Today is Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. The Moon starts the day in changeable, mental Gemini, and later transitions to the more forceful emotional environs of Cancer. This transition could be a perfect metaphor for navigating the astrology of the whole week. Yesterday Eric referred to this as a week of expert astrology, calling for discernment, perspective and conscious integrity. The Sun-Neptune quincunx is slippery; it feels like a conversation between two people who don’t quite understand one another. They may have different values, different points of view, different ethics or literally be speaking two different languages. As the Moon applies to a trine with Neptune tomorrow morning, up until 12:32 pm EDT, you may be feeling this slipperiness as an inability to make or feel a connection with others. It may be hard to see or be seen by another, to hear or be heard.
Fortunately, once the Moon enters Cancer later today, this can add the element of compassion and soften the overall emotional feeling-tone, which is otherwise scantily represented in the astrology right now. Also, there is another aspect which serves as a tool to navigate the slipperiness of Sun-Neptune. Around 6:23 pm EDT, the Moon in Cancer makes a trine to Chiron in Pisces. This serves to highlight the longer lasting Mars-Chiron quincunx of this week, which is in turn a kind of antidote to the Sun-Neptune slipperiness.
Mars-Chiron is a much more focused energy and will feel like more of a conversation between people who understand each other or have something in common. It’s happening at the same time as Sun-Neptune — so it’s like there are two different frequencies available on which to communicate.
Just like the relationship between Chiron and the many famous heroes whom he mentored, the Mars-Chiron quincunx is about learning, adaptation, adjustment and restoring equilibrium. Think of it like picking up a good walking stick to lean on after you’ve just slipped and nearly busted your can. This is mostly just good common horse sense. When you slip on a trail, the landscape is telling you that if you want to continue on this trail you will have to be careful and pay attention, for sure; but these requirements can be remedied somewhat by simply looking around you for any basic tools that are available. The walking stick is a kind of lever, one of the simplest and most common tools known to humans. Likewise, there are always basic tools of any trade available to us at any time. When the going gets tough, get back to basics and remember the fundamentals.
However, like any good philosopher or mentor, Chiron can take the concept or construct of the walking stick, or any basic tool, and turn it into a lesson which illuminates something bigger. In this case, the Mars-Chiron quincunx is blending the energies of Leo and Pisces. It’s showing us that two signs that seem to have little in common on the surface can in fact be combined productively. In fact, in this case we may have little choice in the matter because the nature of the quincunx itself is to refine, adjust and push towards manifestation of the full potential of something.
Last month I talked about the elements and Jungian functions in terms of “switching channels” of communication. In the case of Mars in Leo quincunx Chiron in Pisces, we have an adjustment between two channels: the Feeling of what the value of something is (Chiron in Pisces/water), and the Intuition of where it is going (Mars in Leo/fire). The alchemical symbol for water is a downward pointing triangle, because water tends to seek the lowest place. Psychologically then, Feeling is about ‘getting to the bottom’ of something, in order to figure out what it is worth to us or how emotionally invested we are. The alchemical symbol for fire, on the other hand, is an upward pointing triangle, because fire tends to move up and out. Psychologically then, Intuition is about knowing the purpose of something, where it is ultimately headed, and what it will look like when it gets there — when it has been transformed or actualized.
So the questions to ask yourself when encountering slipperiness this week are: Do you care, and if so, how much? How emotionally invested are you in seeing something through to its ultimate actualized state? If there does not seem to be enough value, enough emotional charge to stay on this path, is that really as deep as it goes? Can you use a tool to keep you going until you find out or to dig around a bit and see if it goes any deeper?
By Gary Caton
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thank you for sharing your light here Gary. Beautiful.
Love the picture of the fish swimming off into the sky through the limbs of the trees! I began reading Jung recently because of that post you referenced, “the elements and Jungian functions in terms of “switching channels” of communication.” I am beginning with ‘Memories, Dreams, Reflections’ recorded and edited by Aniela Jaffe’ as provided by Jung in his early 80’s. This is in the nature of an autobiography and is quite approachable for me because of that. Interesting how much I have been influenced by his ideas through others who have been influenced by his ideas. How consumed he was by God at such an early age! His visions! The experience of grace from sacrilege! The sense of his immortal self. The objective and universal eye.
Oh yes, thank you, Gary. This article inandofitself is a wonderful tool. I am now setting about to ingest the ideas it contains more deeply.
I have a plant by my front door that is limp; its roots struggling to find the depth they need for it to thrive. Dig around I shall – for my plant and for my Self.
Gary,
Thank you for so artfully developing the defined and refined tools with which to encounter the week’s astrology. An excellent segue to yesterday’s blog and a fine foreshadow for what’s on the horizon. A very satisfying, educating and rewarding read.
Thank you, Gary!