Mercury trine the North Node | thinking about the future, the right words at the right time, hearing something we need to hear, learning something we need to know, starting a new conversation

amelia by wasted-photos

Mercury at 14 degrees Aries is trining (brakes off) the North Node today at 14 degrees Leo.

Mercury in Aries is blunt and decisive. Information can be tossed at us for a quick decision - which we can make because we are not so enmeshed in that "seeing all sides of a situation and need for balance" that Aries polarity sign Libra requires.

Our decisions are based on what is best for us at the time. 

Now Mercury has been traveling with Venus (say what you want) since she/he arrived in Aries and they both squared Saturn and had to pivot. On Monday they meet up again. In the meantime Mercury has this trine with the North Node (our collective path forward). And remember Mercury is walking his shadow - meaning degrees he will walk two more times over the next few weeks with his upcoming retrograde - so information, ideas, all things Mercurian - have a triple significance now.

There could be a long-running conversation that needs to get started. Aries is pushy, though, and tends to run off half-cocked, so let's avoid too much of that.

Trines are beneficial, but often missed, in the same ways we don't notice the things that move smoothly. So, this is a time to pay attention. There is a clue here somewhere and with tomorrow's New Moon in Pisces having multiple aspects that warns about trying to start something from a position of weakness - let's see what words come to our attention today.

There could be a conversation, idea or communication that points us in a certain direction - with that Leo North Node toward what our heart wants, toward our natural center stage, toward our space of greatest generosity of spirit and courage.

Notice your own language today. Watch for negative words when you mean positive things - like saying "this isn't bad" when you mean "this is good" or using the word "want" when you mean something more than being in a state of "not having". Watch for your limiting beliefs to show up as you spin your stories now.

Limiting beliefs are the thoughts, stories and 'spells' that we invite, through our own words, into the deepest spaces inside us and sometimes expel out into the world as conversation that inhibit our potential and limit the choices we make in our life.

For most of us, there is less question about whether or not our words are powerful - we know they are - as there is about how to best use this power to improve our world.

I have always loved anagrams and cryto-quotes and similar kinds of word puzzles. I had a bit of an obsession with them as a kid actually - also mythology, astrology and Rumi.

(And yes, all these things will work there way into this series. I was also obsessed with my metal wheeled roller skates, Ellen O'Neal and Tiger Beat magazine - luckily for you, dear reader, I will leave them out of this one.)

Words are powerful.

I love how "word" and "lord" can be combined to create "world". And "uni" meaning one and "verse" meaning word or poem or song makes "universe". And a spell is a s-p-e-l-l.

And dog is God spelled backwards (maybe especially that one).

You might be familiar with the Bible story of the Tower of Babel - which is the story of God's displeasure at humankind's progress after the great flood. Everyone speaking the same language and working together meant soon nothing would be out of humankind's reach. This worried God so much that he scattered everyone all over the planet and changed their one language into many as a way to dis-empower everyone.

One nugget to take from this story is that Babel babble = dis-empowerment.

This is the same story we work through every Mercury Retrograde. Mercury is the God of communication. We honor Mercury when we speak our truth, when we think through our thoughts before we say our words, when we say more and talk less. We dishonor Mercury when we babble.

We also dis-empower (and self-limit) ourselves.

So, consider the words you use before speaking today. Maybe speak half as much as you usually do. Unless you don't usually speak all that much - in that case, speak twice as much. Avoid gossip. Avoid babble. No little white lies. Think about your random thoughts and the song lyrics that get stuck in your head. This would be a good time to sign up for a class or begin a course of study - it doesn't have to be some big, important thing. Mercury rules Virgo and the little details, too, remember - one foot in front of the other now.

Listen. What is your life trying to tell you?

The right conversation, words, ideas that point us forward will find us. Maybe something we learn now will be needed later.

