May - Seeing the Wood for the Trees

We have a different feel coming through this month I think.  With Chiron now into a new gate our focus can turn to ensuring we are following our inner knowing to become worthy of being followed.

Pluto (soul mission) echoes the theme all month sitting in 61.3 ... "If you rely on another for your peace of mind, your balance is lost.  Be neither flattered nor dismayed at fluctuations in another's affections.  By maintaining inner independence you successfully negotiate the path." BBW.

We also have Uranus well established in 27, the gate of nourishment (in all its forms), another call to look carefully at how we nurture ourselves.  And, Neptune is in 22.2 for the whole of May ... "Concern yourself not with the form things take but with their content.  Cut through false appearances to determine whether your own strength or that of another is genuine or contrived." BBW.

Saturn is nearly conjunct the South Node for the month.  This is a new South Node position; the nodes shifted on 25th April.  We are now moving away from (south node) the energy of 54, the upgrade (Marrying Maiden) and toward (north node) gradual progress (53).  But, Saturn will be there as a reminder of where we have come from, and perhaps who we have been with, and this may prove a stumbling block to our gradual progress, if we have forged alliances with those that do not have our best interests at heart.  And, equally if we have used others to further our aims with little thought to the price they may have to pay.

The north node in 53 should herald a period when we can start to move forward, notwithstanding the multiple planets in retrograde of course!  53 counsels us to pay attention to our foundations, just as the tree needs a good network of roots before it grows too tall, so we too need to avoid pushing ahead too quickly only to be blown over by the first windy day.  We will have help for the first few days with Pluto and the Sun working to provide the channel of the Thinker (24-61), so no excuses ... this month is marked with individual channel energy so plenty of support for Chiron's mission.

We start the month with another Sabbat, this time Beltane, or May Day.  A time of fertility and of Spring energy moving us into early Summer.  Traditionally it was the time of the animals being moved to summer pastures and is marked by fire ceremonies to ward off evil spirits as the flocks head back up into the mountains.  It's also a time of the renewal of vows and the reaffirmation of love 😍.  With Mars and Venus either end of the control of resources channel be mindful of compromise!

The Moon will be new on the 4th at 23:48 BST in 2.2 "Being Gifted:  Natural access to an intelligence that often defies logical explanation.  You access an inner sense of knowing beyond the scope of any accumulated knowledge."  Chetan

And full on the 18th 14.4 at 22:13 BST and echoes much of what I've noted above ... "Do not indulge in looking at those around you and trying to match them tit for tat.  You elevate yourself by disengaging and holding firmly to what is quiet and correct and good." BBW

This month we have two channels created by the Sun and Earth positions so for a week a piece we all have access to 23-43 (channel of Structuring ... or the 'freak to genius' ...) and 20-34 (channel of Charisma).  Both energies of the individual and if you can catch the flow a great way to bring forward your genius and get things moving.

And so to the weeklies ...

1st - 3rd - Sun busy rationalising and the Earth being wary of who is around.  Mercury might spring a communication surprise/shock on the 1st before moving to improve everything!  Venus and Mars could be working nicely distributing the resources or playing tug of war, you have been warned.

4th - 9th - The Sun and Earth are now working the first two gates of the I Ching, the Earth feeling Heavenly in 1 and the Sun receptive in 2, this could be a week to make progress with something new as Mercury will arrive in gate 3, beginnings, and we have the New Moon here too, see above - don't push, let something emerge.

10th - 15th - here we have the first of the two channels of the month, the Sun in 23 and the Earth in 43.  23 is splitting apart, so be aware some things may disintegrate but the Earth will be ready to ground you with insights, so all is never lost ... it's not called the freak to genius for nothing, especially as Mercury will be bringing a rationalising energy 😏

16th - 20th - now for a week of Union and Potential with the Full Moon as well.  Jupiter shifts to 26 on the 15th and brings his expansive energy to the gate of the Trickster ... be aware for the con artist, but also the excellent sales person who can meet your needs, two sides of the same energy coin ... and Mercury is now bringing the splitting apart energy so communication could be on the blink for a few days.  This week Mars is moving through the gate of Modesty, sometimes called Extremes, so watch where his fiery energy may appear.

On 18th the full moon day Mars will be in 15.4 "Do not make a show of modesty.  Sincerity entails doing what is needed, without regard for public opinion, then quietly stepping back."  BBW

21st - 26th - Our second week of individual channel energy, Charisma with the Sun in 20, the gate of the NOW and the Earth in 34, gate of Power.  This is the archetype of the manifesting generator harnessing the life force energy in the moment, buckle up tight!  Mercury is conjunct the sun for a few days which could lead to some very frank discussions!  Tap into Venus if you need to step back and rationalise somewhat.

