Sarah Varcas: October 2018 Astro-Energy Report: Relationships and Revelation

October 2018 Astro-Energy ReportRelationships and Revelation
by Sarah Varcas

All dates are UT so may vary in your time zone

October 2018 sees a square from Uranus to the moon’s nodes settling in for five months. This alliance speaks of both positive potential and risk. It may signify sweeping change that cultivates a more innovative and courageous attitude at a personal, local and global level. Or we may end up reacting to life’s challenges blind to their deeper significance, unwittingly retreating to intellectualised theories about the ‘right’ thing to do without embodying those beliefs in a ‘real-world’ way. This relationship between Uranus and the nodes reminds us the future can hang on a single decision as much as it contains infinite potentialities. It affords us the power to impact many lives both near and far, and insists we respect this responsibility bestowed upon us.


Uranus is currently tying up loose ends in preparation for its final entry into Taurus in March 2019. It first entered Aries, the previous sign, in May 2010, since which there’s been a certain amount of leeway available for the more impulsive among us. Aries is a fiery energy, fast to act, quick to change, always ready to begin something new. If the first decision didn’t work out let’s try this one, and that one. It doesn’t hang around for the long haul, trying to make something work that’s already crashed on the rocks of misguided impulse. And it doesn’t hold our mistakes against us! Taurus, on the other hand, is far more intransigent, eager to stick on the same path no matter what. Uranus in the sign of the bull is just as impulsive as ever, but the consequences of impetuous decisions and ill-thought through plans will stick around a whole lot longer, their implications pinning us to the spot. So as Uranus prepares for its final entry into Taurus we need to reflect on what restricts our movement and growth. What triggers our impulsive side? What keeps us stuck in old habits that die hard? What behaviours do we repeatedly indulge regardless of how poorly they’ve worked out for us before?! Identifying these now will help us curtail impulsive reactivity and discern what truly needs to change once Uranus begins six unbroken years in Taurus in March 2019, and we can shift those intransigent things we never thought we could.


Pluto turned direct in Capricorn on the final day of September, signalling the start of a seven-month period of impactful external change. Daily routines may go awry as institutions fundamental to our way of life flounder. Structures and systems that underpin our lives may be increasingly undermined. Those who seek to misuse the power of public office may regret past arrogance and scramble to make amends, albeit too little too late. The sea change that Pluto enacts in our personal and collective lives is rarely gentle but always necessary. With Saturn now accompanying Pluto in Capricorn, we’ll increasingly encounter the consequences of our resistance to change as much as our desire for it. The next seven months will shift some stubborn ground and reveal further the dark under-belly of ‘respectable’ society, illuminating the shadow forces within and without that perpetuate the reckless exploitation underpinning a world in which money is king and power the ultimate currency.


That said, a waning quarter moon in Cancer on 2^nd October reminds us that other people aren’t the enemy, even when they are! We can stand firm against injustice without dismissing beyond all hope of grace those who perpetuate it. Divisive politics and disenfranchised people create conflict and war. We have enough of those already. Most people on this planet struggle with the inner forces of ignorance and see through the distorted eyes of an ego under siege. Cooling water is poured on the fires of discord and hatred when we recognise that the very source of our conflict – the ego’s need to prevail at any cost – also unites us. Use this quarter moon to connect with others and create a safe space in which to promote reconciliation and compromise, ready for the new moon in Libra in a week’s time.


Venus is retrograde between 5^th October and 16^th November. This happens only once every year and a half, signalling an important time of reflection and realignment in our capacity for pleasure, our values and our relationships. Venus currently in Scorpio seeks total absorption in the experience of lust and longing. She needs to be overcome by the visceral force of her own desire and consumed by all-encompassing surrender to the desire of another. This Venus yearns to lose herself in tumultuous passion which fosters depth and intensity in her relationships. Retrograding in Scorpio, she emphasises the obsessive nature of desire and illuminates specifically where we identify with and feed off the experience of passionate craving. She reveals where we’re driven by an insatiable need for emotional intensity, creating problematic situations and relationships we just can’t seem to let go. This Venus illuminates where the driving-force of passion in all its forms keeps us hooked into circumstances that diminish our well-being. If we need the ‘juice’ of emotional passion to feel alive we may settle for harmful as much as life-affirming intensity, becoming embroiled in relationships which keep us angry, needy or obsessed. Power struggles may ensue as we invest increasing amounts of energy in people who rile our emotions and matters which ultimately drain our energy rather than feed our spirit.


As Venus retrogrades through Scorpio until the end of the month, observe where you get hooked by drama, where you can’t just walk away and leave it be. Ask yourself what’s really going on there and do you want or need to change that dynamic? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. Only you will know. But as this month progresses, those problematic things we feed off, forever a cause of complaint and yet clung to for dear life, will become increasingly apparent. We may discover surprising and unpalatable truths about how much our identity and sense of self is bolstered by obsessive passion and negative interpersonal dynamics. The ego loves an enemy and as much as we suffer and complain, walking away once and for all may feel like too great a sacrifice. If so, an honest appraisal of why that might be is in order as Venus retrograding in Scorpio sheds light on the deeper motivations at play.


A new moon in the 16^th degree of Libra at 3:48 a.m. on 9^th October signals a good time to wipe the slate clean in any recent conflicts. Just because we’ve clashed with others doesn’t mean we’re bound to be forever at war. On the contrary, we may have far more in common than we know! Human nature is cyclical, moving in ebbs and flows of togetherness and understanding, strife, separation and discord, then back to connection again. Like the heavens in constant motion, nothing remains the same and any notion that people never change simply isn’t true. In an alliance with Neptune and Pluto, this new moon both softens and strengthens our relationships. It supports a compassionate heart and courageous spirit, willing to say the tough stuff with bold love, knowing the truth which sets us free is sometimes the hardest truth of all.


In a world that can seem devoid of it, being able to generate love is a mighty act of deceptive power. When Venus, ruler of Libra, is retrograde, self-love is especially important. Not a narcissistic, self-absorbed ‘love’, but a tender and accepting one. Without it we’re dependent upon love from others, on conditional love that shapes us to its own agenda. With it we are sovereign and complete: free to love who we choose, how we choose, whether or not that love is returned. This moon encourages deep reflection upon matters of the heart and an opportunity to align with the rhythm of our own, so often lost amidst the clamour of the world.


Pluto squares the Sun between 9^th and 15^th October, reminding us that high drama and intensity aren’t necessarily the hallmarks of a meaningful relationship. If it can’t withstand the demands of everyday life – the mundane realities that form much of a day – we may be using a relationship to escape life, not to share that life intimately with another. Relationships come in all shapes and sizes. Comparing one to another is largely pointless. But for those wondering where a current connection will lead – Is it what I want? Does it feed me deeply? Is it too serious or not weighty enough? – this alliance may provide some clarity. It is within the alchemical flames of everyday life that we often encounter the most profound challenges and deepest transformation. Relationships which can dive deeply into this realm – finding the precious in the midst of every day – can withstand much that life throws at them, strong in the shared rootedness of love. With Venus retrograde supporting all who seek a deeper, more meaningful understanding of love, this square from Pluto to the Sun exposes both the weak points and the greatest strengths of relationship, enabling us to reflect deeply on who we want to share our life with and why.


Mercury enters Scorpio on 10^th October, remaining there until 31^st. Conjunct the Moon and opposing Uranus as it changes sign, this passage of Mercury may uncover emotionally charged issues which trigger instinctive defensiveness or pre-emptive strikes on those we sense are about to plunge in the knife! We may well need to calm down and take a moment to reflect and rewind before we decide who’s the enemy and what’s really going on. Mercury in Scorpio wants more than anything to articulate the truth, but many of its truths are hard to bear. It’s not that it wants to dig at wounds and rake up pain, it just can’t help itself! Its insight can be so incisive that disputes and conflict, misunderstandings and even estrangement are hard to avoid. The onus is therefore on us all to ensure we reap the blessings of Mercury’s insight whilst navigating its challenges with compassionate grace.
While Mercury’s journey through Scorpio may test us in the authenticity department, it does bring its own kind of freedom. If we stand firm in the face of its truth, we’ll be strengthened beyond measure. Mercury doesn’t act out of malice. It simply says what it must and moves on. If we feel the sting of exposure or the pain of revelation it shows where hearts need to open and minds expand. Truth rises like a bubble not when we think we’re ready but when it is! Only by encountering its formidable force head on do we discover our capacity to embrace it and move on through.


