Deucalion, Jupiter, North Node and Pluto

Speaking strictly (and in UT/+0 time zone terms), the lunar North Node moves into 11 Scorpio late on August 7th. And there it conjuncts Deucalion.

For you orb-ists, this does indeed mean that the North Node has been within orb of Deucalion for quite some time now – since back in early April.

So what were you doing back in early April? That was back when Saturn was moseying through retrograde at about 9 Scorpio, having (as we’ve discussed a few times) done it’s own station at 11 Scorpio in mid-February.

Getting a feeling we’re getting a real 11 Scorpio workout this year? Um…I’d say so, yes. And I know there are plenty of people with vital focal points at 11 Scorpio – even close by – who are getting a heck of a workout.

(Full Disclosure: I know this in part because I’m on that ‘close by’ list.)

As long as we’re on this subject for the moment, the standard orb to 11 Scorpio would be 5 degrees either way. (And yes, there would be some particular harmonic effects for similar placements in Taurus, Aquarius and Leo.)

Let’s face it: it’s a fixed sign sort of year. Between the eclipses, the Moon’s nodes (personal and societal relationships and the world’s functionality as a set of relationships) and Saturn’s transit of Scorpio, life is pushing us to get past our sticking points (be they hesitancies or reluctance). The whole fixed sign cycle (Taurus-Leo-Scorpio-Aquarius) being about creating the functionality and teaching us to recognize that ‘no (hu)man is an island’ in this world…how ultimately our satisfaction is about developing the whole of our being – not just those parts which are easy.

Even sort of, kind of, were-it-only easy.

Ultimately the issue is the good old fashioned Taurus-2nd house thing: how to get to a point where were feel secure and satisfied with our life. Taurus (and whatever the sign is on your personal 2nd house) indicate both our resources and the ultimate aim of developing those resources – that being the security and satisfaction thing. Our starting point being at some level our talents, abilities, self respect and self worth, those are what we carry with us into the ‘earning’ arena (this would be earning not just money but that satisfaction/security thing)…which we develop through challenges in the process of developing our abilities and Self (the Leo thing), and meeting the challenges personal, emotional and societal (the former two being Scorpio and the latter being Aquarius) in achieving the ultimate goal.

You know…security and satisfaction.

In fact, seen in this light, the whole idea of earning a living (you know, the money thing) is merely a necessity foisted upon us so as to push us through this very process. Income (as a concept) is Aquarian. (Aquarian and 11th house, to be more exact and nit-picky-personal.)

But to get that income, we have to develop some ability. And to do that we have to have at least enough self worth and self respect to get ourselves out there and give it a go.

Most of us are into the whole developing, experimenting, having fun with finding-what-we-like (what fits us, what we’re good at) part of the process.

That would be the Leo bit.

But after that comes Scorpio. And hardly anyone likes the Scorpio deal. Scorpio requires that we risk whatever sense of accomplishment we’ve built up through our Leo process – be that the developing of a skill or the development of our dating skills or whatever else you may want to cite.

Like, ouch. Either we get sent back to ‘Go’ (without the proverbial number of dollars) or we end up finding out that we need to learn to integrate ourselves into a group by offering that which we are complete with our vulnerabilities. You know, the I might have more to learn here part.

Some of us are good at one thing, some are good at the other and from what this astrologer can tell (after several decades in the study) it does no better to approach others as the total naïf than as the Commander-in-Chief. (Unless of course, you happen to be a commander-in-chief! But even then there are going to be things you need to learn.)

So…getting back to the orb thing. Eclipses cycle backwards through the zodiac – which makes sense if you think about how eclipses (either solar or lunar) only happen when the New (solar) or Full (lunar) Moon is within 15 degrees of the lunar nodes…and the Nodes of the Moon cycle backwards. (It’s a lining-things-up sort of issue.) You may remember this concept as part of our ‘the Nodes are at the Cross-Quarter’ point a while ago. If not, here’s the link:

- link to -

The Lunar Nodes at Cross-Quarters

The illusion I drew there was that by counting ‘down’ through the degrees the Nodes – in part – represent the various things we encounter which “bring things home” to us.

