Posted by: Donna Cunningham | June 25, 2011

CONTEST—Suggest an Article Topic!

©6-25-11 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

 We’re only 4 days into summer, and I’m bored already. For someone with 4 planets in Gemini, that’s trouble! I’m a little tired of stelliums for the time being, and you probably are too. So here’s your chance to suggest some new topics, Readers. The 3 best suggestions will win their choice of one of my ebooks.  

A tip for newcomers to this blog: it would be a waste of time to suggest:

  • Sun signs (alas, I tried. Not into it)
  • Cookbook articles about 12 of anything (12 signs, 12 houses)
  • What sign is compatible with what other sign
  • Interpret a major configuration like a Grand Cross or Yod (not feasible on a blog)
  • Progressions (not my forte)
  • Myths, archetypes, and past  lives

 You’ll enhance your chances of having a post written about your interest, if you first make sure it hasn’t been covered thoroughly.  Try the onsite search engine at the top right hand corner of the blog, or download  1-Articles Index Skywriter 7-2011 , an index of Skywriter’s 530 posts by category.   (This is an excellent resource for students. Save it to your hard drive rather than print it, and then all the links are live.)  

I don’t promise to write all the article suggestions, but I did use quite a few from the December contest. You can see the winning entries here: Contest Winners—Best New Series Ideas for 2011 and here are some articles based on those suggestions:  

Mimi: “The fifth house has some funny connotations. Gambling, having fun, creating, having children, playfulness, your first child. I’d like to see more details on what planets there mean.”  See Things You May Not Know about The 5th House and Children and Highlights of Our Discussion on the 5th House and Children.  

 Elise: “I’d love to read a series about the Midheaven. The Midheaven is contemplated as so significant; however, I haven’t read anything really clarifying yet about this topic.“ Midheaven 101—What the 10th House Cusp Shows about You was the start of a series exploring the Midheaven that included The Midheaven in Synastry—Meaningful Career Connections and Research Question—What did You Want to Be when You Grew Up?

 VR was the Grand Prize winner, with several great series ideas. “You could do an Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About (sign/planet/aspect) and Were Afraid to Ask series” was the inspiration for Everything You Ever Wondered about the 8th House… and Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the 12th House—but Were Afraid to Ask.

 A couple of hints: My favorite topics are the houses, aspects and vocational astrology. I particularly enjoy doing Question and Answer sessions on those topics. My private practice over the years was totally focused on psychological astrology as a problem-solving tool to address clients’ issues and barriers.  For that, I got  the answers from the basic natal chart and transits, the less clutter on the chart the better, as reciting a myriad of details detracts from productive dialogue with clients.

I referred clients to electional or financial or horary astrologers if that was their need–and I would refer you to Google other topics and go to sites of experts in those areas.  I won’t write about facets of astrology I have only read about, just things that I used with clients week in and week out for 40 years and that I observe to work, not just know in theory. 

 Although I don’t write about things outside my specialties, I occasionally host guest bloggers who are experts on those topics, so you can also suggest topics for Question and Answer sessions like  A Q&A Session on Retrograde Natal Planets by Erin Sullivan and Readers Ask: Q&A about the Moon’s Nodes by Donna Van Toen

Submit as many article ideas as you like, but only one prize to a person.  If there are multiple suggestions of the same topic, the best and most complete suggestion will win. 

So, how about you, Readers? Are there topics you’d like to know more about?  Any Question and Answer ideas?  Who would you suggest for guest Q&A sessions? Leave your suggestions in the comment section, and three of you will win free ebooks. (To see the selection of ebooks, visit Moon Maven Publications.)

UPDATE:  Saturday, July 2  at 12:00 PM Pacific time.  The contest is now officially closed, with approximately 120 entried.  Tune in tomorrow, when the winners are announced. 

free astrology booklet by Donna CunninghamIf you’re enjoying this blog, sign up for a subscription, and get a FREE EBOOKLET for Skywriter Subscribers: Mothers, Daughters, and the Moon, a 50-page excerpt from The Moon in your Life. To sign up for a subscription, go to the top right hand   corner of the blog and click on “Subscribe.” Then send me an email with your subscription confirmation or an email post and ask for the booklet in the subject line. If you’re already a subscriber and want a copy, forward
the most recent email post to me at moonmave@spiritone.com.

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Posted in Internet Find of the Week, The Skywriter’s Apprentice—tips from my writing seminars. | Tags: , , ,

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Responses

  1. How about something regarding the upcoming eclipse in July? How do you feel about them? Do you think we feel the influence of an eclipse? How do lunar eclipses differ from solar eclipses?

    By: Susie on June 25, 2011
    at 11:19 am

  2. I hope this helps…

    *Psychic abilities
    *Mental/Emotional Illness
    *Parallel/Contraparallel aspects

    By: joyrjw on June 25, 2011
    at 11:27 am

  3. I see a previous post about transits to the vocational houses, but how about an in-depth focus on those vocational houses? Or in general, what other things to look for in the chart when considering vocational guidance.

    Another thing I’m interested in is what different astrologers feel are the top areas to focus on in chart interpretation, given limited time.

    Those might be too complex for a blog discussion, but they’re the most interesting areas to me, so I thought I would say so. :)

    By: Lauren on June 25, 2011
    at 12:36 pm

    • Hi, Lauren, there are tons of articles on the vocational houses under the category “vocational astrology,” but I don’t think I’ve ever posted an overview of how I prepare for a vocational astrology session–what factors. That would be good.

      “Another thing I’m interested in is what different astrologers feel are the top areas to focus on in chart interpretation, given limited time.”

      I’m sure each astrologer would give a somewhat different answer, but mine in one sentence: “Focus on what the client is asking about.” There’s a chapter in my ebook, Counseling Principles for Astrologers that talks about how to prepare for and focus the session. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 5:12 pm

  4. Death

    By: Kathe on June 25, 2011
    at 12:37 pm

    • I like this idea.

      By: Annie on June 25, 2011
      at 8:55 pm

  5. A bit like stellium talk: but how about how natives express their charts that are heavier with planets in one fourth of the chart over the other three? Like the chart was a four-piece pie:
    Houses 1-3. 4-6, 7-9, 10-12.

    By: ej runyon on June 25, 2011
    at 12:38 pm

  6. Wow Donna, this is a tough one. You’re asking us to find a topic that will get you all excited and get the words flowing. That would be easy if we knew everything you knew. But all we can do is guess at the things you know that we wish you could teach us.
    We know what you don’t want to write about, you won’t do personal charts, and it seems like you rarely have comments on specific, current astrological influences in general. But then, lots of other people do that (I suspect, not as well as you could). You seem to be more interested in the big picture in natal charts, and secondarily about how current transits affect that natal chart. Am I reading you right? Or perhaps this is just my selective memory of your articles that I liked best.
    So really what you’re asking is, what do we want you to teach us about? And I can only say, if I knew that, I probably wouldn’t need you to teach me about it. Ha. So let me just riff on a few ideas, maybe something will resonate.
    What are some of the concepts of astrology that people have the hardest time understanding? What are some of the most important ideas in astrology that are less appreciated? What are some ideas that are NOT so important that everyone focuses on too much, and why? What are some good ways to get beyond the most basic levels of astrology, into more sophisticated ways of interpretation? What methods and ideas had the strongest impression on you when you learned astrology, and how did that shape your career and your outlook?
    I could go on, but is anything so far resonating with you? I think basically I read you because you bring up big topics that I want to research more and learn about. And you always surprise me with ideas I hadn’t considered. Now how am I supposed to come up with ideas I haven’t yet considered, but need to?

