By Pam Younghans
Highlighted Aspects This Week
MON: Mercury enters Aries
WED: Jupiter square Saturn, Lunar Eclipse/Full Moon 5:00am PDT (12pm GMT), Sun conjunct Mercury, Chiron conjunct South Node
THU: Ceres conjunct South Node, Chiron conjunct Ceres, Mercury trine Mars
FRI: Saturn stations retrograde, Venus opposite Jupiter, Venus square Saturn
SAT: Sun trine Mars, Venus sextile Pluto
WE HAVE a very busy week ahead of us! The highlight, of course, is the Lunar Eclipse/Full Moon on Wednesday, which occurs at 5:00am PDT (12:00pm GMT).
A Lunar Eclipse is a powerful time for gaining insights into issues that we have been working with. The energies support us in letting go of old habits, old fears, and old circumstances that we are needing to release so that we can move into our next phase of growth and fulfillment.
THE SABIAN SYMBOL for the Moon's location in Libra at the time of the eclipse emphasizes the importance of connecting with like-minded others to support our mutual journey going forward:
"Around a campfire, a group of young people sit in spiritual communion: The necessity to unite with kindred spirits as one enters unbeaten paths illumined by the still-insecure light of a dawning intuition of new values."
ASTROLOGER Dane Rudhyar includes this passage in his interpretation of this symbolic image:
"The urge to create a new society and respond to new values leads the pioneer to the wilds, which represent the state of planetary possibility. Around the fire of a common dedication (or at least a common hope!), minds and bodies can commune, forming a 'chalice' or Grail for the reception of creative inspiration. If a new society is to be built, those who yearn for it, or perhaps who have envisioned its outlines, should commune -- But communion is useless where no central 'fire' burns, in-spiriting the group."
That desire for a "new society" is blooming in many areas of the world, often driven by a dissatisfaction with the old manifestations. But it is essential for that "central fire" to be ignited. Shared values must drive the dedication and the direction; to have the shared resource be primarily anger or fear leads us down dead-end streets.
ON THE SAME DAY as the eclipse, Jupiter and Saturn form a challenging square aspect. Synchronistically, the meaning of this face-off between these two planets echoes the themes of the eclipse: Jupiter represents our desire for expansion, hope, and meaning, whereas Saturn represents how we experience the limitations of "reality," which can often elicit feelings of frustration or even fear.
A square aspect requires that we "raise our game" to overcome current obstacles. It shows us that continuing in the direction that we are going does not resolve the problems. With Jupiter in Virgo involved, it means we must not only have the vision, but also the plan for how to implement the vision. And with Saturn in Sagittarius, we must rise above self-righteousness and fanaticism, and learn tolerance and respect so that we might work together to create a new reality.
SATURN'S LESSONS are especially emphasized this week. Saturn is moving very slowly now, getting ready to begin its retrograde phase on Friday (3:00am PDT, 10:00am GMT). When a planet is moving slowly in preparation for changing direction, its effect in our lives is heightened.
During the Ringed Planet's five-month retrograde phase, which ends on August 13, we are meant to take care of unfinished business and to tie up loose ends that are interfering with our pursuit of important goals. Astrologer Bil Tierney writes that during Saturn's retrograde phase:
"A proper timing system is taking place. While we should still work at manifesting our goals rather than giving up, we should not push for immediate results or demand satisfaction. We should be more ponderous and reflective rather than ambitiously striving to achieve outer goals. Extra obligations at this time could prove to be more burdensome and draining than anticipated. Saturn is teaching us to slow down and to be more careful about wasting or misapplying our resources."
THE ECLIPSE THEME of completion and releasing the past is reinforced in other ways this week, specifically through alignments between Chiron, Ceres, and the South Node in Pisces. The South Node represents our karmic past, and in Pisces is calling us to move beyond old patterns of victimization, self-doubt, and giving away our power through withdrawal and addiction.
With Chiron, the Wounded Healer, and nurturing Ceres involved in this alignment, we are called to provide ourselves -- or, more accurately, our wounded inner child -- with the reassurance and emotional support needed to help soothe feelings of powerlessness and helplessness. When we make progress in that deep healing of self, we are more able to then move out into the world, to create the change we want to see, and to be of true service to others.
In peace,
Pam
Copyright Pam Younghans 2016. All rights reserved.
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