For my Cypriot readers: A Venus-Neptune theatre recommendation

This isn't really an astrology-heavy offering, other than to mention that my Venus-Neptune trine was merrily zinging tonight because...

(... and this is the point of this post...)

... this evening I saw a wonderful, original Greek-language work by the extremely talented director Magdalena Zira, entitled Metamorphosis: a seven-actor ensemble piece created by Zira's original translation of Ovid's eponymous poetry, and performed at the Cyprus Theatre Organisation's (CTO's) Experimental Stage in Agios Andreas, Nicosia.

Usually I whinge and complain about the dearth of quality theatre in Cyprus, but this evening, my passion for the performing arts was well-sated. Indeed, I was very proud that the show was having its world premier in my home-town.

The set-design was beautiful, the ivory costumes stylised and striking, the young cast lithe and confident - having obviously benefitted from many hours of rehearsal under a sure directorial hand.

As for the material, the tales enacted are stories of transformation as the title suggests.

Yet what I found fascinating and timeless about the unifying theme was not so much the physical metamorphoses imaginatively brought to life by Zira and her team (here kudos also to the lighting designer and composer of the original score), but actually the protean, ever-in-flux and ultimately - often tragically - unstable nature of love itself.

Naturally, such instability exploited to the max by the capricious deities of the Greek pantheon who grace the stage much of the time.

Hence, if you enjoy theatre and have ever been provoked, moved or even simply entertained by classical Greek mythology, you are in for an utter treat.

I would have loved to have posted a link to rehearsal stills, but was mysteriously unable to find any (bar one tiny one) on CTO's website.

So, instead, I settled for a cropped version of John Williams Waterhouse's Echo and Narcissus which you can see above, at the start of this post.

(Having said that, I almost went for the more famous painting by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, which, if you're curious, can be found here.)

I repeat once again: for theatre-buff Nicosians and Cypriot readers in general... this show is not to be missed. As good as almost any (actually better) as I've seen Off-Broadway in dear old New York City.

More information about Metamorphosis' performance times and dates, (in Greek only) may be found here.



The image above was taken from this site.

Saturn square Pluto: Manifestation, spoon-bending and the manipulation (and destruction) of forms

I have Saturn square Pluto natally, which, according to the first astrology teacher I had, was also a planetary picture that featured in Carl Jung's birth chart, and is considered to be a shamanic configuration.

Now, I have, to date, no known natural aptitude for shamanic work. I don't spontaneously find myself transported into spirit worlds or have the ability to shape-shift or talk to plants or animals or retrieve pieces of someone's soul.

However, I am absolutely obsessed with the idea that it is possible to manipulate and reconfigure (Pluto) matter (Saturn) and step outside of time (Saturn again).

Especially with cosmic demolition ball Pluto in the sign of structure, foundation and boundaries - Capricorn.

And I do wonder whether the long-term transiting Saturn (in Libra) Pluto (in Capricorn) square will whip up to a new frenzy the blooming-like-algae 'mind over matter'/'law of attraction'/'manifest whatever you desire' communities on the internet.

Frankly, these days it seems every entrepreneurial/home business/self-employment page on the web works in references to bestseller The Secret or the wildly popular Abraham-Hicks material, both preaching the gospel of manifesting your heart's desires.

Not to mention, the proliferation of e-books, Youtube clips, audio classes, webinars, workshops and so forth claiming to develop your hitherto latent paranormal powers, such as psychokinesis and telepathy.

Now, I say 'claiming' not because I believe it isn't possible to manipulate matter - far from it - but because it is, till now, still to a large degree scientifically indefensible - or at the least, an area being investigated only at the peripheries of science, in the domain of quantum physics.

Personally, though, I believe the present transiting Saturn-Pluto square - particularly as it is the waning and, therefore, closing square of this cycle - will mark a significant breakthrough in establishing the malleability of form via thought in mainstream consciousness once and for all.

Let me leave you with an amateur clip on spoon-bending - a feat I believe is genuinely possible and which I hope to accomplish with enough practice myself one day. Enjoy.





