“Spiritual” circles make a big deal out of “manifestation”: the act of seeing and feeling what you desire so fully that you open the space for it to emerge within your life, supported by the benevolent universe. I’ve seen it happen; however, I’m also aware of how often people willfully believe in illusions and denial, especially when it comes to relationships, setting themselves up for a hard fall when reality hits.
The two instances are two sides of the same coin, or a kind of double bind, if you will: if you don’t believe in your vision, how can it manifest? Yet if you fail to recognize reality, how can you possibly create anything with a solid foundation?
Part of the trick is knowing that it’s not a black and white, either/or situation.
Whether you’re talking about art or love, it’s necessary to hold both an understanding of what’s real (your art supplies and your skill; or who your lover truly is, apart from who you wish they were) and what you can imagine is possible. Enter Venus, making a conjunction to Neptune in Pisces, exact Friday at 10:23 pm EDT.
This might be the most creative, intuitive, wet and sexy placement for the most artistically inspired, spiritually loving, vision-manifesting planetary pair going. Not only that, it’s in effect now and peaks as we enter the weekend — perfect timing for most people to use the energy with minimal interference from work and other weekday commitments.
At its highest expression in relationships, Venus conjunct Neptune confers a sense of soul-union with another person, and a selflessness that’s very generous and approaches “divine compassion.” As with all things, though, it has a shadow expression to be aware of: the potential for the object of your love and devotion not to live up to your expectations, if they were a little too high (or downright delusional) to begin with. Can you see the raw materials of your partner clearly and allow yourself to be guided by a vision of what is possible?
At its highest expression in creativity, Venus-Neptune has the potential to unleash some truly unbridled creative inspiration and translate it into physical, tangible art. Whether your thing is visual art, music, drama or some other medium (food? Furniture? Landscaping?), this is a ripe moment just begging you to reach up and pluck it.
And lest you get hung up on the potentially delusional side of the Venus-Neptune coin, the rest of the sky now is essentially one big reality check and lesson in practical initiative, individuation in the face of relationships, and good ol’ “get ‘er done.”
Speaking of which: Eric is currently blazing away at his recordings for the 2014 Planet Waves Spring Reading, which covers what promises to be some very tangible, once-in-a-lifetime astrology heating up in the next couple weeks. For now, let the masculine/feminine, yin/yang, ethereal/material merging of Venus and Neptune wet your whistle, and see how much of your ideal you can bring into reality.
Reach up and pluck it…oh but how long a road it’s been just developing the ability to distinguish the fruit from the poison, to cultivate the skill of reaching and plucking and the tree’s years of work transmuting soil, air, water and sun into edibles for animals. New age insight has its place, but the vision without the walk and the work has a lot of angels tied up at the crossroads. Nevertheless setting intentions seems to work…
I envision new tuners for my guitar, but needle nose pliers will work in a pinch. Lo and behold: just such a tool comes to me this morning from Portland’s free pile network. I envision a bike tour around Cascadia, performances in the upper corner of Portland called St. Johns come to pass.
I begin to understand that when I was an impatient youth using incantations and spells to manipulate reality it’s not that the spells didn’t work; it’s that I didn’t know what I really wanted or how to go about getting it since I was trapped in secondary goals related to hiding from, evading, and defending myself from the abuser. A lot of new age thought recoils in fear of walking the paths of Hell, cavorting in the place where nothing ever happens. Yes, setting intentions works like a charm, but you may have to fight some battles and live through some hells to get what you want. When we grow up with verbal and emotional violence our demons get strong. They defend themselves. Yes, reach up and pick the fruit. You may learn something from getting sucked down into Hell. Persephone need not fear the dark.
. . . also meant substitute Pluto WITH Ceres, not FOR Ceres. duh!
In my earlier response I referred to the 7 squares of Pluto and Uranus but in the last paragraph I mistakenly called it a “Pluto-Jupiter period”. Hope I didn’t confuse anyone!
be
Yes Amanda, the timing of this aspect is exquisite and thank you for bringing it to our attention. For a while now I’ve held that the master symbol for these remarkable times is Neptune, with the series of 7 squares between Uranus and Pluto being the focusing device. If one considers this series of squares as a unit, say like a season, then the first square can serve a purpose much like a solstice or equinox. A chart for the 1st square on June 24, 2012 is rich in astro information; I set my chart for Washington DC at 5:12 AM EDT. Neptune at 3+ Pisces retro is the most elevated, with 1+ Pisces on the MC. Venus in Gemini is square Neptune, but let me share some other observations that will reveal just how important that aspect is.
A bare bones chart, using only the “traditional” 10 planets of Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and, yes, Pluto, displays a pattern called the Splash, which denotes a broad spread of interests (houses and signs); one of universality. However, if we were to substitute the now minor planet – formerly major planet Pluto for the now minor planet- formerly asteroid Ceres, keeping the number to 10, we get a totally different pattern called the Locomotive, an eccentric balance that provides the power to move “under its own steam” so to speak. Ceres in this chart conjuncts Jupiter the south node and Venus in Gemini, all in the 12th house when the chart is set in Washington DC. By removing Pluto and substituting Ceres we have opened up (empty) houses 6 through 9 to explore and/or bring change to.
However, Pluto is key to the chart since it is his square to Uranus that determines the time. In this chart, Venus sextiles Uranus and is quincunx (150 deg) Pluto, showing as ease of expression for/with the sky god and some discomfort for/with the underground god. Because Venus is the lower (conscious) level or octave of Neptune, and because they are square in this chart, there is a push (square) to manifest (make conscious) Neptunian gifts which will be influential during the span of this Uranus-square-Pluto season. I believe this Friday’s conjunction is an important new cycle startup in this pattern-specific interaction.
One (of many) example(s) to consider the manifesting combined energy (Venus-Neptune) is the whole lost plane phenomenon. The rational (Venus in Gemini in the 1st Uranus-Pluto square) approach has leaned toward the multi-exploration of where the plane went (down), while a spiritually inclined (or possibly delusional) approach is to believe that the plane and its inhabitants were transported to another planet in another galaxy far away where they are still alive and cared for but will never return. Perhaps on Friday as transiting Venus meets transiting Neptune, a third possibility will be introduced that would be unusual or quirky (Venus sextile Uranus in 1st square chart) and require a new perspective on death or transformation (Venus quincunx Pluto in 1st square chart). Just a thought.
Anyway, if we keep Pluto AND Ceres and disregard the 10-planet pattern for the moment, another pattern emerges in the 1st square chart for the series of 7. Neptune squares the north node and the south node from the north bending which is the receptive corner; receptive to universal directives (emanating from the likes of the Galactic Center). Consider then that Ceres (0+), Jupiter (2+) south node (4+) and Venus (7+) in Gemini in the 12th house (chart for DC) are supporting the release (south node, 12th house) of thoughts (Gemini) of confinement or isolation (12th house).
Along with this T-square pattern of mutable signs (Gemini, Pisces, Sagittarius) there is another planet that aspects Neptune. It is the Sun at 3+ Cancer (conjunct the U.S. Sibly Venus) and it is in the 1st house of the 7-square series chart and forms a trine (ease) to Neptune. The 1st house of self-awareness is home for the Sun of consciousness who, from the center, holds all the other bodies that orbit it. Sun shares a trine (cooperative, ease) with Neptune who is in a position to receive help and advice from the universe beyond Sun’s gravity. Releasing a sense of imprisonment such as the Gemini south node suggests, facilitates the emotional (water signs Cancer-Pisces) type of processing information that has been suppressed since the patriarchal period began.
I would expect to see alternating periods of the 10 planet pattern (Splash) that includes Pluto and the 10 planet pattern (Locomotive) that includes Ceres throughout the 7-squares of Pluto-Jupiter period, but when opportunities such as transiting Venus conjunct Neptune come along, we should utilize it for breaking free from the old fearful ideologies and use the power of love to transition us from the polarized level of feeling vs. thinking into the inclusive level of feeling AND thinking. That would be progress!
be
dawnbrocco — that is exactly the distinction i was trying to describe, albeit in limited space. 🙂 thank you for elaborating.
and the conjunction is absolutely in full force now, and has been all week (and it will take a while to dissolve). no need to stay up til 10:30 just for that “moment” — you’re in the zone now.
Manifestation isn’t belief or wishing nor has anything to do with illusions and denial. It truly is feeling and seeing that thing in your life, in your space. It is giving your entire attention to something, and, if desired enough, and the thing desired vibrates with something inside you, yes, the space opens and obstacles dissolve away, to make room for it coming into your life. I’ve done it several times, not on purpose – the events were just right at the time and the power of it was easily recognizable as being distinct from normal wishing or wanting.
“Whether you’re talking about art or love, it’s necessary to hold both an understanding of what’s real (your art supplies and your skill; or who your lover truly is, apart from who you wish they were)”
I am sure there are many who have illusions about the other in their relationship, particularly if a new relationship. And relationships fall, when they are not right, or when the chasms can’t be bridged in a relationship which is right. But even the shattering of illusions and it’s resultant heartbreak is a lesson.
It is, I think, better to see the person as he or she is, but *also* see their potential. Not what we want them to be, but what they are themselves capable of. This potential sits there, waiting to be manifested, by that person. The other’s role is only to support, encourage, help bring to light the beloved’s potential. But only that person can see and feel the power, the force of what they want to manifest in themselves. If it’s not felt, they are not ready.
“Can you see the raw materials of your partner clearly and allow yourself to be guided by a vision of what is possible?” Absolutely.
“At its highest expression in creativity, Venus-Neptune has the potential to unleash some truly unbridled creative inspiration and translate it into physical, tangible art. Whether your thing is visual art, music, drama or some other medium (food? Furniture? Landscaping?), this is a ripe moment just begging you to reach up and pluck it.”
Well, I hope that conjunction will hang around a bit as I’m asleep at 10:30 pm!
Good luck, P. Sophia. The stars are with you.
Thanks Amanda for encouraging us in our ideals but reminding us to allow them to play out under the actual circumstances.
Friday I am pulling together the final installation with finishing touches on a artistic project I have been visioning and designing for 3 months. I am excited to have the satisfaction of my works integrity and so beautifully complete. So great it is in timing with this Venus-Neptune kiss! Noticed I currently also see Sun sextile Natal Venus, which reinforces my feelings in confidence of the good impression it will leave. Amanda thank you as always, for crystallizing this aspect so concretely for me.