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Mars and Jupiter in Aries Have Arrived

By Daniel Giamario

FACEBOOK MAY 23, 2022

The upcoming alignment of Mars with Jupiter on May 29th at 3Aries19 is quite possibly of equal significance to the recent alignment of Venus with Jupiter at 27Pisces57.  There are, however, several really important presaging events over these next few days.

On Tuesday May 24th at 2:33PM PDT, the Moon conjuncts Mars.  The conjunction is at 29Pisces56.  Tuesday and Wednesday mornings in the Americas will find a waning crescent Moon close to Mars.  In my view, this initiates an entire lunation amplifying the journey of Mars, which, except for less than two hours, takes place entirely in Aries.  The morning sky remains an amazing spectacle, as first Saturn, then Jupiter and Venus are also having the Moon’s waning crescent pay a visit.  Do notice how closely Mars has drawn to Jupiter.

Shortly after, on Tuesday, at 4:17PM PDT, Mars will enter Aries.  Mars last entered Aries back on June 27, 2020 as Phase Zero of our current Mars in Aries over-story.  When Mars reached opposition to the Sun on Oct.13, 2020, the Phase One birth/emergence journey of Mars commenced.  Now, about 20 months later, Mars is back in Aries once again.  This is a major transition into the final phase of this Aries over-story, known as “maturity and elder knowledge”.  This phase extends to Aug.22, 2022 when Mars enters Gemini, which will be the sign of the next Mars synodic over-story, commencing December 7, 2022.  You can learn more about this cycle here: https://shamanicastrology.com/2022-mars-venus-conjunctions-webinar

Jupiter entered Aries on May 10th.  Known as the “year star”, this passage through Aries occurs every twelve years.  Whatever Jupiter aligns with is expanded and amplified.  Chiron and Venus are also currently in Aries.  You can see why I am pointing out the Aries emphasis.

The Mars synodic over-story is rather rare; previous ones were 1988 and 1941.  Mars, itself, is in Aries about every two years.  Venus is in Aries every year; Jupiter is in Aries every twelve years; and Chiron in Aries is in a fifty year cycle.  Mars joins Jupiter every 11-15 months.  All are converging in Aries, with the Mars conjunction with Jupiter as the great amplifier.

The suggested meaning involves a deep inquiry into Mars and Aries, and what they have symbolized historically and traditionally.  What would Mars in Aries be if not seen through a patriarchal lens?  Can it represent something other than war and aggression?  What would elder knowledge and wisdom be for Mars in Aries?  There is no doubt that the current global situation is fraught with danger, with all things Mars and Aries heating up.  As Shamanic Astrologers I suggest we envision a post patriarchal view in these times.  For both men and women, let’s imagine a new version of warrior, a warrior for peace, who holds a strong commitment to protect the Earth, and all life; to be a protector of global humanity, its families, the children, and the diversity of culture, and even as defender of the cosmic order and the Law of One.  We offer a prayer that the elder wisdom and maturity phase for Mars can see beyond war and domination, and beyond a world of dualistic black/white and good guys and bad guys.  Much is at stake at this time of the Great Turning.

 

Out of Bounds Moons and Some Sad News

FACEBOOK   MAY 17, 2022

By Daniel Giamario

The recent passing of Callanish and Lunar Standstill maven, Margaret Curtis, one of my most important teachers, has inspired me to write this post.  I will write more about her, in memoriam, over the next days.

As the Lunar Standstill season approaches, it’s a good time to be alert to the phenomena of extreme out-of-bounds moons (OOB), as they go hand in hand with Lunar Standstills.  The Major Lunar Standstill (which our school calls the more evocative “Outer Standstill”) occurs approximately every 19 years.  The North Node reaching 0Aries sets the midpoint of an Outer Standstill season.  This will next occur on Jan.11, 2025.  At that time the Moon, when found near the Solstice degrees, can reach as far as 28degrees distance from the celestial equator.  Whenever the declination of the Moon is more than the obliquity of the ecliptic of 23degrees26, North or South, it has been recognized by astrologers as an OOB Moon.  As the Outer Standstill season approaches each 19 years, the distance from the ecliptic keeps increasing.  This phenomenon has become quite noticeable this year.  This week, with the Moon in late Sagittarius and mid Capricorn, the declination of the moon reaches nearly 27 degrees South Latitude.  These are extreme OOB moons.  To illustrate:

