Photo by Lanvi Nguyen.
This is one of those weeks when everything seems to happen at once. On Tuesday, Mercury stations retrograde in the last degree of Pisces. Then on Wednesday, Uranus enters Taurus, within hours of the Pisces New Moon.
The New Moon is conjunct Neptune, and conjunct Vesta.
In the spirit of Pisces, we are now experiencing a sea-change. Chiron recently changed signs, entering Aries for the next eight years. Uranus is about to enter Taurus, in a matter of days. When outer planets make moves like this, there are subtle and overt shifts to both inner and outer environments. It’s as if many points of orientation rearrange themselves, and a phase of conscious adaptation is necessary.
That’s a good way to think of the upcoming Mercury retrograde, which takes place all in Pisces (it begins Tuesday at 1:19 pm EST). The station-retrograde commences in the unusual last degree of Pisces, the very last degree of the dial. Mercury appears to stop and reverse directions just one degree short of Chiron (now in the first degree of Aries), which to me says we need a period of review.
The sign changes of Chiron and Uranus have been mingled with inner planet retrogrades, seemingly as part of the preparation for a major new phase of astrological reality. Aries and Taurus are involved; in the first transition year, both Venus and Mars had rather intense, complicated retrogrades.
Now, Mercury will be retrograde to help turn the tide. Retrogrades guide us inwardly and toward the past; that’s about a phase of review. While in some ways our society is obsessed with the past, we don’t typically reflect honestly on what we’ve done, how we feel, and what we can maybe do better. There’s very little concern over how not to make the same mistake again. There’s less concern about how not to make it the first time.
The series of events now developing in Pisces all point to Neptune, and the question could be phrased: what did you believe in the past, that turned out not to be true?
What beliefs were later challenged by information that “came out”? Where was that information before it “came out”? Were you aware of any part of it?
Reviewing the past and making better decisions is not the same thing as being stuck in the past, or obsessed by the past. Rather, it’s the lack of coherent reflection that leads to stuck and obsessed.
‘singapore cloud 9 drew the curtain water’ by Lanvi Nguyen.
The deeper question is the nature of belief itself. It is a form of deception because things like facts, data and contradicting opinions can be ignored or dismissed. One of the most vexing problems we all face today is wanting something to be true and pretending that it is. There are days when American culture seems to be fueled entirely on denial, and this has had a way of spreading throughout Western culture.
Chiron and Uranus changing signs will deal that perspective a jolt, for a while. It would be wise to address anything you wake up to, while you’re awake to it.
One of the biggest points of denial involves time: how to use it, how not to waste it, how to set priorities, how much time we have left. The wider context is purpose. There’s a close relationship between that and getting a handle on your time and its value.
One other thought: the Vesta angle. The themes of service and of holding space stand out as distinctive with this asteroid. The other message of Vesta involves non-ordinary relationship patterns — the ones that don’t fit society’s expectations, and which are not guided by the social rules.
Those rules themselves are under assault at the moment; there would, if you’re following the international press, seem to be no circumstances wherein an ordinary “normal” encounter between a man and a woman might not potentially end up in the police blotter. This is about a breakdown of the social order, including everything from gender to sex to sexual orientation to whatever meek notions of courtship may still remain.
Vesta maintains its own order, its own rules, its own ability to hold space for what people really need — that is, space for a real exchange, or for one person to consciously help another.
I take a close look at this set of charts on Sunday’s Planet Waves FM, as well as in the Pisces Astrology Studio reading that came out over the weekend.
To belief and denial, time and purpose I would add…values. Not family values or conservative values or American values – all the ways we have hijacked the meaning of “values” to exclude, demean, diminish, and devalue – but more simply…what do you value?
Get clear what you truly value, then learn – get assistance if needed – how to create and live each day from what you value…it will transform both your outer life and your inner journey.
Kelly Grace Smith
Absolutely, Kelly Grace Smith. And with Uranus entering Taurus — the sign of values — I would expect there might be a few wake-up calls soon in that department.
I right there with you both Kelly Grace Smith & Amanda. To Value means to Love and begs the question “Of Value, to Whom and for What?”
Uranus’ poles are oriented in a different direction than the inner planets. It is also a symbol for Spiritual Awakening. I would guide that the more our Value system is aligned and integrated with Spiritual Values, the easier time we are going to have with Uranus in Taurus.
Most often in my research, Taurus has been associated with really really not liking Change. Uranus associated with change itself. To me personally, it was a challenge to blend the two until I realized the core of my Being was dedicated and devoted to change. My Life expression is a catalyst for it.
Accepting it and being ‘ok’ with myself was the most important thing I had to learn. I had to learn to Value myself. To Love myself. Only then could I extend that Value to others.
My mom was like Patricia’s, with her fine china and Waterfod crystal. Very few pieces of which came out intact after a fire in our attic. What the fire didn’t ruin, the fireman smashed putting out smolders. I was non pulsed as I watched it go. The reason it was in the attic was because I had no use for it. I was living in a house while it was being renovated. Everything of ‘value’ we had was being stored.
Now I use the Waterford for Jello and pudding cups. Don’t care if it gets chipped or broken. What I remember is how much my mom ‘valued’ the china and crystal. I also remember my sister and I getting yelled at every time it came to washing them. I choose to Value not yelling at people. If I have to choose one over the other, I’d rather have the Value of the inside than the value of the outside. Substituting material values for Spiritual ones doesn’t work ass effective solutions. I choose both. The more Value I recognize in every moment, the richer my Life becomes.
My guess is that we’ve begun or about to really begin effecting change. Light increasing means more being exposed. Darkness was created for a purpose and that is to hide what we do/did not want to see.
That’s funny, Sue. I’ve had a flea market booth for about 10 years, trying to get rid of this stuff. I have moments of real regret, especially realizing the younger people do not care one whit about this sort of thing, but will spend hundreds on old furniture that is painted black and scraped to look ragged. ha. Then, I learned that the owner of the flea market pitches every bit of old glassware into the dumpster since it doesn’t sell, and it sort of makes my heart sink for our mothers, whose self-image had to do more with what the ladies magazines said they needed to fit in with the superior class. So, who is right? I have no idea, but I sure as heck don’t care for the ugly painted furniture. I suppose we’ve come through the Aries transit learning to accept various people, and as my mother said about people who collect old, stinky, cameras, “There’s no accounting for taste.” haha. I suspect that in 20 years the depression era glass will have some value again, just wait for Uranus in Cancer.
One thing I learned from my flea market owner, is that there is a man who buys glass from we older ladies, and uses it for target practice. Well, ok that hurt my feelings, but he is just being helpful, and loving too, and having fun. So, accepting all kinds of people is where we need to go for the next few years, and say goodbye to the old ways, including whatever the magazines and bloggers tell us to do. I suspect we’ll get a handle on the blogs over the coming Taurus transit, or maybe Gemini.
And that’s what I intended to convey about my mother. She was still being true to her real nature all the way up to death, taking in people and feeding the poor from her own kitchen. A lot of people don’t seem to know how to be real, they are trying to be whatever someone else is telling them to be – just as fake as the China in the cabinet, only with expensive tattoos or something.
Patricia, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading what you have shared. I didn’t have to contend with the books though. My mom was a Cancer born in 1920 who grew up in a house rented from Pawnee Bill. She remembered being chased by buffalo. Like you describe, there was always a plate of dinner for anyone who needed it.
My son, another Cancer, bought a 100+ year old house last year. It’s a craftsman house with cross beams in the ceiling. He loves it because it is solid but he plans on getting rid of all the old brass fixtures that my mom would have adored. I’ve found a place that specializes in recycling and that’s where all the old stuff is going. My ex and I stopped him from chopping down the grape arbor, pointing out it was older than we are.
Our moms lived in a time of scarcity, where they had to work for what they needed or desired. There was no such thing as buy now and pay later (maybe). Things were built to last.
My kids have grown up in an economy based upon consumption, where things that last and endure have no value. Everything is disposable and convenience is what counts. All bought on credit. When we have to save up for something, then we’re more careful and selective in our spending.
I suspect we’ve reached the pinnacle of materialism and reality is going to start shifting back to Values that endure again. Eventually, all bills become due.
Values of another generation – My mother was born in 1926, a Libra, and grew up in a 2 room log cabin in the woods. As a young married adult and for as long as I knew her until she died, she collected every kind of dish and multiple sets of nice china as well as stoneware, and books – oh my gosh did she read everything – surely her idea of wealth. She shopped at Goodwill, Junk Stores, and yard sales – no item had more than .50 value. This morning I was looking at a blog of someone who posts ‘tablescapes’ and fine living, with lovely table settings for every occasion. I have been wondering how old the blogger is, but she does appear from photos to only be in her 40s. Today, she posted a photo of her garage, lined with cabinets that are made for storing dishes. I said, “mom, you never had anything like that!” Ha – all her dishes were stacked mercilessly in the basement, in the shed, on shelves, and everywhere there was any space, but oh my goodness did our mother love to entertain guests and family! Our tables were lovingly set for every holiday, and guests or relatives were at our house every weekend. At the same time, being a Libra, mom never looked down on anyone, and even until her last week on earth, a day before she would have been 91, she was giving plates of food daily, to a poor soul in the neighborhood. So, if this is a change of values, I hope it is one that values the work and art of others, no matter what; and the life of everyone else, no matter how unfortunate or rich. Mom didn’t have money to spend, but she was resourceful enough to create the life she wanted, and so can we. “We didn’t know we were poor” and we weren’t.