Listen, and think about, words and phrases that are repeated now. It's a time to speak carefully and purposefully. Talk about what you want to happen and not what you do not want. Words always matter. We are beginning something here that spills the seeds our next something is rooted in. Use precise language.

And remember Mercury also rules our neighborhood, our siblings and transportation - which sounds random, but actually isn't.

I will be back tonight or tomorrow morning with a big New Moon post by sign - in the meantime we will set an intention to speak a little more clearly today and then we'll do it.

xo all

Venus Square Saturn, Jupiter trine the Sun | Part I - yes, that light at the end of the tunnel is a train, and, yes, it's more than a train, too

Tunnel Hop by msatisfaction

So, where are we?

Jupiter has recently stationed retrograde in Scorpio - kind of suspending us in the shadows. Over the next few days as Jupiter becomes more stable moving backward (23-13 degrees Scorpio), we will start to get our bearings here.

We have been flooded with foggy, watery Pisces for weeks.

The Sun is still in Pisces, but both Mercury and Venus have moved from Pisces into fiery Aries. This has us in between two worlds - the endings of Pisces and the new beginnings/creation energy offered by Aries. We are headed toward the Spring Equinox on March 20th when the Sun will join Mercury and Venus in Aries.

But before we get to the equinox we have multiple things that are going to happen and we are going to be required to make adjustments.  

We can't see there from here just yet.

Mercury (our mental faculties, information, ideas) and Venus (love, money, women, beauty, self-esteem, values) have been traveling together (which they do from time to time) for a couple weeks. They met on March 5th in Pisces and then they moved into Aries together. 

Mercury is our conceptual reality - our everyday way of seeing things and communicating and Venus is our self-worth and our value. Having Mercury and Venus operating as a tag team we are getting an excellent look at where we value ourselves and where we don't value ourselves. The spaces we have to take a stand are very apparent to us now. And yes, our rough edges are rubbing up against other people's rough edges because Venus rules our relationships. Also any financial spaces (Venus rules our money) that don't line up - what we think we have vs what we think we need, what we think we have vs what we think we want, what we think we need vs what we really need, etc, are probably smacking us in the face.

Now, as soon as these two planets moved into Aries, because Aries squares Capricorn and steely Saturn is traveling through Capricorn - Mercury and Venus have been on a collision course toward a square with Saturn. So they, as us, have to pivot to keep going. Remember this is happening above AND also within the collective AND also within our personal lives.

Also remember I am writing about collective themes - your own life will be played out differently because these squares will be happening in certain spaces (houses) that have certain themes and then the strength of the transit for you will also depend on whether or not you have planets and points around the degrees impacted (around 8-11 degrees Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) and also the qualities of your natal planets involved. Let's say you have a very strong Venus in your birth chart, well, maybe, she has no problem with Saturn and you pivot smoothly past a little hiccup. On the other hand if you have moved too far off course (Saturn rules fate) that same strong Venus becomes an obstacle - turns a molehill into a mountain - and makes it harder for you to change. See what I mean?

In the weekly I gave an example for LIBRA.

Here's another example of how this could look for another sign:

VIRGO/VIRGO RISING - Venus is in your 8th house of other people's money and resources - your spouse's income, debts, loans, taxes, inheritances - the ways you merge with other people - intimacy, sex, life, death. This is the area of life that is hitting Saturn. The wall, a limit, the reality police are knocking at THIS door. How might this look? Well, there are as many ways for this to play out as there are Virgos. Maybe your tax refund isn't going to be what you hoped it would be and you need to adjust. Maybe your inheritance isn't and you need to adjust. And remember your inheritance isn't just dollars in the back. Maybe an inherited tendency is what is hitting the wall. Maybe someone else doesn't want what you have to offer. Maybe you are comparing your life to other people's lives and seeing what you are missing (intimacy, resources). Maybe your sex life/sex drive has stopped. Maybe your partner's income is what it is, for now (that wall) - this is a transit, so transitory - and adjustments must be made to work with the reality of the situation. Maybe your partner's income stops or some resource you are receiving from someone else has dried up. The ways you feel unappreciated or inadequate are coming to your attention via other people's resources. Now, you also have Jupiter (retrograde in Scorpio) trining the Sun today. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is in your partnership house (7th/Pisces). Someone has your back here. You are on the same page. That retrograde Jupiter means you will be going back over an old issue/situation within a partnership, so you can both get your needs met. The deep stuff with other people's resources may be hitting a wall, but there is other stuff that can be talked about/worked on now within a partnership that will help get you through this. Bring the common ground partnership stuff into focus. There is something that can be leaned into here as you make that 90 degree pivot with the deeper resources/intimacy stuff.

For all of us Mercury hit Saturn (wall, limit, authority) on Sunday and has moved a bit past him. Maybe we heard a "no", maybe we had a new responsibility added to our plate.

Venus hits Saturn, by square, last night/today. I had a whopper of an argument last night which I can easily see was all about both of us not feeling seen/heard/appreciated/loved.

These squares with Saturn are requiring us to make a change to get around him. 

This is a 90 degree angle. If you are driving your car in a straight line and suddenly make a 90 degree turn, it would be a pretty big change of direction, right?! 

You are in Texas headed for Canada and end up in Rhode Island. 

This isn't some random thing that is happening to us. We didn't just decide to change course even if it looks like we just decided to change course. We can't go any further on this path. 

The road to Canada is closed. We are going to Rhode Island. Saturn is the heavy-handed taskmaster/father time/fate. 

His squares are necessary course corrections to get us back on track. 

This doesn't mean we are never going to get to Canada. But there is something we need to do/get/see/experience in Rhode Island first - hello Providence!

So, where is your "no" coming from and what have you done/are doing/need to do - to keep moving? Where are you feeling unloved and unappreciated? Are you worried about how you are going to pay for something? Where is reality biting you in the ass? What has been happening these past couple weeks and what is happening right now?

Although we have Venus squaring Saturn today possibly offering up some kind of let down, we also have the good news of Jupiter trining (brakes off) the Sun in Pisces today.

Yes, today could be a bit of a roller-coaster ride!

The trine offers optimism and confidence. The Sun is the light at the end of that Jupiter in Scorpio tunnel (and yes, the light is also the Saturn train - things can be both at the same time). There is some kind of workaround in our Scorpio house. Let's keep putting one foot in front of the other there. 

 This doesn't mean we get to avoid reality though - Saturn can't be shirked.

(also keep in mind that North Node in Leo - following our heart and not hiding from our rightful center stage)

Trines are viewed in astrology as weaker aspects than squares because most of us notice the problem areas more than we notice things that fall into place. Maybe we were programmed that way in order to stay alive - but that programming is no longer needed. Trines can be as powerful as squares and a trine involving Jupiter and the Sun is about as powerful as you can get for seeing something in a more positive light.

We can't avoid the reality train now, but there is another light at the end of the tunnel, too.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of March 12th - we can't always get what we want, reality check, a wound gets re-opened, embarrasment, standing up for ourselves, an old man's face in our wallet, new moon approaches - we've got this thing

Our world by thefirebomb

The major aspects for this week are:

TUESDAY - Venus square Saturn, Mars trine Jupiter
WEDNESDAY - Mars square Chiron
SATURDAY - New Moon in Pisces (26 degrees), Sun square Galactic Center, Mars into Capricorn
SUNDAY - Sun conjunct Chiron

On MONDAY we start the day with the Moon in Capricorn - get to work, be responsible. The Moon's last aspect before going void for most of the day (11:36AM EDT through 6:44PM EDT) is a square to Uranus - so we could be feeling restless, maybe ambitious. Watch for hasty decisions/actions we might regret later. After the void, the Moon moves into clear-headed Aquarius. We could become more forward-leaning, more interested in public issues for the next couple days.

On both Monday and TUESDAY we will be impacted by Venus (in Aries) squaring Saturn (in Capricorn). Venus in Aries is us wanting what we want and wanting it now and here is that wall, that limit, that un-moveable object - those pesky freakin' RULES.

It's possible we don't get exactly what we want now.

Or extra responsibilities/work/commitments are added to our plate and that thing we thought we wanted becomes a little less shiny.

When Saturn exactly conjuncted my natal Venus a couple months ago I had to renew my driver's license. Now, I could have renewed by mail - this option is given out randomly in NJ and for years I complained that I was never selected and had to truck my butt down there to the Motor Vehicle Commission and get in line. This year I finally had the "just-mail-it-in" option, but had procrastinated the whole thing until the very last minute and had to truck my butt down there anyway.

It was pouring outside. I put on some waterproof eye make-up, spent extra time doing my hair, a crazy amount of time picking out just the right scarf, etc - I brought a mirror and an umbrella. You get the idea. Serious (Saturn) attention to appearance (Venus).

The rain and winds stopped just in time. The lines inside were very short. Everything was going my way. I get to the clerk's window and she says "remove the scarf", then "step back to the line and do not smile". Yes, New Jersey has a 'do not smile in driver's license' thing (somehow this is not hard for us here in N.J.). And, we also have a new 'your face fills the entire box' thing, so the license barely shows your hair, etc. WTH!

I remove my carefully selected scarf, relax my face and try to smile with my eyes. "Have a seat" she says, waving her hand toward the waiting area.

I leave 20 minutes later with what is surely the worst photo I have ever taken in my life. Certainly the oldest looking photo.

It look me about 30 seconds to think about old man Saturn sitting on my precious Venus (!) - appearance (Venus) on official document (Saturn), bringing age (Saturn) to beauty (Venus). I tried to think about a fine wine and about the myriad experiences that I wouldn't change for a second that had produced these lines/spots on my face, but all I could see was this ghastly photo staring at me from my wallet.

This wasn't even my mother's photo. I had skipped an entire generation and become my grandmother!

Hubs said, "not a bad photo actually - you just look serious and it's only for three years." Which depressed me even further - is this how I actually look and what the hell am I going to look like in three years?! - and why was he giving me even more sober Saturn! Ugh. My Venus in Sagittarius doesn't want to hear this crap. I decided to purchase a new wallet that night - something Venusian to house my old man scowl.

Of course Venus/Saturn could have brought something else entirely. Something much more challenging. I tell myself it was actually pretty clever of me to give the energy this space to work itself out. Plus, I am now smiling more often. And I have a new wallet.

Now, this story is about Saturn conjuncting Venus - taking her over. This week's energy is the square which is different.

This is our Venus (love, money, women, beauty, self-esteem, our values) restrained/cornered by Saturn (time, authority, responsibility). We can't go any further without changing something - we have to pivot. So, maybe we get a 'no". Maybe whatever is happening has us feeling less than desirable right now. There could be some kind of reality check. A limit is reached.

With Venus and Mercury traveling together through Aries this month we are going to have to stand up for ourselves regardless of the external outcome. The standing up is the outcome because the energy is shifted.

The good news is that on TUESDAY we also have a trine (brakes off) between beneficial Jupiter (retrograde in Scorpio) and the powerful Sun (in Pisces).

There is some alot of assistance here.

Whatever the "re" thing is (re-sorting, re-flecting, re-doing, re-visiting) that Jupiter is doing down there in our Scorpio house is where the light of the Sun is shining now. Moving toward that - where the energy is naturally taking us anyway - is the way around Saturn's wall.

EXAMPLE FOR LIBRA/LIBRA RISING - Venus is in your 7th house (Aries) of partners and partnerships, so the square - extra responsibility, the "no", the time is not on your side thing - comes from this area. Maybe your partner and you are on different pages about something. Maybe your partner is the one hitting some kind of wall or issue with authority or together you are dealing with a family/home issue. Maybe he/she is playing Saturn McScrooge and you are just not feeling very desirable now. Move your focus to where it naturally wants to go. The Sun in Pisces, your 6th house of daily activities, your health, co-workers, pets - tells you to keep moving forward - dot your i's cross your t's, get on a schedule, work the process, eat right, etc AND Jupiter retrograde in Scorpio, your 2nd house of money, your values and self esteem tells you that re-working your finances is needed - your money/self-esteem and your health working together will get you through this. Maybe money spent on a gym membership or healthier foods would be money well-spent now. Or better organizing (6th house) of your money and resources (2nd house) will help your partnership (7th house) issues to move more smoothly.

For all of us maybe work and responsibility (Saturn) create tension in our relationships (Venus). This could also be something about aging (Saturn) gracefully (Venus). Hmm. Maybe a relationship or value (Venus) is tested (Saturn). Maybe a financial (Venus) limit (Saturn) is hit. Maybe a situation with a woman doesn't go quite the way we had hoped or maybe a commitment is tested. There are many ways this could play out for us.

Whatever the wall is - allowing our energy (the Sun) to move where it naturally wants to go - with Jupiter reworking that Scorpio house(!) - is probably the best way to deal with this. Be creative. Pisces/Scorpio is very healing energy. Forgiveness. Compassion. Prayer.

Venus will be going retrograde next fall in Scorpio and hitting these Jupiter retrograde degrees, so let's get this right now with Jupiter so we can benefit (attract) from Venus then. 

On WEDNESDAY, and we could be feeling this Tuesday night - Mars (in Sagittarius) will be squaring wounded healer Chiron.

This doesn't feel good.

Mars anger could come out in a sudden burst.

Our actions could hurt someone else. Someone else's actions could hurt us. An old wound can be triggered. There could be something here about guilt or shame. Maybe we are feeling confident and then we get rejected. Something new could feel like a huge risk and maybe the bigger the move we make the bigger the splash of cold water in our face. We could have something exposed that embarrasses us and we'll just have to deal with it. Mars is about to move into Capricorn, where he is exalted, he just crossed the Galactic Center and Chiron is preparing to hit the Aries point on his way out of Pisces (I am going to write about the big picture in a post this week).  

The bumps and bruises are part of the process of release. It could still hurt though. 

Keep in mind the Sun will be back here on Sunday with a big old flashlight.

The Moon continues her journey through "just be yourself" Aquarius. Maybe we are not so interested in duty and responsibility now. The Moon will square Jupiter - this would not be a good time for big financial/intimacy moves and then she goes on to sextile Uranus creating opportunities with unusual ideas or people. Or maybe an opportunity to take a break and do something else.

While we sleep the Moon will enter Pisces.

On THURSDAY, the Moon in Pisces could focus us on art, healing, spirituality, our dreams and intuition. Our left brain is asleep and our right brain is activated. We could be feeling more vulnerable but also more sensitive and compassionate. On Thursday night the Moon will sextile (opportunity) stable Saturn, so our best time to be productive will probably be quite late in the day.

I will write about Friday and of course this weekend's New Moon in Pisces and other big energies in the weekend post and flesh the week out with a couple dailies since I didn't get to this post on Sunday and feel like I am rushing it out this morning!

The week sounds a bit challenging now that I reread it.

We could feel like one minute we are raring to go and the next adrift and unmotivated. Jupiter has just turned retrograde, Mercury is walking his shadow steps, Mars has just crossed the Galactic Center and will be changing signs after a long journey through Sagittarius at the end of the week- we are expanding. And the times they are a changing folks!

I will write some dailies! Don't start anything new today with that void Moon. If we get one or two ego hits this week know we can handle it. We were born to do this. We've got this thing!

xo all

Mercury is preparing to go retrograde. BACK UP YOUR FILES.