posted July 13, 2010 08:22 AM         

The eclipses are leaving! The eclipses are leaving! But they are STILL HERE and quite active energetically. The eclipse cycle runs from the two weeks before the eclipse through two weeks after the eclipse. We call it the gEclipse Seasonh. It starts at the New Moon on June 10, 2010 to the first eclipse, June 26, LUNAR and continues for the two weeks between eclipses to the second eclipse, July 11, SOLAR, and releases over the next two weeks after the eclipse to July 25fs full moon. It is a season of extra juicy energy as the Lights dance with the Nodes of Destiny adjusting our path and bringing us forward on new adventures as we leave old adventures and lives behind us.

The events of the eclipse season echo back to July 1992, 1973, 1954, and 1936. They go back in 19 year steps across time and space. The eclipses will ask us to grow up and become more of an adult than we were before. Wefll be a bit more aware of the passage of time and the lack of an appropriate way to honor the fleeting nature of life. Things pass away so we can move forward to new things. The passing away is tinged with shades of sadness.

While it is a two page week, there are no exceptional heavenly aspects except the tightening of the t-square as we move toward its perfection the first week of August. There are tense and working aspects that ask us to take action when and where we can. Saturn at the last degrees of Virgo is breathlessly finishing up projects so he can leave Virgo with a clean slate and move into his next two year journey in Libra next week. Get that to-do list of yours cracking. The next few weeks, after THIS week, are going to be very, very busy and full of activity. Take advantage of this week to wrap up things that need to be finished up.

The highlight of the week, if we can call it that, is Eris, the Goddess of Discord, is stationing to go retrograde for six months on Sunday. As Eris is a newly discovered and named heavenly body, a dwarf planet bigger than Pluto. Astrologers are still determining her characteristics.

From the internet: Eris is the sister and companion of Ares who strides the earth with her head striking heaven. She hurls down bitterness equally between both sides as she walks, making our pain heavier. So, after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but all over the earth there are two. As for the one, a man would praise her when he came to understand her; but the other is blameworthy: and they are wholly different in nature.

For one fosters evil war and battle, being cruel: her no man loves; but perforce, through the will of the deathless gods, men pay harsh Strife her honor due.

But the other is the daughter of dark Night and she is far kinder to men.

She stirs up even the shiftless to toil; for a man grows eager to work when he considers his neighbor, a rich man who hastens to plough and plant and put his house in good order; and neighbor vies with his neighbor as he hurries after wealth. This Strife is wholesome for men. And potter is angry with potter, and craftsman with craftsman, and beggar is jealous of beggar, and minstrel of minstrel.

As we are getting to know Eris, pay attention to the discord, strife and arguments in your life this week.

Monday, July 12 Moon in Leo has an opposition aspect to Neptune as the closing aspect so you may get bad or sad information about your choices for projects begun on this day. Art or vision projects have trouble getting altitude. Moon works productively with Jupiter and Uranus to move projects and events forward even if the vision is not clear. Movement is movement. As my friend Jeannette says, the slower you go the faster you get there. Go slow. Slow and steady. You can feel emotionally defeated today as the inconjunct of Pluto to the Moon Goddess Selena causes you to question whether you are correct in even ATTEMPTING to do what you want to do. Harken back to old images of how things USED to be done to get an idea of how to proceed forward. Those old ideas are new again today.

Tuesday July 13 finds Moon still in Leo with the same separating aspect for things begun today ~ Moon opposite Neptune suggests you are not going to be seeing things clear. Wait for a day or so for when the Moon gets into Virgo to get the vision moving in a new direction. Clean things that have hidden dirt today as Pluto points you to an extra hygienic energy and whoosh of desire to whip things into tip top shape. Venus notices that a too speedy energy makes for rapid or missed connections. You are simply NOT in the mood for long winded or on going dramas. Not for you. When you find the triangle energy getting a bit difficult, open up the triangle so all are informed and connected. It is a good day to follow up on bills and outstanding moneys owed. Venus wants to clean up things and get them resolved once and for all. If you donft ask for the outstanding money, you are not going to get it. While it might make your mouth pucker to think about it, take the steps needed to move forward. Mars has a strategic fight with Pallas over how to proceed. She wants to let sleeping dogs sleep. He wants to have it out, once and for all, to get some closure and move on. Of course, he can move on without the closure but there is a hankering for one more round of battle. Try to avoid it if possible. The energy is pretty volatile and not easy to contain.

