How do you access your creativity and moreover, how do you find time and space in our ridiculously busy world to develop and express a creative instinct? This is a question I suspect more than a few people ask themselves constantly.
Many others struggle right below the level of a question, somehow not bringing the matter to the surface. I think that once the question bubbles to the top of awareness, you’re already pretty close to working it out, though it seems that part of the creative process is using creativity to figure out how to express yourself, given all the usual tensions.
Pisces is considered one of the most intuitive, creative signs, and Virgo is one of the most analytical and mental. The two signs depend on one another for grounding any process of creativity or development. Pisces is the realm of inspiration and ideas. Virgo is the realm of tangible focus, documentation and breaking something into steps and work flow.
It’s pretty obvious how the two work together to get results. And now we have the Virgo-Pisces axis fully activated. The Moon is full in Virgo on the Moon’s Day (Monday, Feb. 26) at 3:26 pm EST. Before that happens, the Moon ingresses Virgo Monday at 1:52 am EST. Here is the chart and here are the minor planets.
As of this posting, it is at the end of its run through Leo, close to a conjunction with the hypothetical planet Transpluto. The message of that aspect is that self-criticism slays creativity.
The Full Moon is the Moon opposing the Sun; the two bodies are in opposite signs when this happens, which makes sense given that the Sun is now in Pisces. ‘Full’ means that you can see half of the Moon (the other half is pointed away from the Earth) and it also means a full opposition.
The Full Moon is a direct meeting and also a point of differentiation. It can help resolve a deadlock or a quandary, and I am seeing this aspect as carrying the momentum of integrating Pisces and Virgo.
Notably, Mercury stationed retrograde in Pisces on Saturday. While this phase, lasting through March 17, can frustrate efforts in the rational world, it can stoke creativity. I often hear artist- and musician-types describe how helpful this aspect is. My own art project, Book of Blue, always seems to thrive under retrograde Mercury. Perhaps it’s the inner communication that makes the retrograde so creatively fulfilling. So we have that in the background of this Full Moon.
I think that often the ‘creative quandary’ is a struggle between an idea and how to materialize it. I can tell you from facing a lot of blank pages and doing 14 annual editions of Planet Waves that it really does start with the first word, casting the first chart or sketching out the concept. From there, you keep going, developing things as slowly or as quickly as you can work comfortably.
It’s necessary to work both ends of the equation, ongoing — the inspiration side and the technical/materialization side. When one is stuck, go to the other. Sooner or later you’ll get them working together.
This Full Moon is exactly aligned with Jupiter, the ruler of Pisces. By exactly, I mean we are splitting hairs — all three points are at 7+ degrees of their respective signs, Virgo, Pisces and Gemini. So this is really three exact aspects at the same moment — Moon opposite Sun, Moon square Jupiter and Sun square Jupiter.
That’s also known as a T-square. As Genevieve Hathaway pointed out to me either in an email or an article, Jupiter in this setup is like a huge battery powering the Full Moon, looking for someplace to go. That someplace is up to you to figure out where.
I just looked up the word ‘quandary’ in Etymology Online, my favorite website after Solotouch. The word means “state of perplexity,” and it has a mysterious origin; it’s potentially associated with the Latin word quando, which means when, or rather, when? Think of the creative quandary as being a perplexing question of when.
I’ll tell you when: now. With creative experiences, the answer to when? is always now. You may not go the whole distance now, but you can start now. That’s why, if you have any creative aspirations or designs at all, it’s essential to keep a pen and notebook with you at all times.
Now, the Full Moon chart does point out a few pitfalls to this process. They come in the form of the minor planets, of which I will describe three that are included in the alignment. When I see a T-square, the first thing I want to know is what’s out there in space at the fourth end of the square? In this case that would be around 7 degrees of Sagittarius.
This is how the Full Moon looks like in high resolution. If you set the orb to two degrees on either side of the lunation, there are 11 planets in the aspect structure, not three. There is not time to go over all 11 planets (we’ve already covered three — Moon, Sun and Jupiter) but I will add messages from three more.