So the Nodes ‘count down’ through the zodiac as the planets (asteroids, etc.) move forward (“up”) through the zodiac. This in itself is akin to the spin-counter spin of electrons.

Or should you not be into things tiny, the twin helix of DNA. Or the inhalation and exhalation of our breath, the ebb and flow of tides, the process of life and death as the plus and minus of renewal and growth.

As things are brought home to us, we ‘shed’ the old and outmoded, the thing which doesn’t work, the idea or social masks which is too inhibiting or to far of the mark of truth…and whether we go through trepidation or we simply struggle to free ourselves, there is a trial to be endured if we are to grow and purify our being.

That – at some level – is the heart and soul of Scorpio, no matter where or when or through what or whom we encounter it. Scorpio is the process of transforming ourselves or being transformed through recognition. Through emotional encounter. Through risking our sense of safety and security on the way to creating those bridges and alliances and successes which ultimately lead to true and lasting security and personal satisfaction.

Augusto De Luca - Photo 5 (abstract)

Imaged as “AN OFFICIAL EMBASSY BALL” in the Sabian Symbols, 11 Scorpio tests our sense of perspective through situational exposure which embodies growth and risk and a reflection on who we are to have ‘come to this place’ in our lives.

Or who we should be. Or maybe don't want to be, whether or not we need to be it anyway.

As a symbol of finding our way, TNO Deucalion asks that we rise above whatever sea of emotion which may be assailing us now – which considering that August 8th (the first full day of this Node/Deucalion conjunction) is also when Jupiter perfects its opposition to Pluto.

Considering that Jupiter represents everything about (and involved in) the metaphysical process of growing our understanding (generally through use) which in Cancer is all about basics and our most intrinsic feeling experiences, to have Jupiter in opposition to Pluto signals a time of testing or change – depending on how we all deal with growth. That Pluto is conjunct fixed star (nebula) Facies says there’s a lot of ‘moving pieces’ and complexities to the process so one wouldn’t expect this to be a one-and-done sort of thing.

Jupiter is also conjunct Alhena – the star of Purpose – which if we take it into account as part of the Whole being presented here would seem to be asking what’s our purpose as a human being? Or maybe what does it take to BE a good human being? Maybe this is about what you do, maybe this is about what you don’t do. Maybe this is about how you see others (particularly those you have been connected to or influenced by in the past) and moving through (“transforming”) your relationship to them or to something you learned through your relationship with them.

With Pallas Athena (dispassionate wisdom) being conjunct headstrong Phaethon at 10 degrees of Cancer is most likely to manifest as convictions – some of which will be opposed (Pluto) by societal forces (or others who consider themselves to be “in charge”) and some of which you will recognize you need to disregard in changing your status quo.

As of August 8th, the Sun will be passing through 15 Leo – another of the zodiacal cross-quarter points. This suggests a ‘developing’ aspect of something which asks whether you are willing (yet) to move on. To take a ‘next step.’ To let go of whatever ‘has been’ your standard in the process of accepting and taking on a new growth phase.

The North Node will be at 11 Scorpio and in conjunction with Deucalion through August 18th. And since 11 Scorpio is the degree of the upcoming November 3rd Solar Eclipse…and because that means that the two-month period during which facets of your life which are no longer useful or authentic enough will begin ‘breaking down’ in (advance of said Solar Eclipse) come early September, this Deucalion-North Node conjunction would seem to be an opportunity to ‘get ahead of the flow.’ As in all things, astrology teaches that if and where we purposefully use the energy (which is going to be there regardless) there is less likelihood that the energy will come back to haunt us.

Or, to put it in the immortal words of honcho astrologer Rob Hand: use the energy wisely, lest it use YOU unwisely. 

Balls of World by Anastasiya Markovich (2008)

There is likely to be a desire to do what we want the way that we want to do it now, yes. (There generally is.) The North Node always being representative of that which we don’t really want to have to do (but which we need to do anyway), to have it combining with Deucalion is asking us to not see things as we might want to see them, but to see them in reality and through the lens of fact.

In case you’re interested, Saturn will be hitting this 11 Scorpio point in mid-October. Prior to that – call it September 16th – Saturn will have it’s own little encounter with the North Node. Again for the orb-ists among us, Saturn and the lunar North Node will come into 5-degree orb of conjunction as of August 15th, which yes, is during our North Node/Deucalion window of process.

Saturn being about responsibilities and long-term dedication, with the Nodes conjunct Deucalion, this is a grand testing period (and a grandly testing period) which is both about who and what we are in the world and who we are to others.

And who they are to us.

Not to make this simple or anything, there is also the not-so-little ‘little matter’ of the ongoing grand trine in water, too. Originally composed of Jupiter-Saturn-Neptune which added a little ‘dissolving of our defenses’ to the mix), Jupiter’s having moved on through Cancer has shifted this period of epic feeling-ness into a new mode which is composed of Jupiter in Cancer (emotional growth/growth which tests emotions), Saturn in Scorpio (valuing interactions, values learned through interactions and interactive values) and Chiron retrograde in Pisces (challenging ourselves to take on that thing we really don’t know how to do and which probably freaks us out to the max).

Many among us will simply say ‘this too shall pass.’ And they’re right. But what we do now would seem to be setting the table for what life will serve up next.
.
.
.

Mercury Goes Direct

 A statue of Mercury in Bratislava

(photo credit: Peter Zeliznak, April 2009)

As of Saturday, July 20th at 6:23 in the evening UT/+0 time, Mercury will go direct at 13 Cancer. That means the window for station effects opens as this post goes up on July 18th…and ‘closes’ again on July 22nd.

During this time, we can expect the metaphorical Mercurial breeze to be making itself particularly known, particularly if our natal chart…or the chart of the company with which we work…or the town or nation in which we live…has any particular placement which ‘answers’ to the degree of this station.

By ‘answers’ I mean the following:

With regards to any planet, cusp, node or important object between

15 and 25 degrees of any of the cardinal signs:

Cancer, Libra, Capricorn or Aries...

These are the ‘hard’ aspects, the word “hard” meaning more challenging to work with. The Cancer conjunction will feel personal (especially since it’s in an emotional sign all about feelings!), the Capricorn opposition will bring up questions of acceptance, acceptability and everything which triggers ambitions or insecurities (which sometimes appear so, so similar!) and the two squares (Libra and Aries) represent factors which need factoring in. Maybe you’re just “getting to that step in a process”…and maybe you just didn’t take something into account. Squares of any type are life’s way of getting us to think in not so linear a fashion. It’s as if life is saying ‘it’s not so simple’ or pointing out the value of slowing down and appreciating the fullness of things as they occur.

With regards to any planet, cusp, node or important object between

18 and 22 degrees of Sagittarius, Aquarius, Gemini or Leo...

Sagittarius and Leo are fire signs, and fire signs are all about the sliding scale which at one end is ‘the vision’ and which at the other is ‘the expectation.’ The difference between these being all about our ‘emotional mindset’ (if you will), Mercury doing its turnabout in Cancer may well raise exactly this…reminding us that expectations, like the vision which we confuse with reality, leads to disappointments. Visions are meant to inspire, not replace reality. Situations and realizations which now prick our mental balloon and force us to be more realistic aren’t fun – but they do offer a way forward with new lessons learned, lessons which well may yet lead to future achievements.

On the Aquarius and Gemini side we’re dealing with the idea or the theory, against which Mercury’s station in Cancer is akin to life’s rubber hitting our mental road. Temporary burnout, the burning of bridges, burning brain cells (or midnight brain oil)…all can be part of the process here as we reconcile ourselves to having to deal with reality. In that process, Mercury in Cancer represents our frustration, our wanting things to work differently.

Except they don’t work differently. Sometimes the ‘idea’ isn’t the reality. And that’s what we have to adjust to. Skinned egos and bruised momentum incurred during this time hurts like heck, but despite whatever our ouches are telling us, all is not lost.

With regards to any planet, cusp, node or important object between

17 and 23 degrees of Taurus or Virgo…or between 15 and

25 degrees of Scorpio or Pisces:

These are the ‘easy’ aspects to this Mercury station. But don’t kid yourself – they aren’t all benign. Scorpio and Pisces are the trines here, and far from being the ‘pleasant’ aspects Victorian astrology would have had us all think, all trines mean is ongoing. And let’s remember, there’s already an ‘ongoing’ water trine between big boy planets Neptune, Saturn and Jupiter in progress.

However…there is some light, even if what we’re doing is looking up, up, up through what seems like acres of water to where dancing sunlight promises freedom, options and air.

This goes to the idea that Mercury’s station are always about a ‘turn of thought’ or our ability to alter our trajectory, path, methodology or rationale, which here happens to be focused through the feeling-memory-sensibility and (oh yes) money-as-means-to-survive sign of Cancer. For you, that money thing may be about what you have to survive with. Or it may link here to what you do to earn that money. Or what you do with your money in order to have, protect or create a foundation for all else.

As opposed to the trines, Taurus and Virgo are sextiles – the happiest of all aspects in astrology, if aspects which get little to no press.

Sextiles represent opportunities. Sextiles aren’t the open door, but the having the address where there’s a door you could go to an open. That astrologers and devotees of astrology don’t think much about opportunities really says things both good and bad about human beings…how on one hand we tend to take things for granted, and how on the other we are so afraid of change.

I had an amazingly telling conversation with a young professional just recently. This thoroughly likeable person had not only finally finished his degree and passed his certification exams, but had almost instantaneously got invited into a firm where he could begin to build what will eventually be a substantial life in the big world of business, commerce and human transacting. (Yes, I have his chart. He has huge potential.)

So what does he say to me? I really need to begin dealing with things. But who really wants to grow up?

Like I say, humans don’t like change. He didn’t ask me (and I was taken off guard by his comment, frankly) but even if he knows he can accomplish just about anything he wants to providing he’s willing to work for it and take on ownership of his trajectory in life…will he do it?

Some of us just don’t want to take on carving our futures. For that matter, even our present.

The sextiles given here connect earth with Mercurial water. So the idea of what am I going to MAKE of this….moment? Situation? Opportunity?…has the ‘making’ part of the equation representing whatever symbol we have in earthy Taurus or Virgo set against the waves of Mercurial vacillation brought up by this Cancer station.

And again…all of this, even for those of us who have not a shred of anything aspected by this station…all of this is taking place in a world awash with situations emotional and emotional provocation. No matter who we are, no matter where we live, things we don’t (Neptune) understand, things we want to feel (Jupiter) better or good about, things which we need to work for us and work in (Saturn) general all seem in flux.

Are they? Or is this time, this moment, month and year simply part of the evolving continuum?

My answer…which I give you to with all wryness implied, all empathic channels invoked and all awareness set to ‘acceptance’ says ‘probably all of the above.’

Amzinybe (Eternity) by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1907)

So where is this station happening? The degree is 13 Cancer, a degree known in lore as one which is perceptive in the utmost, blatant to the point of disquieting and quick to grasp and perceive inner meanings. These notes from lore are particularly interesting (and probably telling) in that they refer specifically to mental function coming from Cancer, an emotional sign. So does this mean that our thoughts will be emotional? Or that the information which is evidently dealt with in such a facile manner at this time provokes emotion or evokes memories or stirs up all those Cancerian cultural or familial or childhood ‘settings’ we all grow up having installed in our psyches and hearts?

Probably. And of course there is that ‘standard’ station concept about before-the-station versus after-the-station to take into account. Anything which occurs around the time of any station appears to be more important to us…which given Mercury might be better more about making a deeper impression on us. Things which happen going into a station often have yet to play out ‘in full.’ Things which happen after the moment of station exactitude often pertain to things which have already happened – the playing out of that, or what happens (or occurs to us) as a result of something prior.

Then we add in the idea that Cancer is not only the first of the water signs…AND the fact that in terms of zodiacal order and the ‘natural’ zodiac wheel, Cancer is the first of the reactive signs. Whether you think of this as emotional responses or how reactions based or built on experience (or cultural orientation or personal history) Cancer is always about the me, the I, the most basic sense of being.

And where we find Cancer in our personal natal chart, that tells us many things about where and how and through what sorts of experiences we are affected by…and how we go about learning how or why or when we’d react on this level. Or come to understand ourselves and where we ‘come from’ in our lives in a better and more clarified sense. I have a friend who has Cancer on the 12th house. He learns about his own feelings through his spirituality – through feeling himself as one person among many, and but a tiny part of the universal whole.

I feel for him. His love/hate relationship with being simultaneously totally individual and but a spec in the cosmos confounds him. And well it should…there’s nothing tougher than our 12th house lessons. The same joy of release so many feel in accepting that there is a Greater Power or a universal function beyond our being can scare the willies out of us when we realize that we are but a grain on one of a million beaches which front…and confront…the eternal flow of time and space becoming. This 12th house position also says that though he will be ‘imprinted’ (if you will) by the sign on his 4th house natal like we all are, he will learn about who that Self is in terms of emotional basics (the Cancerian archetype) last of all.

For him, that emotional self-knowledge comes last. It’s in some senses the ‘why’ he goes through many a process.

Whatever sign is on the native house of Cancer (your 4th natal house) is how you get colored. It will describe the attributes which color your most native, feeling world. Where the sign of Cancer falls is where you learn about that.

And those are two very different things. (Alas, right?)

Being that astrological signals are both objective and subjective, there’s the simple and straight-on sort of experiencing of personal revelation which now may come to light. Or maybe you’re someone who will now meet up with events which prompt some sort of Cancerian insight.

As for astrological specifics, Mercury’s going direct a degree off Sirius’ position is a plus, as Sirius is known as a star all about ‘brilliance.’ And since Mercury will have backed over Sirius just prior to going direct, that rather backdates the glimmerings of brilliance date all the way to July 13th – or if you’re into orbs, some sort of ‘dawning of brilliance’ (or ‘seeing the light,’ perhaps) which was experienced during a ‘reflective’ Mercury retrograde phase anywhere since July 6.

Moral: never underestimate a Mercury retrograde. It isn’t all about losing your keys, car breakdowns, waiting for someone to get back to you and such. It can also be a potent time when by experiencing that slowdown…or by simply stopping to think, to reflect, we recognize that thing which was probably waiting to be discovered all along.

Once Mercury goes direct, it will move forward and again conjunct Sirius on its way to moving on into other realms, other decanates, other signs and districts of the zodiac.

But here, at this station it’s in a grand trine (yes, another one) with the North Node in Scorpio and Chiron / Achernar in Pisces. And with the North Node conjunct Medea and more-than-substantially sized asteroid Psyche, that we may meet up with some aspect of our mentality (Psyche) and in particular those parts of it we damage ourselves (Medea) by being over-invested in (or not letting go of) is more than an echo of the idea that sometimes we just can’t help but get in our own way.

And (Chiron – Achernar) how we are going to do that over and over again until we simply decide to do something different…or differently. With Chiron in this mix, the ‘not knowing how to’ quotient stands our loud and clear, if not helpfully. About the only thing to say here is that as humans (and not mythic figures such as centaur Chiron) we have the ability to direct ourselves along a new path, even though it may not be comfortable and may not feel even vaguely native to our being.

As someone who feels these influences as deeply and thoroughly as anyone else might, I sympathize for our lot as humans. Chiron being involved in this grand trine suggests that as long as we refuse to walk through that long, dark, scary mental tunnel towards the thing we “don’t know how to do” we’ll never learn how to do it.

That’s terrible. It’s scary. But what’s our choice?

Having said earlier on how sextiles are opportunities, the sextile to the Taurus South Node and Menkar is the obvious ‘out’ – the “opportunity” we may feel (or think) we have to simply do the easy thing. Or continue on doing what we know or have already learned how to do. Any Taurean reference conjures up the question of security and thus our so-called ‘comfort zone.’ And with Menkar involved, who’s to say we can’t be effective if we just keep on doing what we’re doing?

- link to -

MENKAR: SOUL, SEARCHING

The answer to much of that would seem to be posed by TNO Deucalion sitting with Psyche, the North Node and Medea. Deucalion being a Trans-Neptunian Object which speaks to our finding the moral way to be who we are (i.e., fulfill our human potential) that’s probably the biggest clue to this whole Mercury station.

That the moral thing is to do what we need to do (that North Node thing) – whether we want to, like to, or even feel we (Chiron) know how to, is now our challenge most moral.

Some of us will take it on. Some of us won’t. Some of us are likely to feel judged for what we do, while some of us are will feel judged because we choose to do nothing. Some of us will own our feelings and responsibilities while some of us continue to project, ignore, deflect and abdicate.

The reasons…the feelings we do any of that however, all that is in – and comes from our minds.

And that’s the Mercury in Cancer point.
.
.
.

Eris Retrograde

An artist's rendition of Eris and its moon with the sun far, far away in the distance

(image credit: A Schaller, STSci, April 2006)

Sometimes discord is something which goes wrong. Sometimes discord is an interruption which gets us to think things through. Or to see things as part of a bigger picture and because of that, to make a more powerful choice.

Eris is a dwarf planet. That puts it on par with Pluto – another dwarf planet and an astrological symbol which is thought of as the energy of transformations which come upon us, which change lives, which in being harnessed can change or destroy our world.

Both Eris and Pluto orbit out beyond Neptune. And as such, they both represent energies we can’t quite predict, which are definitely ‘bigger than we are.’ That said, Pluto differs markedly from Eris in two vital ways. The first is the difference between Pluto being an object ‘controlled’ by the spellbinding (and evidently planetoid binding) energy of Neptune where Eris goes its own way.

The other is in size. Eris is roughly three times the size of Pluto…which says a lot for that Neptunian juju which gets Pluto all that hot human PR.

But Eris Effects are nothing to fool with. We of the astrological ilk are nowhere as near familiar with Eris (which was only discovered in 2003) as we are with Pluto, but for those of us who are avid (or habitual) chart watchers, wherever we see Eris natally…or by transit…those points represent areas or dynamics which we either use purposefully for positive benefit, or which tend to rattle our chains or otherwise bite us in the metaphorical nether parts.

So the name Eris – which in Greek mythic reality would be Eris Discordia is really about the discord which comes upon us, or our willingness or efforts or determination to go out there and shake things up. And it would seem that when our efforts are altruistic (as opposed to purely selfish) Eris seems to enhance not just the effort, but our lives as a whole.

I’ve written long-form about Eris, and here’s the link to to that page…

- link to -

ERIS DISCORDANT:

MASTERING OUR OWN WEAKEST MOMENTS

I’ve also written some about the pattern of Eris’ movements. In short and glib terms we can sum it all up by saying that Eris’ zodiacal progress is pretty much ‘slow and unsteady.’

Yes, that’s a joke. Eris moves slowly and it’s our lives – when Eris is affecting us in some focused way – which seem unsteady. Or maybe destabilized is a better word. But then, sometimes life has to destabilize the norm in order to get us into gear. My best astrological guess is that Eris energetics are part of that metaphysical machinery.

For now what we want to know is what degree is Eris going retrograde at, and what is it affecting?

Considering our these past few days with Mars entering Cancer, the deepening of the major water trine and Uranus going retrograde, Eris going retrograde represents a fairly serious challenge, one which comes from beyond our personal norm. The issues being presented are very real, and considering what with Uranus turning to retrograde on July 17th, for some it will be difficult to separate Uranus effects from those of Eris.

Uranus…change, breakthroughs, sudden shifts of circumstance, shocks, flights, insights, eruptions, explosions, discoveries…against Eris, the unsettling of the norm, the disrupting of our status quo, those forces which cause us to consider something totally unexpected not when we want to, but right now.

These two concepts sound rather like different levels of the same thing. And if we believe that unbeknownst to us, the universe is unfolding as it should, this mélange, this fusion, this confluence of effects – which is occurring during a highly emotional grand-trine-in-water period – has its purpose.

Obviously those whose charts answer to both 12 Aries (Uranus’ station degree) and 22 Aries (Eris’ station point) are going to feel the greatest shifts as we go into and emerge from the period defined by Uranus’ station on July 17 and Eris’ station on the 19th. For those whose charts are only aspected directly by one or the other, the energies of the object which aspects your chart will feel more ‘directed’ at you (or personal) while the symbolism of the other will be felt or recognized in the world around you.

With that said, Eris and Uranus are both going retrograde in Aries, the sign of consciousness, conscious awareness, physical existence, physicality, personal assertion and assertiveness… the whole panoply of variations on “I Am,” however you conjugate it.

But there are differences. Uranus (as we talked about in the last post) is going retrograde at 12 Aries. And 12 Aries is by definition emotional degree, which is to say where Uranian energies (the discovery, the interruption, the startling fact) is being manifested emotionally. That suggests anything from excitement to terror, from awe to fervency. Being that Uranus is the secondary of societal/’mass concept’ Aquarius, with Eris serving in a sense to ‘set off’ Uranian energetics it wouldn’t be unlikely to have people step outside of or depart from their societal roles…or societies rules during this time.   

As it goes retrograde on July 19th at 11:08 a.m. the shift of relative motion (perceived or otherwise) between Eris and Earth will no doubt manifest in many ways typified by 22 Aries, a degree which involves luck which can either be very rewarding or  undercut by frittering away time or opportunities through fudging, vacillation, indecision or that sort of simple confusion which invites us to ‘forget it’ and hope that things will sort themselves out.

It sounds like fertile Eris ground.

Being in that Eris is going retrograde in a third decanate degree (between 20 and 29 of some sign), it may do us well to think of this as a time when what we do to change, improve or benefit the ‘greater situation’ or status quo and thus utilize these energies for betterment (rather than sitting around waiting for them to thwack us in the face) may well be the most positive way to go.

But no, not necessarily all that popular. The mere idea that so much disrupting Uranus/Eris energy is being brought to bear on and in our world and our lives during an ongoing emotional period delineated by major planets Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune all in grand trine formation will without question have many people’s mindsets set to ‘stubborn’ simply because they aren’t prepared to experience something different.

Or what it feels like to have to cope with change.

Or what it feels like to go through changing.

Or what it feels like to simply have control wrested from their hands by forces – or even plain good sense – which apparently is beyond their control. 

By definition, Eris station/retrograde moments wouldn’t be thought of as effortless. The Eris energy is now turning inward and for the next few months will ‘reside’ inside, promoting and provoking any and all processes which get us to see life from a different point of view.

And that…or the process of getting there…may not be all that pretty.

After all, thinking back to the Eris myth, Paris (You remember him…the guy who started the whole Trojan War by stealing Helen from her duly wedded husband?)…Paris is given an ‘apple of Discord’ by Eris and asked to give it to the goddess of his choice: Venus (appeal), Hera (protective nurturance) or Athena (wisdom). And much like humans have done throughout the ages, Paris chose Venus…which leads to trouble for Paris, Troy, Helen, and a lot of other folks, with the implication being that to choose beauty – the ‘pretty thing’ – to favor that over other (Hera or Athena) qualities not only isn’t such a great idea, it actually opens the way for Discordia (Eris).

There’s another thing to consider here as well – that being how Eris is going retrograde (in the company of Pelion and trine Venus-in-Leo) just as Jupiter enters the orb to oppose Pluto.

This opposition doesn’t become exact until August 8th. So we evidently have a while to wrestle with the difference between our wants and desires (Pluto), that which will build a better future (Jupiter in Cancer), our willingness or ability to change things as they currently are structured (Pluto in Capricorn) and our ability to keep everything in perspective (Jupiter)…especially emotional (Cancerian) perspective.

Moreover, when Jupiter does reach the moment of exactitude with regards to its opposition to Pluto, Jupiter will be conjunct Alhena - the fixed star which speaks of Purpose – and (surprise!) Pallas.

Those who recognize Pallas as the first name of Athena will probably be going ‘ohhhhhh….’ about now. (Or maybe that was just me.) In any case, it would be reasonable to suspect that the Uranian cracks and Eris upheavals we get into now will lead to a gaining of dispassionate (Pallas Athena) sorts of lessons.

Call it wisdom, call it perspective – to have Athena (Pallas) brought into this Jupiter-Pluto face off with our Self, our life or maybe our concept of how life really works says there are lessons to be learned over the next few weeks.

And how those who learn them will become more wise. Whether this is our moment to swallow our nerves (our ‘emotional discord’) in the process of be or becoming the person we can be, in coming to the recognition of our Purpose and that said Purpose may not be ‘shaped’ the way we thought it was…that may not be easy. Or convenient.

A Hubble Telescope's view of Jupiter

(photo credit: NASA, ESA H. Hammel/Boulder Colorado's Space Science

Institute, Jupiter Comet Impact Team, July 2009)

But it is what it is. And whether we greet that fact with sulky dismay or with an eye to this being an opportunity – that’s up to us.

In going retrograde on July 19th, Eris ‘official’ station window opens on the 17th (Uranus’ station date) and ends on July 21st – a day after Mercury goes direct in Cancer (more Cancer energy, anyone?) and a day before the Sun enters Leo, Venus moves into Virgo and the occurrence of a Full Moon in Aquarius.

The fact that the Sun and Venus will both be moving through ‘critical’ degrees of respective signs just before the Full Moon suggests that a lot of us are going to be pressing and pushing to get something done. Things are becoming ‘cumulative’ in our world or in our psyches. There will undoubtedly be those who don’t handle the intensity of these feelings all that well, and ‘feelings’ or emotionality would seem to be a vital part of this discussion as any time we see a planet pass through 29 degrees of any sign we see it ‘setting off’ the energies of any other object or astrological symbol in that sign – which in this case would be Mercury, Pallas Jupiter, Mars and Black Moon Lilith (which adds a bit of ‘counter-cultural’ or ‘against the grain of tradition’ to this mix).

This last day of Eris’ ‘official’ station window will also see Mars entering the orb of opposition to Pluto. Considering that the theory on stations tells us that events which happen in the wake of the actual moment of stationing have something to do with the playing out of ‘things already done’ (or committed to, etc.) this well may be a moment when those who have been working or struggling to break through some set of restrictions or to get something ‘going’ will find ways to overcome inertia.

For those who have been ‘hiding’ from change however, this period may be particularly chaotic – particularly emotionally, however your emotionality is triggered.

Eris Discordant is not our solar system’s most genteel symbol. But Eris does serve to get us thinking in ways we hadn’t considered before. Whether that’s recognizing that you can make a difference…or that you aren’t bound by some arcane rule or tradition…or that you need to be more realistic about something or someone or life itself…that’s about you. That’s about your chart.

The Butterfly Nebula (NGC 6302) is really beautiful, but considering temperatures at its heart are

somewhere in the area of 250,000 C, it would seem to fall in the realm of 'look, but don't touch'!

(photo credit: Hubble Space Telescope, NASA, JPL)

As tough and trying and for many tumultuous as this month has been, it has purpose. Sometimes life tells us that it’s time to stop being caterpillars and time to transform ourselves into butterflies. Only by doing that can we not just fulfill the beauty of our potential, but do that which is necessary to leave something of ourselves…be that in our work, in how we effect others or maybe through having a family…for generations and eons to come.
.
.
.