The Astrology Blog – w/b 15 September 2014
All times stated are in BST.
Last week I managed to miss out the final aspect of the week – Venus trine Pluto, exact yesterday at 15.34. Although Venus is a benefic (good for us) she is nevertheless currently in Virgo which is her sign of fall, her most difficult sign. Venus is associated with so much more than love – she is fertility, abundance and produce – and even though Virgo is the harvest and the corn maiden (like The Empress in the Tarot) it is nevertheless known as a barren sign in traditional astrology. The difficult side to Venus in Virgo is therefore meagerness and limited resources. With Pluto in the picture, even by harmonious aspect, we’re still getting the message of endings.
For me this showed as finally having to accept that there were a couple of special people who wouldn’t be able to make it to Greece at the end of the month for my sister’s wedding, no matter how hard we tried to make that happen. Pluto tends to write finis to plans or aspirations that come under the heading of “bad timing” so whatever came to a natural end for you over the weekend, and no matter how reluctantly you may have to let it go, any kind of final decision or closure captures the right spirit.
This week Venus continues to be the main player as she is the active ingredient in the two aspects being formed –
Thursday 18th – Venus quinqunx Uranus (02.21)
Sunday 21st – Venus sextile Saturn (14.04)
The first is that notorious blind spot, being tripped up by the thing that you couldn’t possibly have anticipated, a message that is even stronger with the aspect being made to Uranus, planet of surprises and the unexpected. This spells upheaval and hassle but the aspect is still a minor one so, in theory, it should be of a relatively fleeting nature.
Note that Venus in Mercury’s sign of Virgo signals details – I am thinking, who have we forgotten to invite to the wedding, what piece of paperwork is going to be wrong/overlooked – and trying not to fret (Virgo worries for the world!) That’s all you can do if you have something important in hand, take another look, double and triple check the small print and then hope for the best.
Venus’ second aspect is more constructive, being a harmonious aspect to “get it together” Saturn in powerful Scorpio. This is great for finalizing any matter that has dragged on or which has been fraught with niggly problems. Saturn loves structure, clear goal posts and firm agreements. However, note that Saturn is in Pluto’s sign (Scorpio) so again there’s no getting away from themes of endings even if they are “good” ones. There is a limit as to how much we can push against these giants of the heavens who always have the bigger picture in mind, even though this may not be obvious to us at the time. Venus (desires) in her sign of fall and up against these weighty planets definitely has a struggle on her hands. If ever there was a time to think carefully about what you want, and why, now is the time to reevaluate and ask if it’s truly worth the effort/cost etc.
The only other aspect in operation is Mars square Neptune, exact next Monday morning at 04.41. This means that the aspect will be applying (becoming exact) over this coming weekend and by the time I write again next Monday it will be separating (the two planets moving apart again).
Mars entered Sagittarius on Saturday, and last week I wrote –
Mars has been travelling through his own sign of Scorpio since the end of July but now moves on into the next sign of Sagittarius. This is not one of Mars’s recognized signs of dignity but generally Mars as the planet of action is happy in the fire signs. The only danger with Mars in Sag – sign of Mutable fire as opposed to Cardinal fire (Aries) or Fixed fire (Leo) is that it can spread itself too thin. Often this Mars has a rush of energy and enthusiasm but is not always brilliant at the finisher/completer role. However, it’s a placing of great optimism and signals freedom, an adventurous spirit, an open mind, a love of the truth and a love of life… Listen out for new opportunities of any kind too but especially those linked to travel and higher education. Mars in Sagittarius is ultimately a seeker and, wherever you need a bigger picture perspective, he will point the way towards those wider horizons.
The square (challenging aspect) to Neptune is Mars’ first aspect as his journey through Sagittarius gets underway. Early October will bring the easier and more energetic trines to Uranus and Jupiter (hurray) but for now we have to work through this rather sleepy square – and lack of sleep is often a feature under difficult Neptune aspects. Mars is action but Neptune is the realm of dreams, the imagination and mysticism (on a good day) or deceit, delusion or sadness (on a bad day). Try to be realistic about what you take on, or encourage loved ones to be realistic especially about decisions that affect both of you, and don’t be seduced by big promises. Next week is much sharper and more proactive – including the New Moon – but for now the Mars/Neptune conflict spells fatigue and is definitely fudging the issue or blurring the edges.
Neptune making trouble nearly always signals water problems – look out for the plumbing – and at a global out in the world level expect to hear about more flooding, hurricanes, marine mishaps and so on.
Oscar Pistorius
Mars (men, god of war/action) in Sagittarius (associated with sports, and impulsivity in the nature) square Neptune is striking symbolism for this fallen hero and for the final stages of his court case. Apparently many feel that justice has not been done.
In his natal chart Oscar has a stellium (four planets or more) in Scorpio, including a retrograde Venus (one of her signs of detriment) conjunct Pluto (intensity, control, power) who are both in turn square the Moon in early degrees of Leo (clearly the symbol for his beautiful golden haired girlfriend Reeva). This is an extremely tough configuration as both the feminine planets (Moon and Venus) are “afflicted”, signaling pain that would play out in his relationships with women and in the denial of his own vulnerability. The much talked about explosive anger is shown by Mars in the 1st House (the self) square the Sun in Scorpio. On the day of the shooting a Full Moon at 26 degrees of Leo fell exactly opposite his Mars at 27 Aquarius, thereby triggering the square to the Scorpio Sun, resulting in that moment of madness that ended Reeva’s life and destroyed his own.
Has justice been served? The most striking feature of Oscar’s chart now is that transiting (travelling) Jupiter was exactly conjunct his Descendant (the angle of the significant other) on the day of the judge’s ruling. Given that Jupiter reaches this angle only once every 12 years is eye catching in itself, but Jupiter is also the planet of the law and justice. The exact sentencing is yet to be announced but the BBC correspondent for the case Andrew Harding writes that he was struck by the brilliance of Judge Masipa who swatted away all the circumstantial evidence and stuck to the point – that the prosecution did not prove its case – and who treated everyone with humanity (Jupiter, the Greater Benefic).
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29193657
He says it wasn’t a watershed moment in race relations – a black woman judging a white man – but to me the astrology would suggest otherwise, Jupiter transiting exactly conjunct Oscar’s Descendant, and also heading for the trine to the outer planet of new age Uranus next week, paints a picture of justice being delivered in the only way that was possible.
Oscar has a long way to go astrologically – Saturn is still travelling through the last third of Scorpio and has still to reach his Sun at 29 degrees of Scorpio. This transit will be ongoing well into next year, until Saturn enters Sagittarius for the second time in September 2015, ushering in a Saturn Return that will last for another year into September 2016.
Thank you very much for this information, it has been very helpful!