Eris opposes the Sun between 13^th and 19^th October. She has no compunction about stepping into battle, being unpopular, speaking the unbridled truth that no else will say. She wants us authentic and real, even if that means angry and bitter. ‘If that’s who you are right now, then don’t fight it!’ she says. Her opposition to the Sun in Libra highlights where we try to deny our feelings and impulses. She forces us to look without guile at where and how we suppress our innate and visceral knowing in favour of a politer and more palatable evasion or half-truth. Together with Mercury in Scorpio she creates a formidable and veracious force while the Sun in Libra smooths their harsher edges, not to disguise the facts but to deliver them in a sensitive but relentlessly honest way. If difficult issues need to be addressed there’s much support for honest dialogue here, but those who want only to obscure or avoid may encounter the unremitting force of truths that insist they be told, no matter the consequences.


A sextile between Saturn in Capricorn and Venus in Scorpio from 19^th to 28^th October provides some background support if things (and especially relationships!) are feeling a bit (or very!) intense. Grounding us in the midst of intensity, this alliance helps us enjoy, rather than fear, the process of revelation. The more we can appreciate the inherent beauty of each layer of truth revealed, the easier authenticity becomes. A trine between Jupiter and Chiron from 20th October to 13^th November adds additional support to those shifting from the quagmire of stagnant emotion into a lighter and more expansive place of insight. This direction of movement won’t suit everyone. Some will need to shift into emotion and out of the mind, others out of emotion into greater detachment. Only you will know where you need to be and why. But for all who seek truth there is support and encouragement on the journey right now.


An opposition from Uranus to the Sun between 21^st and 27^th October will keep us on our toes and stop us drifting back into bad habits that distance us from life. Uranus currently retrograde in Taurus is all about disrupting just such habits, refusing to let them win. The force of human unconsciousness is unremitting, but so is the current evolutionary impulse to awaken. As Uranus journeys through Taurus in the coming years the balance will shift in favour of the latter as the most intransigent habits of mind, body and spirit come under sustained assault from the forces of truth within and without. This current opposition reminds us we don’t dictate the evolutionary timetable, we are subject to it. We can neither stop it nor force it, but can instead align ourselves with it in total trust. If Uranus trips you up now, with unexpected events that shake you awake, try to rest in that trust rather than fear. Make faith a habit and courage your default setting. And when you can’t do that, resolve to begin again. Old habits die hard, but they do die eventually. As the Sun journeys through Scorpio between 23^rd October and 22^nd November we can discover precisely which habits are holding us back and resolve to deal with them once and for all. This is an excellent time to commit yourself to living in a different way, to challenging inner voices which insist on a certain perspective you now know to be false. Don’t let them drown out the voice of truth which is gaining in volume by the day.


A full moon in the 2^nd degree of Taurus on 24^th October (16:46 UT) illuminates the power of questioning who we believe ourselves to be. Conjunct Uranus and opposing Venus, it provides the courage to stand strong in the face of self-delusion and denial, exhorting us to look beyond self-deception. This is a moon of profound change and radical disruption of the status quo. It threatens to test even the strongest attachments if they compromise our freedom. Squaring the North Node, this moon can either propel us forward or hold us back, depending upon how we use it. Refusing to budge can be as radical as letting everything go if that’s what circumstances require. Wise discernment is key to managing the energy of this moon and we may well experience its ripples throughout the rest of the month. Things long ripe for change may shift exponentially around this time, most likely just when we’ve gotten used to living with them as they are! Likewise projects we’ve pursued because we thought we should may suddenly seem too burdensome to continue, auguring a return to a simpler life previously sacrificed on the altar of progress. What this moon means for individual life circumstances will of course vary, but the end result can be a powerful and positive recalibration of our energy and intention if we let it.


A sextile between Saturn and the Sun from 24^th to 31^st October provides some more grounding support. What seems like a burden may prove to be far more satisfying as we discover creative ways to access a deeper and more authentic current of instinct and emotion. If the full moon illuminated inner conflicts that we struggle to reconcile, Saturn and the Sun provide the courage and creativity to live in deeper alignment with apparently opposing drives and desires. With Venus conjunct the Sun in Scorpio between 24^th and 28^th October, accepting the shadow self becomes an act of love which demonstrates the depth of our commitment to fulfilling our potential whatever form it takes. We don’t have to achieve great things, make a name for ourself or develop some amazing new power! The core challenge of life is to simply be who we are without guile or shame: without the denial and suppression that distorts the human drive for expression into something altogether less edifying. As October comes to a close and the Moon begins to wane we are, each and every one of us, called to risk being a bit more who we actually are and a bit less who we think we’re supposed to be.


On 31^st October Mercury enters Sagittarius where it turns retrograde next month. On the same day Venus retrogrades into Libra. Watch out for next month’s report for more info about them. In the meantime, suffice to say that October ends with a waning quarter moon in Leo which offers solace to egos wounded by the full moon a week prior. Ego isn’t the enemy despite what you may have heard. We need its sense of self and substance, an identity with which to navigate through the world. The key is to know the difference between our conditioned ego identity and our unchanging, unconditioned essence. Being intimate with both allows us to live with greater awareness, equipped to face life’s twists and turns with increasing wisdom and grace.



Sarah Varcas


https://astro-awakenings.co.uk/october-2018-astro-energy-report

Tagged as: Chiron in Aries, compassion, Conscious Evolution, Conscious Relationships, Coping with emotions, Deep Truth, divine timing, Ego & Essence, embracing the shadow, Eris, Full Moon in Taurus, healing energies, Jupiter in Scorpio, managing change, managing the mind, Mercury in Scorpio, Moon cycles, New Moon in Libra, Personal healing, personal truth, planetary healing, Pluto in Capricorn, Quarter Moon in Cancer, Quarter Moon in Leo, releasing ego identification, Saturn in Capricorn, self-acceptance, Sun in Libra, Sun in Scorpio, Uranus in Aries, Uranus in Taurus, Venus, Venus in Scorpio, Venus retrograde

Previous post: 9th September 2018: New Moon in Virgo

August 2018 Astro-Energy Report: Radical Remembrance By Sarah Varcas

August 2018 Astro-Energy Report:

Radical Remembrance

By Sarah Varcas

August begins in the middle of an eclipse season which continues until the 15^th. Last month was an intense journey for many, with solar and lunar eclipses challenging even the most balanced among us! As we embark on a new month we have one more solar eclipse to come on the 11^th before things begin to ease. Mars has been conjunct the South Node since the end of May, anchoring our attention in the past, rationalising the adoption of old habits over new approaches and generally holding us back when we most needed to move forward. This has made recent weeks especially difficult as eclipse energies have demanded new responses while our instincts have told us security lies in the familiar. This tie to the past weakens as August begins. For some it may feel like waking from a mysteriously seductive sleep in which reactions and behaviours have felt automatic and involuntary. From 5^th August we should be far more present and better able to make informed decisions with clear intent rather than acting under the influence of unconscious impressions and emotions.


Despite this collective return to a more present state of mind, deep inner change continues throughout August. With between five and seven retrograde planets all month – with the dwarf planet Eris making eight – our inner life will be deeply impacted by external experience. Seemingly inconsequential events may affect us more significantly than anticipated, triggering unexpected reactions in need of attention. By way of support a semi-sextile between Chiron and Uranus, which continues until 22^nd of August, provides both the means and motivation to liberate ourselves from the grip of difficult emotion. What would once overwhelm may feel inexplicably less intimidating. Inner turmoil that would usually dominate days may pass by in an hour. In a mysterious and yet timely blessing, intense emotion will contain the key to its own demise and we’ll have the eyes to find it, even if they’re filled with bitter tears as we do.


An ongoing square between Chiron and Saturn (first mentioned in my July report here) continues its spiralling dance through time and space. We may discover not only that we can step out of current timelines, disrupting what felt to be unavoidable events, but that we can also command the consequences of past actions to reshape our destiny. A trine between Neptune in Pisces and Jupiter in Scorpio throughout August, provides a gentle yet penetrating backdrop, supporting compassionately insightful responses to life in these unpredictable days.


It may help to think in terms of involution rather than evolution this month. We must mature and progress inwardly before impacting the outside world in constructive ways. Actions and intentions are often saturated with emotion and unconscious motivation. Honing our awareness of such influences will enable incisive action in due course. But for now, growth is internal: an expansive process of unflinching self-acceptance and fierce love which allows for the integration of inner ‘demons’ into the self. This inner shift then becomes the source of peace, progress and hope in the outer world. Without it, humankind will continue to project the dark underbelly of the psyche onto others creating enemies, wars and countless inhumanities inflicted upon life in all its forms.


A square between Mars and Uranus which began at the end of July augurs continued intensity in the first two weeks of August. Intent on disrupting the status quo, these two celestial mights will mess with anything and everything that provides a sense of security and predictability! We may see unusual weather or geophysical events, the sudden rise of new ideas which challenge the current order of understanding or a global push towards the destruction of outdated systems in favour of modern innovation. This square feels like progress and threat at the same time. The challenge is to react to disruption in constructive ways, rather than give in to fear.


A further square from Jupiter in Scorpio to the Sun in Leo between 3^rd and 10^th August challenges those who assume a right to dictate to others, revealing hidden motivations and the weak-links in arguments and rationalisations. The extent to which we’re invested in controlling others will dictate the extent to which this square scuppers our activities. If we seek an audience for personal gain and lust after recognition for recognition’s sake, Jupiter in Scorpio will pull the rug from beneath our feet. If, however, we have the well-being of the whole at heart, even as we seek acknowledgement for our own contribution, Jupiter will shore up the ground beneath our feet, empowering us to draw upon inner resources for positive gain.


Venus, the planet of love, enters her own sign of Libra on 6^th August, remaining there until 9^th September. Here she knows deeply the redeeming power of intimacy, encouraging faith in humanity and a willingness to see the world through another’s eyes. She is gentle and can’t be doing with arguments and power games, preferring a peaceful life which allows for kindness, appreciation and affection. Sometimes we let things get too heavy because we can’t let go and move on, even when getting our own way becomes a hollow victory at the expense of our humanity. Venus in Libra encourages us to expand the heart and embrace difference rather than harden around it.


Whilst she may sound naïve about the forces unleashed in this world, her innocence is not ignorance but familiarity with love in all its guises. She knows that a commitment to love no matter what is the greatest alchemy, and far from denying the darkness within it embraces it, knowing nothing is rejected in the heart of the divine. We humans can be slow to change and quick to judge, slow to forgive and quick to condemn. This Venus assures us it’s all okay, this strange dance of life, these comings and goings, meetings and partings. She’s happy to wait in the wings, gently encouraging us into ever deeper love until we relinquish, forever, the needy and manipulative dynamics that often pass for it.


On 7^th August Uranus begins five months retrograde (first in Taurus, then in Aries) challenging the restrictions we place around ourselves. Uranus is never one for ‘safe’. Not in the way we often mean anyway! ‘Safe’ to Uranus is the readiness to embrace absolutely anything at any moment – living the full catastrophe and unreserved ecstasy of our lives with unbounded passion and unwavering dedication to its fulfilment no matter what. If our definition of safe is a predictable, tameable life, Uranus has us in its crosshairs and the coming months will provide the opportunity to free ourselves from some of the foreboding that shapes our lives.


It’s easier to spot outer restrictions than inner ones. We’re usually so close to the beliefs underpinning our self-image we have zero objectivity. It can be impossible to see ourselves as anything other than who we think we are. This blind-spot is the source of our greatest limitation. We can defy the restrictive expectations of the outside world all we want, but if we can’t perceive where we suppress ourselves we become our own oppressor. Uranus retrograde says it’s time to stand back, take an objective view and question the most fundamental assumptions underpinning our identity. Why is it so important to see ourselves a certain way, be acknowledged for particular qualities or define ourselves as we do? What do we gain and what do we lose? What’s really going on? And most importantly, what would happen if we dared let even our most treasured identity be blown to smithereens by Uranus’s liberating power?


If we follow this lead in the coming months fear of change can dissipate, the terror of non-acceptance subside and the oppression of ‘what will they think?’ diminish, deferring to a richer engagement with life’s ups and downs. Uranus’s square to Mars in Aquarius emphasises the importance of detachment from the reactive emotional charge triggered by threats to our self-image. If an aspect of our identity both limits and defines us in equal measure, letting it go may threaten the very fabric of our life. Facing the void that follows its demise can trigger intense fear, and there’s no shame in this. Deep-rooted change unsettles us to the core, challenging all we’ve relied upon to face the world each day. It takes profound courage to do this inner work. Whilst Uranus assists us with its own special brand of awakening, we do our part by opening to the possibility that we’re not who we’ve perceived ourselves to be. Softening around our self-beliefs, entertaining the nuance of ‘maybe I’m not who or what I thought’, creates space for new perspectives. If the contraction of past trauma and unhealed pain clips our wings in the present, the coming months will allow us to tend these wounds. It may hurt at first, but the freedom of healing will more than eclipse the numbing entropy of a life spent avoiding the pain.


As Uranus settles into its retrograde journey we have a solar eclipse in the 19^th degree of Leo on 11^th August. The final of three eclipses since mid-July, this one both consolidates and facilitates embodiment of the changes demanded by the other two. Aspecting Pluto, it affirms that what looks like destruction is the beginning of new life and references the primordial chaos from which all beingness is born. As we awaken we encounter this chaos as the rising of our shadow self: those thoughts, feelings and impulses we’re mobilised to avoid. Just as an abscess must discharge in order to heal, so must we allow the full force of our instincts to arise into consciousness. This process of inner rectification challenges us to ever greater levels of self-acceptance. We are not made ‘spiritual’ by identifying only with positive emotion and loving intent. Denial of the shadow is not an act of wisdom but of inner subterfuge, designed to protect the fragile ego which cannot yet accept the truth of who we are.


With so much polarisation occurring on the world stage – violence, narcissism and protectionism at the highest level – it’s easy to lay claim to the moral high ground and yes, it is important to call out abuses of power for exactly what they are. But it’s equally important to look within at our own feelings of superiority, hatred and intolerance. They’re the ones we have power over, the ones we can actually change. This solar eclipse strengthens us to acknowledge and embrace them, curtailing the chaos wrought when they’re denied and ignored. In turn this diminishes, bit by bit, the power of the collective shadow to foster divisive ideologies of hatred and exploitation around the world.


A trine from Eris to the Sun between 13^th and 20^th August invites us to undertake a radical act of remembrance: recognition that we don’t leave behind the impulses of less ‘civilised’ days. Instead we must integrate them into our psyche and society, transmuting their energy into a force for progressive change. Mars also retrogrades into Capricorn on 13^th, where it remains until 11^th September. Here it keeps our feet on the ground even if inner whirlwinds threaten our stability. This Mars seeks practical outcomes without which good intentions are nothing but hot air. It will help us manifest a stabilising presence and tackle pragmatically any challenges we face. Call upon its energy when emotions are running high and the mind cannot be tamed. It will anchor you to tackle, with a healthy dose of ‘common sense’, whatever threatens to throw you off course. During this time we may encounter echoes from mid-May, allowing us to tie-up loose ends, rectify oversights and even remake key decisions to better reflect progress made since then. If so, Mars helps us manage the practicalities of doing so and plan adequately for the consequences of a change of tack.


Many will be relieved to know that the eclipse season comes to an end on 15^th August, as does the square between Mars and Uranus which has stirred up trouble in the past three and a half weeks. This easing of what has been a considerable amount of pressure for quite some time may feel disorienting at first, as if we’re missing something or have overlooked an important task that remains undone. It may take a few days for us to settle into this more low-key ambience, but as we do we’ll begin to feel the impact of a trine between Saturn and Uranus which will make its supportive presence felt until the end of September. This trine may come as an answer to many prayers, allowing us to translate recent inner shifts into external change. The frustration of having to accommodate old conditions whilst undergoing radical inner transformation will give way to burgeoning clarity about how to reorient our life to reflect new awareness and priorities. Saturn in Capricorn reminds us that every action has a consequence and every choice sends ripples through our life, whilst Uranus in Taurus emboldens us to embrace new possibilities which seemed too outlandish to contemplate before. This combination working in harmony allows for the implementation of radical change in a considered and responsible way. It may take longer than we hoped, be more complex than we’d imagined or entail greater effort than we’d anticipated, but this recent eclipse season has prepared us for the tasks ahead and Saturn and Uranus now walk either side of us to guide our way.


