Goddess Country

OVERNIGHT Friday to Saturday in the States (and at 9:48 am Saturday in London) is the Cancer Full Moon.

When the Sun and Moon are in opposite signs, this is the Full Moon. Sure as the Lord made little green men, the Full Moon involves a polarity of the zodiac. We are now toward the end of the Sun's journey through Capricorn, the 10th sign; the Moon is now in Cancer; when the two make an exact opposition, or 180 degree aspect, that is the moment of the Full Moon.

Full Moons have a number of properties; they are the essence of full polarity. Differences can be seen and felt; deadlocks can just slip away; this-a-way and that-a-way become more obvious. People do tend to get wiggy; if they are not aware they are responding to the natural environment, you can be.

The Cancer Full Moon places the Moon in her home sign, offering her greatest light. We can surely accept this as a gift of nurturing, nourishment, caring for our fellow humans and critters, and living in a spirit of compassion and peace.

We all have some of what the people around us need. If we all shared a little more, there would be a lot less lack and deprivation around us. Under the light of the Cancer Full Moon, I would invite you to offer what you can to those who you see really need it. Moon in Cancer is cozy, strong, aware and takes initiative. But due to another factor, we have one of the big-time Goddess Loving Full Moons of the year.


Venus Conjunction Involved

What's interesting and a bit unique about this lunar event is that about ten hours earlier, Venus and the Sun make an exact alignment. Venus is now passing between the Sun and the Earth, which is called "Venus retrograde." Venus moves faster than the Earth, and every now and then it "laps" the Earth and passes us on the inside curve (about once per 18 months). That's what it's doing now. And once during this part of the cycle, it aligns directly with the Sun, which is called a conjunction.

Because Venus is "inside," between the Sun and Earth, this is called the "interior conjunction." It used to be called the "inferior conjunction" because it was allegedly inferior to the superior conjunction, but a couple of years ago, a colleague and I decided to change the name, so now it has a more helpful and less derogatory term. The other kind of conjunction is the "exterior conjunction," when Venus is on the other side of the Sun (outside of the space between the Sun and the Earth); this used to be called the "superior conjunction."

The name change is not mere geopolitical correctness; it helps when the names of things, particularly descriptive terms, both describe something about them and do not give misleading information -- as I am certain "inferior" and "superior" do mislead. Indeed, it would be difficult to think of a more meaningful inner planet event than a Venus Transit of the Sun, which under the old language would have been described as less-than-something.

Anyway, the most recent prior interior conjunction was the Venus Transit of the Sun of June 2004. That was an interior conjunction where Venus crossed the disk of the Sun exactly, which it does on an odd cycle that can skip a century and then show up eight years later, which it does this time round, in June 2012 -- just in time for the last six months of the baktun and 13-baktun grouping in the Mayan calendar (i.e., the "end" of the calendar).

The Mayans were fascinated by the cycles of Venus, which is a planetary cycle that is easy to see and easy to reckon, and thus could be calculated with no technology other than basic observation and mathematics.

So the current Full Moon has a Mayan flavor; imagine a nice, perfectly round, perfectly toasted corn tortilla.

Venus Retrograde in Capricorn

In traditional astrology, Venus rules two signs: Taurus and Libra. Taurus is an earthy sign and Libra is a cardinal sign. Capricorn is both at once: a cardinal and earthy sign. One would think that Venus would be very happy in this sign, and surely for many people she must be. But Venus represents values and their expression. There is the tendency of Capricorn to hold a past orientation, and to cling to traditions beyond their useful term of service. The result of Capricorn Venus is sometimes a kind of reticence to feel too much, do too much exploration, or declare oneself too different -- even though one may be quite different.

Venus in Capricorn says: don't fold up your clothes before having sex.

My take on the Venus retrograde in Capricorn is that for many people, as a general transit we're all getting somewhere, it represents an exploration of past values as they affect us today. Prudery, repression, denial of erotic feelings and desires, and worse, squeamishness with discussing matters of an erotic, amorous or affectionate nature, are all alive and well today. Sex is one of those subjects where you give someone a tiny little bit information and they really think they know a lot.

The thing is, we would know a lot, if we would listen to our bodies, which we are trained to steadfastly NOT do.

