At the peak of this week’s various fire trine aspects, fiery Mars will leave Capricorn and enter Aquarius at 6:57 pm EST (23:57 UT) on Thursday, as if to pass you a torch to carry forward. Now the question is what you will choose to do with whatever form of hot responsibility you are about to be handed.
From a holistic perspective, the nature the responsibility being passed on to you while Mars traverses Aquarius will be conferred by awareness.
Given one way Aquarius differs from Capricorn, the awareness being handed to you will not be yours alone to carry. Rather, it will be shared — at least until Mars continues on to Pisces come Jan. 12.
Outwardly, some people might perceive transition of Mars from Capricorn to Aquarius to represent more of the same because staid Saturn rules both signs. Hence the so-called mutual reception between Mars in a Saturn-ruled sign and Saturn in Scorpio (co-ruled by Mars and Pluto) continues until Dec. 23.
Such a perception of continuity has a valid point, and for nearly three weeks we can continue to expect Mars and Saturn to somewhat share, or even occasionally trade, characteristics. Such an exchange is a primary result of what happens when two planets concurrently occupy each other’s dominion.
In spite of Saturn in common, however, Aquarius and Capricorn do not have the same nature. A relative new-comer, unpredictable Uranus, shares ruling duties for Aquarius with pedantic Saturn, forming an odd-couple arrangement that is somehow appropriate given how element and quality mix in their mutual domain.
For while Capricorn sensibly combines a cardinal (initiating) quality with an earthen (fundamental) elemental identity, the constitution of Aquarius is (on the surface, at least) a contradiction in terms.
Because Aquarius follows a cardinal sign (Capricorn) in the sequence of the zodiac, it’s by definition a fixed sign as evinced by the Sun. In other words, by the time the Sun enters Aquarius next year, the season initiated by the Capricorn solstice on Dec. 21 will be unambiguously “fixed” into place and clearly recognizable for what it is.
Forming one of the greater oxymorons presented by astrology, however, Aquarius is also identified by its association with the element of air. Of the four elements (fire, earth, air and water) derived from ancient natural science and applied for use in astrology, air is perhaps the hardest to imagine being fixed into place.
Nonetheless, when you consider that air is also associated with ideas, the superficial contradiction begins to make sense. After all, it is common to refer to the sharing and exchange of ideas as “something in the air.”
So it is then that Aquarius is rightfully associated with otherwise diverse groups of people who identify with each other through shared ideas, common awareness and unifying consciousness. This in contrast with Capricorn representing a hierarchical and/or elitist power structure.
Hence, with the passing of energetic Mars into Aquarius, there is a sense that some expression of established order is divesting itself of having to carry on somehow. The divestment is, in turn, implicitly being offloaded onto you through association with those people with whom you share guiding principles of conduct and contribution.
There is abundant evidence of recent failures by the established order to hold up its end of the social bargain. Hence it is entirely appropriate that people with the common interest in common should take up the Martian torch of energy and desire to get something done (or at least make a start), especially when a new season is about to begin.
But without awareness — your awareness especially — nothing will change.
Unless you elect to be aware, what’s in the air will pass you by. Unless you take responsibility for what you are aware of, your conscience will not rest easy. Unless you act with integrity upon what you are responsible for, you will not be whole.
Fortunately, the impending ingress of Mars into Aquarius means that the responsibility conferred by what comes to you through the air will not be yours alone to bear. That you will be able to do your part in unison with others, accomplishing more than you ever could on your own.
So, sniff the air a bit come Thursday. Follow your nose to where and when you can do your passionate part to step in with others and make up for where the established order has let us all down. In that way, you will be one with many, and with the cosmos as well.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
You leave me wanting more Len, teasing with this juicy idea of a hot torch a’coming this way; flames kept burning through sharing ideas with other like-minded souls. So, how about Mars being in mutual reception with Uranus too? Who else could do that? Two mutual receptions with only one planet? Tricky! Dual rulers of Aquarius with the ruler of dual signs Aries and Scorpio all coming together on Thursday. I might have missed this incredible happening if you had not focused today on Mars ingressing Aquarius. Thank you!
It’s not the first time this year that Uranus and Saturn have debated the course of Aquarian energy interpretation. Remember that long stint of their almost-but-not-quite-perfect quincunx? They seemed (to me anyway) to be aiming at individual charts with Aquarius planets since no transits of major planets since last April had been in that sign. It all started last year when Saturn and Uranus DID perfect a quincunx (adjustment required) in October. Other than the Moon, no major planets were in Aquarius except for when the Sun, Mercury and Venus made their annual visit between January through early April, a time when Saturn and Uranus were NOT in a quincunx aspect.
That would come in late June this year through all of July and much of August when there was an Aquarius full moon who squared Saturn and sextiled Uranus. Now we have Mars, the first to occupy Aquarius since then, ruling the sign Uranus is in and co-ruling the sign Saturn is in! Sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you don’t must be how Mars’ energy in Aquarius will express itself this time around. Surely it must be the Universe providing another opportunity to explore the options of Aquarius before January’s New Moon at 0+ Aquarius, and before the 2020 Jupiter-Saturn cycle that starts at 0+ Aquarius.
Time to get our ducks in a row (Saturn)? Or, time to break the rules (Uranus) and go for a new image? Or something in between maybe. Time (a Saturn thing) will tell I guess.
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Barbara: Thank you for stepping in with me to add mention of the exciting and unusual duplication of mutual reception Mars will have with Uranus (as well as with Saturn) upon Martian ingress to Aquarius. The necessity to be both narrowly focused and widely accessible in my blogs means i can’t always cover all the bases in one composition. May the heavens be thanked for you and others who make like Mars in Aquarius to make what i initiate more than any one person can do alone. And yes, i do remember that quincunx (150 degrees of separation aspect) from Saturn to Uranus. Indeed, being a solar Aquarian myself, i can still feel it, as i continue my own search for the (as you put it) “in between.”
Hey Len, I’m just grateful that you noted the mutual reception in the first place as I probably wouldn’t have even noticed; at least not right away. I’ve just been shocked to read that Netanyahu has fired a couple of Cabinet ministers that don’t see things as he does and he’s now calling for new elections, after only 2 years. This stems from a lot of Uranus-Mars turmoil in Israel’s chart. Transiting Saturn is square Israel’s Mars at 28+ Leo. With it’s IC at 3+ Aquarius, Israel will be a good place to study Mars’ entry into that sign. Passing the torch indeed! Read about Israel’s chart at
http://starlightnews.com/wordpress/2014/11/israels-angry-mood/
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A bit busy for too much contemplation, but not too busy to take a read and say thanks! Thursday will be an important day as Mars will conj natal Venus at 0AQ and without taking said time for contemplation who knows what all else, but surely it is vast for this little fishy as it always is. Change is in the wind, group determination is a strong and the force of Martian fire is driving forward.
Len- I have had the opportunity in this incarnation to meet Aquarians who have the ability to become as fixated in their belief systems as a junkyard dog on a bone. The key phrase for Aquarius is “I Know,” and when they hold their fixation up for all to see (Ronald Reagan was an Aquarius) it is as obvious as the noon day sun in Summer. Problem is it can be difficult to help them see their fixation, and the fact that their “truth” is not the final word. Embodying the Aquarian ideal is tough sledding for some, but when an Aquarian native is able to look beyond themselves their idealism can inspired people around the world (Bob Marley celebrated his birthday the same day as Ronnie The Vegetable).
chief niwot’s son – you just nailed my Aquarian limbo – thank you Len and Barbara for your gifts of insight – it’s not easy being an Aquarian going through all this change of a lifetime in one year – clinging to hope that doors and windows will open – for all of us…
Chief Niwot’s Son: Thank you for your cogent observation. Once again you bless us all.
Vincent: You are very welcome.
Thanks Len, I have dealt with a couple of these folks, and as a Gemini (all mutable and such, with Mercury in Gemini on my midheaven) I can see a fixated thought pattern a mile off in foggy weather.
Readers: A bit of an addendum here for those of you not thoroughly familiar with astrology. The “fixated” part of Aquarius referred to by Chief Niwot’s Son goes a little deeper than Aquarius being a fixed-quality sign. It’s also a reflection of how Saturn is still very strong with Aquarius even with a Uranus being referred to as the ruler (or co-ruler) by many. It’s important to understand that Uranus was unknown to humanity until its discovery in 1781. Simply designating Uranus as a ruler (which in many ways remains a fair assessment) does not eliminate Saturn from the picture. Many Aquarians you may know are evidence that Saturn still rules Aquarius too. Thanks again to Chief Niwot’s Son, (and to Barbara for pointing out home the impending transit of Aquarius by Mars will potentially serve as a litmus test to evaluate where, when and how both Saturn and Uranus sit with Aquarius).
“Embodying the Aquarian ideal is tough sledding for some, but when an Aquarian native is able to look beyond themselves their idealism can inspired people around the world”
I’ve got a very good friend who has an Aquarius Sun and a WHOLE LOT of Mars in his chart (Aries Ascendant, Mars on his MC) — his way was always the only legitimate way to see things, until recently. It has been beautiful to watch him find his true calling in life, because it has helped him ease off of that rigid “I know” stance, and allow for some mystery and joy around all that Uranian unexpected serendipity stuff. There’s something magnificent about an Aquarian who can find a kind of balance between their Saturnian and Uranian natures. Like you say, Chief Niwot’s Son, he’s been truly inspiring. I may need to warn him of Mars’ upcoming visit, however.
Thank you Strawberry
The proof is in the pudding.
be
The idea of Aquarius being a fixed air sign also ruled by Saturn also appears to me as what happens when one or many get stuck with an idea or opinion. The idea or opinion becomes fixed and built. I also think of something like lightining changing this Aquarian structure when it can no longer maintain stubbornly an idea. Just a thought. Mars perhaps traversing this sign, may speed up the rather “slower” (in my opinion) Aquarian process in regard to big things (ideas that have become fixed beliefs). I’ve heard fire makes air lighter, plus aren’t Mars and Uranus in mutual reception then these days?