Message for Weekend, and Week of Saturday Feb 29 through Friday March 6

Weekend, and Week of Saturday February 29 through Friday March 6

~ "This too . . ." ~

Commentators are saying that things are "spinning out of control," with (a) the virus epidemic, (b) the stock market panic, and (c) the unprecedented, unpredictable state of the Democratic presidential primary.  Add to this, from your own life, whatever is problematic for you.  If you are not going through some mini-crises of your own, I would be surprised.  I have been, on several levels.  I am just doing my best to (a) not complain too much and (b) keep on keeping on.  Plus (c) re-stoke my religious faith, which for me is more important than astrology, and not at all in conflict with it. Each supports the other.  The Supreme Lord is both "higher than the heavens" and the Lord of Heaven.  The Kingdom of Heaven is His.

I could make this short by saying, "The coming week may be not very much better than the previous one."  That is, if we judge "worse and better" by the easiness of things.  Both astrology and intelligent observation in general seem to point out that it is not attaining a trouble-free existence which is the secret of fulfillment---Harvey Weinstein and Michael Bloomberg both seemed to have accomplished that---but taking the troubles as waves to be surfed gleefully.  Well, as gleefully as possible.  I don't know anything which saves from anxiety like faith in the Supreme.  Do you?

It is tempting to look for "it's getting better" indications in the coming week, and I shall do some of that.  Or, we can look for clues about how to handle the "worse."  I am grateful that in the past week some of the worst crises I was facing have receded and become harmless.  Others have not, but seem on the way to improvement.  What more can we ask?

The weekly chart (ruling from Saturday through Friday for reasons I shall not re-explain now) has a "bowl" shape, the planets in half the sky, and that could help because last week we had a "bundle" shape, which is lucky often, but with Mars in high focus the energy it provoked did seem to "spin out of control." The bundle type of chart is like a spinning top. This week's bowl-type chart is more stable, as if one could depend on one's own integrity and stability. 

What remains the same which is difficult?  First, the presence of four planets in Capricorn, which is not an evil sign but it is the sign of Saturn and Saturn is the Challenger, much of the time.  We are forced to cut back to the bedrock, as in the stock market, with many finding that their gains of the past year are mostly wiped out.  Ultimately, this is only delay, since the market will come up again, but delay is galling to the impatient.  And with Venus in Aries, a sign of Martian impatience, square to the Capricorn planets, many feel seriously disturbed that their plans seem to be "on hold."  That is also a sign of Mercury Retrograde, which was going on last week as well as this.  So put together (a) Saturn in Capricorn as ruling all the other planets (except Neptune in Pisces) with (b) Mercury Retrograde, and you have a pretty clear picture.  Don't freak out; it may seem to get worse before getting better; but all this is temporary.  "This too shall pass" is one of the great lessons of astrology; but rather than just comforting us with that platitude, it shows us \when/  those things shall "pass."  I would say, not this week, probably, but of course the other thing we learn from astrology plus life is that we change the meaning and experience of the aspects by our attitudes.  

And so when does it get easier?  I would say, "on our next Friday the 13th," because beginning March 13 a lot of things look better. Mercury will have turned direct (though the Dark or Slow Epoch remains), the square of Venus with Saturn will have passed, and Venus will be beginning a long-term trine with Mars (continuing through April and into the first week of May).  You might want to make that a day of celebration, or if the Friday-13 thing worries you, have the party on the 14th.  

The square of Venus with Saturn is exact this week. You may recall that I dub this the "nobody loves me" aspect.  It can also be the "I don't like anybody"aspect because sensitivities are intense.  Better, it can be the "loyalty" aspect. It's like this:  You feel intensely the failures, lacks, crudenesses or peculiarities of the loved one.  "Not that again."  But the more you ponder the situation, the more you realize that this person you have taken on as a friend, lover or partner is "just the best there is at this point." And that "point" may go on for years!  In other words, "I probably can't do any better than this, so just suffer it, and love through it, and let the problems be foils for the love, which might actually grow through this testing time and be stronger than ever afterward."  Yes, it's something like that.  Saturn is speaking, through me, to Venus (and males too are Venus in their love-nature).  "Sorry dear, nothing I can do about it." 

Maybe this is practice in understanding how hard it might be, sometimes, for G*d to love you?  (And me.)  (An item for exploration in "the theology of astrology."  I probably could write a book on it.  But you will get a lot of what would be in that book by pondering these reports.)

There seems to be a theme, in the week's chart, of "who owes what to whom" and "who is giving what to whom" and "who deserves more in return for her or his labor."  Of course, this is a favorite theme of the presidential candidates and of politics in general.  The reassuring part is that you might sense what it is that you are relying upon, and even that there is more you might rely on, some way of being more fully satisfied from your work or get better compensation for it.  That is one answer. Another answer is just the obverse, that you can also enjoy giving more than you receive, if that is you soul-mission in some area in which you are good at helping or pleasing others.

It's a week of learning.  May it be peaceful and serene for you.

{Week of February 29-March 6}   ~ "This too . . ." ~

Cosmic Piper

The daily data:

Saturday 29 February 2020

Moon in Taurus

Sunday 1 March 2020

Moon in Taurus-->Gemini

/moon goes void-of-course at 7:53a PT | 10:53a ET | 3:53p UT

until it enters Gemini at 11:22a PT | 2:22p ET | 7:22p UT

Message for Friday 28 February 2020

Friday 28 February 2020

\Playing in the Cosmic Symphony/

Moon in Taurus

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week continues until early Saturday at 1:52a PT | 4:52a ET | 9:52a UT

Yesterday's tension, perhaps amounting to crisis, is easing. Thursday was the height of the |difficult third| of this week, which is trailing off today though still present. And Thursday continued high worries about the pandemic, as well as the accompanying (and theoretically related) drop in the stock market. Today will not be totally "back to normal" because Mercury remains retrograde for 11 more days, but could feel much more reassuring. 

