This week is BIG, needs no introduction because we are already in it. At the end of this post we will take a longer look at a few things.
MONDAY - Sun trines Mars and Vesta, Sun inconjunct Neptune
TUESDAY - Venus trines Mars and Vesta, Venus inconjuncts Neptune
WEDNESDAY - Sun squares Pluto, Mercury opposes Chiron
THURSDAY - Venus squares Pluto
SATURDAY - Sun conjuncts Venus, Mercury trines Saturn and Vesta
SUNDAY - Sun and Venus dive into Scorpio, Saturn stations direct, Juno stations direct
MONDAY - TUESDAY - We begin the week with the Sun and Venus (traveling together and meeting up on Saturday), from separate perches at 24 degrees Libra, trining Mars in Gemini AND Vesta in Aquarius.
Our words/ideas/conversations are favored/attractive/bring harmony. Something is moving forward/falling into place (we will keep in mind that Mars is going to station retrograde next week, so this is likely part of a process). Passionate communications are likely. This is good energy for commerce/making money. We are more magnetic. Good for peacemaking/mediating. For versatility/more options within whatever we have going on in our relationships. The trines to Vesta pull in some futuristic/smart Aquarius air. What is most important/where should our focus be? What flame/passion needs to be KEPT LIT? Here is that Grand Air Trine - which we have access to for a few days - this is unobstructed smooth flow with conversations, ideas.
Last week's Grand Air Trine continues with a change of players. This week is about our light/versatile/flexible/multiple actions (Mars in Gemini) in unobstructed flow with what we want/our relationships/our resources (Sun/Venus in Libra) in an unobstructed flow with our sacred devotion, what we are focused on/paying attention to, the rules, our responsibilities/the future (Saturn and Vesta in Aquarius). At the end of the week, Mercury steps in for the Sun/Venus and speaks of things like official contracts/commitments, compromises, grown-up diplomacy, walking our talk - our attention drawn to what matters most. Sometimes we might need to take a step back/detach, air signs are not so sentimental.
The inconjuncts to Neptune warn of confusion, rose-colored glasses, exhaustion, escape mechanisms like alcohol/drugs/Netflix, etc, self-sacrifice, self-sabotage - getting in the way of us using the powerful Grand Air Trines to their best advantage.
Focus on what matters most. Do first things first. Big girl/boy pants on. Be civil. Be kind. Eyes on the future. Don't take things personally. Hold your center.
As we move into the middle of the week, on WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY the energies get more tricky. Now we have Mercury opposing Chiron which can bring a painful conversation/news. The squares to Pluto could bring something 'to a head' through power struggles, difficulties with limits/authority, challenges with women. The loss or transformation of solar figures/father figures and then women/relationships. Financial stress. Intensity. Jealousy/compulsion within relationships. Third party situations. Mercury is applying to his/her trine to Saturn, so the way through the hurtful words/information - whatever is making us feel vulnerable here - will NOT be found fighting Pluto, but in merging with Saturn. Lean into responsibility, structure, commitment. We don't want to be destroying something. We don't want to focus on what we are losing.
We want to focus on what we are building. What goals bring you into connection with other people? This stressful/tense energy in the middle of the week will really be in play all week as it applies and releases. Channel the Grand Air Trine and keep a cool head.
On SATURDAY, Venus catches up with the Sun concluding a chapter and starting a new STORY (Venus Star Point, 28 degrees Libra - first Venus Star Point in Libra since the days of the American and French Revolutions!).
If we are getting what we want here is when it can show up (or maybe in the past week or so as this aspect was applying). Financial gains are possible. With Saturn stationing direct tomorrow and Mercury in a smooth trine to Saturn now, the reality of the situation likely via rules, formal commitments/conversations and contracts are highlighted whichever way our personal winds are blowing. Hopefully we are experiencing the Libra harmony, cooperation, love and attraction.
Remember this meeting is in diplomatic and balanced Libra, so we want to be playing by the rules here, not trying to rock the boat.
