Tag Archives: Venus

Between Eclipses, and Finding the Unknown

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By Amanda Painter

“How will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?”
— Meno, in one of Plato’s Socratic dialogues

On Saturday we come to the last quarter Moon: the Moon in Taurus making a square to the Sun in Leo. This marks the halfway point between the July 27 lunar eclipse in Aquarius, and the corresponding Aug. 11 solar eclipse in Leo.

Spring Point Lighthouse, South Portland, Maine; Photo by Amanda Painter.

Spring Point Lighthouse, South Portland, Maine; Photo by Amanda Painter.

Like any last quarter Moon, this is a reminder (with assistance) to move a project toward completion. But what if you aren’t sure what that project is, or how to move it forward?

You might be; it could be perfectly clear to you what your primary goal is right now, what vision of your life you’re heading for. It’s also possible that you feel like you’re in some kind of limbo or stasis: aware that you’re in a process, but not entirely sure what exactly it is.

You may feel like you’re moving more energy than usual, or you could be waiting for the wind to fill your sails again so you can know how to respond to it.

A lot gets written about conscious visioning and making choices to release things during eclipses. But what if you feel a little lost in that? I suspect that sensation makes good sense, given that we have the planet of action and motivation (Mars) and the planet of thought processes (Mercury) both in retrograde motion (Mars in Aquarius, Mercury in Leo).

Even one of those could pose a challenge to clear forward navigation and momentum. Having both those planets retrograde is a good reminder to be gentle and patient with yourself if your path ahead seems unclear, or if your steps feel like they’re moving you backwards or laterally. And if you do happen to be riding these eclipse waves like a California surfer who’s ‘in the zone’, keep trusting yourself and looking where you want to be. (Actually, that’s a good strategy no matter how things are going for you.)

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Excerpt from "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus; photo of a mural in Phoenix, Arizona.

Remembering How to Care on the Cancer Solstice

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By Amanda Painter

Today is the Cancer solstice: the day when the Sun ingresses Cancer. It’s the longest day of the year, kicking off summer in the Northern Hemisphere (in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the shortest day and winter begins). And this year, two of the strongest themes of Cancer certainly are at the forefront of U.S. consciousness: taking care (or not), and emotions/sensitivity.

Excerpt from "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus; photo of a mural in Phoenix, Arizona.

Excerpt from “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, 1883, on the Statue of Liberty; photo of a mural in Phoenix, Arizona.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent a decent amount of time this week making calls to various political officials and departments, signing petitions, and getting pulled into heated social media exchanges — all regarding the continuing separation and detention of young children from their parents at the U.S. border. As I write this on Wednesday, news is breaking that Pres. Trump has signed an executive order to reverse this policy — one that was implemented by his Administration.

While that strikes some as good news on the surface, it does not undo the trauma caused to thousands of children (most appallingly), to their parents, and even to the Immigration employees tasked with carrying out the separation and commanded not to comfort the crying, terrified kids. Additionally, the executive order appears to set up an even more complicated situation. (Addendum: it looks like crossing the border without permission could become a felony rather than a misdemeanor; and, there appears to be no plan to reunite children with their parents or to track them. I’m also seeing reports of a history of giving separated kids psychiatric drugs to keep them subdued. Please see today’s Democracy Now! post for more information on the deepening mess.)

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What’s New with You?

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By Amanda Painter

As we emerge from yesterday’s Gemini New Moon and whatever you experienced with it, the theme of “new” appears to be carrying forward. Questions you might ask yourself include “Where in my life do I need something new?” and “What am I willing and able to do to seek, cause or attract it?”

Crescent Moon two days after last month's Taurus New Moon, viewed from the Kristin Linklater Voice Center in Orkney, Scotland. Photo by Amanda Painter.

Crescent Moon two days after last month’s Taurus New Moon (and Uranus ingressing Taurus), viewed from the Kristin Linklater Voice Center in Orkney, Scotland. Photo by Amanda Painter.

Note that since this astrology is happening as Mars prepares to station retrograde in Aquarius on June 26, those questions could have a background quality of feeling like you’re standing in contrast to everyone around you. You may want to track that over the next few weeks.

Since the Gemini New Moon made contact with a variety of objects around the zodiac, notice whether you feel like you had to juggle or synthesize several very different encounters, influences or perspectives. How is that process going for you? Do you feel closer to clarity on a particular issue or further from it?

With Mercury — the planet of the mind — in Cancer as of Tuesday, and Venus — the planet of receptivity and relationships — in Leo as of yesterday evening, you might be noticing a slight shift in how you’re perceiving and responding to those around you. Mercury in Cancer could be enhancing sensitivity (both empathetic and reactive); Venus in Leo tends to be compassionate, but with an inclination toward drama and a little more willfulness than is usually associated with Venus. Both of these planets are involved in aspects today and tomorrow that will likely emphasize these shifts in mental and emotional tone — as well as how you’re thinking and feeling about what kind of newness you need.

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Small, Meaningful Moves

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By Amanda Painter

We’re moving into the last half of Mercury’s current retrograde in Aries — and the contacts Mercury is making this week seem to be stirring things up for many people. If you’ve been feeling a sense of pressure lately, this astrology could be why.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

A combined square between Mercury in Aries and Mars and Saturn in Capricorn continues to be in effect today. Mercury square Mars was exact on Wednesday, and Mercury square Saturn is exact today — though they are really one event.

This aspect pattern is an image of tension — especially with Mercury in a hot, fiery, action-oriented sign, and its retrograde motion describing an inward direction (for at least some of that energy). If you’re feeling frustrated, you might notice how much of that energy is directed at yourself, versus how much of it you’re projecting (or unleashing) onto others.

Lots of people fall into negative thought loops when they have trouble expressing their anger and annoyance; that said, it’s also becoming more common for people to seek an outlet on social media. If that tends to be your go-to, you might notice whether people’s comments in response actually help you to transmute your frustration, or whether it serves to amplify it. There are reasons why social media is often referred to as an ‘echo chamber’ — though sometimes we do truly just need to say what we have to say and know that we’ve been heard and empathized with.

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Tropical flora on Grand Cayman; photo by Amanda Painter.

Working and Communicating with the Libra Full Moon

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By Amanda Painter

Are you feeling both determined and frustrated this week? The sky is not only building to a Full Moon in Libra on Saturday, there’s some additional astrology that may be testing the balance between what you desire, what you feel obligated to do, and what’s actually reasonable to try to accomplish.

Tropical flora on Grand Cayman; photo by Amanda Painter.

Tropical flora on Grand Cayman; photo by Amanda Painter.

The good thing about this kind of setup is that when there is friction or opposition from others, it can actually help you get clear on your priorities.

When everything is easy and everyone is mellow, it can be harder to get focused or fired up for what needs to happen. That said, even if you think you know what you want, current aspects suggest it’s wise to try on different perspectives, to listen closely to what others are expressing (including reading between the lines), and to move ahead with a measured pace.

The chart for this week’s Full Moon speaks to all of these factors, in multiple ways. Exact at 8:37 am EDT on March 31 (12:37 UTC), it has the Moon in early-mid Libra opposite the Sun and retrograde Mercury in Aries.

Straight away, Mercury both retrograde and so close to the Sun (they form a conjunction on Sunday, marking the midpoint of the retrograde), signals that checking one’s perspective is wise. Particularly in Aries, are you sure you are seeing beyond yourself and what you want?

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Mars in Sagittarius — and a Few Other Adjustments

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By Amanda Painter

You know that feeling when you’ve been incredibly busy, or very focused on a project, and then those activities wind down but you feel momentarily adrift, or not sure where to channel your energy next? But then, almost as soon as you’ve thought that, the next thing comes along to keep your energy level up and engaged?

Photo by Amanda Painter.

Photo by Amanda Painter.

That might be one way to think of Mars entering Sagittarius tomorrow, just six days after centaur planet Pholus left that sign. Mars leaves Scorpio, a sign it rules, and brings its fiery energy to fiery Sagittarius at 7:56 am EST on Friday (12:56 UTC).

The influence of Pholus in Sagg was something we kind of got used to for many years. In terms of the ‘runaway reaction’ Pholus signifies, we’ve witnessed it in the way the world seems to be spinning out of control. Long before Trump as president, before Uranus made its signature aspects to Pluto and Eris, we had Pholus adding some rocket fuel to life — in a segment of the zodiac that can already feel a little ‘out there’.

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Liberation and Responsibility with the Sun in Aquarius

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By Amanda Painter

Tomorrow night (early Saturday in some time zones) the Sun leaves Capricorn and ingresses Aquarius. That this sign change happens each year within a few days of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday feels fascinatingly appropriate, even though King was a Capricorn.

Photo by Amanda Painter

Photo by Amanda Painter

I say this because of the two planets that rule Aquarius: Saturn (which also rules Capricorn) and Uranus. Saturn represents (in part) responsibility and containment; Uranus represents (in part) liberation and unbridled life force.

We need both concepts, both forms of energy, to live in balance. What I find most striking about King’s life and work in this context was the way he integrated and championed these concepts: calling, from a place of deeply held social and personal responsibility, for liberation; finding the most effective outlet for his considerable life force by focusing it into a clear and singular purpose — one that took as its container the principle of non-violent protest.

By embodying one clear structure of action and philosophy, he sought to dismantle and revolutionize another social and political structure, in pursuit of freedom for a repressed group. And he did so by inspiring individuals to use their freedom to take personal responsibility — whether they were among the repressed group, or among the elite group doing the oppressing.

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In Search of Positive Momentum

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By Amanda Painter

I write today aware of a curious mix of emotions, and maybe you can relate: buoyed by some of this week’s Election Day results; numbed and exhausted by news of yet another preventable mass shooting here in the U.S. In the background of all of it are the same long-term, emotionally polarizing issues we’ve been grappling with for far too long; in the foreground are personal desires, goals and crises, and the chosen (or, more often, unconscious) distractions from them.

Bicyclist in motion; photo by Amanda Painter.

Bicyclist in motion; photo by Amanda Painter.

It can seem impossible at times to achieve lift-off when it comes to making positive changes on even the most basic personal level, given all that one is up against. Yet sometimes making progress really just comes down to keeping a little momentum going.

Some of this week’s astrology appears to support that. Of course, to keep momentum going, sometimes you have to figure out a way to overcome stationary inertia to create momentum: you have to get the ball rolling.

It’s easy to get intimidated by that; to forget that, often, doing just a little something (or a series of little somethings, taken one at a time) is all it takes to move from stasis, to engaging with a process, to some kind of result that previously appeared impossible.

The beautiful aspect that’s approaching — and which you’d do well to start actively warming up — is Venus conjunct Jupiter in Scorpio. This is exact on Monday, Nov. 13.

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