The Astrology Blog – w/b 20 October 2014
All times stated are in BST until the clocks go back to GMT this coming weekend.
The week starts with a separating aspect –
Monday Venus sextile Mars (06.20)
So this aspect was applying – becoming exact – over the weekend, became exact this morning and is therefore now losing its potency. A sextile occurs when two planets are exactly 2 signs apart (allowing a differential of no more than 6 degrees). This particular sextile became exact when Venus reached 25 degrees of Libra and Mars reached 25 degrees of Sagittarius, but they stay within 6 degrees of each other and therefore remain in sextile to each other until the end of the month. In other words, they are in synch, even when they both change sign in the second half of this week.
Venus and Mars are best known as the love planets and play a major role in the unfolding of sexual relationships. This pattern now is rather an intriguing dance, suggesting a harmonizing but also a rebalancing. As both planets prepare to change sign the “as above so below” principle is likely to manifest in changes that move a relationship to the next level. For example, a new attraction could move from friendship to sex, roles within an established relationship may need reviewing and adapting accordingly, or the arrival of other factors that affect the course of a relationship will come into play. This theme also revolves around the sign of Scorpio which starts to take over from Thursday.
Before we plunge into Scorpio’s depths however there is one more aspect later today:
Mercury sextile Jupiter (21.39)
This is important as it’s a harmonious contact and it’s Mercury’s last aspect before he turns direct again on Saturday in Libra. Jupiter is also slow moving at the moment in Leo (already slowing down in readiness for turning retrograde in about six weeks time) so this means that Mercury will repeat the same aspect when he starts picking up speed again (he’ll catch up with Jupiter again by sextile on 1 November). That’s the astronomy. The astrological significance suggests good news, negotiations, doing deals, generosity, making plans related to long distance travel or education, dealing with legal concerns, or matters related to media/publishing. Whatever unfolds at the beginning of this week will light a new fuse and will be up for review or finalizing at the beginning of next month. Also something that appears to be beyond your grasp right now could resurface in a new guise or a different package. For now put your irons in the fire and your wishes out into the universe and you’ll pave the way.
Thursday Sun ingress Scorpio (12.58)
Scorpio is a complex and intense water sign that everyone associates with sex. This springs from Scorpio’s rulership of the 8th house of the horoscope, the domain of reproduction and the whole life and death cycle. However, there is a lot more to the sign of Scorpio than its association with sex, top of the list being issues connected to power and control. These themes are found in the ruling planets of Scorpio, traditionally Mars (war, action, drive, anger as well as libido) and its co-ruler Pluto (death/rebirth, everything from destruction to healing).
Thursday Venus ingress Scorpio (21.53)
In traditional astrology Venus is said to be in detriment in Scorpio. In simple terms this is because Venus is the opposite principle to Mars, as she rules love and peace. Put Venus into Mars’ sign and there is an immediate and obvious conflict. Any relationship or friendship that is characterized by jealousy, control, fear or unpleasantness of any kind will be up for scrutiny. Venus rules money too and how power battles can get wrapped up with sex/who pays the bills is part of the picture. The positive face of Venus in Scorpio is the witchy woman – the healer, the therapist, the astrologer – anyone who works with the magical and mysterious, and anything that plugs us into the awareness that “there is something bigger than we are”.
Solar Eclipse at 0 degrees of Scorpio (22.58)
Eclipses reflect the intricate and finely timed relationship between the three bodies of the Earth, Sun and Moon. If you have planets on or around 0 degrees of Scorpio, or in the other fixed signs of Taurus, Leo or Aquarius, this eclipse will sensitise a specific issue. Eclipses are power points of change, and in addition any astrological event happening at 0 degrees of any sign is said to be especially potent. Eclipses also throw shadows and, especially in Scorpio, can signal power issues or competitive situations. One person’s loss is another’s gain, or vice versa.
Saturday Sun conjunct Venus (08.32)
Sun – Venus aspects are quite rare by virtue of the fact that the maximum distance between these planets is 48 degrees. This means that amongst the major aspects only the conjunction is astronomically possible. The other possible aspects are both minor ones – the semi-sextile (half a sextile, one sign apart) and semi-square (half a square, one and a half signs apart). The Sun – Venus conjunctions happen roughly once every ten months, and they alternate between Venus being direct or retrograde. (The last one was back in January, when Venus was retrograde in Capricorn, the next one will be next August when Venus will be retrograde in Leo)
Sun (life giver, illuminator) and Venus (love, pleasures, women, money) is a beautiful conjunction, although with a detrimented Venus there may be some painful ingredients to contend with. Pay close attention to what comes to light during the second half of the week as events will be packed with clues as to where your emotional energy is required or can be best directed. Even sadness can have its own beauty. It is only in extremis that we are most likely to experience the bonding that comes about through sharing our deepest feelings or fears.
This theme is strongly underlined by the fact that Mercury turns direct on the same day:
Saturday Mercury turns direct at 17 degrees of Libra (20.18)
Mercury switches to forwards motion after being retrograde since 4 October so at a general level this marks the end of a period of confusion, slowness, deception, uncertainty or things just generally going wrong or getting muddled. Regular readers will know that at the top of my retro Mercury checklist is “Assume nothing, double check everything” and I can personally verify how on point that is. I fell straight into the trap and can now add to that list that, under a mischievous Mercury, it is easy to make an assumption even without realizing that you are doing so! In fact, that may be the true nature of assumptions, that we cannot operate on full alert all of the time, and that many of our day to day dealings do carry an element of assumption, especially with those we know well. It is only when an assumption trips us up that that we discover that someone else did not think or feel as we had imagined or had not intended to give the message that they did.
This “station” (the moment when Mercury appears to stop to change direction) will be especially significant for you if you have planets or angles at or close to 17 degrees of Libra or the other cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer and Capricorn. If you don’t know you can calculate your own horoscope on line these days in a matter of seconds. Here’s a link, just enter your date, place and time of birth:
http://www.alwaysastrology.com/birth-chart-calculator.html
If you don’t know your time of birth enter midday in order to get what is called a “Noon Chart”. With the exception of the fast moving Moon and the sensitive angles of the chart – the main axis of the chart that includes the Ascendant – you will get the sign and degree of the other planets on the day you were born.
So, as above, so below. Mercury getting back on track signals that life will do the same. Even if there isn’t one specific person or piece of information making a difference we can now expect events to conspire to move us forwards. Many will be facing crossroads, making decisions and establishing new arrangements, some of which will take a couple of weeks to settle, ie when Mercury repeats the positive aspect to Jupiter. Although now moving in the right direction, Mercury also still needs a while to pick up speed again. He won’t return to 2 degrees of Scorpio again – the position at which he turned retrograde – until 10 November.
Note that Mercury turning around in the sign of the Scales is especially important for relationship issues – personal or professional – but at a universal level here are the kinds of themes to look out for, especially during the second half of this week:
• Important information comes to light
• Disputes or areas of miscommunication are cleared up
• You find the right person to deal with the problem
• People get back to you or make decisions
• Computer glitches/communication technology are solved/sorted
• Rumours are squashed when the truth outs
• Lost objects are found
The final big event is Mars’ change of sign:
Sunday Mars ingress Capricorn (10.44 GMT)
This is good news as Mars is entering his sign of exaltation, arguably his strongest sign. In other words, Mars’ qualities of drive and pursuit in the earth sign of goal orientated Capricorn is the embodiment of harnessed energy and unwavering purpose. This is the sign of the hardy and surefooted mountain goat, and expressed through Mars it speaks of empire building, the willingness to take on hard work especially in the shape of a project, taking on a challenge with a reason, knowing that it is important within itself but also a stepping stone towards greater achievements, the beginning of the climb up the rock face to the summit of success. At a more general level Mars in Capricorn – Saturn’s sign – is fantastic for time management. Research shows that effective time management both reduces stress and boosts performance – it’s a win-win. The word streamline comes to mind so I looked up the dictionary definition just out of interest –
To design or provide with a form that presents very little resistance to a flow of air or water, increasing speed and ease of movement… make (an organization or system) more efficient and effective by employing faster or simpler working methods… to be free from turbulence.
This is something definitely worth aspiring to! Until next time, wishing you a positive and productive week.
Very useful information and insight