NMR ISSUE 38

Astrological Forecast 38
Beyond the Need to Control
Editorial 38
Esoteric Symbology of the Tarot
Ethics and the Ethic
Ghigau's Song
I'm a Witch, Okay?
Letters 38
Luna
Meditation on the Elements: Air
Pagan Meets Neo-Pagan
Place Between the Worlds
Prophecy II
Protection Charm for your Car
Rain
Saturn Rising
Shadowland
Soul Mates
Summer Opportunities
The Magician
Trout and Dragonfly

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Astrological Forecast

July August, 1995

By Terry Lamb, M.A.

It's time for one last gasp of what we have been experiencing for the past 13 years. Whether we want to or not. The Oklahoma City bombing is a part of this old material, a part of a vicious past that (we hope) is transcended in the coming times. The astrological world is replete with idealistic epithets about the coming transformation, and it's true that everything is for the good. Trouble is, it may not look so good to us, especially to those who experienced the holocaust on April 19th.

These sorts of things happen around the world on a daily basis their holocaust; their apocalypse is as complete as ours. Americans whether in Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, Oakland, New York City, South Carolina, or Oklahoma City struggle to overcome the day their world stopped long after their story has faded from the news.

I read a book on spiritual evolution recently that gave me hope that there is a reason for all this. It said that, as citizens of this planet, we have taken on the task of undergoing stimulated evolution. Stimulated evolution means that we are, at the bidding of our Souls, rushed a bit through the spiritual growth process. This is not without our choosing, and the evolution would take place anyway without the triggers. The triggers accelerate the process, however, and with it comes a certain level of risk to the individual in incarnation at the time (but not to the Soul). Principal among these risks is the danger of losing perspective, of getting caught up in a dissolving cloud of darkness; and this is what many people on the planet are doing now in creating wars, schisms, engaging in terrorist activities and so on. Not that this is an excuse for their behavior, but perhaps, if you accept its validity, it helps us to understand what is happening from a more universal perspective.

This would account for the polarization amongst factions, political and otherwise, around the world, not the least of which is occurring in Congress. Keep an eye on Ralph Reed, by the way (Pat Robertson's protégé). He's ruthless and ruthlessly immoral. If the religious right can organize more effectively than the spiritual left, they will be the winners of the 90's ideology wars, and our rights will be but memories of the liberal 20th century.

By this fall, we open the door to new ideas, new directions, and new truths. What we hope is a gale-force wind blowing away the negativity of the past is more likely to be a breath of fresh air out of the most recent storm.

JULY: The Time of the Sleeping Giant

By the time we reach July, 1995 will already have taken on a character all its own. We know what dilemmas we face, how we must grow. The month starts off slowly in terms of big events, but that does not mean that there won't be plenty of small events to capture our attention. From the 1st we may find ourselves preoccupied with resolving the last of the issues in communication and connection that arose between May 24th and June 16th. There will be a special focus on communication in relationships, and it may be difficult to find the right words to smooth ruffled feathers. It will be worse yet if you have to stand by or take up an unpopular stance at this time.

As we approach the 6th, issues may resist resolution, or movement of any sort. It may be clear by that date that a restructuring, major or minor, may be required. Don't worry, you'll have 4 months to do it in. It will demand extra effort, but the plus is that effort + planning = reward in this case. This event has to do with a cycle that began March 5th. Other critical dates in the cycle are September 14th and November 21st. Watch what is occurring now in your life and in the news. Everything to do with this cycle will emerge to be dealt with now. Don't let your emotional reactions get the best of you. Remaining neutral is the best thing you can do you'll find the best solution that much sooner.

Mental confusion is the name of the game, as challenging contacts repeatedly occur through the 13th. By the 17th, the fog suddenly clears enough to take action, which is good, because you will need to by then!

The Full Moon on the 12th will bring new awareness relating to how to nurture and be nurtured—that is, if you can take time out from your busy schedule! Our commitments may seem overwhelming at this time, and we may need to cut back on some of those obligations, delegate them or postpone them to a later time.

A crisis point arises on the 16th that could easily slip by unnoticed, since it tends to obscure our view of externals, time being one of those. It tunes us in to an inner reality, which may feel like confusion and flights of fancy. Give yourself time for reverie now, and you can reap the rewards in terms of creativity to use in more productive times. This critical point relates to a cycle begun on January 13th and coming into focus on April 27th. It will resolve itself on or after October 4th.

On the 17th, the energies have never been better for a positive outcome in relationship battles. It is a good day to clear the air and set the stage for a special evening, even if it is a Monday! This special evening could linger for a couple more days, before other concerns preoccupy us once again.

The 21st wakes us up with a start as we reach the surprising, even shocking, middle of a cycle begun on January 16th and receiving high focus on May 4th. We will find it possible (and necessary) to communicate clearly and eloquently, perhaps even caringly—something that has needed to be said for some time. When clarity and opportunity dovetail, we must accept the opening, even if it opens up discord with another person. If you missed the opportunity on the 21st, the following day may find you feeling that the energy has dissipated. What was it you were going to say, anyway?

The 23rd finds the Sun making its yearly ingress into Leo. Begin this month-long cycle on a good note—follow through on some plans made earlier this year, about four months ago. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the month of summer heat and siestas. Use this time to stabilize your efforts of the year, but don't forget to take the time to express gratitude to those who have helped you on your way so far. On the 24th through August 2nd, it is possible (and possibly unavoidable) to work through a transition that has been pending or incomplete. This will affect your relationships and requires honest but compassionate communication. Although this comes as a culmination of sorts, the timing of this process to coincide with the New Moon means that it will be a month in the resolution. While there will be ups and downs throughout this week-long process, the overall experience will be harmonious; and the outcome will be positive, even if pain is involved. On the 2nd of August, you will pick up the release energy associated with a yearly cycle that began just before Thanksgiving on a note of overwhelming emotional intensity. This resolution will be a blessing that will bode well for the future.

On the 31st, we enter a new 18-month cycle of mass-conscious focus. In the previous cycle, we dealt with what we wanted to build and destroy. (The destruction has to come first!) On this new cycle, we will focus on right human relationships, the balance of thee and me, or what we call enlightened self-interest. During this time, on a global scale, we must learn the art of compromise and consensus. Negotiating skills will be increasingly important during this time. The lesson we are learning on a deeper level is to see the god(dess)-self in everyone around us so that we can find it in ourselves.

AUGUST:
The Dragon Leaps Up From the Deep

As mentioned above, the 2nd is a big day of resolution. It is the end of a cycle begun on November 17th, which revealed its true colors on April 1st and culminated on June 1st. This one packed an extra wallop this year because of the planet's (Jupiter's) traveling companion (Pluto). These two come to meet once every 12-13 years and rule a cycle of explosive expansion and growth in mass conscious understanding of the issues ruled by the sign they conjoin in (this time, Scorpio, sign of deep transformation and intense strength of will and intent). Notice that there were many explosive changes taking place during the time of their conjunction, not the least of which was the dramatic turnover of power in the U.S. Congress. What will come at this time as a denouement? Time will tell whether their energy will be spent or they will set sail under a new directive.

The 2nd is also the date on which the early harvest, Lughnasadh, is celebrated. This is the time when summer fruits, vegetables and winter wheat ripens and can be harvested. Similarly, in our lives, it is a time when we can take stock of what we have so far created on this yearly cycle begun at the Winter Solstice in December and adjust as needed. If the crop is good, simply nurture it. If it is not going to fulfill its promise, you may know it now, and you can take measures to ensure that you make it through the winter to come. This is also a time when we acknowledge the waning power of the Sun King; and the Mother Goddess embraces the aging process as Her force of growth and expansion begins to give way to ripening and harvest.

The 3rd through the 7th highlights the need for adjustment, perhaps of the decisions made during the previous ten days, but more likely of the result of those decisions (as they produce repercussions, like the ripples from a rock thrown in a tranquil pond). You may feel an added punch of action or need to reiterate your message on the 8th; but there will also come a gratifying sense of release related to another cycle (this time, Pluto's), which began on November 20th, leapt into our consciousness on March 3rd and culminated on May 20th.

Transformation may lead to agitation as the Full Moon brings an emotional crescendo on the 10th. This Full Moon introduces objectivity into the process in order to resolve whatever issues arise, bringing the opportunity to give and receive love. The opening of the heart is possible, as is the heartfelt and compassionate use of the will to achieve something of (trans)personal interest.

We receive one final jolt from the Mars-Pluto cycle on the 11th before Mars makes its way back to Pluto to begin yet another two year cycle of resolving our issues of aggressiveness with each other. We were struggling with the closing square all during last winter and spring, a time of strengthening and refining our need to change—what did we need to change that we did not yet take care of on this two-year cycle? What remained to be fine-tuned? Now we enter a period of more symbolic learning, as we anticipate what may arise on the next cycle, which begins on October 19th.

Analytic processes come to our assistance at this time as well, and last through the 12th. Although we may be left hungry for more understanding on the 13th, nevertheless, the fog closes in once again for a few days. Never mind, because reverie will feed analysis, and you will find your understanding greatly enriched when greater awareness comes on the 23rd through the 26th of the month.

The 16th through the 22nd may find your mind and communicative skills very actively applied in the realm of relationships once again. Any sense of awkwardness on the 17th through the 20th is resolved on the 21st and 22nd.

On the 23rd, the Sun enters Virgo, sign of the Grain Goddess. Grain is so important to civilization (in fact, its foundation), that it is little wonder that it was granted a place in the heavens as an aspect of the Mother Goddess. Now, although the importance of grain is obscured by the ready availability of aisle after aisle of grains and breads in the food stores, on the cellular level, its importance remains. The nurturant and civilizing force of a stable, ready food supply is part of the meaning of Virgo. More than a dry, analytic energy (which it can be at times), it is a sign of fertile warmth and abundance.

The remainder of the month finds us coasting into September with new understanding and creative awareness. Opportunities for growth and healing will arise around the 25th, a part of a cycle about 55 years in length. This is fed by insights garnered around the 22nd of the month. Because of the depth of these cycles, these energies may be felt for as much as a month before their culmination on these dates.

The New Moon on the 25th opens the door to new insights which, if properly nurtured through patience and compassion, will flower into wise actions as the month waxes toward fullness. Stresses on relationships at the end of the month should be used to feed your understanding of what remains to be balanced in that wondrous realm of growth, our interactions with others; September and October will see these issues resolved.

If July and August are a strange mixture of old and new, it is just the end of an old cycle full of outworn ideas and empty epithets. Freshness and insight lies just around the corner, so hang in there! We can look forward to new challenges by the end of the year, when we may look back with longing toward what then may seem like the tried and true. Just try to remember how tired and bored you were with hearing the same old thing awhile back, and you may be able to approach the unfamiliar territory now encountered with renewed vigor. The millennium light is dawning, so get ready to let the sun shine in!

Blessed Be!