posted April 16, 2004 08:11 PM              

It's quite unusual to have the New Moon in the same sign two months in a row. The previous New Moon in Aries represented the opening of the astrological year, a fresh period of discoveries, both positive and negative. This New Moon, in the 29th degree of the sign, is like the worn out Aries, wounded from past battles and uncertain whether the fight can be sustained. As a lunar eclipse, as well, this marks a significant turning point personally and collectively. We reconsider the investments of energy made in recent projects and need to decide whether to cut our losses or recommit to the struggle.

anyone care to comment upon this rather rare event? you know, i had just been wondering what the stars are doing about this war in iraq. can someone nail down just what is going on? and how does one calculate how iraq is situated astrologically? i mean, our birthday is 7-4-1776, but iraq?

posted April 16, 2004 11:36 PM            

I can't tell you much about Iraq, sorry.

However, I've always thought that a "blue moon" is when you have two full moons in one month. Richard Giles (?) disagrees:
"The Blue Moon is not based on the occurrence of two Full Moons in one calendar month. I believe that the two-in-one-month event is nothing to do with the original occurrence of Blue Moons. A real Blue Moon is when two Full Moons, one after another, occur in the same astrological sign (here it's Aquarius). The second Full Moon is called the Blue Moon. It derives from the Hindu tradition and is a very old celebration revered by Hindus, relating to the god Krishna, whose skin colour was blue.

The other explanation of a Blue Moon (here I get on my hobby horse), when two Full Moons fall in the same calendar month is NOT a Blue Moon at all. It's a 19th century American invention. The modern calender is an artificial construct from our Christian popes. It does not relate adequately to natural cycles, whereas the astrological position of the Moon is far more important in terms of Moon cycles and in terms of the energy signature of each Moon phase." http://www.astrologycom.com/bluemoon.html