The Astrology Blog 29 November 2020
All times in GMT
“There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. There is a bigger price for living a lie.”
Cornel West – b 2 June 1953 – American philosopher, political activist & author
” Empathy is really important.. Only when our clever brain and our human heart work together in harmony can we achieve our full potential. “
Jane Goodall – Anthropologist
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Jane_Goodall
As I write (yesterday, Sunday) the Lunar Eclipse has yet to happen, being exact at 09.31 this morning (Monday). However, when a major event or aspect is what’s called “applying” – in the process of becoming exact – we can expect to see events in the making that clearly reflect the symbolism. Once the event or aspect is “separating” we hear about things retrospectively.
This is a Lunar Eclipse at 8 Gemini so listen out for news in connection with those who have any planet or Angles at or close to (within 2 to 3 degrees) this position. See last week’s blog for a full description of the nature of Eclipses. But in a nutshell Eclipse essential symbolism includes –
- Being overshadowed
- Empowerment – disempowerment
- Sorting winners from losers between twos or threes (Sun, Moon, Earth)
- Revelations – what happened when the light went out
- Tipping points of change – no going back
Also remember that especially with big events the astrology applies to the chart of nations as well as individuals. Some examples of planets or Angles on the Eclipse degree –
- Thanks to my colleague Robyn Ray who pointed out to me that the US chart has Uranus at 8 Gemini (Trump has been eclipsed, and we may yet find out what other mayhem he leaves for others to deal with)
- Joe Biden – Saturn 10 Gemini
- Prince William – Mercury 8 Gemini
- Prince Harry – Chiron 8 Gemini
- Ghislaine Maxwell – Ascendant 10 Gemini
- Annette Bening – Sun 8 Gemini
- Tina Turner – Moon 8 Gemini
- Meryl Streep – Mars 8 Gemini
- Harrison Ford – Saturn 8 Gemini
There will obviously be thousands of horoscopes with this sensitive degree so these are just a handful of charts to watch for eclipse stories. But if you want to research any particular sign at a particular degree the astrotheme search engine on their database is how you do it! –
https://www.astrotheme.com/celebrities/search_by_astrological_criteria.php?i=1
HOW LONG DOES AN ECLIPSE LAST?
Often Eclipse symbolism will show on or very close to the date but there is also a way of timing Eclipses to show the length of their own particular lifetime. This can run into months. I’m by no means an expert on this but Robyn Ray is – contact me re the schedule for next year’s Summer School for her course on Moon Phases.
LAST WEEK’S VENUS – URANUS
Apart from the looming Eclipse my point about the Venus – Uranus opposition being the major feature of last week certainly made itself felt, in stories that were reported back to me and also in my own life. Venus = money as well as love, Uranus rules technology as well as things going haywire. I went to log into my UK bank account only to be met with a blank screen and an error message at the top. I assumed it was their problem as all other websites were functioning normally. The next day, same thing. I tried to go in via another of their links but it still wouldn’t let me log in.
So I clicked on the live chat/help option, to find myself being dealt with by Cora, my virtual assistant. This was such spot on astrology – Venus (women, Cora in this case) opposite Uranus, planet of all things new age, including robots. I was advised to clear all cookies and caches which was a big mistake. Messed up a lot of other websites but didn’t solve the problem. As the “conversation” progressed I got increasingly frustrated. She kept asking if she had answered my question. I kept answering, no you haven’t. Eventually I typed in – I’d like to talk to A REAL PERSON! The answer was – one moment while I transfer you. It worked! So that is how you get through to the actual helpline. It still took another two days to fix the problem but basically my server had been identified as high risk so they had just pulled the plug. Getting reconnected created all kinds of other knock on problems but I won’t bore you with those.
This aspect was applying all of last week and was exact on Friday evening. Which was when our lockdown was extended by a week – bang goes my birthday middle of next week, and my hair appointment (Venus = beauty stuff) the day before it, should’ve known better – and I then got a message saying um, sorry Jo, we can’t come and fit your wood burner as planned because we can’t get the paperwork to give us permission to come onto the island (from Ioannina, a couple of hours north). So my wood burner is still in the shop, in lockdown. And the house is still cold. Grrr.
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
Mercury, planet of communication in all its guises, is finally at the very end of Scorpio, having been in this sign – and in and out of the end degrees of Libra – since the end of September. His last aspect is a harmonious one to Saturn, who is also on the final leg of his journey through Capricorn, so this is Mercury’s true finale before he changes sign, following the Sun into fiery Sagittarius –
Monday 30 November
- Mercury 28 Scorpio sextile Saturn 28 Capricorn 19.02
Tuesday 1 December
- Mercury ingress Sagittarius 19.52
However, even by good aspects, Mercury – Saturn combinations are not the easiest, but they can be constructive. Look out for themes of final decisions or reaching the end of a long road that has been full of twists and turns. There’s a sense here of events underlining the eclipse symbolism, such as no turning back, or even last chances, finding that the time for hesitation or prevarication is done. Think closure, enough is enough, and “good enough” even if it’s not perfect. Make your decision, get your point across, make your plans as best you can, wrap up projects that have been time consuming, rearrange your schedule if you need better time management or if you realize that you haven’t been working as effectively as usual. Be prepared to accept the reality of other people’s opinions or decisions too, even if they’re not what you wanted to hear.
