In spite of a persistent reputation as a tool for prognostication, the best practices of astrology do not include forecasting the future. Rather, astrology — and any oracular method for that matter — is most reliably employed to understand the present.
Now, perhaps more than at any time in recent memory, astrology is offering useful perspective on the present. Specifically, that perspective will be available to those who can emulate Jupiter’s place in the big picture.
As discussed in this space on Tuesday, the big picture being currently sketched out in the sky above is a climate both compelling and favoring adjustment here on Earth below.
The aspect indicating the advisability of either initiating or considering the need for adjustment features Mars, Uranus and Eris. For its part, Mars is currently in the midst of holding the same degree of Scorpio for more than three weeks as its retrograde period comes to a close.
For their part, Uranus and Eris are conjoined, sharing the same degree of Aries precisely 150 degrees away from Mars on the zodiac circle. The result is a geometric relationship (or “aspect”) called a “quincunx” by astrologers. The relationship implies a time of adjustment, among other things.
Today, both the astrology above and events here below appear to be filling in some of the details on the big picture. With the news of the UK’s referendum vote to separate from the European Union comes a great deal of uncertainty. Regardless of how it manifests, any environment characterized by uncertainty puts a premium on the willingness and ability to adapt.
Interestingly, today’s astrology features Jupiter in Virgo indicating how to deal with both an atmosphere of uncertainty and an evolutionary imperative to adjust. Just as with the quincunx aspect from Mars to the Uranus-Eris conjunction, however, Jupiter’s place in our present astrology must be considered in a holistic context. That’s because Jupiter has this year been involved in some defining aspects of its own. Actually, the whole scenario started in the latter half of last year.
On Aug. 11, 2015, Jupiter concluded just over a year in Leo to begin a similar tenure in mutable, earthy Virgo. With its ingress to Virgo, Jupiter commenced a long opposition to Neptune on the other side of the zodiac in watery, mutable Pisces.
Then, in September of 2015, Saturn completed a long transitional period to enter mutable, fiery Sagittarius for more than two years. With its ingress to Sagittarius, Saturn converted the Jupiter-Neptune opposition into what is called a mutable T-square aspect; Sagittarius is halfway between (or “square”) the opposition of Virgo and Pisces on the zodiac circle.
Finally, last November, the perpetually opposing lunar nodes left the Aries-Libra axis behind and entered the Virgo-Pisces axis through the back door.
One result of Jupiter, Saturn and the lunar nodes changing signs last year has been that this year Jupiter has been part of a more-or-less continuous representation of inner tension (square aspects from Sagittarius), along with outer confrontation (oppositions along the Virgo-Pisces axis). On the whole, such a symbolic situation implies that sooner or later, something has to give.
Now, with this most recent vote in Great Britain, it appears as if something has indeed given way. Yet, because of its unprecedented nature, the consequences of the British referendum are anything but certain.
A lot of things come with uncertainty. Not all of them are bad. Indeed, if Jupiter’s major aspect today is indicative, the only thing anybody need fear is fear itself. That’s because fear interferes with the ability to adjust and adapt.
Jupiter’s major aspect today is the third of three earth trines (separations of 120 degrees) with Pluto in Capricorn. The first two such aspects from Jupiter to Pluto were on Oct. 11, 2015, and on March 16, 2016. The final trine from Jupiter to Pluto will not be exact until Sunday, but is definitely functional now. Among other things, trines represent a conductive flow of energy.
Jupiter, in its current context, appears to be corresponding with (in the words of Robert Hand) “the individual reaching out to include more and more of the universe and its experience within himself or herself.”
Finally, among other things, sublime and complex Pluto correlates with the slow but intractable process of evolution.
Evolution itself thus seems to be both the lock and the key when it comes to understanding the present. If your response to the combined imperatives, tensions, confrontations and flows of the present moment is to be afraid, the lock will prevail.
If, however, you can make like Jupiter by remaining open to (if not embracing) the possibilities of this dynamic moment, you might very well find yourself holding a very useful key. That key, if employed without fear, will open a door to comprehending how going with the flow of uncertainty at this time will not only reveal your place with the present, but also will indicate at least some of the possibilities held for you in an unpredictable future.
