Jude’s Threshold

Hello and Welcome to Jude’s Threshold!

Tonight I’ve signed up with WordPress for the first time–but I’m already blogging here and there like on Political Astrology at: http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com  where you’ll find opinion and starry-based comments on America, on Washington DC, and on the politicians who infest them…it’s got linky richness, too!

From the Astrology sites’n'blogs of my esteemed colleagues to Politics and articles of all sorts…check out my stellar Links List at Stars Over Washington.

Then you’ll find cosmic and archetypal art to be viewed at: http://cosmicpersonadesigns.blogspot.com   IF you’re 17+, that is! (no cheating please–there’s enough of that in Washington);

But everyone can view my latest Moon Art at http://secretmoonart.blogspot.com  or read Mr.A.Cat’s rather ill-humored, politically inspired limericks plus a few spiffy cat photos of some merit if you slink on over to http://limslimericks.blogspot.com;

and if you like tropical fish–appreciate while the oceans still have any, that is, check out http://dreamyfishart.blogspot.com  where my drawings attempt to blend the reality of Saturnian form–botanically-drawn fish portraits–with Neptune’s nebulous dreams…because fish dream, too. And because Neptune’s realm is the sea, and because I’m fond of lovely fish who dream themselves into colorful and fanciful surroundings…kind of like yours truly…

also I have pages of articles, photos, and artwork on display at:

http://judecowell.gather.com   and you don’t have to join Gather to view or read, just to comment…and there’s Art & Then Some over at: http://judecowell.blog.com  but I’ll tell you about my AbsoluteArts Portfolio later–it’s also for 17+-ers…

before I mosey there are a few words to say about this blog’s title:  Jude’s Threshold.

Threshold is a word associated with the planet Saturn and Saturn is known by a lot of names:

the taskmaster, the lesson-bringer, Old Man Saturn, the senex, Cronos or Kronos…and then there’s no one’s favorite: The Grim Reaper.

He guards the threshold of experience and the Next Step–the Choice at the Crossroads–and will never bring loss where it is not warranted. In fact, he often brings long-term rewards for long-term efforts–not the Jupiter kind of reward–Jupiter’s kind is winning the lottery, or the great job offer you get because your brother works for the company.

You know–the gift for little if any effort expended…always nice, but often short-lived. And this must be why lottery winnings seldom last past the first year or so, no matter how large the treasure!

Now a good example of a difficult Saturn transit  (a word for when a planet visits a point or another planet in a chart) is when the Old Man conjuncts (crosses, or tromps upon) our natal (birth) Ascendant, the rising point in the chart representing the person, the physical body, the self.

The Ascendant describes the mask (persona) which is: how we see the world and how the world sees us. Whew! Does that make sense or am I babbling? Okay, I’m babbling sense, if you’ll take it that way.

So when Saturn crosses/transits our Ascendant (aka, ASC), he brings regret for past mistakes and an unavoidable accountability for them, along with extra responsibilities, fear, and perhaps paranoia as well. And yes, achy bones or teeth, for Saturn rules the skeletal system and the choppers.

My prime example for this transit was during Hurricane Katrina’s devastation–when Saturn conjuncted George Bush’s natal ASC…and we heard him utter, for the first time EVER, that he was accountable for the sorry response to Americans dying in attics, stranded without food, water, or assistance…thanks to the ‘reorganizing’ of FEMA…brought to us by…the Bush administration.

Past mistakes? I’ll say. Still ongoing, too, although New Orleans seems to be doing better of late–yayyy! 

(For Bush, this transit also involves the misdirected energies expended on invading Iraq, but that’s too much to encompass with this mere introductory post tonight.)

Well, Saturn/Katrina/Bush’s ASC is pretty harsh example, but Saturn can be harsh when his gravitas (another of Saturn’s words, as is gravity!) is not respected and his gift of responsibility is taken too lightly. For along with authority comes responsibility and I suspect the buck that once uprightly stopped at the Oval Office’s desk was a Saturnian buck, don’t you? Realistic Saturn prefers things on the up-and-up which is a real challenge for Washington, isn’t it?

Recognizing Saturn’s gifts isn’t always easy…that would be one of Jupiter’s favorite lofty and happy-go-lucky words…easy! But Saturn’s serious note adds to life’s symphony as no other energy can…for where would an orchestra be without the tuba and the bass bassoon?