Seeing Stars with Mark 20 - 26 February 2010
Dear Friends,
We are still experiencing the balsamic energy with the Sun, Venus, Jupiter, and Uranus all in Pisces, along with Chiron and Neptune conjunct in late Aquarius. At a new phase, we are planting a new seed, like we do on the New Moon. This corresponds to the sign of Aries in the zodiac. The first quarter phase is a time for initial action, which corresponds to Cancer. The full phase is when we see the results of the intention we set at the New Moon relative to the action we took at the first quarter. The full phase corresponds with the sign Libra. At the third quarter phase, corresponding to Capricorn, we must accept responsibility for the full phase. In between the third quarter and the next new cycle is the balsamic phase, which corresponds with later Aquarius and Pisces. The balsamic phase is a time when we finish what we started at the new phase, a time when we have accepted responsibility for our creation and we are tying up loose ends. The balsamic phase is a time to accept, complete, and to release.
The Aquarius New Moon on Feb 13 was conjunct Chiron and Neptune, which was an important transition into the balsamic frame of mind that will help us transition into the upcoming Cardinal T-Square configuration where Uranus and Jupiter will conjunct in early Aries, opposite Saturn in Libra, with Pluto in Capricorn squaring both. This event will happen in late July, and is already forming as these planets all slowly shift ever closer to this major showdown. Saturn and Uranus have been opposing in the signs of Pisces and Virgo respectively for 2 years, and even though Saturn has moved into Libra, he is retrograding backwards to a final meeting with Uranus at 29 Virgo-Pisces on April 26th. These past two years have seen much turmoil and change with respect to the economy, housing, employment, and political systems all over the globe. Each of us has been affected and now is the time that we need to tie up loose ends with respect to these changes. Whatever change took over our lives in 2008 and kept us in its grip in 2009, we now need to complete. For some of us, resistance has been the name of the game, and this two year period has not been fun. For others, the change was welcome and provided freedom from something that had become stifling. Either way, the change is going to complete itself, with or without our help. Why not stay ahead of the wave, ride the energy, and be proactive about finishing whatever needs to be finished. Even if it feels unpleasant to face what we have been hiding from or avoiding, it will be relief to know that we have finally put it to rest.
By tying up these loose ends, we will be in a much better position to harness the energy of late July. Cardinal signs want us to start something new, but how can we start something new if we are still stuck in the past. The answer is that we cannot! All of this energy concentrated in Pisces right now, with more to come, is showing us where we have been hiding, where we have been fooling ourselves. It may also be showing us where we can shift the boundaries of what we thought was possible for us. Pisces is the end and the beginning, and it contains all of the things we were afraid to face earlier. Luckily, Venus and Jupiter, both dignified and conjunct in Pisces, have given us the opportunity to see hope where we once saw fear, and to see common ground where we once saw division. Chiron sitting with Neptune has been a boon to many, bringing healing and inspiration in the face of adversity Unfortunately, for some this combination has been a painful reminder of how we can make our wounds even deeper by refusing to acknowledge our intuition. There have been quite a few sad stories at the Olympics this year, many injuries and a horrible death, and I am sure that the most recent Aquarius New Moon conjunct Chiron and Neptune is as good of an illustration as any. Delusions can make our wounds greater, and it is a sad reality that even though Nodar Kumaritashvili feared the track that took his life, he felt that he had no choice but to compete. He did, but he could not see it — or could not allow himself to chose it — and this is the great challenge of Neptune.
With Mars retrograde, Venus still has center stage, and in Pisces, Venus is exalted, which opens the door for us to receive the bounty of Pisces: intuition, grace, love. It also opens the door to the dark side of Pisces: hiding, escape, and delusion: Neptune is, after all, the modern ruler of Pisces. As always, the energy is neutral and present in all of its forms. It is up to us, each and every one, to make good decisions on how to use it. Of course, making no decision at all is to play the victim, and many people under strong Piscean influence play the martyr well, but most of them are victims of their own self-undoing. The Full Moon on February 28 is at 9 Virgo, opposite a Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Pisces. This will be the time we receive feedback on how well we have dealt with this energy.
Be well, complete what needs to be completed, and get some rest if possible. The Aries ingress is March 21st, demanding new beginnings, and that will be the time that we need to move forward and leave the past in the past.
with love
m
