More Lesson Than Test

Posted by Planet Waves

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Len Wallick covers this big astrologically transitional week in a transitional year. Just as with any period of time when things might seem overwhelming, you know what to do. Break big problems or situations down into smaller parts as best you can. Then, focus only on what you can handle, one day at a time.

The current season is nearing its formal end. For many, new activities are already underway. Most students in the U.S. have started their school year. Summer vacations are yielding to harvests in the Northern Hemisphere; for temperate and colder climates in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s getting time to plant.

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On the whole, things are predictably busy this time of year, no matter who or where you are. Even as urbanized as the world has become, a change of season involves transition of some sort for nearly everybody.

You may already have started to make a transition in the type and amount clothes you wear. You have probably noticed a change in the produce most affordable and available at your local market.

It’s a transitional time in what, for many, has been a transitional year. That alone can make things seem more trying or threatening than they really are. It’s not an exceptional time so much as it’s the climax of an exceptional year, when the nature of change has changed.

The quality of change can challenge attachments you have held. To cite an extreme example, witness how municipal clerks who issue marriage licenses in the U.S. must now actually practice the separation of church and state.

Admittedly, most of you now reading are more flexible and compassionate than to impose your religious beliefs on others. Nonetheless, all of you can also probably think of something you have had to release attachment to recently; you likely have had to allow compassion for those unlike you to be the result of having to live through letting go.  

The sheer quantity of changes can make you feel overwhelmed. Not just in the U.S., either. Australians, for example, are today adjusting to their fourth Prime Minister in two years. In Europe, a crisis of conscience regarding refugees has come on the heels of financial crisis.

And it’s not just a season changing in the latter half of this month. The current astrology reflects the world, especially the next two weeks. It’s complex. It’s diverse.

We are in the ‘eclipse zone’ again, between the Virgo solar eclipse last weekend, and the Aries lunar eclipse on Sept. 27 (or Sept. 28, depending on where you live). It’s a time when you can depend on the pace to quicken. You have seen its like before. You know it will pass, and astrology gives you the extra advantage of knowing when.

In addition, as tomorrow segues into Thursday, Jupiter will make its only exact opposition to Neptune for the first and last time in a long time. What goes with that will probably be something you don’t see very often. Thanks to astrology you will be able to recognize it as such so long as you remember to make the correlation.

Later on Thursday for most of you, Mercury will begin its last retrograde of 2015. Only hours after that, Saturn will finally complete the 9-month transition from Scorpio to Sagittarius, which in many ways has symbolized this whole year. In fact, those are just some of the cherry-picked highlights. A lot is bound to be going on this week and next, but nothing you can’t handle.

Anybody who has returned from vacation to have the homework piled on (or to face an overflowing in-basket) has seen it’s like. All those who have had to quickly dig out the rain gear, sweaters and overcoats know the feeling. It’s time to let go of old and familiar patterns, and participate in making new ones. It’s nothing you haven’t seen some version of before.

Just as with any period of time when things might seem overwhelming, you know what to do. Break big problems or situations down into smaller parts as best you can. Then, focus only on what you can handle, one day at a time. Do your best, and be the first one to give yourself credit for that. If nobody else can fully understand your situation, know at least you are not alone in that. Whenever the ride allows you to be more excited than afraid, enjoy the thrill. You got this.

Don’t go for the baited hook of sensationalist pandering to panic. The world is not about to end, you can depend on that. Persevere, knowing that this phase of the astrology and your life is more lesson than test. All the anxiety over what might happen, and the reality of what does happen, will probably include at least some times you will someday miss — or at least reflect on with a different perspective years down the road.

This is your time to have. It will be your era to tell about. Participate as you can in shaping the nature of this time to give as good as you get to all that is contributing to shape you. What you learn this month and next will come in handy. Of that you can be sure.

Offered In Service

Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.

19 thoughts on “More Lesson Than Test

  1. P. SophiaP. Sophia

    So I guess the giving up of coffee couple weeks ago will contribute to the cause of abating distraction.

    “Whenever the ride allows you to be more excited than afraid, enjoy the thrill. You got this.”

    Len thank you for the your message, and encouragement. It is felt and my mind needs to stay here. Change and the unknown really carries such potential ceativity! :)

  2. DeborahDeborah

    My mantra for this week, next week and beyond has become, “Let go or be dragged.” The musical theme of the day, “Cha-cha-cha-cha-changes…”. Thanks, Len, for the guidance and encouragement.

    1. Len WallickLen Wallick

      Deborah: Thank you also for bringing back the memory of one of Bowie’s most galvanizing songs, i would sincerely hope nobody has to be dragged anywhere for any reason. If people are allowed to proceed at their own pace, attachments are ultimately a relief to release.

    2. Linda Maypuma pink

      great line deborah…. i m a taker. chachachachachanges… phew!
      this libra rising cancer/cusp leo capricorn moon, with mercury, mars, neptune 4th house in scorp is like … just so cooked!!!!

      thank you len, once again. focusing on keeping pace.

      i think amanda wrote a piece much earlier in the year about 2015.
      1. remember your dream
      2. aim
      3. focus
      4. discipline

      i ve remembered and remembered. thank you planetwaves :)

  3. Len WallickLen Wallick

    P. Sophia: Please accept my thanks to you in turn for your continued encouragement of my service here. i understand how giving up coffee works wonders for some. i would hope not to have to ever give it up myself. It’s my only salient “vice” anymore, and not a distraction so far as i can tell. Also, i do so enjoy the taste, and i don’t drink a lot of it.

  4. Barbara Koehler

    “the nature of change has changed”. Indeed, flux just isn’t what it used to be is it Len? How lucky we are to have you here to help us understand the changing as part of a process, one that we can’t know or understand now, but will at some future time. Are we sheep being herded into a slaughter house (one could easily think along those lines) or are we being prepared for some eventual situation that later on we will look back and be grateful to have had the experience of these fluxing times. I’m going with door #2.

    Another “highlight” on the busy Thursday coming I’d like to add to your list is transiting Juno’s sextile to trans. Saturn just before she enters Libra (and he Sagittarius), with trans. Sisyphus right behind her. I’m aware if only because Saturn and Juno will form a yod to my Saturn. My poor beleaguered Saturn now has to adjust again, more flux that I can ever remember having in such a short span of time. At least I have an idea of what that will entail, being that it’s Juno bringing it on.

    But what about the U.S. who will now have Juno conjunct it’s midheaven (MC), along with these guys already there right now; Makemake, M-87 ( part of the Super Galactic Core), the North Node, Logos and Black Moon Lilith a degree ahead at 2+ Libra. Lest we forget, the U.S. MC at 1+ Libra is also one of the 4 “Aries Points”, and that makes it personal. It is a preview of the coming Equinox on September 23rd. Bring it on Juno.

    Here’s something you might not know though. The U.S. (Sibly chart’s) PROGRESSED Ceres, Child and Isis are at 0 – 1+ Aries. I think of Isis mostly as the one who “puts all the pieces together” and if those pieces have to do with Ceres and Child, and, come the Equinox, they will be opposed by transiting Sun, NN, Juno, et al. . . . with transiting Sauer (successfully getting it off the ground) right behind them in the last degree of Virgo, that’s a lot more flux than many of us in this country will be prepared for. But it’s coming. I’m thinking refugees, what are you thinking?
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    1. Barbara Koehler

      . . Something else to consider regarding the U.S PROGRESSED chart is that on the day of the September Equinox, transiting Damocles at 20+ Aquarius, will exactly conjunct (as it does right now) the U.S. “stationing-direct” Mercury. Could it get any more interesting?
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    2. Len WallickLen Wallick

      Barbara: First off, thank you for bringing in the word “flux” because it implies so many things: flow (especially rate of flow), continuity, purging, instability, quantification of force fields, and the refining of metals (usually) which are molten or fused. There is both complexity and diversity in the word, which leads to questions. To begin with, i agree with you, we are not sheep being herded, there is far to little uniformity and far too much complexity and diversity being undertaken by people on their own accord, even against frightening opposition. Witness the growing complexity and diversity of gender as distinguished from (not by) genitals. All over the world, people are doing this on their own, often without the easy and safe guidelines of precedent. Some great form of evolution is originating in these pioneers of being and existential expression, validating the individual as never before. Hence, while another wave of refugees may well add a chapter to U.S. history, i’m thinking something bigger: the rapid and unexpected evolution of all humankind. Not evolving in a mundane way so as to someday have a different number of toes. Not the fashionable assumption that we are evolving into machines, either. Rather an evolution towards being one with each other without having to be uniform or conforming to some externally imposed standard of being or living. Thank you also for bringing up Juno joining that fascinating collection in the first degrees of Libra – a cherry i chose not to pick for purposes of keeping my offering in service today accessible and understandable to all who read it. As to the Sibly correlations (transits and progressions), many of which i did not know about, please let me look at those and get back with later comment. AND, by the way, i have not forgotten your seven chairs metaphor, i’m still leaning towards 2019 but, it’s not something i’m certain of. Love you, Barbara!

      1. Barbara Koehler

        Wonderful Len!! “. .being one with each other without being uniform or conforming. .”, that is profound. It really is breathtaking, this “rapid and unexpected evolution of all humankind”, and I guess the Convention of Symbolism gathering at the U.S. MC (opposite progressed Ceres et al) certainly could mean more than just an influx of refugees. It really could be “more lesson than test” when you recall that the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in 2009 (from which Thursday’s opposition between them springs) included transiting Chiron (the teacher) and was conjunct the U.S. Sibly Moon (the People) in Aquarius. A lesson for the People.

        There is so much lesson promised in the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction chart. At that time Uranus was only 30 degrees ahead of the Aquarian group. In June 2016, transiting Chiron will stop just short of the degree where Uranus was in 2009, 26+ Pisces, and then station retrograde. Trans. Chiron will then move back to meet trans. Jupiter across the way at 24+ Virgo, in August 2016. Jupiter moving forward will oppose the degree where Uranus was when Jupiter,Neptune and Chiron all joined hands (Chiron = hand, and bridge too).

        I sense that movement as trans. Chiron allowing trans. Jupiter to “go first” to access that original Uranian energy stemming from the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction (which Chiron took part in). Trans Chiron and trans. Uranus have remained in a semi-sextile aspect for at least 4 years now and I sense Chiron has acted as interpreter for Uranus. Whomever aspects the one (either Chiron or Uranus) aspects the other. This could in part account for the recent acceptance by the broader (U.S.) public of same-gender marriage.

        While Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron in 2009 were in the masculine sign of Aquarius, Uranus was in the feminine sign of Pisces and connected with them in a harmonizing aspect, albeit a minor one. In August 2016, trans. Jupiter won’t be alone when he opposes the Jupiter-Neptune chart’s Uranus. I kid you not, he will be joined by trans. (neutral gender) Mercury, both at 26 Virgo.

        Thanks for leaving me that Juno cherry Len, and “continual change” was my intended meaning for using flux to the max. But you knew that already. Love you too!
        be

          1. Barbara Koehler

            Cowboyiam, you think correctly. Juno first above all is about equality in marriage, but I’ve seen her become the primary relationship indicator in all kinds of relationships. She has a way of becoming indispensable, you know?

            Most often in mundane astrology you see Juno as symbolizing – or coming to the defense of – those who have no “voice”, such as migrants.

            My thought of Juno, along with the Sun (becoming conscious of), and Logos (belief in oneself), and North Node (opportunity) and Makemake (courage) and the Super Galactic Core (irresistibly drawn to) connected to the MC (reputation) of the USA, just as the trans. Saturn (authority) enters Sagittarius, the sign of foreigners in a sextile (cooperation) to the USA MC, automatically made me focus on Europe and its inability to handle their migrant deluge.

            The USA is all about migration; it’s who we are.

            With the U.S. progressed Ceres (nurturing), Child (children) and Isis (assemble) having arrived at the Aries degree area (the personal is political) at the root of the USA chart (IC) at 0-1 Aries, and trine (ease) transiting Saturn, 1 Sagittarius, it just seemed logical (Logos) to balance the IC and the MC with the aid of father figure, trans. Saturn.

            If we then add in that transiting 1992 QB1 remains in the degree where Chiron (healer) was discovered, 3+ Taurus (comfort), and think of QB1 as arrival at a threshold, and QB1 transiting in the U.S. 5th house of kids while sextile the U.S Venus (love) at 3+ Cancer (family) in the U.S. house of partnership (Venus rules and Juno influences), it seems so simple. A real feel-good opportunity for Pete’s sake.
            be

  5. beleclaire

    Thank you Len…my mind/eyes played a trick on me and I read More Lessen initially and went into musings about more is less and less is more.
    That is my lesson I think.
    This transitional time is what I have been waiting for all year, and I am trying to use the concentrated between eclipse energy to maximize lots of positive action/changes. Any doubts and fears I have been walking off.

    Thanks be for pointing out all the action at 1 Libra

  6. Len WallickLen Wallick

    beleclaire: i LOVE your reading “lessen” into “lesson”! It brings a level of poetic complexity and diversity to the discussion – a “lesson” to us all! Most of all, thank you for suggesting how a good walk can help nearly anybody ground incoherent energies while providing time to discern the ways in which big problems can be broken down and processed.

  7. P. SophiaP. Sophia

    Thanks Len, but I did not mean coffee was a distraction, but that in this climate of change I have noticed, as your article implies, some people can be on edge, in fear. Not being amped up on coffee, or just plain staying calm, is always helpful in abaiting distraction. That’s what I am working on. As well as watching myself in not having to have the last word.

  8. JEEYON ROSLIE

    Thank you Len for your insightful, grounding article during this transitional time where it feels like one is floating down a rapid current without knowing where the water is taking you. Major changes/shifts are coming, it’s universal & individual & I’m feeling it strongly on a personal level. “Let Go”, there are those powerful words (both individually & collectively) showing up more frequently these days, slowly starting for me personally the beginning of this year with my mother’s passing & accelerating as this year moves toward closing. I feel it very strongly now. I heard a wise Buddhist teacher say that what you get with attachment is “rope burn”, it feels certainly that it’s a season of “letting go” & the collective unconscious is “waking up”.

  9. Barbara Koehler

    Uranus, uncharacteristically, will affect learning process indirectly this year, for the U.S. people anyway. That’s because Mercury in the U.S. Solar Return chart (July 2015-16) is in the same degree as Uranus was when he was discovered, 24+ Gemini. If it seems to Americans that the media machine has gone into overdrive it’s because it has. The thin overlay of Mercury that has covered the volatile Uranus energy in “news” for the last two months (since the 4th of July) is softened somewhat by the U.S. Solar Return chart’s Jupiter-Venus conjunction in Leo. This conjunction sextiles the US Solar Return Mercury in Gemini, giving “the News” a more theatrical and/or entertaining quality. But deeper down, it’s all about learning at a faster speed and on a higher level than normal. It is warp-speed education for a reason.

    When Uranus was discovered (1781) he was trine Pallas the Strategist in Aquarius who was conjunct the U.S. Sibly chart Moon (the People) in Aquarius. The Uranus Discovery chart’s Pallas was also conjunct the U.S. Pallas who conjuncts the U.S. Moon. In mid-October the transiting Sun, who symbolizes consciousness, will reach that point in Libra where he will form a grand trine with the Uranus discovery degree (+ U.S. solar return Mercury) in Gemini and the Uranus discovery chart’s Pallas in Aquarius (which is conjunct the U.S. Moon).

    When Len tells us that the pace is quickening there is a good chance it is because we are being prepared for quick changes coming in the near future. With that in mind, a look at the original Uranus discovery chart with its trine between Uranus and Pallas in air signs suggests a strategy for awakening humanity, starting with the U.S. people (this chart’s Pallas conjunct U.S Moon) in this year (U.S. solar return Mercury conjunct Uranus discovery).

    The Scorpio Moon in the Discovery chart on the other hand, is conjunct the Discovery chart south node. Len notes we are experiencing challenges to attachments we hold now, including our long-held beliefs, and that’s what a south node suggests; release of that which no longer serves a purpose.

    There is a mutually held planetary pattern in the U.S. solar return and the Uranus discovery charts called a T-square; 3 planets in challenging positions to one another. In the solar return Mercury is at 24+ Gemini and in the discovery chart it is Uranus at 24+ Gemini. These Gemini placements oppose the solar return chart Pholus and the discovery chart Mars, both in Sagittarius. Forming a T to these opposing sets of planets, Chiron in the solar return and Sun in the discovery chart, both in Pisces, symbolize a dynamic between conflicting sign that will express through actions symbolized by the planets in those signs .

    The energy expressed in the Discovery chart for Uranus will have a level of violence (Mars) that will be translated by the U.S. solar return chart’s centaur (Pholus square Chiron) symbolism. In other words, repetition. Since we are talking about U.S. solar return Mercury channeling Uranus in his discovery degree, the challenging repetition will be in the form of communication, education, thinking, relatives, neighbors and local transportation. Any of these modes of operation could experience repetitive (and annoying) behavior in an attempt to make us conscious of something. They are teaching us something we need to understand. It should become clear when the transiting Sun reaches the point where he trines the Uranus and the Pallas positions in the Uranus discovery chart next month. Try to stay open to it.
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  10. Mary

    I am constantly blissed and blessed by the level of beauty and compassion all around me. To the extent there is change to be made, it’s about opening up to more of this … I say yes!

    Love you, Len

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