At the fourth leg of this aspect pattern, in Sagittarius, we have an asteroid called Hebe and a newly named centaur planet named Orius. To me this is about making sure that the point of what you’re doing is not trying to please your audience. There is a time and place for doing that, and it is NOT at the beginning or even the middle of a creative process.
Hebe is about codependency (presumably with the audience). Orius, a whole new critter for astrologers to work with, has been delineated by the centaur oracle himself, Phil Sedgwick, as involving “relationship matters and the social perceptions of those relationships and through the lens of how those interactions may affect social standing.” So skip the social standing issue, too. Don’t worry about your ‘reputation’, especially if you don’t have one yet. Do what is real for you.
Then Achilles shows up, very close to the Moon. That says: beware of false lack of confidence. Don’t give yourself reasons not to be confident. Don’t critique your own work. Just do what you do, as sincerely and as well as you can.
I’ll add two more. Teharonhiawako is saying, what you’re doing is not holding up the world, it’s just what you’re doing — the impact comes much later. Sauer is saying, watch out for denial: something is or isn’t art; you are or aren’t an artist; whatever. Forget that bullshit.
Sharpen your pencil, clear a picture card, dust off your video camera, charge the battery, tune the guitar, squeeze some paint onto the palette and get busy.
Quando?
Modo!
Carrie, Yes. I’ll be 62 in March and the 14 year marks always seem to add up, but I notice it more from the rising sign and sun sign more than my own natal saturn. My 14 year mark was at 56, and that was when I retired and started making soap. Where the other 14 year mark works for me is with saturn conjunct my rising sign. I opened a walk in retail store during late Libra saturn – so the current scorpio saturn is still in my first house, rapidly approaching 2nd house. My daughter is an aries rising, so we are well matched by being on each other’s descendent. Might be a little convoluted, but by the time I’m 72, I’ll probably be ready to hand off the direction to her – or not. My mom and I started our internet business a little over 14 years ago, and she is a libra. We were selling her depression glass, but I was doing the hands on computer work. She went to auctions and the like, looking for things to sell. She was 72 at the time.
Patty,
You know that 14 years is half the Saturn return cycle…right?
The Virgin fish axis it is the soul of the world and so modified the date among Western astrologers. And scientists in forgetting their right brain or the illuminated which oversights in their left brain
I want to say there all this wish in the Virgin axis, fish
Thank you Eric for your wonderful article
Good Cycle of full moon at all 🙂
Initiative and Discipline. Exactly what’s needed! Looking forward to your words of wisdom on this. But for now:
It is not easy to describe the sea with the mouth. Kokyu
Love you and Planet Waves ef!
Spot on for me! Have spent the day gradually filling up with emotional motivation and energy in face of a creative and somewhat crazy project I set my mind on in Dec 2008. Back then I thought this would happened far further in the future, but today the idea and emotional motivation came back with such force.:/ 🙂 Before my workday ended (are gifted with a job that leaves my mind free to wander) a small melody hit my mind, it has happened twice before in life (that I remember today) and made me pick down my well forgotten flutes… Your skilled reflection just put the icing on my able! Thanks! ;-)/Ylva from Sweden
This stuff is working with my moon in Saggitarius at 8 degrees, my IC at 9 Pisces and MC at 9 Virgo. I think I’m fine, though my dog has tummy trouble. Since she’s sick, I’ve been basically home tending her, and I live in the country, so not too much human contact for me to see how I’ll be with people. Tomorrow is work and the gym, so I’ll see how this carries over with people there. I couldn’t sleep last night with my dog needing to go out every hour, and finally after she threw up in my bed at 4 a.m., we both got up for real so I got to see the full moon (or almost full) shining on the new snow.