The image above was taken from this site.

Debunking 2012 hysteria, courtesy of The New York Times

Seems the counter-reaction to the veritable tsunami of 2012 doomsaying now extends to the The New York Times, too. Click here for the latest. Oh, and... enjoy.   :D




The image above was taken from this site.

Light side of the Ninth: An astrological perspective

Well, here's part two for those who missed the first bit. The lighter or 'good' side of me.

It's funny, but I think I've actually been putting off writing this post. Had no problem going on about my evil-ness, but my good side is... I dunno, a bit embarrassing to speak of.

Still, better get on with it, for the sake of balance - something that might even bring a smile to sourpuss Saturn, currently in dignified Libra.

Firstly, I guess, there's that Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Pisces. It's a wide conjunction, but whenever I've had readings, the astrologer has considered me a Sol-Jupe kinda fella, and I think it fits well.

Essentially, I'm expansive when it comes to both beliefs and the magnanimity of the universe, and also in terms of my own desire to love all. (Do I succeed? Meh. It's varied, but the impetus is there).

In terms of being intoxicated with the broadest of idealistic horizons and a spiritual, all-encompassing love, I'm there.

And I have a big heart. On my good days. On the less good days, I feel as if I've swallowed the ocean and am totally lost in the supernova of spirit. To thoroughly mix my simile-metaphors.

Then there's that Venus-Neptune trine in fire (respectively Aries and Sagittarius). Can we say romantic? We can. Hopelessly, utterly, fatally romantic. If you want more of an elaboration, you can find it here in an earlier post.

Which basically means I adore beauty in all its forms - music, sculpture, poetry, painting, architecture, the human figure, all of the performing arts etc. - as long as it is inspiring (fire).

And I believe my exes, whatever else they may think of me now (and I'm grateful to say, these ladies are still friends) would attest to my love of the romantic gesture.

In short, I'm not the kind of guy who'll forget your birthday or neglect any of the niceties of courtship, tenderness and long-term devotion.

Also I have deep-rooted yen for courtesy and fairness.

Meanwhile, lurking in my sixth house are both Mars and Mercury in maverick Aquarius. Hence, I am both left-brained and right-brained: I've been cultivating an integration between the skills of the cerebral hemispheres for a long time now, and I believe I'm making progress.

So-called 'paranormal' abilities and energy healing are a few of my passions.

I'm the kind of person who'll entertain the zaniest (read: provocative) ideas, which sound, on the face of it, rather crazy. But I tend to be good at articulating the (il)logic behind 'em. And with Mercury in the sign of the humanitarian rebel, public speaking at any time, before any scale of audience, with or without prep, is like breathing to me.

As are writing, and speedily learning and integrating the latest spiritual, healing and technological advances. And I'm good with my hands, too (Mercury in the sixth).

Meanwhile, Virgo-rising, for all its anal nitpicking (that sounds rather unfortunate, but you catch my drift), makes me a fairly adept problem-solver. And good at sorting through the details.

Most of the time I even succeed in over-compensating for that lack of patience, too (Aquarius Mars in the sixth, square Scorpio Uranus in the third), by logically and methodically tackling needful (if boring) tasks.

Did I mention I like to be active all the time? Well, I do. I respect and take care of my health (though I wish I were more disciplined about cooking for myself) and to me that means fitness is key. I need to be in motion and tend to thrive if I can exercise intensely almost every day.

Hence, I'm a good person to have around if you need sustained, ignoring-the-pain-and-doing-it-anyway sort of energy. As long as there's a clear goal and the process isn't too mind-numbingly boring. I have a low boredom threshold.

Which also means I enjoy hard work (Aquarius Mars and Mercury in the sixth - as well as Capricorn Moon by its proximity to the sixth house cusp). In fact, I have workaholic tendencies. I sleep very poorly if I feel I'm not working hard enough. Though I am trying to break the pattern of deriving self-worth from the level of work I accomplish.

