Sun into Sagittarius, Mercury into Shadow: Working the Perspectives

A rendering of the 'impossible cube'

So...yesterday was the 2010 edition of a Taurus Full Moon.

And today, we enter into a zone where everything that Full Moon was turns into repercussions, explorations, adjustments and eye-opening moments of realization as the Sun enters Sagittarius and Mercury crosses over into the shadow of what will be a three-week December retrograde.

And yes, it's all about how you see things - beginning with what we've learned so recently on how well (or not well) our values, methods, priorities and choices mesh or don't mesh with others - that Scorpio functionality poke we got from yesterday's Full Moon.

Considering that Full Moon was at 29 Taurus (meaning the Sun was at 29 Scorpio), that makes today the day that the Sun enters Sagittarius, a fire sign known for expansive thinking, discoveries of any and all types... and fiery attitudes, pursuits and proclamations.

Of the three signs in the worldly/interactive zodiacal quadrant (Libra-Scorpio-Sagittarius) one is an airy sign of ideas, theories and 'meetings of the mind' (Libra)... one is an emotional water sign where we experience our own feelings through contending with life and others (Scorpio)....and one is our coming up with ways to affect the world and/or testing out those ideas in the world.

These signs are not just individual experiences. They're a process. Through our interactions with others we experience our Self and recognize what works and what doesn't work. And whether we win or lose, we emerge from the crucible of realization (Scorpio) generally ready to tell the whole world what we've learned - or to set off in the directions of our goals yet again.

That's the Sagittarius part of the process.

Yet as those born under Sun in Sagittarius will probably tell you, the Sagittarian vibe is not just about getting on with what we want to do. The whole idea of Sagittarius involves seeing what works and what doesn't work.

So if you skated (slouched, sauntered, stalked, scurried) or otherwise weathered this year's Scorpio testing without making changes - to life, to your approach, to your companions or how you go about picking what you choose to do and who you choose to do it with - then prepare yourself. These weeks ahead are likely to be full of toe-stubs and rebuffs.

And yes, the occasional 'that's brilliant!' too.

Interestingly, this 'interactive' quarter of the zodiac which has no earth 'tangibility' in it is all about trying to make things happen and be/become real. Does that make sense? It should, if you think in terms of that 'grass-is-greener' sort of logic. Each quarter of the zodiac includes three signs, and in each quadrant, what we are seeking has to do with the missing element.

It's sort of life's version of 'fill in the blank,' yes!

 After Aristotle, these were the four Hellenistic

elements - the basis of the ancient Greek concept of physics.

The Sun representing life, will, energy, we can expect the pace of life to pick up and carry us forward through the next month or so - interestingly (and quite tellingly) in sync with the holiday season.

Fast pace, more energy...how is it that the 'busiest' time of the year for most folks (the holiday season) is supported by this karmic, cosmic timing?

Some would say this is a sign of a 'sentient' Being overseeing all of life. But maybe this is just the way life is made. Maybe the fabric of life is just made so that the things which work because of such juxtapositions carry on and become traditions?

Could be. It just could be.

The other thing happening to day is that Mercury is reaching 19 Sagittarius - the degree it will ultimately come back to at the end of its upcoming December retrograde. This forward (to retrograde) /backward (during retrograde) /forward (after retrograde ends) pattern is known as the 'shadow' of the retrograde. Every planet which goes retrograde - which would be everything except the Sun and Moon - describes a 'process' and a period of time bracketed by its periodic retrogrades.

This one starts in Sagittarius, specifically in an emotional degree known for difficulties with the conventional and repercussions of rebelliousness. Nineteen being the last of Sagittarius' emotional degrees there would seem to be a 'climactic' sense of feeling or  conviction here; lore speaks of defeats and difficulties arising out of this degree bringing on bitterness and vengeance.

That this crossing into its retrograde shadow happens with Mercury conjunct Hybris underscores needs to be right and the lengths some will go to be right - or at least to appear that way.

And yet...as postulated originally by astrologer Alex Miller with everything found so far in my own work backing this up - where goes Hybris, there to we find an eventual 'comeuppance.' With this degree also being flavored by the 'alternative reality' of a galactic Black Hole, this may thus be the arrogant pronouncement...or the discovery that someone (even...yuk!...you!) have been oh-so-very wrong.

Given that this cycle concerns Mercury, symbol of thought, communication and daily doings from errands to neighbors to household matters and such...there are like as not parts and details and factors involved no, no matter what happens.

For some, the situation will evolve, take a turn at the station/retrograde and resolve at Mercury's station/direct in late December.

For others, this is a moment of decision which will take from now through Mercury's retrograde to set up, work out or get put in order.

For still another group, this moment launches a month-plus period of personal upheaval.

Whatever happens, watch for events which happen as we go into retrograde (December 10 at 12:05 UT/+0) and come out of retrograde on December 30 (7:22 UT/0+). As with all retrogrades, the day or two to either side of these dates is significant. Information you want or need is not expected to be fully forthcoming until retrograde ends, too. Something is holding you back from being 'fully operational' in some sense.

Many people will welcome this Mercurial 'umbrella' effect ...or at least manifest it as their turning their attention to family and/or holiday matters, forget everything else.

And yet, this can be problematic. Mercury in Sagittarius is notoriously sloppy, hasty, overstated, exaggerated and demanding. Yes, even selfish.

And yes, this goes all the way to the famous 'cutting my nose off to spite my face' degree. So don't be shocked if there's something important or difficult (or even just emotionally hard to grapple with) on the table about now and someone abandons the conversational ship.

Some people will push for what they want now - screw  the cost. Right or wrong, sensible or not, maybe even legal or not, safe or not, possible or not....

You get the idea.

And yet with all that said, this may also be the moment when good sense finally dawns. It sort of depends on where you are in what area of your life coming to this day and time....particularly as Mercury is going retrograde at the degree of Pluto's turning last April.

Had a big turn of events this year? Stand by for the next act...or what comes now, because of (or out of) what happened...or changed...or was denied...or left not fully dealt with back then.

Out of Saturn's Shadow, Into Venus' Mire

Saturn - source: NASA 

Come September 5th, two seemingly opposing things happen: Saturn exits the shadow of the retrograde it went into back on January 13, 2010....and Venus enters the shadow of a retrograde it will go into come October, 2010.

On the fact of it, this closes out an entire cycle of structuring and shedding of life structures/commitments dating back to January 13th of this year - that being the Saturn part. Occurring at 4 Libra, we know this is a first decan physical/action concern with the lore on 4 Libra being about the missing of opportunities due to concentrating so much/too much on yourself. Allegedly, thus we become vulnerable to those who will exploit our self absorption. At the core of this situation is a glitch in one's personal self worth system - said glitch necessitating the attention on self which then someone exploits or otherwise exacerbates. 

Saturn being about what we take on (commit to) or what we wall ourselves off from (get rid of, separate from), the real question is whether you are now settled into whatever it is you committed to then, are done with your 'separation anxiety' incurred at the time...or possibly you've realized that what you let go of shouldn't have been let go of? Or what you took on is not the Cinderella's slipper good fit?

Something has run its course. Does that mean you simply up and dance off into the sunset? Or even (considering this is Saturn, and therefore a bit more sober, upright and sedate) set off with head held high?

Well...not exactly. Yes, we have the gist of the thing now in hand or mind, but there are evidently some ancillaries to be attended to. And this would be the Venus part. 

You remember Venus, right...?

 Venus - source: NASA

And that other Venus - remember her...?

Venus de Urbino by Tizian

Metaphysically, these two images have everything in common. Yes, I know - hard to imagine, right? But the secret is in the details: Venus the planet is (on the average) a very hot place...about 464 C (867 F) degrees hot, give or take a hotfoot. And what we think of Venus the goddess is that she was (to use the vernacular) so very smokin' hot that she could get whatever she wanted.

So as you see, like goddess, like planet.

What is to remember here when we think of Venus (either planet or goddess) in our own life is it is the what we present (the "package") which others react to by wanting to please, cater to, gift to, etcetera. And this is why Venus rules Libra, sign of the mentality of interaction... the what we think of each other and how our ideas affect each other. Venus in Libra is the presentation, the effect we have on each other with the 'mode' of how this operates being airy (since Libra is an air sign) which means what they think of me or what I have to offer.

Saturn is also powerful in Libra - and potentially, very powerful to the positive. But that just means we can structure things, not that they're going to be fine or upstanding in nature. Or even that they'll pay off well. 

And why would Saturn be what astrologers call "exalted" in Libra? That would be because so much of life is based on what others think of us, the connections we make, the relationships we build, how we present ourselves and our abilities - all that. In Libra, Saturn is all about the time and diligent attention it takes to build a good relationship with someone, be that relationship of the business, romantic or platonic type.

Also highlighted by Saturn in Libra is discernment - the ability and willingness to sort good from bad, profitable from not profitable and lie from truth. And it's this part of the Saturn/Libra thing which we can easily relate to the nature of 4 Libra and thus perhaps, to the Venus quality of what has happened over these past months.

This is thus a moment for sort out good from bad and realizing how what we've done has affected others - and thus our reputation or relationship to the world. It's also a moment for discerning what yet needs to be done - which is where Venus moving into the shadow of it's upcoming retrograde comes in.

This Venus cycle is founded in Libra. It's therefore always about who we are to others and thus how we are received by others.

It starts in Libra's 3rd decanate at 27 Libra, a degree about stability which promotes safety , with the 3rd decan part of this being that we don't ourselves get to decide what's stable or safe. No...much as we might like to, much as we might have our own opinion on the subject, this is about what others think of you or what you've done - in conjunction evidently, with what you've done, built, been through or otherwise neglected, jettisoned or eliminated (for positive or negative) during these months since January 13th.

Along the way, Venus will move into Scorpio - and this is the real crux of the niggle. Venus in Scorpio is power and power plays incarnate. It's about an all-or-nothing, rather myopic focus on winning and losing, without much regards for the rules of how you play the game. Famous for feelings of manipulation, swindling, meanness and other various kinds of disparagingly unpleasant attitudes, the thing to remember about Venus in Scorpio is that at its heart it's not about the feeling, but why you feel that way. So if someone cheats, it's about what makes them feel cheating is necessary. And if you call them on it, what that means to you and your relationship to them or whoever is bearing witness to this event. Venus in Scorpio is sometimes when things get 'covered up' and sometimes when very sticky, icky issues get uncovered. 

And that's just Venus in Scorpio direct!

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Right now the issue is to recognize what you've been through and to properly discern what that means. Who and where you are is one part of this. What you're doing and where you think you're going, another. Then there's your reputation and what you're doing to give as good as you get.

This is a moment for assessing and getting your life in perspective. But it's just a moment; then we move on, which is so very Saturn, our cosmic, human lifespan, solar systemic timekeeper....

 
...which isn't supposed to be alarming. It's supposed to be motivational and empowering!