Tuesday May 17         8:00PM PDT    Moon is 24Sagittarius22   Declination is 26South06

Wednesday May 18   8:00PM PDT    Moon is 9Capricorn17       Declination is 26South57

Thursday May 19        8:00PM PDT    Moon is 24Capricorn00     Declination is 25South52

These are very OOB!  But what does it mean?  To get a sense of the full ramifications of the OOB Moon, it requires some understanding of the Standstill phenomena as it relates to the experience of land and sky at ceremonial sites as has been recognized for as long as 50,000 years.  That requires a further elaboration beyond the scope of a FaceBook post.  I will be having video blogs and seminars on this important topic in the months leading up to 2024-2025.

My sense is that having an OOB Moon two and a half degrees beyond the ecliptic, which can only happen with the Moon near the Solstices, namely late Sagittarius/Capricorn and Gemini/Cancer, is definitely an OOB signature to be reckoned with.  Also keep in mind that this can only happen near the Standstill seasons, in the few years surrounding the Lunar Node at 0Aries; most recently: June 2006, December 1987, February 1969, July 1950, December 1931 etc.  In short the signature is one of eccentricity and deviation from the norm.  It often includes a strong aversion to conformity and a refusal to be easily assimilated.  Maverick and strong individuality are strong features.  There will not be too many people with this OOB Moon signature.  Think also of having Mercury retrograde, and adding other things, like also having RH- blood and being left-handed!

On a collective level, I consider the awareness of these extreme OOB Moon dates (two time periods each month) to be even more important than planetary retrogrades or void-of-course time-frames.  Use the suggested interpretations for individuals with the signature, and apply it to world events.  Take notice.

Latest Book Recommendation: The Dawn of Everything

RAMBLINGS, REFLECTIONS and RUMINATIONS

MAY FULL MOON 2022 with Daniel Giamario

I recently have had the opportunity to read the book: “The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity” by David Graeber and David Wengrow.  I have been waiting for a book like this for quite a long time.  Not only does it corroborate and expand my world view of humanity’s actual history, but has seeded a brand new application that uses the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm ™.  For many years I have researched the convergence of many time-lines and cosmic cycles at this time of the Turning of the Ages.  In addition, I have delved into alternative interpretations of history that differ from those presented by mainstream academicians and supporters of the peer-reviewed and tenured consensus.  My research, including journeys to many sacred sites around the world, has provided much opportunity to expand my curiosity and understanding.  This area of interest falls under one of my essential life inquiries, namely: “Who are We?  And What the Hell Happened?”

Before delving into the radical and incredibly stimulating views of this book, I will summarize here my critique of the current situation and predicament of global humanity at the end of Kali Yuga(Note Two) and the end and beginning of an entire precessional cycle.  These are the signs and symptoms of what is assumed to be “progress”.

  • Hierarchical Patriarchy, and an inevitable class structure.
  • Patrilineal Family Structure
  • Fundamentalist Monotheism
  • Dominion over Nature
  • Materialism and Scientism, and the belief in linear “progress”
  • Abstract and written language, recorded history, and loss of oral history
  • The inevitable rise of the State

Each of these points could be elaborated on in depth, many of which I have done in previous articles and seminars.  “The Dawn of Everything” explores why and how we got here, and whether, indeed, it was inevitable.  The authors think not.  I will attempt here to summarize their main points.  It could be said that their main theme is asking “What is Freedom?”  Deeply woven throughout the book is also the question: “What is Civilization?”  The authors use anthropology and archeology to explore these questions.  In this book they demolish the mainstream consensus, and present evidence very much in harmony with the research and understanding that I have developed over the years.

