(Retrograde) Mercury In Aries, Mars In Gemini: Backdraft

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No, you’re not seeing double – a retrograde Mercury just retread its tracks for a second passage back through fiery Aries while Mars entered dualistic Gemini less than 24 hours later.  With Mercury occupying the sign Mars rules (Aries) and Mars making a run through Mercury’s turf (Gemini), we have what is known as a “mutual reception” between Mercury and Mars in effect – for a primer on mutual reception, see my previous post here.

The effects of this Air (Mercury/Gemini) and Fire (Mars/Aries) combination can be particularly volatile, as we all know that Air feeds Fire.  With Mercury retrograde, this is making me think of the word “backdraft”; something I’m using as a metaphor for a dangerous and highly combustible situation where the rapid re-introduction of oxygen (i.e. the wind of our words) into a heated situation may explode and make arguments come rip-roaring back to life in an instant.  While this Mercury/Mars mutual reception remains in effect for the next 3 weeks it would be a particularly ill-advised time for any of the following:

1) To pick this period to initiate the re-hashing of a repeated point of contention – doubly so if it happens to be with a sibling, cousin, or neighbor. You’re not going to get anywhere new with Mercury Rx, and it’s highly likely to just wind up being a shootout at the O.K. Corral.

2) To insult someone’s intelligence.  This is never a nice thing to do, but even if snappish understand that under this energy words can quickly turn into fistfights and this is particularly likely to be a near instantaneous trigger for such to happen.

3) To *not* think twice before saying something in anger, period.  Because you can’t take it back and it’s likely to be especially cutting/brutal now.

4) To say something rude.  There’s straightforwardness and then, well, there’s just being an asshole.  What; I thought you wanted plainspoken?  So how does that grab ya – on the receiving end, it’s grating to the listener/reader, isn’t it?  😛  The point is, don’t be “that guy” regardless of gender – directness is no excuse for barbarism, nor is brevity justification for tactlessness.

5) To hurriedly, hastily, or agitatedly fire off a missive that is just plain ill thought out.  The aggravation and strife (Mercury plunks down next to discordant Eris and upset-oriented Uranus, remaining near one or both until it exits Aries in mid-May) likely to result may be similar to kicking a hornet’s nest.

6) To drive angry. When there’s such a strong Mercury/Mars vibe in the air, it’s the little things that will tend to piss us off.  Mercury is transportation-related, and when we put this into a vehicular context we may be inclined to find ourselves swearing at someone who cut us off or who blew through a stop sign, for example.  This can lead to things like road rage, impatience behind the wheel, and really aggressive driving in general. While anger is understandable when somebody is driving like an inconsiderate jerk (because nobody wants to wind up in a collision due to this!), instead of becoming belligerent and feeding the fire by giving it more air, take a deep breath, count to 10, and focus on staying in control.   Remember, your own actions behind the wheel may very well dictate whether or not the incident ends in a phone call to emergency services.

7) To use inattention when handling sharp or hot objects.  On a physical level, Mercury/Mars can make for cuts or burns to our arms or digits – especially if we are agitated and thus inclined to use excessive speed or force.

Please, if you could take away only one thing from the above list: Don’t be a conversational arsonist during this mutual reception!  Mercury/Mars combinations tend to heat up the mouth & sharpen the tongue, perhaps inclining us to say rude things, yell, interrupt, or fire out the first thing that comes to mind without really thinking about it. Remember that Mars is traditionally a malefic in astrology, so when it is double-teamed by Mercury/Gemini energy the problems will multiply when we give a fire air; particularly if/when it has been choked of oxygen.  The speed, heat, and force with which we verbalize irritation can rapidly ignite with hair-singeing capability, resulting in everything from tempests in teacups to dangerous backdrafts.  Before unthinkingly creating a scene that might best be described as belonging in Dante’s Inferno (i.e. “What fresh [circle of] hell is this?!”), mull all this over. Again, if need be – repeat as necessary until this mutual reception ends on May 16th.

04/23/2017

Venus, Inverted

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In a moment of pure Venus Retrograde synchronicity, I recently heard about a new dating app that is turning traditional matchmaking on its head: Hater.  The basic premise is that it matches you with a partner based upon things you both can’t stand – its logo even features a little upside-down heart. How’s THAT for some Retrograde Venus vibes?!

I think this is an app that would probably most appeal to people with a strong Venus/Pluto or Venus/Mars energy signature, as these peeps generally don’t do milquetoast and like their partners ardent for better or worse.  The capacity to bond over mutual dislike for something/someone seems to be a baseline function of both energies, albeit with some very notable differences in expression.  Venus also does not function in typical “lovey-dovey” ways when wired into either of these energies; consider that she is in her detriment in Aries (Mars) and Scorpio (Pluto).

I can foresee this app being either really good or really bad – there’s not much room for in-between here, IMO.  The bad side: It can potentially turn the prospective relationship into a cesspool of negativity that winds up degrading into a bitchfest.  The basic principle of Venus is “like attracts like” – if this is allowed to go very low-vibration, it can certainly have the capacity to be draining for one or both parties.  If we want people to meet us with energy we like, wouldn’t it make more sense to bring our best to the table instead of our worst, then? Of course, this can also be quickly remedied as the app is intended just for making that initial connection.

The good: If you both have a strong aversion to the same types of things, well, there’s really not much to fight about, is there?   An app like this could weed out a lot of dealbreakers for people early on, and less conflict can have the ability to correlate to more harmony.

The other thing I am hoping is that it sticks to more meaningful questions as the major screeners, for example a “hate” on “Trump” or “Kids” getting a much higher point value than a “hate” on “Sleeping with a lot of pillows” (an actual metric).  Besides, I actually *like* sleeping with lots of pillows – it works out great if I were matched with a partner who only wants one; more for me!   😀

04/13/2017

A Venus Direct Prayer

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May those who shed tears over the dissolution of a union now be blessed to go forth in Joy.

May all who sorrow regarding the ghosts of Relationships Past find peace and the strength to move forward with a brave new heart; neither daunted nor haunted.

May those who have burned with rage over injustices visited upon them by others at last find respite from their anger.

And may we all find absolution in our hearts for mistakes we’ve made in the name of Love; releasing the past once and for all and stepping into the Now.

The cycle is over.

~Fin

04/12/2017

Venus Retrograde: “You’re Like A Bad Penny…”

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“You’re like a bad penny; you keep turning up!” Such an apt phrase for Venus Retrograde, as Venus rules copper and the retrograde period is a time when ex-partners and ex-friends tend to resurface.  While verdigris patina can hold a “shabby chic” charm for some, in my eyes I see the deterioration – it’s still corrosion, even if the age and wear do give it a certain je ne sais quoi.  Rest assured that when I’ve stopped taking a shine to someone, it’s for good reason – I do not just allow my love to rust.

I find the phrase “pennies from heaven” especially apropos with Venus currently in Pisces, denoting there may be an element of Divine Intervention for reasons we may not fully comprehend. But it is important to remember that pennies are essentially worthless currency; it’s not necessarily a “gift” just because there is a spiritual or karmic reason for a (temporary) Re-union. With Venus also now sitting in a square to Saturn as it stations Direct, this may actually refer to there being a “lesson” involved; a sort of cosmic “What have we learned here?” about our faults and foibles in relationships and the ways in which we’ve learned how *not* to shoot ourselves in the foot anymore.