We are living in a kind of modern Victorian Age. We believe there is such a thing as purity when in truth much of society is going in every other direction; but there is this concept that some people (young ones, mainly) are expected to live up to, and expect themselves to live up to. Some fall for it. Some know it's ridiculous and do whatever they want. And some get their heads seriously screwed up with a kind of inner conflict that the human race should have left behind a LONG time ago. And many get pregnant in the process...because they were misinformed in school.

Regressive attitudes are being taught in schools as "abstinence only sex education" (which is a little like saying "air-only culinary education" -- but hey, it's low carb!). And not just regressive: blatantly false -- it is being taught in schools (for example) that condoms don't help stop or slow the spread of STDs, they don't really help prevent pregnancy, and adolescents with raging hormones are expected to sign an "abstinence pledge" (i.e., promising strict abstinence until heterosexual marriage). This is just simply mean. The result, according to a federal study, is that the onset of sex is delayed by just a few months and then when it does happen, it's less likely to involve condoms or other birth control.

And it's an extremely expensive educational policy that's being proliferated, at least in part, by a bunch of Pluto in Leo baby boomer politicians and church ladies, many of whom partied their way through the 1970s "me generation" era of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Now it's time for saintliness -- for other people!

I could also see Abstinence Only being a genuinely twisted manifestation of Pluto in Virgo (which would be in the charts of most adults born after 1958). Virgo certainly does have an emphasis on purity (which takes many forms) and Pluto certainly has an obsessive tendency. I think maybe it's time to round up the charts of the Abstinence Only gurus and see what's going on there.

In any event, Venus is retrograde in Capricorn and is about to come to her big peak today, and she is talking: the message is: look at old values; dust off the antiques and see if you want them; take the ones you don't want to the shop and collect a few quid; look at power dynamics involving sex, particularly the ones you were taught "unconsciously" by your parents and grandparents and the minister and the anti-sex, anti-queer Boy Scouts and the old boyfriend who was grossed out by your pussy; ask if you really want them; if you don't, make a decision to get RID of them; and definitely check out guilt patterns and observe them moving around in yourself and your relationships. Guilt is contagious.

Fortunately, so is love.

The discussion of erotic reality needs to begin with the statement, "Sex is a natural part of life. Sexual desire is natural and healthy." We would do well to add, "Sex is a community subject because we're all connected and it involves all of us. We need to learn how to discuss this, especially with our children and our intimate partners." And finally, "When sex happens, there is always an exchange of some kind. What exactly do you want to give and receive in that experience?"

Card from the Voyager Tarot: XXI - Universe.

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Here is a Planet Waves Weekly from a couple of years ago that covers Abstinence Only Sex Education: http://planetwavesweekly.com/2003/senators_pubes.html

Note, I've just read that Marge Piercy has a new historical novel out that covers the life of Victoria Woodhull.

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Planet Waves by Eric Francis
Jan. 13, 2006 - weekly horoscope 593
 
Happy Birthday Capricorn!
A spectacular Full Moon close to your birthday suggests people are ready to listen to what you have to say. You have plenty, both old ideas and new; practical ones and those devoted to pleasure and excess. The chances are people are going to believe what you believe in relationship to your ideas and plans, whether it's true or not; whether it's good for you or not. So think clearly, and make sure you've assessed these things carefully. The support that comes your way this year will advance the cause of your life greatly, as long as you feed the wholesome and honest side of your nature.
 
Aries (March 20-April 19)
The pressure to succeed in one particular area of your life is putting a lot of stress on your peace of mind. I suggest you ask yourself just what price you're willing to pay for success, and how long you want to spread out the payments. In truth, you're probably working a lot harder than you need to for a goal that is destined to change sooner than you think. Any time you find yourself willing to exert energy, you need to ask yourself whether the issue or objective truly meets your standards for what actually matters.
 
Taurus (April 19-May 20)
You owe it to yourself to enjoy life, but you have a lot of beliefs that make arguments to the contrary. Everything is not a moral issue; everything does not boil down to right or wrong; and if in your subtle guilt, you feel you're committing a misdeed, the only punishment may be to deny yourself the pleasure of something long sought-after and finally attained. In particular, you need to make the space for others to be kind to you and take care of you. Are you denying them that space? Only you know -- and only you can do something about it.
 
