The Astrology Blog 14 February 2022
All times in GMT
“And I’m thinking ’bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe just the touch of a hand …
Maybe it’s all part of a plan
I’ll just keep on making the same mistakes
Hoping that you’ll understand
But baby now, take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I’m thinking out loud
That maybe we found love right where we are.”
Ed Sheeran, Thinking out Loud
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Ed_Sheeran
THE WEEK AHEAD
This is definitely a week of quality rather than quantity. There’s not a lot of astrological activity but each event can be considered as significant by itself, so they add up to a pretty powerful package. It’s the first time for ages that I’ve felt a bit of the wow factor going on, all helped along by the fact that we currently have no planets in retrograde motion. Things march on, but context is everything. That sense of something inexorable or inevitable at work isn’t good news for Ukraine or the beleaguered athletes in the “too much snow” Winter Olympics, facing freezing conditions of minus 35.
For those of us lucky enough to be getting on with our lives, we have two changes of sign (new cycles), Mercury at the beginning of the week and the Sun at the end, we have a Venus-Mars conjunction right on cue for Valentine’s week which also coincides with a blazing Full Moon in the Sun’s sign of Leo, and we have Jupiter aligning with Uranus by harmonious sextile, which hasn’t happened since July 2012 ten years ago.
Here’s your at a glance guide for the week ahead, starting with Mercury arriving in the air sign of Aquarius this evening –
Monday 14 February
- Mercury ingress Aquarius 21.55
Wednesday 16 February
- Venus conjunct Mars 16 Capricorn 14.30
- Full Moon 28 Leo 16.58
Friday 18 February
- Jupiter 11 Pisces sextile Uranus 00.12
- Sun ingress Pisces 16.44
So keep the all important context in mind. Any interpretations are what an aspect might mean, not what it will definitely mean, because this is how astrology works, and the tarot too. Like dreams, another symbolic language, the imagery has to be interpreted within the context of an individual’s life and situation.
This is why “cookbook” astrology or dream books don’t work. One size doesn’t fit all. But when you’re familiar with the symbolism belonging to each planet their messages become clear, in your own life and in the lives of others. Just as when you interpret your dreams, you might mull over some ideas first, but when you arrive at the right “take” it’s unmistakable and smacks you between the eyes.
Mercury’s change of sign carries more weight than usual. As noted at the end of last week’s blog this is Mercury into Aquarius Take 2 as he originally entered Aquarius on 2 January but only got as far as 10 Aquarius before turning retrograde, and ended up sliding back into Capricorn. Mercury turned direct at 24 Capricorn so this ingress into Aquarius may deliver things that were promised or looking likely mid January but which then unraveled on you. Let’s start again.
In traditional astrology Mercury is said to be both “dignified” and “exalted” in the sign of Virgo, the only planet who does a double act for its sign of dignity and exaltation. But some astrologers now assign Aquarius as Mercury’s sign of exaltation. Whether you agree with that or not, Mercury the communication planet is generally happy in the air signs, element of the mind.
This adds up to good news for all things Mercurial but, as noted at the end of last week, this particular combination is also great for team spirit, technology, your social life and groups. If you need to get yourself back in circulation this is the week to do it. Mercury’s arrival in Aquarius could be the proverbial breath of fresh air.
VALENTINE’S DAY – LOVE ASTROLOGY & THE VENUS – MARS CONJUNCTION
Women are from Venus, men are from Mars! A lot of truth in this, in traditional astrology Venus is feminine and rules women, Mars is masculine and rules men. But the coming together of “the love planets” doesn’t denote just the opposite sexes but any combination depending on your sexual orientation. Unions of any kind are indicated by this conjunction, including business partnerships, especially as it’s falling in empire building Saturn’s sign of Capricorn.
The important thing is to follow the “as above so below” principle when it comes to symbolic interpretation, so converting the astronomy into meaning. What are these planets in your chart? Who are these planets in your chart? In which House do they unite? These are the kind of questions that give you insight into how any current astrology is playing out for you.
It’s actually quite hard to think of a song that isn’t written about love. Since the dawn of time the world’s poets and songwriters have spoken to all humanity, across millennia, across all cultures, of this thing called love. The joy of it, the pain of it. There is nothing more joyful than love when it happens and goes right, and nothing more agonizing than love not happening or going heartbreakingly wrong. Either way, these deeply emotional experiences find their most beautiful expression not through bland statements but through the creativity of verse.
