The Astrology Blog – w/b 18 August 2014
All times stated are in BST.
Scroll down if you want just this week’s astrology but firstly some feedback – last week I wrote:
Jupiter and Neptune are making the quinqunx aspect … These two planets between them rule the sign of Pisces, so look out for the Pisceans in your life, and also for the flipside to the Piscean nature that may show in individuals or in a sensitive situation. On a good day the Piscean positive qualities are compassion, insightfulness and finely tuned instincts. On a bad day these turn into hypersensitivity, paranoia or “inflation” – whereby a seemingly small detail can grow terrifying arms and legs. This off beam aspect between Jupiter and Neptune signals a very high risk of strange behavior, awkward events – or on a bigger scale, suffering of the human spirit.
Tragically last week brought the news of wonderful genius Robin Williams leaving this planet. It would have been more accurate if I’d said “look out for the Neptunians in your life”. Robin Williams was a Sun in Cancer but Moon in Pisces, with Jupiter and Neptune in opposition to each other. He also had a Scorpio Ascendant, so his chart ruler was Mars in Cancer (Mars’s sign of fall, weakest placing) conjunct Uranus (the psychological split, in events the planet of shock and suddenness) in the 8th House (death).
Both of these planets are on those super sensitive degrees that I keep mentioning – Uranus at 11 degrees and Mars at 12 degrees of Cancer – which means that Pluto is transiting by opposition. When I first read the news about his death and of course looked at his horoscope I felt a real wave of anger and frustration, and even said aloud, “People should learn more astrology!” This of course is extremely tricky ground as I’m now right in the heart of what astrology does and what it relates to in terms of the bigger picture. From a fatalist point of view it was his time to go. From a pure craft point of view Robin was on that high risk register last week –
• Pluto (co-ruler of Scorpio and therefore co-significator of Robin) was transiting opposite the unstable Mars (ruling planet and therefore primary significator of Robin) conjunct Uranus in the 8th House.
• Mars and Pluto themselves were in aspect last week (I wrote: they are both “malefic” so they signal the possibility of tough stuff – difficult tasks or decisions, something reaching a natural end, one door closing before another opens – and so on.)
• Jupiter and Neptune are a dominant aspect in his natal chart, and these same two planets were in quinqunx.
The tragic irony is that one of Robin’s black comic lines was that “don’t forget that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” This astrological picture fits exactly with finding that something life threatening is not temporary and it later emerged that he had been diagnosed with Parkinsons. Unspeakably sad for his family and for the world to lose such a talented and vibrant spirit.
What’s happening this week?
This morning the benefics of Venus and Jupiter were exact. From an astronomical point of view:
Bruce McClure on Earthsky writes:
Venus and Jupiter rank as the third-brightest and fourth-brightest bodies in all the heavens, respectively, after the sun and moon. Start watching now for the great conjunction of the sky’s brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter. They’ll be closest around August 18. The next great conjunction of these two worlds won’t come until July 1, 2015. Then Venus and Jupiter will be in the evening sky.
http://earthsky.org/tonight/get-ready-for-the-great-venus-and-jupiter-conjunction
If you were up before dawn this morning (I wasn’t in spite of best intentions) you would’ve seen this glorious conjunction on the eastern horizon. Note the root of the words to explain the relationship but key difference between astronomy and astrology –
Astronomy – astra = stars, “nom” = name – so the naming of the stars and observation of their behavior.
Astrology – “logos” in Greek means “reason”, the logic for something – finding the “why” in the symbolic.
Last week I wrote that Venus – Jupiter contacts nearly always bring me work luck and this happened, but it’s under wraps for now. Primarily of course Venus is love/Jupiter is blessings, and even better this weekend my Libra rising (Venus) Sagittarian (Jupiter) sister got her beautiful engagement ring and we’ve been planning the wedding that will be happening here in Greece (Jupiter rules overseas) in six weeks time.
The rest of the week is a bit of a slog and something of an obstacle course. The Jupiter – Neptune quinqunx is now separating but will be “in orb” for the rest of the week, ie the aspect still counts until these two planets are further than 2 degrees apart. Mercury plays into their pattern:
Tuesday – Mercury opposite Neptune (04.42) and semi-sextile Jupiter (19.08)
Look out either for picking up the threads of key issues from last week or for new stuff. The opposition to Neptune is tricky – deception, uncertainty, sadness – but the minor aspect to Jupiter is helpful. However, agreements may not stick as Mercury has a lot more to say and is the dominant planet throughout the week, up to and including next Monday morning.
Mercury moves on to enter into a three way alliance with Venus and Pluto:
Thursday – Venus quinqunx Pluto (12.51) and Mercury trine Pluto (20.20)
Friday – Mercury semi-sextile Venus (13.47)
The final aspect is the best so, again, the indication is that whatever you’re struggling with – love, work or money issues in particular – will result in finding answers. The “getting there” however may be extremely taxing and may throw up a lot more questions and issues in the process. Look out for the “x” factor that, until now, may either have been hidden or not recognized as being significant.
Mercury then starts to tangle with Mars and Uranus – here’s the sequence:
Saturday – Mars quinqunx Uranus (07.33)
Sunday – Mercury semi-sextile Uranus (16.02)
Monday – Mercury sextile Mars (10.47)
For the third time this week the last aspect of a sequence is the best so the same rationale applies. But you may keep getting a lot of déjà vu feelings – haven’t I already dealt with this, didn’t we already agree on this, why didn’t I know about this and so on. It’s as if we have to look at things from many different angles, and deal with a lot of players who all have different needs or agendas, or work out how we can be in several different places at the same time!
In the middle of all this hoo-ha the Sun exits Leo and moves into Virgo, the ingress being exact on Saturday (05.47). The Sun’s change of sign often marks a period of transition, especially if you are of the two signs involved, in this case either Leo or Virgo. At a more universal level this ingress leaves behind the drama, pomp and ceremony of Leo and enters the Virgo world of thought, analysis and attention to details.
My top advice for this week is to stay calm and clever (Mercury in Virgo) and centered (Sun in Leo). If you’ve got a drama or a problem to deal with then stay calm, stick to the facts and don’t drag up the past. My sister’s motto is “one day at a time” and that is certainly a good mantra to adopt for this week.