There's a tension between being lackadaisical, like "an old man standing beside a river from which he collects bits of wood and straw with a rake," in other words, giving up to just the bare essentials, and, on the other hand, "a man of powerful form riding upon a restive horse."  This latter is strength and independence, though it's likely modified by the tendency to "just get by" which also has some validity during a MR period.  Give that "horse" a rest and it will be happier to serve you. 

"An aviator in the clouds," like the man with the rake, may be remote from the struggle of life, but has his own peculiar function as an enjoyer and observer of everything beneath him.  A superior perspective is not unpractical.  It might even extend to the transcendent, to psychic awareness and power.  But Charubel says that such a person "will not be appreciated by the present-day world, simply because it will not understand him."  Nevertheless, he or she has an influence extending into the future of humanity. 

Though there are six planets in earth signs, and none in air (more intellectual), still the symbols point to the deep spirituality of the earth domains at their best.  "A hidden choir" is singing of, and bringing about, cosmic reconciliations.  This can be done only by worshiping that which is greater than ourselves. The Lord is "higher than the heavens" according to the Psalms.  To bow before him with true humility and an attempt to understand  him is to becomes something like "an angel carrying a harp" or a spiritual being in harmony with the cosmic symphony. Thus we are inspired to be more than ourselves, and we inspire others. 

{Friday}  /Playing in the Cosmic Symphony\

Cosmic Piper

Message for Thursday 27 February 2020

Thursday 27 February 2020

^Patience and Re-Creation^

Moon in Aries-->Taurus

|Karmically serious or sobering third of this week is with us until late Friday-early Saturday

/moon goes void-of-course at 7:26p PT | 10:26p ET | 3:26a(F) UT

. . . and the most difficult time of the |difficult third| may be at that moment, or several hours before and after. Prayer is good. 

It seems there is a conflict between our image of ourselves, or the image we want to project to the world, and the image we actually are projecting.  Or, perhaps some unfairly perceive us as "an ape seated before a mirror," as vain and comedic. Or maybe we want to be that "vain comedian" if that is our calling; some make good money at it.  At worst, one might feel that one has fallen from grace, or from a respectable position in society, so that one feels family or posterity will be ashamed. 

Likewise, "a man playing with colored balls" seems to be careless of the work ethic or reputation. However, let's not be too hard on ourselves:  While Mercury is retrograde (until March 10) we may need to "slack off" now and then, or give ourselves extra breaks when possible. Even ants, it has been found, though they build a colony, spend a lot of time just playing.  Meanwhile, the more serious situations you have been concerned about might be on the verge of resolution. Patience is a key, though its turn in the lock be slow.

Life is not just a road toward tangible success, but a spiritual pilgrimage. You may feel you are making progress in the latter, developing the resignation which builds character.  Whether income goes down or up, when you are at peace with your soul "birds in the house are singing happily."

{Thursday}  ^Patience and Re-Creation^

Cosmic Piper

Message for Wednesday 26 February 2020

Wednesday 26 February 2020

^Firmness^

Moon in Aries

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week begins at 12:48p PT | 3:48p ET | 8:48p UT (until very late Friday-early Saturday)

The mix of aspects is both good and difficult, but the Mercury Retrograde phase (until March 10) usually gives the hard ones the upper hand, at least in appearance. So we feel challenged.  Some of the symbols warn that there could be "treachery" if we trust the untrustworthy.  One thing I know is that there \seems/ more "treachery" in the MR period but this is often an illusion. People are preoccupied with so many things that they are careless and probably do not mean to hurt or abandon you. More likely, they are temporarily incompetent.  

Companions may seem a little cantankerous (moon square Mars and Jupiter) because they are trying to be successful and have so much to do. They might look down on anyone who they think is a "slacker."  That could be because they are trying to resist "slack" tendencies in themselves.  "A man stands with a tankard in his hand ready to drink. Two others standing apart talk together with averted faces."  It's better to be hard on one's own vices or weaknesses than on someone else's.  Who is proud of everything he or she has ever done?

If making an honest effort to live in accord with ideals, one can be like "a rocky eminence in a turbulent sea."  Adverse fortune and popular displeasure cannot assault one's stolid firmness born of established convictions and truth-perceptions. Then when the tide has turned, the waves receded, there are "birds in the house singing happily."

{Wednesday}  ^Firmness^

Cosmic Piper

Message for Tuesday 25 February 2020

Tuesday 25 February 2020

^REvisiting^

It could be worse. You are not Harvey Weinstein! It could be worse. You do not have the coronavirus. (I seriously hope.)

But it is bad enough. It has been a very difficult, strange day for me so far (Monday). I had to go out of my way to get information abut financial details needed for my very survival (other than as a street person). (No one pays me for these forecasts, and I do not use them as a hook to get astrological clients, because I am not doing personal astrology, only research which pays me zilch except for the joy of discovery and of trying to share it with you and a very few others able to appreciate what I am doing.)

