“I am painting pictures which make me die for joy, I am creating with an absolute naturalness, without the slightest aesthetic concern, I am making things that inspire me with a profound emotion and I am trying to paint them honestly.” — Salvador Dalí, in Dawn Ades, Dalí and Surrealism.

—

Today, Venus and Mars conjunct in Libra at exactly 9:06 PM in NYC, on Sep. 12 at 2:06 AM in the UK and 12:06 PM in Australia. At this time they are in a close conjunction to Mercury and the triple conjunction is approaching a trine to Chiron and Neptune.

As triple conjunction suggests, we are in the midst of powerful conversations surrounding emotional and financial issues. As Venus and Mars conjunct in Libra tonight relationships are heating up and can be given new life if we so choose. This is a picture of passion, love, new financial beginnings and a merging of equals in an effort to bring harmony, balance creativity into the world and our personal lives. With Mercury in the mix this is opening up the floor for communication.

Libra is the sign that rules the 7th house of the zodiac, the house opposite the 1st house of “self” Aries. This is the house that rules marriage and where we encounter our “equal” and opposite partner. One who shows us reality from the opposite view point of our own. Libra teaches us the prinicipals of balance and compromise in relationships for harmony. To activate the 7th house, Descendant and engage in mutually fulfilling relationships, we need to drop the act of the Ascendant or “self.

Given the astrology I know it can’t just be me, but things have been rather surreal lately — so I decided to really get into it. I’d been meaning to see this exhibit at the Moma for a while and the current aspects were the perfect backdrop to lose myself in the provocative surrealism of Salvador Dali.

All I kept saying to myself over and over in my head as I was staring at his work was — this man was absolutely fucking brilliant. I found myself totally humbled and in complete awe (along with a bit of envy) of his genius. His precision in his painting is astonishing, every brush stroke is intentional. It was his way of bringing order to the surrealism. He saw life as the illusion and figment of imagination it is– depending on who’s looking at it.

As I began to dissolve into his world, the images of triple conjunction came through strong and loud. A prominent theme in his work is ants decaying often around the mouth and the head showing the futility and duality of the mind — it’s ability to dissect and bring decay to our natural born passion and raw, primal sexual nature.

“Rhapsodic moderne (Les Sept Arts)” — depicting a nude woman taller the the blazing-maned giraffes in the background (his amazing play on proportion) fighting off yet hopelessly entwined with the phone receivers from a menacing looking one-eyed phone booth; a beam of light shooting out of the eye putting her in the spotlight.

They say we can find the mysteries of the universe contained in everything and anything, even a grain of sand, if we are willing to be completely open and receptive. True art is such, where the boundaries between the creator and viewer dissolve and the two worlds become one in the infinite pool of creation. The sheer intensity of this painting is too much for me to put into finite words and is better left for you to experience so I’m posting an image I found online.

But we could look at its aspect of toxic communication in our current relationships, that we can’t live with or without and find a way to change it. The moment is ripe for starting new patterns in relationships as we start this new Venus-Mars cycle. Look at what needs to change, be willing to be honest about it with your partner and then do it together, he or she is listening; just remember to make sure to give them the same space. This is all about equality, with the planets sextiling Juno in Sagittarius honesty, acceptance and freedom of expression can take us far. Also poignantly today Juno conjuncts Quaoar drumming up a strong message of creating new patterns with relationships, especially given the powerful Mars-Venus contacts at this time.

Another one that drew me in with its message was “La main (Les remords de conscience).” In it the image of a man in his old age with his massive hand stretching forward seeking, haunted by the memory of a woman. Blood on his face as he sits high in his experience and wisdom unable to change the past. Perhaps he is now ready to open his arms to the future but who knows if the future will grant him the opportunity again. Remords de conscience in French means having second thoughts, remorse. In it I see the fragility of the human hours and the illusion of time and timelessness of life and the only moment we have is now.

If you love someone its time to tell them and then follow up on it. I mean really really show it to them, this is about actions more than just words. But don’t discount the importance of words, for regret is possibly the worst things you would want to face. Non-communication is as much an issue as mis-communication and clarity is the only way. Sometimes we may feel all the right things but somehow have not really spoken them or haven’t been able to. Use Mercury to become a tool for expression rather than one of duality and decaying thought patterns.

As the planets trine Chiron (leading to the Full Moon conjunct Uranus) this can be a profoundly creative and sexually healing aspect if we are willing to “let go” and “go there.” It can be a scary thing intimacy, to allow a person in so deep that they become your greatest strength and weakness. This is also true of any art, the fear of being judged for something that you have put your heart and soul into. But indeed this is where we learn to begin dissolve the ego, in the 7th house of Libra. The second half of the zodiac where we interact with people outside of ourselves is where we begin to grow as individuals. Unless we are willing to open up we are likely going to still continue to be caught in the same ring of insanity.

When I saw the “Invisible Man” it was actually quite funny, because I saw the painting before I looked at the little plaque on the side that gave the context of the painting. As I stared at this painting — I saw all this crazy stuff happening with an invisible man in the middle of it all and I thought to myself: ‘perhaps this is about how one needs to be in the world invisible and untouched by the darkness that exists. But turns out it was Dali’s expression of a man with paranoia, exploring the delusions of his mind’s ability to conjure a world of vivid, darkness that the person lives in.