On SUNDAY, something is likely to change direction with both Saturn and Juno turning direct. Daddy's home and it's report card time. Venus and the Sun leave Libra TOGETHER and dive into Scorpio, yes, the boat will rock, setting the stage for the Scorpio Solar Eclipse next Tuesday.
I hope we got some of these relationship hard edges and power imbalances smoothed out over the last few weeks in Libra because things are only going to get more intense/dramatic/bumpier!
My philosophy with Eclipses is not to go looking for trouble.
Things are hidden for a reason. Some of the things we have stuffed under the carpet can stay stuffed for now as far as I am concerned, unless Eclipse energies drag them out - and they might! The opposite will be true for health situations - I am talking especially to my fellow Scorpio risings and Gemini Risings (even some Taurus risings), take health things, that come to light, seriously over the next couple weeks. For other signs this can apply to partner's health, pet's health, parent's health, your career's health, etc.
Saturn stationed retrograde back in early June and now he stations DIRECT. Saturn's retrograde "review" wraps up in our Aquarius house - collectively this will be about our groups, goals, causes, etc - Aqua stuff. We should have a better idea of who and what we want to associate ourselves with. Some situations will be left behind.
Saturn's direct motion can release pent up pressure in our Aquarius
house. It could have felt, during his retrograde, that we were getting further
away from our goals or where we want to be in this area of our life.
Maybe obligations weighed heavily. Commitments to groups/causes might have been re-evaluated. Walls and limitations had to be
faced. Corners we had previously cut were noted to be missing. Bills came due.
Maybe we were re-evaluating, re-assessing, re-affirming our responsibilities and commitments. Maybe we learned to say, "no". Maybe we learned to say "yes" to something we had been avoiding.
Saturn always gives rewards, but they are Saturnian rewards - coming after we've put in the time and hard work to build something that lasts. And yes, the thing that lasts IS the reward!
Our long range goals that have been stuck can start to move forward now.
With Saturn (father time) direct - daddy's home! - greater external structure is brought into our lives. This can feel supportive and rewarding (if we have been doing our Saturn retro work) or like a wall/limit/roadblock (if we have been partying like it's 1999 - does anyone remember 1999??).
Have we been goofing off? Staying
out late? Running up the electric bill? Worn out dad's favorite chair or
left his tools out in the rain to rust? Well, he's home.
Karmic books get balanced. Remember, karma isn't about punishment. It is simply cause and effect - we are just being served what we ordered. Most of us do alot of this "ordering" unconsciously. If we don't like what we are being served - we can choose to do things differently today.
NOW is an opportunity, with Saturn covering old ground for the third time, to FIX ANY MISSED STEPS in that Aquarius house. We are older and wiser.
With Juno stationing direct in Pisces at the same time, this direct movement is also about our RELATIONSHIPS and our dreams. Some kind of 're-evaluation' period is over. If we have been overly-idealistic about someone/something/a creative project - here is where the reality of the situation will be made more clear. Has the help/prestige from Jupiter that Juno depends on been there or hasn't it? Again, the winds here will CHANGE DIRECTION.
With Scorpio season coming in with a BANG next week - things feeling much more like 'life and death' and some might actually be - we need to get whatever needs to be wrapped up this week, wrapped up. By the end of this week, the Moon will be in her balsamic phase, so something should be winding down. Either completing as we prepare for a BIG New Moon Solar Eclipse conjunct Venus or preparing to move into a new/more intense chapter.
*****
To recap where we are - October started with Mercury turning direct in his/her home sign of Virgo.
Mercury
was squaring Mars and opposing Neptune. That's not the best 'welcome
home' Mercury could have received, so as I write this in the middle of October,
we are coming off a couple weeks, at least, of some pretty challenging and uneven communication.
Last week and this week the air trines take over - communication, information. The pace can quicken. This week there will be squares to Pluto from the Libra
planets - power struggles, financial and relationship challenges that can lead to permanent TRANSFORMATIONS. Squares aren't bad things. Not much happens without them. But take them seriously because Pluto don't play.
We have the beautiful and harmonious October 22nd
meeting of the Sun and Venus. So, between now and then we are working on strengthening our relationships - which will, yes, be challenging - balancing
our books, looking at our resources/what we value, seeing the ways our
self-esteem is connecting to our current situation.
