Venus’ New Love Cycle and the Jupiter/Neptune Dream World
If you want to see the sign and degree of the planets in your own or any other natal chart, so you can check these against the signs and degrees important this week – here’s the link to Astrotheme. Enter your data into the boxes provided:
https://www.astrotheme.com/horoscope_chart_sign_ascendant.php
The Astrology Blog 7 January 2019
All times given are stated in GMT
Just to start with a story in the news yesterday. It captures what I was saying last week about eclipses being:
- Power points
- Sensitising situations or
- Sorting out winners and losers, ie overshadowing one person while another takes the light.
There’s a transference of power and often this shows in triangular situations which reflect the intricate pattern between the three bodies of the Earth, Sun and Moon.
Yesterday’s New Moon (women) and Solar (men) Eclipse fell in the early hours at 15 Capricorn, conjunct Saturn. Saturn is dignified in his own sign (hierarchy and tradition) and semi-sextile Jupiter, who is also dignified in his own sign (justice and liberation) –
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46770612
Eclipse example
A new regulation in Saudi Arabia is set to stop the practice of Saudi women not knowing about their own divorce. Starting from Sunday, courts will be required to notify women by text on rulings confirming their divorces.
Local female lawyers suggest the measure will end what are known as secret divorces. These are cases where men end a marriage without telling their wives.
The directive would ensure women are fully aware of their marital status and can protect rights such as alimony.
There’s still a long, long way to go for equal rights for Saudi women because there’s a list of things that they’re still not allowed to do without the consent of a male relative. These include being issued with a passport.
But the minor aspect to Jupiter in Sag (ruling freedom, including travel) suggests that this shift in power and significant step in the right direction could lead to further restrictions being lifted.
Also note that the Eclipse fell at 15 Capricorn, the exact position of the benefic Fixed Star of Wega. All Fixed Stars have “natures” aligning them with the symbolism of other planets and the nature of Wega is Mercury/Venus – giving a voice (Mercury) to women (Venus).
This also fits the symbolism of the first major event of the week which is Venus’ change of sign:
Monday 7 January 2019
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Venus ingress Sagittarius – 11.19
This is an uplifting start to the week as Venus leaves Scorpio (one of her signs of detriment) after a very long journey.
Venus entered Scoprio firstly right back in September, reached 11 degrees and then turned retrograde. Venus came “out of shadow” (returning to the degree at which she turned retrograde, ie 10.50 Scorpio) on 18 December.
However this new journey in forward-looking and positive Sagittarius is the true fresh start and clean slate.
Venus in Sagittarius
Firstly, Venus in Sagittarius is very good at being single. For those:
- Embarking upon the New Year after a relationship breakup – and I know several – or
- Who’ve given up on a love interest going nowhere or
- Given up on the hope of meeting the right person – and I know even more of those
Venus’ new cycle starts with a big shift in attitude.
Suddenly it’s the bigger picture and an open road rather than the deep, dark emotional depths of Scorpio. Single, attached or sceptical, It’s a chance to look at your love life with new criteria.
Love is a drug
Many of us are culturally conditioned and psychologically programmed to believe that being in a relationship is a must, even the be-all and end-all of life, and that this is where we will find love, wholeness and self worth.
The reality is that while many happy relationships do exist, there are many people who give up huge chunks of themselves to be in a relationship. And they will go to extraordinary lengths to protect it, even when it’s making them miserable and even if it’s abusive.
Research shows that this has nothing to do with ordinary intelligence. Love in all its guises is, it seems, very much a drug. The highs are wonderful, but the cost of addiction to an unhealthy relationship is even higher.
We don’t want to think of ourselves as having failed, even when it’s screamingly obvious that the relationship is nothing remotely like a success. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
Venus’ New Love Cycle
Sagittarius is a free spirit. This doesn’t mean that relationships don’t or won’t happen, but clinging vines or control freaks need not apply.
Venus’ first aspect will be to Mars – a harmonious trine between the love planets – at the end of next week. And Mars is strong in his own sign of Aries. This bodes well for love stuff.
But Sagittarius is also the Big Thinker of the zodiac so at least until then it pays to review your love philosophy, to enjoy your space, to do what brings you pleasure without having to consult with anyone else first. And to envisage your future as an adventure that you now have the freedom to pursue in your own way.
If you’re hurting it might help to be reminded of other qualities associated with Sag, such as a remarkable “bounce back ability”. In terms of pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start all over again Sag is equal to none and, most importantly, does it without bitterness.
The philosophical streak in this sign can be a life saver. For some there’s no doubt that a break up or breaking an attachment will rapidly be revealed as a lucky escape.