    By: Charles on June 25, 2011
    at 12:42 pm

    • LOL! Yeah, I’m not always easy to figure. I like your list of questions, may be able to shape a post or two from them.

      And, yes, PS, I very seldom write about the day to day transits of faster moving planets–they’re so ephemereal, and that’s the stuff of daily horoscopes. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 12:47 pm

  7. Hi Donna!

    Well, I don’t know if you’d be interested, but I think it might be time to explore the transneptunians and another topic might be midpoints.

    By: Misty Day on June 25, 2011
    at 12:55 pm

  8. Life cycles: How the cycles of Jupiter, the nodes, and Saturn relate to each other and shape significant life phases.

    By: Kath on June 25, 2011
    at 1:06 pm

    • Hi, Kath, though those cycles are important, it’s not an area I’ve dealt with much. Charles Jayne–oldie but goodie–was important in bringing that to our field. Today, I imagine it’s Dennis Harnass or RichardTarness (spelling), who’ve written about it. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 5:00 pm

  9. Lately I´ve been fascinated with midpoints and aries points… especially midpoints at aries points! I don´t know how you feel about that or if the subject interests you at all, so AS 2ND OPTION please consider a question&answer session, or article, about the 2nd/8th house axis so we can discuss issues revolving personal security and sharing of material and emotional resources with others. That would definitely be smashing.

    Regards,

    Elise

    By: elise on June 25, 2011
    at 1:19 pm

    • Not midpoints, no. that would be adding about 144 additional factors to chart interpretation. I do consider the Sun/Moon midpoint fairly potent when touched off by major transits, just from personal observation.

      But a series of Q&As on the house axes (like 2-8) would be a good thing. My second lecture at UAC next year is to cover the six house axes, and I do need to prepare. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 4:56 pm

    • Oh, duh, I actually have a series on personal finance where there are several articles about the 2nd-8th axis. See the links here: http://skywriter.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/labor-day-weekend-project-25-career-and-money-articles-on-skywriter/ Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 4:10 am

  10. This is a suggestion, not a topic. Is there some way commenting individuals can post a chart? I find it difficult to visualize the aspects and houses when each person has a unique approach to describing their configuration. A little wheel by each poster would be so helpful…next to their name, icon and date?

    As for a topic: Uranus is given the “unexpected” interpretation..what sort of unexpected events have occurred with what aspects ? for example, opposition/
    divorce..was it unexpected? What role played by houses?

    By: maryjane on June 25, 2011
    at 1:27 pm

    • Don’t know how posing a chart would work, unless the person has a blog and can post it there. there’s no way to fit it in the comment section–no way to post images.

      The Uranus topic sounds interesting. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 4:53 pm

      • I like the idea of little wheel charts by the person’s name… right now, there is a square “avatar” next to the person’s name that can be clicked on and updated. Gravatar seems to be the one that is used for this blog’s avatars. I don’t know how because I”m not super tech savvy, but maybe you know Donna or can ask someone, but if that was customizable that when posting, to change the avatar to a .jpg or .btm file of our chart, it would miniaturize it and we could click on it if we chose to look at that person’s chart.

        By: curious on June 25, 2011
        at 10:07 pm

      • If a person wanted their chart visible as a gravitar, it would have to be something like an inch and a half square, and then any time they commented on any blog, anywhere, their chart would be on view, for eternity or until the end of the internet. Wouldn’t be my choice! Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
        at 4:56 am

  11. Hi Donna,

    How about discussing the ruling planet of the chart? The ancients considered it very important, but does that still hold true today? Does the house position, sign and aspects of the ruling planet warrant particular consideration in the overall interpretation of the chart? And, should transits to the ruling planet be considered especially important?

    By: JG on June 25, 2011
    at 1:38 pm

  12. moon phases and your personality

    By: mimi torchia boothby watercolors on June 25, 2011
    at 2:03 pm

    • Dane Rhudyar’s work. Not mine. Go to the source (The Lunation Cycle) Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 4:50 pm

  13. A suggestion for the contest:
    Discussing how our chart houses correspond to people in our lives.
    For example:
    In a marriage: The wife’s first house corresponds to how the husband
    sees her. Or the eighth house shows how the husband deals with money.
    The wife’s third house indicates the belief system of the husband, religious
    beliefs.
    In a relationship with a friend (11th), your 4th house corresponds to your
    friend’s work, health issues.
    With your children, the 11th house indicates your childrens’ spouses.
    This has always intrigued me how this does work.

    By: Mary Kanz on June 25, 2011
    at 3:01 pm

  14. mmm, I Liked the post about the differences between intuition and fear, being myself both intuitive AND a worrywart. So maybe something about when a potentially ‘bad’ aspect or transit can end up being OK (what other elements in the chart help and might be overlooked) or viceversa.

    Curious about the IC and how it shows how people live the aspects related to it. Especially in a world were we need more and more mobility and it’s harder to settle and grow some roots. Where is home now?

    Anything about the moon, yes yes

    By: sabrina on June 25, 2011
    at 3:05 pm

    • Digging the IC idea! Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 4:45 pm

      • To add to this, what the relationship is between the IC and the moon of a particular chart. Does the moon describe the mother? Does the IC describe your experience of “home?” How do these things mesh, for example an Earthy 4th house cusp (say Capricorn) and a firey moon, (say Leo) and how a Leo moon would fare in a Capricornian childhood home? Or how a Leo moon would establish an earthy “home.” Would someone with a Leo moon be the “black sheep” in an otherwise Capricornian family?

        By: Regine on June 25, 2011
        at 8:33 pm

  15. Hey Donna! It’s so difficult to pick just one because there are so many interesting aspects (pun intended) of astrology – and you’ve already covered a lot of them!

    But I’ve recently come to discover the solar return chart, and I find it very intruiging and appealing! I would really like to know more about the astrology of that special type of chart; the planets in the signs, the aspects, the ascendant, etc… Also, more specifically, what to look for when you want to predict your health, your lovelife and career for the coming year. Since you told us you liked vocational astrology, maybe you prefer only to speak about the SR and your career, I wouldn’t mind one bit! Also, someone suggested midpoints and I agree – I would like to know more about these and their function! I would also like to add that I would very much enjoy learning about the “critical degrees” and decans of each sign; I’m not even sure I know what these things are and why they’re there, and what they mean!

    In any case, I look forward to reading you pieces on the winning topics, I have no doubt it will be highly interesting!

