Astrolojew in J the Jewish News of Northern California!

Read a review of Astrolojew's latest public presentation on "Astrology and Jewish Cultural History", and what happened when she did a personalized natal chart reading for one curious journalist! CLICK HERE for the article in J the Jewish News of Northern California!

 

#AOC - Alexandrai Ocasio-Cortez 's Natal Chart

Now it can be told! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Natal Chart. "Tell it like it is" Sagittarius Rising, of course!

She was born on 14 Tishrei, which is Erev Sukkot. The day she was born was "Friday the 13th" and called "Black Friday" because of the mini stock market crash caused by a reaction to a news story of the breakdown of a $6.75 billion leveraged buyout deal for UAL Corporation, the parent company of United Airlines. This event triggered the crash of the junk bond market. Perhaps this is a portent for the woman destined to shake up existing structures which are essentially weak and fake anyway, and send them tumbling to the ground.

Sun in Libra, Moon in Aries, Sagittarius Rising with Jupiter as her ruling planet, currently transiting her 1st House and making her immensely popular. 
 
I'm going out on a limb here and saying that not only will she be the Democratic Party's candidate in 2024, but will win the election, according to astrology.

If she runs, there's no way she WON'T win. The transiting North Node will be conjunct her natal Moon in Aries. Jupiter her ruling planet because Sagittarius Rising will be conjunct her DC / 7th House cusp guaranteeing a gigantic amount of attention coming her way from the public. Mercury the planet of Communication will be conjunct her Ascendant (Rising Sign), her "personality" or "ego" per se, and her now famous frankness and fearless to speak truth to power (Sagittarius) will be on full display. 

AOC is like Oprah on steroids in terms of mass popularity but she's also extremely pragmatic and security-minded. She only JUST had her first Saturn Return! She was elected when Jupiter her ruling planet made a conjunction to her natal Venus in the 12th House (surprise win coming out of nowhere!). 

She's also REALLY smart about how to deal with the media and her opponents. She cleverly infantalized herself in order to make her critics seem like sex-obsessed dirty old men recently when she expressed wide-eyed wonder at "why so many grown men are obsessed with this 29-year old"???? I'm guessing this brilliant tactic originates in her Ceres / Jupiter / Chiron bundle in ultra-feminine Cancer in her 7th House Square her mighty Mercury / Mars / Juno / Sun / Black Moon Lilith stellium in 10th House charm-bomb Libra.

I'll also speculate that she'll announce her bid for the Presidency between January and March of 2023 when transiting Saturn makes a conjunction to her North Node (her "Tikkun Point") in Aquarius (as in "this is the dawning of the age of ...") in her 2nd House (values, valuables, every permutation of stuff one might call "mine"). She will turn 35 in October of 2024, making her JUST old enough to have her name legally appear on the ballot for the November 2024 election!
 
I've got a lot more to say about her chart but for now: Behold the Democratic candidate for President in 2024!

Rosh Chodesh Adar Aleph: The "Joseph" Month!

Adar/Pisces by Cynthia Beth Rubin / Yona Verwer http://zodiacs-les.nyc/references.html

 

Leap year 5779 is a shana me’uberet (a “pregnant year”) on the Hebrew calendar. During pregnant years we add an extra (13th) month, which is Adar Aleph (also called Adar I or Adar Rishon). Adar Aleph 5779 kicks off February 5 with a two-day Rosh Chodesh, and runs through March 6, making the current year 5779 very pregnant with possibilities. The Talmud says in Ta’anit 29a: “When Adar comes, joy increases.” Count on enjoying an extended double-Adar celebratory season this year.
 

The Sefer Yetzirah teaches that each one of the 12 constellations (mazalot) correspond to a Hebrew month. During non-leap years and during Adar Bet of pregnant years, Adar is associated with the tribe of Naftali, which we will explore in-depth next month. This month, we ponder the mystery of Adar: the month that sometimes is one, and sometimes split in two. Jewish astrology divides Joseph into two tribes (Ephraim and Menashe, corresponding to Tishrei/Libra and Heshvan/Scorpio, respectively). During pregnant years, Joseph gets his own month: Adar Aleph, the “extra” month, hinted at by Joseph’s name in Hebrew, meaning “HaShem shall increase/add.”
 

