By Amanda Painter
Our minds and our emotions work in tandem: how we happen to be feeling at the moment when we encounter a situation, person or idea can influence our thoughts about it. At the same time, our thought patterns and belief systems influence how we articulate and manage our emotions; they reflect how much power we believe we have (or do not have) over how we feel. We often have more power of choice in these matters than it seems.
Photo by Amanda Painter.
Between now and the weekend, the astrology is addressing these themes quite directly through the movements of Mercury, which rules the mind, and the Moon, which rules our emotions.
First, Mercury: this fastest planet enters Libra today at 11:44 am EDT (15:44 UTC). Mercury in Libra describes balance in communication, especially in partnerships. Because of Libra’s association with justice, you may notice an increased desire to be honest and to consider all sides of an issue before making a decision.
This positive mental environment encourages interest in what others think, which is a boon for teambuilding and collaborative endeavors. The caution comes in getting so caught up in looking at an issue from every perspective that you never actually act or make a decision.
Vacillation or perfectionism is especially worth your attention since Mercury enters its pre-retrograde echo (or ‘shadow’) phase Friday. This is not a reason to freak out. But it is a reason to begin noticing your thought processes with increasing awareness as we near Mercury’s station retrograde on Sept. 17.
As for the Moon: we’re quickly approaching the Pisces Full Moon, exact at 2:35 pm EDT Saturday (18:35 UTC). This is the Moon in Pisces opposite the Sun in Virgo.
What is interesting about this chart is the planets conjunct the Sun and Moon. This includes both the traditional and modern rulers of Pisces, Jupiter and Neptune, respectively.
The Sun is conjunct Jupiter (this was exact Wednesday), an aspect that suggests vitality in body and spirit. In Virgo, a sign ruled by Mercury, it also indicates mind-expanding activities. It’s generally an incredibly positive aspect, particularly if, as astrologer Rob Hand has written, you believe that your personal growth occurs though the inclusion of others in your life.
Yet a hypothetical point called Transpluto in early Virgo emphasizes that you might need to check whether you’re behaving as though you can only grow at the expense of others. One clue might be that you’re especially critical of yourself or a partner in terms of how well your healing journey is or is not going; or you’re insistent about which way is the ‘right’ way.
On the other side of the wheel, flanking the Moon (which is particularly dreamy, emotionally sensitive, psychic and creative in Pisces) are Neptune and the centaur planet Nessus. Neptune aspects are slippery. On the positive side, Neptune’s affinity for creativity and ‘universal love’ holds great potential.
But we are imperfect humans interacting with other imperfect humans; and so more often Neptune signals to us that we need to be careful with things like denial, deception, drugs and illusions. In an opposition, Neptune can make it very easy to project your visions — positive and negative — onto another person; leaving you prone to overlooking their reality as well as your own.
Nessus, for its part, is associated with old patterns (painful or abusive in some way) that we’ve inherited — and which we now have the power to stop. That last bit is key, and ties into that idea of how much power of choice you actually have in how you think of things and how you feel about them.
As you begin your weekend, ask yourself which you believe more: the old story of your pain, and others’ role in it? Or your power to choose, create and grow? Once you see what your mind and emotions are doing, it’s amazing how the world can shift — no delusions necessary.
Welcome back Amanda! The wealth of insights (expertly correlated with the astrology) in this, your blog today represents just one facet of your many (and deeply appreciated) contributions to Planet Waves. This piece is SO good, SO comprehensive, SO full of useful ideas, SO practical and nourishing, i could eat it and live on it for a week. As a matter of fact, i think i will.
Right on!
Beautiful Amanda. Thanks for a lovely article!
I’m myself back from an amazing vacation from sunny and hot Cuba. Not to sidetrack details of my trip with the theme of your writing, but as I was reading it, something occurred to me about how our intimate relationships can reveal at times a continuation of a need in us to receive some type of love from our parents when we were children.
I’ve felt from my girlfriend that she often didn’t get the type of love from her father that she really needed. I feel from time to time this subtle absorptive quality from her, not in a needy way, but in a tender way, as if a young part of her was needing a little healing deep down.
On my last day, I unfortunately got really sick. I was in Havana and maybe shouldn’t of had that lemon juice because I didn’t see how it was made. Or maybe it was heat exhaustion. Or maybe it was something else I let myself go on (because it can be easy when you think everything is going well to let your guard down). It was something one fears would never happen as one is about to travel back home.
Details aside, I managed to get gravol injections from the doctor and was able to travel, albeit dehydrated and weak. But during this time, my girlfriend was looking out for me and really made me feel taken care of by being a second set of eyes and checking out of the hotel, etc, not to mention a very kind support during 36 hours of yucks. I kind of made a vow that I don’t need to be mothered but I also realized how all that went to shit when I really needed help. She was seeing me for the first time when I was really weak and vulnerable.
It made me think about how our relationships sometimes pass through to a deeper level where we seek the love and protection from our parents. It’s a fine line psychologically speaking because these are two very different relationships and I’m conscious about patterns. I guess what I’m saying is that I let myself off the hook and allowed myself to receive a type of nurturing that was more maternal in nature. I’m deeply thankful for her care and blessing of the Universe that I had her with me.
ps. As I was getting food back into my system, I was so conscious of all the crap that is in food these days! A small example was simple yoghurt with active bacteria. It was actually hard to find one without sugar or other extra garbage in it. I felt really sad about how so much of what we eat is polluted with toxins. I wonder where Ceres is these days…….
Lots of love! 😉
Hugging Scorpio: Thank you for sharing your story! I think it’s actually pretty apropos of the astrology (or, at least, of my experience of it with my own partner). I find that one of my learning curves in this spiritual mission of individuation and awareness is finding that sweet spot in between co-dependent caretaking on one side, versus lacking empathy and compassion on the other side.
It can be a really tricky line to walk, at lest for me. Since I have a history of taking in too much of my partners’ emotional needs/pain, I may sometimes “fail” to notice when I could extend more compassion *without* losing myself. But I’m still learning where those boundaries are, still learning how much is “too much,” still trying to get a feel for when it’s appropriate or healthiest to let another simply feel their pain fully and work it out themselves, without my attention.
I think sometimes when we give our presence to a loved one who’s going through their “stuff,” we actually act as an enabling buffer to whatever “safety in self” that person may have to learn — even if they’re having to learn it the hard way. At the same time, sometimes we all just simply need some help — whether it’s a shoulder to cry on, and ear listening, a hug, or someone who can check out of the hotel and attend to other details while we’re not at our best.
Challenging thing, this whole “being human in relationship to another human” stuff! Especially when we all inevitably did not get *something* crucial from our imperfect (but hopefully still loving) parents.
Oh, and: YOU JUST WENT TO CUBA??!?! 🙂 I am envious — I’d so love to get there before the US ruins it. ha. I know it’s off-topic, but I’d love to hear about what program (if any) allowed you to go there, and what your experience was. You can email if you’d rather not post here. Thank you!
I love your perspectives Amanda, thank you for sharing more!
Since I’m Canadian, it’s no problem to travel to Cuba. But I’m with you about the concern about what Cuba will be like in 5 years. I haven’t done my foot work to know the real concerns of the Cuban people but what I’ve gleaned through my own observations is that there is a real danger of creating a deeper poverty there and more importantly, more resentment and imbalance.
The country is energetically trapped in 1961. It’s palpable everywhere. They’ve sustained by making the best with what they have and they hold courageously to the pride of their culture. But they’re also not impressed with tourists enjoying their home in all inclusive resorts lined up one after the other over flowing with all you can eat buffets and drink counters when a lot of them are scrapping by to survive. I can only imagine how this will be amplified when US companies come in and reinstate their large presence. 55 years is a lot to catch up on and I’m not sure Cuba will handle it.
Going though Old Havana had its crazy moments and I felt a little like raw meat and a walking dollar sign. There isn’t a good balance in their lives so I can feel their anger even when they try to be friendly and warm, as a lot of Cubans really are. They have gone through a lot of history, and it’s not glamorous. They try to make good lives for themselves but it’s all hidden and under the table. They are suffering in the midst of their unending generous nature.
Their also just finishing up a huge expansion and redevelopment of the Varadero Marina, making way for the huge expected US tourist market. What no one talks about is that all the locals who work there have such bad transportation infrastructure that you see them lined up the highway waiting for that one bus or someone who will pick them up and take them home or to work. On a 40 degree C day, that is unbelievable.
Another subtle thing I noticed in Havana was in Revolution Square. There is a tall tower that stands in a high point in the city. It’s right beside the defence dept. It’s an odd thing and looks like something from Lord of the Rings (Eye of Sauron). It made an impression and a reminder that something domestic is also responsible for the oppression of the Cuban people.
I would love to see Cuba and their lovely people thrive openly. I think it’s about high time.
Thanks, Len & P. Sophia!
Thanks Amanda..I somehow ‘missed’ seeing this yesterday and realise now just how much it resonates for the day I have had ,along with Len’s post too…you are all dovetailing there at PW!
That Mercury shadow is conjunct my 0 Libra Sun..missed that too How.? It’s all too Neptunian today with troublesome dreams too.
Your post is steering me in the right mental direction and I am grateful for that.