Slightly Subtler Week Ahead

We are still coming off of Wednesday's Aries New Moon; with clear skies we may see the new crescent Friday evening, so we're not done with this less-than-subtle event. The New Moon conjunct Venus, Mars and Eris came with some wild world news (see my lead article above).

And in personal news, well, you tell me. How was your week in relationships? The astrology has been so self-centered as to verge on narcissism. Yet it also provided enough individuality for those who tend to get lost in others to snap out of it for a minute, and to remember that they exist. One person's narcissism is another person's self-actualization.

Portland OR's south waterfront, with a little yacht and freeway bridge under construction. Photo by Eric Francis.

(You really know it's narcissism when someone demonstrates not just lack of care for those they claim to love, but the refusal to acknowledge their existence.)

We remain in an evolutionary/revolutionary moment, when the image in the astrology is divesting our idea of who we are from structures and institutions, including our concepts of relationship, and "self-concept" as it was dictated to us.

In any case, the astrology of the next week or so is somewhat subtler than it's been the past few weeks. There are not what you would think of as 'major events'. The dominant aspect in the astrology is a quincunx -- a 150-degree connection between Saturn retrograde in Scorpio, and Uranus in Aries.

In the context of what we've been living through, this is actually useful and timely. Uranus in Aries is a long burst of self-awareness, though it can get distracted by glitz and glam. You can derail your spiritual path by getting caught up in what a bright, shiny object you are, or what a deep and spiritual object you are.

The quincunx to Saturn in Scorpio is like leverage that is pushing the boundaries of agreements. Saturn in Scorpio may be desperately trying to cling to the frozen emotional patterns that many people stomp around in proudly, like ice queens and kings. Those in Saturn mode need the heat of those in Uranus mode; and if they don't respond, those in Uranus mode -- that is, the self-aware revolution -- need to see how people are responding to them.

I'll give you two examples. If you're in self-aware revolution mode, you may notice that someone close to you is trying to cool you down, or get you into their stiff emotional choreography. You have a choice -- to stick around and risk hypothermia, or to explore elsewhere and see what you learn.

Two days after Mercury enters Aries to join Uranus, Eris, the Sun and Mars, Venus enters Taurus, joining Pallas Athene and the lunar South Node. View glyph legend here.

Those in self-aware revolution mode might also be drawing toward them people who are on a similar wavelength. That could be a lot of fun -- though there will be some tension between individuality and conformism in the equation, as there always is on Earth, and I suggest that this be handled consciously. If humans need to learn one thing, it's how to negotiate. Negotiating is the opposite of being a victim.
 
One regular Planet Waves reader (who goes by "awordedgewise" on the blog) described the Saturn-Uranus quincunx as more of a creative tag-team effort:
 
"Sort of like; it's really cold out and I'm working on an ice-sculpture, but in order to manipulate the ice-water, I need a little flexibility. Uranus gives me that flexibility, then Saturn firms it up again -- over and over. ... It is not a one-shot deal wherein Uranus needs to loosen up Saturn. This is a long-haul shift made up by many, many moments of 'change, then observe'. Just like a sculptor's process -- shift/observe, shift/observe, shift/observe -- until the new creation is complete. Saturn is not the evil cousin from the past. Uranus and Saturn both represent useful and necessary components of the process."
 
While those processes are working in the background, Mercury and Venus change signs as we shift into a new week. On Saturday at 10:37 pm EDT, Mercury joins the Aries stellium. Mercury is comfortable in Aries, making for a quick, witty, inventive mind. With so many other planets in Aries, you'll want to stay conscious of superficial impulses and your ego/temper -- especially since Mercury moves into a conjunction with Uranus next week.
 
Venus entering Taurus Monday at 3:25 am EDT should help temper and ground personal relations. Venus rules Taurus (and Libra), and here the planet of love expresses itself best through the senses. Good food; beautiful art; sex that takes its time building to some serious heat with generosity and receptivity; literally putting your body in contact with earth; these are all things that say 'Venus in Taurus'.
 
And if you're one of those U.S. readers who waits until the last possible moment to file their income taxes (due April 15), Venus in Taurus may bode well for that, too. Not that you should consider this an endorsement for procrastinating.








Aries New Moon, Thatcher & Kim Jong-Un's Nuclear Chart

In this week's edition of Planet Waves FM, I go over the most personal implications of the Aries New Moon, including its influence on relationships. I talk about the chart of Kim Jong-Un, the world's Atomic Boy Wonder, and contrast it with the chart for the first nuclear reaction (called the Nuclear Axis chart). I also devote a segment to the life and times of Margaret Thatcher, the former U.K. prime minister who died this week.




Your Monthly Horoscopes -- and our Publishing Schedule Notes

The April monthly extended horoscopes were published Friday, March 22. Inner Space for March was published Tuesday, Feb. 26; there will be no Inner Space for April due to scheduling issues. We published the Moonshine horoscopes for the Aries New Moon on Tuesday, April 9. Note that the longer monthly horoscope is being incorporated into the Friday issue after the Sun has entered a new sign; a new Inner Space is generally emailed on the following Tuesday.