Once we get past October 22nd, things get more INTENSE (and don't read 'intense' as 'bad').
Venus and the Sun dive into Scorpio together. They will inconjunct Jupiter - making relationship and financial situations feel bigger. Here is where we want to avoid heated arguments that can become out-of-control. Wanting too much, taking too much, over-promising, over-committing, over-confidence that leads to brashness - think twice. Scorpio's
modern ruler will be direct and finishing up in Capricorn. Scorpio's
ancient ruler is in Gemini, slowed, preparing to station
retrograde. How deep we want to go with things after the 23rd is questionable -
and much will be out of our hands because the Eclipse energies will take
over - some monsters might be better left under the bed, because things
could get scarier than we want them to.
Halloween is more than a date on the calendar.
By the end of this week, we will want to be SUPPORTING each other because we will need it.
Our "people" may be in much smaller numbers than they used to be, but
hopefully they are the 'real deal'. Hopefully we have people we value
and who value us. There doesn't have to be alot of them, and, of course, ultimately with Chiron and Jupiter in independent Aries and Saturn in individualistic Aquarius - much is up to us anyway.
With Mars in the beginning of
his LONG journey back and forth through Gemini - small steps are most
needed. Facts are needed. Options are needed. Duality is needed (even though NASA is kind of intent on blowing it up). Tech, our local community, our siblings/cousins, communication - all needed.
Mars
is squaring Neptune, so we can't see what we can't see/don't know what
we don't know. We can get tired and drift off course. We want to be
taking action, YES, but in a way we want to be taking the LEAST
necessary action. Especially with blockages and problems now. The bigger
the move we make to fix something the more off-course we can make
ourselves because Mars/Neptune creates DRIFT.
We want
to respond and not react. What does this mean? Think about it. Responses
are natural/innate. They require our trust/faith in life. Something
happens and we do what comes naturally. Reactions can be overthought/get
overblown. There can be a tendency with Mars/Neptune, with
Gemini/Pisces, with Pluto just stationing direct, to OVER-ADJUST - and
we unconsciously hard-wire MANIPULATION into our reaction. This leads to
unintended consequences. We get what we want and don't want it. We want
what we want without being clear on what this is because again there is
this kind of DRIFT.
So, take things slow. Neptune
will always beat Mars, so see/feel what Neptune in Pisces is bringing you (besides a potential head cold this season). Don't be so quick to full-steam ahead it with that Mars about to
station. These energies dancing with Neptune (and Jupiter) give us the rose-colored glasses we NEED to be OPEN to better
outcomes. But they are also making it hard to see past the idealized
version of something to the reality of the situation. And, they are draining,
and did I say DRIFTING, yes, I think I did.
We need to have faith. There
are BIG things happening in this lead up to Eclipse season, and really
all the way through March 2023 and through May 2023, that are OUT OF OUR
HANDS.
Jupiter is Zeus, the God of Gods, the God of
FAITH, and he is retrograde in the sign of "man". The universal man, but
also our masculine energy. He is answering to Mars right now, but is
headed back into Pisces, a sign he once ruled, and then will return to Aries. So, we will be going back to the dream through
action/through courage/through Mars. Next year we will be back where we
are now. At the end of 2022 we are just laying the footings - or maybe
ripping out the old growth.
THIS IS A LONG GAME. Or a
long book and we live it chapter by chapter. Looking too far ahead
doesn't ruin the ending - it can actually CHANGE THE ENDING. Stay
centered. The North Node is in Taurus - what is most important? What do
you actually NEED to stay alive?
Mars is bringing
us the options/choices. He is going to station retrograde at the end of
the month FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. There will be stop signs and road
blocks. These are not punishments. They are not designed to actually
stop us. Well, sometimes they are. But more commonly they are like
those bumps in the road made to slow us down, encourage us to pay more
ATTENTION. And through the ongoing Saturn/Uranus square we will be
charged to find new ways to deal with the changing circumstances we find
ourselves in.