    By: Ivannia on June 25, 2011
    at 3:57 pm

  16. The mayan calendar and its realtion to our signs

    By: Nanette on June 25, 2011
    at 4:03 pm

    • Nothing I know anything about–I believe Bruce Scofield is an expert in that. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 4:44 pm

  17. Take each combination of aspects between each personal and each outer planet in turn; i.e. Sun conj., sextile, square, trine, inconjunct, opposition Jupiter, then Saturn, etc. . . Then Moon, Venus, Mars. . . Show how they differ.

    By: Mary on June 25, 2011
    at 4:10 pm

  18. Here’s one- finding hobbies or pastimes through the zodiac! It could be like bored.com for astronerds. Exploring this through houses, planet placements in houses and also planets in signs, or whatever you think is a good way to explore this. What needs does a hobby fulfill in our lives in general, and as determined by a particular chart’s set up.

    By: Dizzy on June 25, 2011
    at 4:46 pm

    • Neat idea and a fun summertime piece! We could do research on whether people’s hobbies really are shown by the 5th house. OR if sometimes our avocations are vocations we never got the green light to pursue. (People for instance who wanted to be actors but never got discovered, so they are lights in local theater groups.) Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 25, 2011
      at 5:05 pm

      • Well I guess it IS summertime. No one does the beach in the summer better than a blue-claw crab (and with the oceans these days it probably IS going to give you Cancer)

        By: Dizzy on June 25, 2011
        at 5:14 pm

  19. What about a positive approach to the changes that might come with
    the cardinal t square and/or 2012 as a new beginning rather than an end?

    By: Carolyn Brien on June 25, 2011
    at 6:05 pm

    • Yes, please! Not to “wish away” the very real challenges that these times present, but it seems to me like we may be losing perspective about this stressful time.

      By: Mary on June 26, 2011
      at 4:26 pm

  20. I’ve had a great deal of experience with unaspected — not least aspected — planets in horoscopes: several family members, each meaningful one to one relationship in my life, and a very wide, traditionally out of orb (more than six degrees), sextile from my Mars to my Sun. As a result, I’ve looked for information on unaspected planets in many places and have found not a lot. Unaspected planets don’t seem to be that uncommon and can really mess with a chart! I, personally, would find information that would shed more light on these peregrines in action in the real world very useful.

    Also, as a corollary, the study of family charts seems to reveal very interesting patterns of outlook, attitudes and behaviors. I’m almost to the point where in order to look at an individual chart, I need to see the family charts in order to uncover the formation of a personality. The synastries that I’ve found by looking at family charts are fascinating. A discussion of family dynamics as revealed by astrology could be very enlightening.

    I know that these interests are a bit off the main stream, but they both do seem to address real world issues.

    Thanks for the opportunity to express my interests.

    By: Mary E on June 25, 2011
    at 6:35 pm

  21. How about issues of Saturn in a relationship between two people. The longetivity and binding of two people.Does it hold two people together or does it causes separations etc.

    By: TM on June 25, 2011
    at 6:38 pm

  22. How about aspects between charts. How another person’s planets effect you and vice versa.

    By: Donna on June 25, 2011
    at 6:41 pm

  23. Would love to discuss what it means when the sign on a house cusp and planets fall in the previous house. ie: Taurus on the 2nd house cusp but planets fall in the previous house. Thanks

    By: Patricia Graham on June 25, 2011
    at 6:48 pm

  24. Would love either a post or a Q&A on Pluto transiting the houses. Since it transits a sign for so long, what does it mean if it’s transiting your 6th or 10th or 12th house for 10 – 15 years? Q&A could cover transiting Pluto touching different planets in different houses e.g., if sibling has a health condition and Pluto is about to transit his 6th house and will oppose a slew of planets in the 12th, what are the possible interpretations / outcomes?

    By: Karen on June 25, 2011
    at 7:07 pm

    • Nice idea, Karen. Could do other outer planet transits in separate Q&As–love a series. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 4:47 am

      • I would love a Pluto transit Q&A.

        By: Donna on June 26, 2011
        at 1:28 pm

  25. How about Chiron? Recently I have begun to follow Chiron in my own as well as friends’ charts and have experienced some of the cycles to itself and to Saturn and to the Sun. Is Chiron important in every chart? Or just in charts where it’s heavily or importantly aspected? What is the experience of having Chiron conjunct/opposite/square the sun, or the ascendant or the midheaven, or Saturn, or Venus? Etc. If not an interest of yours, Donna, maybe a Q&A by guest astrologer. Thanks so much for all of your knowledge and sharing.

    By: Regine on June 25, 2011
    at 8:43 pm

    • Hi, Regine, Chiron isn’t my thing, so I have appointed Joyce Mason our resident Chiron expert, and there are about half a dozen or so of her articles on this site, including one earlier this week AND not one but two Q&A sessions. Put Chiron in the onsite search engine at the top righthand corner of the blog, and you’ll find links to all of them. she’s also teaching a summer course on Chiron that starts in a couple of weeks, info on the recent post. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 4:51 am

  26. Another suggestion:
    How about Solar Arcs. Planets that move by Solar Arc to a planet
    in a chart and what it might mean for the person.

    By: Mary Kanz on June 25, 2011
    at 9:43 pm

    • I don’t work with progressions, only transits, so have just yesterday asked a guest blogger to do a Q&A session on solar arc. Stay tuned! Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 4:52 am

      • Excellent!

        By: Mary Kanz on July 1, 2011
        at 5:06 am

  27. Analyzing charts examining how self esteem affects our relationships and
    its opposite house (8th) affects intimacy/trust. It seems most
    people do have difficulty with self esteem/intimacy fears and this in turn
    causes so may problems in our lives with maintaining a healthy relationship.
    Half the people who marry are divorced after a few years. How a person
    can work on esteem/trust issues in order to have a good, long-term relationship.

    By: Mary Kanz on June 25, 2011
    at 9:54 pm

    • That’s a good one, Mary. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 4:53 am

  28. How about an interview with Donna Cunningham? The kinds of probing questions Barbara Walters would ask. Don’t know who we’d get to do it, though. I also loved what you wrote about Johnny Depp, and wish you would profile other celebrities. Or how about the astrology of Celebrity? What are some of the things they have in common? If someone were a huge fan of a celebrity, what types of connections would you expect to see between their charts?

    By: Charles on June 25, 2011
    at 9:59 pm

    • More celebs, can do. And the idea about contacts with celebs — and our heroes who influence us– is a good one. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 4:54 am

  29. OK…refining my idea…how about a question-and-answer with Donna Cunningham, wherein the readers ask you questions – not astrology questions, but personal questions, in the style of Barbara Walters, and you choose which ones to answer?

    By: Charles on June 25, 2011
    at 10:07 pm

    • Cackling. I think I’ll pass on that one. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 4:46 am

      • BTW, that was a different Charles than me, the guy who asked those vague questions about what you know that I don’t know.

