The Astrology Blog 14 September 2020
All times in BST
“I can’t say this strongly enough, but our feelings about ourselves are actually the most important barometer for determining the condition of our lives.”
“I perceived that I wouldn’t have to go out and search for what I was supposed to do – it would unfold before me.”
Anita Moorjani – b 16 March 1959, Author of Dying to be Me, how her NDE taught her key spiritual truths and how to live
Last week I was writing about how has been and continues to be a huge year astrologically, which translates into 2020 being a momentous year down here on planet Earth. We locate the main activity for this in the series of conjunctions (being in the same place at the same time) between the slower moving planets, and the slower the planet, the more significant their events.
We had the Saturn – Pluto conjunction in January (once every 34 years), the Jupiter – Pluto conjunction forming three times (once every 13 years, third and final one to come in November) and we’ll finish the year with what is known as the Great Conjunction of Jupiter – Saturn (once every 20 years).
In terms of key astrology I think one of the other main factors for 2020 that we’ll all remember is that it’s been the year of the retrogrades. All the outer planets spend many months of each year in retrograde motion, and fast moving Mercury is always retrograde three times a year for three weeks at a time, but this year we’ve also had Venus retrograde for 6 weeks (13 May to 25 June), and now it’s Mars’ turn – just turned, 9 September, at the end of Aries.
This adds up to a picture of endless stops and starts, being told to expect one thing but then something else happening, a matter seeming to take shape only to slip away again, hopes lifting only to be dashed again, having to rethink major decisions and reshape your life for yourself and/or your family – and so on. No doubt you have had your own experiences that fit these themes, and your own share of anxiety and frustration, but astrology as the bigger frame of reference does at least help us to accept that this is simply how things are. For now. The other value of astrology as our frame of reference is that it reminds us that nothing stays the same forever.
From my book Be Your Own Astrologer (Chapter 5 Setting the Chart in Motion) –
Prediction is based on the astronomical fact that the heavens are in constant motion, and on the astrological symbolic principle of “as above, so below”. In some awesome and wondrous way their journeys are simply reflecting our own. Looking into this vast celestial mirror tells us what has already happened (retrodiction), what is happening now and what is unfolding for the future (prediction).
Think of the heavens as a busy railway junction. Signal boxes are constantly at work with red or green lights as some trains zip through at speed on their way to a distant destination, while others serve a smaller neighborhood. Some slow down to stop, to pick up passengers and then move off again. Some stop at their terminus and then do the same journey in reverse, others get delayed while yet others move in and out of different platforms all in a masterminded synchronized production. It is a picture of many moving parts making up a perfectly orchestrated whole. As to whether you can expect a “good” or a “bad” day/week/month/year depends on which train you are on and why.
Learning astrology is a bit like learning how to drive a car. At first you think, I’ll never be able to coordinate all of these things, changing gear, slowing down, speeding up, steering, using indicators, eyes always on mirrors front and back, parking (I’ll never forget pranging my brother’s car on my first attempt at reverse parking at the age of 17 as one of his friends encouragingly waved me into the space, also one of my first lessons in not trusting my own better judgment!!) but then one day it seems to click, and suddenly you’re doing all of these things automatically.
On the subject of learning predictive astrology I just wanted to flag up that Be Your Own Astrologer comes in two versions, but it’s extremely confusing as the publishers don’t make it clear that the larger soft cover edition is the full one, whereas the smaller hardback is an abridged edition that doesn’t include the final chapters on predictive work. On Amazon you even have to click on the hardback link even to discover that there is another edition.
Sorry about the long links but the edition including chapters on predictive work –
Abridged version
TURNING POINTS – WHAT ARE YOURS?
Again as noted last week we’re now entering the season of turnarounds as four major slow moving planets switch from retrograde to direct, three of them between now and during the next three weeks. This is good news as it’s simply an indication that things are starting to move in the right direction again, ie forwards. Who wants to live their life in reverse? Jupiter is leading the pack and switched direction just yesterday morning –
- 13 September – Jupiter at 17 Capricorn
- 29 September – Saturn at 25 Capricorn
- 4 October – Pluto at 22 Capricorn
- 28 November – Neptune at 18 Pisces
You can find out more about what these turning points might mean for you personally if you locate them in your own horoscope. Even if you don’t have planets in the relevant sign there is still a message. For example, even if you don’t have a planet in the sign of Capricorn (I don’t) the house in which the planet turns can still be significant and can still link to the issue ruled by that planet.
So this week Jupiter is the message bearer and here’s a reminder of the concerns ruled by this planet, the Greater Benefic –
- Expansion – anything that makes our world bigger and better
- Opportunity, good luck and abundance
- Long distance travel
- All things connected to overseas/foreign people
- Higher education
- “Higher mind” learning and all esoteric subjects
- Publishing
- Truth
- The law, justice and litigation
- Liberation
- Personal qualities of optimism, generosity and protectiveness
My own story is a perfect description of this at the moment. Jupiter is my most important planet as I have four planets in his sign of Sagittarius, including the Sun which also rules my 9th House – the sector of the horoscope naturally ruled by Jupiter/Sag. So it’s a double whammy there and Jupiter is also powerfully placed conjunct my Scorpio Ascendant. Amongst other things it’s clearly the horoscope of someone who lives abroad and teaches esoteric subjects!
Yesterday we finally reached the end of the blistering heat – last week it was still hitting 37 in the shade in the afternoons – but we’re now returning to manageable temperatures and beautiful weather. When your body stops being permanently soaked in sweat this in turn clears the mind. If you’ve ever lived and worked in very hot conditions you’ll know how true this is, that it’s a challenge to find and keep up the necessary energy to run your life and meet all demands as heat slows everything down. Siestas weren’t invented for nothing! And it’s why here we refer to GMT as Greek Maybe Time.
So yesterday I found myself thinking about the looming winter months and wondering how I could use the time in addition to running my online courses. Jupiter has turned around in my 2nd House of personal finances so I knew that there would be another string to my bow on the way. I immediately thought about writing another book. This idea grew in appeal throughout the afternoon to the extent that I did a horary (a horoscope for a specific question) in the evening. It was a resounding yes.
I’ve just reread Anita Moorjani’s book Dying to Be Me (a must read if you haven’t already) and I was remembering how she wrote about the birth of her book, how she was told it would happen, but she had no idea how to go about it. She had no knowledge whatsoever of writing or the publishing world. She decided to put it in the hands of the universe – and the rest of course is history. Anita is a Pisces, the other sign ruled by Jupiter. I went to bed with that thought in my mind, putting the idea in Jupiter’s hands, as I do anyway with my bigger concerns. This morning I woke up to an email from a major Korean publisher. I kid you not. Keep you posted.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
Last week I wrote about the big backdrop coming into sharper focus as the Sun in Virgo (the sign that rules everything to do with health) started a string of aspects to the four major planets in question, starting with Jupiter and Neptune last week, and then Pluto and Saturn this week –
Tuesday 15 September
- Sun 22 Virgo trine Pluto 22 Capricorn 00.07
The Sun – Pluto combination is a bit like being pointed to Scorpio issues. Top of this list according to many textbooks is “transformation” but this is a word I use with caution, if at all. Yes, transforming our lives is an ever present possibility, but this word is so often associated with changes of the instantaneous kind. Plutonic change is about the rebirth process, not usually magic wands along the lines of Cinderella’s rags turning into a sumptuous ball gown in front of our eyes. Ask any Scorpio. They all at some point in their lives have reinvented themselves. Scorpios know all about going back to nothing and starting again.
So think “transformative process”, starting on any new path that can potentially change your life in the way that you know is true for you. At this stage let me just go back to Anita Moorjani for a minute as she challenges the idea of the Law of Attraction. She prefers to call it “Allowance”. In other words, we don’t need to attract what we need because she believes that it’s already there (and she should know), we just have to allow it in. In our moments of doubt we can but try this, and with Jupiter now turning us around what better time than now to open our arms and embrace what comes to us.