Wednesday July 14 we get into the meat of the week. Moon in Virgo works with Venus, Mars and Saturn in Virgo to get a great deal accomplished today and Thursday with a fabulous closing aspect of wrapping things up and setting them off on a great new adventure with Moonfs conjunction to Saturn. Mercuryfs day has aspects by Mercury to planets that can get things done. You might feel a bit gswampedh by the energy or tasks today but bit by bit you get through them and into a new place. Listen to the voice in your mind or ear about what wants to end today. Give it permission to end. Nodes square a rocket fuel of energy so watch for important connections that can take your career places youfve never been before or which move you out into the public eye. Your ego or your being has a dream that you need to give yourself permission to take action on. The nay Sayers will say nay. Let them nay say. You are clear on YOUR stuff. If your children or friends have trouble today, teach them how to plan for their future by accurately assessing what is going on ~ have them describe it rather than listening to gotherh peoplefs visions, versions or descriptions. Discord is part of life so if you run into some around 3:00 pm EDT, focus on the underlying left out energy. Come up with a new way to frame it. You canft quit your job because you donft have a new one and your partner/spouse is out of work. So reframe it that you are doing it for the team and redouble your efforts to find NEW work so you can get out of the place. Rather than bemoaning that you canft quit ~ focus on what you can do to change up the position. Apply that rule where ever you feel stuck ~ what can I do to change up this energy so I donft feel so trapped? And if your mother or partner or child or whoever doesnft approve, DONfT tell them. Just quietly skip the section of the conversation that makes you feel so cute, young, juvenile and inexperienced. Smile mysteriously. Then go do what you want to do. Moon and Venus cooperate to get you what you want if you simply DO IT. You can always beg forgiveness later. @

Thursday, July 15 finds Moon still in Virgo and super busy. Take time to reflect on the past mistakes, problems, situations and issues. Once youfve reviewed them, release them. Moon in Virgo is a busy, busy Moon, even if it is a bit thin skinned and sensitive to criticism. Best way is to simply make a list and check things off on it. Moon works well with Mars and Sun today to knock a bunch of stuff off your desk and out the door into the world. Push. Push. Push. Good closing aspects. And the next few weeks are going to be a bit more stressful and not so flowing or easy to get things accomplished. Push using the energy of the New Moon as well as the Virgo busy bee hands. Venus is very strategic as she talks to a wise person who has seen it all before. Venus is supported strategically as she undergoes her changes. Sun says the family created by choice or the tribe that you find support with or from will offer you guidance. They have your back. Listen to their ideas. Or listen to the ideas of your higher power or higher self. You can rest there. Just quiet your heart and ask for help. Your guides can help if you ASK them. Today is a day when you want to ask for and receive help. You canft do it all by yourself. Nor do you NEED to do it all by yourself. Ask for help. Ask for support. Ask for guidance. You need support to do this.

Friday, July 16 Moon in Libra pushes you to expand your vision over the next few days as you take the energy of the past week and figure out how to work with it in a new way. Mercury suggests you will find what you need to proceed today. Listen to the inner voice that points you forward. Take action if the cleanliness is not up to your standards. Again there is a clearing out, cleaning out energy ~ wanting you to clear out the dirty, dusty spots. These can be in your being or your environment. Cleanse is the energy. Cleanse and release. Organize. Move things out and into the world. The old wound that you thought was healed is open again. Be careful when speaking today as you will probably be misunderstood. People are a bit sharper emotionally and verbally than they need to be as tensions are building. The Goddess of Discord, Eris, is quite stimulated today suggesting people are not satisfied or happy. You might find yourself in a fight very easily. Or living with a sense of unease or worried stomach. Not a clear energy and in the mood to fight over food or with the principle of what nurturing is. Remember the t-square that is shooting out energy empties into the Cancer house so NOT feeling nurtured is the energy flying around. Take care of yourself today. Watch for sudden fights out of nowhere. @

Saturnfs day, July 17 Moon in Libra wants to partner. The bad part is sometimes Libra says gBetter a BAD relationship than NO relationship at all.h Really? Is that what you want for your life? Is that as high as you want to aim your arrow of hope and connection? Better Bad than None? Who made that rule? Lets come up with a better vision of what you can have in your life. Mercury encourages you to ask for more, beseech the heavens or the world or the person before you for more. Then LOOK and see what they can actually DO for you. Look at the behavior. No more excuses. No more bad behavior. Communication skills are under major stress to develop today. Virgo Saturn is struggling to find the proper words for Mercury in Leo to express. You have to say what would make your heart sing. Then you have to look to see if your heart is singing in this situation? Venus is feeling a bit overwhelmed with what she is being asked to do. Support her by saying it goes step by step, inch by inch, mile by mile. One at a time. No need to plan for the far distant future. You need to take care of yourself and make sure that you have the support you need. It might be time to wash your hands of the entire matter. Wash your hands and move on. Why are you there? What does it give to you?

Sunday, July 18, Moon in Libra in the morning and enters Scorpio after 1:42 pm EDT. Scorpio Moons make us clear. Paranoid on a bad day but clear. We see things we might not normally see on other Moons. Our spidery sense is very active. Pay attention to your dreams from last night as Saturn suggests it is time to get the heck out of there. Mercury has an emotional breakthrough or breakdown as he moves into the a sesquiquadrate aspect with Uranus. You have to take action or communicate to alleviate the stress. Eris stations to go retrograde at 22 Aries, softly squaring the eclipse point. Wefve been experiencing her station all week as the energy pauses in the heavens and makes us aware of it. Focus on what Eris and her station made you aware of in your partnerships and relationships. See the world a bit more clearer as you focus your energy on understanding what you want to partner with and why. Again it is a great day to clean out old things and organize them. Scorpio Moon loves to dig around in the dusty, dirty, basement to clear out the energy. Talk about your vision for your future and where you would like to go once this energy clears. Pay attention to the edges of the vision.

It seemed appropriate to close the week with this poem. @

John O'Donohue's blessing,

Beannacht

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colors,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

~ John O'Donohue ~

(Echoes of Memory)

posted July 13, 2010 11:16 AM         

Dr. Michael E. Brown, a professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Technology who discovered the distant ball of ice and rock that he nicknamed Xena and that had been designated 2003 UB313, chose the name Eris, after the goddess of discord and strife in Greek mythology.
“It is absolutely the perfect name,” Brown said, given the continuing discord among astronomers and the public over whether Pluto should have retained its planetary status.
In mythology, Eris ignited discord that led to the Trojan War.
“She causes strife by causing arguments among men, by making them think their opinions are right and everyone else’s is wrong,” Brown said. “It really is just perfect.” http://tech.mit.edu/V126/N38/38shorts2.html

Don't many people do that on our planet today? Of course they do, this has been going on for centuries,millenniums. Many arguments,fights,battles,and wars(including civil and world wars) have occurred because of intolerance of people's differences in some form or another.

It seems all about ideology,diversity,equality matters in general. Eris can be about "-isms"

Intolerance of diversity is the greatest problem on our planet.

Even consider its orbit. Uranus' orbit eccentricity is 0.044 405 586, but Eris' orbit eccentrity is 0.441 77. Therefore, Eris' orbit is more eccentric than Uranus' orbit. It would be logical to think that Eris is more eccentric than Uranus in its astrology. Uranus orbital inclination is 0.772 556°, but Eris orbit is 44.187°. Eris' orbit is more inclined. Uranus' orbit mean anomaly is 142.955 717°,but Eris' orbit mean anomaly is 197.634 27°. Eris' orbit is more of an anomaly than Uranus. Conclusion of Eris being more of an anomaly than Uranus in regards to Astrological characteristics makes sense to me. Uranus travels on the ecliptic like all the other planets do. Eris travels far off the ecliptic plane,and is in the constellation of Cetus which is not one of the zodiac constellations. Uranus doesn't have a highly elliptical orbit like Eris does. Unlike Uranus,Eris is a scattered disk object. Of course, Eris is far smaller than Uranus,but larger than Pluto. Eris is a lot more divergent than Uranus can ever be. Eris doesn't fit in with the other planets just like the mythological Eris didn't fit in with the major Greek deities. Therefore it makes perfect sense for me to consider divergence and diversity can be keywords for Eris.

Pluto got to be classed as a planet for over 70 years, but larger Eris didn't get to be classed as a planet, and that mirrors how mythological Eris was a minor goddess who wasn't invited to the wedding of King Peleus and Thetis who were the parents of Achilles who fought in the Trojan War. She was being discriminated against because she was this bad nasty goddess who caused trouble. However, even the major gods/goddesses weren't all innocent. They were known for causing a lot of trouble and being nasty and cruel to mortals and to each other. How can Eris exclusion for being a troublemaker be justified? Certainly,Ares,the God of War, was a nasty,cruel troublemaker,and he was included in the wedding. To me, Eris' throwing the golden apple not only exposed the petty vanities of the goddesses, but also showed how they were a bunch of hypocrites that weren't perfect. Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite who was so promiscuous and didn't care about her own marriage vows with Hephaestus,getting it on with Ares as well as other gods and even mortals like Anchises(father of her son,Aeneas who fought in Trojan War,mythical ancestor of Rome),she promised Paris, the most beautiful woman in the world,Helen, but she was married to King Menelaus of Sparta. I would think that would make Aphrodite a troublemaker and just as dishonorable as Eris. She was held in high regard because of her great beauty,being the Goddess of Beauty and not just Love. Eris was the ugly goddess,and so didn't get a free ride like Aphrodite did. Of course, Aphrodite was far more attracted to the handsome vain,cruel,bloodthirsty Ares than to his ugly hardworking,humble,good-natured brother Hephaestus. To me, Eris can be seen as somebody who is "ugly" but who exposing the ugliness and hypocrisy of people who are "beautiful." To put it bluntly, Eris can be about showing a person who thinks his/her crap doesn't stink really does stink.
Eris doesn't seem to care about the status quo which is based on the majority of what people think is right and what is wrong just like rules and laws which aren't always fair and just. Eris seems to challenge the self-righteousness of others and expose their hypocrisy.

Because of the discovery of Eris, Pluto was demoted to minor planet just like Ceres had been demoted to minor planet. Now Ceres and Pluto are now equals for they are both assigned minor planet numbers and classed as dwarf planets. That's because of the discovery of Eris. Just think how Pluto/Hades and Ceres/Demeter shared time with Proserpina/Persephone in Roman/Greek mythology.
Proserpina/Persephone was away from Hades/Pluto for half of the year to be with her mother,Demeter/Ceres.

