Simple solutions are appealing. Unfortunately, they are frequently wrong. Similarly, the allure of stability somehow retains credibility in a world where the only constant is change. Thus, the deceitful are exalted and the pernicious prosper precisely because they offer simple answers that promise to preserve equilibrium.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Astrologers especially should know better. The sky is constantly in motion. Neither can any single sign, planet or aspect can be considered out of holistic context.
As it is above, so it usually is below. That’s a good thing. It’s good that the world is complex and nuanced, because that is the only sort of world where new possibilities can continue to emerge.
Hence, an alternative (but intrinsically realistic) way to make sense of the earth trine from the Capricorn Sun to retrograde Jupiter in Virgo, which is exact just before 5:49 pm EST (22:48:51 UTC) tomorrow. Better not to call the 120 degree separation from the Sun to Jupiter an ‘easy’, ‘stable’ or even ‘flowing’ aspect. Such a cookbook interpretation would only leave a lot of disappointed people regretting any money spent on lottery tickets, and further astrology’s undeserved reputation as deceitful and pernicious hocus-pocus.
Better instead to see the big picture. More useful to discern how this particular trine from the Sun to Jupiter is different from other occurrences of that aspect, than to offer a sound bite about what it ‘means’.
Mercury, for example, is about to pass between Earth and the Sun. That passage makes Mercury appear to be going backwards (retrograde) through Capricorn on its way to conjoin with the Sun, even as it is also unseen in the solar glare up in the sky. In short, there is implicitly more going on than meets the eye, whether in regards to the tangible Sun in the sky or its emblem of consciousness on the zodiac, which is moving to trine Jupiter at this time.
By the same token, any interpretation of Jupiter for the time being must necessarily dispense with its usual beneficent character as represented by many astrologers. First off, Earth is passing between the Sun and Jupiter right now. That passage results in Jupiter rising a bit later every night, and accounts for its own current retrograde motion back through Virgo. As result, the usual idea of Jupiter as a bringer of good things should currently be shaded to imply something more along the lines of a promise of good things.
Going a bit deeper, Jupiter in mutable Virgo is part of a larger picture. That picture includes Neptune (with its strong correspondence to inscrutability) and Chiron (which correlates to complexity and nuance, among other things) on the other side of the zodiac — roughly 180 degrees away in Pisces.
Since Pisces is ruled by both Jupiter and Neptune, their current opposition (however approximate) must be seen as a sort of contest right now. It is a lot like the political contests currently going on in the U.S., with most of the candidates competing to offer the simplest and most comforting promises of good things regardless of how impractical to implement their proposals would be. That’s how any interpretation of the trine aspect Jupiter will be taking from the Sun tomorrow must necessarily include a broader perspective, and would need to include some skepticism.
All this is not to say you should approach the middle of this week without optimism. Nearly anything is better than falling into the confining space of being cynical. While there remains some possibility that the meek might inherit the Earth, it is almost certain that the bitter and jaded will never fare as well. Which is where you come in.
Astrology does not happen to you. Yes, your inaction can allow things to happen — especially things brought on by actions of the deceitful and pernicious, but you can’t blame astrology for that. What you can do is embrace the astrology and work with it. With tomorrow’s trine from the Sun to Jupiter, that would almost certainly not mean that you should stake your material and psychological wellbeing on winning a billion dollars. Nor should you swallow any political promises whole.
Rather, you should be realistic. You should accept that answers to your problems will involve some complexity and require some work on your part. All the better to attain solutions that will actually work for you. You should also anticipate change and prepare for it. All the better to recognize new possibilities and make them your own.
Finally, as a participant in the world with others, your recognition of how the sky will keep moving after tomorrow will make you among the few who are indeed qualified to lead at least some of us forward, rather than hold all of us back.
Offered In Service
Yes Len, I DO discern something of a Big Picture in this particular Sun trine to Jupiter and would have missed it if not for your advice. As Mercury retrogrades back to conjunct Sun, he too will trine retrograde Jupiter on Thursday. These polar opposites (Mercury and Jupiter) of the thinking, observing, teaching, learning and travel spectrum, both retrograde and accessing/utilizing the consciousness of the Sun to their advantage, would appear to be a gift from the gods for we hapless – sometimes hopeless – humans. To me it looks like a Time Out is being provided; the pause that refreshes so to speak. Both being in Earth signs could mean grounding is in order.
I’m looking at the chart for their conjunction last August which took place in the last degree of grandstanding Leo. This is the same degree as one bigger-than-life entertainer-turned-U.S. politician has as his ascendant degree. That same degree back in August was square Saturn in Scorpio, a sure sign that this cycle between Jupiter and Mercury would come to a halt or at least a pause of some kind. This may be it.
So here we are, both participants, Mercury and Jupiter, in retrograde, both accessing the power of Consciousness, as symbolized by the transiting Sun in Capricorn (Saturn’s sign). Judging by their cycle chart’s square between centaurs Chiron and Pholus which T-squares today’s position of Jupiter and the North Node (and getting tighter as Jupiter retrogrades), could indicate a job for Jupiter and Mercury – after some consciousness therapy from the Sun that is.
How very grateful we should all be for this pause and for you making sure we don’t miss it Len!
be
I’ll try not to make too much of this but transiting Eris at 22+ Aries stationed direct early Sunday morning in a tight sextile with Ceres at 22+ Aquarius. Thus they formed a yod to the U.S. Neptune at 22+ Virgo, where transiting retrograde Jupiter and the North Node will soon be arriving (and the Moon too on the 27th), which seems to reinforce that this is indeed a time for review. By inclusion of Ceres in this yod it puts me to mind of the 10 U.S. sailors captured by Iran because of its parallel to the mythical capture of Ceres’ daughter by Pluto.
Donald Trump’s Sun at 22+ Gemini sextiles transiting Eris in Aries (now direct) and squares the U.S. Neptune in Virgo. We know Eris loves to goad in order to create friction so I thought it worth noting that when transiting Mars reaches 22+ Scorpio (Feb. 15-17) it will create a double (backfire?) yod; transiting Mars at the apex of a yod (suggesting required adjustment) with trans. Aries Eris and Trump’s natal Gemini Sun, and then trans. Mars sextile the U.S. Virgo Neptune with trans. Eris at the apex of this 2nd yod. By then trans. Ceres will be square the U.S Sibly Uranus in Gemini and about to conjunct trans. Neptune (who will be moving away from his square to the U.S. Sibly Uranus).
be
Always fascinating to read Barbara (be) and Len and even more fascinating to live in these times. Personally, I felt the movement very markedly this week and really had to ground my own aspirations/desires. I was placed where I was once was last year with a choice but this time CHOSE differently, of course the aspects were different then. Presently and personally Sun and Mercury are conjoined with my natal Jupiter and Saturn which are at 25+ Cap in my 6th House. Neptune has been lingering for a while conjunct to my natal Mercury in Pisces, 7+ and 6+ degrees respectively, in my 7th. Similarly, Uranus has conjoined my natal moon and Venus also for quite some time now in Aries, at 16+, 18+ and 15+ respectively in my 9th. I grounded far better than I had in many years. I became realistic about my abilities and my situation and I found balance. It wasn’t without struggle (and tears). But this time when I came up from one knee (referring to the poet Rumi) the perspective was immediate and obvious. Perhaps it is because I have learned a lot these days with Chiron in Pisces already having passed my natal sun, south node and Mercury. But I think also it is because I have learned better to pause and reflect and think about things and consider what are my choices here. As you note above Len, the heavens are always changing- so true and if we limit our perspective we will become stale.
I was reading Eric’s Vision Quest for Pisces recently where he described having Neptune in the Pisces sign and how it infused the Piscean with an overflow of energy to aid its waters from having been stale for a while (paraphrasing here). Eric also described the value of Chiron as a mentoring influence, not only to aid you in finding a mentor but also in becoming a mentor (and thus drawing others to you). Part of good mentoring is leading yourself.
I watched the State of the Union last night. I hadn’t for a number of years for various reasons although I always read the President’s statement later. I was very pleased with his mentoring position on the podium. He encouraged Americans to get informed, stay informed and make politicians accountable. Something that we have been discussing on PW. Pres Obama was grounding the politicians, and he was grounding us, while simultaneously inspiring us to push a bit more for ideals in our reach: cures for cancer, combating climate change with renewable energy that can also provide economic incentives, and of course, an alternative viewpoint (from the hawks) to global stability by viewing national security in a different perspective- by helping nations in plight, and not classifying it as “charity.” And then, Pres. Obama stated what was perhaps some of the most poignant and powerful words ever spoken at a State of the Union Address, that the Country he loves is “clear eyed, big hearted, undaunted by challenge [and] optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
Thanks for sharing Pisces Sun. Neptune in any way related to the 7th house can be illusional regarding relationships when not grounded. Yet there is purpose to it as well. The effect for me was that I ceased to look for higher spiritual love in relationships and realized one day (finally) that my country, in a way, had become my partner, or rather, I’d become its partner. (We share sun signs, moon signs and Neptune signs). These transits can be so difficult, just like any classroom assignment can be, but how rewarding it is when we successfully learn what they are designed to teach us.
Thanks too for reporting on the State of the Union speech by President Obama. You’re right, he WAS mentoring us all wasn’t he? No other president has loved his country more than this one I’m sure. I believe his greatest contributions to the world as well as the U.S. are ahead of him. He has graduated from the school of political (and racial) hard knocks with honors.
be
Barbara: Thank you so very much for being so generous with your gracious comments today. I do find your idea of a pause to be very resonant with today’s astrology and appealing to the Spirit. As for transiting Eris stationing direct to combine with transiting Ceres and the Sibly (USA “natal”) Neptune, one cannot possibly make too much of such a wold-class astrological observation – thank you for bringing it to our attention. Extra thanks for anticirpating the “backfire” yod with transiting Mars as well – it will be interesting to watch that one unfold. Finally, thank you for helping us to understand how your personal astrology correlates so closely wth that of the USA – now we can all better understand how you became such an expert with the Sibly chart in the first place.
Pisces Sun: Thanks to you in turn for helping us to more deeply appreciate the special moment of The President’s address last night. Based on transits to your personal astrology, it is almost as if you were born to reiterate President Obama’s most seminal (and touching) observations for our further contemplation here. i’m so very grateful for your compassionate and perceptive grace once again.