NEW MOON IN VIRGO TRINE SATURN
The Sun – Saturn combination is also very weighty, and is being underlined by the fact that it coincides with the New Moon, ie the moment when the Moon and the Sun form an exact conjunction each month, this one obviously in Virgo –
Thursday 17 September
- New Moon 25 Virgo 12.01
- Moon 25 Virgo trine Saturn 25 Capricorn 12.43
- Sun 25 Virgo trine Saturn 25 Capricorn 22.38
Any combination of the Sun with another planet points us to the symbolism associated with the other planet’s sign eg Sun – Pluto as above = Scorpio stuff. In turn Sun – Saturn points us to the world of Capricorn, this one underlined by the fact that Saturn is currently in his own sign of Capricorn anyway. Double whammy. In fact, it’s more like triple whammy as Saturn is already “stationing”, seemingly stuck on 25 degrees in readiness for turning direct again in two weeks time.
Whatever your key concerns at the moment the big message is to prioritize. New Moons are fresh starts and Saturn just loves to get things organized, especially in terms of goals and projects. Look at the bigger picture and the New Moon will fill in the details. This all adds up to the opposite of chaos or vagueness.
With the Virgo link to health new regimes linked to wellbeing also get a big tick. Note that Saturn also just loves rules (try moving the goalposts with a Capricorn, at your peril) and is in charge of absolutely everything connected to boundaries, limitations and discipline. Our doctor here is very clear about handling Covid risks – follow the rules. Wear your mask, wash your hands, keep your distance, and you will be okay. If you’ve let these rules slip, put them back in place.
VENUS & MERCURY
In the middle of these major aspects we also have activity from the faster moving, personal planets. This starts with Venus, and this is her first aspect since changing sign (moved into Leo 6 September) –
Tuesday 15 September
- Venus 10 Leo square Uranus 10 Taurus 16.30
This aspect falls tomorrow on the same day as the Sun – Pluto trine, so look out for your themes/areas of reinvention being linked to an unexpected factor. Uranus by square is a game changer in itself. Top Venus issues are love, money and pleasures and Uranus adds twists and turns on a good day, blows things up on a bad one. Stay flexible, and take changes beyond your immediate control in your stride. If you’re in a rocky relationship prepare for another jolt, if you’re already halfway out the door this week you might decide to slam it behind you. New romance under these conditions takes the shape of things happening when and where you least expected it, or falling at the first hurdle. But if someone new is wrong for you better to find out now and liberate yourself.
Finally, Mercury is also in rather a troublesome mood, playing into the Jupiter – Pluto alignment. These two planets won’t be conjunct again until November, but they’re currently only five degrees apart and the gap is closing –
Thursday 17 September
- Mercury 17 Libra square Jupiter 17 Capricorn 11.36
Monday 21 September
- Mercury 22 Libra square Pluto 22 Capricorn 06.20
In terms of themes this picture is definitely in the “like having a retrograde Mercury” box. Mercury is the mind planet and communication, encompassing everything from thoughts to decisions, and in Libra this involves a lot of weighing up and negotiation. The sign of the Scales symbolizes “the other” – what one side does automatically and equally affects the other. These squares to Jupiter and Pluto signal the difficulty, or even at times impossibility, of arriving at clarity or certainty, especially where the agreement of others is needed.
Mercury in Libra loves to ask what do YOU think? or let’s talk about it or let’s do this together, but if you’re waiting on others it could be a long wait. With matters very close to your heart it may be best not to wait for permission or approval. Going back to the first quote at the top from Anita Moorjani, it’s a healthy choice to put more value on yourself, on loving yourself, on your sense of entitlement and to focus on feeling great about the essential “you” and on how you see your life taking shape. Put on the independence hat and make your own choices – and let others make theirs.
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna
