We Are More American  <----  Click on the blue words to see video with lyrics in spanish and english of a popular Mexican group.  This old post turned up tonight.  Maybe I was going to put the words in the video as subtitles, but see how lazy I have become! I don't know why I did not publish it back then, but I guess I can do it now.

This song was one of the first I heard on the radio ten years ago.  It was very popular.  The group, Los Tigres del Norte, is kind of the patron band of the country, they appear in lots of movies and advertisements.

I just watched the video.  It looks like there was a verse or two more that I did not transcribe and translate.  Reckon I need to get on that.

An Endless Essay for Taurus and Libra

Venus Entering Cancer: A Walk in Cancer’s Shoes for Taurus and Libra Natives

The morning of Aug 7, Venus leaves the sign Gemini where she has been since April and begins a month long journey through the sign Cancer.  First let’s talk about what we mean when we say a planet enters the sign Cancer.    

Cancer as Turning Point

Many people know that at summer solstice the sun rises higher in the sky than any other time of year.  The word tropic (as in Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn) comes from the Greek ‘tropicos’ meaning turn.  The summer solstice is the turning point in the ecliptic where we see planets turn from an ascending direction to one that is descending.  I often imagine a Ferris Wheel with the Tropic of Cancer being the position of highest elevation after which the seats begin to return to earth.  Any time a planet is in the first degree of Cancer it is at that point in the ecliptic of highest elevation.

Let’s look at the solar system from above for another perspective:  when we see the sun highest in the sky on June 21 it is because earth is in the point of its yearly trip around the sun where the tilted north pole is pointed toward the sun.  In similar manner any other planet entering the sign Cancer is moving into a position relative to earth where our north pole is leaning toward it, and in our sky we see that planet at the most elevated point of the ecliptic.

So on the morning of Aug 7 (east coast North America) Venus reaches this turning point.  But what does it mean?

Well…the sign before Cancer is Gemini.  In that sign Venus was slowly climbing to the highest point in the band across the sky.  In the case of the sun, we are still benefiting from an increase of its time above the horizon from one day to the next, but that increase is negligible compared to the gain we get in Pisces and Aries.  In those two signs we get about 2 more minutes of light every day, while in Gemini we go, in thirty days, from an increase of 1 minute 28 seconds per day to an increase of only 2 seconds.  Though we are still gaining light, the amount we are gaining is dropping off a little bit with each day.

What we are doing is measuring the amount of energy the earth is receiving from the sun, or other planets, in units of time.  If we imagine the sun’s energy as money going into a bank account, Aries would be the period when money is coming in so fast we can hardly count it, Taurus would be when the income starts to level out, Gemini would be when it slows down so much we start counting and figuring out how much we’ve got, and Cancer would be when the money starts to trickle out instead of coming in.  When any planet is in the sign Cancer, the time it spends above the horizon (in the northern hemisphere) diminishes a few seconds with each degree it moves forward.

Planetary Rulers Tell Who is in Charge

OK, I'm not beating around the bush, all this is to give some mechanical basis for the meaning of the zodiac signs.  With that information we turn to which planets are in charge of each sign- just like priests being in charge in churches, teachers in the classroom, and cashiers at the register, there are planets recognized as the ‘rulers’ of various signs based on the nature of their cycles.  The sign Gemini, where many small adjustments occur, is ruled by Mercury, the yo-yo planet that we see pass back and forth never far from the sun.  Mercury is associated with the mind, our ability to create within ourselves a facsimile of our changing environment. 

So while Venus is in Gemini she is ruled by Mercury, the planet of the mind, or basic intellectual processes.  Taurus and Libra have both been occupied with the Gemini process of gathering and filing information since April while Venus has been in Gemini.  I should back up here and explain for those who are unfamiliar with planetary rulerships that Taurus and Libra are both governed by Venus- so following Venus for them is like checking in with the boss.  When the boss is in her own office she has more control, but when she leaves it she comes under the influence of whoever is in charge of the office she is passing through.  During most of March, Venus was passing through Taurus and so able to rule her own territory.  People born when the sun was in Taurus or Libra enjoyed a short month of inner peace and friendship while the ruler of partnership was keeping melodious order in the house.  When Venus had to leave one of her homes (remember she also rules Libra) in April and begin her extended trip through Gemini she came under the influence of Mercury.  So if Venus has been getting her cues from Mercury- let’s look at what Mercury’s been doing.

