Well, Pluto is finally past my Capricorn Moon and I’m on to the task of assessing the damage (change/transformations/whatever). I am tempted to compare the experience to a tornado or flood, but given the very real tangible losses that people have experienced in such disasters, I will refrain. In fact, I am very grateful that I have not had to endure physical loss through this Pluto transit.
Nonetheless, I have finally accepted the fact that I have no clue where I am. The landscape that the Pluto transit has left is unrecognizable to me. The landscape I am referring to is largely internal and has to do with the things that I recognize as me. My Capricorn moon is just inside the 5th house, so it is involved with how I express myself. So I am beginning to rebuild that part of my life from the ground up.
It does seem prudent and appropriate now to take a look ahead. The timing is good, since we’ve just started an interesting New Year. 2012 will undoubtedly be memorable on many levels. I’m convinced that the the Pluto/Uranus square, building to exact this summer, will bring to many a sense of personal disorientation similar to what I am experiencing now. And I believe that the #Occupy movement, and what evolves out of that, will play a major part in this year’s developments. In fact, the #Occupy movement is conveying just the sort of message that I expect from the Pluto/Uranus dialog.
More imminent is the Mars Station, going retrograde in Virgo. I’m not particularly comfortable with predictions, per se, so I’ll just briefly recall the last time that Mars was retrograde in Virgo during early 1997. Following that retrograde Mars, I grew particularly impatient with my surroundings and situation. Eventually, I pulled up stakes and moved back to my home town after 13 years in ‘The Big City.’
What I know about retrograde Mars is that acts of aggression do not turn out well. What usually happens is that while Mars in retrograde, frustration builds, and once Mars turns direct, action & activity, aggression, wars, erupt almost spontaneously. In Virgo, Mars can provoke hostility when truth is held hostage and details are obscured or manipulated, sometimes even resulting in illness when logical arguments are rejected or perverted. On the other hand, it can spur a desire to clean up, bring order and even purge unnecessary baggage in order to reduce the weight of entropy. Mars also provides the energy to accomplish such goals.
When Mars is retrograde, it may feel as though the rug is pulled out from under us for a time. Energy is dissipated or scattered. Similar to a retrograde Mercury, it is good time for reflection and it is a good time to ‘keep your powder dry.’ Once Mars goes direct, there is an eruption of activity, sometime born out of frustration. Mars is retrograde January 24th through April 14th.
Where do I begin? I kind of feel like I’m sitting down to write a “what I did on my summer vacation” essay, since I’ve made no entry here since last May. I started this blog a couple of years ago with Pluto trining my Sun/Pluto in Virgo, but for most of this year Pluto has been riding over my 5th House Moon in Capricorn and, as I write this, it’s making it’s final pass and working on making a friendly aspect to the retrograde Jupiter as it shoves off my Moon for the last time.
My last post laid out my summer journey and I’m only now beginning to feel comfortable with the new tools offered and the new landmarks identified. Essentially, it took me all of the summer to face up to the questions posed by the Pluto transit. Based on my experiences with Pluto, the question always comes down to a simple “what do you want?” I know that most of the focus on Pluto transits is about what it seems to take away – how it strips away all that’s familiar, and that’s true too. My father died just about a year ago. I had been his primary care-giver for more than four years. He lived with me and was the major focus of my life.
As Venus and Mercury prepare to leave Aries and follow Mars into Taurus in time for the Full Moon on Tuesday (May 17th 4:08 AM PDT) at 26 degrees Taurus/Scorpio, I find myself still reeling from all of the Aries energy we’ve experienced. Oh my! All of the new beginnings and fresh starts!
At the last New Moon there were 5 planets stirring up the Aries sky and only the Sun and Moon were in Taurus. By the coming Full Moon, only Jupiter and Uranus will be left in Aries – and Jupiter will be to Taurus by the 5th of June.
But rather than feeling the residual Aries energy as courage and a craving for challenge, I’m just overwhelmed at the immensity of the universe and what a tiny, tiny speck I am. I don’t think this is really about humility as much as it is about indulgence. Indulging in the ‘less than’ rather than focusing on the ‘part of’.
Well, in my estimation, the Taurus New Moon (Monday, May 2, 2011 11:50 PM PDT) has helped things smooth out considerably. The degree of the New Moon – 12 Taurus – is a pretty good degree, as it happens:
” This degree seems to pick up the best of the Taurus qualities. It manifests the patience and sweetness of temper to go far even though at a slow pace. It desires congenial company and surroundings but it gives the ability to work positively where ever s/he finds himself/herself. There is a steadfast but quiet optimism which seems to light the path ahead. There is also active here the necessary polarity of positive and negative rhythm to gain the maximum strength from any effort put forth. There is a Libra like trait of seeing both sides without the indecisiveness. . .”
The comment about Libra accentuates the Sun/Moon quincunx to Saturn at the New Moon. The Taurus/Libra quincunx is interesting:
“Both are interested in making the material world beautiful and profitable. Libra has a more intangible approach, motivated by impressing people with parties and protocol. Taurus is more interested in established, permanent value, beauty and comfort whether or not anyone else takes notice.”
So, in essence, the challenges of structural collapse are softened a bit by this New Moon – at least it feels that way to me. Spring is here and hope is rising a bit. The Aries excitability element is also toned down to some extent – it’s definitely still there seems to be at least some hope for follow through.
Another County heard from: A few hours ago the Moon joined Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus in Aries.
Shoot me now.
Okay, it isn’t that bad right here, right now – for me personally – but lord, how many time can you stand to hear “I Gotta Be Me”.
At least, by May 3 there’s a New Moon at 12 Taurus quincunx Saturn. That should settle things down.
I’m not really complaining, mind you. In fact, this Aries Energy is really helping me to find my voice and break out of the Plutonian Dark Places that have been really overwhelming me for the past few months or more.
But really, a bunch of folks in the South and Midwest have to be feeling the effects of Uranus in Aries as it gears up for the angular connection to Pluto that is still a few months off being exact. The tornadoes and earthquakes are evident examples of the kind of structural breakdown that the world is being regaled with right now. Continue reading Another County