We are now in the last week of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games taking place in Brazil from Aug. 5 to 21. Even if it is not the most controversial Olympics ever, it must certainly qualify as a finalist. Nonetheless, it would seem to be a good thing that the Olympics is accurately reflecting our time.
You even might go so far as to say that the Rio Olympics are actually the ‘real’ Olympics. That’s because, in all probability, there is nothing currently going on in Brazil that isn’t also happening where you reside.
The original ideal of the modern Olympics as an amateur competition is an artifact of the past. Similarly, pristine and problem-free competitive venues are as rare as perfect places to live. Corruption, crime, traffic jams, pollution, public health concerns and other unpleasant realities of modern life are part of the local territory for nearly everybody now.
There is really nothing new about what’s going on in Brazil. Acknowledging the reality, however, is a more recent development. In a very practical way, that’s inspiring.
Denial is not necessary for the Olympic Games to continue. Perhaps that’s the best news of all from Brazil. Victory is still thrilling for those fortunate enough to taste it. Defeat is still difficult to take. The essence of human spirit, represented by the Olympic flame, still burns brightly in enough human hearts to inspire people from all over the world to gather in a form of competition that is not war, and that provides an example for your life.
Denial will not serve any of us. While present realities must be accepted, that does not mean you should surrender to them. It is important to endeavor and do your best to prevail. The same spirit evident in Olympic competitors is also what you need to cultivate inside.
You are not in this life to lose. You are here to win, both for yourself and on behalf of others — just like the athletes now contesting in Brazil. In practical fact, you are a thoroughly modern Olympian in your own way. Even as you are engaged in your daily efforts to survive, you are also part of something bigger than any one person. You are one of many, and we are all come together in the same reality.
As one might expect, the astrology this week continues to be as indicative of earthly events as ever. That’s especially true of the Full Moon and (very subtle) partial penumbral lunar eclipse that will be taking place in late Aquarius shortly before 5:30 am EDT (09:26:31 UTC) on Thursday.
As Robert Hand put it, the Moon signifies “the need to be human.” Assuming that Mr. Hand’s typically concise summary captures something both timeless and essential, a Full Moon would then plainly represent a need to be human at its fullest. In Aquarius, that need is expressed through life as part of a collective.
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Aquarius is the sign of a conscious collective where individuals still persist (and even contest), but not for themselves alone. The fixed nature of Aquarius is consistent with the limiting nature of its original ruler: Saturn.
The air element uniquely combines with fixity to make Aquarius different from any other sign, suggesting that idealistic Uranus is a plausible (albeit controversial) co-ruler. The combination is thus neither Utopian nor dystopian, but real.
So it is that, as the 2016 Summer Olympics nears its climax, a simultaneous lunar maximum and all-but-imperceptible lunar eclipse is following suit. It’s a controversial and contentious situation that is nonetheless indicative of both the hard realities of life and the human potential to continuously transcend them. In order to get the best collective outcome, do what you can to set the same type of example for others that you would would want an Olympic athlete to set for you.
Come together with others as you necessarily must. Then, rise above necessity and see if you can accomplish something more. You may not be in line for a medal, but you are in a position to somehow show the rest of us that the need to be human includes doing your very best.
Offered In Service
So true Len, unpleasant realities are everywhere now, but I’m interested in that point you make about denial. Take that upcoming eclipse that is barely perceptible. If it weren’t for modern technology would we even know there was going to be an eclipse? And how about that new thing orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune; so faint it can barely be perceived. Only modern technology and a great deal of patience would have found it at all. Do you think that because we are now able to detect these otherwise undetectable objects and events that it indicates that we, the human species, are ready to see things that heretofore were denied existence?
I’m thinking maybe so.
be
I agree, be. Expanding our awareness – which seems to have been the goal for mental Olympians since the 1960s – means that we will encounter new aspects of life which have never been dealt with by previous generations. Thank heavens; how boring if everything remained the same, forever.
Denial is possibly a valuable psychological tool for coping in the short-term with sudden and unexpected personal trauma. It is, though, never a long-term solution to problems. Through fear, some people deny that the world can be different and seek only answers based on past historical experience. But soon they’ll attain the stability they strive for, in the only way that it’s granted: in a place among the fossils of our time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOrb0G0tw08
The Aquarius Full Moon is a once-a-year opportunity to kick out the jams, motherf*ckers.
Clear the decks, tomorrow is almost here.
I’m thinking this once-a-year opportunity you speak of Geoff, this Aquarius Full Moon exceeds our expectations in ways not perceived consciously. Seven years ago 3 transiting planets, Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron, met up at 26+ Aquarius, one degree behind the U.S. Sibly Moon, one degree in front of this almost eclipse coming tomorrow. Now that transiting Jupiter has completed an opposition to the U.S. Moon (2015) and transiting Neptune (2015) and as of 5 days ago, his 3rd of 3 oppositions to transiting Chiron, we can gage how far we’ve come in these cycles (those full-moon-like opposition sheds lots of light on their subjects)
With Jupiter we got Understanding, with Neptune we got Deception and with Chiron we got Pain. Just a while after this transiting triple conjunction to the U.S. Moon (symbol of U.S. People) occurred, we started to become aware of a thing called WikiLeaks and a man named Julian Assange. Ever since then we have been learning more and more about our world and how this country, the USA has deceived the People in ways that have created Pain for them.
This is Chiron’s Mode of Operation, using pain on one level requires us to move to a higher level to heal the pain. Chiron moves us from a lower level in order to understand (Jupiter) how deception (Neptune) has kept us in denial. Like Len says, “While present realities must be accepted, that does not mean you should surrender to them”. But there is more to Neptune than deception, and one of those other things is photography. Photography is one of the boons of the digital age and while a picture can be worth a 1000 words, it is a Mercury thing; data and more data.
Mercury serves up data while Jupiter gives us understanding of the data. Transiting Mercury and Jupiter will exact their 1st of 3 conjunctions, initiating the new cycle between them, just a couple of days after this almost eclipse Full Moon. So not only does Jupiter oppose Chiron for the 3rd time, marking the half-way point in their cycle that began 7 years ago (conjunct the U.S. Moon), Jupiter simultaneously begins a new cycle with Mercury. That’s Yuge (as Bernie Sanders might say).
Now look at the 3rd planet of the triple conjunction that was conjunct the U.S. Moon and where the almost eclipse full moon will fall tomorrow. Transiting Neptune is conjunct the transiting South Node while also squaring transiting Saturn (who is almost conjunct transiting Mars) and squaring the U.S. natal (Sibly) nodes as well. Is this not remarkable synchronicity?
Might the transiting South Node in Pisces, a symbol of release, conjunct Neptune (deception) provide an opportunity to let go of our penchant for denying things we don’t want to deal with? Things we have become aware of during the last 7 years? Might not this almost eclipsed full moon be providing more clarity to the U.S. Public than a typical full moon would, what with the half-way point in the triple conjunction to the U.S Moon having now been reached, plus said full moon only 2 degrees away from the U.S. Moon that symbolizes the U.S. People? Wouldn’t it suggest that a new level of understanding is now possible?
It would seem then that all the connectivity within the Aquarius Full Moon chart – a kite pattern the full moon herself makes to the grand fire trine, a Boomerang pattern that Chiron creates with his opposition to Jupiter-Mercury at the apex of a Yod pattern, the myriad of planets at the 23rd through 25th degrees making aspects to one another – is making it clear to the U.S. People, if not the whole world, that expanded awareness is ours for the taking.
Only 2 weeks to go before the Virgo Solar Eclipse that is so remarkable we will hardly remember this astonishing almost eclipsed full moon by then.
be
So beautiful Len, ‘the need to be human means doing our very best’. You are the truest, wisest person I know. Thank you for your writing and your spirit.