NorthPoint Astrology Journal by Pam Younghans October 20 to 26, 2014

NorthPoint Astrology Journal by Pam Younghans

October 20 to 26, 2014

Highlighted Aspects:MON: Mercury conjunct North Node, Jupiter sextile Mercury; WED: Jupiter sextile North Node, Jupiter quintile Pallas Athene; THU: Sun enters Scorpio, Venus enters Scorpio, Solar Eclipse/New Moon 2:56pm PDT; FRI: Jupiter quintile Sun, Jupiter quintile Venus; SAT: Sun conjunct Venus, Mercury stations direct 12:16pm PDT, Venus conjunct Pallas Athene; SUN: Mars enters Capricorn, Sun conjunct Pallas Athene

 

NINETEEN YEARS AGO, on October 23, 1995, there was a Solar Eclipse in the first degree of Scorpio; this Thursday, we have a Solar Eclipse at that same degree. Most eclipses follow this pattern, recurring at the same zodiac degree every 19 years. This cycle provides a point of reference for us and helps us assess our growth in a specific area of our lives.

The house location of that first degree of Scorpio in our natal chart tells the area of life experience that we are both assessing and challenging with this week's Solar Eclipse. The challenge may be subtle or it may be more direct, depending on whether this eclipse directly touches on planets or points in our individual charts.

If you have planets or points on the cusp* between Aries-Taurus, Cancer-Leo, Libra-Scorpio or Capricorn-Aquarius, this is an especially important eclipse for you. It signifies a major opportunity to convert, transmute, and transform the expression of a certain aspect of your being. (*For these purposes, let's define the "cusp" as including 27-29 degrees of the first sign of these pairings, and 0-4 degrees of the second sign.)

For all of us, this Solar Eclipse provides the energy of motivation and focus, to help us evolve the expression of some area of our lives to a higher vibrational level. We are to become self-alchemists, to transform the dross into gold.

THE ASTEROID GODDESS Pallas Athene has her hand firmly on the rudder of this eclipse sailing. The chart drawn for the time of the eclipse shows Pallas Athene at about 2 degrees of Scorpio, with the Sun, Moon, and Venus following closely behind.

Demetra George, in her book Asteroid Goddesses, explains that Pallas Athene in Scorpio brings the unconscious into conscious awareness, often using healing techniques such as hypnosis, past-life regression, and cellular regeneration. She writes that "Pallas Athene in Scorpio is the wisdom of insight -- penetrating to the core and grasping the essence."

When Pallas Athene aligns with the Sun, it increases our access to divine intelligence and strength of will. When aligned with the Moon, it strengthens intuition and psychic ability. And, when joined with Venus, the asteroid supports advancements in the arts, aesthetics, and women's rights. These themes are all emphasized with Thursday's eclipse.

ALL FOUR PLANETS in our Scorpio group are also trine Neptune at the time of the eclipse. A trine occurs when planets are 120 degrees apart, and indicates a harmonious relationship, when the planets are working well together.

The involvement of Neptune in the energy of this Solar Eclipse emphasizes the spiritual and/or creative component of whatever begins now. Our ability to have faith in unseen assistance and unknown outcomes may come more easily than at other times. And, referring again to Demetra George's book, Neptune trine Pallas Athene specifically enhances "telepathic abilities and the capacity for healing using color and music; special talents in the fine arts, film, and photography."

These Neptunian effects may especially come into our awareness in the week that follows the eclipse, when Venus, the Sun, and Pallas Athene all make their exact trine aspects to Neptune (on October 27, 28, and 30, respectively).

I'M ALSO INTRIGUED by the quintile aspects that Jupiter makes to our foursome in Scorpio at the time of the eclipse. The quintiles are exact the day before (Pallas Athene) and the day after (the Sun and Venus) the eclipse, but their energies are strongly woven into the fabric of this powerful New Moon.

Quintiles occur when planets are 72 degrees apart. Astrologer Bil Tierney writes in his book Dynamics of Aspect Analysis that a quintile "symbolizes an aspirant's creative soul alignment with the Will of the Cosmos." But he also notes that "the Will of the awesome, inscrutable Cosmos is not easily channeled through the normally fragmented consciousness of the individual still bound by the limited confines of the personality-centered will."

This sounds like a major opportunity for spiritual advancement, with a note of caution. Again, quoting from Bil Tierney:

    "Quintiles only fulfill their lofty, universal potential once we have struggled to become more self-realized. Otherwise, in an individual still unawakened to the reality of the spiritual identity, the quintile could either remain dormant and inoperative, or else could be uncontrollably activated in a compulsive and abusive manner ... To bring the promise of the quintile into productive use could suggest that the individual first understand and accept that mind and matter are essentially one and the same."

In other words, we need to be at the top of our vibrational game if we want to use this quintile energy at its most positive potential.

ONE LAST NOTE -- Mercury goes direct on Saturday, completing the retrograde period that began October 4. Having Mercury retrograde during eclipse season has been interesting, to say the least! But, hopefully, we have used this time to our advantage, reviewing our habits of thought and coming to a better conscious understanding of how to utilize the immense power available to us through our minds.

As Mercury slowly picks up speed in the days and weeks ahead, we'll be better able to get started on projects that have been stalled. But, we also want to realize that Mercury is still in its "shadow period" until November 10 -- in other words, the planet will be going over previously traversed territory until that day, when it again reaches the degree of Scorpio where it originally went retrograde.

The shadow period does not carry the same cautions as the Mercury retrograde phase, but it is worthwhile noting that projects may take a while to get up and rolling during this time. And, with action-oriented Mars entering methodical Capricorn on Sunday, there's even more support for following the "slow but steady" example of the Tortoise for a while longer.

Blessings,

Pam

Photo: Auroras over Pudasjärvi, Finland on October 15, 2014 (credit: Lauri Koivuluoma, posted on SpaceWeather.com)