"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."

—Harriet Beecher Stowe

The extended Grand Water trine energies that have dominated the environment since the last days of October come to a close this week. The Moon wanes in light and, in essence, there is a feeling that 'the waters are receding'. The potential for a 'fresh start' brings a great deal of optimism but not necessarily a solid sense of direction. Neptune stations direct midweek, joining Saturn in the march back into Aries towards February's Saturn-Neptune conjunction at the first degree of the Zodiac — 0° Aries. Neptune's direct station helps us begin to set aside any irrational fears or unattainable dreams 'washed ashore' by [...]

"Everyone has talent. What's rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads."

—Erica Jong

Both Saturn and Mercury station direct this week in the midst of the ongoing series of Grand Water Trines. Saturn's direct station raises the stakes, bringing a powerful idealistic zeal into the deeply emotional environment. Saturn's demanding determination is well supported by the new information coming into focus under the direct station of Mercury. However, the strength of Saturn does bring a temptation to try to 'take charge' — assume control in order to demonstrate our mastery over others. But making overt demands in this watery — slippery — environment is only likely to bring about increasingly intense frustration. Grounding is needed in order to tame the idealism and slow down enough to adapt to the stationary direct motion of Saturn and Mercury. Mercury is winding up a review process that [...]

"…re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem, and have the richest fluency, not only in its words, but in the silent lines of its lips and face, and between the lashes of your eyes, and in every motion and joint of your body."

—Walt Whitman
Preface - Leaves of Grass

Mercury turns retrograde in Sagittarius at the beginning of the week, followed up by Jupiter's station retrograde on Tuesday. These 'stationary' planets aren't especially comfortable as they undertake their review process. Mercury isn't terribly comfortable in Sagittarius anyway and this particular 'station' is likely to leave us initially feeling rather 'lost', at 'loose ends', or generally lacking a clear sense of direction. Perhaps the only escape from the initial discomfort is through [...]