If you are my friend or a family member/loved one, I will be loyal and steadfast (Saturn in the 11th, Cappie Moon, Saturn square Venus) and take my responsibilities to you very seriously. I will strive always to do the right thing by you. Most of the time I will put your needs (and those of others generally) ahead of mine.

Again, with the current Saturn-Pluto square from my respective second to fifth houses, I am trying to find the balance between caring for my needs as well as others' in my significant personal and professional relationships.

And I'm creative (Moon in the fifth, Venus trine Neptune, Neptune square Sun, quintiles between Sun and MC, Mars and Venus) and, dare I say it, charismatic (Pluto opposition Venus, Uranus sextile Ascendant).

Acting, dancing, drawing, writing, directing, playing instruments come fairly easily to me.

To end on a Sun-Jupiter accent: I would describe myself as a servant king (Leo 12H, Virgo-rising), endowed with a rigorous creative, spiritual, intellectual and humanitarian drive, to put at the service of the collective.

And I strive to do just that, every day.



The image above was taken from this site.

Dark side of the Ninth: An astrological perspective

So. I promised you my dark side and I'm about to keep that promise.

Be warned, if you've enjoyed this blog thus far and built up an agreeable persona to go with it, you may rather dislike what follows. If so, I invite you to skip this post.

Alternatively you may decide to plunge ahead, after which you might shrug and say, "No big deal". Depends on what you consider 'dark' I guess.

Either way, to balance things out, I promise to cover my not-so-dark side in the subsequent post. Okay?

So, here we go:

Firstly, there's that terrible, terrible temper due to my Moon-Mars. To be precise, an out of sign conjunction with the Moon in Capricorn and Mars in Aquarius.

That Moon-Mars is squared by Uranus in Scorpio, and trine Lord of the Dead Pluto. What that amounts to is incredible volatility and touchiness and taking-offense-iveness, while keeping it all inside, super-human-ly under wraps until... someone pushes me just that little bit too much and...

.... KA-BOOOOOM !!!....

Not pretty. Not at all.

Then there's that Cappie moon. Can we say uber-ambitious? We can.

Super-ambitious, super-competitive, super-calculating, super-prestige-and-status-loving. Conjunct Mars, this driven Moon is never satisfied with my paltry mundane accomplishments.

It will only shut up if I earn some worldly distinction, or, better yet, build something that garners respect(ability) in society and outlives me. A visible legacy in other words.

And it's very jealous of threats to anything it considers its own: people, accomplishments, specialist knowledge; all professional or romantic 'assets' or advantages are always under heavy scrutiny, surveillance and security. It does not like to share.

Moon in Cap is also pessimistic as hell, and cautious to boot. No risk-taking here (though that Mars-Uranus square is dying for it). Only the bleakest views of the future are plausible or worth entertaining. And the sky's STILL going to fall on my head, dammit, no matter how well I prepare for disaster.

This same Moon, together with Saturn in Cancer make for a timorous combination. For all the fire-breathing tendencies on the one hand, on the other, there's a pathetic 'poor me' complex, with a generous lashing of victimhood, paranoia and infantile, don't-make-me-grow-up-ness.

Emotions with this Moon and this Saturn are a big no-no. If you're close to me and want to have a huge emotional meltdown in my presence, you will swiftly discover I've checked out. I hate drama (including my own). I hate those messy, messy "what are you feeling?" conversations.

Also, this Saturn remembers wounds and betrayals forever, whether I've forgiven the culpable party (which is often myself) or not.

Now I think about it, it's not much good at forgiving either. Lose my trust or betray me, and I'll either simply disappear from your life, or you'll be talking to a cold, polite cipher from here on out.

Further, this Saturn is squared by Pluto and also by Venus. Saturn-Pluto makes me absolutely ruthless at times. Saturn-Venus makes me a kill-joy partypooper at others. I'm not proud of it, but I don't really suffer excesses, indulgences, inadequacies, weaknesses, defeats or setbacks very well. First and foremost in myself.

At times when I've felt threatened or overwhelmed by adversaries or my back's been against the wall, that Saturn-Pluto has turned me into something of a Genghis Khan in terms of the sheer desire to annihilate threats and enemies.

