Planet Waves is running a membership drive.
Read more in Solstice Fire and the Art of Service, by Eric Francis.
If there were one phrase to express about half the astrology as it would apply to your personal life right now (and even through to the end of July), it might be “busy, busy, busy.” If there were one image to express the other half of the personally applicable astrology, it would be a young, supple tree bending in a stiff wind.
Hence, if there is validity to astrology, your part in the solar system right now would entail demonstrating either intensity or resilience as appropriate.
What’s appropriate depends on who you are. President Obama, for example, has a reputation for thriving in the heat of high-pressure situations that might overwhelm others. While such a trait is laudable, there is no shame in not evincing it.
Indeed, there are some who become habituated to the hectic, sacrificing their capacity for contemplation and patience in the bargain. Even so, there is nothing inherently bad or discrediting about craving an active life.
What really matters is awareness, especially self-awareness. It’s important to know what works for you as regards to both stimulation and sustainability. It’s a personal matter. Since you can realistically expect to control or change only yourself, acceptance is just as important as initiative, with discernment being the crucial factor.
Fortunately, astrology — especially in its modern form, helps with discernment. Behind us are the days when planets were divided into good guys (benefics) and bad guys (malefics). Astrology is not as cut-and-dried as it used to be, leaving more room for you to take responsibility, participate and determine your personal outcomes.
As Robert Hand put it in the October/November edition of The Mountain Astrologer: “There are no benefics and no malefics. There are planets that are used outside of their proper level on the planetary ladder.” In other words, modern astrology is largely a matter of context and discernment of values. That makes astrology a more authentic reflection of the realities of your life.
The first priority for astrologers (including you) must necessarily be the luminaries: the Sun and Moon. They are the largest, brightest objects in our sky.
In addition to the illumination they provide, only the Sun and Moon exhibit a substantially perceptible gravitational effect on Earth – the tides. Also, the luminaries are the trend setters and primary definers. All major aspects (angular relationships on the zodiac circle) are interpreted through the template of the Sun and Moon aspecting each other.
Today is the first full day of the Sun in Leo, and the Moon (right after entering Scorpio late today – or early tomorrow, depending on your time zone) will be halfway between its new phase (a conjunction between Sun and Moon), and its full phase (an opposition, with the Sun and Moon on opposite sides of the zodiac circle and the sky, a separation of 180 degrees).
Halfway between new and full phases is a square (a separation of 90 degrees) between the Sun and Moon called the first quarter. This aspect implies tension originating within you (although it may not seem that way), and something you can change and/or control if you take responsibility.
Additionally, both Sun and Moon will also be making a lot of aspects to other planets over the next handful of days. In sum, the luminaries are now combining to represent initiative (new in a sign), activity (lots of aspects) and some tension (a square aspect to each other) — all of which imply busyness and a need for some resilience on your part.
In addition to the Sun and Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars constitute the so-called personal planets — so called because they repeat their cycles many times over the course of your life. Hence, the personal planets are probably what you want to look at when seeking information from the sky that corresponds with the more immediate, frequent, ephemeral rhythms and cycles of your life.
Right now, Mercury being on the other side of the Sun (or, to put it another way, conjoined with the Sun in Leo) correlates with Mercury moving as fast as it gets (about two degrees every day on the zodiac). It also correlates with Mercury being about half way between periods of retrograde. All combined, that makes Mercury an additional emblem implying (but not causing) hectic tension.
Mars is also making some energetic aspects from Cancer, most notably a square (emulating the Sun and Moon at first quarter) to galvanizing Uranus in Aries. That square will be exact on Saturday, but is functional now, and represents yet another echo of intensity necessitating a supple response.
Venus, among the personal planets, is the exception. Venus is practically stationary in Virgo from our perspective on Earth, holding the tension before its next retrograde period begins on Saturday.
As such, Venus correlates with your option to make or be an exception, if that’s what works for you. Rather than being compelled to keep up a pace you can’t sustain, the example symbolically being set by Venus is to be in touch with your own values. With such self-awareness, you can choose.
Please keep in mind, however, that even a decision to slow down might require some resilience on your part. Social pressure can be very compelling, as can unreasonable expectations you may have for yourself. You may have to sit with (and hold) some tension in return for sitting out. In the face of stiff prevailing winds beyond your control, however, discretion can indeed be the greater part of valor.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Stiff prevailing winds and pressure to move (from perceived danger into real danger) no doubt contributed to my current tension, Len. However I take your elements out of context.
I can hope that Venus values my choice to sit this one out, were she contemplating my day to day.
The Sun may have moved into my AC today, but my lion’s roar is necessarily focused and even sacred now. I shall go to the beach where the wind can carry by banshee screams to heaven and hell. Maybe they’ll hear. Thx, Len.
aWord: My heart goes out to you. Given the distance in miles between us, please accept my sincere (albeit virtual) hug. If i were to wish anything for anybody right now, it would be for you to have at least a bit of comfort and relief. Whether or not you are heard in “heaven and hell”, please know you are heard here as the sacred and divine being you truly are.
Thank-you, Len, for this insightful & encouraging post – validating, too, for me. I’ve never been a fan of being “busy-busy” – it robs me of focus as well as energy, & I feel I’m not doing anything well, least of all taking care of me.
Hence, I’ll be taking lots of time to be not-doing, which will entail some struggle with the “shoulds”, of course. But, particularly in light of another spell of hot, humid weather, which I tolerate poorly, I’m putting kindness to self first. The weeds in my garden will wait a few days, although there is social pressure to have yard & garden tidy & pretty. I can ignore that.
The sun crosses my 2nd hse natal Mars this weekend, which I’m seeing as perhaps some potential to focus on one of indoor tasks: sorting “stuff”, in the interests of eliminating surplus which has become clutter. That can be done at a leisurely pace.
The Mars/Uranus square will occur in my 1st & 11th. Just observing that one at present.
Bette: My thanks to you in turn for your kind comment. May you also know respite, not only from the weather but also from the toll taken on your focus. New patterns are starting up above, so indications are there will be some new trends here below. May you be favored by them.
aWord, I echo Len’s sentiment and hope the beach will offer you some solace and safety. Sitting one out is a good option when you make the choice to do so, it’s more empowering than many ever value. I hope you find the space you need as you go through this time time for it too shall pass.
Len, thanks for your explanation which is always conveyed so clearly. I truly hope that one can be both busy and resilient for I am working under deadlines that requires me to keep a steady pace forward in a productive role and to do so I must also be resilient! But—it is alone time enough to avoid confrontations with others, which also also sounds like a good option right now. I also want to continue the theme of getting out of my own way–not to over think or do the mental gymnastics of analyzing emotions. Head in books and research should help with that!
Pisces Sun: Thank you for being supportive of aWord, and may you find the best way to complete your work in a timely and efficacious manner.
It was a choice of getting my eyes checked and new glasses or getting my car checked (dashboard symbol lit up) and new tires as the way to invest my birthday money, but not enough for both. Talk about discernment! Mercury and Sun conjunct my Pluto (conjunct my Mercury) telling me both need to be done asap, both relate to Mercury energy and both driving
me up the wall. If I go blind I won’t need to worry about driving anymore, but if I don’t get the car checked how will I get home or to the grocery or anywhere else? Decisions, decisions
Vesta squaring my Sun, Pallas quincunx my Sun, but they trined each other today. . I was confused and exhausted, but Vesta (in Aries) said “go with the eyes”, and so I did. With Venus stationing retrograde (review, rethink) at 0+ Virgo, I figured it would be less of a problem returning the glasses (if necessary) then getting my car in for a 2nd repair job. Tough decision though.
Keep on keeping on aword, it’s a good sign, you staying in touch. We love you.
be
Barbara (be): Thanks to you also for being supportive of aWord and, i agree with Bette supporting your looking after your vision as a priority.
Barbara K., I can empathize, having been in the position of having to choose between really important expenditures because resources would only cover one – been there many times. Long ago, it was sometimes “Do I buy a loaf of bread OR a quart of milk?” Last year, it was “Do I fix my truck – again – or simply walk for a month, so I can afford things like vitamins?”
I’m with you on the choice to care for your vision – & you have inadvertently reminded me to make an appointment to have my (ageing) eyes checked. If I’m told I need new glasses – well – I’ll figure that out later.
Best of luck with your vehicle, too. I like old ones with real dashboard gauges that TELL us what’s happening – don’t totally trust the lights that require an illustrated dictionary to decipher.
Bette: And thanks to you in turn for being supportive of Barbara. Your wisdom and kindness are a blessing to me and others striving to keep and/or regain balance