So I just had to choose a song for this week’s quote, but talk about being spoiled for choice. Literally millions of love songs out there. But Ed Sheeran’s Thinking out Loud fits the bill. No time of birth for him, so we can’t know the Ascendant, but students, look at that Grand Trine in water signs – an exalted Venus 24 Pisces, a dignified Pluto 20 Scorpio and Chiron the Wounded Healer 22 Cancer.
He touches on human frailty, how finding love doesn’t mean that we don’t make mistakes or even go on making them, but how if we can just sit with nature under all those thousands of stars above, if we can just be “in the moment” of being alive and in love, then it’s all right there.
And he touches on the question of destiny, is it all part of a plan, is it really all written in the stars? Er, yes. Seen it thousands of times. Students you’ll find the rules for relationship astrology in an additional segment at the end of this blog, with Prince William’s chart as a working example.
Little wonder that this is a favourite song for so many people. It was the first to be streamed over 500 million times on Spotify and as of November 2021 has been viewed more than 3.3 billion times on YouTube. Mind boggling figures.
At a universal level, apart from love stuff, remember that Venus is all things enjoyable, including money, and Mars is Action Man. After all those weeks of retrograde Mercury and Venus there’s now a “can do” vibe building up, including tackling things that we’ve been putting off. Just this morning a friend told me about making health appointments that she’d been putting off for years. It’s never too late.
Regular readers might remember that I shared that Venus spent her 6 retrograde weeks in my 2nd House of money and I was getting clobbered with bills, including helping someone else out and a new washing machine after a rat infestation did irreparable damage to the old one! Things have “turned around” again financially, as I knew they would, and it’s great to be back in the land of just normal expenses. And the new washing machine is brilliant!
So if Venus has a one year cycle and Mars has a two year cycle then Venus catches up with Mars about once a year, right? Wrong. Because of retrograde loops these two catch up with each other in a somewhat erratic pattern.
Here are the conjunctions from the last two years and the ones to come over the next few years. This time around, because Venus has just turned direct, Mars is actually moving more quickly than Venus – it’s usually the other way around – so we have the extremely rare event of the conjunction repeating in three weeks time –
Venus Conjunct Mars Dates
- 24 August 2019 – 4 Virgo
- 13 July 2021 – 19 Leo
- 16 February 2022 – 16 Capricorn
- 6 March 2022 – 0 Aquarius
- 22 February 2024 – 7 Aquarius
- 8 January 2026 – 18 Capricorn
As with all planetary aspects these conjunctions are important for all of us at a universal level, but if you have natal planets or Angles at or very close (to within 2 degrees) of these positions then the conjunction will be more significant for you at a particular level.
Also note that whatever unfolds for you on this first conjunction is likely to be followed up on the second one around 6 March. Things don’t have to happen exactly on the day of an astrological event for it to count but you would expect it to be close, a day or so either side.
In terms of love stuff any Venus – Mars conjunction can be sexy and romantic, but as this one falls in Capricorn there’s also a Saturnian theme of working things out, looking at what is practical or impractical, or even at what is respectable.
Affairs are tricky at this time. Capricorn/Saturn themes include the word “should” and a strong sense of duty. Also Mercury’s arrival in Aquarius this evening stands for very strong opinions, and an unshakeable view on what’s wrong or right. Values may override feelings.
Single and looking? Most likely place to meet someone at the moment is through work or work related events or colleagues. Also look out for someone you wouldn’t normally have considered because of an age gap. Don’t let that put you off. Hasn’t done Catherine Zeta Jones (25 years younger than husband) or Brigitte Macron (25 years older than husband) any harm.
Otherwise the sign of Capricorn loves a project, whether it’s starting a business or a family or finding a partner. One of the first people I ever knew who met her husband through a dating site, years and years ago before they were considered the norm, had a natal Venus in Capricorn. She wanted children and a provider, so she set out to find one. It worked.
FULL MOON IN LEO
At a universal level as always look out for what comes to light for you midweek. One of the jobs of the Full Moon is to illuminate, which is maybe why things can also go crazy – lunacy. It IS a recognized fact that police stations and hospital services brace themselves for emergencies and the domestics.
This month’s Full Moon falls at the end of the sign, at 28 degrees of Leo. This is conjunct the degree of the royal fixed star of Regulus at 29 degrees of Leo. Also known as “the Heart of the Lion” Regulus denotes ambition, honour, success, status and leadership. These issues are still super sensitized as we can see out in the world. The Downing St parties investigation goes on, as does the exposure of staggering levels of misogyny, discrimination and sex harassment among some police officers in London.
