Sun in Aquarius

 Sunrise, February 17, 2009

(photo credit: Harald Hoyer)

Aquarius is a worldly, public, collective, ‘Big Picture’ sign. Its successes come from embodying something which everyone appreciates (or can relate to), at least on a mental or theoretical level. So in order to accomplish our goals and get what we want out of life over the next four weeks we need to own, understand and utilize our individual potential(s) in such a way as to focus our individuality.

If we focus what we’re doing and how we’re doing it correctly, others will react as we are hoping they will – which means that at some level mistakes and failure are particularly informative now, as generally errors under Aquarius tend to be (or become) rather obvious.

And yet, they don’t all get fixed – the reason for which is because Aquarius is a fixed sign, the first sign of which is to move slowly or deliberately. We may know there’s a ‘jump’ or change to be made, but…

Some of us just don’t want to change. Some of us haven’t put enough work in yet to know what to change or how to change it. Then there are those among us who won’t be able to take critique or responsibility now. Aquarius embraces both extremes, with precision, strict attention and focus (even over-focus) at one end and the irrational and irresponsible at the other.

With this ingress happening under a Venus retrograde which falls in the sign before Aquarius, some will feel very sensitive about their reputation or how others regard them at least until Venus goes direct on January 31st. Some will pull back. Others will cut back on efforts because they aren’t getting the response they want. Or because they think narrowing their focus will increase success – or even their chance of success.

Like all fixed signs, Aquarius symbolizes needs, desires and whatever processes lead to our ‘securing’ or receiving something important. Function and functionality is important – as is the ability to get things done in a timely manner.

Aquarius draws events out – or dismisses them in an instant. The thought may linger even if the person or opportunity doesn’t.

On the other hand, this is also a sign which teaches us to reach. And reach out.

Hebe Asleep (1869)

by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse

Those of us who think life is simply going to deliver what we want on command tend to have a very hard time with Aquarius. With the first part of Sun in Aquarius under Venus retrograde (from ingress to January 31st) our ability to value ourselves in this world with or without demonstrated approval- support is in for some testing.

Then things will begin to change. Mercury’s moving from Aquarius into Pisces as Venus is on station (January 29 - February 2) signals rising emotions, changes of heart and emotional turnarounds. With this happening as the Sun moves into Aquarius’ second ten degrees (10-19 Aquarius) surprises and shocks – even unforeseen emotional outbursts and trying situations may be in the making.

What is being signaled here is fervency, not empathy, so don’t think soft, think strident. Think rebellion. Think ‘determination to win.’ On all levels and whether for good or ill, these first few days of February support that which is meant to connect the genesis of something and its outcome, with an emphasis on our willingness and ability to think (and for some, act) not only in our own regard – not only for our own pleasure or purpose.

Under Sun in Aquarius, we want things to work. Most of us will see some purpose which serves our good and the greater good as well – or that’s what we think. This is a global sign all about systems, whether we’re talking about a water system, a social networking system, our systems of international travel, commerce, communication or economics or simply our ‘system’ for running our life. During Sun in Aquarian we are more aware of others and who they are…and thus we’re likely to learn a few things about ourselves.

Both the differences and similarities count now. We are drawn to those we feel comfortable and ‘similar’ to, but we may stand to learn more from those who are different. Sharing experiences can be alienating. Then again, they can be educational – or even stunning as we learn that someone we thought very much like us is a stranger…and how someone or something we thought alien is not so odd at all.

That everything we think of as accomplishment or success (personal or professional) depends on our willingness and ability to interface our individual world with the greater world around us (on whatever scale) comes into play here as Aquarius is famous for everything from frivolous gatherings to job interviews. Anything which connects – whether that’s a connecting of people or machinery or money or anything else – all those things are Aquarian. But with Mercury going retrograde on the 6th, particularly after Mercury retrogrades back out of Pisces into Aquarius we can expect all sorts of interruptions, delays, misunderstandings and troublesome moments – especially when it comes to anything electronic or digital.

 
With the Sun at the apex of a fixed sign Sun-Hebe-Altair t-square coming into Aquarius our conflicts are composed of whatever it is which prevents us from being able to live, explore and profit from our abilities. The trick, however, is fairly simple here: you can’t just think about yourself. Whether the issue is what you’ll get from anything or what you’re willing to give, understanding where others are coming from is essential. Memory and memories can function against us if we don’t let others in…and yet we will have no peace if we try to go it alone.