The good news is that Mercury is back up to full speed and is going to whizz through Sagittarius from tomorrow until 20 December. This sign rules long distance travel and all matters connected to overseas, and this would normally be the green light for Xmas plans abroad. If it’s your intention to be elsewhere for Xmas then the bargain tickets are likely to appear but do the sensible thing and cover yourself on insurance against lockdown risks.
In traditional astrology this is actually Mercury’s sign of detriment as this is the planet of the so called “lower mind”, which rules our early learning and concerns itself with the minutiae of the smaller picture. Mercury rules chatty multitasking Gemini and analytical Virgo. Mercury in Jupiter’s signs (Sagittarius and Pisces) who is the planet of the “higher mind”, ruling our adult learning, our philosophy and the bigger picture, is therefore something of a mismatch.
But a planet being in detriment doesn’t necessarily or automatically translate into something “bad” rather than “good”. This Mercury placing can be extremely deep thinking, eloquent and scholarly. This is Voltaire’s Mercury, known for his advocacy of freedom of religion and expression. The best showing of this combination is a nature that is visionary, intuitive, intellectual and far sighted.
As a natal placing beliefs run deep but generally the attitude is cheerful and optimistic rather than overly serious. Being honest to a fault is part of a truth freak nature. Honesty and justice are exceptionally important issues and these individuals generally cannot bear to be disbelieved. In terms of indignant reaction this Mercury can do 0 to 60 faster than any other. If you want to test this out just accuse them, or any Sagittarian, of lying – preferably from a safe distance.
So take these themes on board. Truth is important, not just as in the opposite to telling lies but as in saying how things really are. This doesn’t mean that you should blurt out what you think with no thought for consequences or other people’s feelings, but authentic relationships are healthy ones, and authenticity relies on truth, not collusion. Don’t dress things up to suit yourself or others, don’t kid yourself that something is fine when it isn’t, when an open conversation could actually get things onto a much more honest footing. Avoiding the issue won’t produce answers but talking about it will. So often we walk on eggshells, afraid to say how we really feel, but when we do this nothing changes. Note that if it’s become the norm to censor what you’re saying then this is a warning signal in itself.
THE LOVE PLANETS & NEPTUNE
How we do or don’t communicate is something we all come up against a great deal of the time but if you want more intimacy in your love life, or closeness in any key relationship that matters to you, it’s a good time for a spot check on how much you or someone else operate on things like assumptions, guessing games, reading between the lines and getting it wrong. The weekend brings a somewhat complex picture between the love planets Venus and Mars, linking with each other and also with Neptune –
Saturday 5 December
- Mars 18 Aries semi-sextile Neptune 18 Pisces 21.48
Sunday 6 December
- Venus 18 Scorpio trine Neptune 18 Pisces 04.55
- Venus 18 Scorpio quinqunx Mars 18 Aries 06.32
Firstly Mars is getting stronger. He’s in his own sign of Aries, but has been since the end of June. He got to the end of Aries but then turned retrograde 9 September, turned direct again 14 November, and is now starting to pick up speed again. Expect themes of “been here before” but this time you can stay on track and get to the finishing line. For some matters this particular finale will be during the first or second week in January when Mars comes “out of shadow” and finally changes sign and opens a new cycle. Keep your eye on what you want an outcome to be, in love and in work.
Venus by comparison has another two weeks to go in Scorpio, one of her signs of detriment. The Big Issue to look out for is the flipside of this sign – such as controlling behavior, jealousy, possessiveness or too much secrecy. The plus side is anything connected to “the power of love”. When feelings are beautiful and strong on both sides then just about anything can be achieved, especially as Venus’ link to romantic Neptune is a harmonious one, who is also softening Mars’ edges.
Neptune always needs a reality check but this planet has also just turned direct (yesterday!) which is A Good Thing if you need to let go of a fantasy. Dream the possible dreams rather than the impossible ones OR watch for how what was impossible can now happen. Neptune (Poseidon god of the seas) turning direct in his own sign of Mutable Water Pisces is a Sea Change – defined in the dictionary as “a profound or notable transformation”. Catch the tide.
But the real spoke in the wheel if only for this weekend is the awkward quinqunx between Venus and Mars – blind spots or stuff of “ne’er the twains shall meet” which can show in all kinds of ways, such as disagreements, areas of incompatibility or physically not being able to be with the person you love, if only for now. It definitely feels like a lockdown moment. But in terms of the way forwards it’s all sensitive stuff so be patient rather than trying to force your own agenda (Mars in Aries). A lot of things can quietly and gently start taking on a new shape now if we’re prepared to take our ego out of the picture and walk that mile in someone else’s shoes. Genuine empathy has a way of disarming people, taking them off the defensive and getting us back to that authentic space. This week it’s important to let someone know how we understand them, or want to, before asking them to understand us.
Neptune also links to grief and loss, unavoidable for me as I face the fourth birthday without my twin. But Sue was also one of the most empathic people I ever knew. I’ll leave you with her words, that I heard her speak so often “If you can help, just do it. If you can’t, just be kind.”
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna