AstroCast: May 27 – June 4, 2017

We again have the opportunity this week to tap into diverse streams of planetary energies activating skill sets that are just waiting in the wings to be developed. Correlating to planetary alignments that shift in and out of concurrently running cycles of varying durations, integrating seemingly disparate energies is what we do every day throughout our lives, with or without awareness. The more conscious we can be about the mysterious workings of life, the more we can make choices to align with them to serve our soul’s purpose. Otherwise we open ourselves to experience the dark, sometimes evil shadow side the indifferent planets present as well, their symbolic missives manifesting on the stage of human life at the level they are received. For example, as I write this article, the aftershock of an ISIS suicide bomber attacking concertgoers at the Manchester Arena in the UK reverberates across borders around the world. This type of event is all too frequent these days (being Europe’s 13th attack since 2015) and global economic systems are so desensitized as to barely register the shock on stock markets like they used to. This most recent tragedy that targeted teenage girls nonetheless generated its own unique psychic shock wave that in effect increases the urgency for humanity to delve into the root causes of suffering affecting our collective soul.

Mercury in Taurus segues from a sextile to Neptune in Pisces to a trine to Pluto in Capricorn May 28th to May 31st, a constructive alignment that could manifest on a personal level as a spiritually oriented conversation with another that waxes poetic on the fundamental questions about the nature of existence. Channeling this profound, creative configuration into artistic expression is also highly probably. The legendary musician Jimi Hendrix and the pioneering filmmaker Steven Spielberg have this configuration in their natal charts that expresses as deep imaginative thinking. On a political scale, this subtle force has the potential to move our world leaders to express (Mercury) with greater compassion (Neptune) and authenticity (Pluto) in response to the recent bombing and heightened threat level that followed. While Taurus and Capricorn are earth signs that favor pragmatism, the sense-oriented water sign of Pisces, which Neptune rules, brings forth an acute ability to perceive the situation at hand on a feeling level. The trine and sextile, however, don’t create as much tension as oppositions and squares so this configuration is one that requires some effort to harness for material effect.

Although the polarizing opposition between Mars in Gemini and Saturn in Sagittarius is not exact until May 28th its effects began last week, a strong example of how the correlative effects of planetary movements happen within a wide time frame on either side of the exact alignments. Mars/Saturn is a militaristic signature that seems to have mirrored ISIS’s response to President Trump’s imperative to “Drive them out,” his admonition to Middle East leaders in a speech just a few days before the attack. Mars’ sextile Uranus in Aries on May 30th was just beginning to build as the Manchester event occurred, adding shock value and yet another wake up call to delve into the source of the terrorist group’s pent up rage (Mars/Saturn), the psychological fuel that feeds their ongoing attacks. How is that being addressed? With Mars opposite Saturn, there may not be any patience or political will to do anything but respond with an increasingly iron (Saturn) fist (Mars), of which both sides will inevitably partake. Yet another bombing with mass casualties, this one targeting Christians in Egypt, followed the Manchester attack before this article was submitted. Therefore, as the tense alignment between Mars and Saturn perfects this week, and remains in effect through the first week of June, it is important for each of us to be vigilant about where we feel the need to force an issue that is blocked from progressing. Understanding the nature of the block is perhaps the sanest way to proceed rather than to simply fight it.  The block is there for a reason, and coming from Saturn, that generally means there is greater effort to be made. Saturn makes you work for it, whatever “it” is, and generally for very good reason: there is always something more to learn.

Venus in Aries is also in the degree space of Mars, Saturn and Uranus this week, with a flowing trine to Saturn becoming exact on June 1st. The planet most representative of the love that holds relationships together, in the sign associated with individualistic expression, supports harmony among people as long as each one is allowed to be who they are meant to be. Saturn’s influence on Venus here backs those who are willing to do the necessary work to maintain order in society. Venus’ conjunction to Uranus, exact on June 3rd, builds during the week to emphasize the uniqueness each person brings to the solution table. It will take the influence of Venus as well as the Mercury/Neptune/Pluto energies to inspire the “soft” tactics required to come to agreement on how best to restore the pursuit of peace and harmony as a basic human right.

June 3rd to June 4th, the Sun in Gemini segues from a trine to Jupiter in Libra to a square to Neptune in Pisces, reigniting the “revolution of tenderness” evoked when Mars passed through this same space last month (as discussed in this AstroCast). In order to turn on humanity’s compassion and turn off its warlike nature, nothing less than the dissolution of ego and fear is necessary. For us to even comprehend what that means we need to start asking questions, to get philosophical (Jupiter) about cosmic consciousness (Neptune). The Sun at this time can shed some light on this internal process and perhaps bring into focus those questions that are lurking just outside our field of vision (as represented by the inconjunct between Jupiter and Neptune). In writing about Jupiter, Jim Sher says its archetypal force often presents as a new opportunity to expand and grow our consciousness through effort. “Jupiter asks us to enlarge our understanding and leave old, outworn, limited viewpoints behind,” he says. “This is especially true when a person is bound up by rigid belief systems. However, we do have free will and it is entirely possible that a person will choose instead to hold onto and even zealously espouse (preach) the dogmas of a particular mode of thinking instead of freeing oneself from it by seeking a broader perspective.” The Sun triggering the mysterious Jupiter/Neptune alignment could reinvigorate the query: “What game are we in, how inclusive is it and what is our part in it?” If we choose to pursue that line of questioning, we may begin to comprehend the call of Neptune, which according to Sher is:

1. “To view what is happening to us as part of an underlying ‘Unity’ that is always connected to others and with the multi-verse itself.
2. To see ‘Others’ from their perspective, rather than only our own.
3. To feel compassion for others and to learn to respond accordingly.
4. To put aside any kind of martyrdom which can now be seen as an aspect of ‘self-importance’ that ought to be ‘sacrificed’ so we can move into a higher level of consciousness.”

Mars entering Cancer on June 4th, could help us shift into a more intuitive approach to the pursuit of our desires. Leaving behind the synaptic rhythms of the intellectual air sign of Gemini, Mars gains tremendous sensitivity in the water sign of Cancer. “Sensitive” of course can be a loaded word with many interpretations, and in this case it is much more than just being fearful of negative experiences, although Cancer above all other signs is concerned with security. On a more subtle level, Cancerian sensitivity stems from the ability to receive virtually all data, good and bad, seen and unseen, coming from the environment and to experience it loud and clear. Those I know with prominant Cancer energy in their natal charts have developed protective filters to operate in the world and have become very discerning about what they take in and what they hold at bay. Generally a spontaneous and certainly unfiltered archetypal actor, Mars here can become quite defensive if fear is allowed to reign and being under the restrictive opposition to Saturn that is still in effect, Mars now in Cancer could amp up our reactivity to perceived threats. Perhaps we should call on Spielberg to write the ending of our collective epic story of love and betrayal, fierce idealism and hard line revenge. Wouldn’t it be grand if it culminated in a tender embrace of human unity? Perhaps not in this lifetime, but doesn’t it seem like this is the omnipresent intention operating all lifetimes?

Here’s the data (using Pacific Time and planetary positions rounded to the nearest whole degree, unless otherwise noted):

May 28 – Mercury sextile Neptune at 14° Taurus/Pisces at 12:04 a.m.

May 28 – Mars opposite Saturn at 26° Gemini/Sagittarius at 11:54 p.m.

May 30 – Mars sextile Uranus at 27° Gemini/Aries at 7:39 p.m.

May 31 – Mercury trine Pluto at 19° Taurus/Capricorn at 5:00 a.m.

June 1 – Venus trine Saturn at 26 ° Aries/Sagittarius at 8:23 a.m.

June 3 – Venus conjunct Uranus at 26 ° Aries at 12:31 a.m.

June 3 – Sun trine Jupiter at 13° Gemini/Libra at 9:12 a.m.

June 4 – Sun square Neptune at 13° Gemini/Pisces at 9:14 a.m.

June 4 – Mars at 0° Cancer at 9:16 a.m.