Astrology in my world: Saying goodbye to Amber

This week I had to send my beloved dog Amber into the light so it’s been difficult for me to write.  She was diagnosed with cancer about two weeks ago and we had been giving doggie hospice care until Tuesday when we said goodbye.

I usually look for Pluto or Jupiter where death is involved, and often in an emotionally intense time such as this has been I would expect to find Pluto and in fact my progressed Moon is within range of a challenging square to Pluto in my natal chart.  But even more significantly, that progressed Moon, my heart and soul’s expression, is in a strong square aspect to the South Node in my natal chart.  The South Node has to do with the release of something from the past in order to prepare us to move forward towards our future destiny.

We found Amber in a magical way.  When my old golden dog died years ago I felt a burning need to get another dog and called to volunteer for the Golden Retriever rescue organization.  It just so happened that it was Christmas and they desperately needed a foster home for a five month old puppy over the holidays.  Rich didn’t want to get another dog yet but I persisted, and since it was just for a week he relented.  Needless to say, when the week was up we didn’t want to let her go and she spent another fourteen wonderful years with us.

The passing of Amber coincided with an exact square from the asteroid Pallas to the Sun in my progressed chart.  Dawn Bodrogi is an astrologer who has taught me a great deal about the progressed chart (the evolution of the chart through the passage of time) and she says that Pallas is nearly always present in one way or another at a major event in someone’s life.  I have found this to be true.  I am still researching Pallas but she is a very interesting planetary body in many ways (I have also found her active in the charts of transgendered people.)

I don’t think we will get another dog right away.  Amber was really very special.  Her real magic was in opening the hearts of all those who knew her, including mine, and for that I am forever grateful.