The Sun has ingressed Gemini, Mercury is direct, and the Sun is making a conjunction to Vesta, my favorite asteroid. In this week’s Planet Waves TV, I describe Vesta’s role as keeper of the hearth and the idea of the organization of space, both mental and physical.
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At Home in Your Own Mind
During the past three days, the Sun changed signs to Gemini, the Moon reached full phase from Sagittarius and Mercury stationed direct in Taurus.
Photo by Joe King.
All of that is likely to feel supportive. Even something so simple as the Sun changing signs can have a sense of relief and reset.
The Full Moon can release a feeling of nervous tension (though sleeping well may still take a little extra focus for the next few nights).
Mercury stationing direct can release some pressure and help things become unstuck, and is a cue to resume or implement certain plans you’ve been developing or delaying. That said, take it slow this week. Build momentum carefully and consciously, adding one ingredient or one project at a time.
Note that each of these involves Gemini: the first of two Full Moons with the Sun in Gemini, and Mercury (associated with both Gem and Virgo) making a helpful move. Gemini is a sign strongly associated with the mind, with ideas and with communications.
In the background of all this, the asteroid Vesta entered Gemini. Vesta is the representative of the hearth fire, of devotion, of service and of young women. It’s the slowest-moving factor of everything I’ve mentioned so far; it will remain in Gemini for about two months, until July 25.
Vesta represents some beautiful, helpful ideas. Consistency and devotion are things the world could use a lot more of lately, especially with communicating. We tend to have scattered minds, as a result of many scattered channels of thought. Vesta is saying draw all of that into a circle, and concentrate on a few tangible ideas while you’re doing everything else.
In a word, focus. In a phrase, focus and devote yourself to what you’re thinking. We also live in a culture that obsesses over the images of young women. You might take a moment or two to listen to what young women are thinking and saying, and if you consider yourself one, to be bolder than you might ordinarily be and speak up. Get the attention of the people around you and engage others in a real dialog: taking turns speaking and listening.
I have more to say in the new Planet Waves TV, and will be back with Planet Waves FM on Tuesday evening.
I did not discover my natal vesta until I came to PW, as it was not shown on my chart. I went looking for something in my tenth as I’ve been semi-obsessed with JOB for years now. Anyhow, the only thing I have in 4th is Vesta, in Gemini, exactly opp Pallas in Sagg. Yes, there has been significant sublimation and I wonder how much of that is related to your history, Eric, that you share today.
Fascinating. I reckon I’m having a Vesta return, eh??
Thank you, Eric.
m.
ps: only thing I have in 10th is Pallas, exactly 16 degrees, opp vesta.
Speaking on this ability to change one’s mind, and not get stuck, here is what I posted on facebook today; a concept that’s been on my mind but I just found the words for today:
Have you ever watched an actor, performer, or anybody really, in a “performance” situation where you cringed for them as you watched, for whatever reason; usually that pesky inner critic judging them, but then suddenly through your powers of being a human and having a brain, you change your mind, and choose to put your full trust in that performer, that they are fully capable of doing their job, and that what you’re about to witness is going to be a beautiful example of artistic authenticity and a testament to perseverance and the order of the universe? That happens to me sometimes.
The colourful solar chart template is a really clever idea. It brings out clearly and vividly how the whole system works.
I had a quick look at the Wiki on the Greek equivalent of Vesta – she had a very similar name, Hestia (same etymology, one suspects). She was the sister of Zeus, and appears to have been significant in Greece as well as Rome:
In all the temples of the gods she had a share of honour, and among all mortals she was chief of the goddesses. Hestia was one of the three Goddesses (the other two were Athena and Artemis) whose “hearts” Aphrodite could not affect… Her mythographic status as first-born of Rhea and Cronus seems to justify the tradition in which a small offering is made to Hestia before any sacrifice (“Hestia comes first”).
Vesta is making some significant transits now, and I am thrilled you are giving her the stage in Gemini, Eric. She was conjunct Sedna and Algol during the last new moon, activating some of the feminine shadows. She is lit up and activated by the Sun now, and being opposite Mars is strengthening her, I believe. Something clicked when you talked about Mars retro in Sag evoking the negativity of patriarchal religion. Ancient Rome was patriarchal as they come, so there is a sense of co-opting Vesta’s fire to keep the patriarchy intact. This is something ready to shift in our time, as a society and as individuals. Vesta in Gemini, along with Uranus/Eris can be a fiery wake-up call to women and to the culture. I have Vesta in Gemini square my Pisces Sun — and I will be paying close attention this month to begin understanding what Vesta means for me.
Eric, thank you for this; I enjoyed very much. I have been feeling stuck; sure hope with Mercury direct now, I can feel the difference soon. In September of 2014, I was in Rome with family and stood before their house at the Forum, very cool to hear you talk of them. If I’m not mistaken, in the Taurus reading for Vision Quest, you had an artifact from the Forum – it gave the reading extra significance for me. Thank you, and all, for your work!
Ah!! … I stood before the house of the Vestal Virgins at the Forum – How did I manage to leave that out!