Eris Direct

Lightning strikes as Indonesia's Galunggung volcano erupts.

(photo credit: R Hadian - U.S.G.S., December 1982)

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So things aren’t quite settled ... which we know because there’s a lot of Uranian energy loosening the nuts and bolts (or our hold on) certain things we had finally really learned how to count on.

Which is all so Uranus-square-Pluto.

And with Uranus being currently in Aries, there is that oddity that just when we go to blame things on someone else we see or recognize something we hadn’t counted on.

Then there’s our relationship(s) with others - others known and amorphously unknown. A lot of things we hadn’t counted on are becoming important. We thought we could lean on certain things but now those choices need reconsidering.

Things are clearly in a sort of nebulous muddle. But it’s not anything we can simply walk away from or ignore. With Uranus conjunct the South Node and the Libra(north) and Aries(south) moving into 13 Libra-Aries with Pluto at 13 Capricorn forms a perfect transiting t-square: the transformation of our understanding of why something is important and how unless we get past thinking it’s just about us or “our identify” with or in the situation, we aren’t likely to get anywhere.

Or at least not where we really want to go.

With the North Node (the relationship to the thing or person/people we should have) at 13 Libra and Pluto at 13 Capricorn the primary challenge is to our sense of those we associate with. Do we know them? Are they changing? Are we changing? Do we need to change considering some (Eurydike) cost - and if so, what is the cost of changing? Are our chosen goals or aims still attainable - or would they be too costly?

Moreover, because the nodal shift (and thus the perfecting of the Pluto t-square) occurs on January 8th, that means that whatever all of this means to you (which - count on it - isn’t what it means to the person standing next to you) ... that date of January 8th highlights a metaphysical “dotted line” between the Plutonic/Nodal ‘transformation of relationship to...’ (something) and the idea that dwarf planet Eris is going direct on January 10th.

The Eris glyph

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The time of said event: 27 minutes after midnight, UT/+0 time.

The degree of said event: 22 Aries, a degree which though spoken of as an indication of a lot of potential which though unpredictable and sometimes problematic (even deadly), is nonetheless a precious example of our endless ability as human beings to face life and to be spurred by life to various acts of amazing ... and at some level mysterious ... creativity.

Ciphered through discordant Eris, this is good cause to wonder. Eris is nothing we control - it comes and becomes without our doing anything ... and at some level, because we haven't or won't do something as we know we should.

-link to post-

Eris Discordant:

Mastering Our Own Weakest Moments

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Eris often manifests with something of a shock, a jolt, a stunning confrontation - most of all with our Self. With an orbit which takes just under 600 years, Eris effects mark eras of development in crisis. Having been in Aries since the latter part of April 1923, the best part of everyone alive in today was born under this influence with Eris indicating (among other things) how we will react to life's unpredicted shocks and insights.

With Eris in Aries, we'll take it personally. Or take it to be 'about' us - or due to who we are, which in the case of an object which can be used effectively as a means to stand up or against some universal wrong (especially if or where we are not a member of the 'wronged' group) can be a very good thing.

But when not harnessed productively, Eris in action can be problematic. A great hassle which whether it is or not can feel like some sort of fate-ordained personal harassment (that would be the 'personally' part). Wherever we find Eris in the chart, there will be drama.

What we do with that drama is the question. So ... with Eris going direct now in Aries, will its station-direct period bring some need to be creative, the ability to be creative or some inspiration as to how to ‘create’ the thrust or sufficient motivational energy to propel or carry something to its fulfillment?

Also - just to finish the thought: the reason we would astrologically connect the Eris event to the Pluto t-square is because we give all stations a two-day before, two-day after ‘station allowance.’ During this time, events which occur tend to have lasting effects which go beyond the date of the station with events happening prior to the actual station generally pertaining to things which have yet to happen and things happening just after the moment of station referring to issues (or lessons) which are finally at their end.

Eris Direct at 22 Aries (glyph chart)

January 10, 2015 - 00:27 a.m. (UT/+0) - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

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Eris Direct at 22 Aries (text chart)

January 10, 2015 - 00:27 a.m. (UT/+0) - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

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But what do we know about Eris?

We do know Eris’ station is in a receptive-responsive degree (all even number degrees have a hint of said quality). We also know that as Eris is on station, it’s in trine to a Jupiter which in Leo retrograde is referencing something which without additional effort (that being the ‘trine’ part of this) is being ‘delivered’ to, or received by us. If Jupiter was direct, we’d be doing the doing (so to speak!), but in Leo retrograde whatever is happening is (Eris) starting or startling us into an understanding which given Jupiter’s square to Sedna (at 23 Taurus) refers to something we want and believe we should have (or be able to/allowed to have) which is probably beyond ‘having’ at the moment.

All and all, this would seem to be a time which refers to corrections not necessarily about the ultimate course or goal (although it could be) but which certainly refers to some form of personal priority or prioritization which needs reexamination.

 An orbital diagram for Eris as of January 10, 2015

(courtesy of the JPL Small Body Database)

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Plus this isn’t the only thing happening during this time. As Eris enters its ‘station allowance’ on January 8th in anticipation of going direct on the 10th and as Pluto and the Nodes create a dynamic which may break us out of some ‘easy/easy out’ mode we’ve been dallying in/with, Ceres is moving into Capricorn, joining the Plutonic parade in the sense that Ceres is a known astrological commodity, and to have nurturing, protect-the-process/protective-of-the-process Ceres moving into Capricorn is an interesting counter-balance to Pluto.

Let’s remember: Pluto is that hand on the celestial and cosmic clock which indicates transformation - as opposed to Uranus, which indicates change.

Pluto is ... well, to use the geological term, metamorphic. Plutonic changes take time. They feel like being pushed, being pressured, being overwhelmed and being stripped naked - often all at once, and definitely forever and always on an emotional level. However concrete Pluto effects eventually become, the rending of our emotional soul which comes with the process is the thing which really transforms us.

Against this, Uranus is ‘a change.’ When you reach for a light switch and flip it on - or you strike a match and light a candle, you’ve effected change. If you stub your toe there’s a moment before the stub and a moment after.

With Uranus, the moment of shift is virtually instantaneous. It’s a break or a breakthrough - the light which as fast as we perceive it has already banished our previous dark.

In practical terms, Uranus squaring Pluto is a lengthy period which is transformative in the sense that we (and our societies) learn to be more flexible even as our power of, and ability to focus goes into  marathon mode as we endure a long and longer series of unpredicted (and unpredictable) incidents, changes and sudden recognitions. To have to deal with that at the same time that we’re trying to be constructive (which most of us are) is trying at best - and nerve-wracking for many. So it’s lucky that things will begin to simplify (at least) once we get through Uranus’ peak South Node/conjunction effects on January 19th and 20th.

And about that...? The best suggestion there is the standard and Uranian one: remember to flex.

 The Ceres glyph

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Until then, we do at least have an astrological assurance (labeled ‘Ceres’) telling us that we will persevere. Change or no change, the days will tick by, we’ll try, we’ll learn, we’ll recalculate and move on - and to have Ceres in Capricorn as we do this amidst all life’s pressures and bumps refers to an overarching ‘protective measure’ which is acknowledged by - and therefore a potential benefit to all. By nature, Capricorn always speaks to a ‘cooling’ of perspectives, so Ceres from this Friday until April 3, 2015 when Ceres moves from Capricorn into Aquarius, a lot of things which are currently ‘over heated’ will cool off, offering time for lots of constructive consideration and restructuring as necessary.

Of course that does mean we will have to deal with whatever needs cooling - which is slowly be/coming clear ... whether we're comfortable with it, or not.
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Mercury Enters Aquarius at a Cancer Full Moon

Full Moon photo credit: Deepung, Oct 2009

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When Mercury enters Aquarius at 1:09 a.m. on January 5th, Venus  - which got to Aquarius first - is sitting just ahead at 1 Aquarius with asteroid Icarus hinting at something ‘hasty,’ whether that’s some sort of ‘Venus result’ (the Venus ship coming in) which happens faster than expected - or something that you or someone else ‘jumps’ at (in haste) because it looks so good.

Is it ‘so good’? Maybe. That’s not the issue here; Venus-Icarus is where the ‘desired result’ (the Venus quality) meets up with haste. But for all we know that can mean a hasty response to something which happens. Or which has happened. It could be a ‘quick grab’ at something which has already passed you by, as 1 Aquarius has a reputation for positioning us between the ‘reality’ of something at hand and the possibility of something different or better which isn’t assured.

Into all this comes Mercury, which in Aquarius is known to represent great insight, utter resistance to hearing something, mighty hesitations and the issuing of snap judgments - all with equal aplomb. While Mercury transits Aquarius we can expect to hear plenty about how things work ... and how they don’t work - this isn’t the kind of transit where we expect luxurious niceness. Yes, Aquarius is known for incredible displays of various kinds of prowess - among which could be an adopting of formal manners to impress any high(or low)brow in history.

Then again, Aquarius is anarchistic. And for all it’s support of all which is ‘current’ or pertaining to currency - Mercury in Aquarius is often an outspoken time when things shocking and things funny and things ridiculous or ridiculously sublime fall out of various mouths (even the same mouth, now and again) and a time when present and past clash or raise public discussions which thought they sound like debates about values are really about the future and how to move into that future, which assuredly some will now turn their noses up at in resistance.

For a sign all about making progress, Aquarius also manifests a lot of stick-in-the-mud-isms - and a fair amount of debate (read: argument) all about who “knows” what and who is ‘right’ or who has (or ‘should’ have) rights, the right-of-way or some other priority.

Like most Mercury transits, the moment-to-moment qualities of Mercury in Aquarius aren’t likely to be obvious; transits of Mercury tend to refer at some level more to our perception of life’s pace. Yet within that, seeing as this is Aquarius we’re talking about ... and since Aquarius is a sign which has two very different modes (the Saturn version and the Uranian version) Mercury’s rather long transit of Aquarius is going to be something of a celebration of - as well as something of a lesson in things like the need to stabilize and coordinate ... as well as the need to improve functionality. 

And to succeed, all of this must occur on an globally enfolding basis. Or to put it another way, the more global the appeal, the greater the reward (that’s a basic Aquarian rule). 

Plus there is that thing about Aquarian friendship. Aquarius is the hallmark sign of friendship - which in its being the derivative fifth sign from Libra (the sign of relating to others on the basis of ideas) makes rather good sense. 

As for that ‘rather long’ comment, that’s about Mercury’s appointed next round of going retrograde.

The station-retrograde date is January 21st (UT/+0) and the going direct date will be February 11th - and since the entirety of this retrograde will be occurring with Mercury in Aquarius it’s to be expected that a lot of social and societal functions will be affected. For you that may mean something simple, like a series of changing appointments, play dates for the kids or some project which either shows up needing attention, bringing about the ‘over-occupied’ quality so common with Mercury retrograde. Or maybe you’ll have one of those times when you’re waiting for some answer or piece of some puzzle you dearly need before pressing on with some cause. With Mercury being all about thought and communications (or the ‘communicating’ of something from one place to another or one stage to another) and Aquarius having a distinct affinity for both electronics and all things systemic, transactional and globally functional all things good and bad pertaining to computers, power (either as personal power or that in a power grid) and economics or economies will also likely come up for discussion. 

Why? Well, that would be the question - and in the metaphysical sense, the answer as that which Mercury retrograde focuses on, beyond being an issue, challenge, effort or nuanced experience of its own is also a good cause for thought as any number of ‘why’s and alternatives float through our minds. 

And it’s likely there will be plenty to think about. Just the fact that Mercury moves into its ‘big picture’ mode on the same day as a Full Moon rather guarantees life isn’t likely to be dull. Maybe not everything is going swimmingly, but it isn’t dull. Full Moon days are always a time when feelings rise to the fore whether we’re deliciously happy, irritatingly frustrated, irresistibly fervent, romantically wistful or just plain moody ... all of which is a bit more likely this month as the Full Moon will be at 14 Cancer, a degree known for sensitivity, if also a deal of ability and good luck which may get tested now, as this Full Moon and Mercury ingress comes with a side order of grand square (read: moments which may be challenging but ultimately useful - or merely usefully challenging).

For the sake of being exact here, given that Mercury reaches Aquarius some three hours before the Full Moon, the above isn’t exact for Mercury’s ingress - the Moon would have been at 12 Cancer instead of 14, endowing the whole of this January-February Mercury in Aquarius (plus retrograde) with an inward quality not particularly connected to anything else.

It’s an idea ... a lingering notion with the distinct ability to dig up nested dissatisfaction. And though those dissatisfaction are ultimately about us and choices long made into personal habits (and in some cases, life choices), given the Aquarian ability to get us so irritated with ourselves that we act out against others it’s virtually assured there will be some off-the-wall stuff being thrown around. (Particularly verbally or through alternate forms or formats of communication).

The grand square itself is (as is usual when it comes to grand squares) a challenge which either has us bouncing from one thing to another - and yet another - or a situation which pits one set of interests against another. There are some people with native bents which deal with this kind of ‘separation’ naturally; the reporter who digs through a story and interviews people with a simultaneous need to understand someone even while they retain objectivity would be a good example of that sort of personality. But most of us do find ourselves tugged in several directions at once at grand square moments ... and with this one being presented in cardinal signs, there’s a lot of energy which goes into getting things done - or which perhaps would be going into getting something done except for...

Full Moon at 14 Cancer (glyph chart)

January 5, 2015 - 4:51:41 a.m. (GMT/+0) - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

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Full Moon at 14 Cancer (text chart)

January 5, 2015 - 4:51:41 a.m. (GMT+0) - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

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... except for any of a number of things. For one, Vega-Eos cuddled up to the Sun and Pluto with Pluto headed towards an April 17th station atop Vega (Eos having moved on by then) represents the dawning (Eos) of some sort of realization(s) which in time will produce a ‘letting go’ of various projects, efforts, structures and convictions which whether valid or not in their own right are neither in sync with (Moon-Sirius) current needs nor insightful long-term goals.

Then there’s the fact that what we want to do may not be the same thing as what we should do (or how we should act or what we should opt for).

For some, this Full Moon will be but a wrinkle of the moment - a ripple on their personal pond. For others, in particular those not in the ‘habit’ of success or the successful employment/usage of abilities, what to do (or what to do about something) may become a source of conflicts which are as much about frustration and an increasing sense of conviction which rejects whatever has been put forward as noble, respected or respectable as being some sort of fraud.

Or even worse, a deliberate lie. Truth matters under Aquarius as this is the sign under which thought, concept and notion gets raised to the level of solution, and false solutions are by definition, untrue definitions. Despite this, there is a quirkiness associated with Mercury in Aquarius which makes some people think that they can parse the truth or use part of a truth - and a few who will embody Mercury in Aquarius as a righteously domineering conviction that they are ‘all that’ and thus endowed to decide everything.

Under Mercury in Aquarius, such brashness sometimes carries the day. But before you decide to rule your world by decree, it may be worth remembering two things. One: that however we think or feel about things as Mercury reaches Aquarius (and the Full Moon) occurs isn’t going to last all that long. Plus or minus, there is going to be a change. In entering Aquarius, Mercury is joining Venus and Mars ... which is a LOT of Aquarian energy.

But give it a week - things will change yet again as Mars exits Aquarius (for Pisces) on January 12th (UT/+0). Until then, the Aquarian notion of focus is going to be all about us - which is to say, how well or not well integrated we are within our Self (part one), how well we have developed our abilities (part two), how well that works for everyone (part three) - and therefore how lastingly it all works for each of us as individuals.

Under Aquarius, the question often becomes whether to think first of the individual as opposed to thinking first of the collective, the group, the society, the universality of life and all it takes to stay alive. This may not be Mercury’s most graceful entry of all time into a sign as against a Cancer Full Moon any Aquarius influence (not to mention a lot of Aquarian influence) is simultaneously all about responsibility and yet riddled with irresponsibility from stem to stern. If and where humanity’s human qualities win, we’ll care about life. If an where theory and intellectual statistics rule the day, we’ll care about the group, the society, the whatnot to the exclusion of human need.

It’s a little bit like an old philosophical argument about heaven and earth. To spend all of one’s time thinking of heaven is to know little of earthly human life ... and yet to live entirely in and for things of the flesh-bound life is to limit the endlessness of boundless possibility while lies beyond what we know and can touch.

To this Aquarius says we should be 'willing,' as universality can never be possessed, merely accessed - and if we fail to avail ourselves of that, the inevitability of time will certainly come upon us and fold us into its manifest being, whether we are ready to become part of it ... or not. 
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Venus in Aquarius

An ice block on the beach near Jökulsárlón, Iceland

(photo credit: Andreas Tille, February 2003)

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As Venus moves into Aquarius on January 3rd (at 14:49 - 2:49 p.m. - UT/+0) time few will be looking up and shouting ‘whoopee!’ as if some gift had been given.

But in a sense, that could be what’s happening - depending, of course, on what you’ve been doing (or preparing to do) prior to now. Venus is, after all, the symbol not of ‘cause-effect’ as a system but that magical, sometimes longed for and sometimes dreaded moment when cause turns into effect.

Yes, Venus represents the ‘having,’ which we associate with Taurus (one of Venus’ two signs of rulership). But considering that Taurus is not merely the ‘having’ but the ‘using’ or even the ‘consuming’ - Taurus does rule food, restaurants, groceries, chefs and all which goes with that.

But why Taurus rules that is the point: food preserves life. Having food, knowing how to feed ourselves, even the simple act of eating - they’re all intrinsically and biologically linked to a primal feeling of inner security which comes from knowing you’re not going to starve.

So as Venus moves through Aquarius, this question or ‘quest’ for security and to bring things into a position where cause does turn into the effect we want - that becomes a generalized aim. Yes, the Uranus-Pluto square and Saturn squaring Neptune - all those inner recalculations and outer reconciliation processes being thrust upon us by our times and life - all those things continue (see previous post). But within that, the Venus part of our daily life - the search to make things ‘happen’ - that moves from the Capricorn structuring phase about what’s what and what got us where we find ourselves, what needs doing and why our values are as they are ... all the subtly past tense ‘how we got here’ themes which have been much a part of our past several weeks melt away.

And in their place we are faced with today: what it takes to survive today, whether we integrate that ‘past’ into today - or whether we simply accept today as its own thing and something we need to learn about and participate in. In adapting, might we become as functional as others? Might we be able to either ‘fit in’ or utilize some ability or talent that we have (all such things being Leo and Leo being the polarity sign to Aquarius) ... have we something in our ‘bag of tricks’ which will allow us to stand out?

More over ... if we (or what we do) does stand out, will that ‘cause’ turn into an ‘effect’ which is universally well received or only well received in the mind of a particular faction?

That’s the Aquarian part. Aquarius is the sign of the social, societal and human collective. Aquarius is the marketplace of thought, of ideas. In being the third of the zodiac’s theoretical airy signs Aquarius is also not the individual mind-and-mindset of Gemini. Nor does it embody or promote interactive communication or conversations good and bad between factions and collectives as Libra does.

Venus in Aquarius (glyph chart)

January 3, 2015 - 14:49 (2:49 p.m.) UT+0 - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

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 Venus in Aquarius (text chart)

January 3, 2015 - 14:49 (2:49 p.m.) UT+0 - Aries Wheel (Location Not Specific)

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Zodiac signs all come in threes. The first is personal, the second is interactive and the third is global. So where Venus in Gemini is ‘what I like’ (or choose to pursue) and Venus in Libra is ‘what we like/don’t like’ (or choose to focus on), Venus in Aquarius is ‘what is liked’ ... or ‘what works’ or ‘that which is successful’ - the “proof” of which is the response, be that applause, accolades, ‘likes,’ popularity, money or the fact that when you flip the switch, the lights go on.

When the Aquarian system ‘works’ - the proverbial light goes on. And when an Aquarian system doesn’t ‘work’? Then we are in the dark - sometimes literally (Aquarius does rule energy and energy systems) and sometimes figuratively.

And all of this can be about others ... and then can be about us: sometimes Venus in Aquarius is all about feedback, the “results” of what we’ve done. Venus in Aquarius isn’t the Venus in Capricorn world of  bottom lines and ‘consequences,’ but rather is more about sizing up what’s working and what isn’t - and why. With it’s emphasis on functionality and a ‘system’ which works universally and across-the-board, this January 1st through January 27th Venus in Aquarius period will let us know where things don’t work, leaving us to sort through what needs updating against what needs an overhaul and (Pluto square Uranus) changing, whether that’s of some attitude or about the thing itself.

There’s a note of showiness to Venus in Aquarius which given our day and age lends itself to technology, gadgets and any of a number of means by which we entertain ourselves through some electronic or digital means. Venus in Aquarius will also point to the positives and negatives of money being operated on any theoretical level, whether that’s a reference to an economy, economics in general, wages, how money is spent, accounted for or moved - or any of the facets which pertain to  entirely basic questions of having “enough money to survive” ... or how much of anything (money, effort, time, loyalty) is “enough.”

Venus in Aquarius can reward. It can also deny rewards, which in some cases denotes being ‘cut off from’ (being ill-informed, being in denial) something.

Why that would happen is variable. But it can happen - and for some (those who are averse to life being other than how they want it to be) Venus in Aquarius is often a time where things get ‘bypassed’ or ignored simply because there’s an inner terseness and tenseness which translates roughly as ‘I don’t have to deal with that - so I won’t because I don’t want to.’

Let’s remember, after all ... Aquarius is a fixed sign: it isn’t easily ‘moved’ off it’s base or basis of anything. And if you’re saying ‘but then, neither are any of the fixed signs,’ I’ll agree but add that this particular sign in question (Aquarius) is the only one of the four (the others being Taurus, Leo and Scorpio) which is an air sign - which means it’s the idea which is at least initially captivating, not the reality. Like its Leo polar compliment, Aquarius functions in and as a world of possibilities: Leo is just the “me” part of that universal world of ‘the possible’ where Aquarius is the theoretical ‘entirety’ of possibilities - whether that range of possibilities is defined as some sort of communicative or interactive dialogue (human or otherwise), some sort of possible and/or powerful potential, or the quality of some global ‘whole’ - be that a society, a marketplace, a power grid or any sort of societal system (banking, media, transportation, educational, political, social, corporate, economic, infrastructural, etc.) or the hold-effect-influence any such system may have through its workings on a wider or broader population.

There is a definite plus of Venus in Aquarius in that it lends a pleasantly ‘airy’ quality to many a situation which might otherwise seem a bit leaden. Used effectively, understanding that people are ‘keyed’ or attuned to that which is presented in such a manner or phrased within the parameters of such a tone is useful, though any (read: all) of the fixed signs represent energies which can become ‘too much of a good thing’ too quickly - which in this case would be the sort of appearance or presentation which easily lapses over into the boorish, arrogant or even simply manipulatively friendly, often whether that’s the intent or not. With Venus in Aquarius there’s less of those free-floating moments when suspicions and questions about intent color the mental air than, say, one might encounter under Venus in Scorpio. But Venus in Aquarius has it’s own ‘darker vibe’ as this is a sign/planet combination which brings out not just the upstanding wheeler-dealer in many, but the underhanded con artist in some. This combination can bring out social turmoil as well as social (or economic) tendencies to ‘blackmail’ others in ways which have nothing to do with love or money.

And because we’re all on this frequency at the moment, we’re all primed to pick up on everything - good and back - that we have no idea we’re projecting.

Aquarius as pictured in a stained glass at the Chartres Cathedral in France

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So that’s the down side. The up side of Venus in Aquarius is the capacity for simple, uncomplicated fun - and often a willingness to allow a little ‘coloring outside the lines’ when it comes to issues of humor.

Why humor?

Probably because laughter lightens our load and in ways both physical and otherwise, serves to ease our heart, putting us at ease - at which point we can think to extend our hand ... and maybe even our Self ... in joining in conversation if not friendship, with others.

And if that happens globally, you never know - Venus in Aquarius just might serve our personal, worldly and greater purpose ... which in essence would be the whole of our being - and part of our meaning in the vastness of an incalculable and eternally all-encompassing, boundless Existence.
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