This is what Eris' co-discover said in reference to naming Eris when it was just nicknamed Xena.
"Interestingly, there are no actual rules for how to name a planet (presumably because no one expected there to be more). All of the other planets are named for Greek or Roman gods, so an obvious suggestion is to attempt to find such a name for the new planet. Unfortunately, most of the Greek or Roman god names (particularly those associated with creation, which tend to be the major gods) were used back when the first asteroids were being discovered. If a name is already taken by an asteroid, the IAU would not allow that name to be used again. One such particularly apt name would have been Persephone. In Greek mythology Persephone is the (forcibly abducted) wife of Hades (Roman Pluto) who spends six months each year underground close to Hades. The new planet is on an orbit that could be described in similar terms; half of the time it is in the vicinity of Pluto and half of the time much further away. Sadly, the name Persephone was used in 1895 as a name for the 399th known asteroid. The perhaps more appropriate Roman version of the name, Proserpina, was used even earlier for the 26th known asteroid. The same story can be told for almost any other Greek or Roman god of any consequence. One exception to this name depletion is the Roman god Vulcan (Greek Haphaestus), the god of fire. Astronomers have long reserved that term, however, for a once hypothetical (now known to be nonexistent) planet closer to the sun than Mercury (god of fire, near the sun, good name). We would not want to use such a name to describe such a cold body as our new planet!" http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/planetlila/

I also find it interesting that Eris' North Node is in Taurus and Perihelion is in Libra, both signs ruled by Venus. This mirrors the mythologicial symbolism of the connection of Eris and Aphrodite with Aphrodite,born from the spot where Ouranos' detached genitals(severed by Cronos' sickle) were thrown in the sea, getting so much respect for her beauty and that she was one of the 12 major Greek deities(think of astronomical Venus' much larger size), but Eris, twin sister of Ares as well as daughter of Zeus and Hera didn't get to be to be included as a major Greek deity but was a minor deity(think of astronomical Eris' much smaller size) with her being ugly.

To me, it's like Eris demanding some equal treatment.

Eris saying "Let that materialistic bimbo rule Taurus, and let me rule Libra."

Of course, Eris' North Node and Perihelion placement mirrors the mythogical symbolism of Eris' throwing the golden apple in the wedding with Aphrodite's claim, competition,and the award of it which led to discord,war,hatred,killing,death,revenge between the Greeks and Trojans. This seems to reflect the Nodal axis in Taurus/Scorpio and Perihelion/Aphelion axis in Libra/Aries.

There are clues to Eris characteristics from not only mythology and but also astronomy

Astrologers don't need to depend on the name of an object to find meaning to it. They can use orbital and physical features for clues. Astronomically-oriented astrologers like Philip Sedgwick,Juan Revilla make that point.

Eris in 12'15 Aries R in 8th
conjunct Chiron in 10'32 Aries R in 8th
sextile/trine Midheaven in 11'14 Gemini/Sagittarius
sextile/trine Lunar Nodes in 10'30 Aquarius/Leo in 5th/11th

Sun in 5'20 Scorpio
conjunct Geocentric South Eris Node in 5'29 Scorpio
oppose Geocentric North Eris Node in 5'30 Taurus

Earth in 5'20 Taurus
conjunct/oppose Heliocentric Eris Nodes in 5'30 Taurus/Scorpio

I was born during a very strong Sun-Earth-Eris Node alignment.
I am very strong in collective Eristic energy.

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted July 13, 2010 11:58 AM         

Roy MacKinnon:
Striving to achieve one's goals and refusing to capitulate to the pressure of unjust treatment and discord from abusive authority : with great inner conviction and single-mindedness of purpose following a path of high attainment and enlightenment notwithstanding adversity - alternatively refusing the call to transform with mediocrity and underachievement as consequences: issues around power abuse of minorities, the defenseless, the alien: networks, multinational countries and companies, the world- wide web: piracy, terrorism, clash of ideologies: conflict between desires of personality and pursuit of the inner call: persecution of the spiritually aware person who stands alone courageously acting according to conscience: an outstanding individual ahead of the times.

