Number 52                                               christiner@netspace.net.au

 
I had a wonderfully energizing time in Central Australia and was equally in awe of both Uluru and the night sky. The cloudless night sky of the desert revealed its treasures in tremendous clarity as there were no city lights or moon light to dull the show. In the Southern Hemisphere we are fortunate to look towards the centre of the Milky Way and the ‘milkiness’ was highly visible.  Definitely worth a visit just to gaze at the sky!

 The planets are still encouraging us all to go inwards and reflect as there are still 5 major planets travelling retrograde and the Solar Eclipse of August 1 is gathering momentum.

 Blessings

Christine

 Christine Rothwell

03 9584 6532

Email: christiner@netspace.net.au

Website: www.christinerothwell.com

 Contents

1. July Overview
2. Pluto honoured by the IAU
3. Solar Eclipse
4. Courses and Workshop Information

      Heart Awareness Workshop

      Astrology Classes

      Consultations and Gift Certificates

1.    July Overview

 

 
Through-out this month Jupiter, Chiron, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto will all be retrograde, continuing the emphasis on the process of review and reflection that has been a prominent feature of the last two months.  Retrograde energy invites us to re-examine our selves and our goals and revise them in the light of this examination. Remember, retrograde motion of the planets can offer us a new angle or perspective on our life and gives us the opportunity to break free of old limiting beliefs, patterns and behaviours around the planetary archetype.  The current retrograde patterns provide us all the opportunity to see how we utilize the energy of:

• Jupiter - your faith, optimism and confidence. How does the Law of Attraction manifest in your life?
•  Chiron – your ability to reconcile opposites and come to terms with your wounded-ness and humanity and integrate this with your spirituality. Where are you stuck in your wounds and unable to let them go? How might this serve you in some perverse way?
• Uranus – your ability to create meaningful change and express your individuality and uniqueness. Where and how are you limiting yourself by fearing change and the process of growth?
• Neptune – your ability to surrender your ego and open to the imaginal, spiritual and transpersonal realms. Do you listen to your intuition and have some way of accessing the guidance that comes through the symbolic realm of images and feelings?
• Pluto – your ability to master your fears and let go the patterns of control that you develop to create an illusion of safety. Can you face your fears and let them go?

 The North Node is still conjunct Chiron [has been since late May] and will continue this dance until late October. The North Node is a symbol of future directions and potentials that need to be developed and Chiron offers the opportunity to heal old wounds, especially wounds around rejection and alienation.  The potential is for reconciliation of opposites that appear irreconcilable – both within and without. This continues to be a very powerful times for meditation, insight and personal and collective healing rites and rituals.

 Look to the east after sunset to see Jupiter, currently the brightest body in the night sky after the Moon.  This is because Jupiter is currently at its closest position to Earth for this year. Astrologically this is represented by Jupiter opposing the Sun [exact on July 9], which actually means Jupiter is conjuncting the Earth. Jupiter opposite the Sun marks a key time in the annual Jupiter/ Sun cycle that can be lead to insight and awakening, especially regards our growth and optimism. Sometimes a crisis or explosion can result. If this is the case, take some time out as your unconscious is trying to grab your attention and get you back on track.

 The Full Moon of July 18 will see Jupiter conjunct the Moon, enhancing the impulsive nature of Jupiter and its tendency to do things to excess. This full moon emphasizes the Cancer/ Capricorn polarity and invites us to restore the balance between home/ family/ emotional needs/ private life and work /career/ public life. This image is still auspicious so look to the east and make a wish or two as this is an uplifting alignment also challenges us to embrace tolerance, optimism and confidence.

 Mars moves into business-like Virgo on July 2, inviting us all to get busy and attend to the mundane details of life. On July 11 Mars will conjunct Saturn, activating the dual archetypes of the Inner Critic and Victim. If we have been a bit slap dash we may have been called to account by external authorities or we may be inclined to harsh judgements of ourselves and others. We will all be feeling a bit more sensitive to rejection as the victim archetype is activated so try to be careful how you call others attention to their shortcomings and don’t fall into the pit of victim hood if you can avoid it  If you do, be gentle with yourself and give yourself permission to have some time out.  Don’t force yourself to make any major decision that is seen through a lens of fear and negativity.

 Around July 6, 7 and 8 the New Crescent Moon moves into Virgo to join Saturn and Mars. This configuration can be seen in the night sky, close to the western horizon about an hour after sunset. Have a look, and if you have a telescope look for the rings around Saturn.

 July 27 sees Mars trining Jupiter, a much kinder image and one that suggests both high energy and more optimism and confidence.

 Venus is currently invisible – lost in the blaze of the Sun – and will remain so until mid July when She moves 10 degrees away from the Sun.  She will reappear in the sky as the Evening Star by the end of the month when She will be visible low on the western horizon just after sunset. As Evening Star Venus is re-born from the Underworld and begins to reclaim the symbols of Her power each month as She conjuncts the New Moon.

 
2.    Pluto Honoured by the IAU

 
In 2006 Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union. Astrologers have known for many years that Pluto represents a very potent energy so it is with great delight that I can report that Pluto has given his name to a new category of solar system bodies.

  Plutoids are defined as dwarf planets that exist beyond the realm of Neptune, located in an area of the sky known as the Kuiper belt.  Currently there are only two plutoids, Pluto and Eris, but astronomers expect to identify more.

 The information below comes from the IAU official website and press release. Check out the beautiful images of Pluto and Eris.

www.iau.org/public_press/news/release/iau0804/

News Release - IAU0804: Plutoid chosen as name for Solar System objects like Pluto

Jun 11, 2008, Paris

The International Astronomical Union has decided on the term plutoid as a name for dwarf planets like Pluto at a meeting of its Executive Committee in Oslo.

Click to Enlarge

Almost two years after the International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly introduced the category of dwarf planets, the IAU, as promised, has decided on a name for trans-neptunian dwarf planets similar to Pluto. The name plutoid was proposed by the members of the IAU Committee on Small Body Nomenclature (CSBN), accepted by the Board of Division III, by the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) and approved by the IAU Executive Committee at its recent meeting in Oslo, Norway.

Plutoids are celestial bodies in orbit around the Sun at a semi major axis greater than that of Neptune that have sufficient mass for their self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that they assume a hydrostatic equilibrium (near-spherical) shape, and that have not cleared the neighbourhood around their orbit. Satellites of plutoids are not plutoids themselves, even if they are massive enough that their shape is dictated by self-gravity. The two known and named plutoids are Pluto and Eris. It is expected that more plutoids will be named as science progresses and new discoveries are made.

The dwarf planet Ceres is not a plutoid as it is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Current scientific knowledge lends credence to the belief that Ceres is the only object of its kind. Therefore, a separate category of Ceres-like dwarf planets will not be proposed at this time.

The IAU has been responsible for naming planetary bodies and their satellites since the early 1900s. The IAU CSBN, who originally proposed the term plutoid, is responsible for naming small bodies (except satellites of the major planets) in the Solar System. The CSBN will be working with the IAU WGPSN to determine the names of new plutoids to ensure that no dwarf planet shares the name of another small Solar System body. The WGPSN oversees the assignment of names to surface features on bodies in the Solar System. These two committees have previously worked together to accept the names of dwarf planet Eris and its satellite Dysnomia.

In Oslo, members of the IAU also discussed the timing involved with the naming of new plutoids. Again, following the advice of the Division III Board and the two Working Groups, it was decided that, for naming purposes, any Solar System body having (a) a semi-major axis greater than that of Neptune, and (b) an absolute magnitude brighter than H = +1 (see Notes) will, for the purpose of naming, be considered to be a plutoid, and be named by the WGPSN and the CSBN. Name(s) proposed by the discovery team(s) will be given deference. If further investigations show that the object is not massive enough and does not qualify as a plutoid, it will keep its name but change category.

