We’re just over a week into Mercury’s pre-retrograde shadow phase, and some people are already noticing slightly retrograde-type hiccups. That’s one of a few reasons why it would pay to start being extra mindful when it comes to thinking, emoting, speaking, moving and expressing yourself in general.
Part of this is because Mercury is in Scorpio, a water sign (and will be there for the whole retrograde). Mercury in a water sign means that emotions and thought processes kind of blur together; you may feel your thoughts.
Another reason to be mindful of the aforementioned actions is that Mars is entering the last few degrees of Leo. This hot-blooded planet in a fire sign could equal a little more ‘assertiveness’ when it comes to the chances one might be inclined to take — and the attitudes that go along with them.
With Venus in Sagittarius, Jupiter’s home sign, there’s more emphasis on the whole fun-loving, extravagant appetite and adventuring (or adventuresome sex) theme. Play, extravagance, out-sized appetites and even outsized emotions have their place, and can be truly constructive when making art and performing.
Speaking of outsized emotions, Jupiter in Cancer is receiving a square from the Libra Sun. This will be exact Saturday, Oct. 12 at 11:08 am EDT but is certainly in effect now. Classic hallmarks of any Sun-Jupiter square include a “tendency toward untruthfulness and exaggeration” according to Isabel Hickey, along with showiness, questionable judgment and the need to adjust one’s attitude.
Throw in the fact that Jupiter is in Cancer — ruled by the Moon and signifying our emotions at their most cyclical — and there’s genuine potential to be swept up in a current whose flow is stronger than you thought it was before you jumped in headfirst.
Squares urge us to act; that is the balm that soothes the tension manifesting. But this would be a good time to remind yourself that just because a little of something is good, more is not necessarily better. Sometimes more can be downright toxic or dangerous; sometimes it just translates into wasted energy, drama and frustration.
The Sun and Jupiter are essentially a couple of giant balls of gas squaring off against each other. The Sun converts its hot gases into energy, which is released as heat and light into the rest of the solar system. It’s the thing holding the solar system together, feeding it with light; it’s bigger and stronger and perhaps more essential than Jupiter.
In Libra, the Sun bodes well for the potential to lean on the Sun’s side of the square, using a sense of fairness, balance and ‘relationship’ in the face of outsized emotions. The Sun also represents ego, however — hence the caution about attitude adjustments.
All that said, our emotions have their place and importance. But how do you honor how you feel without becoming a hostage to your emotions?
That is, how can you keep your inner reality or personal life from mirroring the antics of Congress? Where is the line between sticking to your ideals, values and emotional truth versus throwing a tantrum that ripples out far beyond your personal pool? When it comes to questions of justice or relational negotiations (Libra), can you plumb the depths instead of just splashing around?
I am working hard on mastering my emotions better. I’m definitely making an effort to process my emotions before reacting, for the sake of myself and others. And indeed, I am noticing a lot of pre-Mercury Rx activity on the road, in commerce, in communications, and in technology. I’m doing what I can to stay cool.
be & yeti — thanks so much for the expansions (how jovian) on this theme and the new thoughts! i appreciate the reminder that jupiter in cancer might overdo the “protection” side of things as much as the emotional side.
and the ceres reminder is timely: i have some bygone, possibly diseased bean plants i need to dig out of my garden, and i am about 5 days overdue to make sauce out of the remaining tomatoes on my counter. they are starting to rot! 🙁
for sure, the desire to cook for friends, put up food in my freezer, tidy, nest and so on is strong these days…
Oooommmmmm…Jupiter is essential to life on Earth. A lot more space rocks would hit Earth if there weren’t gas giants sweeping them up between us and the Oort Cloud. But then his big belly sometimes lobs things at us. Exalted in Cancer; the planet of too much in the sign that encourages his natural inclinations can overdo protection. Jupiter can bounce off helpers as well as antagonists if he’s not careful. Thank you, uncle Saturn.
From abstract to the focus of an individual story I have a song that had some lines in it that I felt would be casting curses to sing them rather than medicine waves. Trash the song? No! don’t bounce the whole thing out. I just played and sent the intention out to find the words that would activate the medicine in the music to dispel rather than strengthen the curse. Came through in time to shift it during open mic time.
(sorry about that. . .didn’t think it had gone through yet) be
I can’t help myself Amanda, even though I don’t have time to spare, I just wanted to say good advice re: Jupiter-Sun square. My natal Jupiter square Sun almost always means I’ve bitten off more than I can chew (or swallow) such as right now. Fortunately, there is a sextile setting up now between Mercury and Vesta (exact Monday morning) that would be a productive way to use any excess Jupiter energy. Vesta could always use the extra help!
Also, Ceres is still in orb of her sextile to Jupiter now so if your garden needs attention, it would benefit from the nurturing of a Cancer placed Jupiter.
be
I can’t help myself Amanda, even though I don’t have time to spare, I just wanted to say good advice re: Jupiter-Sun square. My natal Jupiter square Sun almost always means I’ve bitten off more than I can chew (or swallow) such as right now. Fortunately, there is a sextile setting up now between Mercury and Vesta (exact Monday morning) that would be a productive way to use any excess energy. Vesta could always use the extra help!
be
divecarla — i’m with you! curiously, it seems that often when i’m on the verge of riding jupiter’s wave of energy, i second-guess myself as to whether it is “prudent” to do so.
i haven’t quite decided whether that is me considering my best interests in a positive, aligned way, or me getting scared of my own power: my power to create a little fertile chaos, my power to take a chance, my power to be loud and bold, my power to trust in the universe to support me, my power to create a new path and then (gulp) accept the responsibility to travel it and see what unfolds…
Maybe I am naive, delusional, or in denial, but I really want to use Jupiter in all its transits to enhance what I want, go in the direction I want to go, and give me my idea of what’s best for me. Jupiter and Sun both are too big to be going against me.
I think the key is to make sure I am not going against my own best interests. I have the power.
Thanks for the astrology, Amanda.