A waning quarter moon in Scorpio on 18^th August helps us let go of struggles we can never win and honestly appraise our influence over certain situations, posing the question how to reclaim energy invested in lost causes. We cannot change everything and learning to live with unsatisfactory conditions is as important as tackling the ones we can. As the Moon continues to wane in the coming week we can allow to wane with her emotional investment in those things not for us right now. There may be a better time and place where we can pick them up again, but for now it’s time to let go, let god and let up on our efforts to make them bow to our command.


Mercury stations direct in the 12^th degree of Leo on 19^th August whilst aspecting Venus in Libra, forging an alliance between our subjective worldview and acceptance of ‘the other’. Issues encountered since Mercury first entered its retrograde ‘shadow’ on 7^th July may have raised some interesting questions about how we express ourselves in relationships. Are we mobilised to get our point across at all costs or do we make space for other views to be aired? Do we assume our perspective to be correct without considering its subjectivity? Do we allow others too much space to impose their opinion whilst failing to voice our own? As Mercury stations direct it may help to reflect on interactions in recent weeks and what they’ve taught us. It continues exiting its retrograde shadow until 1^st September, so there’s still time to revisit problematic communications or misunderstandings which have yet to be resolved.


On 23^rd August the Sun begins its month-long journey through Virgo whilst at the apex of a Yod formed by Chiron and Mars. Emphasising the importance of tiny adjustments to self-expression, the challenge is to be forceful enough to make our mark but yielding enough to recognise when personal nuances are missing the mark. During this month the ego is a tool to be honed, sharpened and calibrated with great care. It exists to serve the greater good, not to be served. Self-seeking tendencies will meet with frustration until intention is purified and the ego realigned with life’s flow. Once this recalibration has taken place we can tweak the minutiae of daily life with impacts that ripple far beyond our immediate sphere.


A Grand Trine in Earth formed by the Sun, Uranus and Saturn between 23^rd and 28^th  August offers a calming influence. During this time we may feel reluctant to step outside our comfort zone, preferring to stick with the familiar and enjoy some semblance of emotional and spiritual rest. If, however, there are tasks to be done, this Grand Trine provides endurance, stability and focus to apply ourselves and use any resources at our disposal effectively. If a much-treasured goal occupies your attention at this time, formulate realistic plans which gradually move you out of your comfort zone whilst building stable foundations for each step of the journey. Avoid unnecessary risk but be prepared to nail your flag to the mast and commit to pursuing your goals when you know it’s time to do so. A concomitant square between Pluto and Venus which begins on the 23^rd and ends on 30^th August provides the courage to redefine our desires in the wake of an intense few weeks. We may, by now, be facing a very different direction to the one that held our gaze at the beginning of July. If so, Pluto reminds us that by exploring our deepest desires we meet our highest potential eventually. The winding path to their discernment may bear obstacles, false starts and unwelcome surprises, but it leads us into ever deeper union with the divine.


An auspicious full moon in Pisces on 26^th August sits at the apex of a Kite, overcoming rigid perspectives and entrenched views that divide. It affirms that behaviour is not the final arbiter of worth, and we can honour our shared humanity whilst challenging the cruelty that perpetuates suffering across the globe. Illuminating the restorative power of compassion and the courage of an open heart, this moon roots us deeply in the knowledge that all life is sacred, calling us to live with greater awareness as a result. With Uranus currently retrograde in Taurus we’re reminded just how fragile our place in nature can be. Climate catastrophes, food instabilities, the consequent conflict and strife: all are becoming ever-present features of the modern age. This full moon reminds us that a planet under siege to egoic desire won’t stop fighting back until those desires have been curtailed. We are each and every one of us beholden to play our part. For only by accepting we are part of nature, not its keeper, can we hope to thrive in an otherwise uncertain future.


On 27^th August Mars stations direct in Capricorn. Since turning retrograde two months ago it has clarified issues of motivation and intent, revealing some of the less obvious influences which shape who we are. Its change in direction enables external expression of what we’ve learned during its retrograde phase. Progress which has slowed during this time will gather pace in the coming weeks, underpinned by enhanced clarity born of knowing ourselves better than before. Mars reminds us now that inner work must reflect outwardly eventually, and lip-service to changed ideals or new priorities means nothing if life continues on in the same old way.


As August comes to a close we can look back on an eclipse season that shook many foundations, challenged preconceptions and asked courageous honesty of us all. For those who accepted this challenge, the end of August will come as something of a balm to soothe the difficult emotions this entailed. For those who shied away this time around, there’s another eclipse season in six months so all is not lost! We undertake this journey in our own time, at our own pace. And we all arrive eventually, not a moment too soon or too late.


Sarah Varcas

Tagged as: Chiron in Aries, Conscious Evolution, Conscious Relationships, Coping with emotions, Deep Truth, divine timing, Eclipse Season, eco-spirituality, Ego & Essence, embracing the shadow, Eris, Eris in Aries, Eris retrograde, facing fear, Full Moon in Pisces, healing energies, Jupiter in Scorpio, managing change, managing the mind, Mars, Mars in Aquarius, Mars in Capricorn, Mercury, Mercury in Leo, Mercury Retrograde, Moon cycles, patience, Personal healing, personal truth, planetary healing, Pluto in Capricorn, present moment awareness, releasing ego identification, Saturn in Capricorn, self-acceptance, Solar Eclipse, Solar Eclipse August 2018, Solar Eclipse in Leo, Spiritual development, Sun, Uranus in Taurus, Uranus Retrograde, Venus, Venus in Libra

Previous post: July 2018 Astro-Energy Report

Sarah Varcas: May 2018 Astro-Energy Report: On The Brink Of….

May 2018 Astro-Energy Report:
On The Brink Of….
By Sarah Varcas

All dates are UT so may vary in your time zone

May 2018 heralds the next major astrological shift as Uranus, the planet of radical disruption and liberating change, begins its journey through Taurus, the sign of steadfastness and stability. It last made the same shift in 1934, so this is a fresh (and significant) energy for most of us. But more on that later! Alongside this shift, we see four other planets entering new signs this month – including Mercury twice – so change is most definitely in the air!


The overall feel for May is like being on the brink but not yet quite ready to jump! It’s that sensation when the next step’s become clear: you know what you need to do and anxiety about the future turns into excitement, but foundations must still be built before you can embark on the next phase. Whilst this picture may not match your personal circumstances, the essence of the current energy speaks of final pieces coming together to support a significant change of direction or pace. By the end of 2018 the cosmic engine will be revving at a new rate, requiring more refined fuel which we, in part, must provide through our thoughts, choices and behaviours. Saturn journeying through Capricorn until the end of 2020 continually reminds us that every moment of our lives shapes the next and we have significant power over the consequences we reap. Once Uranus has settled into Taurus in 2019, how well we can live on the edge and neither flinch nor flee will in large part dictate what happens next. So think of this month as a ‘dummy run’. An opportunity to experience something of the future in the present so we can test our mettle against it without risking everything! We still have a safety net, and although we may prefer the thrill of the high-wire without one, we’ll be very glad of its presence if things don’t quite go to plan!


May begins with Saturn in Capricorn and the North Node in Leo settling into a relationship which continues until October. Helping those who help themselves, Saturn demands a sense of responsibility, awareness of consequences and commitment to truth both relative and absolute! This may feel like a tall order but it never promises easy answers preferring, instead, a willingness to engage with weighty issues combined with faith in our innate ability to do the right thing when the time is right. The North Node in Leo assures us the more we trust ourselves the more that trust will be well-placed, for we have access to all the wisdom we need right when we need it. From 1st to 3rd May Venus in Gemini offers a helping hand, providing flexibility and a lightness of touch to ease Saturnian pressure. She reframes the burden of responsibility into an opportunity to exercise problem-solving skills and discover new perspectives. Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is simply to see it differently, at which point it may no longer be a problem at all. Bearing this in mind as May begins could provide handy solutions to some tricky situations!


