Working with Jupiter (5) How and Where We Look For Rewards

Jupiter & How We Expect the Rewards
In astrology Jupiter represents our capacity to expect and believe in the future reward. Hence aspects to this planet, or its retrogradation, tend to affect the level and quality of our mental outlook. Here are some examples:

• Mars - Jupiter aspect unites action with expectation for reward, resulting in motivated or aggressive pursuit of goal achievement. When out of balance, this could lead to overconfidence or overdoing for the sake of accomplishment.
  
• Saturn - Jupiter aspect demands realistic expectation and long lasting rewards. Here the mature, practical expectation often leads to tangible achievements, as long as one does not succumb to cynicism.
  
• Uranus - Jupiter aspect adds an element of intensity and individuality to the expectation of reward. There may be a passionate pursuit of unusual rewards, which could distinguish one from his/her peers.
  
• Neptune - Jupiter aspect may raise the expectation for reward to an unrealistic degree, creating dangers of escapism or disillusionment. The challenge here is to seek the reward that would keep satisfying your highest ideals, while keeping your life in balance (and sobriety.)
• Pluto - Jupiter aspect may suggest the power to expect and believe in large scale rewards, as well as seeking the reward while going into the underworld of hidden or forbidden matters.
• Jupiter retrograde may have difficulty showing enthusiasm or positive expectation - in such cases we may need to ask ourselves where we've succumbed to chronic negative expectations.

As Jupiter represents our power to believe, if we find that we're less than optimistic, chances are that our belief is dedicated to some kind of limitation (I can't do this because it's always been this way) or negative consequences (I'd hate to rock the boat, etc.) Rest of the horoscope may show where such limiting expectation has been learned.

Where We Seek the Rewards
Life coaches and therapists will attest that these beliefs can definitely be changed, and more positive outlook can be acquired. Astrology may be able to provide an additional resource, through giving us an insight where we may be seeking our reward.

For example my Jupiter is in 3rd house of communication while ruling the 10th of career, so we can say a lot of my expectation is tied to these two areas. In addition I have planets contacting the Jupiter with quindecile aspect from 8th and 9th house, which also suggest strong drive to seek the rewards through alternative healing, internationalism, writing and spirituality.

If you relate strongly to your natal Jupiter placement and how/where you seek your reward, please feel free to share through email or comments.

Moon and Experience of Early Emotional Bonding

The Primal Mother-Child Bond
Moon in a horoscope represents the quality of initial bonding that takes place between a mother and her baby - arguably, it is the deepest and most passionate link we will ever form with the outer world, as our life - being a newborn - literally depends on the strength and endurance of this bond.

Every connection that comes after this initial bonding will be defined in comparison to that first relationship, albeit subconsciously: we tend to expect the same type/strength of emotional expression, as well as wanting to maintain the same length and depth of affectionate communication we enjoyed with our mother.

(Some examples: How often and how long did your mother hold you in her arms and spoke to you lovingly before turning her attention to something else? If your mother had mood swings or fits of temper, how many good days were you able to have with her before she lost it? How many bad days? If your parents fought a lot, how many good days were you able to have before a fight?)

As children we cannot choose what we will bond with - what if we see in our mother's eyes, instead of love and admiration, a resentment or lack of interest? We may have no choice but to bond with whatever level of hostility or disinterest we perceive in the environment, and to begin defining our world from that primal template (i.e. expecting certain level of anger or emotional disconnection as the norm in relationships.)

This may explain why some people need more "space" than others in relationships or some couples fight more often than others. Often an ethnic culture carries its own relational template, which is passed down from generations - thus giving some culture a reputation for being passionate, while giving others a reputation for being restrained*.

Moon in Your Natal Horoscope - The Quality of Early Bonding
While the entire horoscope must be studied to assess the quality of the early bonding experience, the sign, house and aspect placement of the natal Moon offer some clues. I'll list a few key measurements that stand out in analysis:

• Moon in Fire Sign and/or Mars-Moon aspect will increase the need for independence and ego gratification. The question is, how did this come about? Was there a great deal of time spent alone, or a special reward given for exceptional performance?
  
• Moon in Air Sign, and/or Moon - Mercury or Venus aspect will accelerate the urge to connect and communicate with the environment. What factors facilitated communication in the early environment? Were there siblings that acted as continuous friends? Was the communication around you positive?
• Moon in Earth Sign and/or Saturn aspect will increase practical orientation. How did the environment make you aware of the real world issues around you? What caused you to grow up so early?
  
• Moon in Water Sign and/or Neptune increases emotional sensitivity and introversion. How sensitive were your parents? What caused you to hurt, and to be afraid of being hurt?
• Moon - Jupiter aspect will increase expectations for reward. How were you rewarded as a child, and how does it influence your motivation today? What was your mother hoping for in life?
• Moon - Uranus aspect will increase the intensity of the above expressions, as well as adding further element of individuality - What disrupted the flow of mother-child bonding? How can you come back to center?
• Moon - Pluto aspect will increase emotional power, intensity and weight. How powerful was the mother, and how was the power used in relation to the child?

Conclusion
These are small examples of how we may approach the question of early life bonding experience. What I find is that, even in adult life, a challenging relationship situation tends to evoke an emotional experience that is similar to that of my early childhood (e.g. fear of abandonment, or insecurity about self) - it is as if the universe brings up these emotions in order for me to heal them properly.

If you have your own story about a mother-child bonding that is reflected within your horoscope, please feel free to share through emails or comments.


*note that Asian culture in general are more restrained in emotional expression, as the shame-based value system is passed down from generations. In Japanese art forms (such as haiku, noh or sumie), rather than do away with this restraint, they try to work within it by mastering the art of expressing more emotions while saying less.

Traveling to Japan Between Nov 3rd - 17th (Taking Reader Requests & Questions)

This is a quick note to let you know that I will be visiting my family in Japan from November 3rd - 17th. I'll be finishing the last consultation on Monday the 2nd, and will be available again after the 18th.

I'm looking forward to seeing the beautiful autumn leaves, and hope to take lots of photos.

In general I have more time to think, meditate and write during travel, so if you have requests or questions about a certain astrological topic, please feel free to send me an email or post a comment, and I will be happy to write about it and post the reply when I get home. Thanks so much for reading & enjoying the blog!

Solar Return and the Intent for the Next Year

Birthday is a terrific time to appreciate the development of the past year and look forward to a new cycle of growth. As the Sun returns to its natal position each year, it shines light on our core life intent and makes it easier for us to live from our center (i.e. the place of rest, peace, power and authenticity). Many people consult their astrologers around their birthdays for this very reason.

Today is my Solar return, and I wanted to meditate a bit on the core life intent represented by my natal Sun:

Sun's Sign & House Placement
My Scorpio Sun in the 8th house suggests that one of my core life intent is to heal and integrate a wide range of human emotions, from the deepest feelings of anger, fear and shame to the height of joy, unity and compassion. The 8th house association with "matters of death" in this case also suggests a process of ego transformation, which is basically dying to your old self again and again.

Position of Sun's ruler: Pluto
The position of the Sun's ruler may also illuminate where the core focus of life will be. Scorpio Sun's ruler is Pluto, and in my case Pluto is found in the 7th house of relationships with others. This has varied implications, from whom I will forge lasting significant relationships (people with deep insights and emotional intensity) to what will catalyze my transformation.

The "T" Word Is...
Transformation is a euphemism for the intense emotional process that involves many unpleasantness (for me, at least.) Typically you don't "transform" when everything is going great in your work, relationship and family - so universe sends you challenges. Repeatedly. Until you get it.

Recently the challenge that has been coming up for me was how to let go of needing people's approvals in order to feel okay. A situation has come up where I felt attacked and disapproved by others, which really bothered me for days.

To come back to my center, I had to let go of my pride again and again, which definitely felt like dying - but otherwise I couldn't function in compassion. I'm learning that forgiveness is a gift not for others but myself, and that my pride has to die in order for me to give this gift to myself.

Operating From the Center : Intent for the Next Year
For centering, meditation helps, and so does contemplative physical exercise. I started the morning with some tai chi and meditation, and I feel more centered than I have in days. For today, my practice will be to operate my whole day from this restful place. For this year, my intent will be to keep discovering what takes me away from the center, and to keep letting go of my old emotional wounds as they surface, so more of my inner light can come forth.

If you recently had your birthday or are expecting one soon, what does your Sun's (and its ruler's) placement suggest your core life intent is? What can you do this year to live more from that intent? Please feel free to share through email or comments.

Working with Jupiter (4): Success, Intention and Growth

(photo source: reuters.com)
Success is a New Beginning
Jupiter is frequently associated with success and reward. In Disney movies success comes at the end of the story, and people live happily ever after. In actual life, success almost always is a beginning of a new journey.

Famous Examples of Success & Reward During Jupiter Transit
Jupiter's orbit is 12 years, so the "planet of reward" touches the sensitive spots in your horoscope once every 12 years*. While not all Jupiter transit will coincide with breakthroughs and huge success, here are some well known examples:

1) Last week President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, surprising pretty much everybody. Transiting Jupiter conjoined his Ascendant exactly within 1 degree orb. (link to chart)

2) When Oprah Winfrey first began hosting a low-rated morning show called AM Chicago, transiting Jupiter was about to conjoin her Ascendant. Within a matter of months, AM Chicago became the number one rated morning show in America, and later was renamed Oprah Winfrey show.

3) Pope John Paul II was unexpectedly elected to be Pope on October 16, 1978. Transiting Jupiter was exactly conjunct his Midheaven.

4) Pamela Anderson was accidentally discovered during the Summer of 1989. Within a few months she was selected as the cover model for October 1989 issue of Playboy magazine. Transiting Jupiter was conjunct her Ascendant in June '89, and then went on to conjoin her Sun in September of '89.

Jupiter's Reward as the Bridge to Future
In all of these cases the reward or "success" that coincided with the Jupiter transit was a beginning of a new career or a new phase of responsibility. In the case of Obama's award of the Nobel Peace Prize, almost everyone - including the President himself - saw the prize as a "call to action" in the upcoming future, rather than the reward of past achievements.

Intention and Growth: How to Work with Jupiter Transits
Whenever Jupiter crosses an Angle (especially Ascendant and Midheaven) or the Sun in your natal chart, we can consider that period as a peak in its 12 year journey**. While the precise interpretation of the transit varies with each birth chart and other measurements, this is a good time to ask yourself "What new path is opening before me? What do I want the next 12 years to look like? Looking back at the past 12 years, what old habits and thought patterns can I leave behind?"

Asking ourselves these questions during a major Jupiter transit will help us respond positively to the opportunities and reward that are present at these times. By setting our intention for future growth at this time, we may well be sowing a seed at precisely the right time, which will result in our reaping the desired fruits at the appointed time in future.

If you have upcoming (or recently occurred) Jupiter transit to an Angle or the Sun, please feel free to share your experience and intention for your next 12 year journey. I will share mine when Jupiter transits my Pisces Ascendant next Spring.


*In the case of retrograde motion, Jupiter may contact a particular spot a few times over the span of several months.

**So you can see that there are several peaks and valleys within the journey, and their sequence differs with each horoscope, creating a unique landscape over the field of time.


Related posts: More "Working with Jupiter" posts from the past.