Even though Chodesh Shvat ends February 4th, the Sun in Aquarius overlaps Hodesh Adar Aleph until solar Pisces begins on February 18th, blending the humanitarian, idealistic energies of Aquarius with the compassionate, empathetic and generous qualities of Pisces. The full moon of Adar Aleph on February 19th in clearheaded, rational Virgo (Betulah) stimulates the protective energy of Virgo’s tribal ruler Gad, “a troop.” Virgo’s weapons are analytic discernment, unfeigned humility, and a heart of service to others. Opposite the Sun in spiritual, sensitive Pisces (Dagim), Adar Aleph’s moon-month peaks with the perfect balance of reason and faith.
 

Adar Aleph 5779 – The “Joseph” month. May joy increase and blessings be added to all of Am Yisrael during this special time!

 

Aquarius the Water-Bearer in Jewish Art

Human imagery in Jewish art wasn't as "assur" as some might think. Depictions of "D'li" - the water bucket, the symbol of the zodiac sign of Aquarius, often featured the water-bearer himself in human form. 

The medieval commentator Abraham Ibn Ezra tells us: "Aquarius rules over Israel," not only in his long commentary on Exodus but in his "Sefer ha-Olam" as well. Ibn Ezra reminds us the Talmudic maxim "Ain Mazal l'Yisrael" ("there is no constellation that rules over Israel") applies only when Israel is keeping every jot and tittle of the Torah. But when has that ever happened? When Israel (corporately) doesn't keep the Torah, Israel is just as subject to the celestial influences as all the other nations.

Pictured: Aquarius from the mosaic floor of Hammat Tiberias synagogue, 4th Century. 

Depiction of Aquarius from a Megillat Esther, Italian, 18th Century. 

Image of the Water-Bearer, Aquarius, from a mahzor for the three festivals, Vilna, 1844,

and "Aquarius" from the Sefer Evronot, illuminated manuscript by Asher ben Shemuel Cohen, Frankfurt-am-Main, 1624.

 

Shevat: Tag-Team Titans Test Tectonic Tensions

Chodesh Shevat 5779 (January 7 – February 4, 2019 )

The Hebrew month of Shevat, which runs from January 7 – February 4 of this year, is associated with the Fixed Air sign of Aquarius (D’li, the water bucket) and the Tribe of Asher. 

 

Aquarius / D'li from Sefer Evronot, Frankfurt-am-Main, 1624

Aquarius is one of the few Mazzalot which has two planetary rulers. In classical astrology, “Shabbtai” (Saturn) ruled both Capricorn and Aquarius. After Uranus (Oron) was discovered in the late 18th century, modern astrology assigned Uranus to the rulership of Aquarius. Yet Aquarius retains vestiges of Saturnian energy to this day and should be considered in the individual’s natal chart equally with Uranus in terms of chart rulership, if the individual has Aquarius on the Ascendant.

 

Aquarius from 4th Century mosaic floor, Hammat Tiberias Synagogue

Asher, the Tribal ruler of Aquarius, comes to teach an important lesson about how sometimes material blessings obscure our self-perception, impeding our ability to do the hard work of self-scrutiny which leads to self-improvement. 

Both Jacob and Moses blessed Asher (which means “Happy”) with abundance and prosperity, from which he would support his brethren. Yet Asher’s riches created enough of a comfort zone for him that he didn’t prioritize conquest of his Tribal portion and failed to drive out the Canaanites altogether from his lands. Although he joined his brethren in war against “foreigners” (Midianites, Amaekites and others), he wasn’t punctilious about ridding his own inheritance of the Canaanites. 

Aquarius, from the Amsterdam Mahzor, 1240

These external examples come to teach an internal reality. Aquarius is a loyal friend and humanitarian, but sometimes indifferent to his own vulnerabilities. Although the most idealistic of all zodiac signs in terms of his perception of others, if protected by prosperous circumstances, he won’t strive hard for self-perfection. Asher finds redemption through humility, as illustrated by when his Tribe accepted Hezekiah’s invitation to the Tribes of the Northern Kingdom to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 30:11). The part of our own personal natal chart where we find Aquarius is where we find our highest expression of friendship, brother/sisterhood, loyalty to community, and humanitarianism. 

This year Chodesh Shevat begins smack in the middle of Solar Capricorn and is kicked off with the Solar Eclipse / New Moon conjunct transiting Saturn. Less than a day later, Uranus stations Direct at 29 degrees (the “ultimate” or “critical” degree of any sign) of Aries after his latest Retrograde period, which began last August. 

Both Uranus and Saturn are exerting pressure in the effort to bring about change – Saturn in his slow and steady way, Uranus in his abrupt, sudden, and surprising way. These Titans are tag-teaming in the Cardinal (initiating) signs of Capricorn and Aries (aided by Mars’ recent ingress into his home sign) to overcome the tectonic pressure generated by fear-based resistance to what we all know in our heart is inevitable change. 

Comfort zones will be shaken, concepts about security upended, definitions of both “ally” and “enemy” will be reconsidered, ideals will be challenged. The universe is sending a memo: did you receive it yet? The times, they are a-changin’.

Celestial Trifecta: Solar Eclipse / New Moon in Capricorn / Rosh Chodesh Shevat!

Solar Eclipse / New Moon in Capricorn on Sunday, January 6 at 3:28am Jerusalem time. Molad of the new month of Shevat on Sunday at 11:13 (14 chalakim) AM, followed by Rosh Chodesh Shevat on Monday.

 Yes, this year Chodesh Shevat begins literally in the middle of Solar Capricorn (15 degrees). Both Capricorn and Aquarius (the constellation of Shevat) are ruled by Saturn ("Shabbtai") in classical astrology. Saturn himself, old Father Time, sits only 3 degrees away from the Sun/Moon conjunction that is the New Moon / Solar Eclipse. 

Jupiter ("Tzedek") in Sagittarius semi-sextiles Saturn in Capricorn, and the Sun/Moon eclipse.

Some possible reflections of these celestial portents include but are not limited to:

- Resolving financial matters in a "Lucky" way. This does not mean "gambling," it means a lucky break, a payoff, recognition of your mature and responsible decision-making which manifests in good fortune or a significant upgrade in a long-term and somewhat stressful material world austerity period.

- A greater degree of Self-Acceptance and the ability to integrate work-in-progress, imperfect parts of Self into waking consciousness. 

- Expanded joy of accomplishment. Not a giddy happiness but a deep, profound, and perhaps surprising joy springing from the internalization of your own competency, developed by the combination of time and hard work.

- The regenerative power of joy triggers a greater ability to reestablish affinity with your own body and experience your own vitality and life-force, regenerating and reviving both body and soul.

May the celestial reflection of the terrestrial conditions shine beautifully upon you, and unfold with astounding grace!

Astral Weeks September 16-22: "Days of Awe" and the Autumnal Equinox

Astral Weeks

September 16-22

Last week’s huge energetic change kicked off with Rosh HaShanah 5779, followed by Venus entering Scorpio and Mars’ ingress into Aquarius. As this new week begins, the Moon in independent Sagittarius makes her First Quarter square to the Sun, still in analytic Virgo even though we’ve been in Chodesh Tishrei since Rosh HaShanah, on Sunday, September 16. Communicative Mercury in precise Virgo sextiles giganticising Jupiter in secretive Scorpio invites confidences or finds ways to unravel the truth being withheld. 

Moon in Capricorn on Monday September 17th conjuncts Saturn, taking a turn for the serious, which isn’t altogether an inappropriate energetic condition during the “Days of Awe.” Mars in Aquarius squares Uranus, the modern ruler of Aquarius, in his transit through Taurus on Tuesday September 18^th.  Abrupt changes in the status quo and escalations in revolutionary zeal are possible, along with sudden arrivals and departures, just in time for Yom Kippur, which falls on Wednesday, September 19^th. The Moon moves into Aquarius that evening, making a conjunction to Mars which adds an emotional emphasis to the idealistic resolutions made during and after the fast of Yom Kippur, the climax of the “Days of Awe.” 

The Sun in the final degrees of Virgo conjuncts Mercury on Thursday September 20^th, amplifying the volume and illuminating multiple modes of communication on every level. Mercury enters diplomatic Libra on Friday September 21^st, initiating compromise which finds cooperation Saturday, September 22^nd as the Moon enters peaceful Pisces and the Sun crosses the Autumnal Equinox into the constellation of Libra. Parshat Ha’azinu is read, which includes the Song of Moses, sung to the Israelites during the last day of his life. It is the great climax to the life of Moses, who after finishing his song of hope, admonition, and faith, prepares to leave his earthy body. The transition from summer to autumn reminds us of the cycles of life, and that all of us from the smallest to the greatest share a common fate.