Astrological Forecast for August 31-September 7, 2014
The New Moon in Virgo on August 25, opened the doors for peering into the depths and dark places within us and in the world around us. It also beckoned each of us to set a path forward with intention to uncover whatever secrets, desires, and hidden mysteries still need to be brought out into the light of awareness. After nearly a week of sometimes shocking revelations, insight, or confrontations, we have a greater appreciation for how we are or are not effectively communicating and coping with unresolved issues in our lives, with areas of life which need healing, or where we are entrenched in harmful and hurtful relationships.
Sometimes we are blindsided and shocked by what comes up; sometimes we are amazed by the insight and compassion we are capable of experiencing. Sometimes our pain comes to the surface demanding attention. Whatever has been bubbling up to the surface of your awareness to be dealt with, you probably have a better idea of what needs to be addressed through direct action and practical attention. The Sun and Mercury are also in Virgo, shining light on each of these areas, and delivering messages to clarify or startle us into action. Opposing Neptune in Pisces, we may be highly sensitive to touchy and hurtful forms of communication, and we may misunderstand or feel the depths of our wounds as we over react or finally feel the emotional depth of our own pain and grief. This can be a healing time as well as an emotionally charged and upsetting experience. We now look for very pragmatic solutions for channeling the grief, relieving the pain, and healing wounds, rifts, and misunderstandings.
The first quarter square of the Moon at 9 degrees of Sagittarius on September 1, First quarter squares always bring up potential conflict or obstacles to anything begun or envisioned at the New Moon. This first quarter square however, conjuncts Antares, a fixed star in the Scorpio constellation. Antares is a bright fixed star often called the heart of the scorpion. Antares is one of the four Royal Stars of Persia (discussed in last week’s column). The mythology of Antares differs from culture to culture, but what stands out in my memory is naming a cute, cuddly kitten Antar after a famous Arab warrior. Let’s just say, be careful what you name your pets. Little Antar did not have a happy ending and had a very tough life due to his fierce and warrior-like nature. Now warrior energy, we know, can be used in different ways. There are positive, healing ways to be a warrior, to stand firm, and to bend to the challenges and remove ourselves from dark and troublesome places.
However, we live in a time when the unhealed warrior image is predominate, and indicates how difficult it is for us humans to reign in our warrior energy to channel it into using our power to shape and form, to create and heal. Likewise, when we meet the first challenges of the Virgo New Moon as the Moon transits Sagittarius and conjuncts Antares, we have a great deal of fiery energy to deal with. Tempers flare, fists fly, and defensive stances are taken. While it may feel and seem antithesis to the energy around you, it may be wise to take a lesson from Tai Chi.
Tai Chi takes its meaning from Tai Chi Chuan, the Chinese characters that translate to mean the Supreme Ultimate Force. It is based on the idea that within all, is dynamic polarity of yin/yang, active/passive, dark/light, feminine/masculine, forceful energy/yielding energy. The character Chuan translates to mean Force or fist. Very basically, the concept of tai chi is to channel energy in a meditation, conscious, controlled manner and to do no harm. To use the energy for good. And early this week, that is our choice. How are we going to use our energy―the energy that may make us feel like striking out, fighting back, or running into conflict? The problem we have with Antares is it calls out to our lower nature―calls us into high drama, extremes, oversensitivity, and explosive and sharp-tonged encounters. This is a time when we are challenged by the conditions, to channel our energy in ways that help move obstacles, resolve issues, or move what seem like insurmountable odds from our paths.
This period is an extreme time when most of the planets are lined up half the zodiac (the astrological wheel). Planets, the Sun, and the Moon are all transiting between Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn. Neptune and Chiron are in Pisces, opposing all the planets and this month’s New Moon in Virgo. Uranus is in Aries. Look to the area of your chart where planets are transiting from Leo-Capricorn, and you will be able to see what kinds of issues, conflicts, and energy is affected the most. There may also be discussions and arguments over how resources, time, and energy need to be used and allocated, particularly in regards to the care and tending of children and those in need of compassion, love, and assistance. The underlying issue is that when we feel ourselves threatened (not enough of something-money, time, resources, love) we tend to react and move from a point of fear. Fear is not a healthy way of channeling energy, and often results in attracting to it exactly what it imagines. Act from a sense of compassion not fear, for yourself and others. See yourself as capable, strong, courageous, and doing the best you can. Avoid falling into the victim role, or into a pattern of dependency and neediness. This does not mean you cannot ask for and seek assistance, but do so from a point of strength and courage, not fear and lack. Avoid falling into the trap that happens when we sense energy welling up in the collective consciousness, and we feel the need to strike out, retaliate, or seek revenge rather than focusing in on what we can do to build up, create, and heal within ourselves in with those in our immediate community. Those in leadership positions need to be very wary of how you use your power and authority right now. Acting on the best and highest interests of all, acting from a compassionate and kind heart, and using power and authority to build up, not tear down is the job of leadership―especially at this time in our history.
The Sun trines Pluto (the Great Transformer in Capricorn, an earth sign), and we are better able to see right now, how we are to continue making the changes in not only the circumstances of our lives, but also the way we do and envision what we are transforming. Look for ways you have already been successful and have already gained strength. Assess your gifts, skills, talents, and the lessons you have been learning. Avoid falling back into old patterns of reacting and acting out. Keep finding the power of your inner strength and beauty, and the authority of the Higher Power and Divinity that guides, guards, and governs. When the Sun and Pluto trine, the need we feel to survive and recreate ourselves and our lives is activated. The Sun and Pluto highlight the need for secrecy, confidentiality, and holding your own counsel. Our emotional energy is at a vulnerable point, and it is wise to guard and protect yourself from the onslaught and misguided attacks of those who either intentionally seek to dominate and use us, or who unintentionally and unconsciously strike out in ways that are hurtful, harmful in their attacks on our most intimate vulnerabilities.
Protect yourself, and guard against being pulled into well-meaning thought pointed and barbed attacks. This holds true especially with those whose friendships tend to be based on mutual lack of understanding of one another’s perspective. Sometimes we form friendships with those we think understand us, and we think we understand them, and then we find that we are miscommunicating based on very different ideas and forms of communication. Sometimes, and this might just be one of those times, we need to do more to protect ourselves from harmful relationships. The cost of “working things out” is not worth our vital organs. When we lay down our lives for our friends, that does not mean we have to sacrifice our life blood at our own expense (except in extreme cases). We lay down our lives for our friends with the implicit understanding based on mutual trust and knowledge that our aim is not to strike out and harm or berate in the name of love. To push someone over the edge is a form of abuse, and has no place in friendship, marriage, or in family.
Venus in Leo from August 12-September 5, is winding down a cycle where concern over romance has been of paramount importance. We long to bring more creativity, romance, and pleasure into our lives at this time. We tend to view whatever area of our lives Leo rules as the source of what makes us understand our needs, desires, and our ability to both give and receive love. We may feel a deep longing if this area seems to have been neglected. Now is the time we may want to notice how our emotional longings are indicative of where we seek greater fulfillment and meaning. On September 5, Venus enters Virgo where it will transit until September 29. Our experience of love, romance, creativity, and artistic expression now becomes more practiced and focused. We put our desires into some type of practical action or activity. We take steps to show how we feel through service, support, and by taking better care of ourselves. Virgo indicates a need to pay closer attention to detail, to be more concerned with overall health, and to getting ourselves and our lives in order as a means of getting more grounded and in balance.
Last week on August 26-27, Venus squared Mars, highlighting conflicts, debates, and areas of marked difference between what we need, expect, and want with what we are getting in our relationships. This could have resulted in arguments and dissatisfaction in partnerships, or may have resulted in a lot of extra energy used to be creative, productive, or active. On September 2, Venus forms a seisquiquadrate angle to Pluto in Capricorn, and pinpoints areas in relationships that are out of line or are causing jealousy, frustration, or lack of fulfillment. Notice what is being emphasized, and identify how you are dealing with this energy. On September 5-6, Venus forms a seisquiquadrate with Uranus in Aries, and this triggers a great deal of uncertainty in relationships, and in our desire to remain in close partnerships. If there is a great deal happening or not happening, we may seek an exit. We may see that issues related to our need for freedom and independence versus our need and desire for closeness and intimacy are causing irreversible problems. Uranus in Aries is burning through the intellectualizing we often do in relationships, and getting rid of the undergrowth and dead weight disguised as rationalizations for holding onto to the familiar. Whatever is weighing us down, may now be burned off to make way for creating space and time for greater healing and growth.
Between September 8-9 Venus opposes Neptune in Pisces, a time that emphasizes whatever is not working, whatever is disappointing, or whatever areas in relationships are unsatisfying. Neptune in Pisces puts us in touch with our feelings and intuition, and sometimes, reveals through dreams and sensations what is missing or in danger of slowing or blocking our good. Not a great time for starting a new project or relationship, but a time when we want to pay attention to what is rising to the surface calling us to pay attention to the state of our relationships. Overall, in the area of relationships versus individual freedom and independence, this week is creating a great deal of stress in areas that are already weak, lacking, or in danger of disintegrating, breaking, or dissipating. Sometimes relationships end with a dramatic scene; other times they simply stop being a matter of importance. Not a good time to force issues nor to be deceitful, manipulative, self-centered, or living under any illusions about what is real or not.
Until mid-morning Monday, the Moon remains in Scorpio. The Moon then enters Sagittarius until September 3, keeping us active and discussions fiery. From the 3-5 the Moon transits Capricorn forming favorable trines to the Sun, Mercury, and Pluto. From the 5-7 the Moon transits Aquarius. The Moon is building up/waxing until the next full moon next week.
This week, the big change occurs when Mercury enters Libra late Monday night 10:38 PM PDT or early Tuesday morning1:38 EDT. On September 5, Venus enters Virgo, so two of the inner planets are changing signs this week. That means they have both been in the latter degrees of their respective transits, causing us to feel a greater urgency or need for change or improvements in whatever areas they have been transiting in our lives/charts.
On Wednesday, the Sun in Virgo trines Pluto in Capricorn. We feel more powerful and capable now, able to see more clearly, and be more pragmatic about what we have to do to move forward. We are reminded of our capacity for endurance, our ability to gather and effectively use resources and apply our talents and knowledge to solve problems, set goals, and aim our lives in the direction of what we seek to achieve. Connections with others who support and champion our ideas and goals, is now likely. Creating goals, setting out a plan of action, and gathering resources with an end goal in mind is now possible. We have greater clarity coupled with the motivation and drive we need. We eliminate whatever negative influences or connections have been draining us, and we let go of superficial or distracting influences and connections that keep us off track. We see clearly what matters now, and we eliminate what does not.
On Thursday, Mercury forms a semi-square to Saturn, the Great Teacher, causing some delays or raising some issues that have to be dealt with before communication and plans are in shape. Whatever residual anxiety, fears, insecurities, hypersensitivities, or doubts arise now, get in the way of communication. Whatever seems to be out of whack, needs to be repaired. Rather than worrying or wasting time wondering ‘why’, set about fixing whatever needs repairing.
On Friday, Jupiter forms a quincunx to Pluto. Pluto, the Great Transformer shows us where there is a fly in the ointment with our plans for expansion and growth (Jupiter). We discover where we may need to make adjustments, where there may be a question of ethical or moral choice, or where we still have too many other issues taking up space and draining us of essential life energy. We experience the feedback we need to understand how our use or misuse of our own personal power (and the collective use or abuse of power) is affecting our overall health and well being.
We are confronted with whatever is essentially blocking our good. This may be our own beliefs and attitudes, or it may be the attitudes and beliefs of others. When we run up against or are blind sided by someone else’s perceptions and energy, we have to question ourselves to determine whether we are off center, or they are. Sometimes we have to walk through the fire, in the form of confrontation or verbal abuse or attacks to realize that we are being drawn into someone else’s dysfunction. This can be especially true in relationships where one person knows the vulnerabilities of the other, and either consciously or unconsciously, uses that knowledge to undermine, attack, or otherwise manipulate the other person. This seems to happen to us when we feel we can least afford it, or when we are at a vulnerable point. We learn who our real friends are when we notice how good friends are sensitive to this and will not hurt another person, whereas, others use such an attack as a way of handling their own issues. The lessons of Pluto help us learn how to discern what types of communication are essential to our health and well being, and which ones are to be weeded out.
On Saturday, Venus forms a seisquiquadrate to Uranus, that aspect that may trigger unpredictable changes and behavior. Longing for greater freedom, we may find ourselves seeking greater freedom, more joy, and a deeper sense of fulfillment and meaning. With Mercury forming a quincunx to Neptune in Pisces, there can also be some fuzzy thinking involved. We may not be very good discerning between intuitive knowledge and innate fears and drives. This type of aspect can release some highly creative, imaginative scenarios or ideas, or it can plunge us into a state of indecision and moodiness. Channel your creative energy into something that allows you release, but doesn’t require close attention or attention to detail.
This week is an active, dynamic week astrologically, and we will be experiencing a variety of different types of energy, aspects, and probably, moods. Keep in mind Jupiter’s aspect to Pluto on the 5th, the first of two major aspects for Jupiter this month. The second aspect happens on September 25 when Jupiter trines Uranus. The first aspect is the first such aspect in Jupiter’s 12-year cycle, focusing our attention on what it is we are setting out to achieve during this next 12-year cycle. We need to make the necessary adjustments and changes with goals, relationships, jobs, career choices, and anything else that relates to control and the use of your resources. Whatever you commit to now, will be with you for the duration.
Between now and the 25th, there is time to separate the wheat from the shaft. What is essential, and what is not? What needs to be released, and what is draining, wearing you down, or hindering you from real growth and change? As we move through this waxing time of the Moon, we are dealing with a lot of karmic and residual energy and ties to what has been part of your life thus far. Focus on what aspects of your life you wish to elevate and support, and eliminate the rest. Clear the path ahead so you are free to make choices that give you life. On September 8th, the Pisces Full Moon highlights the areas of your life that are defining you. Look to see who you are now, and embrace that which feeds, nourishes, and delights you. Choose life-affirming experiences, move towards energizing and uplifting relationships, and build a life that allows for a harmonious, loving, and fulfilling life.
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