Pallas in Pisces- Bend

Beautiful Ballerina by Grace Trivino, CCL

Effective dates: 4/25-8/12/16, 12/30/16-4/3/17

Helios Says:
You know, I'm frankly getting tired of starting these off with a reminder of how bad things are right now. It's not like you guys don't know, you're living it just as much as I am. So why do I bother writing anything at all, you might be inclined to ask- Valid question, and one I ask myself often. While there are many reasons that I do what I do (and we do not have time to go into the deeper questions of purpose and meaning of life type of discussions in this particular post, that would give me an excuse to be even more rambling than usual), one of the main ones is to try and figure out the best way to move forward, regardless of how shit the conditions may be- for both my readers and myself. Luckily, that is where this particular gem of an asteroid comes into play....

Pallas Athene was the goddess of wisdom, crafts, and battle strategy. Keen-eyed readers will remember her from our recent post on Arachne. When she is not tormenting prideful humans (something she likes to do [Also revealing her fatal flaw, if you know what you are looking for]) she is the one you look to while everything is falling apart, even her father Zeus, chief of the Greek gods, trusted her counsel above all others. In short, she IS the way forward.

At this point in time, Pallas has just moved into Pisces. As everything falls apart around your ears and the very ground beneath your feet turns to shifting sand, our old approach no longer works, not at maximum efficacy anyways. Carrying yourself through this with nothing but affirmations, sheer force of will, and pure grit will not work- Keeping calm and carrying on is not the way. No, to get past this round you will need to get creative. You will need to *shudder* allow yourself to be vulnerable. With all of the retrogrades, and the torture the cosmos has decided to dole out, we are already exposed; we are cautious and afraid- And for good reason. Your first reaction is to turtle up, withdraw further within yourself to hide your soft spots. This could get you through, I won't lie- but it will only mean that you are fighting to hold your ground, and at best you will not lose any; at worst, you will lose everything. The only thing that is sure however, is that you will not go any farther than where you are at now.

What you must do is shed that armor, like a skin that you have outgrown and has become patchy and is already starting to flake off. It clearly doesn't suit you anymore (plus it's out of season anyway) so why do you keep lugging it around? Sure, it helped to shield you from a few hits back in the day, but you can't hide behind it forever! More importantly, it is holding you back from what you really want. With your masks and armor up, you cannot be seen by those who are looking for you and could be potential allies. In this time of uncertainty, authenticity is more valuable than gold. Removing your armor to show your true, authentic self will be frightening, but now is the time to unmask yourself. The time for charades is past. The challenge will be to actually do it.

Artemis Says:
“Everything in the universe has a purpose.  Indeed, the invisible intelligence that flows through everything in a purposeful fashion is also flowing through you.” – Wayne Dyer

Cards:  8 of Swords, Knight of Cups, 3 of Pentacles

 Pallas Athena sprung into life from the forehead of her father, Zeus, fully clothed in battle gear and ready to fuck some shit up.  She is the goddess of Wisdom, Victory and Strategy.  Warriors prayed to her for success in battle, and academics paid her homage so she could bring them illumination.  Through her, we learn how to connect information and use it to our advantage.  Athena teaches us how the pieces fit to form the whole.  Unfortunately for Athena, her fellow deities pretty much ignored her as a sexual object.  Because of this, Athena’s babies are the babies of the mind.  She shows us where our greatest ideas may take place, but she can also be obsessive.  What part of your life do you ceaselessly investigate in?  Where are you gifted with the ability to make swift connections?

So, what does it mean now that she is drifting into Piscean waters?  Pallas in Pisces is actually my natal placement for this asteroid, so I may be able to intuit a thing or two about this energy.  The combination of 8 of Swords, Knight of Cups, and 3 of Pentacles, tells me that this energy is the ability to see the spiritual building blocks of the world.  Pallas in Pisces tells me that we will be able to have confidence in our creative and spiritual connections.  The world political climate will become increasingly more idealistic (Pisces rules religion and spirituality, so expect more of that to be brought up as well).  The fantastic part about this energy is that Athena is forced to FEEL, not THINK in Pisces.  We go from over rationalizing our strategy to feeling out intuitively how we should move toward our victories.  This surge of creative intelligence will be amazing for unraveling old patterns that have us blindfolded in regards to our next move.  Pallas in Pisces coupled with the Knight of Cups tell us that your ability to charm your way out of a situation will dramatically increase.  This is great fuel for those who are already swimming in the waters of creative intelligence.