3.     Solar Eclipse of August 1 at 9Ò Leo

• 8:15 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time
• 10:15am Greenwich Mean Time

 Solar Eclipses are potent new moons that can only occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth align within 10 degrees of the transiting nodes of the moon. This alignment occurs twice each year and there is usually a lunar eclipse the full moon before and/or after a solar eclipse. The last eclipse season was 6 months ago – in February – and the last solar eclipse was on February 7 at 17 Aquarius. 

 All eclipses can herald a crisis but they also provide the opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start again. Eclipses tend to be neutral energetically but they function to bring to the surface whatever has been buried, hidden and repressed. If we are working constructively with the energy of Leo and the areas of life [house position and planets] that are found in this sign then we may find very little is stirred up. Eclipse points become more personal when they fall on planets or angles in the birth chart. Then they can herald potent endings and beginnings in the affairs of the planet they trigger.

 This solar eclipse will activate the Leo archetype and themes collectively and personally.  This eclipse also invites us all to reflect on how we deal with this energy. Remember, eclipses are potent times to:

• Face our fears and shadows
• Confront the past and what we have buried
• Let go of whatever is holding us back
• Set a new intention and be willing to move forwards

 Leo is the sign of the fully developed ego and leonine archetypes include the monarch or dictator, the performer and the romantic. The positive Leo is charismatic, confident, playful, and generous and can be a powerful leader who is able to motivate others.  The negative Leo can be egotistical, arrogant, melodramatic, attention seeking and tyrannical.  Prominent Leo’s include Barak Obama, Bill Clinton, John Howard, Mick Jagger, Mae West, Madonna, Napoleon and Mussolini.

 A Leo Eclipse puts the spotlight on all things Leonine including how we deal all with:

• Creativity and self expression
• Self esteem and self respect
• Ego, will power and pride
• Leadership, authority and recognition
• Need to be at the centre

 The challenges this eclipse throws out include:

• How to develop the ego as a vehicle for creative self expression
• Self mastery – especially of the ego
• Facing and mastering the inner lion [shadow] and excessive pride and egotism

 If your birthday is five days either side of the solar eclipse on August 1 it could mark the end of a period of difficulty. It will be very empowering to set new intentions for your life and create a small ritual to honour this event.

 For more information about eclipses go to the eclipse page on my web site www.christinerothwell.com/page6.htm

 

Courses, Workshops and Classes

 Contact Christine on 9584 6532 or christiner@netspace.net.au for a brochure.

Heart Awareness

  Sunday September 14 & October Sunday October 12

This workshop will introduce you to simple yet powerful meditative techniques that will allow you to access the intuitive wisdom and healing power of your heart.

Heart Awareness gives you the tools to use throughout the day to manage stress and feel more peaceful and heart centred. The optional second day will introduce you to a process to work through old negative patterns and problems, see them in a new light and discover creative solutions.

Ring or email for a brochure

2008 Astrology Classes

First Year Classes: 7pm Monday

Second Year Classes:  7pm Thursday

Correspondence classes available for first year – start anytime

 

Christine offers an in-depth psychological and mythological approach to astrology. This course is suitable for those individuals who are wishing to learn more about themselves, as well as those interested in becoming a professional astrologer.

 Classes can be taken on a term by term basis and CD’s are available for any classes you can’t get to. CATCH UP CD’S ARE AVAILABLE FOR LATE ENROLMENTS. Classes are also available by correspondence – start anytime and work at your own pace.

 

First year covers all the basics that you need to begin to understand a birth chart. Second year goes deeper and looks at predictive techniques, relationship astrology and much more.

 Please ring or email for a brochure

christiner@netspace.net.au

 

Blessings

Christine Rothwell