23rd - Mercury and Sun in 20.3 "Being Objective:  Developing an ability to watch thoughts and actions impassively.  Honouring your 'witnessing consciousness' you'll find assists you to glide through your life."  Chetan

27th - 31st - for the last few days we have the Sun feeling enthusiastic and the Earth very focused ... so focused enthusiasm, sounds good to me!  Especially with Mercury feeling the adventure just watch he doesn't take over later in the week when he heads to the gate of the Queen where he'll find Mars too!

"Proper enthusiasm opens every door" BBW 16th hexagram

And so to the Runes ... the half months are as follows ... April 29 - May 14 Laguz, this is a water rune associated with emotional flow, intuitive knowing.  And May 14 - 29 we have Inguz ... the seed, the magic bean, all possibilities and potential and linked to the God Freyr.

And it is Raidho ... this Rune is about the journey, life's journey, and sometimes an actual journey.  It's about the rhythm of moving and seems wholly appropriate for a month where we are now moving towards gradual progress.  Bear in mind the journey may not always take you where you imagine, or where you thought you were heading, what is important is the process, not so much the destination.

See you again later in May

April's Half-Months

An interesting aside ... I forgot to list the two half month Runes for April ... March 30 - April 14 was Ehwaz, I really picked up this energy without realising, this is all about momentum, horse-power and unspoken partnerships.  April 14 - 29 is currently Mannaz ... this is all about tribe, finding your niche but also about tuning the balance between what is within and what is without.

Chiron moves to 17 on 28th

Chiron and Venus are pretty much conjunct just now as Chiron moves from 25 into a new human design position, 17, ready for a couple of years working through this new energy. 

From the 28th April until 21st September we have our first pass of the Wounded Healer in a position known variously as Following, According To and Opinions ... 

This is an ajna (mind) gate in Human Design-speak and connects to the throat through the 62 giving the channel of Opinions/The organiser. So, for the next couple of years, whenever we have something moving through 62, we may well be aware of this channel with Chiron sitting at the other end.  We have in fact just had a week or so with the channel active through the North Node with both Mercury then Venus, see the post below.

So what does the I Ching have to tell us about the 17th hexagram.  BBW sums it up thus "Do not argue with what is; simply follow the progress of truth."  I have my natal Saturn at this position, in line 3, "Sometimes following the good requires that we forego a pleasure of the ego  When some part of your self-image would separate you from truth, let it fall away." BBW.  

This is certainly an energy I'm very familiar with and as it happens my Jupiter position is in 62, so I have consistent access to the Organiser channel in my own HD.  It's this energy that allows me to draw together many strands of information and deliver them in bite-sized pieces ... although sometimes another aspect of my chart means they aren't quite so bite-sized 😂 ... but I do try and keep my first line in check ... and if any of this intrigues you and you are wondering what your wiring may 'look' like, I do readings, just send me a message.

The essence of 17 is that in order to lead one must first perfect the art of following, and as with all things in the I Ching that is essentially following our Inner Truth and the Sage.  Through following our inner truth we walk a path that others feel as authentic and will be happy to fall in step with.

Alfred Huang gives us a deeper look at the origins of this archetype.  17 contains the four virtues and is considered a very auspicious gua (hexagram) ... he cites an ancient story of a woman consulting a Master of the I Ching ... 17 was drawn and she was told that all was favourable to be married and follow her husband.  However, she stated that for her the time was not yet here as she did not yet possess these four great virtues.  Here Huang explains how this lady exemplifies the way in which the energies of the I Ching should be used.  He narrates the story of King Wu in his process to overthrow the Tyrant of Shang ... he called several gatherings before he felt he had a broad enough consensus to move forward and be successful.  King Wen saw that when people come together, and are ready to follow, that is when success ensues.

So we now have a period of time when Chiron will bring through this energy.  He of course is the archetype of the wounded healer ... he shows us where we need to heal in order to live the energy positively for others to follow suit, and with 17 we are talking about healing our ability to be true to ourselves and our inner truth in order to be worthy of following.

Seems a very timely energy when we look at world politics that's for sure.  And don't forget as with all celestial bodies the Centaur will retrograde back and forth so will work with 17 but also with 25 for a while yet, and 25 is all about our innocence.

Be Alert this week!

This week I noted as a potentially tricky one ... looking more closely we have a few interesting aspects in play.