        By: Charles on June 26, 2011
        at 6:36 pm

      • LOL! I shoulda known–your questions are anything but vague! Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
        at 3:47 am

    • I volunteer to be the interviewer! Would be very gentle;-) All Oprah~esque. Come on Donna … it would be fun! First Q: What has been the best part of being a professional astrologer for four decades?

      By: Karen on June 26, 2011
      at 8:17 am

      • Right!? Donna: tell us about the first time you ever had a professional reading. Donna: what is your favorite planet? Donna: tell us about the worst client you ever had. LOL.

        By: Charles on June 26, 2011
        at 5:05 pm

      • Okay, Okay, I’m warming up to it. Maybe the interviewer could collect questions from readers and let me choose several of them in advance, and then we could do it in the comment section of a post. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
        at 4:40 am

  30. I saw a post by Kathe who suggested “death.” I was also thinking along that line– though I don’t want to sound morbid here– I’m sure you brought it up in your ethics of astrological counseling, but years ago I had an astrology mentor go through my ephemeris and mark off key transits of the out planets that were coming up for the next few years for me. He told me that one of the transits could mean my dad would die… I was so distraught about that for years, wishing he hadn’t said that until after that date came and went and my dad was ok– later I read that that aspect could indicate other things as well (as aspects often do!)

    My point is, to clarify this oft scary interpretation, could you write on “aspects [transits] that people fear mean death– what indicators really mean.” I know Pluto transit squares can be involved, and 8th house aspects, and for fathers it can be Saturn and mothers the moon, or possibly the planet that “represents” the person who dies?

    I just think that there is so much fear around losing people that some clarity– even to say what alternative interpretations are could be such a positive benefit so people so not scare others or live in fear of “finding the death transit,” you know?

    By: curious on June 25, 2011
    at 10:25 pm

    • Sorry you had that experience, not ethical at all. Early in my time in astrology a number of people (fellow students) who looked at my chart told me my dad was going to die soon.

      We were estranged (for good reason), so I decided to get in touch with him, so we wrote and called for a number of years after that. He didn’t die for about 10 years, but the erroneous prediction was important because it did propel me into doing some healing on the relationship. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 5:00 am

      • Thanks, Donna. I appreciate your perspective, and how it actually was an opportunity for you to connect with your dad. Divine Providence is a mysterious thing– for me, it did have me want to connect with him more, but did not create much change in the relationship– but at that time it mostly just made me worry myself sick having some sort of “date” to project my already existing fears since I was a young girl on losing my parents. (not a secure attachment– for sure). I think for me, that is more the “reason” for the erroneous prediction– to continue dealing with the reality of mortality and continue clearing this phobia of death more deeply (which I have). I guess that’s why I wanted a post on this topic, because I wanted to confront some of these fears head on, which before I would have avoided… so I’m glad for how far I’ve come. Thanks, again.

        By: curious on June 26, 2011
        at 9:22 am

  31. Hi Donna,

    I would be interested to learn more about mutual reception and how to understand the energy exchange. Also the difference between the energy of planets that are in mutual reception while in challenging aspect to each other contrasted with those that are in easier aspect to each other.

    For example, moon in libra square venus in cancer (potentially with other challenging aspects involved with planets such as saturn, uranus or pluto etc) contrasted with moon in taurus sextile venus in cancer (and with easier aspects to outer planets).

    Thanks.

    By: glyph on June 26, 2011
    at 12:32 am

  32. hi
    what makes a person terrorist?-write about it sometimes.

    By: ananya on June 26, 2011
    at 2:52 am

  33. Hi,
    I suggest Horary astrology, very curious and sometimes amazing; Electional also, and Financial (in a practical sense; when to invest, when to buy or sell, when not… or Gold, for example; ups and downs and relation to astrological patterns),

    By: Ana on June 26, 2011
    at 4:23 am

    • My next post in the hopper is a story about horary astrology, curiously enough.

      The trouble with so many of these suggestions is that my practice over the years has been totally focused on psychological astrology as a problem-solving tool to address clients’ issues and barriers. For that, I got the answers from the basic natal chart and transits, the less clutter on the chart the better, as reciting a myriad of details detracts from productive dialogue with clients.

      I referred clients to expert electional or financial or horary astrologers if that was their need–and I would refer you to Google other topics and go to sites of experts in those areas. I won’t write about facets of astrology I have only read about, only things that I used with clients week in and week out for 40 years and that I observe to work, not just know in theory. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 5:10 am

  34. Hi Donna, what about planets in the 7th house that normaly are proyected in the others (choose), how you can learn that they belongs to you and used them for your benefice, Tks!

    By: Rosario on June 26, 2011
    at 4:31 am

    • Hmm. Like reclaiming your own planets rather than assigning them to someone else. I can see that. Perhaps it changes under a transit or progression that correlates with a huge change in the relationship (the person refuses or is unable to do that for you anymore. Good one, Rosario. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 12:48 pm

  35. Assuming multiple suggestions are okay….

    Given the state of the current economy, how about a series called Show Me the Money?

    It would consolidate info on a variety of topics under one heading—include links to previously written articles as well as new info on topics such as:

    natal indicators to making and managing money; 2nd/8th house axis; etc., transits, etc.;

    Vocational astrology for those in need of a new job or career change; or looking to pick up additional work;

    For those facing foreclosure or wanting to downsize, 4th house or moon transit issues;

    Maybe even transits that might indicate signs of unexpected money gains from lotteries, settlements, inheritance, loans and other outside sources. (particularly helpful for parents trying to finance a child’s college education).

    Who knows? Could be your next book.

    By: JEG on June 26, 2011
    at 5:13 am

  36. The “Articles Index Skywriter 7-2011″ link isn’t working so I couldn’t see the list of previous articles.

    How about discussing the second Saturn Return and the transiting outer planet aspects to their natal positions that occur close to or after it? The Neptune-Neptune Trine for example, or the Pluto Trine and Opposition. Due to the elliptical orbit of Pluto many of us will experience that T-Pluto/N-Pluto Opposition in our 80s though it did not occur in the lifetimes for the two generations that came before the Boomers.

    The books that discuss transits tend to be written by younger people and when discussing these important aspects of transiting planets to their natal positions focus almost entirely on the ones that follow the first Saturn return. When they mention the later ones, they do so with the unexamined assumption that older people will be living lives like those the Golden Agers of the generation born before 1930–with a choice of being boringly “wise” or playing golf, cruising, or baking cookies for grandchildren. There’s very little guidance for those of us who did not fall asleep spiritually somewhere in our 40s.

    With your insight into the outer planets you would be the person to explore this fertile topic. You could start out by tell us about the T-Pluto/N-Pluto Trine and how the opportunities it presents might be colored by the way we handled the earlier Pluto-Pluto square.

    By: Jenny Brown on June 26, 2011
    at 5:21 am

  37. Hi…thanks for the chance to choose.
    Reading the other posts there were a few things that sparked my interest. The 4 quadrants would get us back to stelliums , but its an interesting question. Another one that looked really interesting was ,” what are the first important factors when looking at a chart?” and the question of unaspected planets .How do they work and why are they unaspected?

