For real, I awoke last night to the sound of thunder around 3 a.m.. There’s always the what was that? element to hearing that premier crash and roll of reverberation each Spring, as if one is hearing it for the first time, unawares. I know some people dread that sound, but I find it so exciting and invigorating, as if the very air is shot through with possibility. So imagine my synchronistic surprise when I stumbled to my computer to find that, for today, at 2° Taurus, the Sabian Symbol du jour is An Electrical Storm! We’re told this oracle stands for “cosmic power able to transform all implications of natural existence.”

Dane Rudhyar sees this image as being in contrast to yesterday’s mountain stream, a powerful ambient display versus a lovely mountain trickle; I’m not sure I fully agree that there is a contrast in power, only in the manifestation of power. If yesterday was all about the Mother Source, I see today as a demonstration of Father Sky, thunder and lightning being the estate of chief gods like Thor and Jove (Zeus/Jupiter), for which Thursday (Italian: Giovedi; French: Jeudi) is named. The show of male power might be more blustery and obvious, but let us not forget that mountain stream’s ability to carve through stone in its enduring development, perhaps, toward becoming a great raging river, something which might be harnassed to make that self-same electricity. The point is that the feminine expression of power is, horizontal, over time; while the masculine demonstration is vertical, instantaneous, in a flash. All too often these dynamics are played out in the intimate interplay of the sexes. You know who you are.

An electrical storm is rife with potential of a different sort than the mountain stream. The latter symolizes what is innate, latent, even dormat maybe, lying on the inside, emerging slowly with an eye on endurance; while the former promises, or indeed threatens, to impose a power of realization or perhaps genius upon us. Unlike the mountain stream which is the full expression of our true existing nature, the electrical strom may empower us by transforming us into another version of ourselves.

In a twelve-fold sequence, today’s oracle would be under the influence of the sign of Scorpio, which is the so-called opposite sign of Taurus (really they are higher sextaves of each other). Transformation is surely the keynote of the Scorpio experience and its rule of the 8th astrological house. We might liken the shock of an electric bolt to the sting of a Scorpion, but really, to be honest, I can always find connections, even where none exist. Still we can’t deny the potential transformative power of today’s oracle. We may be struck at any moment and, as a result, we won’t be the same. The shock to our system might turn on a few cartoon lightbulbs over head, but it might very well short-circuit what pathways, if not pathologies, we have already established. Remember the deep grooves made by the mountain spring—they may represent our nature, reinforced by habit over time. Well, now we might find ourselves being completely rewired by some outside force, if not a divine intervention or visitation. We have all heard stories of people being struck by lightning and thereby gaining certain gifts of prophesy or healing as a result.

And whereby the mountain stream is the bubbling up of emotion, the gateway to our spirituality, the electrical storm’s production of a thunder or lightning bolt would be a cosmic imposition specifically working upon us, aimed at our mind. In astrology, water symbolizes feeling and air connotes thought and ideology. We must look at the electrical storm as a release of stored or pent up energy. Something is brewing and the atmosphere is charged. Funnily enough, here on the eastern seaboard it does feel that way outside today. But metaphorically speaking, let us look upon this day through the lens of there being electricity in the air that will come to some culmination. Something’s gotta give; and in the releasing of energy we not only provide building pressure an escape, we find inspiration in the process. What I like most about today’s image, versus yesterday’s, is that we needn’t take any internal inventory. Rather we can participate in, commune with, the buzzy, potent atmosphere

I’m reminded of when I first graduated university in Boston. I decided to spend the summer in town before heading off to Paris in the Fall. I had already taken a job at the end of my senior year at the Cafe Florian on Newbury Street. Being back in Boston the space now holds the Thinking Cup where I do enjoy morning coffee, post yoga. It’s funny to be in there. Back in the day it was owned by an older Hungarian couple and the menu consisted of caviar omelettes, vichyssoise, goulash and an assortment of pastries includie sacher tortes. They served wine and beer and in summer the other waiters and I would drink Pilsner with lemon. Our manager was called Ed who had the affectation of starting many a sentence with a drawn out “uhhh;” after our shift we would sit in the restaurant and play a drinking game where everytime we heard Ed say “uhhh” we’d have to take a sip. Oh the simple ways we used to amuse ourselves.

One day I was meant to work the outdoor cafe, arriving at 4PM for my evening shift, but I had a social opportunity I didn’t want to pass up. The weather looked and felt a little like it does today. I was sharing a huge apartment in Allston with mostly absentee roommates. I decided to do an experiment. I stood, arms akimbo, in the living rooms giant bay window and I attempted to “gather” the energy of the atmosphere into something of a rain storm. Now of course this could be coincidence; although witnesses to the fact seem to feel this actually happened: I poured every fiber of my intention into becoming one with the air and I found myself do all sorts of automatic movements and the wind did begin not just to blow but create mini tornadoes on the street just below the window and the sky suddenly blackened and it began to pour. A friend phoned a store next to the Florian and asked if it was raining there. It wasn’t. Then he phoned The Magic Pan which used also to be on Newbury Street, up the block. They said it was just starting to drizzle. Sweat was beading off my brow as I continued my new wave rain dance; and I gave it one more powerful thrust of intention and movement for power and called the Florian myself. Hi I’m supposed to work the cafe but it’s absolutely pouring here, how about there? It was torrential and I was let off work for the night. I hung up and within minutes the sun came out and there was a rainbow and I slapped on some Kouros (probably), threw on some Matinique outfit and set off for my sanctioned evening of social activity. Ah the days of no cellphones and minimal accountability and blessed anonymity.

So, witches, though today is about a release and intervention from the heavens, you might just be able to participate in its formation and its purpose. But mind you don’t do so too selfishly, as I believe I might have done that day. I do think someone who needed the money too my shift so I don’t think there was any karmic retribution. Still, if I were you, I’d focus straight on the rainbow!