Saturn In Capricorn Square Chiron In Aries, Part 1

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With Saturn arriving in Capricorn back in December and Chiron only just entering Aries this past April, these two celestial bodies have largely managed to avoid clashing with each other in their respective new surroundings.  It’s almost as if they were taking their time getting acquainted with their new zodiac digs first, but with Saturn now at the tail-end of its  retrograde reversing it all the way back to 2 degrees of Capricorn where it threatens to back into frictional contact with Chiron, these two cosmic contenders are currently getting on each other’s nerves.

What’s the beef?  Simple – Chiron is in an infantile sign (Aries; AKA the Newborn of the zodiac) while Saturn is the uber adult in Capricorn. Like a baby screaming in frustration and/or pain over hunger, a diaper that needs to be changed, or god knows what else, one cosmic energy operates from a very base simplistic level that’s apt to be angry/reactive while the other is cold and supremely self-controlled. Note that neither behavior is inherently “better” than the other; it’s just they have two totally different modes of operating where neither really understands the other. Age isn’t a factor either; exactly who is being the “adult” and who is behaving childishly in a given situation may have nothing to do at all with how old we are or our familial role/hierarchy because when we are in pain the delineating line that separates “the men from the boys” often goes right out the window completely independent of age or gender.

So how does this energy manifest?  Well speaking of family roles, parental wounds tend to (re?)surface for one.  Ever feel like you’re dealing with a brick wall when it comes to Mom and/or Dad?  Brace for impact, because this vibe is likely to exacerbate such dynamics.  Paternal relationships are particularly sensitized by Chiron’s coarse brushing; fatherly energy resonating strongly with the Saturn archetype. Relationships with teacher/mentor or elder/elderly figures can be similarly affected by this square.  Now this is just a caution; *not* a fatalistic pronouncement that nothing can be done about such situations if they indeed arise.  If scenarios like this do happen, though, it’s an opportunity for us to heal an (old?) injury and gain wisdom regarding what *not* to do the next time around.  And there may not even be a next time; this square never quiiiiiiite perfects even though it comes close.  So there’s a sense of learning some kind of lesson through this painful experience in a way that fortifies us and makes us wiser.

What is that lesson?  It can vary, but the utility of caution/restraint/healthy boundaries is certainly an important consideration.  Metaphorically, if we can see inflammation acting as sort of a “Police line; do not cross” yellow caution tape we’ll get a pretty good idea of what’s a safe level to engage at vs. that which is decidedly off-limits.  On the flip side, Saturn tends to be overly restrictive/repressive in Capricorn so it can also be about figuring out what the “safe container” is to hold that pain.  Perhaps it’s calling in a pro; some kind of coach or therapeutic figure who can hold the appropriate space for us to unpack that baggage and come up with a management plan.  Maybe it’s agreeing only to engage at a respectful level and one of bare necessity.  Painful as this reality is to acknowledge, sometimes the best relationship we can have with others is either 1) a no-frills one or 2) none at all – sometimes there’s a limit to the amount of healing that can be achieved and it’s safest for one or both part(y)(ies) to stay in their own lanes at a respectful distance; especially if/when the effort is one-sided. They say that “Time heals all wounds” and though it can indeed be a balm of sorts, it’s far from a cure-all and at times despite the wait and generous amounts of elbow grease we apply in service to healing we can still hit a wall; especially when this entails dealing with those who are stuck in rigid/outdated ways of being/doing.  Some are not driven to heal; they can only get as far as they can on *their* individual healing journey and we can’t measure this against *our* yardstick.  Saturn’s primary function is to define limits, so it’s better to recognize the barrier/impediment for what it is in order to preserve our sanity; issuing an internal cease & desist order to ourselves regarding our expectations about what that relationship can/should be.  Sometimes we have to take it on the chin and accept the “L”; even if/when it hurts – simply take as a lesson on how *not* to do/be.

**Read other installments in this series: Saturn In Capricorn Square Chiron In Aries, Part 2 Saturn In Capricorn Square Chiron In Aries, Part 3

08/13/2018

Mars Sextile Chiron: Healing Battle Wounds

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We’ve already spoken of Chiron in Aries and its battle wounds in a previous post, but something unique is happening on this front courtesy of the present Mars retrograde. Mars rules Aries – the sign Chiron is presently traversing through – so that’s one layer of it. But we have an additional level of interconnectedness between these two celestial energies at the moment that is continuing to play out because Mars makes repeated contact to Chiron due The Red Planet’s back-and-forth retrograde motion.

These astrological contacts – which perfect(ed) in alignment on May 20th, August 3rd, & September 13th – are facilitating an opportunity for us to revisit ancient battle wounds/the scene of old skirmishes (in this life and/or those past) to find new opportunities for self-healing; especially if we focus on how we can be or do differently in the Now/going forward.  We may not be able to change the past, but we absolutely *can* review any repeated points of conflict or contention in our lives – including any shrapnel wounds we may have sustained way back when – to excavate/excise. It’s not unlike exploratory surgery in a kind of way; we may not know quite what we’re getting into/going to find, but we’re pretty clear on the fact that something weird is going on that will need to be patched up or “sutured” for closure.

As for where to start on this healing journey, begin with things that make you angry.  Examine the reaction to anger and explore any possible triggers rooted in past experiences while maintaining a sense of intellectual detachment that keeps it cool enough to handle. This is nothing to fear; in these déjà vu moments bear in mind the potential this energy has for recalibrating healthy self-assertion because there is an opportunity to radically initiate an entirely different way of being/doing.  Some are very uncomfortable with this emotion and see it in a negative light as generating static or chaos.  But when proactively handled, it can also be a force for change that liberates us from stuck ways of being or doing so we don’t attract chronic injuries that result in the (re-)formation of new scar tissue.  There’s only so many time we can go through the same incision point….

08/02/2018

Manifesting Neptune Miracles

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We so often hear about Neptune’s trickier side in astrology; its propensity for deception, denial, obfuscation, escapism, addiction, and delusion. While all of that is certainly true in discussing the Lo-Fi potential of this planet’s energy, that’s only the half of it; what if I told you Neptune also has an exquisitely Divine countenance that – when it smiles upon us – gives us direct access to transcendental states of being? Neptune energy alone can hold us in an invisible auric forcefield where we’re enveloped in a state of infinite love, kindness, and mercy by The Universe (or insert your deity[ies] of choice here) in a way that allows us to totally Trust. We may not know where we’re going or how exactly we’ll get there, but we’re nonetheless compelled to surrender our individual will and flow/float in the current of something that we feel is divinely orchestrated. The experience of Neptune can indeed be a direct a “Hotline to Heaven” where our prayers are heard and answered, but how can we help ensure this is the way it plays out for us vs. being lured by the Siren Song of Lo-Fi Neptune into a riptide that sends us crashing upon jagged rocks?

It’s actually deceptively simple while also being easier said than done. Rocks represent cold, hard Reality – we have to acknowledge the Saturnian terrain of limitations, obstacles, facts, challenges, and workable parameters whenever we’re dealing with Neptune instead of just allowing ourselves to gloss things over with a slick sheen that would surely only trip us up later. With Neptune, it’s easy to get swept up in fantasy to the exclusion of What Is; ignoring all that doesn’t fit into our idealized narrative of How We’d Wish It To Be. But with Neptune finding supportive links to Saturn multiple times during 2019 (late January, mid June, & early November), it’s going to get a whole lot easier to incorporate a rational sense of practicality with this planet’s dreamy romanticism; especially for those who have planets or points in their chart located around 14-19 degrees of any Earth or Water sign and this zone of Capricorn and/or Pisces in particular. Sobriety helps, as does having A Plan. Organize. Think about the long term vision, and maybe even ask for help via professional advice or a mentor. Because while God(dess)/The Universe/Divinity may provide, we’ll definitely have to do some heavy lifting. Earn your miracle. Prove that you respect any godsend you’ve been given by working your ass off to maintain it – roll up those sleeves and sweat your prayers.  🙏

07/20/2018

Jupiter Direct

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After 4 months of seeming dormancy, Big Daddy Jupiter has officially shifted back into forward motion from reverse (retrograde) gear!  As a result the Jupiter vibe is super potent at the moment; it’s almost as if this planet has been distilled into a concentrated Essence of Jove and our optimism & appetites return with a vengeance.

