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The Lunar Phases
Looking at the lunar phases, the two most fundamental energies in our birth chart are the Sun and the Moon. While the Sun is the most yang, projective, giving us our sense of individual self and purpose, the Moon is the most yin, receptive, providing us with the application of our purpose.
The Sun and the Moon
The Sun is the light and life of our system. The Moon being the closest heavenly body to us controls the rhythm of the sea and all its creatures as well as the flow of blood in the human body. As the Moon distributes the light of the Sun each night, we experience this partnership and are able to understand their relationship in forming the personality of the human being. Each night a different amount of light is given off by the Moon according to its changing relationship with the Sun.
28-day lunar cycle
Within an approximate twenty-eight day cycle the Moon will have passed through eight phases, each phase lasting about forty-five degrees or three and a half days. These phases each have their own unique characteristics which influence all life on the planet. The first phase is the New Moon at which time no light is emanating from its surface. Beginning at zero degrees it will have completed its cycle at three hundred and sixty degrees.
The lunar phases
One way to describe these phases is to use the analogy of the plant. At the New Moon, the seed is in the ground preparing for germination. It is implanted in a new beginning. In the early degrees of the Crescent Phase, the sprout is drawn up from the earth by the initial impulses of light.
During the remaining stages of the Crescent Phase, the plant goes through a strengthening process, mobilizing its energies against the elements of nature. When the First Quarter comes about, the plant has passed the initial stages of survival and is now sending down roots.
By firmly anchoring its life force, the plant is able to concentrate its energies in the growth of stems and leaves with the tiny buds appearing by the beginning of the Gibbous Phase. During the Gibbous phase, the plant is focusing on the reason for its existence.
By ridding itself of everything superfluous, the culmination of its entire past from its beginning is brought to the moment of its achievement by coming into bloom. The phase of the Full Moon is the completion. The work has been done and the gardener can stand back and assess his efforts.
As the Full Moon progresses through its forty-five degrees the flower becomes the fruit. The Disseminating phase is the harvest. The purpose of the plant is to now give back to the earth, to those who brought it into being and to nurture others.
By the time the Third Quarter comes around, the harvest is over, the abundance has been shared and what is left in the fields begins to decompose. The cycle is beginning to end.
During the Balsamic Phase, the seed capsule is buried underground. It is clear that what was, no longer exists in its original form. This is the time of transition. The light of the Moon has grown very dim and by the end of this phase will have disappeared into the darkness. When we are born we come in under the influence of one of the Moon’s phases. The degree will pinpoint its intensity.
Global Karma
The doctrine of Karma
The doctrine of karma not only relates to individuals. It also has an impact on a global scale. In other words, when groups of people suffer the same fate there is a hint that at some previous time these individuals were each and every one of them associated in the same activity which has now precipitated the event to which they are fated. These concepts are not easy to grasp and as in the case of the recent global crises, pandemic, economic hardship and utter political confusion. Millions of lives have been affected through death, destitution and other global challenges. Some ask the question as to whether or not astrologers are able to foresee such things.
My answer to these questions is the same each and every time. An astrologer often doesn’t grasp predictions in the same way that one turns a light on and off. Some astrologers are given insights to certain events, others are not. At a later stage, other astrologers or psychics and clairvoyants are given visions and so on and so forth.
Therefore these long-range global, political and other communal events are often not perceived by people functioning in this capacity. On the other hand, when astrologers do make predictions of this sort, not unlike a seismologist who may predict an earthquake, we are still left with the practical issues of incredibility by sceptics and the like.
Revealing accurate forecasts
Revealing accurate forecasts is no guarantee that anyone is going to believe you anyhow. The other problem for astrologers such as myself is a logistical one. Keeping track of 80-100 countries’ national horoscopes or charts for the constitutions of those countries, along with senior political leaders of each of those countries is a monumental task and requires hours of deep scrutiny on a daily basis to make accurate forecasts. This is one area in which astrologers are rarely if ever, paid for their time and research. This is also one reason why this aspect of astrology is more than likely lagging behind other branches of science. Having said that we can in hindsight often study an event and see how the chart of the leader and the chart of the country are often very much linked.
If we look at the recent eclipse In Taurus, it took place in a critical position in Donald Trump’s horoscope indicating big changes in his career as it took place in his 10th house of career. Eclipse is taking place in critical parts of the leader’s horoscope will also have an impact on the country as a whole. That makes sense as the leader makes many of the decisions and steers that country in whichever direction he sees fit.
Eclipses foretell what’s happening in the world generally
Eclipses cause a shadow to form through different countries affecting the leaders and the people in those nations. Again, without intense and laborious scrutiny we can only generally give the effects of these eclipses. But history has shown that important events do transpire on or near the eclipse times. The transits of the other planets can help pinpoint more accurately the timing.
In the case of the world, the Aspects between planets in the eclipse account for the Events such as Further political unrest, international tensions and skirmishes as we are seeing with China, India and nations surrounding the South China Sea. Increasing increasing disasters of epic proportions Are often also part of the influence of these eclipses.
It could be argued that powerful nations like the U.S. have spent literally hundreds of billions of dollars on the War Machine and need to seriously look at what is happening back at home. Charity does indeed begin at home. Eclipses, as well as planetary positions, are a big red flag not just for America but other nations as well. They indicate there is hard work ahead and it’s primarily related to cleaning up our own backyards.
Written by: Dadhichi Toth
Dadhichi Toth is an Astrologer and Director of www.astrology.com.au
Finding Happiness Through Self-Awareness
The Mirror of Self-Awareness
When I ask you again to look impartially and carefully at this thing you call your life and how miserable or difficult it is – understand once and for all that it’s going to unravel as it will. Life is something that happens to you, it’s not you. It’s a mirror – a whole lot of reflections that are taking place, good and bad reflections but the mirror has nothing to do with any of those reflections. Is the mirror affected? All the reflections are there. The stories are there but what I am asking you to do is consider very carefully to whom is all this happening. You think this is happening to the body that you consider yourself to be. Finding happiness through self-awareness is the key theme of this article.
The only freedom is the understanding that this is not who you are.
You are either a body/mind process OR you are an eternal spiritual being, that which is Processless. Take your pick. The eternal spiritual being is not affected like the mirror. So stop believing this story is you. YOU don’t feel it, your body and your mind feel it and you perceive that and get involved in the feelings and the thinking. But you are involved because you lack the discipline to pull back and observe all this as a spectator would observe a movie.
In a movie, you can sometimes get carried away and start crying. But you never forget for a moment you are not any of the characters in the movie, you are a spectator and the truth of this whole life is that you’re not even living it, you think you’re living it but in truth, you are being LIVED. Who in their right mind would choose a life as miserable as yours if it’s as miserable as you’re telling me! You wouldn’t choose this if you had free will, would you? Therefore you don’t have free will. Get used to that.
Once you finally surrender to this flow called Life which is living you, you are free of it. What does the mirror have to do with the reflections occurring in it. What can the mirror do? The process of reflecting is the nature of the mirror. The process of perceiving all of this is your nature. You’re just identifying with what’s being reflected in the mirror of your awareness which is what you really are. You are truly Awareness itself! The body, mind and feelings are objective phenomena – you’re just observing all of these things. You’re a mirror, nothing is happening to you.
You’re not disciplined and you have to basically remember the purity and the beauty of your own nature and stop getting sucked into the story. Let me ask you a really important question right now. What’s wrong with right now if you don’t think about it? Right now? Nothing. Perfectly correct. There’s is nothing wrong with now if you don’t think about it. All this stuff about your heart being heavy and your past…..all of that is just a thought. Love is Being and Being doesn’t require thought. Love is not thinking. Thinking is duality. Thinking is dividing. Thinking is superimposition.
Thinking is conceptualization.
Thinking is being lost in the past and the future because thought is rarely to do with the present moment. But when you do need to think and if it is in the present moment then that is okay as you long as you’re thinking about what you’re doing. Generally however what you are thinking about is “Oh me, Oh my, why isn’t life like this or that or whatever…”. It’s separating yourself from what is and what IS, is really Love.
So, stop thinking about all this and recreating the story, stop perpetuating it. Okay …..while it’s happening, you deal with it the best you can. And you don’t know how you’re going to deal with it until it arises. But I guarantee you that when some life-threatening issue occurs to you in this moment the last thing you’ll be thinking is “What a miserable life I’ve had”. You’ll be completely in the moment and dealing with that and that only! And that’s all you have to do. That’s the lesson given to you.
To be fully present right now in this moment without thought. Just do what needs to be done NOW. Drop the past, drop the story, drop the apprehension and the fear, be here now fully as Conscious Presence-Awareness which is your true nature. That’s the lesson. You are that peaceful place and that’s what you’ve forgotten. That’s the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden. They’d lost that pristine quality of their Beingness and then became self-conscious about all this BS etc. You’re doing it right now. Where else are you?
You are only dealing with one moment. Just forget the day, forget yesterday, forget tomorrow and all you have to deal with is what you’re in. And what are you in right now? You are in… now ……and now where are you?…..Now? The only place is Here and the only time is NOW. You are never going to be anywhere else.
So, that is God. When you see that I-AM it is like the tip of a pencil. It’s such a small point. Have a look at the pencil tip. A whole beautiful canvas sketch can be created with the point of a pencil. Likewise, one’s own I-Am is a pencil drawing this whole panoramic view of the Universe. It’s all being created through the lens of I-Am. So go back to the I Am – that quintessential point wherein your awareness, that Absolute Awareness is being filtered and shining out as this world. Pull back from time, space, from all the objects of the awareness to the awareness ITSELF. What can you say about it? It’s just Being. It’s all you have to do. And you know what? So, when you ask yourself “What is the solution to all these problems. Forget the problems! The solution is only through that I-Amness.
You ask me “What do I have to do?” You just have to trust it and let life live you. Trees grow, the tide comes in and out. Where’s the intelligence behind that. Does the tide have to think “Will I come in or will I go out?”. Do you need to think about breathing? Do you need to worry about your hair growing, your heart beating, your skin perspiring, your body’s cells recreating themselves. Do you have to worry about all that? Are you getting involved in that?
When the sperm and the egg came together in your mother’s womb, did you have to get all upset about how you were going to divide the cells and when the birth process took place wasn’t your Awareness also there so long ago? That was YOU wasn’t it? What happened at that moment when you were being born? As difficult as it was didn’t it all work out? Then your body started to grow. To whom is all this happening? To what? What’s “me”? I’m talking about you, forget everything else for a moment.
This ‘Me’ is a fabrication
This is a direct perception of your own Beingness. To whom is this happening? What do you mean when you say “me” – what is that? Think carefully about it, look at it. What is “”me”. You were deep asleep last night so tell me what “me” was at that time. “Me” wasn’t even there. Did you stop existing? Then what was YOU. What do you mean by “me”? You can’t describe something that doesn’t exist. Me doesn’t exist. Me is a fabrication. Me is a thought. Show me the thought “Me”. Me is transitory and comes and goes. Your true Self is only pure Presence-Awareness.
That is what you really are but you can’t show that to me because it is of no dimension and doesn’t exist as a material object like a cup of tea or a telephone. That’s what’s so difficult when people say “Me”. They have to hook onto something so they latch onto this body-mind complex sitting here in time and space…..Oh, that’s Me, here I am. That’s just conditioning. You are the I-Amness. Stop thinking! You are simply Being whether you think of this or not. Beingness is always there as a quiet silent background, like the screen of a movie. You can’t not be what you ARE.
So just relax into that and stop trying to wrestle with life. Why do you need to look forward to anything when right now is perfect? Don’t continue to be miserable. Let me tell you if you have a thread, a little bit of cotton and you try to put it through the eye of the needle if it’s split in three you’re never going to get it through the eye of that needle. What do you want? What is the eye of the needle? The eye of the needle is a perfect state of happiness. The three splits in the thread are the past, present and future. You can’t be involved in any of that if you want true happiness.
What are you going to BE even when you get what you want? Desires come and go. No doubt those things are going to arise and subside. But don’t give too much thought of credibility to it. Just let it happen. The body has its needs. You have to eat. This too is just a desire. Let it be. Don’t get involved. Just like clouds in the sky is just sky. Nothing happens to the sky when it clouds over or rains. Nothing happens. It is all appearances in space. So, have your desires but never leave THIS moment. Just digest this moment, fully. When you start doing that you’ll start to draw to you all the things that are desired without desiring them.
Okay. Just Be.
Karma, Mercury and Retrograde planets
Mercury goes into its retrograde motion today, October 14, 2020. Understanding karma, Mercury and retrograde planets is an important astrological study. We’ve all heard about Mercury retrograde on the grapevine, through friends etc. Is it really as bad as what they say?
Karma and retrograde planets
There are some writers who maintain that retrograde planets relate to past karma. The fact of the matter is that every planet is somehow unravelling your karma. Furthermore, retrograde planets do seem to indicate a greater connection with past events. For this reason, you need to review what’s going on in your life. What may seem like a delay is really a recapitulation of past events, thoughts and actions. This has the effect of helping you perfect your understanding. This helps improve your skills in the game of life.
Another principle is that retrograde planets transiting a specific sign of the Zodiac are in fact visualizing the sign behind them. This could be rather confusing to lay people and even professional astrologers alike. This is because, planets transiting the second house of finance while moving into retrograde motion, the planet influences the first house. This relates to one’s physical body, persona and how other people perceive you. The main thing in looking at retrograde planets is to keep an open mind. Through observation, analysis and experience you can see how these reverse moving planets work in practice, not just theory.
Retrograde Planets and how we’ve been dumbed down
Unfortunately, the concept of retrogression has been dumbed down. Generally, we only hear of the retrogression of Mercury. This of course is a shame and one of the reasons astrology has fallen into disrepute. As I’ve indicated, Mercury is not the only planet that has retrograde cycles. And in fact, every planet except the Sun and the Moon will at some stage function in this so-called erratic manner.
The other thing to note is that these planets don’t actually move in reverse motion. Retrogression is simply an expression of comparative motion. When a faster-moving planet passes by a slower planet it appears to be moving backwards. The best example of this is two cars moving along the highway. One is moving faster than the other.
As the faster vehicle approaches and passes the slower one, the slower vehicle appears to be going backwards. We all know that the slower vehicle isn’t in fact moving backwards but appears to be going backwards.
This elusive quality which is an appearance can also be transposed to real-life events. This is one of the reasons Mercury is given so much prominence in the retrogression discussion. The notion that we think something is on track when in fact it’s doing quite the opposite seems to be the principal at work here.
Mercury also seems to have a large part to play in contracts, agreements and most importantly communication. No wonder there’s so much miscommunication and misunderstanding when this planet is retrograde. Under the retrograde positions of Mercury, you need to carefully think out and plan your strategy. Once again, the lesson of patience comes into play. Things usually take longer to manifest under retrograde cycles and require a revision of what’s been before.
Why is Mercury retrograde a good thing?
Too often we’re all madly running around, hastily making decisions and then regretting those decisions. If you think a little more carefully about it, the retrograde movement of Mercury isn’t always as bad as we make it out to be.
Thinking more carefully about what you say and consider the consequences of what you’re saying. Your speech is something that has great power. You should use it wisely. This is the way to enhance relationships through better understanding. By talking less we naturally get to listen more, and by listening I don’t simply mean hearing but listening with your heart and with undivided attention.
Mercury has the nature of being a fast planet, therefore, its retrogression gives you an opportunity to slow down before it moves in reverse motion. This eccentric behaviour means there’s a revisionary quality about it. Translate this to your thinking, speaking and decision-making processes. It reflects that part of you which needs more detailed analysis before committing to any course of action.