The authors, from their global and cross-cultural research, explore the concepts of freedom and social liberty.  They explore the great explosion of research and discoveries just in the last thirty years that are contrary to the established consensus that is still taught in schools, and promoted by best-selling authors, like Diamond and Harari.  Graeber and Wengrow look objectively at the last 30,000 years and see quite a different story.  They locate the three most often seen ingredients found in society and culture prior to “Western” civilization.

  • The Freedom to move away or re-locate from one’s surroundings.
  • The Freedom to ignore or disobey commands issued by others.
  • The Freedom to shape entirely new social realities, or shift back and forth between different ones.

They then explore extensively the rise of the state and of hierarchy, and question if it’s inevitable as part of a necessary evolution.  They noticed that the creation of the state and empire, and its hierarchies as happening due to three main ingredients:

  • Sovereignty and the means to enforce it manifesting as types of domination grounded variously on the use of violence and secret or higher knowledge.
  • Bureaucracy for its implementation.
  • A Competitive political field, based on charisma, competition and violence.

A state can arise with only one of these present, termed a “First-Order State”, but “Second” or “Third Order States” arise with two or three of these ingredients present.  The authors give many examples throughout the past of all three.  It sure seems to me that the push for a technocratic global super-state ruled by corporate, scientific and military elites is a Third-Order State.

A great portion of the book details the many examples throughout history of cultures and societies that chose to NOT have any of the above features.  And more often than not they emphasized the three different ingredients of social liberty.  Often it looked like conscious choices were made to NOT go in any of those versions of the state.  Surely geography and climate entered into the decision making processes, but even more so were the conscious decisions to choose the way of life that they desired.  Not only were the rise of states and hierarchy not evolutionary or inevitable, but neither was the inevitability of warfare and violence.  Graeber and Wengro also are sympathetic to the research and theories of Marja Gimbutas, defending her against the scorn leveled at her by the mainstream consensus.  The actual cross-cultural research favors her views on matrist and matrilineal cultures.  The authors often demonstrate that the state, hierarchy, and warfare follow on the heels of patriarchy.  Many examples are given.

What I have termed the mainstream consensus includes an allegiance to: 1) Humans have always been competitive and violent 2) Ancient humanity was primitive in a derogatory sense 3) increased population must result in hierarchy 4) the state is evolutionary in an inevitable and progressive sense 5) Patriarchy is inevitable and evolutionary 6) progress is linear rather than cyclical.  More could be added here, of course.  These are all things I have argued against, and I could not be more pleased with this book!  All 669 pages!  My views are always evolving as new research is uncovered and more voices can be raided against the consensus.  But I remain convinced that global humanity in its 300,000 years of history has considerably more often been a collaborative and cooperative species, with limited warfare, and great equality between men and women, known as gylany.  The great contribution of this book is to show that global humanity’s current situation is NOT inevitable or evolutionary.  I have made the case that it’s more of a cyclical devolution, and as Robert Lawlor argues, that patriarchy, materialism and warfare can only become dominant in a devolution time.  Instead, global humanity has often consciously and intelligently made choices that greatly differ from the Third-Order “civilization” that we find ourselves in.  I hope we can wake up to see that we can choose differently and create a world of freedom, with multiple choices of how we can create our societies.

Whilst there is no astrology in this book, it greatly activated my imagination in perceiving a new application for our astrological paradigm.  A foundational element holds that not all people are the same.  All men are not the same.  All women are not the same.  Not everyone should be Vegan.  Not everyone should eat meat.  Not everyone should be monogamous or married.  Not all women should have kids.  Not everyone needs to be Christian.  Not everyone should be compelled to use the latest technology, etc.  Shamanic Astrology is archetype driven and we honor and support all places on the wheel of life.  Should not this also include having the freedom to live in a society in accordance with our archetypes, chosen in freedom?  Just as the ancient ones created a great diversity of cultural systems, shouldn’t we also have that intelligence and freedom to do the same?

I am envisioning as a creative process seeing how each of the twelve Mystery Schools of Life would envision how their society and civilization would look.  Let’s all create those visions together and help create a planet where all those places on the wheel have the freedom to be their chosen direction.  Stay tuned for more developments.