Zane Stein:
Loss of innocence, entrance into adulthood; child's trauma being separated from parent; acceptance of unavoidable changes; dying and being reborn (as opposed to Pluto which rules the causes/processes of death and rebirth); internal split causing longing to be whole, the longing of the soul for its other half; the subject/object of a debate, argument, competition, conflict or war...what stirs people to fight or disagree; fighting for one's rights; strife and discord; pitting one side against the other; competition, contests and tournaments; struggles for supremacy; rivalry; a test of skills or abilities; love of fighting or debate; what one has at stake in a competition, dispute or conflict, or one's perspective of what is being fought over; refusing to relinquish one's hold on an ideal, belief, cause, or object...'not budging an inch'; the problems resulting from irreconcilable differences; contrasting different perspectives; comparing thesis and antithesis in the search for truth; contrasting opposing viewpoints to reveal each side more clearly, to seek similarities as well as differences; contrasting logical thought processes to show the limitations of logic; identifying with, or trying to understand, first principles; incongruous juxtapositions to force one to think outside of the box; the ethics connected with one's motives and methods, and the coming to light of less than spotless methods; the roots of one's motivations; piracy, defrauding, swindling; society's ethics; race intent.

Franceso Schiavinotto:
Dam; Damming; Obstruction; Obliteration; To be opposite; Aversion for the Extraneous; To obstacle the Alien; False Adaption between Different Matters; Reciprocal Aversion; Feeling to be Invaded; Resistance; Incommunicability; Controversial Figure; Ecological Incompatibility; Underground Instability

Jonathan Dunn:
mobilization, tirelessness, restlessness, endless energy -
pursuing interests, avoiding boredom sublimated/repressed energy looking for outlets - ultimately the outlet of transcendence itself ...
also: I've seen most people with celibate leanings have strong Eris, though of course this is not the most common manifestation of the energy
Basically, (Carl) Jung believed that mental energy is created through the conflict of opposites. He said, "there is no energy unless there is a tension of opposites" (Jung, Two Essays 63). He called this energy libido. It is to be distinguished from Freud's definition of libido, in that Freud saw it only as pertaining to sexual desire, whereas Jung viewed libido as psychic energy in general. According to Jung, libido is the vital impulse of human life.

Godwin Cooke:
Social Actors, Social Conformity, Dominant Social Ideology, the destruction what is old-fashioned for the sake of the fufillment of novel ideas, fitting in with a particular group, devoting your entire being to a particular Ideology, 'political correctness', the march of history, becoming a symbol of something greater than yourself and speaking for that thing; the concealment of or sacrifice of much of one's original individuality in order to gain total acceptance 'as' something, allowing you to by so doing obtain the influence over it to stamp one's remaining individuality onto the character of the thing itself.
http://zanestein.com/keywords.html#Eris

Philip Sedgwick:
Positive - liberation from addictions to success or status, clear priorities regarding matters of love and money, finally getting you can't take it with you and applying full resourcefulness in life, recognition of the potency of one's energy and life force, clear sense of the sacred marriages: spirit to body, self to Creator, between soulful companions, personal sense of emergence.

Negative - greed, workaholism, believe that you must take over for God, general sense of being forsaken, condemned or abandoned, lack of spiritual regard for life, superficial, status oriented.

Mundane: promises and vows (both kept and broken), elections and election fraud, intervention by higher powers (troubleshooters, authorities, deity or God), using chaos and disruption as a method of reorganization - i.e., dumping a closet onto the floor, then reorganizing, things that overturn, the scales of justice, battles, disputes, famine, fightings, lawlessness (attributed to her moon, Dysnomia), lies, manslayings, murders, oath, oblivion, quarrels - and the last word therein, sorrows and toil, contention, rivalry, loved the spilling of blood on the battlefield, the fifth day of the month, gluttony, gloating, the nurse of war, women wearing men’s uniforms (sports players, women in the military, astronauts)

Ceremonial: capitulation ceremonies, vows to create order from chaos, intent to right wrongdoing, abundance ceremonies

Lunar body contributing to keywords: Dysnomia.
http://www.philipsedgwick.com/

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement