A WILD AND WACKY TIME!!

It has been one CRAZY astrological time. So much change in such a short time. We really have to catch our collective breath and yet need to keep moving forward. Let’s start with Mercury, the planet of communications, articulations, words  both written and spoken.

Mercury is now direct, it was retrograde in Aries between March 22nd and April 15th. During this retro cycle, it was at odds first with Mars and then with Saturn. This is a Mercury that is aggravated, it’s not been in the best of moods and it makes decision making particularly difficult. Mercury squared Mars at the end of February, then again April 4th, then will again May 12th. So, step one is to look at what or who has been getting under your skin since the end of February. This has been punchy, irritating. But it’s showing us something, it’s making us get to the bottom of an issue where we may want to assert ourselves and feel we cannot or we are just afraid to move forward. Because Mercury is also squaring Saturn, which is traveling closely behind Mars. Mercury first squared Saturn on March 11th, then again on April 5th and is for the last time on April 25th, right now! Where do you feel you have no where to turn? Where does it seem that no matter which direction or decision you make, it’s like choosing the less of two uncomfortable situations? Neither situation you are presented with is easy or actually desirable. But if you examine both closely, you’ll see that you need to choose the one that involves a leap in your life. The one that most likely involves a big life change and forces you into forward motion. 

The New Moon was just in Aries and it was very close to conjunction with revolutionary Uranus. This is a very important new Moon because it is the last new Moon in Aries while Uranus is in Aries and they are together. Next time there’s a New Moon in Aries Uranus will already be in Taurus. If you know anything about Uranus, it’s chaotic, but brilliant, stresses individuality, innovative thinking, freedom and independence. No one can tell you what to do if you have a good dose of Uranus in your chart. This started a very potent and powerful cycle because it’s the dawn of a new era for everyone we are experiencing a time of really leaping forward and connecting with what we want to be doing that is innovative, that gives us life affirming energy, with a bright, sparkly new vision. Again, moving forward in a big direction. The Sun was charged from it’s greeting the Moon on the evening of Sunday the 15th and then by the time it kissed Uranus on Wednesday the 18th, if you don’t know already, it will bring to light (maybe even with lightning bolts!) what we need to pursue boldly and without fear. If you’ve already taken your first steps innovative steps towards this future, you may find you are already feeling the first taste of freedom from restriction. This is a move of independence, I can’t stress this enough. It may mean endings, but whatever door you are closing involves a new one that is opening. So, be confident, because Uranus would not tolerate it any other way. Remember in mythology, he is the one who stole fire from the gods. This is also highly creative, so think outside the box, exercise muscles that haven’t really been used. It’s uncomfortable at first, but so necessary. 

Chiron, the asteroid has just changed signs. It has been in Pisces for 7 years and has moved into Aries. If you don’t know about Chiron, it represents our wound, where we are wounded, where we feel we never quite get over the wound and we’re always going back to sort of lick our wounds. In Pisces, it makes one extraordinarily sensitive and must not allow the wound to create constant suffering in your life. It was about being inspired to use your healing energy in a positive way, both for yourself and others. Everyone has healing energy on some level, especially if you have Chiron in Pisces. 

Now in Aries, it’s where we strive to be self-reliant, self confident, learn healthy self assertion and not back away and be a people pleaser. These are important points to remember for a long time as Chiron will be in Aries for about 9 years. If you live with Chiron in Aries or you are an Aries, these are rules you need to live by and they will come up for review starting now. These are the people born from 1968 through 1977. For all of us, it is time to not allow abuse or tolerate bad people in your life. It is time to get what you deserve. It is time to use the power of your voice to say enough is enough. Stand up for yourself and don’t allow yourself to be wounded while doing so.  

Although it is not a full fledged planet, I always say, never underestimate the power of a Chiron transit. You really understand this feeling of wounded when you have it transit your sign for several years. If you know your chart, look to where you have Aries, what house it’s in and this is the area of your life where Chiron will now travel. 

But wait there’s more! Can you believe it? Saturn turned retrograde at 9 Capricorn in its own sign. It will stay in retro until September 6th. Remember it’s nearby Pluto, which has been in Capricorn since 2008. They are going to eventually meet up exactly in January of 2020, but between now and then we are going to start noticing their positions getting closer, and therefore their flavors will begin to blend together more, especially next year. Flavors like power, authority issues and milestones in our lives. Most of all, honoring our accomplishments, and owning our mastery where it exists in our lives. Recently they were connected with Mars, where Mars was sitting in between Saturn and Pluto. Mars is a planet of action, assertiveness, a warrior planet, where we have confidence. Mars was stuck, wedged in between Saturn and Pluto and in astrology we call this besieged. It’s an inner planet, one that is visible to the naked eye. When an inner planet is wedged in like this, its expression is being curbed and controlled by these two bigger, slower entities. We have needed to navigate our course carefully. Because we are not allowed to move too quickly as we need to ponder and plan how we need to move forward. Mars is in its exaltation while in Capricorn, so we can definitely gain from using the energy wisely to achieve our goals. 

Whew, that’s a lot of change! Positive, but exhausting! And it continues….

Now we are at the point where Pluto has gone retrograde in Capricorn, until the end of September. Pluto retrogrades every year about this time and spends 6 months in the underworld, his home. This means half the population has Pluto retrograde in their natal chart. These are people who do well during this annual 6 month period. If you have Pluto retrograde in your own natal chart, this is a time that resonates with you more strongly and you may find yourself busier and more involved with such Plutonian matters as therapy, intimacy, mysteries, connecting with your own deeper sense of self. 

This is our cue to do our inner homework. During this time we must dive into our own subconscious to find our darkest corners and ask ourselves the deepest questions. This can be a highly productive time if we allow it to be. Whether we realize it or not, we are doing this inner work regularly every day during this retrograde period. Every year while Pluto spends these months in retrograde, it is easier for us to go within and pierce the veil of our own mysterious underworld. It happens through dreams, through our connection and conversations with others, through meditation and through encounters with self in our most private moment spent alone. If we use this time wisely and ask the deepest part of ourselves to reveal itself we won’t be disappointed. Come the end of September, we will emerge from our own chrysalis willing and able to move forward transformed.

Right now, Mars will join Pluto as they have been getting closer to each other in these last weeks. This is a new 2 year cycle of assertive action which we are beginning.  These two are not a lot of fun together, they are highly volatile. These planets do relate to one another, as Mars is co-ruler/traditional ruler of Scorpio and Pluto is the modern ruler. We consider Pluto to be a higher octave of Mars, more intense, more powerful. Darker and not so much about self assertion. As Pluto turned retrograde, it started its apparent backwards motion has been slowly traveling to greet Mars. Mars will finally be free of it’s captivity between these two planets, where its expression has been contained. Now Mars likes to be in Capricorn, where it is now, it uses a lot of strategic moves when it’s there. But all of us have needed to navigate our movements very carefully, because as soon as we asserted ourselves we were confronted with either Saturn which was impeding progress or Pluto which was daunting and calling for us to step up and transform the situation. Pluto and Mars expects us to own our power, not give it away to others. 

The best course of action now is to immerse yourself in something profound. Get involved with what inspires you, allow yourself to be wrapped up in what you love to do. Don’t spend too much time in the shallow waters, it won’t be satisfying. We’re supposed to be moving forward to some new plan in our lives. You can surrender to your new path and just be in the flow of the Universe. Or you can resist and bang your head against the wall. Or the Universe will bang it for you. Which is what happens when you ignore the Universe. When we pass this transit in the next few days, we should be finding ourselves on the other side of our leap towards a greater life. Remember what I said earlier here – neither option looked good initially. Now we realize we have no choice except to take the more daring route. 

Thankfully, Venus is now in Gemini and we have words again, as Gemini is an air sign. There has been no air in the sky for quite a while and we may have been unable to connect in a meaningful, communicative way with others. We can now articulate our feelings and ideas in a creative, positive way. Stay connected to friends and loved ones now, this is a healing experience amidst all the changes. 

I’m not EVEN going to get started on Uranus changing signs. We’ll save that for next time. I’m knackered! 

Until soon…Deb