Weekly Horoscope for Friday, April 12, 2013 #945 | By Eric Francis

New Moon Vibrating: Late Aries Birthdays

The Aries New Moon is present in your solar return chart and in many ways will set the tone for the year. You'll need to strike a balance between your own individuality and welcoming others into your life. It may not be easy to make them feel warm and cozy while you're having an explosion of self-presence in the world. However, it remains true that many people are intimidated whenever others display the meekest attempt at confidence, so make sure that you're not restricting your choices based on the fears of others. It will be easier for you to find others who already harmonize with your emotional tenor or point of view than it will be to condition others to the way you think and feel. I suggest you reconsider the old idea that it's possible to 'make a relationship work', since that implies someone feeling compelled to change. Meanwhile, another reason the partnership discussion is timely is because Saturn is moving through your solar 8th house, which is a reminder that it's time to renegotiate all of your agreements and 'sacred contracts'. Your newly emerging power of individuality is certainly giving those old agreements and the people connected to them a workout, and the more willing you are to let go of the past and embrace the present, the easier it will be for everyone. 

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Aries (March 20-April 19) -- You are starting to find your voice and your confidence, which you may have discovered is easier if you encourage others to find theirs. I would say there are two kinds of confidence, at minimum -- one based on the idea "I am better than you" and another based on the idea "we're all growing, and we can support one another on this trip through the unknown." Over the next week you will have opportunities that you can meet with a spirit of competition or mutual support; the choice is yours. To embrace the latter option, you would need to consider the idea that what you offer to others increases, particularly if what you're offering is an idea or a feeling. You have plenty of these things to go around, particularly ideas. You're also figuring out that you value your freedom above all else, particularly your freedom of thought and expression. That's something truly collective, available to everyone or not at all. I suggest you lead the way.




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Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- Venus returns to your sign in a few days, though before it gets there, it's completing a trip through your sensitive 12th solar house, Aries (along with many other planets in that house). This is likely to be coming with various experiences of being lost and then found again; debates over whether and to what degree you exist in the world. You certainly exist, though when there is so much pressure to change, to evolve and to become, you might have those moments of deep questioning. I suggest that you stop, look and listen -- rather than question or judge. You will feel calmer and more grounded if you tune into your senses. You may even find it easier to experience the sensation of being carried over a limit or a threshold, into a new space of self-awareness. The feeling may be something akin to releasing yourself from the prison of a certain kind of self-concept, which may currently be limiting your ability to know and feel who you actually are.


Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Mercury is done slogging through Pisces (where it's been most of the year), and is now in fire sign Aries (as of April 13 at 10:37 pm EDT). This is likely to speed you on your way, at the same time you become aware of the solution to a particular problem you've been grappling with for months. That is difficult, given that you crave proceeding with total commitment in whatever you do. Over the next few days, you may have one idea after the next for what direction to turn. Let these ideas emerge, and evaluate them without judging them. By early next week, they may suddenly all add up to something truly unusual -- something so life-changing you will need to pause for a few days and reflect carefully on the implications. You may choose to let it go, in which case I suggest you move on quickly. Yet if you choose to go this new route, put your plans into motion immediately and without delay or hesitation.


Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- The current days you're in are likely to come with one breakthrough after the next on the vital matter of career. Not so long ago, you embarked on a path that was totally different from anything you'd ever done. This has likely brought many developments in your life, and now is the time to assess those changes and make some refinements. The truth is that you're genuinely an innovator and pioneer, though you may not feel like one. What we do almost always feels ordinary, and it's usually a good idea to avoid telling yourself how innovative you are. So please let me tell you. You are a visionary influence on your environment, particularly your place of work and especially the people you collaborate with. I suggest you invest some energy into focusing the efforts of the people you work with; you're a kind of spark plug in that fuel-rich environment. It looks like you're on the brink of a breakthrough, one that will benefit you and everyone who shares your goals.


Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- You are a success magnet right now, and the only thing that could possibly stop you is self-doubt. Therefore, if you feel any of that, refuse to feed it, justify it or rationalize it. It might help to know that what you think of as your doubts are really those of someone close to you -- a parent or early caregiver -- though they may feel like your own. You are no doubt aware of an evil tendency for one generation to pass its fears and limitations along to the next. If you're a parent, make sure that this tradition stops with you; this means not accepting the doubts that others projected onto you, which is the one thing you need to do in order not to pass them along to others. While you're often inclined to work hard and earn what is yours, your real gift is that of strategy. You're in an unusual and brilliant moment to consider any problem or complex situation you may face, and bring to it the certainty that there is a solution, if you can tune into it.


Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- You may be feeling released from a bogged-down relationship situation for the first time in months. This may involve a person, it may involve a pattern or it may involve a feeling. It's gone on so long you may have forgotten that other possibilities are available. You're now being presented evidence of many, many other possibilities, including a big reminder about the whole notion of change and why it's a good thing. There is nothing wrong with stability, but worshipping stability in service of fear is indeed a toxic psychic factor. One way to approach your current moment is how it's a study in agreements. Every relationship is about mutual agreements on one level; what you're discovering about yourself is that you have some genuinely original ideas about what works for you. You may also have a parallel idea that those things won't work well for others, though I suggest you drop that prejudice and assert yourself. Ask people you meet what is true for them, and tell them what is true for you -- without delay or hesitation.


Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- You seem to have unleashed a whole series of rapid changes, and you may be wondering whether you're in control of your life. I suggest you not ask that as a general question, but rather that you identify specific areas where you have the ability to make decisions, and others where you seem to be at the mercy of other people or of your circumstances. Start with where you know you have the power to choose and try making some decisions. You're likely to experience the other factors coming into focus and gaining a sense of clarity as you do. I would remind you that your life is not about having fixed values. You have an odd tendency to be inflexible just when you need to stretch and flex the most. You will feel more strength and less chaos when you open up and consider things from a diversity of viewpoints. There is likely to be a clear meeting place between you and someone you care about, if you're willing to move with what is, in truth, a rapid flow of developments.


Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- Planets are collecting in your opposite sign Taurus these days, and that is likely to present you with options. Yet you're unlikely to see and feel those options unless you let go of an old perspective that you've been struggling with like gum on your soul. You may feel like some prior commitment is making it difficult for you to be in the moment. At the same time, you seem to be on a quest to stretch into new territory, especially in your relationships -- though that's challenging you to be real from moment to moment. One image I see in your solar chart is the need for a more flexible idea of commitment. Our society seems to have three modes: friends but don't you dare think of sex; the drunken one-night stand; and marriage. None of these reflect actual human feelings or social needs, nor do they give you much wiggle room to experiment. I would propose three alternates: let's explore life together and see what we learn; sex with friends is better than sex with enemies; trust is the foundation of love.


Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- You may be feeling a tug away from experimental and creative mode, into get-serious mode. I would recast this another way -- your experiment is starting to get results, and it's time to act on what you're learning about yourself and your environment. It's true that you need something solid to work with, and you'll soon have that opportunity to an increasing depth. Said simply, that something solid is a sense of purpose, though this may be the last thing you are inclined to trust. I understand there's something about the times we're living in where we think that 'meaning is meaningless'. (In academic terms, this is an aspect of postmodernism.) You can get around that one by connecting with the fact that sincerity is always meaningful. One by one, planets are moving into the angle of your chart that describes healing, focus and service. The energy in your life will cool down in degrees, though the gradually diminishing raw heat will leave plenty of fuel and oxygen for passion and purpose.


Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- Your chart looks like you want to spend a few nights at the Super 8 so that you can get a bit of sanctuary. If so, I suggest you do something like that -- get away for a few days, or even overnight, and spend enough time alone to figure out what's going on with you emotionally. Other people will be happy to share their opinions, and they will, even to the point where they drown out your ability to sense what you're feeling, what you need and what may be prompting you to feel insecure. If you have the desire to take some space, how do you feel when you consider doing it, or enact the plan? If you're feeling any guilt, then you know you have some solid emotional material to work with. The presence of guilt would imply that you're under the influence of someone, verging on control. I understand that you have a lot to take care of, though help is there if you ask for it.


Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- This whole responsibility thing is getting tired, I know. Or at least it has its low moments and its more meaningful ones. Yet you seem compelled to go there, and to develop that aspect of who you are. I would propose that you're doing this at the right time in your life; it's one of those necessary aspects of existence that you need to be in harmony with, as a prerequisite for happiness. Let's put it this way: regardless of whatever else you may or may not be, you're not a slacker. You can trust that, and in doing so, I suggest you not push the whole responsibility bit too far. You need to have fun, and I suggest you attend to that sooner rather than later. I am not, however, talking about the kind of fun that's a diversion or entertainment. I'm talking about the kind of fun that's about being in creative harmony with your purpose, with the service you offer and most of all with a job well done.


Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You have a lot to offer the world -- especially right now. You also have plenty that you want to do and experience. I suggest you emphasize that rather than what you have to offer, since no matter what you're doing, people will benefit from it. Let's put it this way: What if you didn't have to prove yourself to anyone? What if you needed no validation of your 'worth' whatsoever? How would you live differently? The truly beautiful development in the current astrology is that you can indeed experiment with living this way -- and explore what it's like. Your self-esteem fuel tank is just about all the way full, and you've tapped into some unusual mode or source of confidence in yourself. This will allow you to shift your needs to wants, which in turn defines them as something fun rather than something in response to any urgency or survival need. I suggest you proceed with the confidence that your survival needs are all met, or will be met without a fuss.