Looking Back on Venus’ Trip through Gemini

(But First-We Define Pisces)

On April 3, when Venus first entered Gemini, Mercury was in Pisces, the last sign of the Zodiac where energy is seriously building up like the engines firing on a rocket as it begins lift off.  In the case of the sun passing through the ecliptic- (an aside here- we use the sun’s cycle to define the zodiac not just because it is the main source of energy in our system, but also because its cycle is the most consistent….every other planet (except the moon) stops and reverses course at some point in its cycle with earth…the sun marches at a fairly steady rate through the zodiac as we steadily circle it)—OK, back to the sun passing through the ecliptic… We gain 2 minutes 16 seconds of light every day for the last 10 days that the sun is in Pisces.  The ten days before that (sun passes through a sign in 30 days) we get an average of 2 minutes 14 seconds extra each day; and the first 10 days we gain about 2minutes 9 seconds per day.  The sun starts out in the sign Pisces rising quickly in the ecliptic and builds up in those 30 days to its greatest increase in energy units delivered to the northern hemisphere by the time it reaches Spring equinox.  Spring is not just spring because that’s when the sprouts pop out of the earth, it is also spring because that’s when the sun springs up over the celestial equator and ascends the ecliptic.  Pisces on the Ferris Wheel is like the part of the ride where the seats are starting to go straight up.  It is exactly like a ride in an elevator.  This is why the sign Pisces is associated with hope, there is so much energy getting poured into the system after the long winter nights, we can’t help but feel positive. 

So when Venus came under the influence of Mercury April 3, Mercury (the mind) was like a rocket in the early stage of lift off.  The first half of April was positive and hopeful for Taurus and Libra even though their boss was not in complete control.  April 16, Mercury entered the following sign Aries and was officially off the ground and on the way to god knows where.  This is the nature of Aries.  When a planet enters Aries it comes under the influence of high energy Mars and things are happening so fast you can count on surprises good and bad.  Beginning April 16, Taurus and Libra through this chain of command beginning with Venus, passing to Mercury, and finally to Mars because of Mercury in Aries, were in a state of high alert.  They were flexing their mental muscles eager to take on any challenge.

May 9, Mercury entered Taurus and all of a sudden the control, though indirect, was handed back to Venus.  Venus was still in Gemini and under Mercury’s rule, but Mercury was in her sign so looking to her for guidance.  They became a cooperative team, consulting with each other.  Taurus and Libra got a chance to calm down and turn their attention away from self assertion and crisis management, to more relaxed consulting on how to keep things running smoothly.

By May 24, when Mercury moved into Gemini, where it actively rules, Venus was on its way to passing between earth and sun and so appeared to be going backwards.  (It is because of this apparent backward motion that we saw Venus in Gemini for 4 months while she spent less than 30 days in Taurus.)  May 24 began a period of rapid and prolific information processing for Taurus and Libra.  But that was not to last long; on June 7 Mercury flew into Cancer, and I say flew because the little yo-yo planet was still on the far side of the sun where we see its relative motion at high velocity.  If we go back and count from May 24- June 7, the total number of days Mercury took to pass through the sign Gemini was only 14!  When Mercury hit the sign Cancer it was just slowing down at the same time it was peaking at the summer tropic; it was entering the sign ruled by the moon.  So Venus, still in Gemini, was now being ruled, through a chain of command going through Mercury, by the moon.  June 8-25, while Mercury was in Cancer, Libra and Taurus natives got an indirect preview of what’s coming tomorrow Aug 7, they got a chance to think like Cancer.  That’s not the same as their ruler being under the lunar influence, it was more a witnessing than walking in the same shoes, an observation of what it is like to experience the gravity of the moon.

June 26 Mercury entered Leo and the party for the mind began.  While the sun was in Cancer the party was sketchy, because the moon ultimately had the reigns, everything depended on the mood of the moment.  July 22, when the sun entered Leo, the party of the mind was unstoppable.  Libra and Taurus through Venus’ answering to the basic intellect were approaching things from a more spiritual level.  The conscious mind began running the show instead of an urge to make a partnership work.  This handing over control to the ego can seem less spiritual, unless we see spirituality as being true to our individual destiny as opposed to the pull of relationships.

Today mercury is completing its passage between us and the sun in the sign Leo.  Leo is the fun sign.  It is like the part of the Ferris Wheel ride where everyone is dropping down and screaming.  The sun rules the sign Leo.  We feel intensely alive at that point of dropping, we are hysterically laughing at our own fear, we are cresting on the outgoing energy that came from the sun-Leo.  The sun is now (Aug 6) in its place of power and mercury is nearby at the celebratory banquet, they are both in the sign Leo.

Leo is a place of strength.  No king or queen rules forever, no summer is endless.  But summer is summer, and Mercury (Gemini’s boss), now so close to the sun is in this place of spiritual strength and power.  The mind is under the influence of the spirit (Sun in Leo), enjoying what it can do, like a child enjoying the long days of summer.  This happiness of the mind impacts Taurus and Libra as long as Venus (their boss) is in Gemini. 

Looking forward to the Next 30 Days of Venus in Cancer

As soon as Venus hits that turning point of Cancer it comes under the influence of the moon instead of Mercury.  From where we are, the moon is a whole lot faster than even liquid mercury and a lot bigger.  The moon, because it is so close to us has a major impact on our lives from one moment to the next.  Think of a baby, so small, so incapable of sustaining its own life, but so important to its parents because of life’s connection.  The moon is the soul, it is our connection to other lives.  Taurus and Libra will go from an intellectual focus to a focus on others, and get swept up in the gravity of emotions. 

Following the Moon Aug 7-Sept 6

Let’s take a quick look at some of the many changes the moon goes through in its path through the ecliptic in one month:

The morning of August 7^th the moon will be in the high energy sign Aries; so the planet of stability and balance will come under the pull of others at a time when emotions are in a state of excitement.  This is very similar to the crisis people experience at the birth of new life.  But by sunrise Aug 8, the moon will be in Taurus, and disturbing emotions will be grounded in useful tasks for the next two and a half days.  The night of Aug 10, when the moon in is Gemini and lining up with distant but very large Jupiter there will be a chance to review the new landscape.  The moon’s proximity to Jupiter will infuse emotions with an expansive sense of hope and purpose.  That sense of hope should carry for the next two days.

The morning of Aug 13 the moon will be in Cancer lining up with Venus.  This will be the point when Taurus and Libra feel the strongest attachment to others.  It will be like the magic that happens when friends are on a raft in the middle of the great Mississippi, weightlessly traveling toward their next adventure, two hearts beating as one.

By lunch time Aug 15 the moon will be in Leo and something we have not talked about will be impossible to ignore- Mars lining up with Saturn.  This passage of the moon thru the territory of the ego will intensify the test of will subjected to discipline of the Mars/Saturn conjunction.  Bonds formed from Aug 7 till the 14^th will be strained.  The needs of survival and individuals will supersede those of connectedness.  Mercury, still in the sun’s sign, will speak to the moon of how much fun our own thoughts are, how creative we are when we shine our own light- and there goes happily ever after.  The child in our raft mate (every one has a child in them) is after our attention and we would rather be shining our own light, but they will not stop till they get a reaction.  At this point our ability to laugh and be entertained will be most important.  We have to be able to look in the eyes of that other person we are connected to and see another light, a different light that holds our attention.

Skip to the night of Aug 17 when the crisis has had its way with us and the moon enters Virgo.  Here we become students, if we imagine ourselves still on that raft, we are now analyzing our partner, our surroundings, recent activity.  It is a time to adjust to the reality that surrounds us on either shore of the river, to discuss how we can cook the fish differently to improve the quality of life on the raft.

When the sun rises Aug 20^th the moon will be in Libra, and on the night of the 21^st it lines up with Mars and Saturn.  Mars will have completed its alignment with Saturn but they will still be close.  It is as though the moon’s passage through this area brings added gravity and reflective new light to the crisis of Aug 14-16.   

Cancer’s View

Here I want to shift to the perspective of Cancer natives, who are gaining sympathetic companions with this transit of Venus into their sign.  As Taurus and Libra natives are dipped in the healing waters of love, Cancer becomes like a minister whose flock has gained members.  People who normally take pride in their ability to stand on their own two feet (Taurus), or see friendship as an agreement instead of a life and death bond (Libra) are given over to the lunar influence which governs the lives of Cancer natives.  Until we are at the top of that Ferris Wheel about to take gravity’s plunge we have no idea what it is like to live life as a Cancer.  Just as childless adults are baffled at the emotions that transform parents, many of us cannot understand the powerful emotions that drive Cancer natives.  We can’t understand their fears.  We cannot see the edge of the cliff where they stand looking at the ground wayyy down below.

So, for the month from Aug 7- Sept 6 while Venus is in Cancer, Taurus and Libra sun people will get a taste of what it’s like to be a Cancer- and Cancer natives will get the support of willing partners working beside them and witnessing the reality of what they live with every day.

Return to the Following Moon

Back to following the moon through this month when Taurus and Libra join the Cancer club as honorary members- Aug 22 the day begins with the moon in Scorpio.  When the moon is in Scorpio the time it spends above the horizon has diminished markedly from when it was in Cancer.  While the moon was in Cancer it was above the horizon for more than 14 hours a day, Aug 22, when it enters Scorpio, it is above the horizon for less than 11.  We have less time of conscious awareness of our feelings and the period of unconscious awareness is increasing.  We are now looking at the feelings under the surface.

The moon reaching Sagittarius at sunrise Aug 24^th, is a critical stage in the Cancer walk; the moon is preparing to ‘bottom out’ in the lowest energy point of the cycle.  I often think of Sagittarius as the point on the Ferris Wheel ride where the seats are close enough to the ground that riders can see the network of power cables supplying the push that gets all those rides to spin and whirl.  Then I picture a tube of toothpaste that looks empty- how if you’re not careful a big blob will squirt out when you roll that envelope up thinking there is hardly anything left in there.  Sagittarius is about directing the diminished incoming energy to achieve the most effect.

It happens that the later signs are occupied by two outer planets; Pluto is in Capricorn for the next several years and Neptune is in Pisces till 2025.  Once the moon passes through Scorpio/Sagittarius and enters the ‘mature’ signs occupied by slow moving planets, emotions will be affected by wider ranging issues related to the longer term flow of history.  The night of Aug 26 the moon will be approaching lineup with very distant and small Pluto. 

Returning to the journey on the raft, when the moon is conjunct Pluto the night of Aug 26 it will be like getting a sense of what’s on the bottom of the river.  How deep is it?  What is making the water change course in areas where there is no visible obstruction?  In Capricorn we are at the lowest point of the energy cycle.  All we have is what’s been saved and built up.  The plunge has been taken, emotions have spun out, and here we begin the process of rebuilding.  We pull ourselves together, control our emotions, and do what needs to be done.  By dinner time Aug 27 when the moon opposes Venus, Taurus and Libra can see how much stronger they are because of the bonds they have formed with others; they will be 3/4ths of the way through the month long journey walking in the shoes of Cancer, and have enough experience to make a sober assessment of love’s power to heal and nurture life.  

As the moon moves on to Aquarius the afternoon of Aug 28, consciousness will be lifted out of the body, up above the treetops where we see the river’s water going to sea.  Though Venus is still in the moon’s sign, and under lunar rule, the moon will be in a place of detached observation.  If we turn again to the image of the Ferris Wheel, Capricorn and Aquarius are the two signs at the very bottom, where we find the mechanic insuring that the system runs smoothly.  There is no sense of danger or adventure for the self; thoughts are on the safety of everyone, and the integrity of the machinery.

At sunset Aug 30 the moon will be full and lined with distant Neptune.  Aug 30- Sept 1 are the days assigned to compassion in this Pisces stretch of the month long journey.  As the moon climbs toward the equinoctical midpoint it spends an increasing amount of time above the horizon. There is a sense of being lifted up in the sign Pisces that infuses us with hope. 

When the sun rises Sept 2, the moon will be back in the high energy sign of Aries.  This is where it was when Venus first entered Cancer on Aug 7.  But this time around the sun and Mercury will be in studious Virgo instead of pleasure seeking Leo, and the trial of Mars contacting Saturn will be a known event in the past instead of an unknown event to come.  Martial drive will be in a position of quiet power, instead of having to bow graciously to necessity.

But the most interesting aspect of Sept 2 will be Venus coming to a place 90 degrees behind Saturn.  While energy is over the top with the moon contacting Uranus in Aries, Venus will be teaching authoritative Saturn a lesson about the importance of love in balancing the scales of justice.  I wonder if this means Taurus and Libra will have to stand up to some one and challenge them to a more loving interpretation of fairness. Cancer will certainly be prepared to speak up as they always are when kindness is an issue, and they will appreciate the support of allies.

By the afternoon of Sept 4 things will be more grounded with moon in Taurus.  At this point Venus is in the last couple degrees of the sign Cancer, Mercury is almost across from earth on the far side of the sun and moving fast.  Minds will be sparking and there will be lots of activity around documentation.  The month of Taurus and Libra walking the path of Cancer will be over by lunch time Sept 6- Venus will enter Leo and the tender lessons learned about love will now seem like child’s play.  It will be time for Taurus and Libra to shine and have some fun. 

Wrap up

Before I sign off this interminable post I want to say one more thing to Taurus and Libra- Venus has been in Gemini since April, that’s 4 months of wonder and amazement at the variety of the universe.  You are about to be carried on the wave of life instead of observing it, to leave the detached world of ideas and enter as a participant into the flow of events.  Beliefs will cease to be things you study like a naturalist, or theories to advocate among cohorts; they will propel you forward, and by the actions you take, reveal what matters most to you.

Taurus natives will be amazed and intrigued at the direction they take.  Librans (as if they haven’t been doing this for the last two years) will feel the responsibility of following through and standing up for others.       

  

August 2012 Horoscopes

Aries:  An infectiously upbeat attitude becomes more vulnerable on the 7^th.  While diplomatic tensions peak with a sobering test of courage Aug 13-15, kindness will rule and fairness will be appreciated.   From 1:30 pm Aug 22- 11:30 am Aug 23 you have a brief chance to strategize without repercussions, after that you are the pilot on a private mission.

Taurus:  Aug 7 you answer the door and find an alien infant in a basket making disturbing noises.  The next day the feeling of crisis will give way to the routine of life support.  By the 13^th you’ll see how caring for others is as indispensable to life as leaves on trees.  This month’s crisis is a chance to find out what you’ve learned and which skills you want to sharpen.

Gemini:  On Aug 7 the harmonizing influence stabilizing your life since April will move on at the same time your creativity becomes free to explore further afield.  You are in a good position at the middle of the month to gain philosophical or musical understanding from contractual tensions.   This month’s challenge to gracefully fulfill an obligation under pressure is a chance for Gemini to shine.

Cancer:  A relationship that’s been casual and intellectual since April will become more familiar after Aug 7.  You are a mother coyote this month, caring for a pack on the edge of civilization.  Religious rules about eating are institutions to preserve certain alliances.  The more scarce the resources, the more a pack must encourage discipline.  Aug 13-15 you are encourager in chief.

Leo:  Leo’s are exceptional teachers because their reverence for casual conversation elevates it to a higher level.  They spark beauty with openhearted enthusiasm to sharing ideas.  Aug 7 begins a tour spreading the gospel of pleasure; Aug 16 early risers see Jupiter, Venus and maybe even Mercury rise before the sun.  Your community rewards you for preserving traditions.

Virgo:   In 1848 when tax exemption for the nobility was abolished in Hungary, The Married Women’s Property Act was passed in New York, and the first Women’s Rights Convention was held; sorting out the language and helping define the aims of these social movements was tedious and largely thankless work…but everyone involved thought the dream was worth it.  We’re in a similar time, and starting late on the 22^nd, attention to details will bring new visions into clearer focus.

Libra:  The skill most respected in politicians, teachers, and business owners is the ability to compromise and to cooperate with a wide variety of personalities, to strike a deal with a friendly hand shake.   A strong wind does not destroy structures designed over time to receive the force, and the rest will get a chance for renewal.

Scorpio:  After Aug 23 truths will become secrets waiting to get free.  Before that you will have no control, but perfect opportunity to decide which truths are most vulnerable and how to protect them.  Pickled, salted, or is mummifying the only option available for the time frame involved?

Sagittarius:  Somewhere between 1995 and 2008 you shed innocence.  Some people toss it like a shirt on the bed, others fold it up and put it in a closet hoping one day to reclaim it.  Some people fleeing oppression leave innocence in the woods and grab whatever clothing will let them pass unmolested.  This year you feel as blessed to look back on that process as a historian who finds witnesses.

Capricorn:  Aug 13-15 is time for baptism in the waters of religion, history, and tribal myth.  The more we know about the roots of traditions, the less we are slaves to self destructive belief systems.  Aug 1-22 get the word out and keep as many parties at the table as feasible; after that start privately strategizing for various outcomes.

Aquarius:  The first of the month an organizing principle balances theatrical flare, and the end of the month it gives ideas for adjusting the script.   Emerging developments Aug 5, 6 should be interesting when the moon lines up with your planet (Uranus) in Aries.  Aug 15-18 look like a lot of fun as the moon passes mercury.   

Pisces:  Aug 3,4 and 30,31 are good days for flights of pure imagination outside graduated cylinders. Aug 11 your tender sense of luck this year is highlighted.  Tension is high Aug 15-17, but Aug 22-26 the sun opposing Neptune highlights clarity, and the moon illuminates exiles in healing  institutions.