    My question is about NIBERU that is beyond Pluto and thought to be a burnt out twin to our Sun. It has been said that every time this planet comes in it causes pole shifts.
    Another planet named ” Trans- Pluto is Real” by Lynn Koiner would be interesting to study in charts..According to its ephemeris , first published in 1972 in Germany by Theoedore Landscheidt and then republished by Llewellyn, it should be about 29 degrees degrees of Leo….nearing the polar opposite cusp of the new age of Aquarius.
    Is Niberu and Trans-Pluto two different planets or are we talking about the same thing here?

    What about the Lillith that orbits earth just like and along with our moon.? Shouldn’t it have more weight?

    By: Barehand on June 26, 2011
    at 5:41 am

  38. Hello, Donna
    I have some questions and probably some of them can make for a topic.
    I’m sometimes wondering about different aspects – you probably can give real life situations how aspects work – for example how Moon square Mars is different from Moon opposite Mars and Moon trine Mars in a personal chart or as a transit (they might be other 2 planets as well).
    Another that I’m wondering is about ascendants – some say this is the way we appear, the way our parents made us appear, the way we start things in life and the way we look like – I guess there might be many opinions on this, but I’m currently wondering how we pick up friends and how the ascendant works in such situations, because it turned out I have surprisingly many friends whose ascendants are very close to one another in approx. 15 degree area.
    Another good topic might be some common wisdom – things that you think are often missing in the books, but you think are really working and good to know.
    I saw someone already asked about how other peoples’ charts affect us, and I remember one such article about the Midheaven conjunct someone’s planet, it was very interesting, so if you can write more, similar to this one, readers will be happy :)

    Greetings :)

    By: Mesecina on June 26, 2011
    at 6:18 am

  39. Adoption. Anything about adoption. Where on your chart you can see the birth and adoptive families. Where you can see if someone is adoptive child.

    By: Eleni on June 26, 2011
    at 7:14 am

    • Weird. I just had a situation that fits that for my Dell advice column today. The hard thing about doing any writing on this topic is that confidentiality for the client is an important ethical question, maybe not as much today, but going back. Family secrets, fear of scandal, all that. Let me just say that Neptune natal and transiting aspects to the MC/IC (4th-10th) axis is what I see over and over. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 9:22 am

      • For those adopted or those who adopt? Interesting; 3 sibs have Neptune in 3rd; two conjunct IC. Older sister always says she must have been adopted (Uranus in 3rd), but none of us are adopted. The two who have it conjunct IC have no children of their own & have ‘adopted’ certain nephews, so to speak. Could still be a good Q&A … you can use your overall knowledge and let those who are adopted or want to adopt ask questions.

        By: Karen on June 26, 2011
        at 4:54 pm

      • The person who adopts may be having Neptune transits to the MC or IC. The adoptee may have natal placements of Neptune to the MC/IC. I only have seen a limited number of cases, couldn’t really draw conclusions. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
        at 5:40 pm

      • If you decide to do a posting on adoption, (please do!) I already have a question for you: what about half adoptions, i.e., the mother remarries and the step-father adopts the kids? What kind of indications would you expect to see when a husband unknowingly raises some other man’s child? If someone who is now an adult and whose father is still alive has Neptune ruling and aspecting, (say, trining), the IC, what else should they look for before, say, getting a DNA test?

        By: Charles on June 26, 2011
        at 5:28 pm

  40. Would be interested in knowing if there are any correspondences to being born on a full moon. What significance/effect does the moon cycle hold for natal charts?

    By: Mandy on June 26, 2011
    at 7:39 am

    • Dane Rudhyar’s book, The Lunation Cycle, explains the personality dynamics for each of the Moon phases in the birth chart. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 4:37 am

  41. Hey Donna, Thanks for the chance to offer suggestions. How about a look at the horoscopes for when countries or states are formed to see what planets were in control at that moment? I’ve always wondered how some countries just can’t get along.

    Thanks for all the stuff I’ve been learning and applying to my own life.
    Take care,
    Shelley Kaufman-Young

    By: skyscraps on June 26, 2011
    at 8:44 am

    • Here’s an interesting one. India and Pakistan, as modern political entitities, were born at exactly the same moment in time, when they both were granted independence from Great Britain. It was during the Pluto-Saturn conjunction in Leo in the late 1940s. And they still don’t get along, taking turns threatening to nuke one another.

      That’s the only one I know about, as mundane astrology is far, far out of my area of expertise. I do own a $60 3-inch-thick book of world horoscopes laboriously and meticulously compiled by Nick Campion, but I’m way over my head in that field. Try going to his site/blog/whatever. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 9:33 am

  42. Hi!
    Just wanted to say that I recently found your blog and I really enjoy reading it!
    Hope to read your next post soon :)

    By: Simona on June 26, 2011
    at 10:55 am

  43. a blog about or perhaps a guest blogger (not so much for Q&A) about rectifying a charts’ birth time. Also astro-cartographic concerns for relocating. That could be a Q&A for those looking to migrate. I would also like to see a blog about asto-fung shui, local space techniques to organize a space or to find things lost or get more (or fewer) phone calls by moving the phone to the right spot etc.. I also like the idea mentioned above in Ivannia’s post about solar returns.

    By: uhane on June 26, 2011
    at 11:08 am

  44. Hi, I’m curious about fixed stars-whether or not they have any effect when conjunct planets/points in a chart. I haven’t read or heard much about them and wander if they really work? Maybe an informal survey of people who have aspects to fixed stars in their charts?

    By: Vanessa on June 26, 2011
    at 12:07 pm

    • Close conjunctions only, but maybe a good research project. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 12:22 pm

  45. Hi Donna,
    I’m curious about sesquequardrate and semi-square in birth and events charts. I’ve read that it is related to “delay and sudden un-stuck” and “learning through regrets” but would love to know more about them.

    By: Eunice on June 26, 2011
    at 12:55 pm

  46. Hi, Donna,

    What about planets in mutual reception? Are they really supposed to have the same weight as a major aspect or not? Are they affected by eclipses?
    What about a major aspect to one……does it affect the other as well?

    I enjoy your monthly article in Horsocope and just subscribed to Skywriter (and spent a couple of hours doing the questionnaires about how strong the planets are in your chart). Fascinating.

    Barbara

    By: Barbara Baker on June 26, 2011
    at 1:20 pm

  47. How about when an outer planet transit (or more than one at once, as could occur at the moment with Uranus, Saturn and Pluto) conjuncts an angle in a chart which has the angles all at roughly 90 degrees to each other, so the transit kicks off the whole foundation – and even, what if such a chart also has planets conjunct two or more of the angles (ie people born in the 50’s with Neptune and Uranus, or Uranus and Saturn, or Saturn and Pluto square, also blessed or cursed with such planets being angular! Or inner planets at the angles, even.) Mega big and likely difficult changes to be expected! But, if we are looking at people born in the 50’s then the person has had many difficult transits already and may have used them for growth opportunities, learned their big lessons, and ‘worked their stuff’, so, how might a really hefty transit period as outlined above be likely to manifest for such people? Would the effects be lessened?

    By: starry on June 26, 2011
    at 1:36 pm

    • Woe is me…thats me you are talking about . plus transit Neptune opposing my Sun!

      By: Barehand on June 27, 2011
      at 10:33 am

      • So what’s your experience of this transit-packed time, Barehand? And is it any less personally difficult for you now than difficult periods were earlier in your life?

        By: starry on June 28, 2011
        at 6:29 am

      • The Saturn square Pluto last April 2010 during the Gulf Oil spill saw my car die; which meant walking all winter until this month. Pluto is transiting my 3rd house and squares my stellium which is close to the ascendant. Jupiter 29 Virgo, Chiron 2 Libra , Neptune 5 Libra , Asc. 9 Libra. Lillith 14 Libra and Pallas 16 Libra. All 3 of my brothers went into surgery, one going home Christmas eve and another checking in. One went to Mayo clinic in Rochester,and two in Duluth. No car to go visit any of them. They all made it after some horrendous surgery.
        On a personal level I am OK because I am older now, more mellow and insightful. Getting ti know Nephews better.
        The transit Neptune trough the 5th and opposite my Leo stuff has meant dealing with SICK women my son has been involved with. Real nasty cases. The sorry part is the babies . I have been raising one since she was born and is 9 now and is a beautiful child and a blessing to me. There is 2 more girl babies with a worse case mother than the older girls mother and I pray for them. On a brighter note a Theripist just phoned me and wants to quote me on the Cover on his forth coming book titled,”The War on Mental Illness ( Street Version)”.. I picked his brain and he gave me a lot of good feedback . He couldn’t have
        cropped up with better timing!
        Of course there are long term personal evolutionary lessons involved in all of this and I found Jeffry Greens Pluto II book informative as far as looking at all the aspects in the 360 degree circle and how one starts with the Conjunction and moves into the next ( sextile, Nova, Square etc) along the life path until you end up back at the conjunction.. It made clear sense regarding
        this stellium and ongoing Life lessons.
        for them.

        By: Barehand on June 28, 2011
        at 12:27 pm

      • Glad to hear you survived and are surviving! Thanks for sharing your experience.

        By: starry on June 29, 2011
        at 12:22 pm

  48. Hello, I would love to see an article about the astrology of self-acceptance. Believing that self-acceptance is an important pathway to personal happines, I’ve been fascinated by what indicates the lack of it in a chart (what aspects, placements?) and how to work with those difficult bits to move away from self-rejection to healing and embracing the self. Just a thought :)

    By: Alice on June 26, 2011
    at 1:54 pm

  49. Just a thought but what about an article that focuses on understanding the personal trinity or Big three (Sun, moon, ascendant) of astrology and how is most relates to one’s personal life experiences. It can be a Q & A or discussion series where one talks about how people perceived one other with a certain ascendant sign or even how they are perceived by others. It doesn’t even have to focus just on signs but aspects to the trinity and what shading it gives to the personal character.

    We can have a talk about sign strength and influence from the big three and maybe even do a small little point system to find the most dominant sign. Of course im just winging it here so I dont know but it’s a thought lol.

    By: astroivory on June 26, 2011
    at 2:37 pm

  50. hi Donna,
    I can easily guess at some of the sorts of transits/progressions that accompany shifts in world view (9th house, Jupiter, Neptune, yes yes?), but I’d be really interested in your take on it and on others descriptions of times in their lives when they lost their religion or gained it, or significantly changed their view of the world in some way.

    By: Lia on June 26, 2011
    at 4:34 pm

    • Not necessarily 9th house transits for a religious/spiritual crisis, but rather transits to natal Jupiter…but sometimes transits to natal Neptune as well. I’ve experienced every outer planet transit to natal Jupiter possible in the time I’ve been in astrology. They’re often experienced as a crisis of faith..where everything we thought we knew no longer seems true or valid. Where everything we thought made us a good person, doesn’t work to keep us safe, and the worst happens.

      I remember one time in the late 1980s, probably during that Neptune-Uranus conjunction in Capricorn, squaring my Jupiter in Cancer in the 12th, that I absolutely lost touch with God, no sense of a connection at all. I was desolate. So I was walking down the street, and a car passed by with a bumper sticker that said, “Pray to Allah”. That’s it, a message, I thought, I’ll pray to Allah.

      And I did for a few weeks. But I found I really didn’t care for Allah. Too male, forbidding, warlike, rigid. And it finally dawned on me—It’s the same Dude!! Allah and God are one and the same. What was happening when I prayed to Allah was that I was sending my prayers through the framework of the Muslim religion. Just as praying to God, given my original religous background shaped my capacity to be in touch with him. And so I tried praying through the cracks, so to speak, and found my connection again. You probably already knew I was weird, right? Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 26, 2011
      at 5:53 pm

      • When Pluto transited my daughter’s Jupiter/Neptune conjunction, she became a “born-again”. Now Neptune is in her 9th H squaring that conjunction. Should be interesting!

        By: Mary on June 26, 2011
        at 6:22 pm

      • Weird and wonderful, thanks Donna! I have Jupiter&Neptune conjunct, same as Mary’s daughter, and when Pluto was conjunct the two of them (Jupiter in Scorpio, Neptune in Sag) in 1995, that was probably about the time I started really reading in astrology. Maybe Pluto was demanding a search for deeper meaning and we found it in different places. I’ve got the square from Neptune in the 9th now.

        By: Lia on June 26, 2011
        at 6:53 pm

      • Thanks for sharing. I’m recalling that when Pluto was conjunct my Neptune, I had been a miserable athetist, but that transit was when I started studying astrology (and other metaphysical topics) and concluded that if astrology worked, it proved that there was a power that planned all this out and created it. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
        at 3:50 am

      • Your reply made me go back to revisit key difficult dates with an eye to transits to natal Jupiter. You’re right about losing faith; with Sun, Merc & Jup conjunct it all blurs for me sometimes, but when Mars & Pluto were conjunct in Sept 1999 sitting on my Jupiter … lost a lot of faith then (& Chiron was conjunct my sun then too). Many other things between then & 2003 … Pluto was basically within 5 deg of Jup. Thanks for revealing another explanation I hadn’t considered. Always thought of Jupiter as a good thing, but definitely see now that transits to it can cause a very real loss of faith!

        By: Karen on June 26, 2011
        at 10:26 pm

      • Great–then I don’t have to write the article? that’s all I really had to say anyhow. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
        at 4:48 am

      • Don’t have to write the article for me! I completely get it now; a reminder that the world isn’t black & white. Even in astrology, Big Daddy Jupe is going to respond to what is touching it. “To every action there is a reaction.” Of course peeps have to remember that the transiting planet conjuncting or aspecting their planets will play out in the area of life represented by the house … but it was an ‘Aha’ moment for me. Kind of like Chiron last fall. Your blog has really helped my astrological development. Thank you again! As for your workload, pare it down … take some time to heal and get back to swimming. Some ideas can be turned into short posts or Q&As instead of adding to article list. Then most interesting Q&As (to you) could turn into future conf topics if you want. Let your blog audience support & feed you now!