Image credit: Gabriel Saldana

Maybe this translates to an appetite for destruction or debt, or perhaps instead we’re hungering for intimacy/sex – whatever the case, know our vice-du-jour may be the adage that “more is more”. So before going overboard with decadent excess, some insightful and perhaps psychological understanding about what all of this might be rooted in may keep things from getting too out-of-hand.

One thing to be grateful for about Jupiter Direct: When this planet is retrograde, we’re often not as cognizant of our blessings because they tend to be less overt and more spiritualized in nature.  But now that Jove has resumed his “regularly scheduled programming”, abundance tends to flow in more outward ways. In honor of its present connection to Neptune, dream big and say a prayer for your greatest wish; then be on the lookout for signs that Divinity is indeed listening with a spirit of infinite generosity.  Keep the faith and give it about a month.

07/11/2018

Mars Conjunct The South Node: Recapitulation

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Recapitulation: (n) From a metaphysical perspective, the act of reclaiming one’s energy from the past.

Something interesting has been going on since about late May – collectively, it’s like we’re all being asked to confront memories and events from the past (either in this life or perhaps even past lifetimes) to reclaim lost energy. This may occur via current situations/interactions that serve as a memory trigger, or perhaps replaying/revisiting something that elicited a strong emotional reaction within us, and/or it’s also possible some of this past material we’re tackling may be surfacing in our subconscious through dreams. Whatever the case, it’s as if a portal to long ago has opened so we can face and release any “unfinished business”.  We’re in the process of reclaiming our power from the Past, and whether it’s a memory from our own history or our soul’s history there is the sense that we’re freeing stuck emotional energy that has been trapped in some bygone era.

Sometimes strong emotional experiences leave an imprint upon the psyche or soul and the resulting residue left behind either 1) gets us nowhere or 2) actively prevents us from moving forward in life.  It’s as if a vital part of our energy has  been “stolen” from us in a sense, and going back to confront and release those scenarios, interactions, actions, and – in some cases – inactions that left us feeling diminished, weak, or powerless can have a positive impact at this time. There are a variety of techniques one can use to accomplish this; from mundane to spiritual – it’s not so much about the specific method we’re using to achieve these ends, but our willingness to actively engage with the process.

It can be as simple as allowing a memory to transport us back to a place or time and reviewing/addressing deeper feelings that may be unconsciously influencing our Present.  If we permit ourselves to temporarily re-live that event or feeling, we can in fact alter the Past; say by consciously affirming how we’re handling things differently in the current moment or asserting how we’ll do things differently moving forward.

It might also look like this: Perhaps we’re engaged in a (contentious?) process of hashing  something out with another party and something about that dynamic seems somehow vaguely familiar.  Conflict seems to stir up all kinds of weird stuff now, and perhaps this is our prompt to review something that happened to us “way back when” that is actually impacting the Now.

We don’t have to necessarily have a past life regression done (though that’s certainly an option at this time!); we can also sit in meditation and see what comes up for us, pay attention to our dreamscape for clues as to what our subconscious might want addressed, or do some shamanic Journeying either on our own or with the assistance of a trusted and reputable shamanic healer. These types of techniques may be most helpful in situations where something happened to us very young (Think: baby/toddler), where we may have packed an experience away because the emotional impact was so violent that we didn’t *want* to remember it, or when it’s something we have no conscious recall of because it didn’t happen to us in *this* incarnation; rather a past one.

Whatever the case may be, do be particularly aware of any themes that surfaced circa late May and then subsequently culminated around June 7th/8th when Mars made its first exact contact to the South Node.  The story is far from over; the other dates we want to pay very close attention to are July 20th when a retrograde Mars revisits this old stomping ground and then Sept 25th/26th when the Red Planet makes final contact with the South Node.  During the next couple of months, no matter what is brought up we must remember that our Past does not have to be our Now/Future; we can *be* and *do* differently!  There’s definitely an element of “behavior modification” inherent in this astrological alignment; it’s all about how to make our actions less directly informed by habits of/ingrained patterns from the past so we can break free rather than allow them to derail us from our destiny.

07/05/2018

An Astrological Date With Destiny

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Every so often there are certain energetic portals that open to us and offer transport to places – or perhaps states of being – beyond our imagining.  Energetically speaking, it’s as if we have a Date with Destiny and it’s possible to predict when such instances may occur by tracking the movement of the Moon’s Nodes.  The Nodes are like invisible astrological vortices that pull us toward the Future (North Node) or Past (South Node), and when they come into contact with an individual’s Sun by transit or progression it’s as if kismet is in play.

While any planet or point in the nativity can certainly be touched by the Nodes, the Sun is a highly personal point that represents the eternal spark of the Divine residing in each and every one of us.  When the Nodes cross the Sun by transit or progression, I liken it to being touched by the hand of God – while we can’t *see* Divinity, our consciousness becomes activated in such a way where we often get the strong sense that fated situations, meetings, and events are in fact occurring in our lives.

The South Node passing over our Sun tends to kick up residue from the Past – regarding our current incarnation and/or perhaps lifetimes prior if our philosophy allows us to be open to such views – for the sake of bringing closure to our Now.  Vaguely familiar old habits, situations, patterns, and people beam into our lives but in a way that might not be the most conducive to our soul’s evolution because we’re less inclined to be put outside of our comfort zones.

By contrast, the North Node crossing our Sun is a transport vehicle toward our Future Self – it often brings challenging but rewarding circumstances that serve as a cosmic invitation to self-actualize. North Node influenced situations or interactions tend to give us the sense of “Well, this is new for me; I’ve never done this before” yet ideally confidence inspires us to make that leap and embrace the soul’s journey into new and unfamiliar territory.

Though there is no hard-and-fast rule regarding a particular age at which we experience the influence of the Nodes crossing over our Sun since this largely depends upon how close our birth was in proximity to an eclipse, by transit the Nodes make one full lap around the zodiac about every 18 years and a half cycle roughly every 9.  So once you determine when the last or next time this happen(ed)(s) for you is, all you have to do is look ahead at 9 or 18 years to see when your next astrological Date with Destiny is.

06/28/2018

Mars Stationary Retrograde Vibe

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA6id4–BDg

Foreigner’s “Urgent”: For those days (like today) when everything seems to be a federal f***ing emergency 😡

Happy? Mars Retrograde, ya’ll – don’t make any rash moves, allow cooler heads to prevail, and diligently monitor any feelings of impatience, irritation, anger, or frustration.  We’ve got 2 months of this vibe to ride out, but this energy is strongest for about a week surrounding the days this planet stations; that would be now and then again around August 27th.

06/25/2018

Pulling Into The (Neptune) Station

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With Neptune pausing to halt and shift into retrograde gear today, its vibes are ultra strong in the cosmos at the moment!  Pay attention to messages in your dreams, during restful states like meditation, savasana, or prayer, and listen to that “still small voice” welling up from Within or even whispering in your ear right now.  Weird and wonderful things can happen when Neptune is stationing, and especially with it currently supported by Mercury and Jupiter the messages from Spirit are apt to be big and loud.

For example on the way home from my run this morning, I petitioned my Guides aloud to please send me a feather – as I returned home not 10 minutes later, what do think I noticed had conspicuously materialized on my lawn somehow, LOL? A hawk feather! Not only did my Guides deliver, but they delivered in a huge way; somebody was definitely listening! The veil between mundane and non-ordinary reality is gossamer thin at this time; the invisible membrane separating our world from the spiritual world is indeed ultra-permeable.  Keeping lucid and clear-headed while consciously opening up lines of communication to Divinity through methods like prayer, Journeying, meditation, or even divination pays off big time now.

I mention clear-headed quite deliberately because Neptune is such an exquisitely sensitive vibration that it’s easy to miss its subtle intimations if/when we’re in an artificially altered state of consciousness, and so much valuable guidance can be lost this way!  Besides, with this planet stationing adverse effects from substances of all stripes – ranging from allergic reactions to problems with anesthesia – are more likely to occur.  Those in naturally altered states – say, those with narcolepsy or Alzheimer’s, for example – may find this energy can indicate experiences with lucid dreaming or even a lessening of dementia symptoms.  When Neptune turns retrograde, it’s like the fog temporarily parts and we can see more clearly with our 3rd eye.  And speaking of lucid dreaming: If we’re tempted to experiment with this using the aid of natural sleep aids/enhancers like herbs or supplements, just go easy!  Echoing the aforementioned theme of increased sensitivity as we reach the Neptune station, this is understandably not something we would want to overdo because they’re apt to be more potent than usual.

One other facet of Neptune turning retrograde is that it often tends to unveil some kind of illusion we’ve been living under; whether that’s some kind of outright deception surfacing or just a skewed perception we’ve had about something/someone.  Our Guides are trying to help us see beyond the veil created by the effects of smoke and mirrors, ruses, lies, and fantasy now, so be sure to thank them for their tireless service to our Highest Good if this happens. Perhaps you’ll even find some feathers, too, as evidence of this; supposedly a tangible sign that angels are indeed watching over us. 👼🕊

06/18/2018

Pulling Into The (Mars) Station

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We have less than two weeks to go now until Mars stations (AKA pauses and turns) retrograde!  Mars stationary retrograde in Aquarius is like an itch you can’t quite scratch that’s driving you, well, crazy. Things chafe at us now but there’s no immediate relief in sight.  Speaking of immediate relief: Sexually frustrated? Fuhgettaboutit! It’s like our motors are all revved up but we’re not going anywhere; at least not in a hurry!  Mars is super carnal energy – on a symbolic level it’s both the libido of what turns us on and the orgasm of what gets us off.  In Aquarius, Mars wants complete freedom of sexual expression – he wants to experiment, do things outside the bounds of normal social convention, innovate, and try novel techniques.  But with the retrograde station in the mix, it’s like he’s hung up; caught in some kind of invisible energetic groove like a planetary skipping record.

So don’t freak if your sex drive or life seems to get a little…strange…under these skies.  This astro merely represents some kind of “deviation” from whatever our “norm” is; with the aim that by the end of this retrograde period we’ll find a newfound level of freedom outside the confines of self-imposed limitation or denial.   With Mars ping-ponging between the signs of Aquarius and Capricorn, there’s a direct relationship between self-denying vs. giving ourselves full unfettered permission to be and to do whatever we want; perhaps even in an act of rebellion.  Question all default settings of being and doing now, in *every* sense.  Because with this retrograde approaching, there’s a general feeling of inflammation, irritation, or impatience surrounding something we want to be different in our lives.  It’s something we’re inclined to want quite badly, however we can’t *quiiiiiite* reach it yet.  And it’s just as well, because right now any action we might take toward this end is liable to lead to a premature…release of energy (kundalini or otherwise)…that has unintended consequences.  Not necessarily the ones we think, either – metaphorically this energy is not unlike someone who had a vasectomy unexpectedly getting you pregnant; surprise!  It could absolutely be something that defies the laws of science/nature/probability.  Though this isn’t *always* a bad thing, most of the time we wind up better off if we can avoid doing something crazy in the heat of the moment – this is likely to be one of those times.

06/12/2018

Sun Conjunct Mercury In Gemini TOTD

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With the Sun presently conjunct Mercury in Gemini, it’s time to derive creative inspiration from our innate inquisitiveness about life! Recall which core topics joyfully absorbed your intellectual attention as a child; way back before you started to care who was watching and what they thought of your interests. It’s these little threads that appear early on that so often tie together and gather into something greater to come full circle later. Everything else is a distraction – the soul communicates the information vital to its mission of self-actualization in youth; frequently though play/our pastimes. So think back to all the natural curiosities that consumed your mind as a kid; whether this encompasses subjects you enjoyed learning/reading about, topics of conversation you loved talking about, or any intellectual pursuit that may have filled your heart with joy – especially if it was in any way precocious. The glowingly radiant spark of Divine Child that we all carry inside of us ignites and comes alive if we blow on the ember but a little…

Image c/o the Rider-Waite Tarot

06/05/2018