The Sun is conjunct with Uranus and may bring a deep desire to break free from tradition, perhaps in shocking ways.  They are in Taurus which is all things stable, earthy and relationships so an interesting mix-up. 

We also have the channel of opinions (17-62) in play today with Mercury and the North Node and again from tomorrow with Venus and the North Node and then on 26th and 27th we have the 45-21 channel playing through Mercury and Mars and this one is all about the control of resources!

17-62 gives everyone a voice connecting the mind with the throat, especially as it is Mercury of course, he of communications.  Just be wary of what you are hearing, or feeling inclined to share, especially as we have the Sun with Uranus ... it could spell some very volatile exchanges and things said that will be hard to 'un-hear'.  And this goes double for Friday and Saturday when you add  another throat (and will power) activation with the 45-21 wrangling over who controls what, who can have what. 

This is the Rune that steps forward for this potentially turbulent week ... Gebo, this is about gift-giving, partnerships and agreements.  In the ancient Norse tradition gift-giving and exchanges were central to the fabric of society and held with high regard.

In our modern world we can understand this energy as being about promises, about agreements and bonds made.  So, it's about giving and receiving and the balance therein. 

Given the celestial weather we could perhaps intuit for this week it will be about the give and take that we are willing to accept which is very pertinent to that energy of the allocation of resources.  The challenge may be about giving and receiving freely.

27 - 50 In play!

With Correction ... it is of course the Earth in 50, not the Sun, that is sitting in 3 (difficulty at the beginning ... LOL ... just as I had with this post ... I was just planting seeds and thinking about 3rd hexagram ... as one does, and it's ideograph which is a seed pushing out shoots and roots ... it is my Sun of course ... and I thought ... ah ... doh ... it's the Earth in 50, not the Sun)!!!

From today until Sunday we have a channel defined for everyone.  The 27 - 50 with Uranus and Earth (not the Sun!).  This one is part of the tribal circuitry and sometimes thought of as the yin side, or the mothering energy.

It's known as the Channel of Preservation and is a defence channel connecting the immediacy of the spleen with the sacral energy, which means the whole planet will, for these few days, have access to being generators.

This is where care-giving lives, nurturing the tribe both literally in terms of providing nourishment (27th hexagram is 'the mouth') and more generally in terms of ensuring the tribe/community is running through fairness and shared values (50).  Given we have Uranus with his shocking awakening energy and the Earth (not the Sun) involved there's the potential for our sense of grounding (not the spot light) to be around family and community affairs especially with a theme of nurture and support ... interesting timing as many will be gathering together for the Easter break.

The Rune that stepped forward for these few days is ...

Berkana ... associated with the birch and birch goddess, it's a feminine energy and perfect for this channel ... this is about renewal, the awakening from winter, re-birthing, it has a midwifery energy, a time to move forward leaving behind the outgrown.

Walking around my favourite woodlands the last few days and there's plenty of evidence of this Berkana energy in the verdant green growth sprouting ... and we have a royal baby likely to make their appearance in the next week or so (along with 1,000s of others, of course)!

For the next 12 hours or so

I just noticed we have the moon in 12 at the moment so making a channel with Venus in 22 ... be aware of the potential for an emotional roller-coaster for the rest of the day.

New Moon Update

For the next few days until the 8th the Earth and Mars positions give us all access to the channel of Involuntary Impulses.

Chetan has this to say ... "It is an intuition which penetrates most auras, piercing social smokescreens, hidden agendas, insincerity and risky pursuits ... there is no pulling the wool over the eyes - and ears - of the 20-57. You can also appear anxious, worried about how the future will turn out. Your sense of survival needs to know that you and loved ones are going to be secure and safe. This is what is really motivating your constant reappraising of the world and your role in it. BUT if you keep your feet on the ground and a sensible restraint on your intuitive gift, your future will always be bright." Chetan Parkyn's Human Design.

Mars, with his warlike, masculine, outgoing energy is in 20 the gate of NOW, and the Earth, our stability and groundedness and the feminine in 57, the most intuitive energy in the chart. And this with a New Moon in the gate of shock urging us to see the positive benefits shocking change can bring.

Wunjo stepped forward for this post ... this is the Rune of joy, the kind where we feel the pleasure and reward of a task completed, a pause to rest before moving on with the challenges. It challenges us to feel joy ... when you pair this message with the New Moon position I sense the Runes are urging us to see the positive and grasp the change.

I forgot to mention the Runic half-months in my April round up, currently we are with Ehwaz - this Rune is about the meeting of allies till the 14th when we move to Mannaz until the 29th - finding your tribe. I really can't think of two more appropriate energies to call in at this time.