The Astrology Blog 23 March 2020
“Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.”
Marianne Williamson – The Law of Divine Compensation
All times in GMT
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
Yesterday was a big transitional moment as Saturn changed sign and Mercury finished the sequence with Uranus that started six weeks ago, on 5 February –
Sunday 22 March
- Saturn ingress Aquarius 03.58
- Mercury sextile Uranus, 3rd and final time, 4 Taurus 13.20
Saturn is the “get it together” maestro, but he’s the tough taskmaster of the heavens too. He rules restrictions and boundaries. Mercury is everything to do with communication. Aquarius is traditionally ruled by Saturn and is co-ruled by Uranus, planet of the collective but also head spinning changes.
This time last week I had decided to cancel my London trip. Within hours of sending last week’s blog the flights were cancelled anyway. Our airport was supposed to open in a week’s time and is now scheduled to open 1 May but it will be a miracle if that happens. Furthermore, even if our airport does open it seems probable that nobody will be allowed to take holiday flights from the UK anyway as any unnecessary travel right now is too high risk. Even if people are allowed to get on planes then we still have the rule here, as in every other country as far as I know, that visitors have to self isolate for 14 days after arrival. Also all the bars and restaurants are currently closed and again it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be allowed to open again anytime soon. So, unless regulations change in the next 6 weeks, this obviously makes holidays and group work completely impossible.
We can only pray that Greece will get a season even if it’s one that starts late. We may still get August and September if we’re lucky but am not holding my breath. I feel so desperately sorry for all the Greeks who rely on tourism for their livelihood, especially as the benefits system here is meagre to put it mildly.
Then as I was writing this blog last night I got the latest news, that Greece would be going into immediate and total lockdown as of 6am this morning for the next two weeks, although we all suspect that it will turn out to be longer than that –
“All citizens are ordered to stay at home. Exceptions are allowed for those needing to go to work and short trips to supermarkets, doctors, relatives in need, exercise (single or in pair) or to walk their pet. Reasons for leaving home need to be provided in writing. All those outside need to carry ID/passport.
The move is seen as a response to many Greeks defying calls to stay at home. Instead, over the last few days, thousands left Athens and other major cities for the countryside and the islands raising fears that they could spread the virus all over the country.”
So, virtually no warning, but yet again, when not enough people can do the sensible thing or when there is panic, legislation has to kick in and do it for us, for the good of the collective. And yet again the “endings” theme is shown by Pluto, planet of death, rebirth, healing, control, power and absence. Mars catches up with Pluto every two years and the conjunction is exact this morning –
Monday 23 March
- Mars conjunct Pluto 25 Capricorn 05.17
One of the drums I’m always banging is that Pluto is not about “transformation” as all the textbooks would have us believe, or at least not in the magical sense. Yes Pluto is about total change, but it’s wipeout stuff first. There are no magic wands being waved. Pluto’s first job is to cancel out whatever he touches. Mars is the planet of action. Cancelled. It gets worse. Here in Greece we can leave home only for the above reasons but even that can’t be spontaneous. We have to log our times of leaving home on a government website, stating the reason. No more “popping out” without letting the authorities know what time we’re going out and why. It’s a horrible and scary feeling, but I’m getting my head around it, and I am glad of it. If this is what it takes to keep the island of Lekfada free of the virus, then so be it. But never in my whole life have I been so happy to have a dog!!
Mars is action in every respect, including sport. The headlines this morning started with the big question mark hovering over this year’s Olympic Games –
Canada has announced that it will not send teams to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said an Olympic postponement “may become inevitable”.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52000044
Mars, ruling fitness and athletics of all kinds, joining Pluto is the symbolic signature for this news. There is no question mark. Cancelled.
Mars rules enterprise and speed –
The world will take years to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned. Angel Gurría, OECD secretary general, said the economic shock was already bigger than the financial crisis.
He told the BBC it was “wishful thinking” to believe that countries would bounce back quickly. The OECD has called on governments to rip up spending rules to ensure speedy testing and treatment of the virus.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52000219
All of this is foreshadowing the major Jupiter – Pluto conjunction which is the backdrop for the whole year. In other words, Pluto is in the process of cancelling everything Jupiterian – Mr Big, planet of expansion, learning, freedom, travel and all things overseas. This major aspect happens once every 13 years and is now “applying”, ie becoming exact. It will form three times –
- The first one 5 March
- Jupiter will then turn retrograde 14 May
- Travels back to rejoin Pluto 30 June
- Jupiter will turn direct 13 September
- Will catch up with Pluto for the third and final time 12 November
NEW MOON CONJUNCT CHIRON
Last Friday was the Spring Equinox, as the Sun moved into Aries, first sign of the zodiac. This is usually a time of great optimism as it’s the astrological New Year, but the Sun’s first aspect is the conjunction with Chiron, which falls the day after the Aries New Moon.
