The Si-o-se Pol bridge over Zayandeh River in
Esfahan, Iran (photo credit Shahab Maghami)
Though obviously nobody’s been through Black Hole and lived to tell about it (at least not that we know of!), astro-physics does tell us that the gravitational force of a Black Hole is so enormous as to affect time itself.
That matters to us in this instance as just inside Libra’s metaphysical doorway sits a Black Hole known as M87.
Anything entering Libra almost immediately comes in contact with M87. In fact, there’s good reason to consider that the last few degrees of Virgo and Pisces along with the first few degrees of Aries are all very much affected by M87.
So what do Black Holes mean, on an astrological basis? Much as the astronomical phenomena describes something where the ‘normal’ rules of existence as we know it don’t apply, the shorthand for the astrological Black Hole is ‘altered perception’ and the ‘alternative reality.’ Anyone who has a point in early Libra (or early Aries…or late Virgo or Pisces) very likely has some aspect of their life – that associated with whatever symbol is posited there – which they see differently than most people do. Or maybe their experience of it is totally different than that we normally associate with whatever the subject is.
Q: What? You don’t like CHOCOLATE?
A: My Venus is at 1 Aries. People say I have odd tastes.
Chocolate by any other name...is still delicious.
I know some don't like it...all I can say is that
leaves more for the rest of us!
(photo credit Andre Karwath, February 2005)
The astrologer’s guess would be that the four “hard” aspects to M87 (the Libra conjunction, the Cancer and Capricorn squares and the Aries opposition) are where effects are most pronounced. And of these four, the conjunction is probably the most obvious.
Mars will enter Libra on Tuesday, July 3rd (at 12:33p.m., UT/+0). And that means that Mars will be within orb to conjunct M87 from June 27 (a date you may remember because that’s the day of Venus direct) …until around July 15th.
And July 15th just “happens” to be the date when Mercury goes retrograde (at 12 Leo).
What this describes is something akin to a “dotted line” between the Venusian ‘what we want to accomplish’ (personally or professionally) and either the highly creative, ‘I can make this happen’ Mercury in Leo vibe…OR Mercury in Leo as the ‘I know how this works, don’t bother me with facts!’ sort of thing.
And the connector is Mars at the very end of Virgo into Mars’ transit of early Virgo.
Because Mercury will end up retrograding back to 1 Leo, that means that Mercury enters the shadow of its upcoming retrograde on June 27th.
(Hmmm…there’s that date again!)
The point here is that Mercury’s being in the shadow of an upcoming retrograde means that whatever you’re doing, whatever is going on now – all that is IN process and is A process. There’s something in the works which Mercury in Leo describes as something you either want to do (or get done) or some ‘theory’ you identify with on pretty much an “I-Me-My Way’ sort of basis.
Leo is, among other things, the area of the zodiac all about things which test our ability to risk. Or things which come with no guarantee – like children. Like competition. Like investing in the stock market. You can have all the confidence in the world and Leo placements will sometimes not let you down but test your ability to focus on what needs to be done in order to make things work.
With Mars transiting the last degrees of Virgo between June 27 and July 2, whatever you’re doing is going to be getting feedback. Interactions are opportunities which allow you to ‘experiment’ with how to do things and some will pan out. But in many senses, this is a time when the ‘no’ or the ‘it doesn’t work’ is more valuable than ever. During these days ‘no’ and ‘no response’ and not gaining traction or reaction or attention (constructive attention) is a lesson. It’s life trying to inform you that you are doing something wrong. Or maybe that you don’t know enough yet.
A photograph of Mars taken by the Hubble
Telescope - photo credit: NASA-JPL
The opportunity here is to take what you learn (the Mercury part) and to refine what you’re doing and how you’re doing it – that being the Mars part.
Getting things to work (or at least work better) is the aim of Mars in Virgo. The hard part here is not thinking that it’s somebody else’s “job.” It’s not. No matter what planet passes through Virgo, the object involves three precepts:
1. You need to know your stuff. If you don’t know enough, now is the time to learn, refine your methods – whatever brings you closer to “perfection in competence” (not that perfection actually exists!)
2. All Virgo situations, relationships and interactions require responsibility, morality, punctuality and a willingness to do the work and get the work done.
3. Under Virgo, ego needs to take a step back. Typically a ‘team players’ sign, Virgo difficulties often stem from not being willing to be deal with others as equals.
Equals? Yes, equals – maybe not in functionality, but in the total structure of the thing. The boss may be the boss, but if there aren’t any employees, how much of a boss can they be? Under Virgo, there is no ‘indignity’ of position. With Virgo, anyone or any act which has validity is as valid as any other. Some may need to be done first (it seems silly to try to install windows in a building the foundation of which hasn’t even been dug yet, right?) but all things are needed if the whole is to have integrity.
Once Mars reaches Libra on July 3rd, Mars rises above the horizon of the natural zodiac. This means a couple of things. For one, things which have been going on ‘with us’ become more visible to others…which can be good and bad at the same time. On one side you won’t have to explain yourself as much. On the other, you won’t be able to ‘hide’ things which you might not need to be ‘out there’ for all to see, discuss or react to.
Libra being the sign of the scales, that old ‘what you put out comes back to you’ theory becomes more obvious.
Harvard's 1888 tug-of-war team
(photographer unknown)
So if you operate to the positive, you’ll get positive back…providing what you put out there is really positive – and not just some pipe dream you’re holding onto. (Remember that Leo Mercury thing?) Some folks will try to hold onto a dreams or some illusion under this Mercury/Mars combination. Some will deny that anything’s wrong. Considering how Libra is not only the sign of agreements but seriously contentious arguments (lawsuits included) this isn’t a terrific choice, but we will all run into one or two people who are determined not to deal with any facts.
During the whole of this July 3rd through August 22nd Mars-in-Libra transit mistakes can be turned into triumphs by owning your responsibility and volunteering to make it up. Or do better. This is an excellent time for self-discovery, or – especially because Mercury will be going retrograde in such a creative sign – a time when you may make some rather extraordinary discoveries.
This idea of Mars as a ‘connection between Venus and Mercury’s station points describes a period when we’re all trying to move (Mars) in a (Venus) productive direction. That Mercury will go retrograde for three weeks (from July 15 through early on August 8) indicates a ‘pause in the action,’ a ‘waiting for results,’ or a ‘reconsidering’ of choices or priorities.
Those of us who are able to be honest with ourselves will emerge from Mercury retrograde with more good things than we go in with. Those who are kidding themselves about the difference between preference and ability will feel increasingly shut out.
The very thing we love so much in dogs - their endless
desire to simply please and in doing so, remain a
beloved part of the "group" is something we humans could
probably learn a lot from. With intelligence and heart, the big
difference between dogs and people would seem to be (alas!)
the human's ego-need to have their own way rather than that
which gets the result they want. How very Libra a test is that!
(photo credit Ron Armstrong April 2007)
As always with Libra, there’s a tendency to project. From June 27 through mid-July as Mars leaves the orb of M87 our ability to see life differently can be a huge advancement. For many, their spirits will rise. Some will find themselves feeling more creative and inventive than ever.
And some will lose their balance. Like as not, our greatest difficulties during this time will involve some sense of inability to do something about whatever the problem is.
But is that true? Even in cases of illness, it has been proven that mindset matters quite a lot. Mars in Virgo – and to an even greater degree, Mars in Libra – requires that we recognize ourselves as the causal energy in our own lives. Those who think others aren’t ‘good enough’ are generally, somewhere deep down inside, feeling unworthy. Those who are willing to open up and share, learn and grow – those are the people who will succeed during this time.
Give or take (another Libra quality) the individuality of each situation, there are a few things we do know about Libra. Libra delivers results in accordance with our quality.
What you put out will now come back to you.
Yes, this is the official sign of cause-effect. Aries (which Mars rules) is about what we DO. But in Libra, what we 'do' turns into a result. Or a defeat.
The good news is that you’re in charge. The good OR bad news is that who you’re in charge of is your Self.
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