Congratulations on making it through last week. I’m hearing from a number of people that it was an especially challenging build-up to the Full Moon, which peaked early on Saturday — as in, not a typical Pisces Full Moon at all.

Saturday is the Pisces Full Moon, amidst the Jupiter-Neptune square. As with all things Pisces, patience is key. Progress is not always linear.

You would think that with so many objects still moving through Virgo, that sign and its qualities might be the only thing to focus on. But here’s the thing: all of those Virgo planets are gradually making contact with a slightly slower aspect that is characterizing the entire month of September: Jupiter in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces.

Significant objects and points have been filing into Virgo this past week — all in preparation for the Virgo New Moon on Friday. This Virgo lineup would already carry a strong message of integration, on its own. But at the time of the New Moon, these objects will all be opposite Neptune (and Nessus) in Pisces, which brings in a related theme: dependency (such as on substances) and co-dependency (in relationships).

This week culminates in a Venus-Mars conjunction in Virgo, with a message about integrating your inner feminine/masculine, receptive/active, yin/yang sides.

There is no looking to astrology to explain two mass shootings in 24 hours, or the 36 of them in the United States so far this year. Or the 100 or so really nasty ones since 1966 (which seem to be concentrating in our era).

Mercury stations direct Wednesday night, square Eris. Are you willing to see through the bullshit (including your own) — and can you have a sense of humor about it?