From 2nd to 10th May Black Moon Lilith conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn creating a potent blend of raw life force and the thrust of evolutionary renewal. As Pluto destroys the old to birth the new, Black Moon Lilith breathes her unremitting vitality into all she touches. This alliance makes available some of the most transformative energies in the universe, but we must take care with such great power in our hands. Pluto will happily destroy all that stands in the way of progress without a second thought, while Black Moon Lilith is already life broken open and in the raw. This combination may blow us away if we’re not careful! If you prefer a gentler process of change, use this energy to remove tenacious cobwebs clinging to the corners of your life. Refuse to indulge obsessive thoughts that seduce you back into past pain or old habits. Be prepared to re-evaluate that long list of things you think you need to be happy and pare it down to necessities. The more space we create in our lives the better, for Pluto in Capricorn will have its way eventually, sweeping away all that binds us to fears and fantasies which skew our alignment with the Real.


Between 3rd and 9th May the Sun sextiles Neptune. Providing softer background support it feeds our imagination and uses creativity as a restorative force. The all-encompassing embrace of Neptune in its own sign of Pisces brings acceptance to our fear of change. We can call upon this alliance between compassion (Neptune in Pisces) and stamina (Sun in Taurus) to root ourselves in our own creativity, weaving magic with the elements of our world. We don’t have to languish at the mercy of imposing forces of change but can instead claim our part in them, owning our creative power to rebuild where necessary and restore when needed.


4th May sees Jupiter in Scorpio form a trine to Neptune which continues throughout the month, inviting us to explore our deeper, darker emotions. It’s safe to do this despite our fears, for only in feeling them fully can we know them as friends who speak truths we need to hear. Avoid over-indulgence in emotional states now, but don’t shy away from how you feel. Emotion is simply energy.


When channelled well it becomes a source of great wisdom and strength. Between 6th and 11th May Jupiter’s opposition to the Sun reminds us to ground ourselves when exploring the emotional realm and draw strength by connecting with the elements. Walk bare foot on the grass, swim in the sea, lie on the ground and look up at the stars. We are part of this amazing world, not detached observers or entitled owners. The energy of the waves, the force of the wind, the movement of the planets, all is alive within us and we can draw upon these forces to shape our own destiny if we choose.


Between 7th and 26th May Mars squares Uranus. This can be an explosive energy which takes some careful handling. Get your wise head on and self-discipline in gear! If you need courage to take action and break through obstacles it can be your ally if used well. The unremitting force of Mars in Capricorn meets the explosive power of Uranus in Aries which tolerates no restriction to the pursuit of freedom. Conditions which bind us to the past or inhibit us in the present can be eradicated now, but this is best done with an eye to outcomes! The risk of snap decisions and spontaneous outbursts is high, and whilst they may be precisely what’s needed to clear the air, they can also unleash a whole host of trouble we hadn’t banked on!


As Uranus approaches its entry into Taurus on 15th May it’s eager to reach those deeply entrenched parts of us which are so very hard to shift, making us itch for change in ourselves and others. But as mentioned earlier, we’re teetering on the brink here and not quite ready to jump, so be prepared to tolerate some frustration. It’s all par for the course. Rest assured change is already upon us even if it doesn’t seem that way. Have faith, stand firm and keep on keeping on. If, on the other hand, you know in your gut change is needed right now, then make it. Mars and Uranus will help you out, even though outcomes may be hard to anticipate. Stay open to re-thinking plans if necessary and expect unexpected results, even from something you thoroughly thought through beforehand! The unanticipated has come to stay and there’s really nothing we can do about that except pull up a chair and welcome it in!


From 8th – 15th May Pluto offers support through a trine to the Sun in Taurus, steadying us within the prevalent maelstrom of unpredictability. This energy roots us deep into the earth, enabling us to stand firm and strong whatever conditions prevail. Call upon it if you feel vulnerable or unable to take charge of matters important to your well-being. Reminiscent of soft warm soil on a Summer’s day – rich, nourishing and brimming with life – it prompts us to stop striving for a while, sit still and let life do its thing. It knows what’s needed and where, better than we do! If you’ve been pushing yourself too hard this is a cosmic invitation to rest and trust that doing so is all part of the creative process. Nothing and no one can live at full speed forever!


A sextile formed by Mars in Capricorn and Chiron in Aries between 11th and 30th May further reminds us that healing comes in all shapes and sizes. It both takes time and happens in the blink of an eye. It may feel like hard work but relies on inspired faith. It’s a serious business benefitting from a light-hearted approach. Being able to step back and relax is just as important as getting stuck in and doing the work! This alliance between Mars and Chiron highlights easier ways to achieve our goals and lightens the load so what felt like a chore becomes something altogether more bearable!


13th May sees Mercury enter Taurus where it remains until 29th. Useful for dealing with facts and figures, this Mercury is less attuned to the more nuanced realm of emotion and perception. If you need to discuss thoughts and feelings at this time bear in mind that a subjective opinion may be received as an objective truth. It will be harder to find the inter-personal space that allows us to express one thing one day and something very different the next. ‘But yesterday you said….’ may be a common refrain as communication becomes less about sharing and more about establishing baseline incontrovertible facts! If there are tricky conversations to be had during this time, be clear about what’s a passing feeling and what’s an enduring reality. Otherwise an ephemeral emotion expressed in the moment may become a lasting feature of how we perceive each other in the weeks and even months to come.


15th May sees a New Moon in Taurus. Aspected by both Venus and Eris, this moon speaks to the many faces of the feminine and how we can best integrate them into our lives, no matter who we are. The masculine/feminine dyad is changing exponentially now, and Eris’s recent conjunction with Uranus assures us there’s no going back. A re-calibration is afoot which has already exposed countless abuses of position and power enabled by the enduring influence of patriarchy across all areas of private and public life. This new moon occurring just a few hours prior to Uranus’s entry into Taurus heralds the next stage of this process. Inviting Uranus into the first earth sign of the zodiac – sensuous, grounded, nourishing– this Moon reminds us that our planet herself is a living goddess, our Great Mother. How we treat her reflects how we honour the feminine throughout our lives, throughout history, across the world. If she is nothing but a source to be exploited we will struggle to recognise the unique spirit that lives in each of her creatures, in her rivers and oceans, land and sky, in ourselves. This is a living death which enables the exploitation of our planet, and all life upon her, in the name of business, of the economy, of ‘progress’.


This isn’t progress, and Uranus’s arrival in Taurus a few hours after this new moon heralds the beginning of an eight-year period during which Mother Earth will push back like never before. We simply cannot afford to take her or her bounty for granted a moment longer. Every mouthful of food, each sip of water, every lungful of air is a blessing to be thankful for. By honouring an enduring commitment to caring for Our Mother and all her children of every form we dismantle, piece by piece, the patriarchal mind-set that equates aggression and domination with power, and love, compassion and generosity with weakness. The inevitable outcome of which has been the positioning of this planet as a resource to be exploited at every turn.


16th May sees Mars arrive in Aquarius where it turns retrograde at the end of June. Aspecting Chiron as it does so, this shift of Mars illuminates the power of the mind in the rectification of our lives. In Aquarius, Mars energises mental processes which can be useful for some of us and less so for others! If your head is often full of racing thoughts Mars in Aquarius may enhance this tendency, so it will be important to rest the mind when you can. If, however, your mind struggles to keep up on a good day, Mars’s arrival in Aquarius may be just the tonic you need! But no matter who we are, this Mars encourages innovative thought and a willingness to come at life from a new angle. It reminds us that knowing how our mind works, taking charge and using it well is a fundamental skill required to consciously evolve. Without it we simply do the same old thing repeatedly, getting the same tired results and wondering why nothing changes.


Venus enters Cancer on 19th May, remaining there until 13th June. This Venus is gentle, nostalgic and protective. She cherishes those deemed family, be they blood relations, lovers, friends, animals or a cause close to her heart. She is sentimental, bestowing a protective love which nurtures a sense of belonging. Her joy is found in intimacy with the beloved away from the cut and thrust of the everyday world, safe and secure in her own cosy space. Amid this intense time, Venus in Cancer provides us refuge in the form of those who understand and care about us, warts and all! In turn, we become a refuge for them too. This mutual creation of a safe and loving space allows for poignant intimacy that touches us emotionally and spiritually. The more people who can become this refuge for others now the better, for we can all do with some nourishing love and care from time to time…


The Sun enters Gemini on 21st May, connecting with Mars and Chiron as it does so. Its month-long journey through the sign of the twins supports Mars’s mission to renew minds and refresh perspectives. With its lightness of touch and butterfly nature, the Sun in Gemini helps us evaluate different ways of navigating the world without committing to one in particular. Try being someone else for a day. Think new thoughts, respond in new ways, even walk and dress differently! Make life a game and discover which rules you can break. See it as a film and choose a new part. If it’s a musical, dance through your days. How does it feel to embody these new ways of being? All too often we lose this lightness of touch and life becomes a weighty affair! The Sun in Gemini reminds us that a bit of fun thrown into the mix can make the difference between flopping into bed exhausted but satisfied or just plain old burn out; between the overwhelm of anxiety and the excitement of engaging the unexpected and changing our life.


Saturn opposes Venus between 23rd and 27th, reminding us that life has many faces and love many forms. Tough love can be as heartfelt and compassionate as the most sympathetic and sensitive kind, and it may be exactly what’s needed now in the interests of balance. Saturn in Capricorn challenges any tendency to feel so deeply for another that their pain becomes our own. It reminds us the most meaningful support can be pragmatic and grounded rather than sensitive and emotional. We may be needed as the rock to which others cling rather than the sponge which soaks up their tears. Whilst our heart may well-up in witness to their pain, holding our own on solid ground renders us infinitely more effective than sacrificing objectivity in the face of their suffering. In its opposition to Venus, Saturn reminds us that love comes in many guises and the tough kind, when born of a compassionate heart, can be the most restorative of all.


29th May sees a Full Moon in Sagittarius illuminating the power of an optimistic attitude and positive outlook, not in denial of life’s challenges but as a way to meet them head on, breaking through them to a place of change. Something can shift with this Moon: we can climb out of a rut, change an old pattern, adopt a new behaviour. Moon in Sagittarius values wisdom born of life’s experiences, translated into understanding which fortifies us for the road ahead. Occurring alongside a Yod formed by the Sun, North Node and Saturn, we’re reminded that our personal destiny is inextricably linked to that of others and meeting our responsibilities with a buoyant heart and a pragmatic perspective can make the difference between a life of meaning and one of emptiness and regret. This Full Moon reveals the outcome of recent attitudes, for good or ill. If we’ve begrudgingly walked through life feeling hard done by and put upon, we may feel impoverished right now, devoid of the companionship and support we desire. If we’ve connected with others open-heartedly and sought to support and assist them in times of need we may find ourselves amidst a community of supportive souls forming an interconnected web that nourishes everyone. Wherever we are at this Full Moon we can trace the roots of current conditions in our recent past and make decisions accordingly to shape our future.


A few hours later, also on 29th May, Mercury enters its own sign of Gemini where it remains until 12th June. In Gemini Mercury responds with lightning speed, moving from one thing to the next in the blink of an eye. It affirms the importance of a flexible mind which can explore, question and discover, or simply detach and move on. It insists we reclaim our mental sovereignty and choose where our mind takes us, not the other way around! Mercury in Gemini alerts us to information that’s available now, but we need to be attentive to discern what matters from mere habitual ramblings! Perhaps we’ve been telling ourselves something for a while but haven’t listened carefully enough to get the message. Maybe some information which came our way a while back needs better scrutiny. Maybe a realisation is forming which will change our perception. Whatever the message and however it arrives, our current task is to use the mind as a conduit for wisdom, not as a channel for anxiety, fears and forebodings.


May 2018 ends with a Grand Trine in Water to balance out all this mental energy and earthy pragmatism! Forming on 30th May and lasting until 3rd June, this alliance between Neptune in Pisces, Jupiter in Scorpio and Venus in Cancer reminds us that a balanced life is born of emotional intelligence alongside wise understanding and practical application of insight. If sensitivities abound as the month comes to a close allow yourself and others space to experience and express emotion. Feelings now may be confusing – clouding rather than clarifying matters at hand – but still they must be heard. In expressing our inner world however we can, a deeper and more poignant message may be revealed that would otherwise be missed.


Specifically, this Grand Trine illuminates how we serve as conduits for thoughts and feelings passed down through generations as much as those we generate within ourselves. In the final days of May we’re encouraged to embrace whatever needs to be felt and heard, however illogical it may seem. It may be the missing key to a part of ourselves we’ve overlooked, or simply an energy travelling through us on its way into the great void. There’s no need to cling or identify with our emotions right now, but honouring them as they pass will help bring this month to a peaceful and compassionate close.


Sarah Varcas

Tagged as: Black Moon Lilith, Chiron in Aries, compassion, Conscious Evolution, Coping with emotions, Deep Truth, divine timing, eco-spirituality, embracing the shadow, Eris in Aries, facing fear, Full Moon in Sagittarius, Grand Trine in Water, healing energies, Jupiter in Scorpio, managing the mind, Mars in Aquarius, Mars in Capricorn, Mercury in Gemini, Mercury in Taurus, Moon cycles, Neptune in Pisces, New Moon in Taurus, North Node in Leo, Personal healing, planetary healing, Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Capricorn, self-acceptance, Spiritual development, Sun in Gemini, Sun in Taurus, Uranus in Taurus, Venus in Cancer, Venus in Gemini, Yod

Sarah Varcas: February 2016 Astro-Energy Report: Wake up and Smell The Coffee!

Sarah Varcas: February 2016 Astro-Energy Report:
Wake up and Smell The Coffee!


February may feel a lot more like the start of a new year than January did! With Mercury retrograde through much of last month we may have been busy tying up loose ends, sorting through matters that we thought were done and dusted and generally clearing the decks of unfinished business, be it practical, emotional or spiritual. Now that Mercury is once again moving forward we have a far better chance of getting into our stride. Which is handy, really, given that an eclipse season begins right after February’s full moon, heralding a pair of eclipses in March. But before we get to that, there are things to be done….

This month begins with Saturn, Uranus and Pluto taking up position for an alignment which lasts until the lunar eclipse on 23rd March. Carrying shades of the Uranus/Pluto square which dominated the heavens from 2012 to 2015, this alliance highlights where we may have become overly complacent and need to wake up and smell the coffee. It may be tempting to review those three years with a sense of satisfaction…even, dare I say, smug satisfaction (!), reflecting on the huge changes we made and patting ourselves on the back for being so ‘cutting edge’! And of course we may well have been. Countless individuals went through traumas and/or transformations the likes of which they couldn’t have imagined surviving beforehand. We all had our mettle tested and many were painted into a corner out of which the only way was through the flames and out the other side. In which case it’s tempting to think we’re now on the other side and, really, everything should just calm down and chillax!

But the key to understanding this time lies in recognising that things do not return to ‘normal’ after the likes of the Uranus/Pluto square. Instead their very nature is irrevocably changed. The very substance that knits together this universe and everything in it is rewoven when outer planets dance together in such a way. This is why we experience their impact so powerfully: it penetrates us at the deepest level and we cannot ignore its effects for they become us. To do so would be to fracture our very being and be divorced from our essence. Whilst we may look back upon a challenging time that tested us deeply, it was actually a time during which our very nature was being broken down and then reformed. We do not simply come through it the same but stronger. We come through it renewed, reborn, refashioned by sacred source. Nothing will ever be the same, least of all us.

Once we have opened the door to such forces we must learn to live well with them. Having made powerful changes we must be prepared to make more when necessary, and preferably before we are pushed to the limit like many were during the cosmic square dance of 2012 – 2015. We now know how it feels to be forced into deep change. Next time let’s make the change before we’re forced! Do it in our timing, as soon as we get that nudge from within that says ‘okay… something’s not quite right here….mobilise for change…’. Resistance is futile, but faithful acts of courage in response to inner wisdom are the very essence of the evolutionary process this year. We will need courage and focus, commitment and clarity. They may all take time to develop sufficiently, but the more we invest in their development now the better equipped we’ll be to respond when change comes knocking once more (which it will).

Saturn now in Sagittarius provides the practical optimism and enduring courage required to continue down the path of change, even when we rather like where we’re at! Evolution is not about arrival, and transformation is not about securing a state that lasts forever. Life is always in flux, otherwise it isn’t life. Our heart rests between each beat. Wakefulness is punctuated with sleep and energy with exhaustion. Our breath comes and goes, our cells renew and our emotions shift and change. Stasis is stagnant: death not life, suppression not expression. If we want to claim the life that is ours we must be prepared to live it fully, not edit out the bits we’d prefer to avoid and cling tenaciously to those parts that really need to be gone. The coming eclipse season, together with this alignment between Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, will help blow away any cobwebs of complacency and remind us that destinations are over rated: the journey is where it’s at!

