Poison Buddha. Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/poisonbuddha
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Astrological Consulting Services Astrological Consulting Services provides high quality astrological services at reasonable prices, with a special focus on consultations and online classes in horoscopic astrology. We offer services in birth chart interpretations, horary questions, electional astrology and natal analysis. Current Course Offerings: An Introduction to Hellenistic Astrology – An in-depth overview of the oldest tradition of horoscopic astrology, with a special emphasis on timing and prediction in natal astrology. An Introduction to Horary Astrology – A detailed introduction to the branch of astrology that is used to answer specific questions based on a chart cast for the moment that a question is posed to an astrologer. Registration is open and classes start on September 1st and October 1st. See www.astrologicalconsultingservices.com for more details.
Astrology Fundamentals Austin Coppock, astrologer, chief editor of Night Sky Strategies and reputed author of the weekly astrology column Abyssal Epistles is offering 4 week intensives on the building blocks of astrology, each and every month. Treat yourself to quality courses on the fundamentals of the ancient art. Astro 101: Polarity, Modality, the Elements and the Zodiac Astro 102: Movers and Shakers: The Planets Astro 103: Synergy and Dissonance: Aspects Astro 201: The Power of Place: The Houses and The Angles Astro 202: Deeper Into The Mandala: Rulership and Dignity -Over An Hour of Downloadable Audio Files Each Week - Exclusive Forum - Regular Personal FeedbackRegistration is open for October classes. Email xroadsconsultations@gmail.com for more details.
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