Pallas in Pisces will give us the opportunity to explore the architecture of our spiritual world.  I bet that we will be seeing a lot more synchronicities, more spiritual groups coming together due to realizing connections, and an overall merging of people’s spiritualties.  The fish make Pallas a lot softer than she usually is, giving her the ability to have insight on healing and creative interpretation.  This is the position of the mystic and psychic and the ability to see spirit where others do not.  This is where Pallas shows us how the spirit world connects to the bigger picture, and how fantasy and creativity play a role in bridging the causal and acausal worlds.

Venus in Capricorn- Primal Urges (Undead Love Issues Alert!)

Hello, Hellraisers!! So currently I'm enjoying Venus conjunct my Ascendant, and all the benefits that brings to my social life, but looking ahead is a little more pressing. Our girl is about to head into Capricorn, so that puts an end to her hijinks in freewheeling Saggo and lends more of a serious edge to all matters of romance and passion. Primal urges awaken and people start going into caveman mode- great for the preservation of the species, but not a great fit for modern society.

This is going to be especially evident when she links up with Pluto (the 17th), and for that one specifically im issuing another Undead Lover alert- Anything unresolved will come up for a flashpoint, and will force you to deal with it- I reccomend doing so quickly and with finality. Watch out though, because this will be active starting on the 10th, when she makes a sextile to Neptune and making it oh so easy to believe that THIS time, things will be different and that its going to work out. You guys, however, should be able to smell this from a mile away and should know better than to fall for the hype. Still, getting past your defenses is Neptune's specialty, and deep down, I know you really want to believe....

Luckily, Saturn is close by at the culmination of this, so he can help you strengthen your resolve. Not to mention that once its over and done with, you will be amazed at the new options that you have open to you, even if you have to put in the work to get them. Chiron is involved of course, because why not have this be a tie into old emotional pain?  Remember though- Chiron runs a school to train heroes, and you're in the master class; Beat this test and move on to the next lesson.

This is going to be rough, because its a distraction from all the taking over the world that you want to be doing right now. Focus on that, do not allow the other issues to take up any more of your time, energy or focus than what is necessary- Give it no quarter. Pay special attention to your health and wellness goals right now- if you've made a commitment to that, keep at it; If not, then get on that shit. Any self-improvement work you undergo now is very potent and all the more effective.

Oh and you can pretty much count the next 9 months as total, full-on Insanity Astro. Ohyes, boys and girls- we're back on! 

Ladies in Gentlemen- I have the utmost faith in you, and I know you will rock it out! Just remember- by any means necessary!

Dum Spiro Spero

- The AstroGeek

 

Neptune Direct: Drawing Lines In The Sand

Deer Lord (Praise Cernunnos), this is where I feel I need to slink off to right about now. This Mercury Retrograde would be hell enough on anyone, but to throw it in with Saturn in Scorp, the Uranus-Pluto drama, Mars-Jupiter shenanigans, AND a superpowered eclipse? Holy Hell, Hellraisers- This time Neptune might be the one thing that sees us through. 

Lets hope we can trust him.


Anyway, yes Neptune is now officially direct. Pay attention, Hellraisers- This is where the fun starts. Dreams get cosmic, and carry potent messages on swift wings. Omens abound, and black cats start crossing your path in droves. The trick is figuring out the message while you can. Quite often you can only put it together after its much too late to make a difference. But that's the way these thing go, I'm afraid.

In other ways, this can feel like waking back up after a long nap in the Sun. The important thing is realizing you were, in fact, dreaming- and now its time to get back to reality. Done incorrectly however, this is more akin to an insomniac who is working 60+ hours a week and getting nowhere. If this is you FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TAKE YOURSELF OUT OF THE GAME! Rest up, you're going to need it. This is Eclipse season, and there will be no prisoners taken.

As always with Neptune, I caution you not to overdo it with the boozing or drugs- especially with Jupiter Retrograde. This time however, im giving you an out. Anything used for actual, real self-work and discovery and not for escapism is super potent right now*. But use caution. Its much better to dry out with Saturn in Scorp, trust me.

Speaking of, you know that niggling voice in the back of your head that is keeping you up at night? Well there's only one cure- Put the changes its suggesting into action. Trust me, you'll be so glad you did. Also, you know that pain you're feeling right now? Yes, right now as you read this line. Oh, dont give me that shit- you cant hide it from me. Anyway its going to be with you for a while. Work on it, drag it out from the shadows and face it- work on healing it. Accept what you cant change and start changing what you can. Planning only though- no action till after Mercury goes direct again.

Oh, one last thing: You're going to want to give up. Don't.

Hellraisers, we're in for a hell of a ride. Hang on, and slam on the gas pedal.

-The AstroGeek

 
*(AG Skywatch Legal Note- For the love of... Not this bullshit again! sigh AstroGeek's Skywatch does not endorse, reccomend, or condone recreational drug use or any other form of substance abuse. All indications to the contrary and statements issued are merely intended to entertain, albeit poorly. Somebody get us out of here, we havent showered in weeks and the food is absolute shit. We do get good dental, though, but that hardly covers it. Anyway, dont sue us- We dont have any clean suits, the bastards too cheap to pay for dry cleaning.)   

Mutable T-Square- Kansas City Shuffle

Ok guys, here's what we have going on. Remember the Cardinal Crisis we had in 2010? Well this is the Mutable Meltdown (copyright AstroGeek's Skywatch, LLC) of 2012. We have Neptune in Pisces opposite Mars in Virgo (still Retrograde.....) and both of them are in Square to Venus in Gemini. Considering the fact that we also have Pluto in Capricorn going Retrograde, not to mention Mercury and Mars going Direct, this could easily become a gigantic cluster.

You see, this is a massive confidence game (in keeping with the Neptunian vibe, who is clearly running the show here). Neptune is the Con, and Mars is a shill (accomplice) while Venus is the mark (victim). Unfortunately for our girl, this is a very special type of con that can have disastorous consequences. You see, this is what you call a Kansas City Shuffle.

What is a Kansas City Shuffle, you ask? For that, we turn to Steampunk Opera for a explanation

"So what is a Kansas City Shuffle? Well, it’s basically a con which revolves around someone being tricked by thinking that they’re being tricked. Get it?

See, that’s why it’s so brilliant. It’s a con which requires the mark knowing that he’s being conned. All con-games rely on misdirection to some degree, but normally the conman doesn’t want the mark to know there’s a con going on. In a Kansas City Shuffle, 3 requirements must be met:

1. The victim must suspect that it’s a con-game
2. The victim must think that they’ve figured out how to beat the con
3. The victim must be wrong about what the con is.

All three elements must be present. If the victim doesn’t suspect that they’re being conned, it’s not a Kansas City Shuffle. If the victim doesn’t set themselves up for the real con by doing something to beat the con they think they’ve spotted, it’s not a Kansas City Shuffle. If the victim is right about what the real con is, it’s not a Kansas City Shuffle"

See, what happens is, while you are watching the performance, you catch a slight detail [Mars in Virgo], a tell, that leads you to believe you know whats happening and how it will all play out. The trouble is, that was just a Red Herring, left to throw you off the scent (kind of like How I Met Your Mother). So while all the hullaballo is going on Center Stage, there's a whole other drama playing out Stage Right, taking your eyes off the main event, as it were (not sure where im getting all these theater metaphors from, but im going to go with it). But while you're trying to see everything that's happening over there, you're missing the REAL show, as the actors make their entrances at the back of the house [presumably to pick your pockets].

To combat this, you need a helluva lot of Pluto in Capricorn's street smarts. Like it or not, we are all enrolled in the Master's class in Sniffing out B.S. right now, and this is the Midterm. You need to stay alert, be patient, and above all you cannot give into your arrogance. You need tempered confidence, not cocky bravado. Its not easy, but absolutely do-able.

With this situation, the ante is upped even further by the fact that everybody is conning everybody! The mark is running her own game here, as is the shill. Who comes out on top? Whoever wants it most. Though it dosent hurt to have Lady Luck on your side, and fast feet!!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go stack the deck.

Audentes fortuna iuvat sed timidos relinquit
-The AstroGeek

Mercury (And Pallas Athene!) in Pisces- Sweet Nothings

i

Well, ladies and gentlemen, everyone's favorite messenger is officially in Pisces. So without further ado, lets all do some shots! No, i joke. But seriously, after Merc gets clear of Neptune, im giving you guys a little bit of a break to cut a little loose. Or if you're a fearless bastard, do it while they're all still conjunct.

Why am i giving you guys a pass after being so vehemently anti-booze? Well, its a cheap and dirty way to tap into Mercury. If you're more spiritually inclined, id recommend staying clean, eating vegan, and keeping up with your meditation (Or you could just take some Ayahuasca, like your old pal Astro). However, if you're not, its doubtful you follow my advice anyway, so I'm covered.

(Note from the AG Skywatch legal team: Astrogeek's Skywatch ONLY endorses responsible drinking, and under no circumstances is this to be taken as an encouragement to imbibe, nor is it an endorsement of the any particular alcoholic beverage [However, if you would be interested in sponsoring us, please feel free to contact us so we can get fat checks to pay for our coke habit {Astrogeek's Skywatch does not endorse recreational drug use. Stay in School, kids; or you'll wind up as an Astrologer}] nor is Astrogeek's Skywatch to be held responsible for whatever dumb shit you do while under the influence, or ever. So there.)

Now that we've covered all the bases: imbibing now is a great way to do Shamanic work, and help your resolve long-standing issues. If you do it right, you may even get a life-altering revelation or something! Or maybe you'll just wind up hungover the next morning. Its funny how these things work out.

This placement is also famous for deception and illusion. Its very easy to get caught up in the rush of a new love or adventure, only to wind up in Boston a week later, naked and missing a kidney. Stick to a healthy dose of Saturn for best results.

On that tack, lets look to our girl Pallas Athene, who is also entering Pisces. Im pretty sure we haven't really gone over Pallas all that well (some Minor Planet Astrologer I turned out to be!), so quick study- She rules Politics, diplomacy, tactics, the military as a whole, statistics, and fair play (unless it suits her to cheat. She can be a bitch like that.)

So with a global war in Iran and Syria looming (or so the media is telling us) it becomes critically important to look at Pallas. Now this feels just like the build up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, doesn't it? And we have a media (Pisces) who is pushing this down our throats, and we have to wonder: "Why?" I understand that there are atrocities being committed in the region, as people fight to win their freedom, however we are just getting out of a war, and we certainly do not need to rush into another crusade.

And since we are dealing with Pisces, everything is hidden and must be figured out by careful scrutiny.

And so I pull up the Iraq war chart (3/20/2003 at 05:33 local time, if you're interested), which is a fascinating chart that I really need to take a day and just analyze the crap out of; and what do we find? Pallas and Mercury, both linked up in Pisces (and Lilith in Taurus as well, same as right now). History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes.

Are we headed into another drawn out, messy war over resources? Im not sure. But with the ratcheting tensions here at home (in the U.S. at least [and pretty much everywhere else- the people even turned on Putin! {Bitches love Putin}]) and the deep fight we find ourselves embroiled in over who we are as Human beings, there is no one that is not touched by the rapid change that is enveloping our world. Astrologically, this was initiated by the Cardinal Crisis, and continued by Uranus square Pluto.

On quaking skies
-The AstroGeek

Neptune in Pisces: The Sky is Falling

Ok guys, here we are with Neptune in Pisces again. Lets do this.

By now, Neptune is completely settled into Pisces, the sign that it rules (well, some people say Cancer, but... Yeah no, its Pisces) where it will stay for the next 14(ish) years. So, we're going to have to deal with this situation for a while. Enjoy.

This is also significant, because it marks the last shift of the Outer Planets. All the actors are now in their places. Pluto is busy knocking down any wall he can find, Uranus is skydiving and late for his Muay thai class, Saturn is stricken with ennui, and Jupiter just cannot be bothered in the least. Neptune's introduction is kind of like the evil twin popping up out of nowhere to blow up the hospital and have scandalous a gay affair with your best friend. Its enough to make me want to start doing the Astroscene again! So, where does that leave us? (up s%$# creek?)

Well, like with all astro, you have to take a little of the good from each, watch out for the bad of all, see your personal situation in the dialogue, and add in your personal experience (and smite your enemies!! Smite them verily!)


A lot of the Disaster types point to this as proof that, with the mayan calendar coming to an end and all, Neptune in Pisces surely points to the end being nigh and suchlike (seeing as how Pisces rules endings and all), to which I say (If I ever meet a mayan, im clocking him square in the jaw) soo much hooey, or smh for short  (heh... I so funny....)

Anyway, we'll have plenty of time to watch Neptune play out its part, so sit back and watch the show!!

Venus in Pisces- Here be Mermaids

Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the funhouse. That's right, Lady Venus is officially in Pisces! And seriously, how perfect is the idea of a Mermaid for this? In Pisces, Venus is said to be "Exalted" or performing especially well. It fits because its a sign where she feels right at home.

Lets talk about Venus for a minute. In the myth, Venus (Aphrodite) was born when Saturn castrated his father and threw his genitals into the sea. They foamed up, and Venus rose from the tides. Now the thing is, Venus would technically be the last Titan, but is always strictly defined as Olympian, even though she predates the Olympians by an entire age (the actual year count is a bit wonky...)

In the sky, Venus is posited between Neptune at the end of Aquarius, and Chiron at the beginning of Pisces. So we have delusion and inspiration, love and beauty, and old pain. That couldnt possibly be a recipe for destruction, now could it? Nooooo, not in Pisces....

Remember the baggage from when Venus went through Aquarius? Well, now that it's gone, expect it to come up from the depths and demand to be dealt with, ASAP. Yeah, Venus is a bitch like that, deal with it. Expect shrapnel.

Now that I have you good and scared, lets talk about the potential here: One thing that this can be (if you let it) is absolutely magical. Now i say this as seriously as possible. If you let it, this transit could change your life in ways that you never even imagined. Follow any hunches or gut instincts that you have; decisions made on a whim could pay off immensely, or leave you broke and despondent. That's just the way Pisces goes, im afraid. There's always the danger that anything taken on faith could turn out to be nothing but smoke. Also (im getting sick of saying this) AVOID ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AT ALL COST!!!!!

Ok, so your plan of attack: Pisces demands that you reflect, and go over what has happened in your relationships; what has worked and what hasn't. You know how i've been demanding that you deleverage the drama, and obliterate anything that is holding you back? Hold on to that. This is the part where you are honest with yourself, and you own up to your life, as it is. Anything that has the slightest tint of illusion or any kind of gameplaying WILL DESTROY YOU. It is toxic right now, keep everything you do, 100% above board and on the level.

Now, if you have been good little boys and girls, then you know that the main focus has been defining your goals to live your life the way you want to. Well, this is your moment guys, this is where you move from thinking to doing. Take it one step at a time, and do WHATEVER IS NECESSARY to get what you want.

One hazard: If this involves going back into a toxic situation that you recently escaped, in order to build up the resources that you need for these big dreams that you have; a word of caution. Tread lightly, because this is not the greatest idea. Keep your eyes peeled for better options.

Use your judgement and discretion, but keep a wide-eyed, innocent outlook and this transit will be amazing. Stay stuck in old methods and pain and you will drown in your own self-pity. Its up to you in the end, so why not let it rock?

Neptune in Pisces- Betwixt and Between

Today's image comes to us courtesy of the awesome Thaneeya- Go check her out, she's wicked talented (and super nice for letting me use her art)

Mwah ha ha I finally got a chance to use that title! #pumped

Okay guys, serious Astro time. Neptune is Direct now, at the end of Aquarius, and he is bearing down on his Home sign of Pisces. This is huge, because Neptune has been in Aquarius, behind the scenes since 1998. Til we get Neptune in Pisces (February) we will be going over and rehashing absolutely everything that has transpired since Neptune moved into Aqua. The thing is, right now we are going to be very sensitive to any kind of programming, so be very careful what you watch/listen to.

Another thing you will notice is the Parade of Undead Issues that you have yet to wrap up. This may take the form of lessons in love, where you find your exs' swarming you and crawling out of the woodwork; substance abuse issues that are not fully conquered (note: With ANYTHING Neptunian, avoid substance abuse like the plague!! So much potential for pain there!) or anything that is still an issue, really.

Lending a helping hand in this is Jupiter, turning Direct on Christmas, and Sitting in sextile to Neptune, helping make sure we get this right. Jupiter will make sure we keep everything moving at its highest and most excellent. One side effect of this however, is the fact that Jupiter MAGNIFIES everything it touches, so the issues that Neptune is going to bring up are going to get blown out of proportion and over-hyped thanks to Jupiter's influence.

The key here? Uranus/Mars/Pluto. Uranus' honesty, directness, zest and passion for life, and plans for the future are going to see you through, Mars is making you cut the crap with a machete, and simplifying everything in your life whether you are ready or not. While these two are an excellent combination on their own, we have Pluto obliterating anything that stands in your way, and forcing you to overcome these challenges that are arising, no excuses. With this combination we can make the hard choices and bite the bullet to get what we want, but only if we are 100% honest with ourselves and face the issues head-on.

After Neptune goes into Pisces-That's it! Thats the last major shift we have, and the Outer Planets are going to be in their respective places for a while. Yes, we have Saturn going into Scorp (Cannot Wait!! I loathe Libran fake-ness.) and Jupiter going into Gemini, but that's nothing new. No, after Neptune moves into Pisces, Uranus and Pluto will be in Square and the game REALLY takes off!! But the playing field will be more or less set.

That last bit raises an interesting point: At the moment we have an unparalleled opportunity to shape our personal reality in the fashion that we choose. Everything is up for grabs and within reach, and that is the main theme of 2012. We are really in control of our own lives, and it is up to us to shape them how we choose, not fate. Seriously, do WHATEVER YOU WANT TO!! Nothing can stop you now!



Your song of the Zeitgeist- So freaking perfect, and shamelessly ludicrous