The object here is ease of relationship – with ourselves as much as with others…and with others as much as ourselves. But with Amor in the description of the goal and Kalypso at 4 Taurus (a degree which tends to be anti-marriage and possibly overly masculine) this is definitely not about physical intimacy and probably not even about an ongoing intimate relationship.

But there is some sort of ability or rhythm being described. Often associated with artists, musicians or any sort of person or act which acts to ‘harmonize’ or ‘blend’ separate streams of input or possibility, Mirach conjunct Amor at 0 Taurus seeks to establish something new – something which will stand out.

You know, for it’s Aquarian uniqueness.

Our uniqueness, that is.
.
.
.

Lachesis, Kalypso, Eurydike: The Measure, the Motivation, the Cost

Orpheus and Eurydike

by Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein (1806) 

The tale of Orpheus and Eurydike is as old as love itself. Boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy gets in trouble, girl volunteers to give her all for him…

(No, not that! We’re talking about her life - these were more innocent if dastardly times!)

….and he doesn’t quite manage to save her.

(Yeah, well…)

Anywho, so if you’re in Eurydike mode, you’d better be sure that the guy you’re sacrificing everything for is darn well worth it…and that you’re really and truly-o prepared to pay the ultimate price for that undying love of yours which is going to cause you to die.

Taking this out of the strictly romantic mode and sending it through the metaphysical looking-glass, Eurydike the asteroid stands for a sacrifice we make or a cost we pay…and how we had best be aware of said cost and the reality of our sacrifice when we sign on the proverbial dotted line.

And why is this important? This would be important because March 13th would be a date when Eurydike is playing celestial footsie with Scheat, the fixed star which stands for rejection of one’s ideas.

That would be REJECTION, full stop, full scale, full in your face. Rejection. 

And no, it doesn’t even matter if you’re right. Galileo had Jupiter (knowledge) conjunct Scheat and look what happened to him! He DARED say that the Earth orbits around the Sun (not the Sun around the Earth) and for this utter heresy ended up living his life out scorned by his society and under well-guarded house arrest.

So Eurydike/Scheat? That sounds like a really truly bad time of the ‘you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t’ sort of kind.

And if that’s not enough to get your muser musing, let’s remember that this takes place in the latest of late degrees of Pisces. That means whatever happens now is not anything you control and that beyond the actuality of the moment or event, there are your feelings about it all to be contended with!

Not to ring any ill-sounding doorbells on unwanted reminders or anything, but this would also be the date when at 1:02 in the afternoon (UT/+0) Kalypso goes retrograde at 21 Scorpio – as if we needed any other indications that emotional situations might be half-past funky?

Scorpio being representative of emotions which arise out of interactive situations or choices already made, this too happens at a 3rd decanate degree…meaning the thing you wanted to control which is out of your control is causing you to feel really ugly about not being in control – which in this case means someone else will seem to be getting their way without your getting sufficient warm fuzzies to make you feel even vaguely good about it.

It all sounds like enough to make anyone feel less than tip top, right?

And yet…this doesn’t have to be all bad. Okay…since Lachesis (duration) is also at the moment toodling through Aquarius and conjunct Kassandra (disbelief) it may feel like nothing will ever, ever be good ever, ever again!

.

 'Les Parques' (the Greek Fates): Klotho (beginnings),

Lachesis (duration) and Atropos (endings)

painting by Alfred Agache (c. 1885)

 

On the other hand, you could just come to this moment with your newly minted Aries Uranian energy in your back pocket (or wherever you keep such things) and be totally willing to do what it takes (Eurydike) and take however long it takes (Lachesis) to do that thing nobody thought you would ever really actually do (Kalypso) and no matter what they said (Kassandra) prove them ALL wrong and win out at that thing you really totally know in your heart is not just possible, but entirely the right thing for you, yourself and you to get done in your life (Uranus in Aries)!

Yet with all this said, it’s still all about how you deal with the moment. Eurydike is not only conjunct Scheat but also Black Moon Lilith. So if you're on the rejected end of the stick ask yourself - what about society (or 'my group') are you failing to take into account (otherwise known as 'in denial of')?

Okay...so Nemesis is in opposition here, so if you're trying to call someone out on what they're trying to ignore, it's natural they would reject your notion. And yes, this would be a time when if someone comes and admits to you that yes, yes, yes...you were actually right... you're going to find it harder than hard to resist a big fat I TOLD YOU SO!

(insert: sound of voice echoing through the hallway of the ages...)

And not only is Lachesis hanging out with Kassandra at the moment (it's actually not a bad pairing but I don't expect anyone to believe me on that!) but this little ol' meeting of Greek Fate (Lachesis) and Greek prophetess (Kassandra, aka Cassandra) is happening in the presence of Pallas - the front end of Pallas Athena, aka un-impassioned, totally collected Wisdom.

With Neptune at 29 Aquarius, how many of us do you think are going to be totally out of the passion market and totally collected at the moment?

(I don't think so...!)

So sometimes what we should do is really, really hard to do. Then again, sometimes knowing what we should do (rather Pallas, that 'knowing' thing)...sometimes just bearing something in mind and doing what we can to hold to the straight and narrow is all it takes.

Okay, so maybe perfection this is not. But effort counts! Even the legal system considers one's intent!

And then there's Kalypso. Oh, what a story is that! She loves and loves and then has to give up Odysseus because he loves his wife and kids at home.

 Calypso (aka Kalypso) - a detail from an 18th century painting

At the moment of this moment Kalypso is sitting in complete and utter opposition to Sedna. And Sedna is conjunct Industria (industriousness) and Sabine (held captive as a slave).

Hmmm...sounds like work (or responsibilities) may be holding some of us captive. For others, they'll play the Sedna card as being spoiled, wanting what they want because they want it...and never mind what the standards of others are!

Yes, well...some of us are good at balancing our needs with those of others. Some of us...? Not so much!

This all seems to come down to a series of questions. Will you be distracted and defeated? Will you get to doing what you need to because should? Will you humor yourself because nothing matters except your own desires?

Will you hold yourself to doing those things which contribute to who you have always known and felt you should be?

Are you prepared to make sacrifices - or do you think you can get away with something, anything, everything?

(Note: this blog will not self-destruct

in 30 seconds. Not even 60 seconds.

Maybe not even 60 years...!)

Asteroid Factors: Enter the Yang

In the next four days...

....six different asteroids will change signs and in doing so, change spatial (and space) relationships in our lives and with regards to our lives.

What exactly does this mean?

There are a couple of things to understand before we really get to the nitty-gritty of sorting that out. The first is how small asteroids really are. Thanks to media, science and science fiction, we often think of them as 'menaces from outer space.' Or just space gravel!

Truth is, most asteroids are neither menaces, nor gravel. What they are, and where most of them are - that's what I'm getting at here. So let's start with size.

Thanks to the ever-helpful folks at NASA-JPL, it's easy enough to get a pretty good feeling for how large the planets are against the image of the Sun, as we see here...

---

Planets by size – NASA/JPL

---

And before we go any father, just to make sure you know which of the planets is home sweet home planet Earth, I direct you to the two larger planets in the middle of the above lineup. Those are Jupiter (left) and Saturn (right) - all the planets here being in order of orbit as you move away from the Sun.

So you have the 'biggies': Jupiter and Saturn in the middle of the line. To the left of Jupiter is Mars. And just to the left of Mars is a little blue planet which – (yes…!) – is Earth.

It’s a really BIG cosmos and Earth is actually a really small planet. Kind of sobering, isn’t it?

Anyway…on to illustration #2 - a picture of the main asteroid belt's top ten largest asteroids, pictured against the size of our dear, sweet planet Earth.

---

 

The ten largest main belt asteroids as pictured against

the Earth, using Earth used for size comparison

---

Yes, asteroids are small. Even planets – when compared to the Sun - aren’t all that big. And our Sun (if you really want to get into it) is a pretty medium sized star.

Makes you think, doesn' it?

But meanwhile...back to asteroids? Asteroids are - most of them - pretty darn small, at least in the greater scope of Things Celestial.

This is why when we talk astrological metaphysics, planets refer to major human attributes – the dynamics which shape our lives. Asteroids? They’re aspects trait facets. Or personality factors we meet up with along the way.

What does 'along the way' actually mean? Well, that refers to the fact that most asteroids orbit peacefully in a mass of cosmic rubble between Mars and Jupiter. That's the 'main asteroid belt' mentioned above. 

And the fact that this belt is between Mars and Jupiter is pretty much why metaphysical though about asteroids is what it is. Astrologically, they seem to be all about the ‘facts we face along the way’ through life.

Which makes sense when you think about it. Mars symbolizes the ‘proactive’ dynamic: the urge to do, that sort of determination which gets us to get up and go.

Against this (or maybe apart from this), Jupiter is knowledge. Jupiter is understanding what things mean, knowing not just how to do any given thing, but the fact that we know we can do it!

So the space (literal and metaphorical) between Jupiter and Mars …that section of space so dappled with thousands of asteroids…that asteroid belt and those individual asteroids represent all the things we meet up with along the way between the initiating point (Mars) and the understanding (Jupiter) – whether that’s a thought process or the real-deal doing of things.

Which may give us yet another metaphorical reason why Jupiter is SUCH a big planet. It’s a big deal to know you can do something. Jupiter rules knowledge and belief (as ruler of Pisces).

---

Jupiter, as seen by Voyager

photo credit: NASA/JPL

---

Together, these are the empowering factors which allow us to try…and in doing so move past Jupiter to Saturn, the symbol of achievement through effort. Then of course, we take our comprehension and burn our way through the rest of the work to the achievement of our aim, goal or task – the Saturn of it all.

OKAY! So now we know why it might matter that all these asteroids are changing signs. It’s a signal that the quality of what we are going to meet up with – in the world and in our own minds – is changing.

Collectively, here’s the list of shifts taking place: Eos is moving into Aries (December 8), Echo is entering Sagittarius (December 9), Hebe and Dionysus are entering Aries (December 10) and come December 11th, Kalypso will enter Scorpio and Nemesis will enter Libra.

For those of you who know astrology, this may ring a yin/yang bell.

Remember yin and yang? Often thought of as ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ (and thus easily mistaken as ‘male’ and ‘female’) what yin and yang  really represents is the difference between ‘pro-active’ and ‘receptive-reactive’ modes of being. That people have come to call them masculine and feminine (and thus think in terms of male and female)…that’s just modern culture’s habit of abbreviating everything.

The truth is we all embody both sides of this natural duality. We are all in some moments pro-active and in others, receptive or reactive. And where the asteroids tend to be…that tends to tell us a general mode of attitude. Yes, it is somewhat modified by whether these objects are in yin or yang signs of your personal natal chart. Yet in spite of that, the overall effect still stands.

So here’s the zodiac (shown as a ‘natural’ wheel with Aries on the 1st house rotating counter-clockwise around to Pisces on the 12th)…here’s the zodiac with the signs labeled as yin and yang.

---

---

Now…if you look back at that list, you’ll get my point: of the six asteroids changing signs just in the next few days, five are moving into proactive (yang) signs.

That tends to say that in the next few days we will feel like we need to get ‘into action'. Or that life will be ‘requiring’ that we ‘do’ something. Or we may hear frustration and/or activity levels rising around us – locally, personally, nationally or internationally.

Some of this is just Eos instinct. We talked about Eos just recently, so you may want to go back and read that blog if you missed it. But suffice it to say, Eos is our instinct to stay ahead of things so as to learn better or to not get ‘burned’...and the general/overall awareness of all our instincts, good and bad, valid and invalid.

LINK to article on Eos.

Echo is entering Sagittarius, the Jupiterian land of knowing how, knowing that you know how and understanding the meaning and consequences of things. Echo seems pretty obvious as a symbol: monkey see, monkey do, no? But it isn’t quite that simple. The real story of Echo is about a servant in the house of honcho Olympian Zeus (aka Jupiter) and his strong-minded wife, Hera.

Very much like his Jupiter-in-Sagittarius namesake, Zeus is always out seeing what (and who) he can stir up a little…fertility with. Zeus/Jupiter is always into pushing his limits.

Hera? Not so much. Hera is the protector of house, home, family and ‘the rules’ and she’s not subtle about insisting that things be done the right way (which is to say, the way SHE wants them done).

So Echo is servant to both Hera and Jupiter. And Jupiter gives Echo an order: ‘just tell the wife such-and-such…’ when she asks where he is and Zeus is out philandering.

Echo does as ordered. And when Hera finds out what Jupiter is really up to, she not only has a word (or three) with Zeus, she punishes Echo big time.

---

Echo by Alexander Cabanel (1887)

---

The moral of this story is about knowing the difference between truth and lack of same. It’s about personal integrity versus cooperation. And with Echo moving into Sagittarius, this may signal a lot of lying going on…or a lot of finding out being found out, complete with retribution. Probably both.

Bottom line, this is a signal of stress and strain and a tendency to accuse others not of not understanding and ‘feeling for you’ (which would have typified recent times) but actual living up to our word and such.

Staying with this House of Olympian service theme, we next come to Hebe. Known for bringing cups of immortal ambrosia to the great and mighty of Olympus (evidently being a Greek god is thirsty work) she was also known for drawing baths and for embodying the premise of youth – hence the ‘draught of eternal vigor’ (ambrosia) being hers to pour for others.

That eventually Hebe decides to marry Heracles (Hercules) and get out of the ambrosia serving biz (leaving that to Ganymede) tells us that we are in service for a time in order to learn what service is – but then we move on to other things. So while youth (and the innocence or naiveté which goes with youth) may be eternal, it is not eternally ours.

Dionysus being about ‘sacred celebrations,’ the combination here – both moving into the ‘I Am’ (or who am I?) sign of Aries is a whole ‘grounding’ mechanism. What is the reality of our life?

That this particular shift happens as Mercury goes into three weeks of retrograde tells us that we are in for a little (3 week) think/reconsidering period about who we are and what we really want to do – or need to do in, and with our lives. We obviously have responsibilities to others. But what do we have to give if we don’t know who we are? Or if we haven’t lived up to our personal need to be the person we want or need to be?

It’s sort of an odd restatement of Echo: who are we? Are we made to simply take instructions or do we need to be someone reflective of the person we are inside?

Expect to hear and feel a lot of these questions floating around.

The last pairing is Kalypso and Nemesis…which is cause for a little pause. Why? Because Kalypso is the premise which teaches that loving someone is about them. If we love thinking its about what we get from them that isn’t about them, that’s about us!

And sometimes that means we have to let go. Or turn away. Or simply walk away. Loving someone else does not imply we have to simply serve their needs (Hebe) in any way which will do harm to us or our (Echo) integrity. And this we know – at least at an (Eos) instinctive level.

---

Nemesis by Alfred Rethel (1837)

---

Of the six symbols changing signs in these next few days, Kalypso is the only one which is moving into a ‘yin’ receptive/reactive sign. That sign is Scorpio, the sign Venus’ recent retrograde worked over so thoroughly and stickily. Hopefully we all learned something more about the Scorpio premise during that time – that no matter what we want, when we choose either (only) my way or (only) your way or what I think you should do (or want or need)…things don’t work. Like it or not (which for most of us is ‘not’!) the only Scorpio answers which really work are when EVERYBODY gets at least some part of what they need. Not want, need.

Yes, yes…Scorpio’s water sign element is all about the feeling. But given that it’s an interactive (3rd quadrant) sign which is followed by Sagittarius – a sign all about functionality – the want has to work in the larger venue. So when we want something which is only about our ‘want’ we’re still in a lurch.

Scorpio is thus all about everybody getting what they need to move forward to that goal that they desire. 

Got it?

Okay…so with Kalypso here, we can all expect a little bit of the ‘bleeding heart’ syndrome and a lot of push-pull about what need-versus-want really is.

Against this we have Nemesis, a curiously misunderstood symbol. People seem to think Nemesis is the ‘bad guy’ who rises up before us to foil our fun and frolic.

Uh, no. Nemesis is that notice (whether from a person or rule or that wee small voice in your own head) which warns you about the possible consequences of running afoul of the rules. Or morality. Or your budget.

Or…or…or….

In entering Libra, Nemesis is going to surface as warnings to us about what we’re doing. Or how we’re acting. Or who it is we’re dealing with. Or what we really need to do in order to get the reaction we’re hoping to get. That’s the ‘I-to-thou’ side of Libra.

Of course, there is that other side of Libra: who we are to others. In every Libra situation there is the tendency to project. Or to not own our own issues and thus (yes) attract that person apparently intent on raining on our parade with dire warnings.

How to know what’s true?

Well, that would seem to be the cumulative question of this moment and as we move into these next few weeks of Mercury retrograde and a Lunar Eclipse, all of which leads us into the January 2011 Solar Eclipse.

---

A partial lunar eclipse

photo credit: NASA/JPL (2000)

---

What we want life to be and what life really is…that would seem to be the question. What we want to do and what’s easy to do versus what we need to do in order to be the person and have the life we really want to have…that’s another question.

Those who make the effort and ‘use’ the energy productively – theoretically that prevents more of it coming back to haunt you.

And that’s where how human we really are shows up, yes. How we deal with so much of ourselves really on the line with ourselves…that’s the question of the moment.

Mercury in Libra: The Extent of our Grasp

 The constellation Libra (source: AlltheSky.com)

Among the many things that Libra represents is that place where our efforts end and other people begin to judge, react and respond, whether that be positively or negatively.

In that - and very much in keeping with the image of Libra as the sign of the scales - is the idea that what 'they' think is as important as what we think. And - conversely - that what we think is as important as what/how they think, yes...absolutely. No matter what culture we are born into or live by, astrology defines a theoretical equality in matters of exchange and conversation, making all interactions (no matter their nature) something of a negotiation. Or barter.

Bartering for sheep in China

(source: AMorgan/Flicker)

As of October 3rd, it's Mercury which is moving into Libra, bringing all that Mercurial contemplation and 'variations on the possible theme' into the realm of conversation, contemplation and - because Libra is a public sign - worldly initiation.

Of course there is a plus and minus here...while Mercury is in one of the zodiac's first six 'private/personal' signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo or Virgo) there's this quietly 'closed' sort of quality to our thoughts. What we think never has to leave our mouth. It can, but there's a whole lotta thinking going on which never goes beyond our internal cycle of thinking about things and learning more about what we think.

But once Mercury enters Libra, it is in for a goodly period of public and worldly doings. That means we learn more and better through interactions. That means we learn how to interact more effectively - and that what we really need to learn is going to be found through at least listening to (if not reading or talking with) people or sources beyond our own skin.  

Entering Libra with Kalypso and TNO Typhon behind in Virgo - and Atropos just ahead at 5 Libra.

Kalypso (Calypso) as a detail from an 18th century painting

AND with Mercury in opposition to Byblis and Eos in Aries....

PLUS Scheat, Uranus, Jupiter and Hebe in opposition but in feeling-my-feelings Pisces rather than knowing-myself Aries

Given all this, maybe the first thing to remember when diagnosing this crowd of influential signposts is that any celestial body entering Libra is going to meet up with M87, the famous super-massive Black Hole which sits just inside the boundary of Libran influences.

Since Black Holes always indicate 'alternative realities,' this tells us right away that part of the very act of shifting from the 'personal' to the 'public' is because  our situational encounter with 'others; provides us with some 'alternative' to our own thinking. Or that we need to think in terms of the 'I/thou' dynamic during whatever period specific planets (and therefore aspects of our lives) are indicated to be in a 'public sign' mode - as signaled by their being in any of the zodiac's 'worldly' signs (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius or Pisces).

Mercury is a symbol mentality and thought. Or lack thereof. Or the actions/activities involved in following through on a thought or idea. In the Mercurial sign of Gemini we choose, plan, prioritize, correlate, organize and think things through. In Mercury-ruled Virgo we improve, recognize ramifications and consequences, consider functionality and implementation and in general, concentrate on function and functionality.

Mercury as photographed by the Mariner spacecraft (source: NASA)

In Libra, Mercury meets up with where 'my' thought ends and your thought begins. Thus Libra in Mercury fosters conversations, negotiations, arguments and debates, agreements, gossiping and the general sorting out of the mental level of relating. Libra in Mercury is not necessarily lovey-dovey though it can be very poetic (poetry being the expression of the romantic thought).

Under Mercury in Libra, we work things out, we establish a basis for understanding and/or communicating, we get our point across and we tell others what we think.

Meanwhile, they're telling us what they think, speaking their mind and expressing whatever their priorities are.

With Mercury entering Libra in opposition to 'old-school'  Byblis and over-focused Eos, we can bet there's going to be a lot of standing one's ground - at least to begin with. Another way to see this would concern the 'status quo' (whatever that may be on any given subject) and whether that is defended or considered totally trash-worthy. We could also bet on a bit of name-calling (rock throwing, mud slinging...that stuff) on every side. Alas... but humans will be human.

This is not made any less potent by Uranus/Scheat - a call to change things and a cry by forces exterior to any problem, declaration or situation about how 'very wrong it is.' To quote a wonderful (not to mention useful) song from the old Marx Brothers movie Horse Feathers:

Whatever you're for, I'm against it

If you've commenced it, I'm against it...

 Movie poster for Paramount Pictures'

"Horse Feathers" starring the Marx Brothers

 

Yes, there's a lot of that going around - in general, I mean. And what with Uranus/Scheat (plus Jupiter/Hebe) having been playing around at the end of Pisces and beginning of Aries all year, everybody's been up in arms about changes other people need to make (Uranus) and that it's criminal (or at least a cryin' shame) (Scheat) that anyone should go around being so dim as to not get what 'right' really is.

 

With this has come a liberal helping of Jupiter/Hebe - the 'I'm the good guy - I want to do right! I'm trying to help everyone! But does anyone listen to me? Noooo...and they're going to be sorry they didn't!' sort of stuff.

 

Life has been full of this, morning, noon and night. We get it at home, at work, from the family, from our government...our government (whichever one is yours) is getting this from other governments....

...It's been a very long year. Amazing how long one solar cycle can get to be, y'know? The universe delves out these cycles in regulation sizes which hardly vary but a breath of an ootch of a nonce and some feel like they go by in no time...some seem to last for(dreary)ever!

The up side here is that with Mercury having moved from Virgo (where all the discussion was on 'workability' and enough functional details to put Rip Van Winkle to sleep) into Libra, where negotiations are far more the rule of the day.

Actor Joseph Jefferson playing Rip van Winkle

- photograph by Napoleon Sarony (1869)

Oh - and manners. Libra tends to be a mannerly sign, so there's less mud slinging likely. Virgo is known for cleanliness yes - but the Virgo dynamic also often wallows in the muck which then has to get cleaned up! 

This positive/negative of signs as they are (Virgo as clean and dirty or Libra as arguments and peacemaking) is totally typical. And totally to be accepted. People who think a glass is to be filled and never emptied will soon find themselves out of room to pour!

With Kalypso and TNO Typhon just behind Mercury in Virgo here we have arguments about who loves who and who's fault what is now behind us. Well, hopefully. There is some chance you will still feel like you're being chased by questions of being at fault and whether you care about things which (after all) should be common sense and things everyone holds dear, important, as correct...and all the rest of such.

You may agree or not - that's not the point. What is the point now is how any discussion now goes on. We have left the earthy world of Virgo for the more abstract and theoretical Land of Libra. So while feelings are still important, they are to be discussed, not acted out!

 

And that's worth noting - as is the presence of Atropos in this configuration. Standing at 5 Libra as Mercury enter the public arena, Atropos stands for an 'end' point. And given 5 Libra is a balance between understanding and lack of comprehension, this argues (yes, I used that word!) for a need to identify what is fact against what is assumption - what is rumor against what is actual.

Astrological metaphysics work in the short, medium and long run. So this 'image' of Mercury entering Libra is strong as the planet enters Libra and tapers off from there, with the caveat that Atropos is telling us that at five days, five weeks and/or five months there will be a resurgence of either the situation or the dynamic of the moment. Hopefully we will learn how to deal once and employ such solutions with ever increasing deftness, but one never knows.

Like I say, humans are so human.

 

 

Earth, today's only human home, 

as photographed from the Moon (source: NASA)

That Mercury is making this entrance into Libra only a few days shy of Venus' station/retrograde, with Atropos in this picture also suggests some decisions, statements or recognitions that certain things 'have to end.'

The realization is now. The tangle with the doing and all which goes with that? That's the Venus station-and-retrograde part, which obviously we will get to in just a few days.

In the meantime, enjoy your Mercury in Libra moment. Maybe it's time to patch things up with someone? Maybe it's time to have a meaningful conversation which gives you insight on where you want to go next? Maybe it's just a fine time to have some fun with friends.

Whatever it is, the awareness of what you're doing is yours, as is your awareness that what you choose do defines what you're not doing - and what therefore remains to be done.

It's always a toss up...that darn cake we so want to have and eat too? It's not in the kitchen - it's in our head, and the truth is, we can't be everywhere at once and can't be everything to everyone. There is much we can grab in life, and many things we can hold on to. Some are worth it, some are not. Some we should let go and at some point, we need to recognize there are things we may admire, but which exceed our grasp either mentally, or for lack of interest or time.

Which all comes back to being happy with who we are and choosing to go on from there!

 'So Happy Smiling Cat' by Yumi Kimura of Yokahama

Japan (Nov 29, 2009) as posted to Flicker

   ,