NOTE #1   David Graeber died just weeks after completing this book at the age of 59, near the end of 2020.  Graeber was a major player in the Occupy Wall Street movement and is said to have coined the phrase we are the 99%.  It is sad to not be able to see what his next creation would have been.

NOTE # 2   About the Kali Yuga, ending in 2025.

“The Vishnu Pranas, a mythological text of the Hindus, described it this way:

“Kali brought sin into the world.  In the Kali Age the proper order of human relations is reversed; social status depends upon the ownership of property; wealth has become the only source of virtue; passion and luxury are the sole bonds between spouses; falsity and lying are the conditions of success in life; sexuality is the sole source of human enjoyment; religion, a superficial and empty ritual, is confused with spirituality”

NOTE # 3

I also recommend the excellent books of Robert Lawlor, in particular: “Voices of the First Day” and “Earth God Ascending”.

Learning Astrology Takes Time

By Sheridan Semple

It takes time to learn astrology. The undertaking cannot be rushed. No matter how hard we try, or how much time we devote to the task, mastering astrology requires time, lots of time… years of time. Give yourself space and allow the journey to unfold. Mindfully walk the path of initiation into the mysteries of the Sky and Earth. Be patient and let the Universe unveil itself to you.

Add to this, that we’re all mostly starting from a place of being completely disconnected. We didn’t learn any of this in school. Our elders didn’t have this knowledge to share with us. Society, our families, teachers, friends, barely any of us live in union with our ancestral roots, who lived and breathed their communion with nature. We are starting from infant-like scratch. Give yourself a break if it is coming slowly. Allow the mysteries to permeate your soul one drop at time, in your own time and no one else’s.

This massive undertaking of learning astrology is a marathon, not a sprint.

Astrology is a complex, infinite body of knowledge. Let’s be honest, we can never learn it all. Let’s pat ourselves on the back for even trying. It’s easy to compare our knowledge to others who have been on this path for decades. It’s also surprisingly easy to shame ourselves for what we don’t know rather than priding ourselves on how much we’ve learned.

As our founder Daniel Giamario says, “Astrology is the highest of the lowest mysteries.” Following that logic our next steps would be fully grasping grace or love (examples of the higher mysteries). We aren’t “should”-ing ourselves over our lack of expertise with these two, right? Why the harsh self-judgement if astrology is taking its own sweet time perfusing our consciousness?

Perhaps, you aren’t comparing yourself to others with more knowledge, but geez I sure have. Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’ll never really get it all. Or, what’s wrong with me that I don’t know everything yet? Jeepers, yes, it is hard inside of me sometimes. My Virgo Moon wants to understand the entire pattern – right now. Then, I got to thinking, I’ll bet I’m not the only one doing this. I am finally accepting astrology is just a really, really, deep, deep topic.

We’re talking about the movements and energies of the cosmos themselves.

Of course, it’s going to take a really long time to feel like we’ve got this stuff in our cells, in our DNA. The cool part is, is that it really is in our DNA, we just have to remember.

Take all these major transits going on right now. We’re in the midst of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. The Lunar Eclipse is here with the Full Moon, closing out this massive eclipse window. Mercury just went retrograde. If any of this is pressing into your natal chart then you’re probably feeling the juice. I am! I find there can be a pressure to milk the most out of this cosmic cow, but geez how do we do that?

A fellow student of Shamanic Astrology, Greg Knell, recently said to me, we’re going to understand these cycles with hindsight. (I’m paraphrasing as he said it much more eloquently.) His words really stuck with me. I realized in that instant, heck I don’t have to get it all right now. I’ll get it in the future.

The most important thing I can do right now, is 1. acknowledge the cycles occurring, 2. honor them with ceremony and 3. be present. That last one is a doozy, but it is always the most important. If we can simply (but difficultly) be present, then we are going to be able to follow where the energy is leading us, whether we get it now or not. In the future, with our 20/20 hindsight we’ll be able to connect the dots. Being present is challenging, but it truly is simple and requires no intellectual thought or knowledge. That takes the pressure off. And, we have Mercury retrograde helping us with this!

I’m learning to trust in my timing, rather than forcing a “should-shaming” timing.