This is not to minimise the very real pain that emotional trauma can bring. If you or someone close to you is dealing with great sadness then this is a very sensitive time. And for some it’s only the beginning of the long road to healing. This is shown by Jupiter, who is also on his way through Sagittarius and squaring up to Neptune at the end of the week:
Sunday 13 January
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Jupiter 14 Sagittarius square Neptune 14 Pisces 19.02
Neptune is very slow moving (he does the whole circuit of the 12 signs once every 176 years). So as Jupiter does his usual orbit, which includes being retrograde for four months (April to August) he’ll arrive at the same degree as Neptune three times.
This square is the first (15 June, 21 Sept are yet to come).
Jupiter square Neptune
This major aspect between two big planets can therefore signify an ongoing situation that will take a long time to work through.
If you have planets or angles at or close to 14 degrees of any of the Mutable signs (especially Sag, Pisces but also Gemini and Virgo) then you may now start to get a sense of what it’s all about.
What are the themes to look out for?
These are “sister” planets, in that they both rule sensitive, imaginative and artistic Pisces. Jupiter expands, but Neptune by square can escalate, distort or delude.
So first of all there’s a reality issue. The best possible showing is falling in love – who cares about reality when you’re in your own dream world! The flood of feelings will be all consuming and why not enjoy to the full that “urge to merge”. Neptune is all about fusion in the emotional sense.
Conversely, be aware if you are idealising someone or the past and try to see things for how they really were/are.
Be aware
Don’t ignore the practical, logistical or financial factors if you’re travelling abroad, setting up a business, project or pursuing a big dream.
Also be aware of sacrifices. For some, these may come in the shape of “no choice” situations, such as caring for a loved one. But otherwise, be aware of your choices and think long and hard about what you’re giving up for someone else’s sake, and why.
Look out for emotional blackmail. Certainly if you’re in any situation where you’re pretending to yourself or others that everything is great when it’s not, you’ll eventually come unstuck.
Capricorn
Alongside the Jupiter/Neptune – Sagittarius/Pisces themes we also have the exact opposite as the following sign of Capricorn dominates.
We often think of opposite signs being the ultimate contrast, but actually you find this more in consecutive signs. For example, Scorpio is intense, mute, secretive, determined and concerned with power and control. The next sign Sagittarius, is open, sometimes tactless, naive, vivacious, generous, optimistic, has to learn how to finish things and is concerned with freedom and the world at large.
Then we have Capricorn who reacts against those issues, being serious, guarded, pessimistic, dutiful and concerned with responsibility and rules.
So there’s a conflict here in terms of what we want and dream of, versus what we think we should do. Or how we are limited or blocked, by a situation or by another person. How we find ourselves up against a reality that forces us to fight for what we want, or accept that the time is not right or that something can never be.
Somehow we have to juggle these conflicting thoughts or issues. At the moment we have Mars in Aries (action/ego/self) applying to a square (obstacles) with Saturn (limitations/responsibilities). That aspect won’t be exact until later in the month but it’s making itself felt as a third planet Mercury is playing into it this week:
Tuesday 8 January
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Mercury 5 Capricorn square Mars 5 Aries 10.06
Sunday 13 January
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Mercury conjunct Saturn 13 Capricorn 13.32
You can see from the above how fast-moving Mercury is at the moment, covering 8 degrees in the space of five days. These aspects speak of such things as:
- First division arguments, including one that you’ll never win.
- Dealing with painful personal issues
- Saying no to yourself or another person
- But also making tough but definite decisions or commitments or
- Invoking the power of self discipline.
Remember that Mercury is also paperwork in all forms so it’s a good time to get to grips with admin or bureaucracy, or to fight for your rights.
I’ve already started de-junking my study and a marathon refiling system…. and of course it’s all taking a lot longer than expected but at the same time it’s very satisfying to impose order on chaos, especially as I natally have Mercury conjunct Saturn. I have to feel organised to be effective.
In the middle of the Mercury aspects we have the annual Sun – Pluto conjunction:
Friday 11 January
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Sun conjunct Pluto 21 Capricorn 11.36
This is never easy. The Sun is the light but Pluto is black holes, invisibility and disappearing acts. So this aspect can work like the Death card in the tarot, spelling endings of the total kind. Don’t try to breathe new life into something that is utterly over.
However the flip side of the coin, and there always is one, is that Pluto is power and wealth – plutocracy.
Many times I’ve seen this aspect in the natal charts of those who always seem to know how to make a lot of money. So if there’s a budding tycoon inside of you now’s the time to pay him/her some serious attention!
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna