The Astrology Blog 22 September 2019
Astrology as Therapy, New Love, Lessons in Staying True to You
“Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”
– On Marriage, by Kahlil Gibran
We start the week on the Autumn Equinox, the moment when the Sun enters Libra, the sign that correlates with the 7th House of the horoscope where we find our significant other –
Monday 23 September
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Sun ingress Libra 08.51
In traditional astrology the Sun is “exalted” in the fire sign of Aries, and is therefore in “fall” in the opposite sign of Libra. This doesn’t mean that all Librans lack the spark of life but it’s a classic Libra issue to find their sense of identity through “the other” rather than just within themselves. From Be Your Own Astrologer –
The famous Scales symbolize the two sides to a partnership and most Librans are natural diplomats. They have huge amounts of charm and their powers of negotiation, arbitration and compromise are second to none. On a good day they are sweetness and light personified. However, when ruffled, tired or unfulfilled Librans suffer from a lack of purpose or sense of urgency and can be seriously cranky, argumentative and chaotic. Their opposite sign of Aries embodies the directness and immediacy that Libra struggles to acquire.
I should also have added to the ruffled, tired or unfulfilled list the word “lonely”. Many Librans (or those with a strong Libra factor in their charts) will do anything to avoid loneliness, or the fear of being alone, and generally have very short gaps between relationships. Ironically they often find happiness when forced into learning independence (that Aries does so well), so this is a lesson for us all to take on board at this time of year.
Libran themes are the backdrop for the next four weeks and our significant one to one relationships – eg spouse, lovers, business partner, therapist – will get shunted to the top of the list or demand more of our time and attention than usual. But a big part of the lesson is all about not losing our sense of self in the process, not defining ourselves by our relationship status. Just recently this issue came up for a client who saw how her identity was still being dictated by a parental relationship. The light bulb moment was extremely powerful, to the extent that she said that the insights coming from her horoscope were ones that she’d spent literally years trying, and failing, to find in therapy.
Blind Spots
This week is also peppered with those annoying quinqunx aspects, formed when two planets are exactly five signs apart. As I wrote last week, when we had both Mercury and Venus in quinqunx to Uranus, ” This is the blind spot aspect, the one that speaks of “ne’er the twain shall meet”, or the things you could never see coming but which rock the boat and bring opportunities to clear the air. They are also unfortunately associated with illness or accidents so get a health worry checked out, don’t ignore it, and avoid risk taking. Often there are themes too of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing so avoid making assumptions of any kind and be as clear as possible in your own communications.”
All the signs and planets correlate to parts of the physical body. Uranus (and Aquarius) rules the ankles. The day after getting back from the tarot week here (Thursday 19th when the Venus- Uranus quinqunx was exact, the Mercury – Uranus was exact 36 hours earlier) one of my students wrote to tell me that she’d had an accident and broken her ankle! She was philosophical. She saw it as being slowed down, giving her time to reflect on the changes she wants to make in her life rather than rushing straight back to the day job which she definitely doesn’t want to keep.
I was reminded this week that this aspect can relate to crime too. Here on Lefkada we pride ourselves on being crime free, my security conscious UK students are always taken aback to learn that the majority of residents here hardly ever lock their homes or cars, and the local police are mostly involved with traffic offences or paperwork issues. Sadly one of our local supermarkets was robbed last week and the owner attacked, by four men wearing balaclavas. They were arrested almost immediately as this is a small community and the owner recognized the voices (Mercury), even though they weren’t Greek – or English thank god. As you can imagine this sent shockwaves (Uranus) through this village and hopefully will prove to be a one off incident. But it’s worth doing a security check this week on your home or business premises as this week finishes with the Sun – Uranus aspect –
Sunday 29 September
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Sun 6 Libra quinqunx Uranus 6 Taurus 05.15 BST
Mercury’s Endings and Beginnings
Mercury the news and communication planet continues to be busy throughout this week, with difficult aspects to Neptune and Pluto but these are either side of a lovely alignment to lucky Jupiter –
Tuesday 24 September
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Mercury 17 Libra quinqunx Neptune 17 Pisces 14.58 BST
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Mercury 17 Libra sextile Jupiter 17 Sagittarius 22.02 BST
Friday 27 September
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Mercury 21 Libra square Pluto 21 Capricorn 00.51 BST
This has the feel of giving up on what is not working in your life, letting one door close so that you can see where another is opening. The Mercury – Pluto finale in particular is underlined as this is Mercury’s last aspect before changing sign (moving into Scorpio next Thursday) and also because Pluto is stationing in readiness for turning direct (also next Thursday, having been retrograde since the end of April). Pluto is known for being transformative, which is a rather glamourised way of saying that we have to lose or end something before we can go through the Plutonic death/rebirth experience. But again this is keeping with one of this week’s themes – what is worth rescuing, what isn’t, and what is beyond help.