        By: Karen on June 27, 2011
        at 6:58 am

      • Not to worry, Karen. I took myself out for coffee and came back with an outline for a major article about Jupiter. 5 Big Things You Learn from Transits to Natal Jupiter. I’m excited about it, and will start right away. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
        at 11:06 am

      • Me, too–started studying astrology when Pluto conj Neptune.

        By: Mary on June 27, 2011
        at 6:00 pm

    • Okay, Lia, although the contest isn’t officially closed, I must declare you one of the winners. I published an article today using your suggestion about Crises of Faith–see it on the front page–and I already have an outline for a followup. Thanks–I would probably never have thought to write about this topic and my own experience without your suggestion. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
      at 1:56 pm

  51. How to be a good client / How to be a bad client.

    By: Charles on June 26, 2011
    at 7:29 pm

    • Great idea! Boy, do I have ideas about that. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 3:51 am

  52. And on the subject of interviews, didn’t you once publish an Interview with Pluto?

    By: Charles on June 26, 2011
    at 7:34 pm

    • No, I think it might have been Uranus. (I did reprint an interview of Saturn by Neeti Ray here.) But, I’m kinda getting into the idea of an interview. Maybe we could do it in the comment section of a post. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 3:53 am

  53. Hi! I’m enjoying this topic and blog – What I’m into is ageing…or not. Like a blog entry I read at truthinageing about why this is NOT the second half of my life. So….when you’ve spent a summer modeling in New York, another summer on a fishing boat in Kodiak Alaska….lived in Puerta Vallarta, speak Spanish….and now you’re over 50 – what’s next? What’s the next adventure? How do you psych yourself up to always believe the best is just before you and NOT to live in your glory days? I think the answer to this will be a universal need for everyone as the see saw tips to the over 50′s and it’s life changing, radicalizing and motivating to know you’ve got another 30 years to live another life. But how to get the message out? Suggestions and thoughts and – yes! – a blog post would be great!

    By: jlina on June 26, 2011
    at 8:29 pm

    • As a person who is aging myself and has gotten to the point recently where I’m not that happy about it, I’m not so sure I could write something upbeat and constructive–and you don’t want to just hear me gripe and moan. I did see a book about it recently that looked really good, but believe it or not, I already forgot the title. (Not trying to be funny!) Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 4:55 am

  54. Hi Donna. Not sure if this is your area but I’ve always been intrigued by Liz Greene’s comment that when someone’s planet aspects one of your planets it kind of sidles up and gives your planet ‘a kiss or a kick’ , which means there is a reaction of some kind. It got me thinking about when my kids were in primary school (that’s what we call kindergarten to year 6 in Australia) and there were some parents you bumped into ALL THE TIME (even when their kids weren’t in your kid’s class) and you usually became friends (or you hated them!) and yet there were other parents whose kids were in the same class as your kids for the whole of primary school but strangely you never met them. I think the parents I bumped into all the time were the one’s whose planets ‘bumped into mine’ and the other parents were like wallpaper. You never noticed them because their planets didn’t bump into yours. I’d like to know what effect it has when different planets ‘constellate’ yours and does it matter what their planet is? eg. If someone’s Pluto lands on my Sun is it the same as when their Moon lands on my Sun? Will it make me feel like more of an individual whatever planet it is?

    By: Karen Triple Virgo on June 27, 2011
    at 1:59 am

  55. Donna, I have two suggestions: One is looking at the “motivations” regarding relationships comparing emphasis of the 5th,7th,8th houses – similar to what you have done with the career motivation comparing the 2nd,6th, and 10th. (I mentioned this to you once before.) Second, I’d like to hear more about what some aspects may mean for people who are retired. For instance, if there is a lot of activity around the MC, then career, etc. is discussed in most books. But what might be some influences for people who are no longer in a career?

    Thanks,

    Jennifer

    By: Jennifer Grandi on June 27, 2011
    at 7:17 am

    • Nice question, Jen. I seem to recall answering that question about Midheaven activity for retirees in my Dell column. Will have to look it up and post it. I suspect it goes along with the other topic about avocations vs. vocations. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 11:10 am

  56. I like the “generation” aspects you have some articles about. Like career challenges for the Pluto-Uranus conjunction in Virgo – I’m one of those, so of course. But you have also written about the Uranus-Neptune generation, and the new site about the Saturn-Neptune. I’d love to read more about those kinds of aspects, perhaps in different houses.

    By: Natalie on June 27, 2011
    at 8:47 am

  57. Donna,
    I have not seen much written about Solar Returns. Do you do much with them? Do you even think they are important?

    I also have a friend who is a twin and I am having a hard time finding anything about twins. I have done their charts, but have a hard time reading them since they are so similar (4 mins apart). The twins are not as much alike as the charts would indicate.

    I’d like to see something written about these subjects if you think they would be of help to anyone else.

    Thanks,
    Pat

    By: Patricia Coyle Getzinger on June 27, 2011
    at 9:30 am

  58. How about basic basics. Like how does all this work, beneath all the balls you have in the air interpreting everything you’ve learned in 40 years of seeing balls in the air? Flower arranging (for all its in-the-air aesthetics and rules of placement) only works, for instance, because of gravity. How about astrology? How did you get here, and if you got lost, how could you find your way back…?

    By: matrixtownley on June 27, 2011
    at 4:21 pm

    • Zat you, John? I don’t write about what I don’t know–and after 40 years, I still don’t have a clue about how astrology works. Say, I wonder if you’d be willing to be a guest blogger one of these days? Solar returns, composites, progressions? Things that aren’t exactly my forte but that readers want to hear. If it intrigues you even a little, I’d happily send you more info. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 27, 2011
      at 5:34 pm

  59. I would like to see something on how aspects and signs run in families. Children tend to inherit similar chart placements and signs from their parents. Family dynamics are often reflected in charts.

    More posts on outer planet people would be interesting, too.

    By: Katley on June 27, 2011
    at 5:37 pm

    • Aspects and patterns definitely run in families. Good topic. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
      at 5:25 am

  60. I’d love to hear more about what stellium reveal about career.

    By: stellamaris1031 on June 27, 2011
    at 11:17 pm

    • A good topic for a bit later on–I’ve got lots more to say about stelliums and will return to it. For one thing, the house position of the stellium can be one of the vocational indicators (e.g. a 9th house stellium could show a vocation in teaching, law, or the travel industry.) Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
      at 5:24 am

  61. I seem to remember a couple of these articles, but I’d really like some more: those type of things in the line of “tips and tricks” or things you learned from experience about how certain configurations or transits, something one cannot read in a cook-book. like that/those articles about people with Venus-Neptune squares and their relationships.

    it doesn’t even have to be on a particular topic, just a bunch of disparate things that come to your mind; things that you were surprised to learn/discover at the time, things that you learned the hard way perhaps a long time ago and would help beginners not make the same mistake (beginners often jump right ahead to interpret something based on cookbooks, and reality turns out to be something else).

    this is the kind of stuff I always love to read. things only experience can teach, and I guess you have a load of it.