Tuesday 24 March
- New Moon 4 Aries conjunct Chiron 09.29
Wednesday 25 March
- Sun conjunct Chiron 5 Aries – about 10.00 (can’t find exact time)
The next Solar aspects won’t happen until 14/15 April when the Sun will square first Pluto and then Jupiter, reawakening the message of that major conjunction. My own feeling is that many countries will be on total lockdown like Greece until at least this date. For now, the New Moon in Aries, sign of the individual, and conjunct Chiron the Wounded Healer, carries an unmistakable message. Your best chance of protecting your own health is to isolate, not to fear being alone but to see it as self care and the best possible thing you can do to protect all the other people you love too. The Sun in the opposite sign of Libra, sign of the Scales that symbolize the two sides to everything but especially relationships, is when the focus swings onto partnership and relating issues of all kinds. The Sun in Aries is the opposite principle of “me” rather than “we”. Be “self”ish in the most positive sense.
VENUS – LOVE, HEALTH AND MONEY
Venus is strong in her own sign of earthy Taurus but it’s her turn next to play into the major Jupiter – Pluto conjunction –
Saturday 28 March
- Venus 24 Taurus trine Jupiter 24 Capricorn 04.25
Sunday 29 March
- Venus 25 Taurus trine Pluto 25 Capricorn 02.55
Venus is known as a “benefic” in traditional astrology. She is Aphrodite, ruling not just love, sex and relationships, but also beauty, adornment, life’s pleasures, all sweet things – like chocolate! – and the money to enjoy our consumerism. For many cutting back on Venusian things will be a hallmark of this year so for now why not focus on the things that money can’t buy, and ensure that you keep in touch with those who help to keep up your spirits. Trines are positive aspects, formed when planets are exactly 4 signs apart and therefore in the same element. Think “being in your element”.
I myself have noticed a huge difference by being in touch with the “can do” people in my life and putting in firmer boundaries with those who are all gloom and doom.
Also as these aspects are exact over the coming weekend maybe by then many of us will be feeling that we’re coping better and that this might be helped by the lockdown measures showing results. In spite of the fact that Italy is suffering at a horrendous level the news yesterday was that they had a 15% drop in new cases. Let’s pray that is the beginning of their downward curve.
GRATITUDE AND AFFIRMATIONS
Whatever measures we’re putting in place to cope we’re all getting the message that isn’t going to be over quickly. Venus in Taurus favours anything you can do that is sustainable. It’s very hard on younger people, many of whom are watching their careers fall apart, but the advice I gave last week to someone was to try not to take it personally. None of us are being singled out for hardship, it’s throughout the world.
The old sayings are often the best, like count your blessings! The new terminology is “gratitudes” but, whatever you call it, the point is that they work. It’s recognized in psychology that those who focus on the positives, on what they have rather than what they don’t have, are happier, healthier, more appreciative and better at relationships. And by the way there’s all kinds of research to show that nothing boosts the immune system like being in love!
Here are my gratitudes for today –
- Being in my own home and garden, not stuck in London unable to get back
- Having the company of my dog Zindzi who gets me out walking every day, and who will be my legal reason for getting out the house over the next few weeks
- Being part of a community who all check in with each other
- Free phone calls on Whatsapp or Facebook to all my family, friends and students in the UK
- Being able to use astrology as a frame of reference for life – even when, or especially when, it’s totally crazy!!
On the getting positive note let’s also finish with affirmations. Louise Hay, who practically invented them, says in You Can Heal Your Life that there is a corresponding damaged mindset for every physical ailment and she offers an affirmation for each ailment that will help to rewire the neural pathways and heal that wounded belief. It would be so interesting to hear what she would have to say if she were still with us, but what better time to remind ourselves of her wisdom than on this Chiron New Moon. The nearest thing in her list of physical illnesses is influenza and this is what she says – intriguing …
- Influenza – response to mass negativity and beliefs. Fear. Belief in statistics.
- Affirmation – I am beyond group beliefs or the calendar. I am free from all congestion and influence.
Stay positive and fearless,
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna