Dawne Kovan

 There is a move afoot to bring the date of Easter to a regular weekend in April, so that people know exactly when they can book their Spring holidays. This would be a shame because it would be yet another way in which modern society is being disconnected from its relationship with the heavens.

The origins of Easter lie far beyond the present era – far back in pagan times when the relationship between the Sun and Moon were markers for specific annual festivals. From our earliest history mankind has celebrated Easter, the period of highest fertility for all the creatures in the Northern Hemisphere and the strengthening of the Sun’s light. This festival is associated with rebirth, the arising of life after the death of winter. The roots of most Christian festivals can be found to have pagan origins and Easter is no exception.

The culture that eventually grew into the peoples of the Old Testament celebrates Passover at the same period as Easter. In fact, in the New Testament, Jesus is tried and put to death at the beginning of Passover. Therefore, the date of Passover itself is calculated by the same rules that we use to calculate Easter.

These ancient cultures all used a Lunar calendar – and many still do today. This means that the phases of the Moon, both New and Full, form the basis for all dating of events. Passover falls on the first Full Moon in Libra – which means that the Sun has to be in Aries and the Moon in the opposite side of the sky. Lunar phases are not regular and predictable like Solar phases – we always know when the Sun will enter a particular part of the sky, for example, because it visits the same degree of the Ecliptic (or Zodiac) on a specific date of the year. This is why birthdays are important. However, the Moon changes sign every two and a half days and presents her face to the Sun irregularly. 

The Moon’s complete cycle around the Zodiac is 28 days and the Sun’s complete cycle takes a whole year. Therefore the days when the Moon is either New (in the same place as the Sun) or Full (placed in the opposite side of the sky) have to be recalculated for every festival. 

Another thing that’s worth mentioning here, is that many people have tried many times to calculate the exact date of the Crucifixion by the dates of a Solar Eclipse in the early years of our Common Era. The Bible states that “darkness fell over the land” when Jesus died on the cross. This is not possible historically, as a Solar Eclipse can only happen when the New Moon passes over the exact same latitude of the Ecliptic occupied by the Sun, thus extinguishing its light by coming between the Earth and the Sun. And a New Moon at Passover is not possible as it is always celebrated on the Full Moon. A Lunar Eclipse can only be seen at night.

So, each year Easter is celebrated from the first Friday after the Full Moon in Libra – which is a moveable feast that connects us with our most ancient spiritual roots. And that connection must be maintained lest we lose sight of the importance of the Cosmos in our everyday lives.

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 I watched the DVD “Elizabeth the Golden Years” yesterday evening –  1st March, 2008  – and saw various news flashes throughout the last few days that were about one of our youngest Royals, Prince Harry.

In my work as an astrologer, I have often written about the British Royal Family – mainly because their birth times are accurately recorded, which makes my life much  more simple as events can be timed more acutely. And no-one fascinates the British Public more than Queen Elizabeth the First – the fiery, brilliant, red-headed “Virgin” Queen.

The term Virgin describes the fact that she was born under the sign of Virgo, rather than being ‘intacta’. However, she did milk the ambiguity somewhat. In an age when astrological symbolism was the lingua franca in court circles at the time, everyone got the joke!!

Elizabeth Tudor was born to be Queen. She was born under the joint influences of Sun in Virgo, Moon in Taurus and Ascendant in Capricorn – all three of them ruled by the element of Earth. Good practical, level-headed stuff, that takes nothing for granted, well able to read the small print on any document and doesn’t get caught up with emotional issues.

That is all I’m going to say on this chart at the moment because I want to get to another Royal personage who has been filling our TV screens and news media these last few days.

And that’s Prince Harry – soldier, hero and all round good egg!!

Another red-headed Royal with Sun in Virgo (only a day different from Elizabeth Tudor’s Sun), with his Moon also in Taurus and Ascendant also in Capricorn. Although he inherits his grandmother, Elizabeth Windsor’s Capricorn Ascendant, it is her Sun that is placed in Taurus – Harry’s Moon sign. Therefore they share very close psycho-genes.

However, his chart is almost identical to that of Elizabeth Tudor. This makes me ask the obvious question – will Harry become King of the United Kingdom?