When I'm that desperate, I'll charge an elephant, a bus, or a whole g-ddamn platoon. I'm actually really scared of the impetus toward violence that lies coiled within me, awakened at times of incredible duress. Violence and revenge. In my moments of true despair, I thirst for revenge on those who've hurt my heart. People I've loved who've seen fit to push me away.

More darkness?

Well, Pluto opposes my Venus-Chiron, so no matter how much I've battled against it, thus far my closest relationships have been fraught with power struggles. And I hate it. I hate the terror of rejection turning into covert or open attempts to control the very people I love.

To be fair, there's been a goodly amount of suffering on my part by loved ones controlling me - but this is just a mirror of my own repressed possessiveness, aggression and fear.

Finally, if there were ever a Pisces Sun-Jupiter with a Saviour/Chosen One complex, it is I, with this inclination amplified by an even more self-deluding Neptune squaring my Sun from the fourth house.

To whit, I have struggled with spiritual self-righteousness and pomposity all my life, not to mention the effortless ability to harshly judge others (and myself), courtesy of my Virgo-rising.

That's pretty much everything I can think of - or at least the highlights of the grand labyrinth that is my inner darkness. Not a lot to recommend itself so far, eh?

I understand.

But if you haven't decided I'm the devil incarnate and are willing to return for my next post, I promise you there's another, less off-putting side of the Ninth, too. Stay tuned.

[UPDATE: the follow-up, companion post is here.]

The image above was taken from this site.

The Astrology of 2012: The End of Days … or a Cosmic Call to Action?

Another salvo against the doomsdayers' version of 2012 - here's a great post from powerhouse astrologer Rick Levine.

Read and enjoy:

The Astrology of 2012: The End of Days … or a Cosmic Call to Action?

Reclaiming natal Saturn in Cancer

When I first began to study astrology, I was not exactly thrilled to discover that Saturn in my chart was in its detriment, in Cancer.

In fact, not only is Saturn - in my 11th house - in its detriment, but it forms the 'handle' of a bucket chart, through which all the other energies represented must find expression.

 At times, it's been a 'sore tooth' indeed.

Security-needing, anxious and overly-sensitive 11H Saturn in Cancer is the reminder of my early years in the shadow of a divorce and changes of residence; a symbol of the weakened position of my biological father in my life; a pointer to the deep unease and fear of social rejection due to 'not fitting in' at school or obeying the norms of career and life-path in the conservative country of my birth.

It is also a reminder of the weakened state of my birthplace - since Cyprus was invaded by Turkey in 1974, and is still, to this day, divided.

This particular Saturn also forms the 'leg' of a cardinal T-square, meaning in this case it is squared by Pluto in Libra and Venus in Aries, magnifying the levels of social unease, self-consciousness, anxiety and insecurity, and cranking up the need to control and protect myself whether in a group or one-to-one interactions.

Saturn is additionally retrograde, which, as the astrologer Lynn Hayes often points out, amplifies and internalizes the taskmaster voice of harsh self-criticism.

However.

I am now at a point where I acknowledge fear and insecurity to be truly a waste of my energy, as is the perception that this Saturn is irredeemable.

Hence, I have been trying to reclaim the so-called 'greater malefic's' power in a positive way, as part of a broader personal project of truly embracing, accepting and, dare I say it, loving, who I am. Flaws and all.

Among the things I've discovered during the process, is that this Saturn takes its family responsibilities very seriously.

This Saturn wants to be a wise and dedicated father - a strong, devoted head of a family, able to provide the resources for his dependents to thrive. Never belittling them, but rather guiding, supporting, protecting, cherishing and serving them.

Further, this Saturn wants to lead; to be an architect of an enlightened community; a clan-builder operating beyond the dictates of mere blood or national ties.

If this Saturn takes itself very seriously, it is because it is preparing for a time in which service to society will require laying down sure foundations, based on an expanded familial model, and free of the over-sentimentality and guilt that familiar loyalties can create.

Therefore, in the days to come, I want to take an unflinching look at myself, my core roots and identity, both the good and the bad, without repressing any associated feelings.