The impact of Mercury is now being felt as it goes retrograde today. It will be even more predominantly felt due to its challenging aspect to Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. This is a most intense and transformative period of life. This means aligning yourself with these particular qualities of Pluto. The square aspect is all only 6 the last time I don’t know whether there’s any money all transfer the challenging so resistance will only make the process more difficult.
You’ll be able to use the retrograde movement as a tool for radical self-transformation. The secret key is awareness. As long as you’re aware, even if you make errors in life, you’ll be able to put the lessons you learn to good use. Following on from that, it simply means learning from those mistakes otherwise, what’s the point?
Dates and signs of retrograde Mercury over the coming years
Oct 14 2020 Mer R 11°Sc40′
Nov 4 2020 Mer D 25°Li53′
Jan 31 2021 Mer R 26°Aq29′
Feb 21 2021 Mer D 11°Aq01′
May 30 2021 Mer R 24°Ge43′
Jun 23 2021 Mer D 16°Ge07′
Sep 27 2021 Mer R 25°Li28′
Oct 19 2021 Mer D 10°Li07′
Jan 14 2022 Mer R 10°Aq20′
Feb 4 2022 Mer D 24°Cp22′
May 10 2022 Mer R 04°Ge51′
Jun 3 2022 Mer D 26°Ta05′
Sep 10 2022 Mer R 08°Li55′
Oct 2 2022 Mer D 24°Vi11′
Dec 29 2022 Mer R 24°Cp21′
Jan 18 2023 Mer D 08°Cp08′
Apr 21 2023 Mer R 15°Ta37′
May 15 2023 Mer D 05°Ta50′
Aug 24 2023 Mer R 21°Vi51′
Sep 16 2023 Mer D 08°Vi00′
Dec 13 2023 Mer R 08°Cp29′
Jan 2 2024 Mer D 22°Sg10′
Apr 2 2024 Mer R 27°Ar13′
Apr 25 2024 Mer D 15°Ar58′
Aug 5 2024 Mer R 04°Vi06′
Aug 29 2024 Mer D 21°Le24′
Nov 26 2024 Mer R 22°Sg40′
Dec 16 2024 Mer D 06°Sg23′
Mar 15 2025 Mer R 09°Ar35′
Apr 7 2025 Mer D 26°Pi49′
Jul 18 2025 Mer R 15°Le34′
Aug 11 2025 Mer D 04°Le14′
Nov 10 2025 Mer R 06°Sg51′
Nov 30 2025 Mer D 20°Sc42′
Feb 26 2026 Mer R 22°Pi33′
Mar 21 2026 Mer D 08°Pi29′
Jun 30 2026 Mer R 26°Cn15′
Jul 24 2026 Mer D 16°Cn18′
Oct 24 2026 Mer R 20°Sc58′
Nov 14 2026 Mer D 05°Sc02′
Feb 10 2027 Mer R 05°Pi58′
Mar 3 2027 Mer D 20°Aq55′
Jun 11 2027 Mer R 06°Cn21′
Jul 5 2027 Mer D 27°Ge28′
Oct 8 2027 Mer R 04°Sc55′
Oct 29 2027 Mer D 19°Li18′
Jan 24 2028 Mer R 19°Aq41′
Feb 14 2028 Mer D 03°Aq59′
May 21 2028 Mer R 16°Ge18′
Jun 14 2028 Mer D 07°Ge45′
Sep 20 2028 Mer R 18°Li35′
Oct 11 2028 Mer D 03°Li28′
Jan 7 2029 Mer R 03°Aq38′
Jan 28 2029 Mer D 17°Cp32′
May 2 2029 Mer R 26°Ta40′
May 26 2029 Mer D 17°Ta33′
Sep 2 2029 Mer R 01°Li49′
Sep 25 2029 Mer D 17°Vi26′
Dec 22 2029 Mer R 17°Cp42′
Jan 11 2030 Mer D 01°Cp26′
Apr 13 2030 Mer R 07°Ta47′
May 7 2030 Mer D 27°Ar26′
Aug 16 2030 Mer R 14°Vi29′
Sep 8 2030 Mer D 01°Vi06′
Dec 6 2030 Mer R 01°Cp51′
Dec 26 2030 Mer D 15°Sg33′
Mar 26 2031 Mer R 19°Ar44′
Apr 18 2031 Mer D 07°Ar50′
Jul 29 2031 Mer R 26°Le25′
Aug 22 2031 Mer D 14°Le17′
Nov 20 2031 Mer R 16°Sg03′
Dec 10 2031 Mer D 29°Sc48′
Mar 8 2032 Mer R 02°Ar23′
Mar 31 2032 Mer D 19°Pi02′
Jul 10 2032 Mer R 07°Le32′
Aug 3 2032 Mer D 26°Cn49′
Nov 2 2032 Mer R 00°Sg12′
Nov 23 2032 Mer D 14°Sc07′
Feb 19 2033 Mer R 15°Pi33′
Mar 13 2033 Mer D 01°Pi02′
Jun 21 2033 Mer R 17°Cn56′
Jul 16 2033 Mer D 08°Cn30′
Oct 17 2033 Mer R 14°Sc16′
Nov 6 2033 Mer D 28°Li26′
Feb 2 2034 Mer R 29°Aq07′
Feb 24 2034 Mer D 13°Aq44′
Jun 2 2034 Mer R 27°Ge55′
Jun 26 2034 Mer D 19°Ge16′
Sep 30 2034 Mer R 28°Li06′
Oct 21 2034 Mer D 12°Li41′
Jan 17 2035 Mer R 12°Aq56′
Feb 7 2035 Mer D 27°Cp01′
May 14 2035 Mer R 07°Ge59′
Jun 7 2035 Mer D 29°Ta18′
Sep 13 2035 Mer R 11°Li37′
Oct 5 2035 Mer D 26°Vi47′
Jan 1 2036 Mer R 26°Cp55′
Jan 21 2036 Mer D 10°Cp44′
Apr 23 2036 Mer R 18°Ta37′
May 17 2036 Mer D 09°Ta02′
Aug 26 2036 Mer R 24°Vi38′
Sep 18 2036 Mer D 10°Vi38′
Dec 15 2036 Mer R 11°Cp02′
Jan 4 2037 Mer D 24°Sg44′
Apr 5 2037 Mer R 00°Ta06′
Apr 29 2037 Mer D 19°Ar05′
Aug 8 2037 Mer R 06°Vi59′
Sep 1 2037 Mer D 24°Le06′
Nov 29 2037 Mer R 25°Sg13′
Dec 19 2037 Mer D 08°Sg56′
Mar 18 2038 Mer R 12°Ar22′
Apr 10 2038 Mer D 29°Pi49′
Jul 21 2038 Mer R 18°Le35′
Aug 14 2038 Mer D 07°Le02′
Nov 13 2038 Mer R 09°Sg24′
Dec 2 2038 Mer D 23°Sc14′
Mar 1 2039 Mer R 25°Pi15′
Mar 24 2039 Mer D 11°Pi21′
Jul 3 2039 Mer R 29°Cn22′
Jul 27 2039 Mer D 19°Cn14′
Oct 27 2039 Mer R 23°Sc32′
Nov 16 2039 Mer D 07°Sc33′
Feb 12 2040 Mer R 08°Pi37′
Mar 5 2040 Mer D 23°Aq41′
Jun 13 2040 Mer R 09°Cn32′
Jul 7 2040 Mer D 00°Cn31′
There are more resources and information on these topics here
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About the author
Dadhichi Toth, is one of Australia’s most respected astrologers and face readers and is also the founder and CEO of www.astrology.com.au. Having 32 years practical experience in the field with more than 10,000 personal consultations to his credit — including celebrity, corporate and political clientele — Dadhichi is also an author having written the annual best-selling Astrology Forecast series for Harlequin Mills and Boon for nine years. Dadhichi can be contacted at [email protected]