Jupiter-Saturn Square

Jupiter-Saturn Square - Ego Tensions

"He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart, he put other different desires."

—Sitting Bull

Both the tense Mars-Uranus square and the challenging Jupiter-Saturn square complete at the beginning of this week. Both squares are important, suggesting a crescendo of ego tensions and challenges to our ability to honestly and directly express our individuality while maintaining a connection to deep tradition and our 'family ties' — how ever we perceive our 'family'. The squares bring the culmination of lessons related to learning how to integrate emotion with intellect. We are being challenged to abandon any reliance on ego-based intellectual displays of 'evidence' in favor of deeper and more grounded initiatives that come from our 'feelings' and intuitive direction. There are far more 'endings' in this week's environment than true 'beginnings'. We are offered the recognition that all of our intellectual exercises and clever rhetoric are ultimately a source of profound disappointment when there is no depth of emotional commitment. With the arrival of Mars into Virgo on Tuesday, the tensions from the Mars-Uranus square are released in unpredictable ways. Nonetheless, we begin to shift into a far more intellectually grounded environment than we have seen over the past few weeks. The Mars-In-Leo-Bravado slips away, replaced by strategic positioning and careful maneuvering. The emotional/intellectual equation shifts dramatically. What is perhaps most striking about the arrival of Mars into Virgo is how the placement establishes two powerful YOD (balanced quincunx) configurations where Mars becomes a powerful linchpin. In Virgo, Mars is aggressively logical and methodical. Ruling both Neptune and Saturn in Aries, Mars provides intentional purpose to the drive to express our individual sense of purpose. The forming Mars-Jupiter sextile provides us with opportunities to establish self-discipline and an individual sense of purpose. Mars also helps to bring some clarity to the forming Jupiter-Neptune square, which is bringing up confusing questions surrounding our loyalties and the understanding of our roots and our heritage. The Summer Solstice on Friday — the arrival of the Sun into Cancer — caps off the significant shifts in our approach and perspective this week. We are likely to see at least a few appearances of the deceptive, acquisitive nature of Cancer over the course of the week. Jupiter's square to Saturn is quickly followed up by a Jupiter-Neptune square, suggesting that there is some competitiveness being introduced into a tangle of conflicting choices — the feeling that we need to 'pick a side'. The Sun's arrival into Cancer, squaring Saturn and Neptune, sets off the involvement of Neptune in particular, increasing the confusing sense that we are turning a blind corner — an important element of the YODs aspects that are formed this week. Faith is needed in order to effectively navigate these 'blind corners'. And we should not be fooled into believing that these shifts are really the 'end of the story'. Mars in Virgo, in the quincunx with Pluto and the Sun-Jupiter conjunction, encourages us to adopt a 'wait and see' approach — 'more research is needed'. Next Wednesday's Cancer New Moon (3:31 AM PDT 4° Cancer), which is tightly conjunct Jupiter, should help us to establish a clearer sense of direction and a more specific set of goals.

Sunday's challenge is to abandon any reliance on ego-based intellectual displays of 'evidence' that don't align with our deeper intuitive insights. There are far more endings than beginnings in the environment. There is a 'last gasp' of ego-based tension and strong wills early in the day on Monday. Later in the day, tensions go 'deep underground' and we turn our attention toward developing new plans and strategies. We reach a much more grounded environment on Tuesday with increased confidence. There are opportunities to improve our self-discipline and establish a on clearer sense of purpose. The deceptive, acquisitive nature of Cancer makes an appearance on Wednesday — to the point where we may see some kind of 'what's yours is mine' attitude. Personal, individual responsibility will help us to avoid some of the more concerning elements of the atmosphere. Perseverance and attention to detail is well rewarded on Thursday. Much of the challenges surround how we assign our loyalties. Friday demands a great deal of patience and faith in order to navigate the challenging blind corners. We struggle to find the clarity that we need to establish a new way forward. A highly competitive element is introduced into the tangle of conflicting choices with which we are presented on Saturday. In essence, we're faced with the need to 'pick a side' or choose the 'group' with which we want to associate.