I should know more. I should have a deeper understanding. I should study more. I should practice more. I should… should… should. Phew, that word is exhausting… and toxic. Trust in your unique timing. You’re being initiated into the great mysteries of life.

If this week you only want to watch the Hallmark Channel and let your mind rest, trust yourself. Soon enough you’ll want intellectual stimulation again. You’ll be better off for the resting. In our world of data overloading, endless schooling at our keyboard fingertips, and social media comparisons of our insides to everyone else’s outsides, we really need to learn to give ourselves a break, turnoff, and trust in our own timing.

Studying astrology is bringing back long hidden mysteries, where even our tried-and-true guides are ultimately stumbling around in the Kali Yuga darkness with us. They may be farther along in some respects, but we’re all just trying to expand and open our hearts as lines of communication again. In my mind, if we spend a nanosecond in our hearts, we deserve a Macy’s Day Parade.

Trust yourself and be present.

Know you are being initiated into the deepest mysteries of the cosmos and life itself. It’s ok it if takes decades and even a lifetime. You be you and I’ll be me. Together we’ll get to exactly what we came here to be. Blessings on your learning journey!

Jupiter Enters Aries and More – May 9th, 2022

FACEBOOK MAY 9, 2022

By Daniel Giamario

On Tuesday May 10th at 4:22PM PDT, Jupiter will enter Aries.  This is just an initial thrust into Aries, lasting until October 27, 2022, when Jupiter retrogrades back the last few degrees of Pisces.  On December 20th, Jupiter returns to Aries, continuing there until May 16th, 2023.  This pattern is quite similar to 2010-2011 when Jupiter entered Aries June 10 until September 9th, 2010, then briefly retrograding back into the later degrees of Pisces, before a longer stretch in Aries from Jan.22nd-June 4th, 2011.

Much attention has been placed on the recent conjunction of Jupiter with Neptune in Pisces last month, seeding a period of 166 years.  However, in many ways, the events this May featuring the sign of Aries may be even more significant for this current year.  Venus has recently entered Aries (May 2nd).  Mars will soon enter Aries on May 24th, closely followed by the strong conjunction of Mars with Jupiter on May 29th at 3Aries19.  Mars into Aries is an important signpost in the 26 month synodic over-story of Mars.  This over-story just happens to be featuring the sign of Aries, the sign that Mars occupied at his opposition back in October 2020.  It was way back in March 19, 2020 when Mars last conjoined Jupiter (22 Capricorn), well before the current synod.  We can remember well what was happening in March of 2020!

Venus in Aries is a yearly event and Mars in Aries only happens every 2-3 years.  Jupiter in Aries happens about every 12 years.  All three (along with Saturn in Aquarius) remain in good view high up in the Morning Sky throughout May.  For over 2000 years Mars has been strongly associated with the sign of Aries.  Whatever Jupiter aligns with, it expands and amplifies, for good or ill.  What is at stake here?

Mars and Aries have been associated with war and masculinity for over 2000 years.  What we need to remember is that this represents a patriarchal view, and hopefully not their true essence.  Within the more recent understanding, the portents of these Aries placements can be quite foreboding, in light of current world events, as the United States hegemon seems hell bent on all out war.  May 9 has figured prominently in recent events related to the current Ukraine situation: May 9, 1945 was Germanys surrender in Moscow, and May 9, 1955 was when Germany entered NATO.  However, concepts like professional armies, domination, state-sponsored terror, and toxic masculinity are actually more recent developments when looking at the 300,000 years of Homo Sapiens on the planet.  As Shamanic Astrologers, our intention is to perceive Mars and Aries differently.  We can see both as protectors of the Earth, her people, and especially their culture, families and children.  Beyond even that, as protectors of the anima mundi (the world soul) and the cosmic order itself.  We can also conceive of an Aries (for both men and women) where men refuse to uphold toxic patriarchal masculinity, or where women do not consciously or unconsciously support it.

May the expansion and amplification provided by Jupiter achieve that better outcome, as there is much at stake for all of global humanity and the Earth herself.

For further information see the Aries Video Blog here