All three personal planets are making themselves known this weekend — Mercury, Venus and Mars. In the most general terms, this means the emotional tone for everyone will be shifting, and that shift will be from the inside out. Depending on what’s resonating most strongly with you lately, these movements could feel either like mixed messages or a study in rich contrasts (think hot fudge sundae).
I’m going to begin with Mercury, because Saturday it makes a conjunction to Nessus, the unofficial star of the show this week. Nessus is one of the centaur planets, a class of objects named for half-human, half-horse characters in mythology. In astrology, these objects generally represent old family patterns, shadow material and buried wounds, bringing all of it to our consciousness so we can recognize it, deal with it and release it.
Eric and I have covered Nessus in several recent articles (notably on Monday, Tuesday and last Thursday, plus PW FM). The main themes for Nessus involve patterns of sexual and emotional abuse, potentially inappropriate sexual contact, other forms of psychological wounding of a sexual type, and the idea that “the buck stops here” — that is, that once you know what’s up, you get to resolve and release the karma. You have the honor of stopping any of the negative patterns Nessus represents once you see them clearly.
What Mercury brings to its conjunction with Nessus (which is in late Aquarius) is a more intellectual take on all the shadowy, potentially painful stuff you may be working through right now. Mercury rules the mind and communication. One way to think of Mercury conjoining Nessus in airy, detached Aquarius is that it’s a chance to take a more logical, less emotionally-invested approach to the process. Writing (whether in a journal, blog comment or letter) could be helpful.
It’s wise, however, to keep in mind that Mercury in Aquarius could represent fixed ideas — as in the kind that get stuck; the kind that become obstacles or fixations instead of solutions. Are you open to alternative interpretations of what your situation/shadow material might mean or need from you to resolve it? Can you be present in your pain without getting attached to it? If you are grieving over some past pain or family pattern, can you tell when you’re moving through the stages at your own pace versus when you’re camping out in one of them — whether out of resentment, a sense of justification, or simple habit?
A spiritual counselor I am working with, before describing to me an aspect of my past-life karma related to some present-life habits, reminded me, “You are not your issues; you are god’s beloved.” The idea was to remind me that it’s possible to lay the new insights on the proverbial altar for Spirit to dissolve, rather than saddling myself with them. This seems like a good moment to share her words with you.
As we all continue working through our collective ‘week of Nessus’, Mars and Venus change signs on Friday about an hour apart from each other. Mars enters Pisces at 8:54 pm EST; Venus enters Aquarius at 9:46 pm EST. Both planets are moving into signs that are very different from the last place they were. Neither new sign is traditionally considered the best fit for either planet, though there are benefits and ways of working with the placements.
When Mars ingresses Pisces, it immediately moves into a conjunction with Neptune. Mars-Neptune is always an interesting, compelling mix. It can work many different ways; it has a wide range of effects, from the most creative to the most toxic. When Mars and Neptune are in any aspect, it’s necessary to exercise your best judgment — especially if the aspect is a conjunction.
Neptune conjunctions, by the way, have the widest orb of influence; Neptune is unusually sensitive to transits and aspects. This is amplified by the whole thing happening in Pisces — notably, this is the first Mars-Neptune conjunction since Neptune entered Pisces (the first of seven in Pisces between now and 2024).
If you have some spiritual awareness, this could be very helpful with things of a more mystical nature. Your dreams might be especially interesting or intense. This is not (in our opinion) the time to be playing with the Ouija board or inviting entities into your space. If you are going to drink alcohol, I suggest you stay home, where you have some safe containment.
It can, however, be a fantastically creative time, for art, music, poetry and visioning your life, though what you come up with may take some fact-checking or revision. You’ll need to sift for the gems among your ideas; take notes because anything involving Neptune can be volatile, fleeting or difficult to grasp.
In general, Mars in Pisces can be the equivalent of steam heat if you can keep Mars’ drive directed and focused. It’s passionate and deep — making it more of a feelings-based engine to power you through the Mercury-Nessus conjunction. It’s a boost to not getting mentally stuck.
Venus in Aquarius is a real contrast: cool and detached, less about intimate passion and more about filtering emotions through the mind. You might find your non-sexual friendships on an even keel, while more intimately focused relationships feel slightly alien or dispassionate. It might be challenging at times, but the situation is temporary (Venus will move on to Pisces Feb. 25).
Interestingly, Venus in Aquarius may also help you negotiate Mercury-Nessus, through that ability to dispassionately notice and filter emotions — which have possibly been intense this last week. It’s the opposite way from how Mars in Pisces can help. This is where the hot fudge sundae metaphor comes in: you have the hot, dark fudge and the cold, light ice cream — complete opposites — combining to make something that really works. Add in Mercury, and this becomes the opportunity to speak up about what you’re feeling and what you’re thinking about what you’re processing.
Or for a different image, consider The Hierophant card in tarot: one monk in red, one monk in white. Both are before the Pope. The path of passion and the path of purity will both get you to where you’re going; you can’t get this ‘wrong’. Keep moving through what comes up; ask for help when you need it; understand, process and release. You’re going to be okay.
Navigating below the tip of the iceberg seems to me to perfectly describe what this astrological confluence means! Good analogy!
laredo — that’s a lot to be unpacking, literally and metaphorically. i wish you much luck on your journey, and i am glad that what we’ve been expressing on PW has been helpful. you are certainly not alone, as you can see from the comments — and the comments are only the tip of the iceberg.
WOW!
I have been wading through the depths of my own incest issues, and in the process brought up a bombardment of stuff about my late husband. I couldn’t understand why so much info about him was coming up so suddenly until your incisive and insightful column on Nessus.
And then yesterday I was going through some of his old stuff and came across writings that spelled out all of it. As far as I can tell he was part of a generational ritual abuse family, and it is weird to me now to feel like I had all the clues before, (PTSD, suicidal thoughts, weird memories akin to nightmares, absolute murderous hatred of his family) but had never been able to put them together until now. There is tremendous guilt in that – did he try to shield me from the full truth or did I shield myself until I could be distanced enough to handle it?
Thank you Amanda and Eric. Suddenly it all makes sense why this is coming up so intensely and I don’t feel so crazy and alone in this. Thank you so very, very much. And thank you to Sarah for your boldness and honesty – your realization that the truth is so much easier to handle than the demons you manufactured out of necessity to disguise it – what a tremendous revelation!
It reminds me of the speculation in some literary circles that the Wolf in Grandmother’s bed was actually the Grandmother, disguised by Little Red in her subconscious because she just couldn’t handle the reality of her Grandmother being predatory.
Thank you Amanda for your deep reflection, I have particularly the conjunction Mars and Neptune which will certainly create a lot of magic in my life.
Here is an excerpt from the book the Congress of Hermes on Neptune on 21 and 22 March 1998 I really like
With Mars and Neptune, I thought a frog man seeking perhaps a somewhat clumsy manner at the start to connect with the depths, to go to the Palace of Poseidon, at the bottom of the seas.
Alexandre Volguine in a very old “astrological book’ had done any research on all Mars Neptune conjunctions that should he sign the mark of genius. So if you have that know this. That said, I would not go until there, but he has this ability to bring out something of the collective unconscious and is well another thing, that simply a neutral energy release: this can be quite the vital force of healing, the power of prana or the creative outpouring of inspiring images or a faith that raises any mountains to the to be a pure simple tidal wave.
This frog man may miss some level at some point, because it is concerned about its ‘beautiful’ under water. Nothing fits into a physical reality. The male – female relationship with March and Neptune can be both disorders in men than women. Maybe ambivalent relationship with the male sex. The solution is the emergence of the divine, the dissolution is in the fickleness
Good Weekend of the last quarter moon Amanda and all readers of Planet Waves 🙂
“The path of passion and the path of purity will both get you to where you’re going; you can’t get this ‘wrong’.”
Thanks so much for this, Amanda, because right now, the path to purity is bringing me a lot of flack from people who assume I am judging them just because I am on that path in some areas of my life. I am not judging anyone but rather trying to find my way.
Thank you, Amanda, this is a very helpful piece. And your parting sentence, “You’re going to be okay.” — a thought much needed now, thank you for sending it this way.
Light and Healing directed your way, Sarah.
xo
Sarah, the beauty of your staggering bravery here humbles me. I am in awe, and inspired to open myself to a pain that’s been disallowed for generations in my own family. Thank you all, for illuminating a path that didn’t exist before.
yes, there is a lot of truly fascinating, sometimes scary or unsettling, stuff coming up for so many people lately. i am so grateful we are collectively able to create and hold this space for each other to share, connect, and process.
good luck to all who have commented here, and all who have not as well.
I’m so pleased, sweet gumbybug! Sounds as if things are really moving for you, too.
“You are not your issues; you are god’s beloved.” The idea was to remind me that it’s possible to lay the new insights on the proverbial altar for Spirit to dissolve, rather than saddling myself with them. This seems like a good moment to share her words with you.
Amanda, this really resonated with me, bringing tears to my eyes and felt my heart just expand a bit. Many thanks.
And thanks to Lizzy and Sarah for sharing your words and experiences. They, too, help tremendously.
(((((((Lizzy))))))) 🙂
Sarah (((())))
For me, it has been the fighting of the emerging awareness of Nessus that has caused me the most fear and upset.
I realise now that I have been abused, but instead of the memories screaming up at me from the depths, they seem to be emerging in some kind of rhythmic and nurturing shadow-birth, perhaps because I have spent the better part of a year clearing a space for them.
I was sitting in an hotel in London earlier this week when a familiar feeling came over me. In response to someone looking at me, my neck stiffened; an involuntary muscle contraction that pulled my head to one side. No, this is not an unfamiliar feeling at all. It has happened in moments of disempowerment, when I have been confronted, and exclusively when I am with a man. Not all men by any means, and some have been well-known to me, and others strangers.
I brought it up in therapy because it was confusing me, and I was free associating with it, trying to get past the blocks I was setting myself. In a moment, an image came through. It didn’t burst through, or come with some great revelatory release, but simply entered my mind: that of being held down on a surface, a hand around the back of my neck, my head pinned sideways. And there it was.
It provides some answers and not a little validation, and the most important feeling I have is that I am ready to face and come to terms with it. There is great truth to the statement that what emerges from the unconscious is not how you would have pictured it. I would never have imagined that what emerged could look so different from the monsters I painted over it. Now to heal.
And a huge thank you to you Eric, Amanda, for giving me the chance to work through my family shadow stuff here, to be able to write it out and share it with others, to be listened to and supported, and to share others’, similar journeys. It is immensely healing, and I am so grateful. xxx
Though come to think of it – think that feeling is still part of the guilt stuff…
Hot fudge sunday, what a lovely metaphor! Thank you so much, dear Amanda, for this truly wonderful piece – it’s enormously helpful and supportive for what I’m processing right now, as I’m sure it will be for many. Eric writes with great compassion and skill about dealing with guilt, but now that life is beginning to look as if it might be quite pleasant, I have to deal with the terror of that, when it almost feels ‘safer’ to lead the difficult life I know, much as I’ve always wanted it to be otherwise.