The Astrology Blog 20 September 2021
All times in BST
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
Attributed to Goethe –
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Johann_von_Goethe
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
No time to write at length but here’s a quick guide to the week ahead, starting with Mercury in a very important role, playing into the Jupiter – Pluto, both slow moving and currently aligned by the minor aspect semi-sextile, one sign apart. These aspects are wrapped around the Full Moon, and Mercury is now stationing (appearing to stand still) in order to turn retrograde at the very end of the week. As above, so below, look out for where you too need to stand still for a while –
Monday 20 September
- Mercury 23 Libra trine Jupiter 23 Aquarius 23.54
Tuesday 21 September
- Full Moon 28 Pisces 00.56
Wednesday 22 September
- Mercury 24 Libra square Pluto 24 Capricorn 14.06
Monday 27 September
- Mercury turns retrograde at 25 Libra 06.11
I’ll be talking about the themes for retrograde Mercury next time but for now just note that this means that Mercury is going to spend ages in Libra rather than whizzing through it. A retrograde phase means that Mercury ends up spending two months in one sign instead of two weeks and here’s the full sequence –
- 30 Aug – Mercury entered Libra
- 27 Sept – Mercury turns retrograde at 25 Libra
- 18 Oct – Mercury turns direct again at 10 Libra
- 5 Nov – Mercury moves into next sign of Scorpio
The retrograde phase – looping backwards through the heavens – also means that the aspects to Jupiter and Pluto are not one offs but a series of three –
- Mercury trine Jupiter – 20 Sept, 4 Oct, 1 Nov
- Mercury square Pluto – 22 Sept, 10 Oct, 2 Nov
These are contradictory. The harmonious trine to benefic Jupiter is good news, but the inharmonious square to Pluto carries a heavy price tag. Plutonic themes are linked to change of the total and uncompromising kind. There are echoes here of last year when Jupiter was traveling through Capricorn and conjunct Pluto three times, at the time a clear showing of travel restrictions and other pandemic related issues.
In a nutshell Jupiter is freedom, education, opportunity and justice, Pluto is endings or heavy restrictions, often through control or in connection to things out of our control. Ask the women of Afghanistan. Only the boys have been allowed to return to school. The control of women (Venus) in particular is being underlined by Venus’ journey through Scorpio (Pluto’s sign) which will end 7 October.
If you have planets or Angles at or close to Jupiter and Pluto’s current positions then this new cycle will be kicking off some important stuff for you, some or all of which will be resolved or decided when Mercury makes those final aspects at the beginning of November. At or close to means within one or two degrees max, or the opposite signs. So 23 Aquarius/Leo or 24 Capricorn/Cancer.
Pay close attention to what unfolds for you this week, especially in relation to those big life changing decisions and your awareness of what you’re prepared to give up, or the lengths you’re prepared to go to, in order to deal with the dominant issues in your life.
THE LOVE PLANETS
Venus and Mars put in appearances at the end of the week, immediately after the Sun enters Libra, sign of partnership –
Wednesday 22 September
- Sun ingress Libra – 20.22
Thursday 23 September
- Venus 14 Scorpio opposite Uranus 14 Taurus 10.42
Saturday 25 September
- Mars 7 Libra trine Saturn 7 Aquarius 22.51
Again we’ve got a contradictory picture. The Venus aspect is volatile and rebellious, the Mars aspect is super sensible and conciliatory, big on logic and low on passion. Relationships already growing cold definitely need some warming up.
It’s important to remember that these two combinations mean that we will also have a “mutual reception” – ie two planets in each other’s signs, Venus in Scorpio (Mars sign) and Mars in Libra (Venus sign). As I said in the last blog this is considered to be a helpful factor that indicates collaboration and the possibility of swapping things around, especially in this case as the reception takes both planets out of their signs of detriment. Look out for matters that can be eased or resolved through arrangements that are mutually beneficial.
But overall this is a highly sensitized time, not least because of the Full Moon, always linked to “lunacy” or matters being at full stretch just before they tip into culmination or revelation. As this one is in Pisces the emotional tides will be riding high in all kinds of ways so put your feelings high up on your list of priorities. In other words, how do you really feel about something? Follow your instincts, dreams and visions.
I leave you with a wonderful story that links to that theme. Musician Tony Kofi was 16 when he fell off a roof. As he fell his life flashed in front of his eyes – not the life that he’d lived up to that point but the one lying ahead, including the faces of his children that were yet to be born. This REALLY makes you think!!
https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-58465559
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna