By Amanda Painter

Most likely, by the time you read this, today’s Capricorn Full Moon will be separating and its energy easing (it’s exact at 12:53 am EDT / 4:52:53 UTC this morning). If any situations came to a head or felt ‘stuck’ in your life in recent days, notice whether the pressure is starting to dissolve and you can find some resolution as the day progresses.

At the same time, Mars stationed retrograde in Aquarius only two days ago. We’re all still getting acquainted with what that feels like.

The waxing Moon viewed earlier this week through a screen window. Photo by Amanda Painter.

If any feelings of frustration or not knowing how to proceed have been lingering for several days, it might point to a longer-term inquiry that’s unfolding for you.

I’m also aware that the U.S. news is awash in ongoing conflicts from the world over — including, domestically, the crisis of children separated from their parents at immigration detention centers, with no clear plan or functional process to reunite them. We’ve also experienced a week’s worth of 5-4 Supreme Court rulings that call the meaning of “constitutional” into question. And the following news broke as I wrote this: Justice Anthony Kennedy, often the SCOTUS swing vote, announced his retirement, thereby opening the door for Trump to appoint a conservative justice.

In other words, there’s still a lot to feel edgy and overwhelmed by in this world. Yet in the next few days, we’ll also get some shifts in tone, at least astrologically speaking. These events might even enable you to tap into a sense of what you can do to help.

First up is the dwarf planet Ceres leaving Leo and entering Virgo today at 5:01 am EDT (9:01 UTC). If you’ve been using this phase of Ceres in Leo to feed your heart and nourish your ‘children’ (whether literal, creative, inner or global), perhaps you’ll find that Ceres in Virgo enhances your willingness to put that full heart to work in helping others.

As I’ve seen written elsewhere on Planet Waves, Ceres is the goddess of grain, of motherhood and of the grief sometimes associated with being a mom — including the loss of children. The history of separating children from their parents (and mothers in particular) runs deep in the U.S.; the government did it with Black slaves, they did it with Native Americans, and now it’s being done to Central American asylum-seekers. It’s an especially horrific and traumatizing tactic for controlling a population through fear, grief and what amounts to a form of psychological torture.

While having Ceres in Virgo can indicate trying to ‘nurture’ though criticizing, I suspect there’s another way to use this energy. Others have written that Ceres in Virgo likes to work — especially with details. And if there’s one major thing missing from the current “zero tolerance” enforcement of handling families crossing the U.S. border (besides empathy), it would seem to be the details: who these children are; who their parents are; which family members are being kept where; how to make the needed phone call if you have no possessions (therefore no money), and there’s no way for kind-hearted donors to get money to you; and so on.

Ceres in Virgo appears to be a way to tap into the details of how you can help in tangible ways. You might not be in a position to rewrite policy or pass a new law, but maybe there’s information you can track or actions you can take that go beyond criticizing what’s happening. Phone calls and petitions are important; and sometimes we all need a reminder to move past words into further action — whether it’s showing up at a targeted protest, volunteering at a charity that assists with released detainees, or diving into the fine print of policies and regulations so you can communicate them clearly to others.

Remember that being of service nourishes you as much as it helps others. With Ceres making a trine to Uranus in Taurus, you might surprise yourself with a new way to do so.

Then, on Friday, Mercury leaves Cancer and enters Leo at 1:16 am EDT (6:16 UTC). Mercury in Leo is said to “add heart to brain.” Goddess knows we could use more of that combination in the world right now.

You might find that you engage in slightly more passionate (or dramatic) speech than usual, or that you feel more able and willing to tackle and solve problems — though if you find yourself thinking in general terms, remember to check on the details. It’s not that your innate way of thinking and communicating will change; more that the tone could shift by a shade or two, or you might find it a little easier to tap into these qualities.

Mercury, for its part, will also be contacting Uranus on Saturday (via square aspect), and makes a trine to Chiron in Aries. You can expect mental stimulation this weekend — though you might not be able to anticipate the form it takes. If you can be flexible without making rash judgments and decisions (especially while driving), you may find your mind to be an easier place to navigate.

You also might encounter some excellent new ideas; Chiron in the pattern ups the depth of awareness (another heart-brain connection). Just be sure to record your brainstorms somehow before they vanish, as they might possess a worthy element of healing or self-awareness.

Finally, on Sunday, the asteroid Juno will enter Taurus at 4:46 am EDT (8:46 UTC). On its surface, this looks like a reminder to beware of possible spikes in jealousy and possessiveness based in unmet needs (especially those of the sensual/sexual and financial/material variety) in intimate relationships.

That said, I’m also curious about Juno’s relationship to social justice issues. What does that look like in terms of material values? Or how we as a culture deal with the physical bodies of others over whom, via our government, we have control?

One of the things I read recently about Juno in Taurus related to the need to identify one’s self-worth oneself; that when it’s allowed to be dictated by others, that’s when jealousy and possessiveness get triggered. If vast swaths of the U.S. population have such injured and mis-located self-worth that it’s coming out as possessiveness over who gets to share America, how can we address that?

What’s the key to affirming the security and safety of those who are here, so that it can be extended to others? That’s not the same as coddling and catering to emotional insecurities, which is a quick fix that makes things worse. We have our work cut out for us, but we can each start with ourselves.

Eric has now completed all 12 signs of The Sacred Space of Self, the 2018 Spring Reading on Chiron’s transition into Aries, and Mars retrograde in Aquarius over the summer. Order today and get all 12 signs for just $99. Check out our sample videos here, and the full Guide to Chiron Transits here.