When Mars stations retrograde in Gemini
at the end of October, he will be answering to Mercury who will be in
Scorpio, and Mars and Mercury will then be in mutual reception. There will
be ways through. We will talk about this as we move through it. We will
wring the most from that mutual reception. While Mars is retrograde is
an EXCELLENT time to PREPARE. We will be doing the background work
before next spring's BIG show.
Our first Eclipse is a
New Moon Solar Eclipse in Scorpio on October 25th. This will be followed
two weeks later by a particularly VOLATILE Lunar Eclipse in Taurus on
November 8th. We will talk about this in the next posts. The two weeks
between the Eclipses is a kind of 'report card' for how we deal with
CHAOS (which is a natural part of feminine energy). This will also be when Mars stations retrograde!
What is really happening here is we are being forced to face the energy (which has created fear)
we are absorbing/have absorbed from other people. Scorpio's memory is
long. This can have past-life/ancestral implications. We are being asked
to REALLY look at ourselves through our relationships and our values
and our connection to money/resources. We all have very old beliefs
about who we are/what we need, what other people expect from us. We are
moving from a tribal society to a more individualistic one (over a very long time, but also very quickly) - what needs to be re-negotiated?
The
New Moon Solar Eclipse in late October is at the very early degrees of
Scorpio. Something is starting and being in Scorpio, the start is coming
through a death/what is leaving. The North Node will reach the
degree the Eclipse is activating, in the middle of 2023 - maybe THEN
is when the seeds that go into the ground now take root. Maybe THEN is
when we see what is lost. With the South Node in Scorpio much old karma
connected to our natal Scorpio house is bring released/burned off.
This Eclipse
powerfully hits both Biden's and Putin's charts. We will look at that in the Eclipse post.
On November 8th, we get the second Eclipse - this
one a Lunar Eclipse in Taurus. Mega-powerful. Conjunct Uranus.
Change/chaos. Again, how do we deal with chaos? We are breaking free of
old agreements/old values. We might lose some resources. This is tricky
territory. We will look at this in detail.
In 2023, alot will be going on.
Pluto will move into Aquarius (temporarily, he will be back in Capricorn by summer). Saturn will move into Pisces and Jupiter into Taurus (where he will square Pluto, in May, while Pluto is at 0 Aquarius - the "world starts up again" degree where he met Saturn at the end of 2020). There will be 4 Mercury retrogrades and 4 Eclipses. In March 2023, all the planets except Ceres will be direct and in a three week window - Mercury and Saturn will move into Pisces (Saturn coming off a mega-USA reality check visit with the U.S. Moon - the people), Juno and Venus will enter Taurus, Mercury and the Sun will enter Aries, Ceres will back into Virgo and Pluto will enter Aquarius. Jupiter will be on Chiron (our wound, but also our gift). Next summer, while Venus retrogrades in Leo, the Nodes will shift into Aries/Libra. The Eclipses will be wonky with an Eclipse in Aries followed by an Eclipse in Scorpio (both in the spring) then in the fall an Eclipse in Libra followed by an Eclipse in Taurus. Our relationships/our resources/our values/our money and self-esteem - all this stuff is changing.
The work on/in our relationships continues and ultimately this is about working on ourselves.
For now, with two major planets/celestial bodies (including the one that rules, well, reality) changing direction this week, something in our life will be, too. The air trines this week are smooth flow - our actions, our communications. The squares to Pluto are power struggles, third party situations, Plutonian theme issues - taxes, inheritance, insurance, joint money stuff, spouse's income, sex, reproduction, surgery, power, obsession, jealousy. etc, or some actual 'life and death' challenges/relationship pivot points. The Venus/Pluto now will be a pre-cursor of Eclipse season (Scorpio/Taurus, so a decidedly Pluto/Venus flavor), so pay attention to any challenges/intensity in the middle of this week.
These times are not for sissies.
Appreciate all the good things that come your way, always!
Back with a Saturn direct post and then a BIG Solar Eclipse in Scorpio post!
xo all
This post feels a bit all over the place. Some of it was supposed to go up last week, but the auto-post didn't auto-post (!) for whatever reason and I neglected to double check it. It is future-focused, so still timely - hope something is helpful.
photography by the talented temporary-peace