Friday, Jan. 4, is the last quarter Moon: the halfway mark between the Full Moon and the next New Moon (Jan. 11, in Capricorn). This turning point comes as the Moon wanes, but it’s not about winding things down yet. Rather, it’s about a balance of riding on momentum and action. The emphasis is on focusing toward completion.
The quarter Moon is occurring in the midst of the building Mars-Saturn square, so there are layers to the inner urge for movement you may be experiencing. Mars square Saturn is a call to action. It’s an invitation to get unstuck, and it’s also a caution to use your mind before you take action. This is Mars in Aquarius after all.
Yesterday Eric described Mars in Aquarius square Saturn in Scorpio (exact Jan 7.) as, “an invitation to think things through carefully, especially if they involve the assertion of will, the use of energy or force, and even the focusing of intentions. It’s not an accident that this aspect is happening the way that it’s happening; the role of Saturn in Scorpio involves finding places where there are emotional blockages and working them free. Think of Saturn in Scorpio as dredging out the bottom of a navigation channel in a river.”
That image of a channel in a river is an especially helpful one, because one key to working with Mars-Saturn aspects is the ability to focus the drive of Mars within the specific boundaries Saturn is describing. Right now Saturn is in Scorpio — a water sign. But if you try to push through with Mars along the length of the whole river of material that Scorpio can represent, you may find your energies dilute themselves to the point of uselessness. That lack of progress could feel very frustrating, and work against you if you get carried along its current.
Saturn is saying, stay focused on the navigation channel and go deep. Poseidon, a Neptune-like point that is making Saturn too slippery for Mars to get its usual traction against, might be making it harder to see where the walls of that navigation channel are. Dredging this channel could take more intuition than sheer force of will.
As Eric also mentioned, this Mars-Saturn square is looking like Mars is being challenged by some of its own inner psychological resistance, since it rules Scorpio. Intuition rather than willful desire looks like the better approach.
Just as talking with a group of friends can help us to get perspective on what we think we want and re-focus on a deeper issue, so too is group energy a key factor with this Mars-Saturn square. It looks like group energy and intention holds the release point for whatever is obstructing the deeper issue you’re grappling with.
But this is about more than simply getting group feedback to be able to move forward. Eric described it as being “about focusing group intelligence into tangible action.” The group is taking action along with you in some way, if you’re seeing these themes in a group situation. For this to be less like herding cats and more like the movements of a precision marching band, remember to keep bringing back the focus to within specific boundaries.
As for that last-quarter Moon: there is something here about the innate power, authority and (ideally) humility of the Capricorn Sun being challenged by the more emotional pull of a Libra Moon’s desire for everything to please everyone and to be liked.
As you work on bringing closure to issues that came up with last week’s Full Moon, take a cue from Mars and Saturn and stay focused within specific boundaries. You can only be so much to so many people; balance and fairness sometimes take a while to sort themselves out, and we have another week before the Capricorn New Moon. Let the Libra Moon’s ruler, Venus, guide you toward loving solutions — solutions that keep you centered, digging deep and in tune with your group’s intentions — and the highest good for all concerned in the long run — rather than frustrations.
bkoehler — what a great addition to the conversation, and quite apropos — thanks!
Mercury will conjunct his twin Hermes as they conjunct Pluto which also seems to advise caution to think through any impulse regarding action; at least twice! This trio comes between Saturn and the Aquarius Mars and aspects them both; a sextile to Saturn and a semi-sextile to Mars. This semisextile connects a masculine sign to a feminine sign that provides a possibility of going into action but also dealing with conditions you attract without aggression.
Also in the picture are Juno (6 Cap) and Isis (8 Cap), and they indicate that deep-seated power issues (Pluto) which deal with relationships (Juno) are now ripe for being put back together (Isis). That this is being facilitated by Mercury and Hermes to express in words (written or spoken) could indicate that the Mars square Saturn is about some delayed (Saturn) communication (Mercury & Hermes) which is now ready to move forward (Mars in Aquarius).
Chiron in Pisces, exactly sextile Juno in Cap, will also activate the trine to Saturn and sextile to Pluto so it could very well lead to a healing conversation. Think of how a thorn in the flesh can fester if left too long unattended. Once it is brought to the surface (Pluto) through some careful probing (Mars the surgeon), the “body” (Saturn) can begin to heal (Chiron) any fractured (Isis) relationship (Juno) that has been suffering. Why not?
be
Yes this crossroads of the last quarter to serve the square of Mars and Saturn as a marker for the target
There were other thats what there is and there will be other.
Excellent Weekend all 🙂
herding cats made me laugh! (helps if they agree where the destination is – food and it can’t be linear and structured herding only intuitive so that works well here!? But this morning for the first time the wild cat let me stroke her when she came to find me; without breakfast, before breakfast, briefly, purring. And then the mad dash for breakfast – all four leaping, running, flowing like otters before and after me, the hundred metres to where I feed them).
Wish them safe and loving homes and that I find them!
love Pam
Clearing channels & herding cats indeed. A rare, sleepless night of herding cats… Thanks for the clear-sighted guidance, Amanda – great post.
“Mars is a very good servant, but a very poor master.”
I am writing that one on my forehead for contemplation purposes. Certainly adds that twist to thinking on this. I was just thinking before reading this that hotheads have their purposes but I am not entirely sure I want that engraved on my urn.
Amanda: Thank you for a situation-specific synopsis of this impending Last Quarter Moon (rather than all that cook book stuff other astrology websites often foist). Also, loved your analogy to “herding cats”, although it may be a bit unfair to cats, it does express very well how folks can go off (on a tangent, or emotionally) if Mars is allowed to run the show without a balanced, focused, and patient approach. Mars is a very good servant, but a very poor master.
Thank you, dear Amanda!