It is important to realise that Astrology transcends bloodlines – there is no direct physical genetic link between our present day Royal Family and the Tudors. However, in some unseen manner, shared planetary positions between people seem to hint at another hand possibly directing the affairs of humankind. We only have to look at similar planetary links in adoptive families to wonder at the mystery of existence. 

Could his older brother back down from succeeding – in other words could emotional, romantic William follow his mother, Princess Diana and Great-Uncle King Edward the Eighth into a choice between love and duty and let love win?

Wills has a very sensitive Cancer Sun and Moon in the element of Water – born on the day of a  Total Solar Eclipse, which is a highly intense aspect. King Edward’s Sun was in watery Pisces, Diana’s Sun was like Will’s in Cancer – therefore Will’s psycho-genes are very definitely inherited from her. So, to sum up – water signs suggest a life run by feeling values whereas Earth signs suggest the importance of  practical values.

With Pluto the planet of profound changes, transitions and irrevocable endings now entering Capricorn, the sign associated with institutions – it looks as if all collective structures like major oil companies, banks, old universities and old family dynasties are going to suffer massive challenges over the next 15 years.

I do think that the Royal Family will undergo a huge shift through this period and maybe not so far into the future. Prince William’s Sun (the heart of every chart) is now being called on by Pluto through 2008 and 2009.

Like anyone else born around 20-22nd June, he is being challenged to admit his true longings and follow his deepest desires. This aspect, because Pluto falls on the opposite side of the Zodiac to his Sun, would suggest that the arena for this drama is likely to be marriage. In a couple of years along the line Pluto will then call on his Moon which will really change his family life forever and could suggest the birth of children but may not include Kingship!

Please feel free to make a comment on this article – I look forward to hearing your views.

Dawne Kovan
www.dawnekovan.com

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When a planet as powerful and as slow moving as Pluto enters a new sign, the world notices – not just individuals but everybody. Look how Pluto has effected the Sagittarian values of religion, travel and international laws through the period 1995 – 2008. Resulting in the rise of religious fundamentalism, the power of ideologies, the global spread of information, a fear of “the foreigner in our midst” and much, much more. 

Last month, Pluto dipped his toe in Capricorn and will stay for about another 4 months – he will begin his true sojourn there in late November and then will remain for 15 years.

The last time Pluto was in Capricorn brought huge changes in the way we lived. For example, during his first year there in 1516 Martin Luther began his challenges to the established church, which resulted in the Reformation. The result of this was the rise in Calvinism and the worshipping of that good old Capricornian value – hard work as the route to God.

We also saw the beginning of European colonisation of South America. So watch that part of the world for major political shifts over the next 17 years.

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The tiny wandering planet Mercury finally changes direction on Tuesday 19th February and will take a few days to begin to pick up his customary speed. All those Geminians and Virgoans can breathe a sigh of relief – at last – clarity and a sense of steaming ahead again. Just a small warning here – decisions made in haste this weekend may have to be reversed after Wednesday. Such a wayward planet!

During next week, two other events occur: firstly also on the 19th the Sun enters Pisces for a month signalling the coming of spring not 30 days on – at last! Here in March 2007 in the UK Spring happened early and was followed by rain for the next 10 months – with very little sunshine and much of the country under water. So we are all slightly sun-starved, to say the least!

The second event is a Lunar Eclipse on 21st February at 2 degrees across the Pisces/Virgo axis. This can be an intense couple of days with lots of emotion in the air. If your birthday falls across the 21st Feb/23 August dates then you can expect some kind of upheavals for a few months around home and family. In fact the last few years have really been a roller coaster for all Pisces/Virgo natives. For those born in the final third of these two signs, life promises to get more and more interesting and life expanding through 2008 – 2011.

Watch this space for further updates!

From your Cosmic Reporter

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I’m heading this part of my Astrology blog page with the above quote because the information I’m giving below is in no way “fortune telling” – it is simply the result of observations made over thousands years and I offer it to you to as a piece of possibly useful input.

We are living in a particularly changeable time through this week, due to Mercury and Mars changing direction and Pluto entering Capricorn. this article will guide you through the choppy waters.

This evening – Monday, 28th January, Mercury, which is associated with communications of all kinds goes BACKWARDS!! And will remain so for the next 21 days, whereupon he then starts to go forwards again. Because he is the fastest planet he does this 3 times every year – so for those in the telecom and travel businesses, this can be quite a turbulent few days, and again in 3 weeks’ time.

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