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Well I couldn’t agree more Len, “Evolution itself thus seems to be both the lock and key when it comes to understanding [a Jupiter function] the present.” When it comes to crisis events, astrology has the ability to soar above the present situation(s) and provide us with ah-ha moments since the causes of present problems can be viewed as they develop. Your mention that the transiting Jupiter and Saturn movements since last year (their own 20 year cycle that began in 2000 being drawn to its final destination in just 4 1/2 years) contribute to the holistic view, a view which inevitably leads to understanding, and in their case, an understanding of societal and cultural developments. It is a topic that should be of interest to everyone, since everyone is a member of some society and even if minimal, contributes in some way to cultural development.
One could and should back up to get a better perspective on how we got here, but one can also back up so far as to get lost in the multitude of developments, initiatives, defeats and stalemates that contribute to the Now. With Jupiter whose specialty is the Big Picture in the sign that specializes in minute detail it is easy to lose track of our initial intent. So, I pick one, just one event that affects just one country specifically, but all the world in general to go on and on about today.
You dear Len noted that transiting Jupiter while in the sign of Virgo opposed transiting Neptune in Pisces and duly noted it was an important transit. The paramount reason (in my opinion) it was important was that 6 years before their opposition, Neptune and Jupiter were conjunct in Aquarius. Aquarius is considered the sign of the People by many. Even more scholars of astrology’s symbols relate Aquarius to groups of people with a common purpose. Their conjunction symbolized a start of a new cycle that would combine their energy and proclivities toward something new that would take over 12 years to complete.
With Jupiter’s transit around the Sun taking only 12 years compared to Neptune’s cycle around the Sun taking over 160 years, we as human beings can relate more to what Jupiter’s present cycle means in terms of our own life span more so than Neptune’s long haul through the signs. We can relate to Jupiter through the subject of politics and legal decisions and higher education or religion and even foreigners. With Neptune’s expression leaning toward spirituality, art, illusion, disillusion and escape, along with drugs of all kind, a combination of these symbols, Jupiter’s and Neptune’s, are not that difficult to follow over a 6 year period.
In the U.S. alone, the last 6 years has seen many of those combinations become sore spots for the U.S. People, and since their transiting opposition last year, Jupiter and Neptune have galvanized politicians and citizens to demand action on several of those combined topics. For the U.S. the transiting conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune takes on extra importance because it happened while they were conjunct the U.S. Sibly birth chart’s Moon. The Moon IS the symbol for the People of a country.
So 6 years ago the U.S. People (symbolized by the U.S. Moon in Aquarius) were subject to the combined energies of transiting Jupiter (expanding) and transiting Neptune (ethereal) in any number of forms. Only in America would the People be taking a direct hit of this combined energy.
But transiting Jupiter and Neptune weren’t alone when they descended together upon the U.S People (U.S. Moon). They were accompanied by transiting Chiron; this group of 3 bodies each symbolizing something unique and yet suggesting some combination of forces; a concoction or cocktail of sorts to prepare the U.S. People for some coming event or precipice or threshold perhaps. What could it possibly mean?
With transiting Jupiter now more than half-way through this momentous triple cycle, opposing transiting Neptune first, then transiting Chiron and even before those moving bodies, opposing the U.S. natal Moon. Since late July, 2015, we have been given clues as to what this might mean, this extraordinary gathering of icons in support of a group, a very large group of citizens. What have we U.S. citizens seen that was YUGE (Jupiter), and not quite real (Neptune) and perhaps painful but necessary (Chiron) that would eventually change us in some remarkable way? The Primaries maybe? Something more?
Something else transiting Jupiter has done while embarking on his cycle with the U.S. Moon, transiting Neptune and transiting Chiron; he has brought the U.S. Neptune into the Big Picture. Jupiter’s done this already, along with the transiting North Node; he has made 2 conjunctions to the U.S Neptune (22+ Virgo) and is now on his way back for a 3rd.
The U.S. Neptune and the U.S. Moon already are connected natally by a minor aspect called a tri-septile, an aspect that indicates very subtle intuitive abilities. Think of that. We the People of the U.S have the ability to pick up on subtle goings on that only the U.S. Neptune knows for certain and transiting Jupiter is increasing this. But who is brave enough to trust that natal Neptune is giving it to us straight? Only the bravest of the brave.
So back to this evolution business and Jupiter being both the lock and the key. With only Jupiter moving fast enough for us poor humans to grasp any meaning (understanding) in all this dot-connecting, where should we start? If Jupiter and Saturn’s present cycle will end in December 2020 at 0+ Aquarius, then how much longer after that will transiting Jupiter reach the U.S. Moon at 27+ Aquarius? Four months.
Four months after the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in December 2020, transiting Jupiter will make the 1st of 3 conjunctions to the U.S Moon, all during 2021, 12 years after the 2009 conjunction Jupiter made to the U.S. Moon he shared with transiting Neptune and Chiron. We have between now and then to figure out why We the U.S. People were chosen for this mission. I’m betting we will all live to see it. I’m also betting that before then we will understand why the U.S. Moon was the place where these 3 planets chose to met up at the same time. It sure wasn’t a coincidence and my hunch (call it subtle intuition) is it probably has much to do with our evolution.
be
Barbara: Thank you for once again offering us the benefit of your in-depth knowledge of the U.S. (Sibly) chart. First off, one question. Am i reading you correctly when you say that the Moon is repesentative of the people in ANY nation’s “natal” chart? Or was it your intent to say that only about the Sibly chart?
Next, i found it very resonant that you have credited “We The People” of the U.S. with “very subtle intuitive abilities.” Thank you for that (and for introducing your perspective regarding the tri-septile) aspect.
i’m willing to have an open mind about there being a special role for the citizens of the U.S. in the history of the world, but i also think one must be careful about that given how the term “manifest destiny” has been used to excuse the genocide of the First Nations of the North American Continent (and also support the squandering of it’s resources). If the U.S. does have a destiny, it must be to finally live up to the lofty principles it has betrayed by the intentional and systematic practice of slavery, genocide, racism, sexism, economic exploitation (both domestic and international), colonialism, war-mongering and empire-building.
It’s a long road back from all of those things to the ideas that Thomas Jefferson set forth in order to convince the world that we were up to something besides self-serving when we ventured to become an independent nation. Indeed, even the Declaration of Independence was poisoned by a libelous reference to the First Nations who had no choice in the matter of a new nation setting forth on their home continent. Can it be done? Yes. But it’s not a matter of making America great again. It’s a matter of making America great at long last.
Yes Len, that is an accepted role of the Moon in a country’s birth chart; the people, the masses, mobs. I’m sure that, like all astrological symbols, there are other meanings for the Moon in a birth chart for a country or city such as food or food supplies. The Mood of the People would also be an acceptable translation of this symbol in the chart of a country.
As for the minor aspect tri-septile, I doubt that many individuals among We The People of the U.S. would actually perceive that connecting energy between themselves (as part of a whole) and the Neptune symbolism of its country. Still, it is there and – for better or worse – it will influence The People when activated by a transit of such magnitude as Jupiter. Hopefully, Jupiter as a symbol of understanding combined with U.S. natal Neptune, a symbol of compassion and because Neptune is in Virgo, a sign of health, most often this combination would express as greater understanding and compassion regarding the health of the country (and the planet) and its well being.
Alas, as you note there are negative ways to interpret energies, any energies, and these negative interpretations would appear to dominate our history. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Right now we have a choice. We have blatant examples of the positive and the negative expression of Neptune all around us.
There can as well be positive and negative expressions of lunar energies. As you so well outline, our forefathers had (considering their understanding of the world at that time) pretty lofty ideals; some might describe them as pie-in-the-sky Neptunian dreams. The Moon being a symbol of “needs” would suggest that a nation’s natal Moon would center around its people’s needs. This too often boils down to selfish needs.
U.S. Neptune in Virgo is also quincunx the U.S Chiron in Aries, where transiting Uranus has recently electrified the intrinsic and ongoing pain of the U.S. A pain that stems from those early (and ongoing) sins of the country you enumerated so clearly. Should the time be right (humanity is evolving), I would think it more than possible that the U.S. People would sense this timing and take from it’s (as a whole) inherent ability to intuit it’s own nation’s capacity to forgive, and by that to express compassion.
It might just be more pie-in-the-sky I write about, after all it is a minor aspect between Moon and Neptune, but we are a country with a natal Sun in Cancer which has been hammered by the recent challenging transit of Pluto in Capricorn as well as the transit of Uranus. Based on this the Universe would indeed seem to have a greater purpose for the USA beyond its focus on self-serving . As a citizens born on the 4th of July with a natal Neptune conjunct the U.S. Neptune, who has lived through the WWII era clear through to now see Donald Trump considered as a possible President of the U.S., I might be more lenient than you. I might be more ashamed too.
It’s nice to see you back in the comment section Len, I’ve missed that.
be
Barbara: First off, happy impending birthday (wanted to be among the first to get that in). Next, thank you for clarifying your interpretation of the Moon in the chart for a nation. i believe your reasoning is sound (although a nation such as France, with so many national charts – one to go with each “Republic” at least – may require a different approach). Finally, please know that i’m grateful that you might very well be more lenient than me (and there is no reason for either of us to be ashamed). As to my “return” to comments, it’s not so much a return as trying to find the middle way of true service to readers like you without “sucking all the air out of the room.”
“That key, if employed without fear, will open a door to comprehending how going with the flow of uncertainty at this time will not only reveal your place with the present, but also will indicate at least some of the possibilities held for you in an unpredictable future.” Yes. thank you for this wonderful, wise piece, dear Len – that has so much serenity and strength flowing through it.
Lizzy: You are most welcome.
If you hear the song we sing,
You will understand
You hold the key to love and fear
It’s in your trembling hand
One key unlocks them both, you know
It’s at your command
The Carpenters – Get together
sojourn: thank you for the reminder of those deeply felt lyrics.
Just a quick note that the second of the three exact Jupiter/Pluto trines was on March 16, 2016, not 2015. I always like to look back at what was going on during times like these and I value accurate information. I looked it up on Serennu.com to be sure.
Vicki: Thank you. i too value accurate information. That’s how i now express my appreciation for your pointing out my typographical error (which i accept full responsibility for, and which has now been corrected). Thank you for being the true friend who is unafraid to offer correction. May you be continually blessed with friends of the same kind for all of your life (and may you always remember to offer the same sort of appreciation to them that i offer you here today).
I’m curious as to the relationship of Eris and Aries — I suspect none or someone would have mentioned it by now — but to my mind/ear there is something there. Eris SOUNDS as if there’s a martian element and perhaps for the sheer length of stay in Aries she should be given a honorary rulership 🙂 … thoughts?? please share.
m.
ps: me, too, Len … not a fan of the predictions in astrology — usually just wrong and “casts” all kinds of doubt on the whole field.
Mary:
Thank you for asking. In mythology, Eris is the sister of Mars. So, there is a connection with Aries there. Also, (as Eric has been stating consistently, and elaborating on profoundly) there is a connection between the “I Am” which goes a long way to characterize Aries and how the discovery of Eris precipitated an identity crisis for the solar system (a metaphor which can be broadly and deeply extended such as Eric has been on the wave front of doing since Eris was discovered).
omg … Eris is the sister of mars … how did I miss this?? thank you, Len. That makes perfect sense to me. Must put my dukes down (with natal mars in aries) and read!
mm.
Mary, here’s a link to my absolute favourite mythology website:
http://www.theoi.com/
bless you, Amy … I am way behind on the mythology.
m.
ODE TO JOI
Trickier than Trump, Jollier than Johnson, More Fearsome than Farage …
Coming to a very big screen near you next week …
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160628.html
EnJOI!
*giggles* I heard about this last night and thought it was Juno the asteroid…d’oh!