When I finally got the information I needed, I had to put it in the right order for those who are going to use it. Not easy. Time-consuming. Then I had to contact the person who is going to look at it. Not easy. Finally through several text messages we agreed on something but it is going to require more time from me. I tried to write a report for Tuesday amid all this, and found that the computer was not working, it seemed a bad and hopeless internet connection, trying to do something took a half hour. So I shut down the browser, re-started, and now can type this. 

Tuesday, February 25:  Moon in Pisces-->Aries; moon goes void-of-course at 6:13a PT | 9:13a ET | 2:13p UT; until ti enters Aries at 10:48a PT | 1:48p ET | 6:48p UT 

And that is all I am going to essay for this day, other than the following about MERCURY RETROGRADE which I wrote and posted yesterday, in Monday's report. It bears repeating, bears repeating, BEARS REpeating.  And if anyone tells you that Mercury Retrograde is meaningless, a silly superstition, please tell them for me that they are TOTAL IDIOTS! 

Since it appears that less than half the usual readership read the following, according to the numbers, here it is again:

We have not been discussing the Mercury Retrograde phenomenon much (till March 10) but it is very much in evidence in my life and no doubt in yours. Things seem "sticky." They take longer. There is "too much" occupying one's attention so that while you go into one room with the food items you need, you forget the silverware, or you walk out of the bedroom without socks and wonder why you are barefoot and have to go back, or keep noticing an item on a table which belongs somewhere else and finally put it back, or the internet gets your attention and you spend an hour rather than your allotted ten minutes surfing. Then you are behind with something else, and shift your schedule. And so on. Sometimes a minor health problem seems to flare up for no reason and it takes extra time to resolve. You run out of soap, bathroom tissue or toothpaste. 

But also:  You listen to old music and it gives you a high, and reassurance: That old song is still thrilling, still perfect. You find that your spiritual reading has depths of implication you had missed before.  You wander somewhere aimlessly and an old friend greets you unexpectedly.  You realize you have been sitting and musing for fifteen minutes and that you are reliving something from your childhood, or pondering a departed family member or a friend you haven't seen for years.  The past is alive and there is nothing wrong with revisiting it; from that you get fresh perspective on the present.  

Also, for me, there is always more astrological research, and REvising.  If you are a naturalist, the same, or if you have a hobby like sewing or car repair or whatnot.  You fix things, approaches, you remodel your way of doing things.  Mercury wants us to REwork things which are not up to par.  I said in the report for Saturday that maybe Elizabeth Warren would do better than expected in the Nevada Caucuses.  She did not.  She came in third, as was expected.  So I went back to the daily chart and REstudied it, REworked various field systems I use (they were discovered, some of them, when I was writing forecasts for the twelve sun-signs and had to find something different for each sign).  I found that by changing just one of the three systems I use each day, back to an older system I had used for a long time but abandoned, Virgo (Sanders) would turn out to have the best chance of winning on Saturday, as he did---not Cancer (Warren).  So then I checked the system with the date of Trump's win (11/8/2016) and lo and behold, it worked perfectly then also (Gemini favored over Hillary's Scorpio). Then I checked it with a lot of events in my own life.  Eureka!  It is not a totally new system.  Finding something new at these MR times can often be a delusion.  No, it was a REturn to a method I had dropped, although I had seen before that it was REliable. Such things happen often during a MR period.  Don't be ashamed or worried if you are revising or re-evaluating the way you do things, reading old books, watching old movies, delving into memories.  It's just what Dr. Hermes ordered, probably.

{Tuesday}  ^REvisiting^

Cosmic Piper

Monday 24 February 2020

Monday 24 February 2020

~Groping Toward Adventure~

Moon in Pisces

We have not been discussing the Mercury Retrograde phenomenon much (till March 10) but it is very much in evidence in my life and no doubt in yours. Things seem "sticky." They take longer. There is "too much" occupying one's attention so that while you go into one room with the food items you need, you forget the silverware, or you walk out of the bedroom without socks and wonder why you are barefoot and have to go back, or keep noticing an item on a table which belongs somewhere else and finally put it back, or the internet gets your attention and you spend an hour rather than your allotted ten minutes surfing. Then you are behind with something else, and shift your schedule. And so on. Sometimes a minor health problem seems to flare up for no reason and it takes extra time to resolve. You run out of soap, bathroom tissue or toothpaste. 

But also:  You listen to old music and it gives you a high, and reassurance: That old song is still thrilling, still perfect. You find that your spiritual reading has depths of implication you had missed before.  You wander somewhere aimlessly and an old friend greets you unexpectedly.  You realize you have been sitting and musing for fifteen minutes and that you are reliving something from your childhood, or pondering a departed family member or a friend you haven't seen for years.  The past is alive and there is nothing wrong with revisiting it; from that you get fresh perspective on the present.  

Also, for me, there is always more astrological research, and REvising.  If you are a naturalist, the same, or if you have a hobby like sewing or car repair or whatnot.  You fix things, approaches, you remodel your way of doing things.  Mercury wants us to REwork things which are not up to par.  I said in the report for Saturday that maybe Elizabeth Warren would do better than expected in the Nevada Caucuses.  She did not.  She came in third, as was expected.  So I went back to the daily chart and REstudied it, REworked various field systems I use (they were discovered, some of them, when I was writing forecasts for the twelve sun-signs and had to find something different for each sign).  I found that by changing just one of the three systems I use each day, back to an older system I had used for a long time but abandoned, Virgo (Sanders) would turn out to have the best chance of winning on Saturday, as he did---not Cancer (Warren).  So then I checked the system with the date of Trump's win (11/8/2016) and lo and behold, it worked perfectly then also (Gemini favored over Hillary's Scorpio). Then I checked it with a lot of events in my own life.  Eureka!  It is not a totally new system.  Finding something new at these MR times can often be a delusion.  No, it was a REturn to a method I had dropped, although I had seen before that it was REliable. Such things happen often during a MR period.  Don't be ashamed or worried if you are revising or re-evaluating the way you do things, reading old books, watching old movies, delving into memories.  It's just what Dr. Hermes ordered, probably.

Monday:  Yes, you are rebuilding that "dilapidated mining plant" or whatever is temporarily dysfunctional.  You are preventing it from "going bankrupt."  Or if for a while you just want to "give up" on life or activity, waiting for a "better time," you might drift to a private corner, or your bedroom, lie down, and give yourself over to erotic fantasies.  (Not polite to mention that.)  Charubel the vigilant Victorian warns us against such weakness:  "Do not follow the dictates of passion, nor yield to the desires of thy lower nature.  If by virtue of a firm resolve thou art able to overcome these elemental promptings, then thou wilt pass through the evil crisis."   I leave the interpretation and application to you.

Depending on how active one chooses to be, one could throw oneself into adventure, as "a man equipped for a rough journey, belted and armed."  This is bold, fearless and inquisitive discovery.  It could be playful, yet has a direction, as if one had "a target" in mind to be hit through concentration and rivalry.

We may extend ourselves indefinitely, with four planets in Pisces the sign of "no limits. " It is in a sense the sign of infinity, yet in tangible life this resolves into complexity, "a dark archway with ten logs at the bottom." You could explore something so thoroughly that you become a part of it or it becomes part of you.  This is not the same as groping aimlessly, though it might seem that way when one finds oneself accompanied by "a little white lamb, a child, and a Chinese servant."  They may not know what they are doing, but their implicit tendencies can be woven into an unlimited utilization of their talents which fulfills them as much as oneself.

{Monday}  ~Groping Toward Adventure~

Cosmic Piper

Message for Sunday 23 February 2020

Sunday 23 February 2020

~Hidden Light Expands Toward Objectives~

Moon in Pisces

New Moon of Pisces is exact at 7:33a PT |10:33a ET | 3:33p UT

The New Moon can be a sort of transition time, but this one is mostly a quiet one.  "A coal pit, the machinery at a standstill, the plant in a dilapidated condition" suggests that we need remedial work, or slow development of latent potentials. This is in accord with the Mercury Retrograde period which lasts until March 10.  New plans are not generally favored.  It is better to repair or reconstruct what you have been doing over the years or months.  "A man in a gloomy enclosure enters a dark passage which finally conducts him into the light of a glorious day."  What "finally" means depends on your circumstances, but patience is recommended. 

Concern about money is normal, but one ought not to worship it or be stingy.  If one were reclusively self-centered, fearing loss, one could lose the real thing, happiness.  Nevertheless some may have a gambling urge, or drive themselves toward unusual gain, like a jockey on his steed.  Eagerness for life is a good thing.  One could practice toward acquiring more of life's privileges if that seems natural. 

The confident trine of Mars with Uranus, now doubled by the sun, Mercury and Luna all in good aspect with both, is energizing, yet the five planets in earth signs want to be thorough in getting at the bottom of potentials. "A dark archway with ten logs at the bottom" hints at the esoteric doctrine that the planets' powers are involved, buried, in our ordinary material world, "logs" to be used in constructing our lives.  What can aid in this is supernal light from "a transcendental Sun," which illumines our consciousness and bestows psychic powers.  Perhaps this hides the Einsteinian conundrum of "the constant speed of light" and other mysteries beyond our normal awareness.  They confer brilliant gifts on whomsoever they adopt, and that person does not have to comprehend anything about the mathematical formulas of physics.  Rather, he or she lives them intuitively.

{Sunday}  ~Hidden Light Expands Toward Objectives~

Cosmic Piper

Message for Saturday 22 February 2020

Saturday 22 February 2020

}Wise Limits Prepare Deeper Concord{

Moon in Aquarius-->Pisces

/moon went void-of-course Friday late (see yesterday's report) and remains v-of-c

until it enters Pisces at 10:38p PT | 1:38a(Su) ET | 6:38a(Su) UT

With a v-of-c all day, and Mercury retrograde, we may expect confusion, delay, uncertainty. However, if one is secure in one's spiritual status, one could get through all this cheerfully. 

"The ascendant enveloped in gloom and blackness" correlates with the above. "This is the degree of death," says Charubel, and we have the coronavirus problem in some areas of the world.  It is recommended that one "live in the spirit" more than in the body, and that this might eventually resurrect the latter. One wants such resurrection because Mars is the leading planet in a bundle-shaped pattern, at the degree "Indians rowing a canoe and dancing a war dance." In other words, you want to mobilize yourself for the "battle" or the contest of living, and you want to feel ready for that, perhaps with some others who are allies.

"Heavy traffic on a narrow isthmus" means you might want to be out and about, in a crowded arena, even though there are indications that you want also to be securely confined to deal with the needs of your body.  Both are possible at various times of the day, though the v-of-c suggests that definite goals, in venturing out, should be limited, for they may shape-shift under your feet and transmogrify before your vision.  "A child of about five with a huge shopping bag" could purchase pointless items.  Expectations should be wisely limited.  Spiritual bliss exceeds costly pleasure.

Someone who meets some of your standards in a noticeable way could be good for you.  "A man and woman stand hand in hand, looking with affection toward each other."  This is amity, at least, or peace and concord, mixed with intimations of success in unusual ways through the intervention of a (probably female) friend. Differing opinions in politics or religion do not have to interfere with something deeper and more wonderful. 

{Saturday}  {Wise Limits Prepare Deeper Concord}

P. S. I venture not to predict concerning the Nevada caucus today, especially because of the void-of-course period and Mercury retrograde.  Probably we should not take the results very seriously as harbingers of things to come. Or, a second opinion is . . . Elizabeth Warren may do better than expected. 

Cosmic Piper

Message for Friday 21 February 2020

Friday 21 February 2020

}Goddess Largess{

Moon in Aquarius

|Karmically serious or sobering third of this week continues until it ends at 3:42p PT | 6:42p ET | 11:42p UT

/moon goes void-of-course at 8:09p PT | 11:09p ET | 4:09a(Sa) UT

We are seeking what is lasting and reliable, "a petrified forest." To survive is to persist in pushing forth something from within, not just relying on something without. Then the "petrifaction" is not dead but living, the survival of one's body beyond normal limits. This is a program within the Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (her birthday is today). Such aspirations require for fulfillment "a beacon light on a high rock" which could be the amazing, brilliant, nonpareil teachings of Sri Aurobindo. 

This is a day of good fortune. What you need comes to you as if a cloud drifting through the sky and then releasing "an influence resembling a shower of pearls of variegated hue." This is something magical, or something The Mother knows about and does (this symbol too is in her birth chart). She dispersed celestial gifts over the earth and continues to do so. Ultimately, benefiting from such largess requires cooperating with others in some ways, as "a party entering a large canoe" to continue their spiritual journey while the endeavor of each contributes to the progress of all the others.

It is possible to use spiritual or material gifts unwisely, "a child of about five with a huge shopping bag."  However, the bag might contain presents to offer to co-participants in living.  We both fulfill and enhance one another's expectations through sharing.  Or the "child," or immature adult, could waste what he or she is given by squandering it on earthy, selfish desires.  "A woman holds scales, on one side a cup of red wine, on the other a number of golden coins."  Only by knowing the true use of what lies on both sides of the scale can upset be avoided.

{Friday}  {Goddess Largess}

Cosmic Piper

Message for Thursday 20 February 2020

Thursday 20 February 2020

}Order, Quest, and Sentiment{

Moon in Capricorn-->Aquarius

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week continues until Friday at 3:42p PT | 6:42p ET | 11:42p UT

/moon goes void-of-course at 6:19a PT | 9:19a ET | 2:19p UT

until it enters Aquarius at 11:43a PT | 2:43p ET | 7:43p UT

The void-of-course time above is also the moment that Luna conjoins Saturn (which is the center of the |difficult third| of each week, either by conjunction, opposition or square) and so you may be feeling that period's characteristic depression or doubt for several hours before and after that moment even more than before or later.

One might feel like "a squirrel hiding from hunters" but this could be just reasonable caution. Friendship is available in subtle ways. One might feel like hiding away to do scholarly work or other sorts of research, part of the time. Speculation mixes with truth-revealing inspiration. 

We have peculiar indications of the centuries-old feuds between the colonizers and the colonized, with "The Union Jack, " heralding the empire-building of the United Kingdom, versus "a party entering a large canoe," suggesting escape from "civilized" constraints or enslavement.  It is necessary to have order in social relations, whether by being dominated or by working something out together with equals (a "social contract"). Individuals on both sides of the conservative-liberal divide, for example, are accusing the other of restricting freedom in one way or another.  The "party" entering a large canoe could be literally a political party, as the Democrats entering into Sanders's, or else into Bloomberg's, "canoe." As for he Republicans, there is no question about their vessel this time.  

You may find you are working out the details of a "trip" or project among others who share some group endeavor. 

There is room for hoary yet heartfelt romance, some of it coming from the past, from memories of childhood, high school or college days, old friends or lovers, family connections and so on. This often happens during a Mercury Retrograde period, and also when there is a water-sign emphasis (three planets in Pisces now).  This can be wonderful, though sometimes interfering with routine schedules.  Or, sometimes, it can enrich them.  It can be intellectualized. "A youth, book in hand, wanders through a glade overhung with the branches of trees.  The sunlight slanting through them falls upon the figure of the student."  Nature plus contemplation and youth add up to "passive beauty." 

{Thursday}  {Order, Quest, and Sentiment}

Cosmic Piper

Message for Wednesday 19 February 2020

Wednesday 19 February 2020

\Jousting Toward Union/

Moon in Capricorn

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week is with us until Friday evening

"Two men in fierce strife" suggests Sanders and Bloomberg in tonight's Democratic debate, the two who according to polling might be battling it out for the nomination.  No, I am not ruling out Elizabeth Warren though so far she has not done as well as expected.  There is a suggestion of "treachery" or at least "perceived treachery" and this is evident in Sanders supporters who think that the media and the Democratic Party elite are conspiring against him.  Some Warren supporters think likewise.  In your own life, you might be struggling a little to decide who of your associates, or group connections, are really reliable and will help you get where you want to go.  You do not exactly accuse anyone of treachery but just of failing to understand and support your particular goals.