The head of the Metropolitan Police Dame Cressida Dick’s resignation came last Thursday after the London mayor Sadiq Khan made it clear that he had no confidence in her leadership. He in turn has been criticized for his handling of the situation.
The main point now is that a successor will need to be Regulus come to life, an exceptionally strong person with the ability to rebuild values and morale, and inspire confidence in both staff and the public. A Lionheart.
Also out in the world I expect this Full Moon in the sign of the Big Cat to bring further shame or consequences for the truly vile beyond words Kurt Zouma. He was listed to play for his club Chelsea this weekend but didn’t show “because of illness”. Bullshit. They knew there was a good chance he’d be lynched. Best news was that the RSPCA took his cats away.
JUPITER SEXTILE URANUS
The Full Moon is closely followed by this rare aspect. Last one was 22 July 2012 and the next one will be 21 July 2026.
Jupiter – main principle is expansion, anything that makes our life bigger and better, known as the Greater Benefic Jupiter brings the things or the people into our lives that are helpful and good for us. Planet of opportunity, luck, liberation, good fortune, abundance, generosity both giving and receiving, learning, publishing, truth and justice/all legal concerns. Long distance travel, foreigners, and all matters or people related to overseas.
Uranus – main principle is change, especially of the sudden or shocking kind. In mythology Uranus is the sky god and he rules all that comes “out of the blue”. He’s the astrologer’s nightmare – unpredictable – and challenges all that Saturn stands for, such as hierarchy and tradition. Uranian events are innovative, explosive, sudden, unexpected, erratic or unpredictable. They bear the hallmarks of brilliance, being different, unconventional or original in some way. Uranus also rules the collective and groups of all kinds.
Back to the point about matching events not having to happen exactly on the same day this becomes more relevant when the planets involved are slow moving. Jupiter has a 12 year cycle, Uranus’ is 84 years. So I would describe this aspect as a backdrop for a couple of weeks at least, especially as it’s “applying” – in the process of becoming exact. After the exact alignment an aspect is then said to be “separating” but still remains in force.
Happy Valentine’s Day, with extra love from Greece
Joanna
RELATIONSHIP ASTROLOGY
Major transits can sometimes signal life events single handedly but often they work in tandem with the progressed chart. As always, the true weight of any transits and progressions is dictated and modified by the condition of natal factors.
Firstly look especially for transits of the last five traditional planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – and also Chiron to –
- the Ascendant/Descendant horizon
- the rulers of either the 1st or 7th houses
- to any planets in the 1st or 7th
- to the Sun, Moon, Venus or Mars as universals.
Progressed rulers of the 1st house and the 7th house. If these two planets are coming together by progression – that is, making any aspect between them – this is a traditional indication of an important relationship.
Progressed Sun – Solar progressions are always very powerful. Look especially for the Sun progressed to the ruler of the 7th house or to planets in the 7th house. Traditional astrology says also –
- Look for the Sun progressed to Mars (natal or progressed) or vice versa, Mars to Sun, in a woman’s chart.
- Look for the Sun progressed to the Moon or Venus, or Venus to the Sun or Moon, in a man’s chart.
Venus and Mars – if these two planets, the universal significators for love and romance, are coming together by progression this is also a positive indication for a relationship.
Progressed Moon – this is such a helpful indicator when locating specific events. For relationships look to see if the progressed Moon is conjunct either the 1st or 7th house ruler, any planet in the 7th, the Ascendant or Descendant, or already traveling through the 1st or 7th house. Other classic indications for helpful love progress is when the progressed Moon is conjunct the Sun, Venus or Mars.
Example Horoscope
Prince William – https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Prince_William,_Duke_of_Cambridge
Prince William’s chart is an excellent working example. His natal promise indicates a strong marriage with the New Moon in early Cancer in the 7th and indeed the marriage took place when progressed Venus had just changed sign at 0.01 Cancer (critical degree) and was therefore almost exactly conjunct the Sun at 0.07 Cancer.
- To support this picture the Progressed Moon was at 26 Cancer conjunct the progressed Sun at 27 Cancer – a progressed New Moon reflecting the natal one.
- He was in the middle of his Saturn Return – and married a Capricorn/Moon Cancer – and Saturn rules his intercepted 1st house and is therefore co-ruler of the chart.
- The New Moon prior to the wedding on 3 April was at 13.30 Aries – opposite his Saturn.
- The Full Moon prior to the wedding on 18 April was at 27.44 Libra – conjunct his Pluto/Jupiter.