Tag: Jupiter/Neptune Square

Jupiter in Sagittarius Square Neptune in Pisces: Un-believing

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

At the moment we are hardcore building toward the big finish of the Jupiter/Neptune Square; exact on September 21, 2019. It’s been quite the ride but it’s far from over and though it’s several more days yet until this energy peaks, it will take into October for the vibe to totally recede.  In addition to all I’ve written about it on here and in my newsletter, there is one final thought I’d like to leave you with regarding this square: The concept of un-believing.  This year-long on again/off again square has signified major confusion, disappointment, and/or disillusionment for many of us when it comes to spiritual matters, and perhaps the one thing we might take away from it – if nothing else – is the idea that we may have to un-believe some of the spiritual doctrines, paradigms, & dogmas that we’ve absorbed; things that may be subtly eroding what truly is for our highest spiritual good.  So often when it comes to matters of faith we are asked to suspend our disbelief, but what if it actually served us better not to buy into a particular paradigm hook, line, & sinker?  Under this square, it may be time to do some de-programming.

Look carefully now at matters that relate to how a particular school of thought may have sought to somehow template your personal growth and/or spiritual understanding as if it were a blanket one-size-fits-all prescription cure-all.  This is absolutely FALSE; there is no *one* path toward betterment in these respects, because we all grow in our understanding in different ways.  Think of all the self-help books in your library, for example – the tools and techniques contained therein may indeed be helpful in certain ways or contexts, but adopting the author’s prescription verbatim without objectively stepping back to evaluate 1) if it’s truly valid 2) whether it might be possible that we’re misinterpreting something 3) whether a particular doctrine/dogma may actually be doing us more harm than good (particularly if carried to far, or if used w/o regard to context) can be problematic for obvious reasons.  This is not a criticism of the genre, BTW; just a broad example of the types of things to contemplate in this regard. The same might also be true of organized religion or the more free-flowing spirituality popular in many holistic & New Age communities.  Anything seeking to promote a cookie-cutter Path to your soul’s betterment – even if veering toward the more non-secular – should be looked at as suspect.  Meditatively – and with the utmost honesty & self-compassion – reflect on your personal beliefs now & what *is* and truly *is not* serving you, because it’s likely that we have something twisted in this regard without knowing it.  If you’re unsure, ask to be shown loudly & in all caps – if we’re quiet with ourselves, the message that comes in may be big & loud.  Listen & ask to receive only Truth now.

09/17/2019

The Jupiter/Neptune Square & The Forgiveness Gospel 🙏

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

I’ve never understood why some seem so obsessed with others’ forgiveness.  Not in the sense they themselves seek absolution for wronging someone else; rather they feel the need to preach to those who have been hurt by another about the virtue of forgiveness as if their own salvation somehow depended upon it.  This sort of one-size-fits-all spiritual approach just does not resonate with me; in my eyes, a decision to forgive a person who has transgressed against us is entirely personal – I’m not sitting in your shoes, so how could I possibly judge what is/is not a forgivable offense?

I think some take the old “To err is human; to forgive, divine” proverb a bit too far at times; particularly with the last round of the Jupiter/Neptune Square (exact September 21, 2019) rapidly closing in. It is entirely possible to overdo it in this regard & open ourselves up (or others, if we’re promoting the Forgiveness Gospel as the only way) to further victimization under this square. We are not divine beings; we are human beings having a human experience, so setting forth a universal expectation that we should always be able to forgive and be the bigger, better person across the board is just a tad lofty & unrealistic.  What if someone murdered our child?  What if someone caused us grave emotional, psychological, physical, or material harm? We don’t know the whole story, so to attempt to superimpose this kind of dogma upon the situation would seem rather misplaced/misguided, IMO.  It is so curious to me that we seem to focus more on preaching the forgiveness gospel to victims than we do preaching atonement to their victimizers.

