By Amanda Painter
Often misworded, the quotation “Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are” is also overwhelmingly misattributed to Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy did not come up with it; he quotes it in his autobiography, and attributes it to one Squire Bill Widener of Widener’s Valley, Virginia). Be that as it may, it struck me as perhaps a useful mantra for the current astrology as we head into the weekend. With Mercury stationing direct today, a New Moon in Sagittarius tomorrow, and various other planets interacting with those two events, you might be feeling a mix of push-pull on the one hand, and a lull in energy on the other hand.
Rocking chairs at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine. Photo by Amanda Painter.
If that’s the case, I suspect it would be useful to stay in touch with your actual circumstances, resources and honest desires. I’m not only referring to the seeming ‘limitations’ of What Is, but also to something that you may sometimes push aside or not believe: your inherent enough-ness; that is, the fact that you are enough, as you are right now.
But, I get ahead of myself. Let’s go over the astrology in a little more detail.
As mentioned, Mercury stations direct in late Scorpio today at 4:22 pm EST (21:21:59 UTC). I don’t know about you, but the last few weeks (most of which Mercury spent in Sagittarius) seem to have been marked by a number of interesting things coming to light — both in the public/political realm, and also in my personal life.
Given that Scorpio is the sign of secrets (among other things), I’m very curious to witness what shakes out as it stations direct today. See if you can keep your awareness tuned to that sense of something being revealed, and make a note of what you discover.
Tomorrow, at 2:20 am EST (7:20:15 UTC), the Sagittarius Moon and Sun form their conjunction for the month, for the New Moon. They do so conjunct a deep-space phenomenon called the Great Attractor (you can read more about that here) and square Mars and Neptune in Pisces.
New Moons tend to be lower-energy phases. The same is sometimes true of Mars-Neptune conjunctions. Since Mars prefers to be active, this could translate into kind of an ‘itchy’ or discouraged feeling. Add to that the fact that square aspects usually come through as a need to take action to resolve inner tension, and you might be feeling a bit at a loss in terms of what you want to do, what you’re able to do, or what you’re willing to do.
With the Great Attractor in the mix, there may be an additional sensation of being pulled along, or of reacting against something. The thing not to do, if any of this describes you, is to take it too seriously (or to try and get around it dishonestly). This, like all else, shall pass.
Instead, notice whether you are actively pursuing something or whether you’re feeling pulled along by it. Check your honesty before speaking or doing, since integrity starts within. Are you letting all that you know inform your decisions? If you have energy that needs to be put to use, is there a person or cause who might appreciate your help? According to some astrologers, that’s an ideal way to use Mars-Neptune conjunctions (especially in Pisces) — as long as your underlying motive is not selfish gain. (Feeling good about helping out is not the same as doing so to position yourself for glory or kickbacks.)
Also worth noting tomorrow is a square between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Nessus in Pisces. One possible interpretation of this aspect is that you might be noticing an emphasis on certain patterns from the past — but in a way that spurs you to seek healing, justice, or bringing an end to its perpetuation. ‘Being free’ of something does not happen by ignoring it, running away from it, or repressing it. Yet, we all do those things at times, sometimes as a necessary means of survival.
If you start to judge yourself harshly, please remind yourself that you’re doing the best you can, with what you’ve got, right here and now. It’s all any of us ever can do, and sometimes that’s going to look and feel better than at others. Stress, illness, confusion, pain, grief, fear, surprise and shock — all of these things (and others) can contribute to not being at your best as compared to other times and circumstances. That’s okay. The thing to watch for is when it’s tempting to ignore facts that might make a task or process harder or more complicated; that’s when the concept of integrity comes into play.
It’s easy to get into the frame of mind that anything to do with Mercury retrograde is going to be difficult or problematic. Yet, that’s not necessarily the case; Mercury’s apparent back-and-forth can be very useful. And in fact, in the current astrology, it appears that the New Moon configuration is the slipperier of the two events. The Sabian symbol for the New Moon degree even carries the keyword “dependence” — a fascinating synchronicity given the polarization and pull of the Great Attractor, by which our Milky Way galaxy is being drawn through space.
Meanwhile, Mercury is stationing while in a harmonious, supportive trine to Chiron in Pisces — which itself stations direct on Dec. 9. This trine is in effect in the background all week, potentially adding an even deeper layer of awareness and insight to Mercury’s pivot, especially perhaps on the levels of intuition and emotional IQ.