"An ape seated before a mirror" could be an actor, comedian, writer, or characters in a movie or TV series you watch.  He, she, or they may inspire you by showing that life is to some degree a joke in which we all share.  Still, the "treachery" indication is reinforced by the thought that some may not have your best interests at heart, or may have an impulse to hurt you or others even if they don't realize they are doing so.  (This is, at worst, the "sociopathic" type. I am not sure I have ever met such a person and do not wish to do so.)  Sarcastic laughter delights in someone's downfall. May we be preserved from that, either as victims or perpetrators.

Not everything is bleak. "The human soul" is "receptive to growth and understanding."  Free self-discovery is rewarding, as if within a varying kaleidoscope. Such multi-faceted questing could even lead to "a man and woman standing face to face, their hands clasped." This is harmony, accord, adaptability, and union. All can hope for some evidence of that, both in personal relations and in political ones. 

{Wednesday}  /Jousting Toward Union\

Cosmic Piper

Message for Tuesday 18 February 2020

Tuesday 18 February 2020

\Bruises Heal During a Slow Climb/

Moon in Sagittarius-->Capricorn

/moon goes void-of-course at 1:04a PT | 4:04a ET | 9:04a UT

until it enters Capricorn at 2:38a PT | 5:38a ET | 10:38a UT

Venus in Aries (the sign of Mars, in which it is hindered), now square to Jupiter and the moon, can be a conscious or subconscious attempt to corral people or force them to do what you think they ought to do. This does not usually get a happy response, though in some cases they might just be glad that you are aware of them at all. Since Mercury is retrograde, you might also find yourself pondering some incidents in the past when you felt estranged from people, rejected by them or hurt by them, or when you did that to someone else without realizing it. This can be constructive reminiscence. We rework things in consciousness at these times and that can be ultimately constructive even if we dwell sometimes on sad happenings. 

Trines of the moon and Mars with Uranus, plus a strong sextile between Jupiter and Neptune, suggest good fortune, perhaps material gain or luck. One might enjoy this somewhat selfishly without sharing it with anyone, or perhaps be a little more generous than that, because this could be a day of friendship. 

Five planets in Capricorn emphasize a desire for respect or distinction, a position where one can exercise power and influence. This is not beyond reach. People ascend to the level of authority they deserve in some area or other. We need to be patient with this process while Mercury is retrograde until March 10 (and even a couple weeks beyond that), but not give up. The long slow climb is better than a precipitous scramble with much falling. Prominence and honor ensue from enduring gradual effort as its natural rewards. 

{Tuesday}  /Bruises Heal During a Slow Climb\

Cosmic Piper

Message for Monday 17 February 2020

Monday 17 February 2020

^Circumspect Advance Beyond Sorrow^

Moon in Sagittarius

The "demonic degree" of the zodiac is plaguing us this week, but of course there is a remedy. One purpose of these reports is to transmute the negative in astrological signals into the positive by suggesting how we can improve our attitudes and actions. That is why the Cosmic Piper version of astrology is not fatalistic.  Charubel says that either you or someone with whom you are involved could either consciously or unconsciously be hurtful, even through a sort of studious evil magic or curse.  This is not something anyone wants to hear, but the warning could help you to watch your thoughts and go the extra mile in trying to understand people and be kind "even to the ungrateful and wicked" as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount.  If you do your best in that way, you will be protected from any negative thoughts or actions which might seek to fix themselves upon you. Interestingly, going along with this, Mars is in the degree symbolized by "three stained-glass windows, one damaged by bombardment" and it was also there on 9/11/2001.  Of course I do not expect any such event today but the symbol, with its keyword "Commemoration," suggests that we could be mindful of those who have suffered, not only because of what happened back then but anyone else who comes into our consciousness as suffering or at a hard pass in his or her life. Some even may feel sorrow to the point of suicidal thoughts, or to the point of giving up on life. "Let us pray," is all I know how to say, with the faith that the prayer "teach us to pray" is always answered for any honest, aspiring soul.

For whatever it's worth, Charubel says that some will be attracted to gambling, as if at a racetrack or dealing with a bookmaker.  He neither says that this is bad nor good.  But common sense knows the limits of taking any such risk, whether in actual gambling or in business or investment. 

A happy side of things could be thinking of or interacting with young people or children who are dependent on someone more experienced for guidance or protection. "A man leading two children by the hands" could be a parent or teacher. Or the "children" could be adults who are metaphorically children because of naivete or inexperience in some field where you could guide them. Or, finally, this could be the other way around if someone you trust is playing a teacher role for you.

{Monday}  ^Circumspect Advance Beyond Sorrow^

Cosmic Piper

P. S. A reminder: Mercury turned retrograde Sunday about 5p PT | 8p ET | 1a(M) UT (as indicated in the weekend report). In many things we need to cultivate extra patience. 

Message for Sunday 16 February 2020, and Survey of Coming Week

Sunday 16 February 2020, and Survey of Coming Week (February 15-21)

Moon in Sagittarius

Mercury turns retrograde today at 4:55p PT | 7:55p ET | 12:55a(M) UT, until March 10 (a little more than three weeks)

That is the center of the Dark or Slow Hermetic Epoch which began February 2 and lasts until March 30

You who have been with me for years will know how to work with the above information about the Hermetic Epochs and the current Mercury Retrograde period.  This might be called the "left-handed" half of a longer four-month period.  It might sometimes seem a "dyslexic" period, but we all know that dyslexic individuals can be very brilliant in their own ways and accomplish a lot. It's just that the method or procedure or style is different.  We are more internal, less external; more introverted; more likely to make outer "mistakes" because focused on interior thinking.  It is a good period for speculation of the mental sort (not of the gambling sort).  It is good for expanding one's viewpoint.  It sometimes seems the "nothing works" period, and that is because Mercury and Sol are trying to tell us to figure out what we have been doing wrong, or how we could improve it.  At other times there seems no discernible reason why "things go wrong" but with faith in the Cosmic Wisdom we can be sure that Divine Logic is working something out which human logic doesn't comprehend.  

For the week Saturday February 15 through Friday February 21, we experience a bundle-shaped solar system (from geocentric perspective) and that gives us individuality. This is a blessing or a curse depending on how we use it.  It can be very lucky, but in a left-handed way. Each of us can take charge of his or her own life, with Mars in high focus in Capricorn the sign of its exaltation. We might even do this without regard for other people or their concerns, because the defining trine of the "bundle" is Mars trine Uranus, a highly liberated or "free" aspect, insisting that it knows just what to do no matter what anyone else thinks. 

As for warnings, one might consider that there could be trickery, because Mercury is retrograde and also conjoined to Neptune in Pisces the sign of its dethronement.  There is the Mars confidence, but a Mercury trickiness in others or oneself which could upset the Mars apple-cart. This is probably not going to be disastrous, because Mars has good aspects including a sextile with the sun.  Saturn as the preeminent planet by rulership (enthroned in its own sign Capricorn) means we will be disciplined, organized, willing to take time to sort things out carefully. This is indeed wise during any Mercury retrograde period.

With both the moon and Venus in "dethroned" positions,  while Venus is bi-septile Mars, one may have to love more than one is loved back, as it were, to make up for any unloving karma one has acquired.  This is not such a really hard thing to do but requires faith.  Belief that G*d loves us more than we can love anyone else or ourselves is a huge help toward inspiring and releasing love. "Because he first loved us" is the way it is expressed in hymns.  (If you are non-Christian or pagan, you can derive something similar from the divine Mother.) 

The dilemma seems to be: You want to push ahead with your own ideas and inspiration, regardless of anyone's opinion, yet the Saturn force of limitation and careful discrimination, to avoid serious mistakes, is also present in your consciousness. "Slow down" is often good advice during a Dark Epoch, especially this Mercury-retrograde period. You might work out really good plans and procedures if you take the time to do it in a plodding, methodical, and "rethinking" manner.  And the people you need to work  with or cooperate with will also be slow or slowed-down in many cases. 

{Week of February 15-21}  

Cosmic Piper

Message for Saturday 15 February 2020

Saturday 15 February 2020

~Toward Transcendent Living~

Moon in Scorpio-->Sagittarius

/moon goes void-of-course at 2:21p PT | 5:21p ET | 10:21p UT

until it enters Sagittarius at 8:08p PT | 11:08p ET | 4:08a(Su) UT

Starting with the warning signs, we have again the "diabolical" degree, indicating someone who while seeming okay is secretly trying to hurt people through nefarious means.  I don't like this any more than you do but I report it faithfully because these symbols have proved their value over the years.  What this means to me is: Look to yourself first, and make sure you are not subtly, without even realizing it, harboring cruel thoughts or wishes, almost "cursing" someone in your  consciousness.  If you are free of any such tendencies, you will be protected from anyone else who might submit to them.  Even in a battle, you would be protected while others around you fall. But again, watch out that you do not secretly, without realizing it, rejoice in someone else's downfall. Then your victory will be clean and lasting.

Do you know someone who is "the Pope" or someone who is "the king of the fairies approaching his domain"?  You or one you admire has such spiritual charisma and the resulting power over others' lives.  "The Pope," or any religious or spiritual official, has real sanctity if he represents true values.  "The king of the fairies" holds allegiance to his own hopes and imaginative reconstructions of the world of experience around him, and so is independent of passing states of affairs.  Someone combining both of these roles at a high level would be a rare being indeed.  I have met one in my life, and I know of a few others. What about you? 

Some traditions bring beauty and assurance into our hearts and lives.  The spiritual delicacy of "a girl surreptitiously bathing in the nude" combines with a desire to strip back to essentials, the better to be immersed in "the accepted roots of all-being" or "a new dimension of conscious reality."  This is ultimately beyond verbal description.

{Saturday}  ~Toward Transcendent Living~

Cosmic Piper

Message for Friday 14 February 2020

Friday 14 February 2020

~Head and Heart Coalescence~

Moon in Scorpio

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week ends at 12:09p PT | 3:09p ET | 8:09p UT

< moon leaves the Via Combusta at 6:00p PT | 9:00p ET | 2:00a(Sa) UT

There is reassurance and pride. One feels that one, in one's own bailiwick or area of expertise, is incomparable!  It matters not whether others agree, or even if they give you any attention. A positive disposition might be presumptuous, but courageous. You have what others have not, and this symbol brings it out: "A degree of mystery, allied to fourth dimensional space. Denotes one who has \something/ not in common with the rest of his race."  

At a more ordinary level, you are able to judge realistically what you need to do for survival, progress, and gain.  "A hydrometer" measures just just water but whatever is important to your planning.  "The fat boy" is still "mowing the lawn," or maybe shoveling snow, and he needs to know about rainfall, weather, and the best adjustments of his mower or snowplow for good results.  All this is not boring but interesting.  You can capitalize on difficulties and shape everything efficiently.  

Pondering Valentine's Day?  Celebrating it or eschewing it?  Not everyone cares about it.  But the "girl surreptitiously bathing in the nude" probably is musing on it as well as the hidden glories of her body.  Self-renewal comes through immersion in vitalizing archetypes. Some on this day will be as innocent and harmless as doves.  They think and act from the heart rather than the head, signaling to significant others that they are true friends and constant lovers.

{Friday}   ~Heart and Head Coalescence~

Cosmic Piper

Message for Thursday 13 February 2020

Thursday 13 February 2020

}From Malice to Participation in Harmony{

Moon in Libra-->Scorpio

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week continues until midday Friday

and may be most intense from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Universal Time

< the moon is also in the Via Combusta, a confusing cosmic reshuffling

/moon goes void-of-course at 1:41p PT | 4:41p ET | 8:41p UT

until it enters Scorpio at 4:39p PT | 7:39p ET | 12:39a(F) UT

"Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth," entreats Psalm 140.  Some might think that the "evil speaker" who ought not to be established is Donald Trump; some, Nancy Pelosi or Adam Schiff.  I refrain from such political adjudication as much as possible.  What I am most concerned about is that the "evil speaker" be not Cosmic Piper!  I try hard to take the "warning" aspects and the "warning" symbols for each day and not just "sugar-coat" them but rather make them nourishing by showing how we in our daily living can turn them around, learn from what they indicate and improve our lives in every direction.  No small task, and I can claim only moderate success.  I deeply appreciate those of you who read these reports attempting to find something valuable in them.  Today there are so many difficult indications, including most of the symbols, that I fear I might either (a) depress you unmercifully so that you approach everything with self-defeating trepidation, or (b) dress up the warning symbols in pleasant costumes so that I deprive you of the warnings you might actually need. I shall pray while writing this and hope you will do so when reading it.

We start with "a dark face expressing fierce anger and malice." This could be vindictiveness to the point of mania, somewhere in the world (I hope not in your corner of it). As an "avenger of hereditary wrongs" he could be a member of any of various groups. Be happy if your only contact with this syndrome is through the news. Of course the obverse is that you could be the one temporarily feeling fiercely angry. 

Another degree is also one of the most troubling in the total of 1,080.  It connotes someone who while seeming good or nice actually dabbles in black or dark magic and ends up hurting people. Significantly, the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, killed by the President and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was born with not one but two planets in this degree. Charubel says, "Destitute of one spark of real sympathy.  One who will ever prove treacherous to those who take him into their confidence. . . . Under the most favorable circumstances such a person will find very strong leanings to injure his fellow men rather than do them good."  Many Iranians agreed with that assessment, though not all.  What does this mean for today?  Perhaps: Be aware of the "lurking devil of cruelty" in others and in yourself.  I pray daily that cruelty may disappear from the heart and mind of humanity. That includes hidden, unrecognized cruelty in our own hearts and minds. For example, some watch, almost daily, TV series or movies which glorify violence, torture, and other forms of cruelty. What does that do to our individual and collective conscience? Do we not tend to bring into reality that to which we give ourselves in entertainment? It is worth considering. 

We have more of the same in "a raven standing on a stone." This person is morose, revengeful, and secretive, a reclusive misanthrope. It may not be an individual you know but some tendency in someone, or in yourself, of which you could become aware. At the least harmful level it could be ironic dark humor. That in fact may seem more harmless than it is, hiding a curse.  Almost the opposite of this, yet equally negative, is "a man surrounded by others seeking a quarrel."  Here the enmity is outward and not hidden, in the form of quick anger or rashness.  Some enjoy quarreling as if it were a sport. 

The last two indicators offer paths out of the preceding.  "A fat boy mowing the lawn" is perhaps angry within, at first: "Why do I have to do this, rather than my brother or cousin? What is the point of it?  I am being exploited" etc.  But as he completes his task he realizes that his participation in the community is a good thing, helping him to feel useful and diminishing the anger which was masking insecurity.  We may make fun of "the work ethic" when it is used as an excuse for exploiting workers, but everyone feels better when giving something back to the community, when participating.  Another avenue out of malice is more pacific, "A lyre lying upon a wreath of flowers."  This could be a guitar or keyboard, a voice; it is music calming the seething breast  If not music, this could be poetry, philosophy or eloquent expressions which persuade others toward harmony. Heaven knows we need as much of that as we can get. 

{Thursday}  {From Malice to Participation in Harmony}

Cosmic Piper

Message for Wednesday 12 February 2020

Wednesday 12 February 2020

}From Doubtful Enmity to Graciousness{

|Karmically serious or sobering third| of this week is with us until midday Friday

< moon enters the Via Combusta (some loss of morale or confusion perhaps) at 3:53p PT | 6:53p ET | 11:53p UT

Charubel warns of "secret enemies."  It is good to be wary, but of course not paranoid.  One could emulate the "fox running along a path beneath the shadow of a wall," being wily, prudent and cunning.  This animal, according to Sepharial, is capable of "self-defense without violence," which is a good thing. One can avoid danger by presence of mind.

Adversities which force one to bend do not end one's expressions of courage and mental growth.  Being humble ultimately enhances one's status.  Distress borne heroically increases one's popularity.  Whatever is beautiful and stable serves a universal purpose, like "an old bridge over a beautiful stream." 

The "arts of sound," such as poetry or music, may be impressive.  It is possible to persuade people toward the better through a subtle compulsion, inoffensive and harmless yet effective.  A light, joyous spirit could turn toward self-indulgence and the vacillating flattery of others or oneself, "a man walking with two women, their arms linked in his."  So long as this is not duplicitous or insincere, it is delightful. 

{Wednesday}  {From Doubtful Enmity to Graciousness}

Cosmic Piper