Gemini (May 20-June 21)
You may seem to risk getting involved with a situation or conflict over your head, but all you need to do is use your head. It is true that the boundaries have become a little fuzzy about who's is who's and what's is what's. And you may be subject to more of the effects of another person's challenges or sadness than you imagined you would be. However, the environment is shifting rapidly and what seems like a major issue today will take on more normal proportions tomorrow. When in doubt, observe, and when necessary, stand back and observe yourself.
 
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You are perfectly capable of not only enduring the attention that's now focused on you, but also thriving under its light. But among those who are noticing you, one person in particular seems to be able to tune into the interior of your mind and feelings, and this person is one to stay in close contact with. He or she is wise beyond their years, has a deep connection to the past, and is offering you insights that you've only hoped another person might have. The relationship has some unusual properties, one of which is you may not be sure the way things are going. Give it time.
 
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)
The ease with which certain work-related problems or situations (as you wish) are working themselves out should be reassuring, though you still need to keep one ear on your intuition and decide whether to affirm or dismiss certain anxieties you may be feeling. The thing to remember is that whatever you may discover or notice, you have the power to move progress along in the right direction. Progress is just as eager to move you, so it's a nice combination. This is a phase that calls for more determination than force; and more remembering your goals rather than trying to convince anyone that they're worthwhile.
 
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
As one who is mainly a creature of the mind, you have to watch your emotions. You can put your mind to use on this, by monitoring how you feel rather than being overwhelmed by it. A gas gauge is a good metaphor. It simply reports back to you how much is in the tank. But you don't necessarily smell the fuel more strongly the more there is; in a similar way, you don't need to be overwhelmed by your feelings, or expect anyone else to be. You can, if you want, notice, and make a measured response -- which at this point mainly means consciously arranging to meet one or more of your basic needs for pleasure and fun.
 
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
You don't need to yield to pressure to come out of your shell, but you might want to make a cameo appearance on the great stage of life some time in the next day or two. I would propose that by the weekend, once the Full Moon has passed and that strange spell is broken, you'll feel a lot more yourself and won't need to be fighting your emotional currents. At this point anything that involves or evokes strong resistance is best avoided. Go with the flow and you'll get where you need to be.
 
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
A partner or close associate may be caught in an emotionally difficult situation. What you need to do is assess whether this involves you or not, starting from the presumption that it does not. One of the great skills of life, love and therapy is not taking personal what is not personal, and then learning not to take the rest of it personally either. In any event, I suggest you hold off on any sort of blame, accountability, or anything that could vaguely induce emotions of guilt and, simply, see if you can get a clear idea of what's happening, though at this point they might not want to speak. And then all you can do is wait a few days and see what you learn.
 
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)
To avoid, reduce or end conflict, it really helps if people don't want it. So I suggest you start with yourself and reaffirm your commitment to peace and tranquility -- and if you find yourself wanting something else, I suggest you ask yourself why. Human beings, wonderful and spiritual as they are, often find conflict more interesting than compassion. You, however, are discovering that conflict is boring and now seems to be the time to put that information to work.
 
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
You need to watch people's reactions to you very carefully this week, and continuously reassess your communications strategy as you go along. The most important thing is not to get caught up in anybody else's stragegy, and in particular, I mean emotional; you need to be exceptionally careful about noticing when someone is trying to manipulate you, and remember that part of that is never making the accusation. If you do, you'll be falling for the trap, because the game is all about control. The way to handle those who would emotionally manipulate others is to give them a wide berth and do what you need to do.
 
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
The most important reality checks you can be using now are your work and your health. Health includes your mental health and your emotional state, indeed, I would rate these first on the list. Keep constant tabs on how you feel and where you stand in relationship to your responsibilities. The pressure you are feeling is largely an illusion, but the results of the stress will not be, if you let them get hold of your life. When in doubt, I suggest you lay low, work with only the most modest goals, and let this current wave of energy pass. When you get a chance to look back, you'll see you did quite well.
 
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
You have obviously noticed that there is some intense weather blowing through the local cosmos. Most people are too busy getting blown over or gawking to do much with the highly unique opportunities that this presents. So please don't get too caught up in the scenery or other people's reactions. You have some awesome opportunities at the moment and some truly strong, high-integrity people around you. Right now the sum is far greater than the parts of your life. But you are the one element that all the people in your life have in common. Focus on communication and some magnificent breakthroughs are possible this week.

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