April 2012: Mars direct / Pluto retrograde

Mars has been sitting around for a couple of months, but no more!

(Carl VanVechten sitting in front of the figure of Mars god of War)

Here’s the simple form of the thing: Pluto is going retrograde on April 10th (at 10:12am UT/+0) and Mars is going direct on April 14th at 3:54 am (UT/+0).

Pluto will do it’s turnabout at 9 Capricorn and Mars will take its station at 3 Virgo.

This becomes more important as we consider that these two planets (or planet-and-dwarf-planet, if you want to be picky about it)…together, these are the modern co-rulers of Scorpio.

AND….Scorpio would be the sign that sits mid-point to this week’s double-station event.

There are as many ways for this to manifest in lives as (yes, I’m going to say it) there are stars in the sky. But some things are constant here – which is why this blog seems well worth posting.

Known for its attention to detail (speaking of picky…) Virgo is really about the refining of the process. Being the second of the zodiac’s three earth signs, there’s a Virgo quality which is implicitly about ‘getting it done’ and how we get it done.

Lore on the degree Mars will station in (3 Virgo) speaks to the difficulties we encounter and persevering despite all. There’s a strength indicated by this degree which may suggest taking on tasks (or ideas or methodologies) which you have long resisted or not wanted to tackle the implementation of. Mars certainly is a pro-active symbol, so don’t be surprised if this week finds you gearing up for something. Or maybe you’ll find the way to get something done.

Those who resist doing anything (especially in areas where Virgo’s association with ‘quality’ is hindered) may well find that situations prompt (force?) them to look at things in a new, different and perhaps more critical light.

 A medieval imaging of Virgo, which says not a lot

about the Virgoan quality of being able to provide

or leave us destitute for not having done 'the 

required work.'

Meanwhile, we also have Pluto going retrograde. That it’s doing so at 9 Capricorn and conjunct Facies brings home the question of how wise we are and have been in our choices, with Facies adding a highly ‘provocational’ touch. What this amounts to is the need to do things wisely…lest you get called on your lack of native wisdom.

And if you do get called on having been clueless (purposefully or innately), your first instinct is likely to be to get all hurt.

This gets us back to the Mars/Pluto combination as the co-rulers of Scorpio. Yes, Scorpio is known as the sign of sex and inheritances, taxes, power, investments (of time, money, emotions…etc.) and so on. But the crux of Scorpio is really our pitting ourselves against our Self. Mars here indicates the proactive choice we’ve made to do something or not do something, and Pluto refers to how we feel about how things work out.

Because Scorpio is by nature an interactive sign, we generally tend to love ‘them’ or blame ‘them’ depending on how things have worked out. But they didn’t do OUR choosing – we did. And that’s the eternal Scorpio point. Scorpio is the polarity sign to Taurus and Taurus is all about self worth and our abilities – or ‘ability to be who we are’ (or are capable of being). In Scorpio, Taurus’ native attributes are tested.

As Mars goes direct (after several very long months of our feeling rather like life has us on some very bizarre treadmill), Mars stands conjunct Regulus, Hebe, Orcus, Arachne, Psyche, Polyhymnia, Thuban and Medea.

Got that?

Of course not! Who would, right? Fine...let’s go through it a little more slowly.

REGULUS: Regulus is one of the Royal Stars of Persia. All of the Royal Stars promise success IF we avoid a particular human no-no, which in this case is the temptation to wreak vengeance. So it’s okay to state your case this week, but the idea of declaring all-out war will probably not bring you any victories.

(Note to the wise here: Pluto’s instruction kit comes with a notice which says ‘when using your Pluto, state your case once – clearly – then HUSH UP’)

This is a good thing to remember when you’re in any sort of power struggle. Debating should be a college sport, not a way of life. (Unless you’re a trial lawyer or something like that, of course!)

 Hebe - by Francisco Javier Ramos y Albertos (1784)

HEBE: This asks us what we can do (Virgo) to make things better. Technically, Hebe is the cup bearer to the gods of Olympus, and in that cup is the drink of immortality, ambrosia. So Hebe is not just about serving the drink, but about providing that which preserves, protects and – considering Hebe is in Virgo - makes things healthier, more effective, more efficient and maybe above all, moral in the sense that whatever we do can ‘pass muster’ and stand the test of time and criticism.

ORCUS: TNO Orcus is – in a word – a symbol of ‘consequences.’ Whenever we see Orcus in an astrological figure, we know we are talking about something which cannot be ‘undone.’ You may have “done it” or it may simply have happened – or someone else may have done something or made some decision. The Orcus touch here conjunct Mars going direct suggests needing to ‘respond’ to something.

ARACHNEArachne is the symbolic idea of something you are entangled in. But as always, such symbols go both ways – so this may pertain to something (or someone!) you’re trying to ‘tie up in knots’ or render helpless.

Considering that Arachne is pictured here in Virgo, the stakes are realistic: this is something ‘real’ going on (or at stake). And with Arachne positioned between Orcus and Psyche (the mind) it’s very likely that its something very real, the thought of which (or the thought of trying to deal with) is tying up your mind.

And let’s remember…asteroid PSYCHE is very large asteroid.  Estimated to be 200km across and of sufficient mass to comprise 1% of the entire asteroid belt, Psyche’s presence in this kind of lineup is the signal that whatever is in the works requires your attention. We have to ‘put our mind to’ whatever this ‘entangling’ (Arachne) situation is.

POLYHYMNIA: One of the fabled Greek Muses, Polyhymnia speaks to the longing for beauty and the requirement that we reflect on things to get the most out of our life.

And you thought you didn’t have to think about things now? Apparently ‘thinking’ (and reflecting) on who we are (Psyche), what we do (Mars) and how well we do it (Virgo) is absolutely ‘of the moment.’

THUBAN: Thuban is a fixed star which refers to something we treasure – or which is worth treasuring. This ‘thing’ can be material…or spiritual, depending. 

Once out of retrograde, Mars won’t cross Thuban’s position until May 10th, though the emphasis on ‘what’s valuable to me’ may well arise at Mars’ April 14th station.

Of course…speaking of stations, let’s also remember that all planetary stations get a two-day before, two-day after ‘station window.’ So Pluto is ‘on station’ from April 8 through 12 (going retrograde on the 10th) and Mars is on station from April 12th through 16 (going direct on the 14th).

Yes, there’s an overlap. April 12th is likely to be an interesting day in many a life. Whether it’s good or bad depends on how well things have been working (or you have been working) coming into this time.

Medea by Henri Klagmann

 

The last symbol in this lineup is MEDEA, an asteroid which summons up the famous story about loving something and being so focused on your own investment in that ‘thing’ you so treasure or long for that you end up undermining yourself. Or, in Virgo, what you need to do – your responsibilities, perhaps? Maybe even your health? (We’ll hope not!) Or your moral or positive standing on some subject or in some field of effort?

Seeing that Mars makes its turn to direct in opposition to Neptune, Bali and Fomalhaut, it’s to be expected that those who have been kidding themselves (Neptune) and dancing with dreams which are in reality immoral at any level…they’re about to hit an iceberg with the name ‘Titanic’ etched on the side.

As I write (a bit belatedly) on Monday the 9th (as Pluto is about to go direct, I’ve just heard of a fourth legal action among people that I know. All of those legal actions have to do with standing up and saying ‘now wait a minute…’ to people who have tried to slide by or fluff off responsibility for doing things correctly. Effectively. In an ethical and above-board, crossing-the-‘t’ manner.

The legal system per se is not at stake here. What’s being discussed (or contested) is the use of power on someone’s part. That’s Scorpio. Scorpio energies work well ONLY when everyone is equally satisfied. When that doesn’t happen, especially when one person has pleased themselves at someone else’s expense, Scorpio stops being the high flying eagle and zooms right past gray lizard stage, becoming the sting of the scorpion.

All of this is to say this week is likely to be more than feisty, more than interesting and more than thought-provoking. Those who need to stand up for their rights should do so, but are advised to do it CALMLY. No flame-throwing, no dropping houses on anyone (even if it is tornado season in the U.S.!). If you must state your case, do it Plutonically: know your facts, state you position with clarity, then hush up! Let the froth fly. Let others do their thing.

Just wait for the answer.

That’s the point here. Situations which have arisen are not about ‘them’ – they’re about us. The ‘winning’ or ‘losing’ here isn’t about gain or loss, it’s about learning who we are…and maybe who we aren’t. Those we are most polarized by now are provoking our reactions and pushing our buttons, yes. But let’s remember…those are OUR buttons and reactions and people being as human as they are, we attract such folks to us just so that we can learn more about ourselves.

Annoying? Maybe.

Useful? Ultimately.

Could it be easier? Evidently not.

Have a good week then…and remember to look in the mirror now and again. It really isn't about 'them.' Everything which is happening is happening to us for a reason: so we can grow.

Chaldaea (Chaldea) Retrograde in Capricorn

The Inner Gate of Babylon (c. 1960)

photo credit: Richard Peter (1895-1977)

There’s a certain North African dictator whose name gets translated with a dozen different spellings. It happens. Whenever we bring names into English from languages which use a whole other alphabet (such as Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew) we get into this gnarl.

‘Chaldaea’ is the scientific community’s spelling of the name assigned to asteroid number 313, so despite my many varied spellings, this is the one we are going to use. The people of ancient times were the Chaldeans of ancient Babylon.

The asteroid is Chaldaea.

(Ah! I feel so much better now that I've said and disclaimed all that!)

Said asteroid, a metaphysical symbol of ‘times gone by’ and all things merely old, which have endured, or which we think of as ‘traditional’ or even ‘status quo’…that asteroid is going retrograde today, April 30, 2011 at 1:20am (UT/+0).

Where is it going retrograde? At 6 Capricorn, a degree which by nature is about what we ‘do’ – as any degree between 0 and 9 of any sign is. Capricorn being a sign all about the structures which form a framework for our life (and with which we must work or live), this one tests altruism against aggression – much as the nearby fixed star (nebula, actually) Facies – at 8 Capricorn - does.

In an operative mode, 6 Capricorn seems to indicate ‘trouble in relationships’ though depending on what we bring to issues now in operation, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything fatal.

Please note, however – the operative word in that last sentence is ‘necessarily.’ With Atropos (endings) on one side at 5 Capricorn and Pluto (transformational emotions, emotionally-driven transformations, transformations which elicit emotional reactions) on the other at 7 Capricorn, a change – an ‘ending’ to something (as indicated by fateful Atropos)…it would seem to be a’comin’!

But let's be real: this is not a particularly genteel combination. Pluto is known as being ‘inexorable,’ Facies is known for a distinctly ruthless ‘victim/aggression’ quotient and Atropos is just plain factually cold. Snip go the fate’s scissors – the time is over, the ‘life’ of whatever is at stake (the job, the hope, the law, the life, the effort) …it’s over and out of there!

Also - this is not the quickest turnaround in all of celestial history. Chaldaea will go retrograde in 6 Capricorn and then sit around at 6 Capricorn (allowing Atropos to actually catch up and pass it) until May 11th, when Chaldaea finishes up its stay in 6 Capricorn and slides back into 5 Capricorn early on May 12th.

That’s a pretty long time for an asteroid to hang out in one degree. We’d expect that kind of lingering of objects and planets out in the Uranus-Neptune and beyond sort of area. But in a main belt asteroid which only takes 2.375 years to go once around the Sun? That seems to be more than a bit of undue lingering.

So we should plan on some emphasis to go along with this almost-two-week-long event. In metaphysical terms, that would be what lingering in a degree would pretty much be about: emphasis.

And what is being emphasized? The ‘old ways’ are being emphasized and the need to change them, what goes into changing them and what to change them into, most likely. With all this taking place in Capricorn, we should expect this all to take place in a ‘structural’ arena – and yes, it can be about a relationship, some sort of structure (division of responsibility, perhaps?) within a relationship, or the life structures/conditions/options (or lack of same) in life which we all have to relate to…and which evidently need some serious consideration.

But let us also be aware: with this cluster of celestial objects coagulated at 5, 6, 7 and 8 Capricorn, a lot of people are going to look wishy-washy. But is that civility, or is that just the ‘look’ of wimpiness which is being caused by someone else being over-the-top aggressive (ruthlessly so, considering Facies in the mix).

In fact, since Pluto has gone retrograde rather recently….did you happen to read that blog? It’s on Pluto and Facies, which might help with understanding this moment. So here’s THE LINK.

What’s also interesting is that Chaldaea and Atropos…? They’re orbital buddies at their outer orbital (aphelion) point – (Atropos goes just beyond Chaldaea’s 2.375 AU to a 2.395 AU aphelion point) but at their inner orbit (perihelion) point, these two keep different outer space company.

Since we start from the inner solar system and look out, this really says to us that Chaldaea (the old, the status quo, the tradition, the habit) and Atropos (endings) ‘come’ from different points – which sounds perfectly sensible – but that there comes a time when the old must end….or as the expression goes, ‘all things must end.’ 

That seems to be the point – here, particularly, what with Chaldaea, Atropos and Pluto ‘ganging’ up in early Capricorn.

As we see it in the world around us, so we should assume this same ‘vibe’ is working in our lives. You probably know or feel ‘stuff’ is changing…and maybe you know what you need to change or let go of, maybe not. But evidently, this would be a time when we have to come to some realizations. So maybe a crack opens in a relationship, or maybe we see some options, or maybe we realize that we are holding onto some old way of being which not longer works for us.

Getting back to those perihelion (inner) orbital points…who does Chaldaea “run” with when ‘bringing things close’ to be held onto…that being where and what we end up thinking of as our ‘starting point’?

Answer: Chaldaea’s perihelion is at 1.945 AU and the closest asteroids I know of (so far…!) are Hidalgo (nobility of courage) at 1.950 AU, Echo at 1.958 AU  and Hebe (service) on the ‘even closer’ side at 1.937 AU.

You’ll note I didn’t give you any ‘quick definition’ on Echo. That’s because Echo’s story seems central to our understanding of Chaldaea and worth a bit more detail.

A relief of Echo carved into native rock at Parc  del

Laberint d’Horta in Barcelona, Spain

Echo is a servant to Olympian honcho-god Zeus (Jupiter) and his magnificent if often testy wife, Hera (aka Juno). Zeus/Jupiter has a couple of habits which go into this story. One is his legendary record for philandering (read: fooling around). Another is that he tends to go off to do what he wants without taking care of important business (which turns Hera into a goddess of a nag, if a nag nonetheless). Very into forgiving himself (and ignoring his own trespasses whenever possible) Zeus/Jupiter takes to telling servant Echo what to tell the wife when she asks where his immortal self has gotten off to.

And Echo, like a good servant, dutifully repeats what she is told. Does she think it through? Evidently not. Echo might have considered the whole of the Olympian dynamics – namely that she is either “buying into” being put in the middle or that she is totally into saying ‘I’m just into doing my job’ and thinking ignorance (as to what is really going on) not just bliss but a defense against repercussions.

WRONG! At some point Hera (Juno) gets SO mad that she before magnificently heading off to give Zeus a magnificent piece of her magnificent wifely mind, she pauses just long enough to turn Echo into an…echo. Okay – so you think it’s enough to just repeat what you hear? Fine! Than live a life which is confined to repeating mindlessly. 

In other words, the mind we won’t choose to use, we lose.

As it happens, Echo is not all that far away as Chaldaea goes into retrograde: with Chaldaea at 6, Echo is at 11 Capricorn conjunct Scylla, which has just gone retrograde. Since we just discussed Scylla the other day and it’s still in the degree it went retrograde in too, with 11 Capricorn being (by definition) a degree where the sign expresses itself emotionally (because it’s between 10 and 19), there’s likely to be a ‘monstrous’ (Scylla) temptation to just ‘echo’ what we have been told to say, or what’s popular to say – without necessarily thinking any of it through for ourselves.

And since the ‘Echo’ disaster is really about “serving two masters” which don’t agree without having sufficient ‘backbone’ to go with what’s right instead of what’s (emotionally) easy…

Yes well…there’s a lot of that going around, right? And apparently this is another of those moments when our choices is to be the problem or face up to the problem. Considering that the Sun is in Taurus and Uranus, Black Moon Lilith, Venus, Mercury, Mars, Eris and Jupiter are in Aries (that’s a LOT of Aries ‘me-me-me/my opinion’ energy!) the subject matter is going to be values (money or otherwise) and everyone is going to want to be the hero and be right and there will be a lot of sulking going on and attacks ranging from the petty to the bloody.

So who’s right? The person with the facts. While everyone is going to be up in emotional arms the smart course is the course based on facts. Not tradition, not conjecture, not pie-in-the-sky ideals, not accusations…hard core facts. 

Interestingly, Chaldaea entered Capricorn on February 14th – in the midst of much political and personal bru-ha-ha of many kinds all around the world. After going retrograde, it will exit (back out of) Capricorn on June 14. With Sun in Gemini at the time and evolving out of a Gemini Solar Eclipse, this is also going to be a fervent moment but here ‘right’ will have changed into ‘rights’ and ‘righteousness.’

Again, the solid money bets on facts, not what feels good. If the facts are not what it the ‘old way’ it’s time to change and get a better ‘status quo’ to work from. Just let it be based on facts, not exaggerations – which are going to be everywhere about now!

Chaldaea will go direct at 20 Sagittarius on August 9th (in the wake of a Cancer Solar Eclipse) with everyone trying to keep up with what they need to keep up with. Expect a hairy sort of time – but again, those who are working things through with sobriety and care (without simply parroting) will be making slow headway.

Re-entering Capricorn on October 8th, Chaldaea will again reach 6 Capricorn on October 27. And when it gets there, it will be exactly conjunct Icarus (haste). With Capricorn’s ruler Saturn (at 21 Libra) sitting in exact opposition to Eris (at 21 Aries) those who have fought for the sake of fighting will find out why that’s a bad idea. Likewise, those who have fought for a narrow or falsified cause will meet with exposure, dismay or defeat. Only those who are working for the good of all will come out of this in good shape.

And if no one actually has the fortitude to work for the good of all, then there’s just more trouble to be dealt with.

It’s pretty much our choice. But then, isn’t it always? That really is the oldest of old stories – one which isn’t likely to ever go out of date, style or value!