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com
THe link is to a very easy article about making paper. In the old days it was called ‘laid paper’ and a lot of artisans create their own books using paper they’ve made. More to the point – I’ve been worrying about all the paper and ink I use on my soap labels, so now I’ve decided to try making simple laid paper labels with a bit of the herbs or flowers mixed in. The beauty of this is that the author at One Good Thing is using discarded advertising mail – aka junk mail. So how cool will that be? Very, to me. As it happens, 14 years ago i started an online business with my mom, and kept the name and website address. I’m just now starting up again with the original name, but dropping the antiques – that was my mom’s business, not really me. I read that every 14 years is a turning point, depending upon where saturn was placed at the time. It is now headed in reverse in my first house. So 14 years ago I tried being in business with my mother a libra, and now I’m in business with my daughter (Cap, and aries rising). What she does with it in 14 years is up to her. I even bought quills and colonial ink in 4 colors 14 years ago, not knowing what I’d do with them, just instinctively knew I needed them. Saying goodbye to the laserjet will be dandy – just have to talk ole boy into helping with lettering labels. We can create a stamp for our most used ingredients I think, to stamp the reverse. I’m guessing that my daughter will morph it back into a seed business when Saturn heads into Aries again. My mom and I worked at it (heirloom seeds), but the work is hard, and the barriers are great. We still have our heirloom seed collection, but it isn’t large enough for a business.
Signed, Pisces with Libra Rising. 🙂
Interesting take on this full moon. I’m about as far away from a quandary as I can imagine. Everything flowing so beautifully as I continue to surrender into present time. Maybe because this full moon is conjunct my natal Jupiter in Pisces in the 12th house, along with all the other planets in Pisces transiting this house. Jupiter rules my Sag sun and my north node is also in the 12th. Resistance is futile. My art is all about loving touch and the creative juices seem to be flowing abundantly at this time. Lucky me!
Eric,
Very helpful, thank you. These Piscean transits are surely lighting up my intercepted natal sun (8th house opp Pluto/Virgo). The push-me-pull-you of this Virgo/Pisces intuitive/analytical you speak of has absolutely been the “story of my life”.
That said, what wonderous opportunity – point opposite transiting Jupiter is the midpoint between natal Saturn and transiting Saturn – and conjunct Sappho. I’m not writing poetry per se, but inspiration for what I am creating has certainly picked up speed. Now for the structure that gives balance and space for creativity to flourish!
Thanks again for your guidance.
Discipline is key, isn’t it. I’m considering that as the topic of tonight’s post — a trine to Saturn…as well as initiative — Mercury conjunct Mars. Initiative and Discipline.
Very helpful Eric! In the beginning stages of a writing project. That t-square involves my Sun in Gemini. My biggest challenge is my procrastination and lack of discipline. This project feels crucial. The other things I’m doing are probably just ways to distract myself. Sigh. Onward through the fog. Perplexity? You have no idea.
Ps and I love the comment from the Bass – bass singers are so cool!
Thanks so much, dear Daniel! Sounds great. Just the encouragement I needed, to get me off my butt…
Oh, god, a clue to the mystery of how to live with my natal full virgo moon. It’s been shining there in plain sight all my life.
This is such an interesting and uplifting piece Eric – thank you.
I have Virgo/Pisces IC/MC so it speaks to me. Today I have lived the IC end by cleaning clearing and cleansing the place that I live in. The anchoring needs to be sorted first for me!
Now Mercury has stationed on my M/H…so now I will reflect on *self criticism slays creativity*
Great article for artists. Thanks Eric, well said.
Lizzy, go for it! I was in a choir workshop recently after having been out of one for a LONG time. It felt amazing. I remember in high school singing next to a Bass from the Elmer Iseler Singers. I said I had difficulty with singing the low D. He simply said “Relax. No strain. The volume will come later. It’s like love.”
“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?” (Rabbi Hillel)
Thank you, dearest Eric, for your wonderful advice and encouragement. Am so busy trying to keep my head above water at the moment that the creative call has taken a back seat – but it’s really insistent, nevertheless – and am thinking of kickstarting it by joining a choir – there’s safety in numbers.