Rick DiClemente’s
Astrology
Newsletter
Volume
77, August 2012
(Download a printable .DOCX version here)
“The Exquisite Zodiac” Is Available at http://www.theexquisitezodiac.com The Kindle version ($9.99) is at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Exquisite-Zodiac-ebook/dp/B00789YS9K/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330472880&sr=1-2 The NOOK version
in the works… “I finished your book within days after I got it... In all
the years I've been reading about the zodiac, I have never ever read such
detail as I found in your book...! -
Ray, Pittsburgh, PA -
Check out my new column online each month @ www.OMTimes.com Before You Look to Astrology for Relationship Guidance… Granted,
my office is constantly visited by those who seek match-making, or relationship
verification via the planets. Most of us want intimacy; to have someone to
share our lives with. Yes, the #1 question I get is about a person’s “love
life.” #2 is usually about their life direction. Most
people don’t know how to read astrology’s complexities and it’s only natural
that they seek information from professional astrologers. Many astrologers make
millions of dollars on the Internet doing the most basic of match-making,
comparing one Sun sign to another. Much good information is out there. If
people really knew how complex is it to compare one person’s chart to their
partner’s chart, they’d be very surprised. Most
people default to asking about Sun-sign matching, because that’s all they know.
But the truth derived from such a comparison is weak at best. Why? - because,
there is so much more in your individuated natal chart. Your Moon (emotions),
Venus (how receptive you are to love), Mars (your desire for love), etc. I
can’t begin to tell you how many thousands of times I hear, “I’m an Aries; I’m
supposed to be good with a Leo?” While Sun-sign matching is generically valid,
many more factors have to come into the picture for an accurate assessment to
be done. Astrology
provides us with two main ways of studying a relationship. And this does not
have to be between two humans either; you can compare your chart to your
business; to your pets; to your country, etc. The first way is simply to
compare the position of your planets and other significant markers in your
chart to the other person’s. This is called doing “chart synastry.” My Sun
might be in “good” geometrical relationship with your Sun; that’s usually very
good. The placement of my Moon compared to the others’ is very critical since
the Moon placement has much to do with getting your needs met and shows basically
what you are comfortable with. After
a lengthy study, the astrologer gets a very clear picture via synastry, by
comparing most or all of the critical astrological points. This can clearly
tell the astrologer how you affect the other person and vice versa. It can be
uncannily accurate and telling. By doing this, you can see how John Lennon and
Paul McCartney didn’t always get along as great buddies, but also how they
affected each other to a fine degree. The
other method is done with a “composite chart.” A composite chart is derived by
mathematically finding the exact mid-points between all common planets or
points. For example, if your Sun is at 10° of Taurus and your partner’s Sun is
at 20° of Taurus, your composite chart would display your composite Sun at 15°
Taurus; or halfway between. A third chart is constructed displaying these
composite or mid-points. We continue on around the chart doing the same thing
for all the planets, etc. This used to be done by hand and became quite
tedious, now computers do the calculations in a split-second. The
resulting composite chart looks very strange and different, but definitely
represents a duo’s chart. It shows what the dyad is all about. Now, unlike
synastry, a composite chart tells me why you are together; what are your
natural strengths and weaknesses, and so on. I have done thousands and
thousands of these types of charts and find great elucidation about the couple
expressed herein. Their composite chart tells us of the magic that Lennon &
McCartney had together, which of course, they never attained separately.
Chemistry. The
composite chart is so accurate in fact that when the day’s transiting planets
line up with points in the composite chart, the relationship will change
somewhat. For instance, using our Taurus example above, if there is a Lunar
Eclipse tonight at 15° Taurus, right on the composite Sun, (or exactly halfway
between the two natal Suns) the relationship will go through significant new
insights (from the eclipse’s light) about the couple. It becomes much more
complex than what can be expressed in a simple newsletter; but you get the
point. HERE’S
THE CATCH Analyzing
how each chart affects the other (synastry) and what is the true nature of the
pairing (composite) does not tell us anything
about each person’s ability to have
a relationship in the first place. If
you and your partner have great chemistry, indicated by either the synastry or
composite chart; that does NOT necessarily mean that you will have a great
relationship! It will help however. In
the 1970’s, the marvelous American astrologer, Stephen Arroyo, was a master at
the study of relationships through the astrological model. Yes, he is a natural
at it being a Libra Sun sign with a heavy 7th house. But what he
brought to the science was priceless. His books specialize on the topic of
relationships and he affected greatly how all of astrology has been seen ever
since. Not only did he bring Humanistic
Astrology (that’s seeing the planets as OURS, inside of us, representing
very basic human needs or archetypal values) into the fore, he also was one of
the first to point out that even if you
have good synastry and even a good composite chart, what is paramount is
your actual ability to have a
relationship. I
cannot tell you how many hundreds of comparison charts I have done, where the
pairing of the two looks good, even very good, but he charts still do not alone
foretell of a picnic between the two. Each individual has to be able to give
and take. The prima facie case
of good relationships is dependent upon each person’s ability to relate! Almost
all valid astrological analysis goes back to studying the nature of the
relationship with the native and one or both of his or her parents. It’s that
simple. Rare is the individual who was not nurtured at home who becomes able to
nurture or accept nurturing “today.” I’m sure this comes to you as no surprise.
A surprisingly high percentage of people just “won’t let others in.” And this
comes from my clients lips directly (and is also pretty clear in the chart.)
Don’t be confused, just because your chart shows that you may have difficulty
with emotional exchange does not mean that you can’t overcome it, because you
can. Some of the very warmest people I’ve have ever read for have significant
emotional challenges symbolized in their birth chart. They actually did have to
work at it; and sometimes that symbolizes to me that they wanted it more. So,
do not be discouraged if you have planets with “challenging aspects.” Common planetary pictures that suggest emotional blockages are
Venus in almost any aspect with Saturn. Venus being the “yin” planet symbolizes
how you allow emotions in (or don’t.)
It’s not so much that Saturn is cold and mean like the old fear-based books
talked about; it’s more that the client is simply being too careful! The heart
doesn’t know what “careful” means – a good lesson for all of us to learn! Being
too careful usually results in being stuck. Another
common red flag in a chart is when the Moon is not well placed or is “troubled”
by other planets. This story is far too voluminous to tell here. “When the Moon ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” Not
surprisingly, the Moon is naturally paired with the Mother figure. When
the Moon is troubled, sometimes the person is simply not happy or comfortable.
I believe this goes back to the past life or lack of emotional support at an
early age. Other
times, Moon-Pluto combinations can indicate karmic problems with being able to
relate. Many times this manifests where the mother-daughter relationship just
wasn’t healthy. One usurps the other’s energies even to the point of boundary
confusion. These
have been just a few examples; you really have to have the charts read by a
true professional in order to be able to ascertain whether the relationship is
on good footing astrologically. A computer program cannot do it and neither can
most of the 1-900-online-“astrologers” who are very good at telling you what
you want to hear. Chart compatibility is possibly one of the most difficult
challenges one faces as a professional astrologer. People want you to tell them
what they want to hear. It is not an astrologer’s job, and in fact is
unscrupulous, to tell a couple that they have a “bad” relationship or even
express doubt. The job of the astrologer is to point out the strengths and
possible challenges that the couple may face. Also, the astrologer shouldn’t give the querents a final “report card”
on the nature of the relationship. He or she needs to have a healthy “give and
take” discussion with the clients to get down to an accurate appraisal. Surprisingly, it’s more common that I find
charts of “successful” couples to be more complimentary as opposed to
compatible. It’s actually kind of shocking how open most people are in this
type of soul-sharing. People want to get past their stuff. One
of the surprising things an astrologer can look for is that special “thing”
that a couple has. You’ve seen it before. You know; where a couple just doesn’t
look like they will make it together;
but in fact, they get along famously! One reason it can happen, and one that
most astrologers miss, is that one person may have a really nice planet or
combination of energies sitting right on the other person’s “trouble spot”! I’ll
give you an example: Forgetting now about Sun or Moon signs, let’s say Sara has
difficulty with emotional exchanges symbolized in her chart by Venus in the
sign of Virgo. Venus in Virgo can be very tricky and very picky in issues of
love. But, let’s say she is dating Tom who has his natal Jupiter sitting at a
degree of the zodiac close to where her Venus is. For some unknown reason
(unknown to non-astrologers,) she’ll simply feel really good around him! She’ll
feel like letting her guard down
around him and won’t even know why. Many times this is because of a past life
relationship the two have had or other significators. It doesn’t matter: Tom
makes Sara feel good. Jupiter cheers up her Venus. Astrology is much more major and intimate than you might think! (Next
book) On
the other hand, I’ve seen this situation in so many chart comparisons: Let’s
say your brother-in-law Sam just drives you crazy, and he feels the same way
about you. Further analysis might show that his Mars is in Sagittarius (blunt,
direct action) and is at a right angle (stressful relationship) to your Mars in
Pisces (gentle, thoughtful action). He will irritate you in just about all
ways, especially if the degree of difference (orb) is very tight. He will feel
like you are weak (Mars in Pisces) and he’ll want to give you a kick in the
pants to make you more aggressive. Likewise, you will feel like he is too
impulsive and brash. Sagittarius vs. Pisces. The two of you just need to sit on opposite
ends of the table and take it easy on the wine. So,
we see, astrology tells us a whole lot about ourselves and our relationships.
It usually won’t do you much harm to read magazine and Internet articles about
relationship and compatibility issues, but do use a great deal of salt when
doing so. I HIGHLY caution all of you if you’re about to spend a lot of money
on comparative charts. I say this mainly because it’s very hard for an
astrologer to give a professional and balanced report and it’s a very easy way
for unethical astrologers to make a buck. Another
issue must be addressed before we close this topic. Many people will come into
your life to steal your energy (or worse.) The fact is, when someone comes to
“steal” from you, most of the time it’s an indication that you have called them forth unconsciously due to
low self-esteem. Really. And when the esteem problem gets worked out, that just
doesn’t happen much anymore. The dynamic changes in your favor from then on. Most
people just don’t want to hear that they need to work on themselves more before
they can expect a good relationship. Curiously, most folks think that we
astrologers can SEE when a relationship is coming. “Is it someone I already
know?” Without a doubt, I have seen this over and over and over: when you get your
life clear, that’s when a partner is LIKELY to arrive! I’ve even seen it happen
the day after a person let’s go of a bad situation in an attempt to take
care of themselves. Like I say, the jets can’t land on the aircraft carrier if
the deck is crowded with stuff (emotional baggage.) Once the deck is cleared,
you are making room for new life to enter; then, it is uncanny how many jets
will land and actually land smoothly. This dynamic will be a big part of the
subject of our next book, “The Intimate Zodiac”. Also,
I hate to tell you this, but this is not the age of Ozzie and Harriet or Leave it
to Beaver anymore. The 1950’s paradigm has ended. No longer does evolved
man gauge the success of his or her relationship by its longevity. The old
“Pluto in Cancer” generation did. They were born in the 20’s and 30’s.
Longevity was a good yardstick for Cancer’s need for emotional security. Now,
personal growth through relationship is superceding the need for security. But,
we have evolved greatly, and we are NOW evolving at an alarmingly fast rate
(2012!) In other words, people are sent to you now (in many cases) to bring you
your next spiritual lesson! A Pisces commonly comes into your life to bring you
Neptune lessons. If you are going through a Neptune transit, the themes of love
and compassion are best delivered by another whose Sun-sign is Pisces or a
person with strong Neptunian characteristics. It’s VERY common that when you
are undergoing a Pluto transit, its lessons come to you via a Scorpio or one
strong with Scorpio/Plutonian aspects. This person comes to help you get
stronger of maybe to challenge you to your very core. I am not making this up.
I see it all the time. You have the willpower to succeed in such situations,
however. In these cases, your unconscious mind has become so frustrated trying
to get your conscious mind to EXPRESS YOUR OWN PASSIONS… That it will send you
someone to force you to face the issues. Yes, our very “death wishes” do accrue
and come to pass in weird ways, ways that are evident astrologically. Whether
good or bad, the planets just will not support you if you are in a co-dependent
relationship. On the other hand, all the planets, yes, even Pluto, will help
you greatly if you are trying – making an effort to become whole and express
all the varied astrological archetypes within you to make you complete. Planets
are not out to get you – they do not make good or bad relationships. We humans
are so incredibly hung up upon the words “good” and “bad.” We all know what
we’re really doing: we know if we want someone close to us or if we simply
don’t trust others. Don’t
look to the Internet, match-making astrologers, or psychics to “solve” your
love life. What I see every day that really works is simple: Be true to
yourself. You will naturally attract compatible matches to yourself. You will
naturally repel “baggage” away from you. There’s no secret. Yes, astrology can
and will elucidate that special “something” that someone has, and it can help a
lot. There is a very appropriate place for astrology. It is a marvelous
science/art, but remember: it will not open your heart for you. Unbelievable,
Uranus and Pluto will travel in square aspect (right angle) for the NEXT TWO
MONTHS within 1°! What this means is that the modern challenge to liberate vs.
being dominated by corporate power will continue on up till election-time. No
surprise there. You should be feeling a tension that just won’t go away! It’s true; it’s really the tension inside of
you of these opposing forces. The true you is trying to get free of any kind of
old baggage (Pluto.) It’s not easy; it will get easier; you will get used to
it; the sooner you get on with the work, the
better. Remember, this aspect will ebb and flow until 2015. This is why the USA
and world that you will see in 2015 will be nothing like it was in 2011: for
“good” and “bad.” This should come as no surprise. These two powerful planets
are serious and require serious action because that’s what you (and our
collective soul) is screaming for! 3
lunations this month: 8/1 Full Moon 10°h15’ 11:27p – This Full Moon should be rather uneventful.