However, it’s the keywords for these two station direct degrees that really struck me. For Mercury, it is “an inner allegiance”; for Chiron, “abundance.”
What does it look like when you stay in contact with an inner allegiance to your inherent abundance? One might say it’s the understanding that you are enough, just as you are. Squire Bill Widener might have put it a little differently, but I think he’d agree. Teddy Roosevelt certainly seemed to.
As we go deeper into this most unusual and challenging phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order. See more information here.
“What does it look like when you stay in contact with an inner allegiance to your inherent abundance? One might say it’s the understanding that you are enough, just as you are.” Yes, beautiful. This has been coming up pretty strongly right now. Thank you for this wonderful piece, dear Amanda.
Grateful to know it resonates, Lizzy. Thank you, and take care!
I agree wholeheartedly with Lizzie, Amanda. Your post is Harmony in writing to me. The understanding of being enough has been what has been being mirrored to me in my children’s eyes. Most especially in light of some limitations I have been dealing with.
I told my son this evening that putting up Christmas lights on this new house should be easy an went on to describe it. He spoke up, squelching the idea, mentioning having to go up and down a ladder. Both my kids have been treating me like a Faberge egg since mid November.
I shared that my surgery was a success. Two weeks later I had a heart attack. The experience of being taken by ambulance to a hospital 45 miles away let me know loud and clear what the perception of other people was. Grateful for the care and attention,I told everyone “Thank You for the Gift of your Compassion”.
My inner allegiance told me I was going to be “OK”. I was going to be poked and prodded on my way to getting fixed. My Christmas Present is having one – a Present. And a new year with a bunch of health issues resolved and behind me. I’ve already hit bottom and am on my way up.
I don’t need to be climbing any ladders. I am enough, just being alive.
My god, Sue, a heart attack on top of everything else? Wow. The universe is not messing around with its messages, it seems. No wonder your kids are treating you “like a Faberge egg”! I can’t say I blame them. 🙂 And I’m glad you’re hearing them and — even more importantly — hearing your “enough-ness” and staying off the ladders this season.
Having a Present is, indeed, the most valuable of gifts. So easy to forget that in the midst of all the other messages we receive from the world. I am grateful for your reminder, Sue. And grateful to hear that you are well and still with us, despite the dramatic health scares and challenges.
Take care, dear Sue! Much love and hugs <3
I suppose I should not be commenting until Mercury has stationed direct conjunct my Ascendant in about three hours from now. Nevertheless…
First of all, Amanda, I must express my appreciation for your consistently well-written and pertinent observations of current astrology which your contributions always supply. I also appreciate how necessary it is to encourage the belief that those undergoing very trying personal circumstances are, in fact, adequate to the challenges they face and are to be respected for their commitment to tackling the vicissitudes in their life. Hallelujah! And yet…
I still cannot accept that there is no astrological connection between our current political situation and that pertaining in the mid-1930s when Uranus last entered Taurus – it’s an Age of Aquarius thing. In Britain, Trump is regarded by many working-class right-wingers as a reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. These Brexiteers openly applaud someone who reflects their antipathy towards anyone non-Aryan, i.e. not the same as them.
As a gay man, this week I was dismayed beyond belief by the statement signed by His Holiness the 266th Pope that homosexuality was nothing more than a fashion whose time was now up. Well, he may be right. It’s possible, I suppose, that Parkinson’s Disease is nothing more than a fashion which will eventually be cured in the gas chambers of medicine. What does dismay me is the realisation that such a comment by a man who arrived on the public stage seemingly sympathetic to the genuine concerns of gay people should now be converted to traditional condemnatory innuendo.
I would suggest that this does not bode well for the future emancipation of women. His message is clear: the male-dominated church is interested in what you have to say about your position in society in order to take the necessary political steps to ensure that the current situation is maintained. Sadly, it seems to me that we have now moved on from John Lennon’s view of the world in the 1960s – gays, not women, are the niggers of the world.
I have always supported women’s rights to equality, but I now feel that women, perhaps understandably, seek dominance. The irony is that dominant women within a family situation tend to produce males who are homosexual but, because these males do not represent a supportive force which will protect them in times of invasion by external forces, these males are despised. They must therefore be eradicated in order to make scarce food resources available only to those who breed, fight and protect.
And this is so 1933. Then it was the Jews whose financial acumen so disgruntled those who felt disadvantaged in their home country. Now, Gaia’s message seems to be that there are enough human beings on planet Earth and she is actively encouraging us to breed less, partly through same-sex attraction. And, of course, being the selfish, self-important morons that our politicians are, it’s easy to see that the way to keep the world safe is to declare non-breeders excess to requirement. We are again at the stage of trying to persuade young gay males to commit suicide. Later, young heterosexuals will be encouraged to undertake this murderous task and earn kudos – and cash – from the killer elite.
All well and good? It seems likely to me that the future for our species is best protected by an inclusive acceptance of differing opinions. In the not-too-distant future, it may well be that breeding is organised by an intelligence more real than artificial which provides society with those it needs rather than a hodge-podge of boringly dull offspring, the result of drunken moments of desire.
Well, I’ve got that off my chest. Don’t suppose I’ll get a reply to this post, either.
Happy future, Earthlings.
“I still cannot accept that there is no astrological connection between our current political situation and that pertaining in the mid-1930s when Uranus last entered Taurus”
Well, Geoff, has anybody at Planet Waves actively asserted that there is no connection?
I would say, yes, of course there is. Yet there are differences, too — both in the astrology, and in the other facets of life. Are those difference enough to make THE difference? I don’t know. But I don’t think that it would help matters if I put out a message suggesting that “we’re all inadequate to the task of living in this era, so fuck it.”
I actually appreciate your willingness to offer your perspective on the long view. I don’t know that I share all of it, but it gives me much to think about.
As for Pope Francis: As dismaying as his latest pronouncements are, did anyone really think that he was 100% this breath of fresh air in the Papacy, some kind of Vatican revolutionary?
Please. I know we’ve all been excited by much that he has done, but I’ve had my reservations since the very beginning, and never lost them. He holds the highest seat in perhaps the most powerful religious government in the world. He has centuries of corruption and mind-control propping up that seat; there was no way the people behind the scenes were going to make someone Pope who might actually bring the whole rotten mess down.
Anyway, yes. we’re seeing rabid bigotry and hate-fueled dogma on both sides of the pond increasing, and we turn a blind eye to it at our peril.
I still say, Geoff: You are enough.
(And, just curious: do you have studies regarding your assertion that families with dominant women tend to produce homosexuals?)
Much love…
“Please. I know we’ve all been excited by much that he has done, but I’ve had my reservations since the very beginning, and never lost them. He holds the highest seat in perhaps the most powerful religious government in the world. He has centuries of corruption and mind-control propping up that seat; there was no way the people behind the scenes were going to make someone Pope who might actually bring the whole rotten mess down.” Yes, well done Amanda – very wise and astute. I’m afraid many of us (including me) were taken in for a while.
Thanks, Amanda. The comment I remember reading at Planet Waves in relation to Uranus in Taurus was that the times may rhyme but do not repeat. Poetically accurate, perhaps, but it didn’t seem to convey quite the gravity I was reading into the ingress. As I mentioned in my reply to Ramona’s post, I had intended to consult Richard Tarnas’ Cosmos and Psyche before replying to see what comment, if any, he had made. It’s a weighty tome and I never did make it to the 20th century on my first and only read so far.
My fear is not so much that we are inadequate to live in such an astrological environment as that political events involving power take-overs may have their own unassailable timetables. Once every 80 years or so, the populace becomes disenchanted by whatever wonders have been made available to them by the current democracy and demand a change of culture led by a strong leader. It may be that those people who find themselves in society’s basement can see no other way to relieve their misfortune except through revolution and/or the backing of a dictator. Watching the elite receive their come-uppance is as good as any fictional entertainment, yet it is real.
I accept your comments about Pope Francis. I suppose, naively, I had felt that even such a conservative institution as the Roman Catholic church might move a little with the times.
One of Francis’s contributions which I did find quite revolutionary was his suggested amendment to the Lord’s Prayer – “Lead us not into temptation” being replaced by “Let us not fall into temptation.” I agree with him wholeheartedly, it should be regarded as preposterous that the Lord would lead us into temptation. But to amend the Lord’s Prayer? I don’t recall hearing many Catholic voices approving this suggestion. I’ve also found it quite difficult to incorporate this change into a prayer that has been ingrained since childhood.
There is a considerable literature on dominant mothers/homosexual sons listed on the internet. My experience in talking with many gay men about this subject is that there is often a perceived link. Gay men of my generation (Second World War babies) often cited the absence of a father figure away fighting overseas. In my own rather ironic case my mother refused to allow my father to have anything to do with my upbringing because his twin brother was homosexual and she didn’t want there to be any such influence on me. My feeling is that having no male role-model was a significant factor in the development of my sexual orientation, but I would emphasise that this was due to the almost complete lack of a father’s input rather than my mother’s hard-working but homely dominance.
“What does dismay me is the realisation that such a comment by a man who arrived on the public stage seemingly sympathetic to the genuine concerns of gay people should now be converted to traditional condemnatory innuendo.” I’m afraid that Pope Francis has turned out to be a bit of a phoney, dear Geoff. My take is that the Catholic church was at an all time low with all the paedophile scandals and the last miserable git pope, so they brought in Pope Francis to jolly things up – reckon it was a marketing ploy. xxx
He’s also come on strong about that other old Catholic church chestnut, abortion: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/10/pope-francis-compares-abortion-hiring-hitman (see last paragraph, Geoff).
Here’s one of his commercials, Lizzy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3NF349aEHM
Ha ha ha! Cheers Geoff! xxx
Geoff, one of these days we should get together for fruited cocktails. When my legs are fixed. Seriously.
Don’t let the b………..
Monday, Tuesday, WTF! Saturday, Sunday. Repeat repeat repeat.
Well, I have to say thank you Lizzy, Marie and Amanda. Your responses have encouraged me to believe that I am not entirely cast adrift on these oceans of thought. None of my statements are meant to be taken as literal prescriptions for the future, but they are offered as ideas for the possible.
Firstly, Amanda, I would say that one comment I have encountered on these pages is that nothing astrological repeats itself exactly, hence it’s scare-mongering to compare now and the 1930s. Well, OK, I’ll agree to that as a general principle but, then again, we are dealing with planetary cycles which go round in circles and seem to repeat themselves. Certainly, there should be progress, and each revolution ought to be an improvement on its previous encounter. I would ask Eric to comment on my comparison between now and the 1930s re: Uranus in Taurus – how to safeguard your material values during periods of unexpected upheaval.
My personal experience, here in Britain, is that the education system is essentially designed to control the population. As a Sun and Moon Aquarian I have always felt that my life’s mission was to promote concepts of revolutionary thinking for the benefit of mankind. It later transpired that this concept was the reason why the government decided that my beliefs should not be encouraged, i.e. my life and philosophy should not succeed. This may sound paranoiac but this information was conveyed to me by someone who did succeed in profiting from publicising the gay “revolution”. In a way, I can understand and accept that my government would not wish my viewpoint to be accepted. In other words, I would be disappointed if they did not think I was worthy of monitoring.
As for your last comment, Amanda, I can only say that it does seem to be true from my personal experience. My mother refused to let my father have anything to do with my upbringing because his twin brother was gay and she didn’t want him to have any influence on my development. Others, including the person mentioned above as “publicising the gay revolution,” was the son of an absent father serving Britain abroad during World War II. Again, it’s a cycle, but maybe you have to be a spoke on the wheel to appreciate the seeming effect.
Lizzie, good to hear from you again. You’re right. It’s all marketing. So sad, I had hoped the Catholic church had at last seen the error of its ways. But no, it’s all designed to allow the molestation of children to continue. What was the church ever for except the quiet acceptance of upper society’s homosexuals? Humbuggers!
Marie, I’d love to and it’s time we did. xxx
Geoff thanks for sharing these thoughts and experiences. After reading your comments i received a blog post addressing the question of what is the real challenge of our times (originally written 12 years ago, the series is being re-posted; good old-fashioned oracle magic). The author has a background in cultural history, so he offers an interesting perspective and framing context for the question.
Thought you might enjoy it: http://ofmyownknowledge.com/2018/12/06/the-real-challenge-of-our-time/#comment-7973
Many thanks for your comments, Ramona. I certainly found myself agreeing with Frank DeMarco’s analysis of cultural trends during the previous millennia and I agree with Amanda that Richard Tarnas is the go-to for in-depth astrological analysis of world events related to outer planet movement. Many of my mental peregrinations about future possibilities here on Earth are based on a still unfinished reading of Cosmos and Psyche. I had planned to return to it, re: Uranus in Taurus, this weekend but events decided otherwise.
In response to the themes suggested by Frank DeMarco, I would suggest that our current culture is now firmly in the early stages of the perhaps over-imagined Age of Aquarius. My thinking may not be terrifically original – I say that because I have not owned a TV set nor watched television since 1989 – so many thoughts which I view as original may well have been explored by contemporaneous sci-fi serials and their like. Nevertheless, I believe I have arrived at them more or less independently.
There are, to my mind, at least three main areas which make this period of time different and remarkable for us humans. Firstly, the environment. Gaia is the new God. What used to be regarded as the keeper of the records of all our doings is now being transmuted to the judge of how we treat the planet. Like God, the wrath of Gaia is immense and unassailable. The tsunami of revenge unleashed upon our civilisation will be uncontainable, and all of us – rich, poor, male, female, Eastern, Western, civilised or indigenous – will be at its mercy, and the remedies needed to avoid these catastrophes must be adopted by all peoples of the world, no matter their cultural situation or personal status.
The only way this can manifest is by everyone regarding this rock on which we all live as sacred territory. All its inhabitants must be involved in the protection of our home planet. No more wars, no more excessive exploitation of resources, no more social snobbery between races and cultures, and no more ambivalent attitudes to life on planet Earth. Forget God and religion, come together in honour of Gaia and survival.
Secondly, it is inevitable that we will make use of our new-found ability to manipulate genetics to create a more efficient human being. If we could look back from 2118 we might be astounded, if not horrified, by the changes we have been able to make to our basic biological structure and abilities. By coincidence this week, like your encounter with Frank’s re-set article, Ramona, the British science journal New Scientist leads on this subject: The new humanity. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet but can certainly guess at some of the prognostications it might suggest. Currently described by the rather trendy marketing term “designer babies”, it’s already underway.
Thirdly, it may well be our exploration of space which requires some of the newly-available GMH (genetically-modified human) characteristics. Anatomical changes for people working in space, exposed to long periods of low gravity, or needing to journey light-years in distance using induced coma might all be financially incentivised by the needs of off-planet industry.
Interesting times.
I would not say it’s scare-mongering to compare; just perhaps scare-mongering to assume it all must repeat itself exactly, and that there’s nothing to be done about it. For sure, awareness of how history might repeat itself is crucial to seeing the signs early enough not to be an unconscious cog in the wheel, I think.
Has anyone had a chance to check on what Richard Tarnas might be writing these days about Uranus re-entering Taurus?
Amanda – Regarding Richard Tarnas, not sure what he is writing about Uranus re-entering Taurus. I am looking forward to his upcoming movie Changing of the Gods, which will look at the Uranus – Pluto alignment (2007-2020). He says it will be filled with art, symbol, photography, telescope footage and music.
Tarnas uses the spiral imagery as well – the current transit cycle building on previous cycles, expressed along recurring themes (each historical turn building on the arc (spiral) of the earlier ones).
Ooohhhhh, Ramona, Tarnas is working on a film??? Very cool. Do please be sure to post a comment about it here on PW when you hear more about its release date, etc. Thank you!
Checked it out. Who would have thought John Cleese would be involved in a Kickstarter-funded film about serious astrology?
Amazing revelation, Ramona, thank you, can’t wait for its release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGTdUgWUAqM
Here’s a trailer to be going on with. I understand the Kickstarter funding has now been completed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d__8Cz7Ycno
Oh goodness me. I admire John Cleese more than I can express for this.
Amanda + fellow PW’s – Changing of the Gods is loosely scheduled for release in early 2019 … i was a part of the kick-starter campaign (back in 2015).
Richard Tarnas has taught astrology classes out in California with John Cleese (using comedy and culture). Apparently they became friends after Cleese attended a Psyche and Cosmos workshop at Esalen.
Thanks for posting the links/trailer Geoff, it looks like the movie will be well worth the wait.
Maybe a spiral would yield greater understanding and awareness, rather than just a 2 dimensional circle? Like going through another turn of the screw?
Our lifetimes are relatively short against the backdrop of long term (and slow moving) cycles. It’s barely been 500 years since abstract thought became something common among our mass of Humanity. It may very well take that long again before we get any good at using it.
If we project the Past into our Future, is it any wonder it ends up looking like it?
I appreciate that perspective on the history of abstract thought; thank you, Sue. I was also thinking of the spiral vs circle imagery. I do find the spiral a useful template… of course, it is the shape of DNA, after all…