The Astrology Blog 14 December 2015
Apologies for no blog last week and many thanks to everyone who wrote in to send messages of concern. I’m miles behind with all my emails so sorry again if I haven’t replied to you personally. We are all now back from Thessaloniki and it’s full on Mission Mike to build him up again. Hospital food is dire everywhere it seems… Sue raised this with the surgeon but his response was that if you’re in hospital then you have to be prepared to put up with hospital food. How can even the top experts be so blasé about nutrition? I feel a letter to Jamie Oliver coming on.
Goodbye to Vern Wells
As many of you know I started my astrological studies with The Company of Astrologers, and became a COA tutor in 1990. This was a great privilege as all tutors would meet with the COA founders – Geoffrey Cornelius and Maggie Hyde – about once a month for evenings entitled Divination and Consultation, fondly referred to as Div and Con. This enabled us to discuss Company work, plan courses etc but also gave us the chance to share our own astrology with one another. I learned a huge amount in the ensuing five years, before moving to Greece in May 95. I’d like to dedicate this blog to one of my colleagues Vern Wells, who passed away last week.
Fortunately I was able to visit Vern 5 weeks ago when in London and I’m going to share here one of the things he said which really stayed with me and which I think is important. He said he wished that he hadn’t been such a worrier all his life, and about things that he then realized were not important. He shook his head with his own disbelief.
I think we all fall into this trap, to one extent or another, as it’s part of the human condition to worry. This can be useful – our worries tell us what needs attention or who needs our care – but when it spirals out of control into a permanent state of crippling anxiety that is when the problems start. It’s clear to see how this can create depression, and it’s not such a huge leap to see how we can actually end up making ourselves ill. The mind – body connection is one that has spawned endless amounts of literature yet remains controversial. If you want to read some poignant material of the “not away with the fairies” variety then here are two recommendations, Dr David Hamilton, who writes from the scientific/biological point of view and whose research makes for compelling evidence – his books include It’s the Thought that Counts and How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body –
Also Anita Moorjani who had a spontaneous remission after a near death experience when literally hours away from death. Her book Dying to be Me makes for intriguing reading and the overriding message is the importance of learning to live life fearlessly –
What’s happening this week?
All times in GMT
The Sun is still in Sagittarius and in aspect to this sign’s ruling planet –
Monday Sun square Jupiter (15.04)
The square is an “over the top” aspect but this one is not as exuberant as we would normally expect as Mr Big of the heavens Jupiter is toned down in careful Virgo (one of Jupiter’s signs of detriment) and is also slowing down in readiness for starting his four month retrograde journey in the New Year. As above, so below – slow down and check impulsivity. This is not a time for throwing caution to the winds, and what you do in haste now could easily be repented at leisure. Otherwise this aspect is also textbook for feeling overwhelmed, the rabbit in the headlights feeling, so try not to fall into that Virgo trap of making work for yourself and getting over fussy. Aim for “good enough” rather than perfect, and reserve the right to say no to taking on anything else if you’re already on overload.
We’ve also got a lovely Mercury aspect today –
Monday Mercury sextile Neptune (19.41)
This is a “one off” unlike the other Mercury aspects building up at the end of the week which I’m coming to – perfect for chilling, sharing your feelings and a bottle of wine with a friend, talking through a problem and coming up with some creative ideas – you get the general picture. Do whatever makes you feel good.
As with the double whammy of Sun Sag/aspect to Jupiter there’s another major aspect later in the week that also carries extra weight by virtue of a link between the signs/planets involved –
Thursday Venus sextile Pluto (11.18)
Venus is currently travelling through Scorpio, one of her signs of detriment, but makes this positive aspect to Pluto, the planet that co-rules Scorpio (Mars being the traditional ruler). This signals that the two planets are working hand in hand as a powerful team. Here are the main themes –
Venus – love, money, girlfriends, life’s pleasures and sweetness
Pluto (by good aspect) – change, depth healing, endings of the positive or necessary kind. Think transformative.
Venus also rules food and produce, and for us this is about making more changes for Mike re diet. The juicer is going to be working overtime! Note that Pluto is often prominently placed in the horoscopes of those involved in healing work of any kind.
On the love front trying to make big changes ten days before Christmas is probably not ideal but, if your relationship is on the romantic ropes, then the second half of this week is likely to put the situation under intense scrutiny. (January isn’t the top month for divorce lawyers for nothing!) Venus – Pluto contacts of any kind are also notorious for love triangles and if you’re involved in an affair then the run up to Christmas isn’t going to be easy. Bide your time wherever possible, as the unfolding picture signals that the best results will come from sustained efforts and negotiation and/or that there will be a lot of flak to deal with. This doesn’t apply just to tangled love webs either but to all close relationships that, for whatever reason, are in demanding mode. Similarly, any decision making process is most unlikely to be cut and dried but in a continual state of flux as we deal with incoming information and developments that we’re not yet privy to.
This picture is now starting to intensify as the rest of this week’s activity is dominated by Mercury (communicator and mischief maker both), currently travelling through Capricorn. Jumping ahead, Mercury will enter the next sign of Aquarius in the early hours of 2 January but only gets to 1 degree of this sign before turning retrograde three days later. This means that all the aspects being formed between now and Christmas will all be the first of a series of three. This week’s aspects are therefore not the usual fleeting picture of Mercury at full speed but the beginning of a much weightier pattern that will play out between now and the beginning of February, with themes of stops and starts.
Here’s the sequence –
Mercury conjunct Pluto
• Friday 18 December 14 degrees Capricorn
• Friday 22 January 15 degrees Capricorn (Mercury retrograde)
• Saturday 30 January 16 degrees Capricorn
Mercury square Uranus
• Monday 21 December 16 degrees Capricorn/16 degrees Aries
• Wednesday 20 January 16 degrees Capricorn/16 degrees Aries (Mercury retrograde)
• Monday 1 February 17 degrees Capricorn/17 degrees Aries
Mercury trine Jupiter (harmonious)
• Friday 25 December 23 degrees Capricorn/23 degrees Virgo
• Friday 15 January 23 degrees Capricorn/23 degrees Virgo (Mercury retrograde)
• Saturday 6 February 22 degrees Capricorn/22 degrees Virgo
These sequences will be especially applicable to you if these signs and degrees feature in your own horoscope, and here are the usual links for checking the position of your own planets and angles:
http://www.alwaysastrology.com/birth-chart-calculator.html
You can also try this calculator, which lists all your planets and angles rather than bringing up the visual of the horoscope, so for non astrologers it’s easier to use.
http://astro.cafeastrology.com/cgi-bin/astro/natal
Note that the latter two sequences above are further sensitized by the fact that Uranus is switching from retrograde to direct (making the exact turn on Boxing Day) and Jupiter will be switching from direct to retrograde early January as mentioned earlier. This means that they’re currently very slow moving so any planets locking into them now are like freeze frame moments. As Mercury is the mind planet, and the winged messenger, pay special attention to information or insights that come into focus on or within 24 hours of the above dates – so starting with this coming weekend.
Until next week, keep your wits about you!
With love from Greece
Joanna