A conjunction between Venus and Pluto from 3rd to 9th February reminds us that even in the midst of significant change comfort can be found when we surrender to the process rather than struggle to control it. There’s a certain abandon to this aspect: a willingness to allow forces of change to flood our being and break through our otherwise orderly defences. If we can allow this to happen, accepting the tsunami of new energy that disrupts our surface calm, we will encounter its rejuvenating and refreshing influence which can reach every corner of our life.  If, however, we strive to force the flow and shape the process we may find our flood defences overwhelmed when we least expect, by forces beyond our control.

The beginning of February to the end of April sees Chiron conjunct the South Node, opposing Jupiter until 11th March. Both a great healer and teacher, Chiron seeks wholeness whilst knowing intimately those places within where we feel anything but! In Pisces, it asks us to know ourselves well enough at an ego level to be able to let go who we believe ourselves to be in pursuit of a greater and more enduring truth. However, Chiron in Pisces may cause us to seek transcendence before all else, perceiving the harsh material realm as crude and base, preferring spirit over substance, refinement over reality. But to make this leap before we know ourselves as physical beings in a material realm is premature: an escape from the humanity which is our inheritance and responsibility by virtue of birth. In its opposition to Jupiter in Virgo we are challenged to embrace the physical realm whilst acknowledging its limitations and liabilities. For spirit is as much housed within matter as it exists apart from it. If we cannot find it there but instead seek only to avoid confrontation with the mundane world, we deny ourselves access to sacred source in its fullness; to that which animates all things.

The healing available when Chiron conjuncts the South Node is life changing. Providing a conduit for closure on past pains that haunt us even now, it invites us to allow the past to complete itself rather than be forever replayed in our mind, emotions and behaviour. We cannot change the past or erase its troubles from our personal timeline, but we can allow them to become fertilizer for the future rather than calcified memories and emotions that sap our lifeblood in the present. This conjunction will reveal the extent to which we identify with pain. If our personal narrative is built around struggle it can be inordinately difficult to heal, for what is left once the pain’s gone? To release the past we must let go its role in our present, not in an act of denial but in an act of self-love which recognises that the past creates the present as much through how we heal it as how it has broken us. Rooting who we are today in the soil of yesterday’s suffering is an unwitting act of self-harm sure to prolong our pain. Chiron on the South Node invites healing into our darkest places and begins a process of rectification if we allow it. Alternatively we can use its presence to re-affirm how wounded we are and forfeit a rare and precious opportunity to heal.

The New Moon in Aquarius at 2:40 p.m. UT on 8th February affirms our right to this healing. Whether or not we embrace it is always our choice and we may have to struggle against self-sabotaging inertia to do so, but once we commit to renewal all manner of forces rise up to match our resolve. There is mystery about this Moon which speaks of things hidden and initiations into new states of being. It may look calm on the surface, but at its heart pulsates a powerful energy we can harness if we choose. Don’t be fooled by a veneer of ‘not much happening’ at this time, for beneath, something awakens. This Moon speaks of great potential hidden within the mundane and enormous energy available for everyday affairs. We may have to look beyond the immediately apparent to find it, and be prepared to look in new ways and different places. But it is there, and once we discover just how much life-force is seeking expression through us we may well find exactly the impetus we need to make the changes necessary.

Mercury’s arrival in Aquarius on 13th, followed by Venus on 17th, replaces the pragmatic energy that has dominated these past few weeks with a more cerebral one that values communication and relationship over and above the need to produce tangible results. Mercury’s retrograde journey in January, together with the Sun and then Venus in Capricorn, made a busy start to the year with much to sort out, issues to clarify, chores to be done and loose ends to tie up. Real progress, however, may have been lacking! This shift of planets into Aquarius signals the opportunity to reframe outcomes in terms of the quality of relationship with others rather than concrete results at the end of a hard day’s work. It matters less, now, what we can tick off our ‘to do’ list, and more who we have connected with and how; the depth of understanding we share, the openness of our mind to new perspectives, differing views and alternative possibilities. With less than a month in Aquarius, Mercury and Venus encourage us to make the most of their journey through this innovative air sign and allow our minds time and space to see familiar things from new perspectives. And of course, familiar is a relative term! What may be everyday to you could be the height of innovation to me. One person’s mundane is another’s revelation! So whatever we’re used to is what we must be prepared to question, no matter how ‘sussed’ we think it (and we!) are. There is always more to discover, fresh perspectives to explore and new information to be gleaned. Mercury and Venus in Aquarius remind us to never assume full knowledge or certainty but instead maintain an open heart and enquiring mind into which the universe can plant its many seeds of wisdom as and when necessary.

19th February sees the Sun enter Pisces, joining Neptune, Chiron and asteroid Ceres in the final sign of the zodiac. This gathering in Pisces carries gentle healing energy, but the gentleness of Pisces is not necessarily easy! Under its influence we may sense a loss of identity and purpose which is difficult to bear, as much as an awakening to the sacred unity that connects us all as one. Handling Piscean energy is no mean feat and requires focus and motivation as much as faithful surrender. As the Sun journeys through Pisces in the coming month we are encouraged to invest energy and effort into our own awakening, even as we let go into a process of becoming shaped by a greater creative force. Never let it be said that Piscean spirituality is flaky or unreliable. It is we who make it so. Or not, depending upon whether we embody the spirit of life, claiming it as our own, or cast ourselves at its feet, a victim of circumstance and helpless to intervene in our own fate.

The Full Moon in Virgo at 6:21 pm UT on 22nd February brings support from Mother Earth herself, inviting us to ground and reconnect with her bounty. Walking barefoot upon the grass, standing atop a cliff with the wind in our hair, preparing fresh vegetables to make our favourite soup or a crisp and colourful salad, all invite into our lives the energy of this Moon. She reminds us of the boundless support available if we will but draw upon it, not blindly stumble through life assuming it’s either all down to us or to everyone else how this drama plays out! She sees the universal web that supports, shapes and potentises our contribution to life and yearns for us to see it too: the love, the power, the creativity, the potential; the birth hidden within death and gain disguised by loss.

Jupiter is conjunct the degree of last September’s solar eclipse at the time of this Full Moon. Matters significant then can reach something of a resolution at this point, assisted by a more expansive view and a deeper understanding on our part, of what was really going on. Hindsight is an exact science, of course, so if we find ourselves looking back with regret it’s important to remember that no experience is wasted if we learn from it, no disappointment useless if it reveals something more about ourselves. On 23rd February a new eclipse season begins, so a willingness to pat ourselves on the back for previous efforts made and let go any regrets in the light of this Full Moon, will clear the slate ready for the next six month cycle of progressive potential.

25th February sees Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto join forces until 14th March, to strengthen our resolve. If we know what needs to done but can’t seem to find the way to make it happen, they introduce powerful momentum on the back of insight which reveals the best path ahead. Listen to inner wisdom now, pay attention to intuitions, feelings and hunches. They’re not random responses generated by the brain and nervous system to keep themselves occupied, but data from the unified field in which we move and have our being. Everything we ever need to know is in this field, to be revealed at exactly the right time. The more deeply we pay attention the quicker the messages are received and the more effectively we can act upon them. As the month comes to a close there will be a lot of information available to those willing to listen, watch and learn.

By the end of February (in which we get an extra day on account of it being a Leap Year) we may well look back on a month in which things have gathered pace and progress, slow in January, has finally been made. 2016 is now in its stride and March’s solar eclipse in Pisces and lunar eclipse in Libra will soon conspire to help it further on its way!


Sarah Varcas


Interested in using astrology to enhance your personal and spiritual development? Check out my Self-Study Astrology Course and let astrology change your life!

Tagged as: Chiron in Pisces, Conscious Evolution, Conscious Relationships, Coping with emotions, courage, creativity, Deep Truth, divine timing, Eclipse Season, facing fear, faith, healing energies, Jupiter in Virgo, Lunar Eclipse, managing change, managing the mind, Mercury, Mercury in Aquarius, Mercury Retrograde, Moon cycles, Neptune in Pisces, North Node in Virgo, Personal healing, personal truth, planetary healing, Pluto in Capricorn, present moment awareness, Saturn in Sagittarius, Solar Eclipse, South Node, South Node in Pisces, spiritual courage, Spiritual development, Sun, Uranus in Aries, Uranus Pluto Square, Venus, Venus in Aquarius, working with intuition

Preparing to Begin: January 2016 Astro-Energy Report by Sarah Varcas

Preparing to Begin: January 2016 Astro-Energy Report
by Sarah Varcas

2016 may get off to a slow start. We may even be tempted to write off January before we’ve given it a chance! If so, don’t! Granted, it’s not the most upbeat and inspiring start to a new year, but the overall feel, this month, of setting straight our lives, getting unfinished business sorted and matters in order stands us in good stead for February when an eclipse season begins (heralding two eclipses in March) and things begin to pick up pace. This is very much a month of getting down to business whether that means sorting out cupboards, paying outstanding bills, catching up on correspondence or deciding, once and for all, which bits of our life we’re definitely going to sort out his year! Don’t overlook the power of such seemingly inconsequential activities. This month they form the fertiliser for growth to come in due course.


In essence, the key message of January is exactly that: don’t divide life into spiritual and mundane, special and ordinary. It’s all special and all mundane. Everything we do has power. Every word, action, thought, feeling and intention carries weight in this universe. If we deem the everyday world of work, commuting, shopping, cleaning, earning enough to keep ourselves afloat, as somehow less worthy than when we’re ‘being spiritual’ we deny the presence of the sacred at the heart of our life.


Doing this results in the feeling that we have to go somewhere extraordinary to ‘be spiritual’, behave a certain way, look a certain way or live a particular kind of life. The trappings of a spiritual persona thus become the deciding factor of our worth, and that of everyone else. Judgements are made based upon surface appearances and not quality of being. Pursuing spiritual enquiry becomes something that makes us special and thereby a tool of ego rather than spirit. This is a frequent phenomenon these days when the ‘spiritual marketplace’ is full to bursting with holy materialism, devoid of the one thing that no one can buy: presence. Clear, unadulterated, vibrant presence: the fundamental connection with Source, available to everyone everywhere.


2016 is a year of blasting through pretence and personas to reveal what lies beneath. Nothing will be spared this penetration of reality which exposes the truth at the heart of everyone. Those who claim spiritual accomplishment will have to account for their claims. Those who present a certain face will be challenged to make that face a reality throughout their lives or discard it to reveal what lies beneath. There may be moments of painful exposure, deceptions highlighted, lies revealed and pretentions up-ended, but throughout all of this runs the clear, golden thread of truth which illuminates all that is authentically real. We can no longer get away with dividing the world into pieces, with some parts more worthy than others. We must live it all, embrace it all and be it all.


Ourselves, fully lived in all our glory, not shaped and honed to present a favoured face to the world.
Likewise, if we think awakening makes life easy, this year may cause us to think again! Awakening is not about getting life to unfold to our tune, but about getting in tune with life such that we and it are one and the same, flowing in tandem through all eternity. This doesn’t come easy to us human beings so intent on controlling events, getting our desires met and seeking acclaim for what and who we are. Humility is key, as is a willingness to believe we know nothing and no one in order to allow life to surprise us again and again. Which it will do if we let it. Not always in ways we may appreciate, but always in ways that wake us up ever more to the deeper currents of becoming that flow through and around our being.


Mars’s entry into Scorpio on 3rd January sets the scene for two months of powerful activity which reaches the stubborn roots that need to be severed. Often we may facilitate surface changes which look good but fail to penetrate the more hidden, deeper aspects of our psyche where we wrestle against real change. Mars in Scorpio both resists change and forces it, knowing that in its very resistance lies the energy needed to break through obstacles and old patterns that keep our energy stuck and our perspective limited. During this time we may find ourselves both desperate for change and fearing it, creating ambivalence and pent up energy that will disrupt our everyday experience until we can address what’s really going on. The rebirth that lies at the heart of Scorpio is not secured with a small gesture of faith but a huge demonstration of our endurance and resolve to burn through those things that bind us. Mars is happy to fuel that burning and fan the flames, even when we’d rather he just lay off and stop pointing to those truths we’ve worked so hard to bury!



But truth will out this month, not least with Mercury travelling retrograde between the 5th and 25th, mostly in Capricorn but with a few days in Aquarius. This particular Mercury retrograde is especially powerful and full of surprises. If we’re trying, deliberately or inadvertently, to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes (including our own) this combination will scupper our efforts! Mercury retrograde in Capricorn exposes the cold hard facts whether we like it or not, but in doing so reveals alongside the freedom that comes with simply saying it like it is and being prepared to live with the consequences.


This is good practice for the rest of the year, when truths may be searing and yet profoundly necessary to recalibrate our relationship with each other, the world at large and our beautiful planetary home. If we want truths wrapped up in sparkly paper with a bow on top this year may disappoint. If we simply want it spelled out to us, plain as day and undeniable, we’re in for a fruitful ride!


The New Moon in Capricorn on 10th January, squared by Uranus in Aries, reminds us that the blazing fire of the divine within is not the same as the heat emitted by ego which believes itself to be the source of all power. It’s about to become increasingly difficult to force anything by sheer will alone, and efforts may come to nought if we fail to align them with the greater current of conscious evolution that requires devotion to a process beyond our understanding. This New Moon reminds us that whatever we think awakening is about, it isn’t. If we can think it we’re already wrong! Concepts don’t come close and nor do these words. We simply have to become it and see what happens, moment by moment, awake to the pulse of creation that shapes our days.


The general sense that we can’t quite get into our stride may catch us off guard if we’re too focused on what we believe should be happening this month, versus what’s actually going on! An alignment involving Jupiter, Eris and the Sun which spans the sky between 11th and 16th January turns the spotlight on how well our relationship with the material world reflects our inner wisdom. There’s little point seeking truth if we’re not prepared to live it and wisdom left to shrivel in the corner does more than limit our effectiveness. It diminishes our very being as we cast aside the divine nourishment that feeds our awareness. We can’t cherry-pick truth for those tasty morsels that make us feel good. We must consume it all and digest it well, allowing it to nourish us and fuel further insight and deeper freedom.


some encouragement. It’s okay if we’re starting to see through new eyes what once seemed obvious, causing us to question who and what we are. This Moon reminds us that only by testing out perspectives and living our way into our dreams can we discover their truth or otherwise. We cannot assess it all beforehand and decide prior to the start which paths are worthy of effort and which will lead us astray. We have to embrace life from the inside to find all that stuff out, revealed in our encounter with the present moment and born of past decisions and current realities. This Moon offers the confidence to step onto the path no matter how uncertain we feel, for only in doing so will we ever discover the next step and then the next, each choreographed from within and without as we pay attention to the truths which arise along the way.


Mercury stations direct the day after the Full Moon, heralding a gradual change of pace and the opportunity of forward motion. If we’ve lived this Mercury retrograde well we’ll be prepared, at this point, to begin stepping out and making waves, taking a stand and committing to the long haul however it may look. Whether we hope this will be a year of personal changes or public achievements, spiritual awakening, financial riches or the whole caboodle, the final week of January invites us to begin, after three weeks of tying up loose ends and unfinished business that may otherwise have made new beginnings unlikely.


As January comes to an end energy runs high and inspiration with it, although we’d be wise to keep our feet on the ground! A sequence of small alignments to end the month remind us that energy is information and our task is to interpret the clues and follow the trail. If something’s not working energy is either blocked or too diffuse. Discerning the difference is an important skill to develop this year so we might as well start now! The first clue is found in our attitude: are we gritting our teeth and forcing progress no matter what or letting go too readily and ‘trusting the universe’ to do what is, in fact, our job! Finding the balance between surrender and effort, dedication and flexibility, will pay dividends now as we more greatly appreciate the internal nuances which shape our experience and thereby fashion the future from how we live our every day.


Sarah Varcas

Tagged as: Mars, managing the mind, Conscious Evolution, Moon cycles, Eclipse Season, managing change, Coping with emotions, Spiritual development, Conscious Relationships, Uranus in Aries, Personal healing, healing energies, Mercury Retrograde, Deep Truth, personal truth, planetary healing, embracing the shadow, authenticity, facing fear, divine timing, Mars in Scorpio, Mercury in Capricorn