    Cris

    By: Cris on June 28, 2011
    at 7:23 am

    • Thanks, Cris. I think those sorts of insights come out best in the Q&A sessions. What I love about them is that the readers’ questions tap into things I know from long experience in working with clients, but I don’t know that I know them until someone asks. Any specific ideas on Q&A sessions that might tap into what you’re hoping for? Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
      at 1:21 pm

  62. How about something on the critical degrees in the natal chart, i.e. 29th. For example, is 29 Taurus or 15 Scorpio really as bad a position as their reputation suggests? How would they affect the native natally? Not that much out there that I can find.

    Thanks, jen

    By: jen on June 28, 2011
    at 8:15 am

  63. Hello
    The adoption suggestions caught my attention: family secrets – experiences of someone in your family before you were born, can shape how you were raised, and who you become.
    My suggested topic is the other side of the coin: blindspots – it’s there but for whatever reason the person doesn’t see it
    Donna – you’ve covered the sextile “oh that” and planets in the 12th near the ascendant – what is readily apparent to others but not the person with the placement.
    Are there other blindspots you have encountered, natally or by transit, that are not typically known or looked for?

    By: Lillie on June 28, 2011
    at 9:31 am

    • The biggest blindspot would be where we have Neptune, the planet of denial and even–worst case–of delusion. That could be found in the areas of life ruled by Neptune’s house placement. Secondly, maybe the aspects to Neptune, especially the conjunctions. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
      at 1:24 pm

  64. Hi Donna,
    You mentioned in a earlier article:
    “I also keep meaning to write a post about the people who have the last 10 degrees of Virgo rising through the first 10 of Libra, because depending on their place of birth, many of them have all four angles closely square/opposite one another by degree. “
    Wondering how it’s coming along?
    I have 1Lib Asc conj Pluto at late 29Vir, squared by Venus at MC and Jupiter at IC. Glad to say that the worst is over ( I hope). I’m interested in a series of first-hand accounts of people successfully integrated and creatively worked out the outer and personal-planet squares in their charts, especially those contradictive ones (Mars-Neptune, Venus-Pluto, Uranus-Moon, to name a few). Sorta like a collection of “words of the wise” “user’s manual” or “survival guide.”

    By: Eunice on June 28, 2011
    at 2:19 pm

    • “I also keep meaning to write a post about the people who have the last 10 degrees of Virgo rising through the first 10 of Libra, because depending on their place of birth, many of them have all four angles closely square/opposite one another by degree. “

      Sigh. I have lots and lots of ideas. If I don’t write them real soon after I get them, they keep moving further and further down in the pile. That was the notebook before last. Under the impetus of the long-since-ended Uranus-Saturn opposition triggering all those folks with 20 Virgo to 10 Libra Rising. Now that it’s over, there are probably better odds that I’ll hit the lottery than that I’ll write that article. Too bad. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on June 28, 2011
      at 3:58 pm

  65. Aspects of Mars to Uranus (especially the conjunction) in the various signs and houses. I have mars conjunct uranus in Cancer. It plays out in many ways but yesterday I caught my electric stove on fire while cooking dinner for a friend. Yikes. When I am not burning myself in my kitchen I am usually cutting myself with something sharp. Perhaps I should get out of the kitchen.

    By: KB on June 29, 2011
    at 12:51 pm

  66. How about Black Moon Lilith in the natal chart? How about fixed stars? Asteroids? Sun/Moon midpoints.Don’t know if you’re interested in any of that.How about different professions and their related astrology? Like the astrology of photographers or chefs (famous or otherwise).Beauty and the natal chart.Outward appearance,mannerisms and the ascendant.Free association descriptions of different aspects.Check out Astrofix for this,I love her style of writing.More on synastry.For example,when one person’s planet fills in or is a part of another’s aspect pattern.Double whammy aspect patterns.Repeated themes in synastry for example,when both people have Venus/Jupiter aspects and also have Venus/Jupiter in the synastry and composite.Emphasis on a certain planet or house in synastry.Just more in depth dynamics of synastry and composite charts.Also first meeting charts.I find those to be very interesting.

    By: Jane on June 29, 2011
    at 6:27 pm

    • Charts of healers…astrologers. ..

      By: Mary on June 30, 2011
      at 12:39 pm

  67. Darn It! I was gonna say progressions too! :(
    Fair Enough.
    I think a good topic would be more about the Asteroids. There is SO little information about them on the internet. They have to play somewhat of a role. An interesting one is Psyche.
    Another good topic is the importance of degrees.
    The Arabic Parts is a good one too!
    Well, I’m gonna stop now. I can keep going. :D

    By: Tae on June 30, 2011
    at 1:13 pm

  68. Hi Donna,
    I have a few suggestions
    1. “How to keep an astrological journal to improve one’s astrological skills.”

    2. “How to blend/interpret out of sign conjunctions and conjunctions of planets that do not seem to have much in common”

    3. “How the conjunction, waxing phase, opposition and waning phase of a transiting planet to a natal planet differ in interpretation.”

    By: Tina on July 1, 2011
    at 12:44 pm

  69. Donna,

    Based on your background in social work and liking the psychological realm of astrology, can you talk about the possible connection between personality typing systems (like Meyers Briggs, Enneagram, HSPs [Highly Sensitive People]) and Astrology?

    For example, the planetary placements that would produce a particular type of personality. Those that are “healer” types- the NFs- do they have more strongly aspected outer planet placements, esp. Plutos? Are those Highly Sensitives- (Elaine Aron says 20% of the population) heavy on Water, or do they have a strong Uranus because she says it is related to having a more sensitive nervous system? What about the SPs, known for their daring natures have a strong Mars on the angles? Those SJs who are the foundation of institutions? Are they heavy in Earth signs, or a particular house placements? There could be a longer series about each MB Type- there are 16 total, or a shorter series of the 4 temperaments, 3 of which I just stated, but would be done in more detail.

    And as an interesting study comparing these systems, people who know their type can correlate their experiences through their chart configurations and for those that don’t know their type, there are numerous online tests for each I’ve mentioned, and for MB, they are usually as accurate as the official long form MBTI test.

    I have found personality studies very helpful in my personal growth and evolution, and having learned about it at a similar time as astrology years ago, it really helped me become more more self-aware and self accepting.

    Thanks so much!
    Gilana

    By: Curious on July 1, 2011
    at 12:49 pm

    • For someone to answer that question really well, they’d need to be a Jungian astrologer, which I’m not, but there are plenty of them out there, and it’s almost a certainty that some of them have already been thinking along the lines you’re curious about. Google “Jungian astrologer” +”Meyers Briggs”. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on July 1, 2011
      at 2:27 pm


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