More than anything, I want to identify the defenses I assembled when I was little and slowly dismantle them. The current square to Capricorn Pluto can only be a boon to this process.

My next post will be all about the dark side of the Ninth. Stay tuned.

******

For those new to astrology, a good analysis of the meaning of Saturn in Cancer can be found in Jeff Jawer's excellent essay here.



The image above of Saturn Devouring One of His Sons by Goya was taken from this site.

Metaphysical makeovers & multiple healing modalities, aka Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron in Aquarius redux

Remember the three spiritual heavyweights that have been spending quality time together this year?

I mean Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron in Aquarius, the planetary combo other than the Saturn-Uranus opposition and Saturn-Pluto square that have been in the astrological headlines in 2009.

'member them?

Well, they're still hanging out in my sixth house. And as a Virgo rising, Mercury and Mars in Aquarius kind of fella, I've been undergoing something of a metaphysical makeover this year. Not to mention, an initiation into multiple healing modalities I hadn't hitherto encountered.

I've been experimenting with a variety of meditation techniques, as well as affirmations, mental/energetic reprogramming, new systems of illumination and also journalling my hopes and aspirations in an invitation to the universe to dance with me, with who I am.

I've also had some needful (to me) surgery back in February, trusting that the merry trio in my house of work and health would bring the necessary recuperative powers to my body. They certainly have, praise God.

Looking back now, on this November 11:11 energetic gate, if I compare my present to where I was at the beginning of this difficult and fairly painful year, it's like I'm living another lifetime, a different incarnation.

And with almost completely different people as my confidantes and friends.

During this process, I have made very little money and progress in my professional career. And I have lost what was dearest to me: the girl I thought was going to be my wife and life companion. Not least because my 'otherworldly' interests and concerns could never be shared by her. And certainly the combo of spiritually-inclined filmmaker was never going to amount to the good provider that she, sincerely and honestly, deserves.

However, I am choosing to look upon this Jupe-Neppy-Chiron progress through my sixth as a shamanic dismemberment of sorts. Presumably the universe will eventually put me back together. I sense it's already been doing so, though I guess time will make it easier to gauge by how much.

Incidentally, if you want to read a really good post on the process of 'splitting apart' from the Human Design point of view, you can find it on the blog of Kim Gould, a very talented HD practitioner.

But to go back to how I began this post:

Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron in unemotional but visionary Aquarius have certainly made it impossible not to heal, expand my faith and horizons and make more peace with my path this year.

For this I am very grateful, and whenever my heart fills with sorrow, I'm trying to open it anyway. I don't always succeed, but I know for sure my life is beautiful and the universe benevolent, wise and ultimately joyous. It's been a rich year.







The image above was taken from this site.

Saturn in Libra: Courtesy, or else...

Is it me? Or is the gentle art of bullying getting a lot of (negative) press lately?

Why, yes. Yes it is.

Unsurprising, giving Saturn's ingress into the genteel and harmony-lovin' sign of the Scales.

This morning, while I was joyously perusing a promising-sounding job ad in the pages of the very newspaper I currently proofread for, my eyes fell on a syndicated article from the London Evening Standard, titled: "Does your office have bad manners?"

The choicest paragraphs include the following:

Pearson and Porath began their research looking at incidents of employees killing their colleagues. From this extreme, they worked back to examine every kind of workplace slight to understand why some forms of incivility are taken seriously, such as sexual harassment, while others are not.

Common examples of incivility, they found, included taking credit for other people's work, passing blame, checking emails during meetings, talking down to or not listening to others, making derogatory remarks and avoiding people.

What may seem trivial examples of bad office manners, they found, had a serious effect on morale and staff retention. Serious enough to get the attention of the companies with whom they shared their findings.

Before becoming an academic, Porath worked for a sports management and marketing company and had observed first-hand how people were affected by the constant belittlements, insults and verbal digs that were considered part of the firm's culture. Her research confirmed her fears.

After a single incident of incivility, not including anything sexual or physical, 48 per cent of the hundreds surveyed decreased their effort at work, 38 per cent intentionally decreased the quality of their work, 80 per cent wasted time worrying about the incident, 66 per cent said their performance declined and 78 per cent said their commitment to the firm declined.

Twelve per cent said they had left a company because of uncivil treatment. For firms already struggling with motivating and retaining staff, the figures were staggering. Behaviour which was regarded as everyday was actually deeply damaging.

“A lot of people don't realise what they're doing at the time,” says Porath. “And as people move up in an organisation, they are treated less and less honestly by their staff, so they have no idea how bad they are.”

You'd think this kind of observation would not warrant a formal study. And yet. The ingress of Saturn into a sign seems, invariably, to bring to light that which has always been obvious, but barely observed.

Rude people suck. They are uncool. They hurt others.

Those who know me well, know one of my pet hates - and I do mean HATES - is incivility.

Politeness, courtesy, graciousness... in a word, CIVILITY, costs absolutely nothing. Yet with the frequency with which it's so often tossed to the side, you'd think it was the rarest, most ridiculously dear and arduous skill to acquire or cultivate.

Personally, my money's on Saturn in Libra making it very, very important to practice social graces, including gentility, over the next two-and-a-half years.

Or else.

Especially with that long-term square to ambitious Pluto in Capricorn. Want to harm your chances of getting ahead? Then continue to be an uncouth, ill-mannered boor.

The choice is yours.





The image above was taken from this site.

What's a ninth guy like you doing...?

Greetings all.

I've been gone from this blog a long time. A long time. And for those who were interested readers, I apologise both for the hiatus and for disappointing you in terms of keeping up. Much has happened in the interim, and this is an attempt to zippily catch you up on what's going on in my life right now.

For one thing, I survived June, July and August 2009 in Cyprus.

While I love the intensity of the heat of summer on this island - it's pretty trippy walking down the street most times, it's THAT hot - I find the quiet, slow pace of life and the dearth of people (Nicosia, the capital where I live, becomes a ghost town in summer) very difficult to manage at times.

I suppose this is mostly because the intense heat, sluggish pace of life and reduced human contact turn me inward, when my natural inclination is to be on the go all the time and avoid those dark places in my mind, heart, soul.

However, the summer, for this very reason, is an optimal time for me to strip everything down to its bare bones, eat lightly and do lots of exercise and meditation. Which is precisely what I did.

The pain at my failed relationship is still with me. I've had spells when I haven't thought of the ex at all. Other times - such as this past October, when I returned to Cyprus after attending a short film festival in Tangier - I was overwhelmed with how much I missed her. Not to mention, last Friday, the ex before the current ex had her first baby. You'd have thought that her having been married for four years would have been enough for me to have moved on, but I guess some ties are very hard to sever.

Anyhoo, when I haven't been working on moving on from the detritus of my former romantic life, I have been learning and practising new spiritual techniques and forms of meditation, writing a screenplay for a new short and accepting clients for astrological readings.

Suffice it to say, I'm going to be posting much more regularly, recommitting to and re-investing in this blog, because I have a need to write and express myself very badly. I have a need to make contact with people and to unburden my mind and heart.

Consequently, there may be less polish, but I hope you'll bear with me, since writing to me has become much more important than cranking out the perfect post.

Oh yes, and in the meantime, I've stumbled on a new system of illumination - Human Design - which I think is amazing. You can google it for more information, but I'll be posting on that, as well as about my ongoing adventures in art, metaphysics and day-to-day human-ness (hopefully in the spirit of humane-ness, too).

On a completely unrelated note, how are we enjoying the transiting Saturn-Pluto square so far?

Saturn's currently in my second house (where natal Pluto in Libra lurks) and Pluto's in my Capricorn fifth. Selfworth-boosting income (Saturn in the second) that I can then focusedly plug into my filmmaking (Pluto in the fifth) is definitely proving a toughie to pull. Even more challenging with this particular transit, is moving beyond the fear/angst in trying to earn a decent income before daring to think about romance again.

So there you have it for the time being. More to come soon!