The Astrology Blog – w/b 24 November 2014
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The first half of the week is by far the most challenging. There is a very tetchy quinqunx aspect being formed that will be exact just as we go into Tuesday –
Tuesday Mars quinqunx Jupiter (00.57)
Regular readers will know that I talk of this aspect as the blind spot, symbolizing something that is obscured or confusing, by someone else’s design or on subjects on which we can never see eye to eye. Don’t try to force any situation that is already tense or full of doubts. Also please take life very carefully. This is a classic more haste less speed aspect and, without wishing to be at all alarmist, Mars under this aspect in particular is notorious for accidents. So slow down, physically and mentally, think ahead and don’t take risks.
Bear in mind that Mars’s colour is red. He symbolizes all the heated emotions – anger, passion and pain. At a physical level he rules burns, fevers, rashes, infections and inflammations. Illnesses, accidents or exhaustion brought about through overwork, rashness or anger are all Mars’ domain. His foods are anything hot or spicy, and his plants are prickly, sharp or stinging, such as nettles and thistles. So this is not a good time to grasp the nettle! Sit back and wait.
The “slow down and think” message is firmly underlined by Mercury’s aspect in the early hours of Wednesday. As I said last week we have been going through a Saturn season as the personal planets in Scorpio have been catching up with Saturn – who is just finishing his long trek through that sign. On 13 November we had Venus conjunct Saturn, on 18 November we had Sun conjunct Saturn and now it’s Mercury’s turn –
Wednesday Mercury conjunct Saturn (2.38)
This aspect forms at 26 degrees of Scorpio. If you have planets or angles at or close to this sign or degree then it will be especially significant for you. This also applies if you have planets or angles at or close to this degree in the other fixed signs of Taurus (opposition) or Leo and Aquarius (square).
At a universal level Mercury (communication) reaching Saturn (obstacles/denial) is a classic set up for serious conversations – or no conversation at all. Saturn knows how to block and create silences. This can also be bad news, tough decisions or a decision not to do something. It’s also a big reality check. In particular know your limitations in terms of your physical or mental resources – there is only so much time, money or emotional energy that you can expend on any specific matter and there comes a time when enough is enough. Be honest about what is not working for you and remember your right to say no. Be calm and clear in your dealings with other people – and don’t allow anyone to move the goalposts!
This might all sound rather negative but Saturn does tend to bring serious matters to the fore. In traditional astrology he is known as the Greater Malefic and he can be the fun police, the bringer of work and responsibility, or depressing matters that we would really rather not deal with but know we have to – and so on.
Note that Saturn is still in “mutual reception” with Pluto – that is, Saturn is travelling through Pluto’s sign of Scorpio and Pluto in turn is travelling through Saturn’s sign of Capricorn. In other words, these two planets are, in some ways, working as a team and supporting each other’s causes. A minor aspect hard on the heels of the Mercury – Saturn conjunction is therefore important –
Wednesday Venus semi-sextile (1 sign apart) Pluto (08.27)
The love planet being pulled into the mix puts emotional, sex and relationship issues under a lot of scrutiny. Whatever your main concern bear in mind that answers are most unlikely to be obvious. You will have to dig deep. Pluto is god of the underworld, the realm of invisibility which includes our unconscious – the underworld of our psyche – and a great deal of self awareness rests on our willingness to unearth the buried experiences of our past. This does not, however, mean that we should all be disappearing into black holes and raking over painful concerns just for the sake of it. Anything related to Scorpio/Pluto is often referred to as “transformational” although this tends to make the work involved sound easy. More accurately, the Plutonic experience is transformative, being about processing, and is ultimately about death/rebirth – in other words, the goal is always healing.
So, whatever matter you need to bring to resolution, the first half of the week is the time to do it. Also look out for different ways of doing things. The “rebirth” symbolism can show as finding new solutions to old problems.
Venus continues to feature midweek –
Thursday Venus trine Uranus (00.23)
The trine is a harmonious aspect, made when two planets reach the same degree in signs of the same element. This is a fire trine, as Uranus is still on his long trek through Aries and Venus is now blazing her way through Sagittarius. This is fabulous for spontaneity, good news of the surprising kind, matters related to friendships and groups, and all the Sagittarian concerns of freedom, travel, learning, teaching, publishing, the law – and the truth.
Note that even by good aspect Uranus is still notorious for throwing a spanner in the works. There may still be an element of surprise at work, and possibly something that will make more sense at a later date. Uranus loves to upset the applecart and change the dance. He follows on from Saturn in the natural sequence so his job is revolutionary, to challenge the hierarchy and to keep us moving with the times. Uranus loves breakthroughs and brilliance.
This could be more helpful than we might think as any matter that created confusion or sadness last week – when Venus squared up to Neptune last Thursday – is still ongoing. In other words, the Mercury-Saturn conjunction is the end of the Saturn season but the Neptune one is taking its place in terms of dominance. As the Sun entered Sagittarius on Saturday we now have –
Thursday Sun square Neptune (04.21)
Neptune under a difficult aspect generally signals a misted lens. The nature of the Sun is to illuminate but cutting through Neptune’s sea mists and fogs is not easy. As a rough rule of thumb, if something doesn’t add up then it doesn’t add up for a reason. Discovering the reason, again, is unlikely to be immediate or simple. Emotionally charged issues in particular are highly sensitized under this aspect and probably a lot more complex than they might at first seem.
Friday Mercury ingress Sagittarius (2.27)
Traditional astrology recognizes this as one of Mercury’s sign of detriment – as he is in dignity in the opposite sign of Gemini – but even so this is likely to bring a breath of fresh air and a lightening of mood. All the Scorpio intensity can be very heavy going and Mercury exiting this sign is a wonderful omen for seeing the back of a depressing situation, ending a hard going project or chapter in your own life or in the life of someone close to you.
But there’s still a “but”…. Mercury also has to struggle through Neptune which will be apparent over the weekend.
Monday (1 December) Mercury square Neptune (04.28)
The good news is that we have some fabulous astrology next week that signals that life is getting a lot easier, notably in terms of resolving what these Saturn and Neptune aspects have thrown up for you. I always love to quote the wonderful Sagittarian Lena Hjeltman who says, “Something magical happens when you work with the truth” – and I think the challenge of this week is exactly that. At a more practical level the message is about getting organized and not wasting your energy on the things that you can never change. Take care – and stay focused.