Thoughts of creativity and group efforts are best addressed during this time.
Question how free you are and make the necessary adjustments at this point. 8/8 Mercury goes Direct 10:40p – Don’t get
all excited yet, it really takes a few more days before it starts acting like
itself again. What a relief! 8/13-17 Moon and Venus
take turns opposing Pluto and T-square Uranus in Aries – This is really
going to be an emotional time; don’t doubt it. And, it needs to be. All the
tension that has been going on with Pluto and Uranus will involve Venus and the
Moon for about 5 days. Don’t doubt yourself! If you get moody, allow it! Your
emotions may be screaming for release or at least to get out from under
another’s heavy weight. AS ALWAYS, be alert NOT TO project all of your problems
on to other people. It may very well be a mixture of both. This may require
significant adjustments to your “family” life (Moon); ones that you may have
been avoiding for a long time. Remember, the T-square is to URANUS IN ARIES.
Your planets want YOU to be free now. 8/17
New Moon 25°b08’ 11:54a – Lunation #2 this month. This period will come
to a crescendo with the Sun and Moon together in Leo opposing Neptune.
Interesting. What this means is that after you’ve had your time at liberating
yourself, the energies will shift dramatically toward selflessness (Neptune.)
Balancing will be required since the pendulum which swung towards liberating
“you” now swings back to consider you plus others. Don’t allow yourself to feel
incredibly guilty if you’ve broken your old place where the family may have
always kept you pigeonholed. Balancing and compromising is the theme here. 8/21
Mars, Saturn and Moon conjunct in late
Libra – This will not be nice. Any way you look at this triad of planets,
they add up to what astrology labels as cruel and frustrating. Do what you can
to ease yourself through this time. Watch your words very carefully or you may
say something you regret. This is like having a wild weekend and reporting back
to your Sergeant on Monday morning. It will pass. 8/22
Sun enters Virgo 1:07p – This is
always tough, but at least we’ll feel like cleaning. Virgo says, “OK, stop
feeling sorry for yourself and get to work fixing your mess!” Don’t you just
hate Virgo energy? 8/23
Mars enters Scorpio 1:07p – The
pleasantries continue… Mars is very harsh in the sign of Scorpio. So, look at
the 22nd through the 23rd as some astringent times. Do
not be surprised if someone “gets in your face.” Be prepared for this. The
combination of Virgo/Scorpio energy is very demanding. There is no simple way
out of this other to summon your courage and form a stiff upper lip. 8/24
Sun opposes Neptune 8:33a – See how
the nutty planets work? Now, we go from drill sergeant to dreamland for a few
days. Do not fall into this trap. Do not try to escape the tough requirements
and realities of the 22nd and 23rd. It will start to
soften up on the 24th as the gentle winds of ephemeral Neptune
manifest. Funny, you’ll start to see how you need to be rough and tough
(Virgo/Scorpio) to counterbalance the Neptune (Pisces) unboundedness. Even the
ocean has a hard floor. 8/31
Full Moon – Blue Moon 8°i34’ 9:58a – Finally, it’s Blue Moon time.
WOW! Sun/Mercury opposite Neptune/Chiron/Moon in Pisces, ALL T-square to
Jupiter in Gemini! A greatly amplified Jupiter in Gemini just might be (of
course it is) just what the doctor ordered. This will certainly serve as a
great release point as Jupiter in Gemini is simply fun – childlike fun! It’s
time to explore and take your mind off of your work or any relationship issues.
Go somewhere; do something crazy; try something new; go dancing; do not bungee
jump. Free birth chart calculations are available
at: http://www.alabe.com/freechart/ The PA Dept. of Vital Records form. Order your birth time/birth
certificate at: www.starself.com/birthtime May the
planets be with you as you find your Starself!” - Rick To receive a monthly reminder of my free
newsletter, For information on consultations and more, please
visit my website: www.starself.com 2012 Rick DiClemente - www.starself.com © - All rights reserved
You spell it out in such a way with clarity, direction and purpose that anyone
can easily understand what the zodiac is all about. Thank you for that Rick!
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