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| Moonlight Catherine Al-Meten |
For a glimpse of Jupiter in the night sky,and an explanation of Jupiter’s retrograde cycle, visit Earth Sky.
“At the center of your being you have the answer: you know who you are and you know what you want.” Lao Tzu
Early on in life I learned not to worry so much about times when things seemed to slow down or times when ‘not much was happening’, for it was certain that the pace of life would change. Things that I had been waiting ‘ages’ for, would come to pass, and things I might have dreaded, would never be as bad as I had imagined. Retrograde phases of planets put us into a type of time warp where we begin to feel that we are stuck, or stalled, land-locked, or stranded at some phase of life. Planets do not actually turn in their orbits, however the retrograde phases of a planet makes it appear, from our perspective on the Earth, that the planet is doing just that.
What is a retrograde phase?
The retrograde phase is a trick of perception which gives us the illusion that a planet is moving backward; an illusion that results as we observe the orbit of other planets revolving around the Sun from Earth. As Copernicus postulated in the Sixteenth Century CE, the planets in our solar system orbit around the Sun. For a period of time, the planets appear to reverse their course, but this is because they are on the other end of their orbit. The energy differs during these retrograde times, depending on the nature of the planet. Mercury’s orbit is the shortest of all our Solar system’s planets, never being more than 28 degrees from the Sun. When it reaches its furthest distance from the Sun, Mercury appears to change direction. Realizing that our perceptions are often just as strong if not more so than our beliefs or knowledge base, our perception create their own energetic cycles. Mercury is getting ready to turn direct, and Jupiter, the ruler of abundance, benevolence, and good fortune, has turned retrograde. Jupiter enters a 4-month retrograde phase in Cancer as Mercury turns direct in Scorpio on Sunday, November 10.
"Be like the water!" (Bruce Lee)
The water element is significant and strong at this time, and the issues around sexuality, intimacy, safety, security, and our unconscious desires and hidden agendas are at the heart of much of what we are focused on. Looking deeper and acknowledging the depths of our basic ego needs and psychological make up become more and more evident in all forms of communication. We find ourselves awakening to truths that may have been kept hidden from us or that we have not been able to acknowledge (for and about ourselves as well as of and about others or of situations). We have some rather profound “aha” moments and shifts in our own perceptions.
Coming as the shift forward of Mercury and the realm of communications and shift into retrograde of Jupiter and the realm of manifestation, creation, abundance--we are likely to find new ways to resolve old issues, new ways to create new conditions and plans, and new ways to perceive and behave. We awaken to truths that can no longer be ignored, and must figure out ways to incorporate what is unfolding before us into what we have learned about ourselves, our purpose in life, and our ability to surrender to Divine right action. Pay attention to the subtle thoughts that arise in your thinking; the sudden comprehension of why or how you might be trying to control, manipulate or use a situation, or how you might be projecting your own fears and needs onto someone else in order to create the illusion of safety and security. When we make someone else the reason we do or don’t move forward, act on our dreams, or discover our capacity for love and happiness, we block ourselves from our own good.
Mercury stationing direct; the storm period.
As I am writing this, the sunny day has turned to stormy. This coincides with the few days prior to Mercury's stationing direct.
The period right before and after Mercury’s station is its stormy time. Communications, transportation, and focus in general tends to shift. We come out of a three-week period of introspection and slowing down, and suddenly, awareness, ideas, movement start up with a great shift forward. At the first signs of this I found myself describing feeling like I’ had been ‘shot out of cannon”. The momentum of those areas we have been focused on recently, shifts from one moving in a slow, introspective, reflective way.
For anyone who has ever been on a boat in the river or ocean, propelling forward at a rapid pace, when suddenly, the boat's engine stops or the paddlers stop rowing, and the you start to try to propel the boat backwards. You meet the force of the water that the boat has sent out in its forward movement, and then create a wake of water as you try to move back. It is a rough place to be until you get back into the flow of the water, the channel or the current. This is what the Mercury storm period feels a bit like.
Sudden insight, a release of ideas, sudden responses and reactions burst forward. bright bursts of awareness over how you behave in relationships, what your issues may be in intimacy and how you may have been blocking your own happiness by denying your needs and desires. Scorpio also looks at deeper motivation around how we value ourselves and how that manifest is the way we handle resources. By resources I am referring not just to our finances, but to how we value and use our energy, our talents, our time, our skills, and our ability both to give and receive love. When we hoard our resources by denying or over-working ourselves, we deny ourselves the gift of life and living life freely and fully.
During the storm period right before and after Mercury’s direct station, observe your life and notice where you feel as if you’re coming to a screeching halt, shifting in place, and mobilizing to move forward; and then wait. What is being released? What is being freed up? What is coming to light, and how are you responding to the shifts? If you find yourself wanting to put on the brakes in some area of your life, observe what makes you want to say “no” when perhaps you need to say “yes”? In particular, notice what is emerging from a fairly dormant period to a ‘full speed ahead’ mode.
Interceptions and Duplicate Signs:
How transits, stations, and retrograde phases affect your individual chart/life depends on what the ruling energies are in different areas of your life. To better understnad how this manifests, it is important to understand a bit about the interceptions and duplicate signs.
The effects of interceptions and duplicate signs is important when observing how a transit is affecting you. One of the things I have noticed in doing charts for many years, is that the energy of a house/area of your life is often influenced by the energy of two signs. For example, for anyone with a Scorpio Ascendent, depending upon what degree, often the energy shifts from Scorpio to Sagittarius somewhere in the first house. Or for Libras (and I know a lot of them right now), especially those with Ascendants in the latter degrees of the sign, both Libra and Scorpio play key roles in how the energy of the Ascendant manifests. Intercepted signs (two signs appearing in the same house This works for any house and any sign, but generally, the sign that is on the cusp of the first house indicates the attitude and initial appearance and projection of the person (both the face they try to show and the way they are perceived). Consider how you first present yourself, and then how that translates in what you reveal through your energy, actions, attitudes, and behavior patterns. During the stormy period, the growing edges tend to be stimulated, so that which we need to face, work on, use for higher good, or simply notice, arises. From a place of quieter, more reflective movement, communications now burst forth with less thought and more impulsive activity.
Intercepted signs, when a sign does not appear on any house cusp, but is entirely enclosed in a sign (for example 3rd house ruled by Sagittarius and 4th house ruled by Aquarius indicates Capricorn is intercepted in the 3rd house). Any time there in an interception in one hemisphere of the chart, there will be an identical interception in the opposite side of the chart. In this case, the 9th house would be ruled by Gemini and the 10th house would be ruled by Leo, and Cancer would be intercepted in the 9th house. Intercepted signs show areas of our lives where we struggle or have to meet greater challenges.
When we have intercepted signs in our charts, that automatically that two signs do double duty. For example, if you have Gemini on the 8th and 9th house cusp, or Aries on the 6th and 7th house cusps, this indicates areas of life where we are stronger and where things come more easily than in other areas of our lives. Duplicated signs indicate the strengths, gifts, talents, and intuitive understanding that help us deal with the challenges we face in the areas ruled by the interceptions.
The reason I mention this is because I believe that the energy of whatever signs are part of any house/area of life, indicates the process of how you go about experiencing and dealing with that part of life. For example, with Libra on the house cusp, you
For an excellent and more in-depth discussion of interceptions and duplicate signs, read Joanne Wickenberg’s Your Hidden Power (published in 1992).
