Crossing the Horizon

I first began exploring Tarot and Astrology when I was a teenager. However, it has only been a few years that I’ve tracked the planets in detail and in real-time. Exploring natal charts is one huge body of study—tracking transits is entirely another.

I know many of you out there track certain aspects: full moon, Mercury Retrograde, and VOC (Void of Course moon) are among the more popular. I should say that these are the more infamous because most dread what they represent.

My approach with personal transits is mostly about observation rather than anticipation. I am exploring intuitively and emotionally. Yes, I have ideas about these transits, but I want to know how they feel—experientially!

For example, at 5:15 a.m. CDT this morning, the sun crossed my ascendant. This is possibly one of the 3 most significant yearly solar transits. One other, for example, is the Solar Return—the birthday. I’ve noticed that, in many years, things do not feel that great just before the Solar Return. They seem to get much better afterward. Of course, it’s hard to weed out the Astrological effect from the birthday and aging effect since they go hand-in-hand.

I do believe that this is the first year I’ve evaluated the sun transiting my ascendant. I knew for weeks that this transit was approaching, but I did not know it was going to occur specifically today (on 8/10/2013) until I checked in with the planets. [I do this on purpose because I want to keep my mind distant and observing, not predicting and anticipating.]

An interesting thing about Astrological Transits is that they move in an apparent direction opposite to our experience of day. For example, we experience the sun rise out of the eastern horizon every day. In Astrology, when the sun transits the eastern horizon, it crosses the ascendant in the opposite direction, falling into the first house from the 12^th.

And yet, this is still a good thing. The 12^th house is like the South Node: it is filled with all sorts of hidden and past influences. Yes, there is plenty of good stuff in there, but the not-so-good stuff certainly catches our attention.

So what has been my experience?

To be truthful, not very pleasant. It wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t feel very good and was challenging. Jupiter opposing Pluto didn’t help. I felt like Harry Potter battling ghosts and daemons, ‘cept I couldn’t see them.

Yesterday was the worst of it. In fact, last night dredged up all sorts of past ill feelings and memories. I found myself recalling some of the most embarrassing moments of the last 25 years! And bad memories weren’t the only ones popping up. All evening, snapshots of my prior lives (not past lives but past in this life) kept flashing in my mind. This was not comforting because it reminded me of all that is now gone (rather than what has been gained).

The whole experience was strong enough to have me looking at my Natal chart with Transits to decipher the cause.

And just like when the sun transits the eastern horizon in real life, things are brightening up now that I’m on the other side of the transit. For example, I discovered a new review of Journey to the Temple of Ra on Amazon this morning—a rave review in my opinion:

Upon the inadvertent recommendation of a friend, I recently read Journey to the Temple of Ra. I found myself not wanting to put it down. Yet I also needed to spend some time away, in order to allow what I read to fully sink in. Poetic, profound, moving. It spoke to me in a way I really needed. Truly a beautiful work, filled with love and compassion, reminding the reader of their true BEing.

I also have progress to report. I have ordered the printing of my next proof and I am almost ready to order the printing of my promotional bookmarks (pictured above right).

Moving forward against a challenging current is still better than feeling stuck in a rut, isn’t it?

In my blog, I can write about the general transits and aspects that affect us all. In readings, I can identify the current and upcoming transits that you have and tune into the purpose behind them relative to your goals and endeavors.

As things look today, there is a very real possibility that I will order my first batch of books next week. About 10 days after that, I’ll start shipping them out.

And I’ve heard from Ayoung (see my post: Books and Needles for more information). She is heading to Guatemala in about two weeks, so there is still time to make a donation to help her purchase supplies for her volunteer healing work.