Note that Jupiter is strong in the middle of all of this as he’s in his own sign and nearly back up to full speed (having turned direct about six weeks ago, 11 August). The turning point was at 14 Sagittarius so if you have planets or angles at or close to that degree, or 17 Sagittarius where Jupiter is now, then this week carries some promising potential, especially on any matter that you’ve been waiting on. Jupiter symbolism is so often associated with sowing seeds or working in disguise and it takes a while for the real benefits to show, so watch this space for the Jupiter gifts of opportunity, generosity and blessings.
Venus and the New Moon
Venus is following in Mercury’s footsteps, ie repeating all the same aspects. The finale of the square to Pluto will be exact in the early hours of next Tuesday but the rest of the sequence is playing out this week –
Wednesday 25 September
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Venus 14 Libra square Saturn 20.21 BST
Saturday 28 September
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Venus 17 Libra quinqunx Neptune 17 Pisces 03.51 BST
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New Moon 5 Libra 19.28 BST
Sunday 29 September
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Venus 17 Libra sextile Jupiter 17 Sagittarius 00.42 BST
We had the Mercury – Saturn square yesterday (Sunday 22nd), the day that Thomas Cook went bust. As I wrote last week, “Squares to Saturn are roadblocks. Mercury in conflict with Saturn generally says “no”, and can bring cancellations or delays, car or journey problems, sad or bad news, silences, injuries to the hands or arms or all kinds of feasibility issues… This aspect carries extra weight as it’s the first one involving Saturn who, after four months of being retrograde, is turning direct and in his own sign.”
So this is clearly “end of the road” symbolism. Now it’s Venus’ turn to make the square to this “stationary direct” Saturn so we’re now looking at a big reality check on love and money issues. For the thousands stranded by Thomas Cook this will be dealing with the costs and logistics of finding alternative flights and claiming compensation.
If you have planets or angles at or close to 14 degrees of Libra or Capricorn (or their opposite signs of Aries and Cancer) then the Mercury and Venus squares are likely to be extra tough. Don’t try to force anything and accept that you’re being blocked for a reason. Universally Venus squaring up to Saturn is a no-no for doing anything beyond your means so avoid debt, and opt for a bit of short term self denial rather than a long term financial ball and chain. If you’ve already lost money (or love) in any kind of unrescuable situation then it’s probably best to cut your losses and start afresh, or come to a manageable agreement, such as repaying or being repaid in smaller amounts.
On the love subject the writing is on the wall if you secretly or not so secretly already know that you’re in the wrong relationship. If you’ve been staying in a relationship for all the wrong reasons you may now have to count the cost in other ways. It’s extraordinary how many people don’t leave because of not wanting to hurt the other person, because of the guilt engendered when we long to break free to live the life we really want.
But it’s an indisputable truth that if one person is unhappy in a partnership then the other person is too. They can’t not be. Libra’s Scales tell us that what one half does or says or feels automatically affects the other half. Again and again I hear stories of the unhappiness caused by emotional entrapment and nonexistent sex lives but, also again and again, I hear how after a breakup the person who was left, and who would supposedly die without their partner, is with someone new within months. And happier. Even blissful!!
In spite of the tricky or difficult aspects this week there is a golden thread running through the weave, with the Mercury – Venus aspects to benefic Jupiter and the New Moon at 5 Libra (Venus’ sign), which falls opposite Chiron currently at 4 Aries. Chiron is the Wounded Healer and new relationships started at this time could do just that – heal old wounds. Also look out for insights in connection to anyone or anything that’s been causing you grief or anxiety. Jupiter is also the truth freak, as well as the opportunity maker, optimist and liberator, so make honesty, authenticity and positivity the hallmarks of all your dealings and breathe in that fresh air of the New Moon.
Until next week
With love from Greece
Joanna