A Busy Astrological Week:
Last week I wrote a column about this week's New Moon and Solar eclipse and other powerful transits taking place. As I stated then, there is too much to try to respond to eveything, but taken in pieces, we can begin to unravel some of how this is all affecting us cosmically and personally. Rather than trying to figure things out, just observe for a while. Notice what is rising and falling, what i coming into awareness, and what is lessening in importance or notice. Sun conjunct Saturn earlier in the week, weighed heavily on us to get serious about whatever is important to us. Take steps, put energy and intention toward whatever desires you want to fuel. Be clear about what you need, want, and what is good for you as opposed to what is simply expedient, familiar, or safe. Identifying what matters most, is a necessary step in living more fully alive, authentic, and satisfied. Definitely time for creating some order and discipline to the work you have started, the goals you have set, and the projects that remain unfinished. We may feel we are carrying a heavy burden, working too hard, or doing more than we are capable or willing to do. Saturn, the Great Teacher is busy at work in the depths of our being, waking us up and calling us to notice what we need to do more or less of in order to receive the Sun’s energy for living our lives in a healthier, harmonious, and more mindful manner. More rest, more exercise, a more conscious and cleansing nutritional regime coupled with time for reflection, meditation, prayer, and service, all work to bring life into greater harmony.Discover the areas of your life that drain and distract you, and make the necessary alterations so you are more fully conscious of how you are living. Listen to the intuitive and not-so-subtle messages that your life now reveals to you, and heed the message. What are you ignoring that needs attention?
Jupiter’s Retrograde. Today, November 7, Jupiter in security-conscious Cancer, moves into its retrograde phase. This week has been so full of powerful aspects (New Moon in Scorpio, Solar Eclipse, Sun conjunct Saturn in Scorpio) that it might be easy to overlook a powerful change that is happening as Jupiter appears in retrograde for the next four months.
Jupiter rules the realm of philosophical and spiritual thought. The ancient ruler of Pisces, it pushes us to swim deeper into the depths of the Unconscious, to heed the inner messages that our intuitive, dreams, memories, and reflections raise up for us to examine. What do I know about how my perceptions and patterns of behavior affect the way I enter into and deal with my partner in intimate relationships? How does my ability to take responsibility for my own actions, feelings, emotional health and life choices affect my ability to both give and receive love? How is my ideal of love and the way I experience love in conflict? What expectations do I have for myself, and for my partner, and how do those expectations shade or color the nature of relationships for me? It is a time when we are called upon to examine our own ideas about intimacy, partnership, marriage, sexuality, compassion, and self esteem. Jupiter’s retrograde phase is a good time for restoration, on all levels. Restoring ourselves, having our faith and outlook on life and love restored, having property or forgotten relationships. It is a good time to see meaningful connections restored, and experiencing a type of rebirth of body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
Jupiter is retrograde about half the year, every year, so it has been retrograde for half your life. See during this retrograde phase, if you can discover how Jupiter retrograde affects you and your life, affects your relationships and the lives of those around you, and affects whatever area of concern you have for safety, security, and nurturing. Notice what area of your life Jupiter tends to affect the most, and notice how you respond and react in both the direct and retrograde phases. You might even look back at other times in your life to see what you have already learned about handling this planet’s energy in your life.
Jupiter retrogrades at 20 degrees in Cancer, a sign it is exalted in. This means we get four more months during which time, Jupiter will form close trines with the Sun, Saturn, Mercury in Scorpio, and Chiron in Pisces. Jupiter also forms supportive sextiles with Mars in Virgo and Venus and Pluto in Capricorn. Putting ideas into action, grounding spiritual concepts into daily life and activities, and expanding and bringing more of what you desire. Pay attention to your words and thoughts, for ideas expressed in word or conceived of in the mind, hold power and energy. Your thoughts generate energy as your words do. Listen to what you’re saying to yourself and others (aloud or in your mind), and focus more on positive, non-judgmental ideas. In the words of Lao Tzu, “Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words they become actions.” And words, once released from your mouth, extend out into the Universe in an unending stream of energy. Just a thought!
Jupiter in Cancer favors families, homelife, and women. These next four months can do much to bring us what we desire in our families, homelife, and relationships, especially with female relatives or anyone in our lives who nurture and lift us up. The feminine archetype is present in all of us, regardless of our gender, and we have the capacity and gifts to develop the power, energy, and assets of all aspects of our personality and spiritual make up.
Venus entered earthy Capricorn in the wee small hours of November 5. From the fiery, energetic sign of Sagittarius to the earthy, grounded sign of Capricorn. Venus rules love, sexual attraction, and wealth. Time to define our boundaries in both giving and receiving love, and in counting ourselves worthy of a full, rich life of intimacy. Away from the airy, pie-in-the-sky, ideals and expectations, Venus in grounded Virgo, is willing to climb the greatest heights to prove and show love, but is definitely all about expressing love, and showing how love manifests in daily life and the full expression of intimacy and communication. Finding one’s purpose, direction, and taking the reins of life in our own hands, is attractive and a sign that we are capable of a mature commitment coming from a place of wholeness and healthy self confidence and self esteem.
Venus’ ruler is Saturn, and during this Venus transit, she will form a strong conjunction with Saturn in Capricorn. This transit will unearth all types of powerful energy, creative expression, and connections that will enable you to grow in love, creativity, and the fullness of expressing beauty. Rather than settling for what is familiar, routine, or just acceptable, we gain greater strength and are more willing to stand up for our own needs, truth, desires, and expectations. We develop clearer boundaries with regards to what we give and receive in relationship, and how we express ourselves through art, creativity, and work.
Capricorn, also rules business, authority, and boundaries and Venus’s archetypal focus on what we value both professionally and personally, highlights the important during this Venus transit of being clear about what it is you want, need, and intend to spend your life with. Whatever is building you up, nurturing you, and giving you life, keep. Whatever is not, recognize how damaging that is to your self esteem and value as a person. Stop being the doormat, the negotiator, the enabler, or the beggar--accept only that which lifts, feeds, builds, and honors who you are and the gifts you bring into any relationship. This week we have had the opportunity to see life as it is--not more or less than what is happening at this moment, and if we like what we see, we’re on the right track. If we don’t, we alone need to let go of trying to fix a broken cart; time to make or get ourselves a new vehicle to take us on the remainder of our journey. We need to be in good company, and we need to know, from deep within, that we are enough, we are worthy, and we have an obligation to treat ourselves well and expect those in our company to do the same. Love is reflected in love. Bottom line.
Venus is completing an eight-year cycle. Think back to eight years ago, and ask yourself what was growing in the subconscious that is blooming into physical manifestation now. I sure know what this is for me, and it’s almost amazing if I hadn’t worked so hard and held the vision that kept rising up from the subconscious. Whatever is bursting out into your life right now, is a manifestation of something set into motion eight years ago. Of course, Venus always tips the scales of Libra, asking us to discover where the tipping point it between balance in partnerships (Libra) and balance in personal values (Taurus). What do you say you value but have not been acting upon? What did you value in the past that no longer holds meaning for you? How congruent is your life, especially your relationships, in terms of what you say is important and how you are acting? What is needed now is complete honesty with yourself, and the movement forward on acting from your heart rather than living out of balance. On the Winter Solstice, December 21, Venus will enter her retrograde phase, bringing up anything that is out of whack in your relationships, in your ideal of who you are and the reality of how you are living, and in any incongruity between what you value and your relationships to yourself and others. Use the watery energy penetrating your subconscious, the unconscious, and the Collective Consciousness to receive the sacred messages, enlightenment, insight, and understanding you need to walk a more harmonious path with yourself and with others.
Take time to relax, rest, nourish and cleanse. Sort through, clean up and clear out, and take enough time to meditate, pray, listen to your intuition, and build practices that support and help you cope with whatever truth you are facing, whatever changes are upon you, and whatever gifts you are learning to express and share. Many blessings to you all.
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