It is also important to point out how the state of being unforgiven inherently implies a need for redemption – it is this state that can motivate victimizers to be and to do better; if not for the person they’ve harmed then for others who cross their path in the future.  The sadness, guilt, shame, and social isolation one can experience through the experience of being unforgiven may help them feel remorse for their behavior, cause them to make an honest apology, and motivate them to seek to redeem themselves in the eyes of Divinity; even if they are not permitted the opportunity to do this with their victim(s).

As for those who can’t find forgiveness in their heart, simply put this is not something one owes to anyone; it is between themselves, the offender, and/or Divinity (assuming one’s belief system incorporates the Divine; YMMV).  We don’t have any idea what they’ve been through so isn’t it important that we have compassion for their experience rather than judge them as being “unforgiving”?  A lack of forgiveness isn’t always about anger, either; sometimes it is self-protection or the protection of others.  Sometimes it’s necessary the offender see the consequences of their actions; if they received a “pass” for every misdeed and there wasn’t any fallout, then what motivation would they have to seek deliverance from their trespasses? Before preaching “Love all; forgive all” as a universal mantra, please remember this.  Forgiveness is a private gift of grace we give when we are able to transcend; not a moral obligation.

09/02/2019

Neptune In Pisces & Pseudo-Spirituality

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

We’ve gotta to talk about this – with illusory Neptune now halfway through its journey through spiritual Pisces and the curtain call of its year-long square with Jupiter fast approaching, we need to learn how to spot pseudo-spirituality from a mile away now more than ever!  From people who only pretend to be spiritual or who sound “enlightened” to those espousing insidious ideologies that (however possibly well-intended they may be) are actually harmful and screwing with peoples’ heads. For example –

Spiritual Stockholm Syndrome is: Blaming yourself for an inability to cope w/ 60+ hr workweeks & believing that if only you handled stress better/were more mindful/said more positive affirmations it would be OK.  This is FALSE; The System has tricked you! It’s made you buy into the concept that happiness is an entirely inside job because this makes your more complacent so you don’t push for social & systemic change. Imagine what would happen if you did.

It’s not your fault, though – see “the man behind the curtain”, because it’s all trickery. Society has been doing this for a long time; conditioning you into thinking all that matters is your own perception of reality & teaching you not to look too far outside of your own little sandbox for contentment. Question the parameters – The System will use, exploit, and enslave you with this methodology; the premise that all that matters is your own perception of reality & if you would just change that, well then everything would just be hunky dory, right?  Righhhhhht???  NOPE.

They’ll often package this in soothing tones and frame it as self-care of course, but what they don’t tell you is how their method is also going to disconnect you from your FEELINGS. Feelings of frustration, anger, sadness – in short, the discomfort of what often gets labeled as “negative” emotion – is typically what prompts us to make HUGE CHANGE; both individually & collectively. Learning how to use emotion to your – and most importantly to *our* (collective) – advantage is key.

Listen, I’m all for putting on your own oxygen mask first. But it troubles me when this has devolved into something where we’ve silenced the internal voice of critical thought &/or our conscience because we’re so focused on “nonjudgmental acceptance”.  With the Moon’s North Node presently traversing Cancer for the foreseeable future, being plugged into our emotions is vital for soul growth now. Instead of putting our feelings on mute, the key is to re-engage with them in constructive ways.  Don’t buy into whitewashed pseudo-spirituality that advocates otherwise; such as labeling such engagement as “3D” or otherwise implying this is somehow “beneath” us.  I’ve said this many times before, but humans are equipped with a full spectrum of emotions by Divinity at birth for a reason – if you claim otherwise, I want no truck with your brand of pseudo-spirituality. ✌ 🧿 And with the Jupiter/Neptune Square now tightening for a third and final time (exact September 21st), there’s a lot of this kind of BS floating around – stay woke, friends.

08/26/2019

Under The Jupiter/Neptune Square

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

A theme song of the current square between Jupiter in Sagittarius & Neptune in Pisces:

“God sometimes you just don’t come through….”

You ever sit there paradoxically full of faith on one hand and yet wondering where TF your miracle is on the other?  If this is you right now, know there is nothing wrong with you – I mentioned this in my June newsletter, but one of the (many) effects of the Jupiter/Neptune Square is how we can tend to feel confused, disillusioned, or just plain disappointed regarding our relationship with Divinity.  We may have some kind of philosophical misunderstanding with God/Goddess/The Universe, or feel like Divinity has somehow “ghosted” us.  Don’t automatically believe your perception, though, even as you rightfully question what you’ve thought to be true.  Do, however, be willing to reinterpret that which you’re not presently understanding.  The context is muddled.  Clear perspective is needed; one that isn’t colored by dogma or bias.  Talk about it.  Use logic & critical thinking.  And if your way of seeing something isn’t working for you, be willing to examine whether that belief is truly serving you or if instead it might be the result of indoctrination.

06/11/2019

The Jupiter/Neptune Square: “Religion Is The Opiate Of The Masses”

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment
Opium poppies.

As the incoming square between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces continues to tighten up (perfecting for the first of three rounds on January 13, 2019), there certainly is merit in discussing the above quotation because this alignment very much affects spiritual matters…among other things. The sign of Sagittarius and the planet Jupiter are associated with organized religion; Pisces and Neptune spirituality as well as “substances” – you can see, then, how the above quote resonates with the energy of this astrological alignment.

In dissecting the above statement it’s important to state right out of the gate that it’s actually paraphrase of a longer quotation by philosopher Carl Marx; one that has been oversimplified and lacks context.   On its face, this would seem a rather critical statement about religion as a whole in comparing its effect to that of a drug.  Now this perspective can be true from the POV that belief – and specifically when we start getting into the territory of delusional belief – can cause us to suspend judgment and impair our critical thinking.  This may be true of religion, but it may also be true in the political arena as well (which is also and not coincidentally associated with Jupiter and Sagittarius); just look as the vast and apparently endless pitchers of toxic Kool-Aid being swilled in mainstream politics today.  *glares directly at Climate Change Deniers et al*  

In such cases we often surrender our (good) judgement and substitute it for someone else’s (a religious leader, a political pundit, etc.) because hey; that’s what true faith’s all about, right???  But what happens when the person to whom we’ve entrusted our faith has a cockeyed moral compass; isn’t that how cults become *a thing*???  When religion (or for that matter, politics) would dull our senses and have us have us turn a blind eye to things like moral incongruity, it is indeed A Problem; a huge one, much like an opiate addiction.  And this is most definitely something I expect to see a lot of in 2019 while Jupiter in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces dominates the astrological scene.

That said, the full statement by Marx via his “A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right” is as follows and it’s much richer than the oft-quoted soundbite:

“Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness”.

In reading the full context, one gains the impression that Marx is at least somewhat sympathetic to people’s attachment to religion.  He appears to look at it as a symptom; much in the same way an opiate temporarily relieves suffering but doesn’t make the underlying root cause of the pain suddenly vanish. He appears to view it as medication, but also emphasizes that in his view for people to be truly happy it’s important to ditch the crutch of religion.  Additionally is important to note that religion can also have the capacity become an instrument of oppression when it’s used to induce submission to an external authority; being comatose with dogma certainly makes people much easier to control when one’s intentions aren’t honorable.

Setting Marx aside for a moment, I do believe anything we use as a crutch only hobbles us from achieving our true authentic potential as human beings and there is merit to learning to stand on our feet without the aid of whatever that happens to be. That said, I’m not necessarily comfortable classifying religion as a crutch – this in my view amounts to painting with too broad a brush.  I feel that – with the context of a proper anchor/safe container – faith can play a major role in our soul’s development and do not wish to bash organized religion because there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to spirituality – Different Strokes for Different Folks; Live and Let Live & all of that jazz.   But as this square hits, there is most definitely is merit in looking critically at how our beliefs are or aren’t supporting us and certainly questioning them for the sake of ensuring they’re not doing us more harm than good.  The Neptune/Pisces influence distorts things, and when we apply this to Conservative, religious Jupiter/Sagittarius we have to be particularly careful regarding anything around which we might tend to be evangelical. While this is true more broadly as well, do understand as these two planets square off that religion and politics in particular can indeed be super potent drugs when we go overboard.

01/02/2019

Jupiter In Sagittarius Square Neptune In Pisces, Part 2

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

We’ve already discussed some of the potential downsides to the upcoming square between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces in Part 1 of this series, but now I would like to shift the focus over to its potential benefits.  Before I proceed though, it’s important to mention this square isn’t operating in a vacuum; it has the benefit of being connected to the equally powerful and grounding influence of Saturn in Capricorn c/o Saturn’s ongoing sextile with Neptune.  This is a MAJOR plus, as neither Jupiter nor Neptune prefer being earthbound.  Good old reliable Saturn keepin’ it real over in Capricorn is holding the fort down; making sure we get/keep it together whilst Jupiter and Neptune square off.  The old Zen proverb “Before enlightenment, chop wood carry water.  After enlightenment, chop wood carry water” seems particularly apropos when considering the effects of this trifecta, as Saturn has much to do with Work and both Jupiter and Neptune are highly spiritual energies. To stay grounded during this square, we must roll up our sleeves and keep doing the mundane things that keep us firmly moored when we might otherwise float away.  Further, the spiritual purpose behind any epiphany experienced during this square may entail taking this newly enlightened state and applying it in real-world ways; vision and imagination function best – even if divinely inspired – when we humbly set about to use them to practical effect.  Our responsibilities also do not simply vanish just because our philosophy about life, the universe, or our spirituality has altered – work is the constant; all else is variable.

With the broader contextual understanding of the how the square between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces is actually subject to the influence of a 3rd planet, let’s get into some of the upsides of this energy now:

1) If you need a big miracle, pray – nothing brings out the beneficent side of Divinity like aspects between Jupiter and Neptune!  But in the spirit of also honoring Saturn, do The Work as well – show The Universe you have something substantial to offer in terms of your willingness to meet it halfway in manifesting a Neptune miracle.

2) This square can take us places beyond our wildest dreams; literally in terms of global travel or figuratively in terms of Journeys of the Spirit. For this to go well, heed Saturn – plan.  Have an experienced and reputable guide. Be prepared and know what to be careful of; do *not* just wing it & hope all will go well during this square! Also, re: Journeys of the Spirit, I expect ayahuasca retreats and the like to be huge during this square but I would generally advise against mixing travel & substances because hallucinogen-addled tourists = easy pickings. On a related note, ever watch an episode of “Locked Up Abroad” where unwitting tourists get used as drug mules and are sent to prison, LOL?  Besides, sobriety is a functional baseline level from which to operate with Saturn parked in Capricorn, which helps to keep Neptune’s penchant for altered states of consciousness in check.

3) If you need to secure a grant or scholarship to help with your tuition, this square could provide opportunities *provided* you’re also willing to put in the effort and honor Saturn.  Bust your butt to get good grades and look for other opportunities to exemplify distinguished academic leadership, because without Saturn this square can also burst bubbles and create huge disappointments re: tertiary education if we haven’t laid foundational groundwork.  Don’t slack, and don’t be overly idealistic regarding the university experience.

4) Intuition is amped up by this square and prophetic tendencies proliferate.  It may be tricky to sort truth from self-deception, however – self-honesty is crucial re: any kind of psychic impression or divination, and checking our projections that may be based on exaggerated hopes or fears gives us the wisdom to sort Truth from Fiction. Acknowledgement of this reality makes us less susceptible to misinterpreting.  And when in doubt, wait it out; learn from experience when intuition has spoken true vs. when it has been colored by our bias.

5) Our spirituality is increased by this square – we’re likely to yearn for connection with something greater than ourselves and long to believe that Divinity has our Highest Good in mind (and it always does!).  This square can expand our perception of how “God/Goddess/The Universe works in mysterious ways” and augment our connection to the unseen world of Spirit where Divinity, our Spirit Guides, and/or Guardian Angels work behind the scenes.  But this square can also generate uncertainty about our spiritual Path, or might have us placing our faith in false gurus/prophets.  (Good) Judgement is frequently eclipsed by this square; making it tricky to pierce the veil of the idealized narrative we’ve told ourselves that actually obscures greater spiritual Truths. The potential gullibility or suggestiblilty of this square benefits from a dash of Saturnine skepticism and pragmatism.  Test theories and subject beliefs to healthy scrutiny to see if they’re functional and useful.  Don’t automatically accept everything as gospel, and be aware of the reality of your own & others’ biases.

6) There’s a generosity of spirit conveyed by the square between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces that’s great for boosting charitable inclinations and altruistic concern for broader social causes. The poor, ill, and helpless benefit from this vibe and we’re compelled to do more to help the needy or meek.  That said, this energy can also bring out a scammy, unscrupulous side to humanity where people lie to obtain a benefit – “Trust but verify” is a perfect mantra for this square so that we’re able to do the most good for those who truly need it most.  Again, Saturn is our friend here, helping us to assure we’re placing our faith in the right causes and people by asking us to hold up a minute and check credentials.

7) This square idealizes justice and will sacrifice much for “what’s right”; calling to mind the image of the civil rights movement and those who give their all on moral principle. The inclination is to promote a utopian vision of some kind and lift all of humanity up. This isn’t a bad thing provided we’re not confusing a personal truth for a Universal Truth, because morality is something entirely subjective and it’s entirely possible to delude ourselves into painting with a very broad brush in a way that doesn’t respect others’ Truths under this square.  Respect and boundaries – Saturn – help prevent a well-intentioned belief from becoming some kind of delusional dogma/propaganda we seek to blanket the world in.  We should also be aware that on the flip side, this square has the equal capacity to constitute miscarriages of justice where the Truth and what’s Right & Good is skewed; especially due political flimflam.  It’s very troubling indeed when political propaganda seeks to paint those asking for accountability in government as liars (See: The current situation here in the USA).  Jupiter in Sagittarius can be quite the propagandist and highly prejudiced to boot, while Lo-Fi Neptune can be super slimy in Pisces – if one is looking to spread a warped ideology with lies and spin, this certainly has the capacity to interfere with justice being served. Big issues may get obfuscated with massive smokescreen operations; don’t be deceived and continue to keep the pressure on and demand Saturnine accountability; falling back on the Hi-Fi potential of this energy to sacrifice all for the Truth and what we believe in.  Don’t believe those who insist that you “Look the other way; nothing to see here” – see through their *coughbullshitcough* attempted Jedi mind tricks, because they *are* the droids you are looking for!

09/27/2018

Jupiter In Sagittarius Square Neptune In Pisces, Part 1

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ Leave a comment

There’s a little sumthin’-sumthin’ I see coming on the astro-horizon in the not-too-distant future: Between the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019, Jupiter will enter Sagittarius and head toward a square with Neptune in Pisces.  We’ve had the good fortune over the last year+ of having both planets in Water signs and supporting each other, but when Jupiter moves into its fiery home turf of Sagittarius this will put it at odds with aquatic Neptune in Pisces at points; specifically on January 13th 2019, June 16th 2019, and then a final time on September 21st 2019. The degree range affected is 14-19 degrees of the Mutable signs, so if you have planets or points around these areas of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces, this is definitely something to pay attention to.  Both planets are very powerful being located in their respective home turfs, so this is something epic; a true large-scale astrological “production”.

To understand the effects of this square, first we must contrast and compare the energies of these celestial bodies: Jupiter in Sagittarius is uber (excessively?) honest; Neptune in Pisces is prone to (self?)deception.  Jupiter in Sagittarius = high-test optimism; Neptune in Pisces = pure idealism. Jupiter in Sagittarius can be super biased; Neptune in Pisces utterly non-judgmental.  Jupiter in Pisces tends toward orthodox religion; Neptune in Pisces has a much looser and free-form concept of spirituality.  Jupiter in Sagittarius inclines toward intemperance (If a little is good, more must be better, RIGHT????); Neptune in Pisces is apt to veer towards addictive tendencies.

When these two planets square off as they are about to in fairly short order, we need to be very, VERY careful of a few things; namely

1) Not to lie to ourselves or others REGARDLESS of whether or not it comes from a place of good intent.

2) Not to be so overly honest/candid that it’s actually self-defeating – perhaps showing all our hand at once demonstrates too much trust that should instead be EARNED, or maybe there’s no real benefit to be had from over-sharing and it causes more problems than anything else.

3) Not to live under some kind of massive delusion – when you take the idealism of Neptune in Pisces and inflate it with the boundless optimism of Jupiter in Sagittarius, there’s a tendency to seek out feel-good “warm & fuzzy” narratives that paint a better picture of Reality than is truly warranted.  We may fantasize excessively, or enjoy such wonderful dreams that we experience difficulty operating on the concrete level of “What Is”; the hazard being the bigger the bubble, the larger the “pop” as the USA found out in the Housing Bubble that peaked/burst circa 2006 and in the Higher Education Bubble that arguably reached critical mass around 2012 in the wake of the Great Recession (AKA the LAST times Jupiter squared Neptune).

4) Not to skew religious or political beliefs towards some kind of cult-like bias.  There can be a heavy inclination to drink vast amounts of moral or political “Kool-aid” under this energy; gulping it all down thirstily instead of using better judgment to see there is in fact something distorted in our perspective.   Be very aware of narratives pitting supposed “Truth” against supposed “Lies”; this is a huge theme of this energy.  And crucially, understand the difference between a personal Truth vs. a Universal Truth, because some will attempt to conflate the two in order to tilt views a certain way or spread mass confusion.

5) Not to overdo it on the “Love all, forgive all, help all” end of the spectrum.  Jupiter and Neptune both like to believe in people’s better natures and there may be an inclination to suspend judgment entirely in a way that creates greater opportunity to be victimized.  For example, letting a broke & newly sober addict-in-recovery crash in your home “just until they can get on their feet” and then wondering why all your jewelry suddenly goes missing.  This can indeed be a “No good deed goes unpunished” kind of vibe, so it’s important to recognize any inclination we may have to be overly forgiving, trusting, or loving before it gets out of hand and use better judgement.

6) Understand there will be moments of uncertainty when it comes to spirituality/matters of faith.  Both these energies have a strong connection to Divinity, but there may be some sort of dogma we’ve absorbed along the way that has actually been doing more harm than good for us.  Or perhaps we’re feeling disillusioned with a particular spiritual path and seeking greater understanding.  There’s the sense of a whole lot of questioning going on where we’re not so sure of the Divine Plan and feeling like the answers from Above are vague/unclear/subject to interpretation.

7) Addictions can get really out of hand under this energy. If it feels good and floods our brain with dopamine, we can have a very difficult time convincing ourselves that we’re doing something to excess. We may con ourselves into believing that it’s not impairing our motivation, functionality at work, or relationships; this square is super permissive and – more often than not – the default may be to give ourselves a “pass” instead of being super honest that sometimes it feels good to check out/“escape” from reality.  But again this energy tends to snowball; this square is intemperate by nature and it’s a slippery slope from something that just “feels good” to a full-blown addiction.

Now having said all of this, there are definitely positive ways to harness the square between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces; it just takes a little more work/awareness to steer ourselves away from the pitfalls, so it’s this angle I wanted to address FIRST!  The trick in working this square to maximum advantage and avoiding the above-mentioned drawbacks lies in the ongoing supportive relationship Neptune in Pisces will have to Saturn in Capricorn.  In a nutshell: GROUND.  Anchor.  Foundation. Reality is our friend; not a buzzkill.  Work within the parameters of What Is, *then* – and only  then! – may we indulge a vision of Things As We’d Wish Them To Be. Think: Augmented Reality; not a replacement for it.

09/08/2018