I guess it proved his point because it was my mind projecting the way I try to see the world. I know there is beauty even in the darkness; where it sometimes hides, waiting for the gentle light to catch it. Maya seems to be the running theme these days. Within our relationships with Mercury now right beside Mars and Venus the only thing that can trip us up is our perception or assumption of a situation rather an honest conversation that needs to happen. We can create now what we wish for, its almost as simple as that. It just has to be done in a spirit of co-operation and fullness of being.

There is an incredibly benign sky for all that seems so uncertain and shaky. We are now leading upto the Pisces Full Moon that takes place overnight Sunday — early hours of Monday Sep. 15 in the US and during the day on Monday in UK and Australia. This is a time to break free of inner emotional boundaries which can be as scary as it is exhilarating but the important thing is we trust.

In Libra we are learning that relationships like life, are a fine balance and we can’t do it alone. We need each other to grow and be mirrors for our growth. Let go of defenses of the mind and reach into the raw passion screaming for attention. Neptune and Chiron are asking us to answer the higher calling and soul purpose which brings us together in our relationships. Mars and Venus are about unleashing love, desire, sexuality, creativity, birthing and manifesting all that already is into being.

I will be back on Saturday with the Pisces Full Moon report so catch you then. I hope you have a fabulous weekend and let the love flood in…

With love,

Priya

p.s.

In case you were wondering and hadn’t guessed from the quote above, Dali was a Taurus. And the beauty in the picture is Juno.

p.p.s

On another note, I intentionally left out a mention of 9-11 here today. I was here in New York when it happened. It was a deeply difficult time for me personally as it was for everyone in the world. I don’t think there is a person alive who will forget that day. But in the spirit of Dali and the “Persistence of Memory” I think it’s time we learn the lessons, say a prayer and let go…

== Aspects courtesy www.serennu.com

Thursday 11 September 2008

02:25:35 UT – Venus (14 li 4’47”) sextile Great Attractor (14 sa 4’47”)
03:30:07 UT – Elatus (21 le 32’47”) trine Eris (21 ar 32’47” Rx)
04:59:34 UT – Juno (16 sa 57’47”) conjunct Quaoar (16 sa 57’47”)
10:54:56 UT – Echeclus (2 sc 3’30”) trine Teharonhiawako (2 pi 3’30” Rx)
11:55:35 UT – Chiron (17 aq 0’41” Rx) sextile Juno (17 sa 0’41”)
15:35:34 UT – Waxing Gibbous Moon – Sun (19 vi 15’54”) sesquiquadrate Moon (4 aq 15’54”)

Friday 12 September 2008

02:05:54 UT – Venus (15 li 17’13”) conjunct Mars (15 li 17’13”)
03:52:30 UT – Venus (15 li 22’39”) conjunct Rhadamanthus (15 li 22’39”)
04:13:39 UT – Chaos stations retrograde (11 ge 13’51”)
05:17:19 UT – Sun (19 vi 49’12”) conjunct Okyrhoe (19 vi 49’12”)
05:28:31 UT – Mars (15 li 22’45”) conjunct Rhadamanthus (15 li 22’45”)
06:11:26 UT – Orcus enters Virgo (direct)
12:06:55 UT – Makemake (24 vi 10’9″) conjunct Eros (24 vi 10’9″)
12:30:37 UT – Chiron (16 aq 58’10” Rx) sextile Quaoar (16 sa 58’10”)
16:31:51 UT – Mercury (16 li 57’46”) trine Chiron (16 aq 57’46” Rx)
16:44:19 UT – Mercury (16 li 58’13”) sextile Quaoar (16 sa 58’13”)
17:08:33 UT – Amycus (20 sc 25’33”) trine Varuna (20 cn 25’33”)
20:16:52 UT – Sun (20 vi 25’40”) sextile Varuna (20 cn 25’40”)
20:23:48 UT – Sun (20 vi 25’57”) sextile Amycus (20 sc 25’57”)

Saturday 13 September 2008

01:04:08 UT – Mercury (17 li 16’34”) sextile Juno (17 sa 16’34”)
01:21:09 UT – Occultation of Neptune by the Moon (22 aq 6’32”)
02:21:27 UT – Sun (20 vi 40’27”) opposite Uranus (20 pi 40’27” Rx)
10:22:41 UT – Venus (16 li 55’58”) trine Chiron (16 aq 55’58” Rx)
11:11:48 UT – Venus (16 li 58’28”) sextile Quaoar (16 sa 58’28”)
18:02:22 UT – Sun (21 vi 18’36”) conjunct Logos (21 vi 18’36”)
18:39:36 UT – Sun (21 vi 20’7″) trine Sedna (21 ta 20’7″ Rx)
19:48:21 UT – Venus (17 li 24’48”) sextile Juno (17 sa 24’48”)

Sunday 14 September 2008

02:41:27 UT – Eros (25 vi 33’42”) trine Thereus (25 ta 33’42” Rx)
05:30:22 UT – Pallas (13 ge 48’12”) opposite Crantor (13 sa 48’12”)
12:38:24 UT – Mars (16 li 53’21”) trine Chiron (16 aq 53’21” Rx)
13:53:52 UT – Logos (21 vi 19’55”) trine Sedna (21 ta 19’55” Rx)
15:59:31 UT – Mars (16 li 58’52”) sextile Quaoar (16 sa 58’52”)
21:20:50 UT – Asbolus (8 ta 9’56” Rx) opposite Chariklo (8 sc 9’56”)