Maybe we’ve grown up & matured.  Perhaps we’ve gotten “too old for this”. It’s possible we’re tired of hurting ourselves – Venus will halt movement very near wounded Chiron, so the pain is there but the ability for healing with compassion is as well. It can be simple forgiveness for the pain someone has caused us as we (re?)release them with strength; certain in our heart they’re no good for us.  It can be self-compassion for the ways in which we now have the benefit of experience to understand that we’ve grown wiser and don’t have to perpetuate any lather-rinse-repeat cycles of pain/suffering/self-undoing when it comes to partnering.  We can love someone unconditionally without being a martyr to an ideal – sometimes this entails good boundaries and/or loving from afar, à la ”Surrender, surrender, but don’t give yourself away…”

So is it worth the time and effort to try and put a polish on a relationship that we know in our heart already had its day during Venus Retrograde?  Particularly if/when we know the other party is still up to their old tricks?  I see the prospect of such a would-be reunion – of that “(bad) penny from heaven” turning up at this moment – as naught but a validation from The Universe that we indeed made the right (but difficult) choice…even though it may still hurt a bit.  Sometimes we have to be willing to say “no” despite the history and there being “no love lost” (in the most antiquated sense of the phrase) between the parties involved.  Way back when I was a teen, a friend of a friend had left a suicide note with those exact words, telling all of his crew how much he loved them and how sorry he was that he just couldn’t take it anymore.  My friend then had that haunting line tattooed across his shoulders as a massive memorial back piece to his fallen companion, with Christ on the cross set amidst a field of boulders in the pouring rain below – I wept when I heard the story. I’m welling up now, as a matter of fact.  But my point in retelling the tale is twofold; that sometimes time changes context (both literally AND as a metaphor for past relationships) and that sometimes pain and sadness are just a part of the experience of truly loving someone – it wouldn’t hurt if it wasn’t real.  ❤

04/05/2017

 

Venus Retrogrades Back Into Pisces

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Image credit: Vanilladisaster

Venus dips from the sign of her detriment (Aries) back into the sign of her exaltation (Pisces) today. She made this same transition – only inverse – on February 3, 2017 when she slipped out of her watery domain of the Fishes and adopted a bolder stance in the sign of the Ram. Whenever Venus graces her exalted Pisces domain, we develop yen for blissful pleasures – for some this may entail fantastical wealth, the heady buzz of falling deeply and helplessly in love, or even (on a less highly-functioning level) the pleasing high attained though euphoric substances such as MDMA. Our heart desires to receive the experience of something truly transcendental when Venus resides in Pisces; nothing mundane has a place here.

When at last she departs this prismatic land of rapture with the dewy residue of this dream still haunting her to boldly go forth into Aries, the reverie of time spent here fades so she is able to make this exodus from Eden. It’s difficult to leave heaven, but leave she must – perhaps that is why she functions so out-of-character during her passage through Aries; the anger at leaving a such a supreme paradise behind would certainly be understandable. But at the same time she knows she must undertake this Heroine’s Journey and will to one day return to Shangri-La, so she bravely sets out…

In Aries, Venus burns with desire; taking those first courageous (and sometimes graceless) steps toward new relationship and fiscal beginnings. As she turns retrograde in this sign it’s as if she falters, though – maybe what she thought she wanted has proven to be more of a challenge than initially anticipated. Or perhaps she‘s having a change of heart and doesn’t want whatever it was that originally provided the motivation for this Journey. She stumbles backward, fumbling toward Ecstasy and the escape of her Pisces refuge once again. It’s as if it had been a false start and now she realizes her Journey started off on the wrong foot, so she retreats to find respite in her watery Pisces domain where she doesn’t *have* to Fight and can instead just Float for a while. In this meditative state she finds her Center – yes, perhaps her movement had been premature. The longer she reflects upon this through the compassionate and nonjudgmental lens of her Highest Self, the more she realizes she had been confused – she had actually been chasing the wrong rabbit. Further, she had forgotten that if it’s a fight it probably isn’t worth it; recalling in this receptive state what her Spirit Guides told her the last time she was here – “What is meant for you flows to you and shall not pass you”.  In perfect love and perfect trust; so mote it be.

As Venus reaches this point of exquisite stillness – her Station on April 15th – her heart & soul re-align so she can move forward in earnest this time. Dropping any vestiges of the past and becoming wiser from this experience, she’ll set out with clarity of intention as she moves ever closer toward her heart’s true desire.

To Be Continued…

04/02/2017

Jupiter square Pluto: True Darkness

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ 2 Comments

Jupiter and Pluto are two very contrasting energies. Jupiter is honest and candid, while Pluto is very secretive and tends to keep its cards close to its chest. When these planets square off with one another – as they are doing now – it can open up the proverbial can of worms where secrets, filth, corruption, etc. are exposed. Some believe this is for the greater good (and indeed it can be), but what happens when digging up the truth turns into something pathological; where it becomes an obsession?

Truth (Jupiter) is rarely black-and-white. It something subject to interpretation depending upon which angle(s) we’re looking at things from. But when Pluto gets involved there can be a tendency to believe it’s all-or-nothing and we’re often so compelled to try to distill this down into something weapons-grade potent that it’s easy to lose perspective.

There are people so consumed by the quest to “get to the bottom of things”, they wind up mistaking “Filth” for “Truth”. While these *can* be one in the same, they aren’t necessarily. The problem is this can create a tainted bias where the tendency is to perceive evil and corruption everywhere one turns because that is all one is looking for – an example of this would be the conspiracy theorist who chooses to believe something is much more complex and convoluted even when a simple and honest-to-god Truth presents itself plain as day. Not only do they reject that Truth because it isn’t sinister enough for their liking, but they fail to see how dangerous and wrong this is and how it has the ability to lead to witch hunts and lynch mobs – they fail to see the true darkness actually lies within.

As Ye Seek, So Shall Ye Find.

Exposing corruption certainly has its place; I don’t mean to imply otherwise. But what I am speaking of today is the necessity for balance in our search for Truth. With Jupiter presently residing in Libra this is something crucial to consider, because not everyone doing an “exposé” style piece is right, nor does it mean they’re necessarily doing this for the “right” reasons – the Truth is, some people just love to sling mud; they don’t care if it’s at the expense of honesty. Their pathology involves convincing themselves (and others) they must be righteous if they’re getting “down in it”.

See those who prefer to wallow in dirt rather than bask in Truth for what they are; especially if/when they attempt to frame it as if they are doing something “good”.

03/28/2017

Jupiter Square Pluto: Enormous Omens

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The square between Jupiter in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn continues to tighten, and as it does so one thing we can expect from this energy is the appearance of some pretty enormous omens. Jupiter loves to magnify things while Pluto does relish having some kind of secret “code” – combine the two and what you get are huge “signs”; massive portents to be interpreted by those who understand and speak the language of the Occult fluently.

Case in point: The story I just read below gave me goosebumps of EPIC proportions!

I have a really strong connection to the Animal Kingdom – I am visited by critters great and small almost nightly in dreams, so when I saw this I honestly didn’t know whether to be comforted or creeped out. Whales are supposed to be keepers of the Akashic Records; a compendium of all the thoughts, feelings, knowledge, and experiences on Planet Earth that have ever been, are, or will ever be. When scientists observe giant pods of whales “swarming” like this and don’t know why, my gut feeling tells me something gargantuan is afoot on the energetic plane.

What might it mean? While I can’t say for certain, my own feeling is the whales may be gathering en masse to remind us of our history. On one hand we have ISIL trying to erase it by blowing up all these ancient and culturally significant landmarks (such as Nimrud & Palmyra) that are a giant part of human history. On the other, we have the Trump administration attempting to re-write and/or (god forbid) possibly even repeat it with its McCarthy-era behaviors and rampant white nationalism. Perhaps the whales are congregating in order to amplify their symbolic Medicine at this time; their songs representing a dire cry within the energetic meta-narrative that we all need to take heed of.

Recommended further reading: Whale Energy

Pay attention to the first and fourth paragraphs especially – I find them particularly relevant with the opposition between Jupiter and Uranus still operating roughly in tandem with this square between Jupiter and Pluto. It may be the whales are convening in super-sized groups to also emphasize the fact that we desperately need tolerance and inclusivity on the planet at this time.

Image credit: Sylke Rorhlach 

03/15/2017

Jupiter Square Pluto: Thundering Bass

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We are heading into the second of three rounds involving Jupiter in Libra squaring Pluto in Capricorn. On March 30, 2017 this alignment perfects yet again, however its vibrations already permeate the air like deep, thunderous bass notes pulsing away in the background. When Jupiter and Pluto align there is potential for massive transformation; the problem being that we usually have to make our way through a whole lot of crap on this journey to Illumination. With Jupiter presently in Libra, major issues tend to involve the beliefs and points of view we have about the institution of partnership – under this square, any dysfunctional relationship paradigms tend to be exposed and the ugly Truth laid bare. This process isn’t pretty, but is *is* honest! If we are to totally overhaul our partnering philosophy for the better, even the most uncomfortable parts must be put under a magnifying glass.

On the personal level, one manifestation we may see regarding this energy is that it can tend to blow up any toxic, hoary old issues within relationships; particularly those that center on themes involving resentment, power trips, manipulation, or control “baggage” we might be harboring on a conscious or subconscious level. There can be a sense of a huge implosion regarding this energy; where a relationship hits some kind of “fix it or fuck it” crisis point that isn’t so much external as the result from internal pressure that has been building from within for some time. Relationships where the growth of both parties have become stifled – particularly by the stagnation bred of any orthodoxy that has us entrenched in some kind of defunct status quo – are the most at risk for things coming to a head during this square. By that statement, I mean the adherence to any kind of social convention that may have led us into territory we could broadly label as “stuck and fucked”. For example, people in long-term relationships often experience pressure to get married because culturally and religiously we are programmed to see this as “good”. This is a wonderful thing when we’re partnered with the right partner and for the right reasons – it can certainly be a blessing that increases the intimacy of that connection and vastly enriches both parties in a way that helps them grow together.

But what if we’re not partnered with the “right” person or psychologically didn’t come together for all the “right” reasons? What if there was coercion involved; say perhaps by an arranged marriage? Or what if marriage doesn’t actually serve to level up our relationship? And perhaps the most horrifying (but possibly relatable) thought of all: What if we are just killing time together; wasting time and opportunity because there’s “nothing better going on”? What if we have come to the unpleasant but honest realization that we have somehow “settled”?

Quite simply, people are apt to want more out of their relationships under this energy – especially with a now-retrograde Venus deposing of both Jupiter and Pluto. This can create enormous tension; tension that has huge potential to both create and destroy. As dire as this may sound, there is value in being honest with ourselves and others. And we must have faith in this transformational process…even when it takes us through messy, muddy terrain.

This is not the kind of astro where we see that things have slid into a long, slow, Pluto-in-Capricorn state of deterioration and then allow these relationship issues to blow up in a big way now; not if we value the union and are of the “fix it” camp, anyway – perhaps a relationship guru may be able to render some assistance through the therapeutic process. But if instead we are of the “fuck it” philosophy, then perhaps we trust this collapse will ultimately prove constructive and to be for the good of us both in the end. However, if there is a better way to end it I highly suggest doing so because things can get real ugly and real vindictive under these skies!

At the beginning of this post I brought up the potential trigger points of resentment, power trips, manipulation, and control as being particularly problematic during this square, making these themes important to be aware of within ourselves and specifically with respect to our partnerships now. I think it’s important to understand that many of the aforementioned dynamics have the same lowest common psychological denominator of suspicion and fear; possibly the result of broken trust where our faith in others was damaged or destroyed at some point in our personal history. In situations where we have lacked power in the past it can unfortunately be easy to overcompensate for this by claiming too much power in a partnership, which can result in said behaviors.

The only way to heal this, though, is to be open and honest about it; first to ourselves and then to others. What would it look like if – instead of becoming reactive and manifesting this energy pathologically – we looked at this under the lens of “I’m having trouble trusting right now because it’s triggering ______ issue”? What if we were able to see the Truth that a fear-based approach to claiming our power will poison even the best of unions? Trust is the foundation of all good partnerships – if we can’t trust someone enough to where we constantly try to wield leverage over one another and repeatedly find ourselves enmeshed in all kinds of power plays, it’s a sign that we need to take a giant step back from the relationship. Strip everything away and the root of *real* intimacy is trust, which is based upon the concept of there being vulnerability. If there is no risk, then there is no real reward – it’s that simple. How can we possibly have the whole relationship enchilada when we can’t even metaphorically take our clothes off in front of each other?

Further, with a retrograde Venus as dispositor of both Jupiter in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn this energy seems like it could have a “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” feel to it when growth, faith, and all that is good and holy within a union threatens to be choked off by the black tentacles of restrictive strangulation. This does generally seem to create an “open invitation” environment for some kind of intrusion to occur regardless of whether an affair is consciously or subconsciously sought out. Hush-hush types of opportunities can certainly be a hallmark of any Jupiter-Pluto alignment; especially when it’s something BIG being kept on the down-low. The problem is Jupiter will also tend to “out” these things, as this planet is pretty terrible when it comes to being secretive. But if one is truly hoping for the demise of a situation underneath it all, it certainly is a means to an end…literally. With Venus retrograde in Aries, we might not be brave enough to admit this is what we want. Or perhaps we are uncertain or confused about our true desires. Mind you, this should not be interpreted as justification, but it goes a long way in understanding true underpinning of the dynamics from all angles.

03/10/2017

Jupiter In Libra Opposite Uranus In Aries, Part 3

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With the second of three exact hits between Jupiter in Libra and Uranus in Aries exact today, I want to talk about another facet of this energy which is its capacity for massive breakthroughs. I recently attended a lecture given by astrologer Rick Levine and he had a particularly golden line about Uranian energy that really stuck with me – he said this planet’s “only job is the instantaneous resolution to irresolvable opposites”. Being that we presently have an opposition in play between Jupiter and Uranus, I thought about how especially appropriate this concept was. And because Jupiter magnifies everything he touches, this is currently being done on a very large scale. Any time there is a rut or stalemate on a micro or macro level, with this duo in the mix something has got to give. Both planets carry strong freedom urges – Jupiter is “Don’t fence me in!” while Uranus defies convention and breaks all the rules. Put them together and allow them to play off one another and it can be a recipe for some kind of huge (but good) upset to occur. It certainly can be a big shock, but in the Grand Scheme of Things when we look back we’re likely to perceive this as liberating or as some kind of giant evolutionary leap that pulled us into the future.

If Jupiter is the thunder, then Uranus is the lightning – the skies rumble and what is released is a giant flash of electric blue incandescence that may in fact be a portal to another world; instant teleportation to a different time and place light-years away from where we stood only a moment ago.

Now this doesn’t come easy – an opposition is involved, so we have the sense of being pulled between factions and/or beliefs. But the Truth liberates – perhaps what is called for under these skies is a radical re-orientation of our philosophy; a 180-degree turnaround where we suddenly see a totally different point of view that changes everything. Break away from any dogma that does not liberate you – especially if this involves the revelation of some kind of relationship or even social Truth.

Free your mind; the rest will follow.

 

See also: Jupiter In Libra Opposite Uranus In Aries, Part 4
               Jupiter In Libra Opposite Uranus In Aries, Part 2
              Jupiter In Libra Opposite Uranus In Aries, Part 1

03/02/2017

Repost: Jupiter In Libra Opposite Uranus In Aries, Part 2

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jupiterinlibraoppositeuranusinariesWe recently discussed some implications of the current Jupiter/Uranus opposition in Part 1 of this series, but now I want to discuss an entirely different angle of this energy!  Yet another facet of  this vibe is the unrest it tends to generate for social paradigms. Under Jupiter in Libra we now seek similarity of beliefs/worldviews/politics, but with this planet repeatedly opposing Uranus in Aries we’re apt to run into clashes in this respect within our social networks (real life AND digital).  Suddenly people we thought we had a lot in common with out themselves (rather shockingly) with a view that seems…well, perhaps radical or even crazy to us.

Now let me first say that I am all for tolerance regarding a difference of perspective.  But what happens if you find out your crew is entertaining some rather lunatic fringe ideologies?  Say white nationalist (read: Neo-Nazi) views?  I’m cool with a lot of things – I *have* to be, as I’m an astrologer and thus fully aware that people look at a lot of the things *I* believe and think they’re wacky!  This is why I try not to judge.  But even I draw the line at philosophies that preach hate instead of love; prejudice over understanding.  And this is exactly the kind of astrological setup we have going on right now.  The first exact pass of Jupiter in Libra opposite Uranus in Aries occurred on December 26, 2016 and the second perfects on March 2, 2017, after which we’ll have just just one more round to get through on September, 27, 2017.  

So what happens when the group ideology abruptly loses resonance with us?  Well, we may seek out a new clique for one – this energy has a very polarizing feel to it initially; one that will tend to push us to find people with more harmonious philosophies.  It’s not that everybody else is crazy and we’re sane, either – in fact, it’s possible for any number or reasons (personally I blame the Mutable Madness that so dominated 2016; a year that will forever go into the history books as the year the world collectively lost its mind!) that perhaps WE are changing our own beliefs.  Perhaps we’re shocked and upset, thus being inclined to shift our political or moral stance 180 degrees.  Maybe this even triggers more activism out of us.  But one thing is for sure: Our Truth (or at least our perception of it) will change if we’re affected by the opposition between Jupiter in Libra and Uranus in Aries. And perhaps drastically so.  Whether it’s individual or collective, micro or macro, the more polite and balanced views are especially likely to be challenged so that we no longer sit on the fence.

For example: Harkening back to what I said earlier regarding the rise in Neo-Nazi ideologies that I think will occur under this opposition, do we continue to be polite about racism?

In a strictly neutral sense of these words, Uranus is Progressive and Liberal; Jupiter is Conservative.  Uranus can be evolutionary or it can be crazy – there is a reason for the old astrological Uranian axiom which states “Freedom without responsibility is license, not liberty”.  Jupiter can be open-minded or it can be a complete bigot.  Uranus is the group – it symbolically represents clubs, associations, fraternities, and organizations as well as our broader social cliques/communities in general.  Uranus can bring people who have nothing else in common together because they have a common cause/ideal. This can be positive, or it can be negative – what is the KKK but the Arya(ie)n Brotherhood, after all?  And Uranus IS in Aries, is it not? Aries rules the head, and skinheads are most definitely a Lo-Fi example of how this fraternal vibe can manifest problematically.  Jupiter is the Promotor or Preacher – in Libra, it seeks to share and spread its Truth by attracting those with compatible views. Gone awry, it can also be incredibly looksist and very much inclined to judge a book by its cover.

Now we see how this series of oppositions can potentially create a fertile breeding ground for all kinds of crazy philosophies to take hold.  The overwhelming tendency for people to seek out a Tribe with whom they morally and politically align means it’s going to be very difficult and will require a lot of awareness to keep this all in check, because the default inclination will be for us to separate into these polarized factions instead of trying to understand the common ground we have with one another.  I’m not suggesting we hold hands and sing kumbaya with would-be members of the Fourth Reich – far from it!  But what we DO need is to stay woke about this dynamic while trying to connect to the greater Truth of Love, because when people are alienated they are far more vulnerable to this kind of radicalization. Instead of distancing ourselves from a friend who is starting to seem a little “out there” in their views, maybe we can try reeling them back in by engaging them around the ideologies we do share.

02/28/2017