Today is Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. The Moon is in Scorpio all day, just beginning to wax. But we’re going to interrupt our regularly scheduled coverage of all things Scorpio to bring you an astrological news flash from the Libra-Aries axis: Saturn is opposite Eris. These two bodies have been in the same degree for almost two weeks, and today the opposition is exact down to the arc minute. We’ve been feeling its effects even longer, as it’s been moving closer over the past month.
It’s an opposition between the planet of structure and form (Saturn), and the planet associated with the identity chaos of the modern psyche (Eris). In Libra, Saturn speaks of structured relationships. In Aries, Eris speaks about a chaotic self-concept; it has been in that sign for several decades, and will be for several more. We tend to think this idea of fractured self or deconstructed identity as being something modern – kind of like our understanding of PTSD. But we’ve had this influence since the 1920s, so Eris in Aries is actually one of the hallmarks in the background of the 20th and 21st century Self. It’s just having a conversation with a really strong planet right now.
And, as luck would have it, a few other planets are chiming in here. It’s a little like astrological polyamory: Mars in Leo is trine Eris and sextile Saturn, while Venus and Mercury in Scorpio are quincunx Eris. With that kind of action, what’s an identity to do?
Venus and Mercury in Scorpio are a bit on the pervy queer side, and quincunxes are all about adjustment. Here’s our take on this, in the style of ‘choose your own adventure’. 1. You’re finally going to try gender bending. It is, after all, Halloween — the safest time of the year if you want some cover. 2. You’ve never stopped into the local sex toy store. Haaaappy Thuuuuursdaaaay to youuuuuu… and to your boyfriend, as you walk around the house in your strap-on. 3. You really wanted to get yourself off yesterday in a New Moon ritual in the woods, but couldn’t get out of work before it got dark. Instead, go for it today in the ladies room — especially if it’s a multi-stall bathroom.
Now, Mars trine Eris and sextile Saturn fires up a strong flow of desire to both halves of the opposition. What do you really want in your relationships? The Mars-Eris trine is perhaps the less productive of the two, both in terms of the angle and its inherent psychology. It’s an easy angle, but try not to get caught up in an endless loop about who you want to be. (At least the sibs are getting along — mythological Mars and Eris are brother and sister.) Just be who you are and save the questioning for your Halloween costume. Mars sextile Saturn offers a little more traction to your desire. Use it to set some intentions around what kind of relationship structure you want and set them in motion. If that strap-on idea appealed to you, maybe you want a structure where you have more power, but don’t have to fight for it; or a structure that’s more fluid than it has been.
We’ve been trying to have structured relationships in a time of personality chaos. Often, we use our relationships in an attempt to stabilize our sense of who we are. More often than not, the restless need to exist as an individual can wreak havoc on our partnerships, which are not designed to embrace the reality of growing people, who are in motion. Our relationships, as we’re taught to have them, are more about creating stability that often comes at the cost of a sense of confinement.
Saturn opposite Eris is a rare event, and it speaks to that situation. There will be a nearly exact repeat of this opposition next year, then the next time it happens will be in 2041.
We all know about the issue it’s describing: it’s the old “freedom versus commitment” issue. We face persistent challenges in balancing this, and that’s one thing that makes our relationships so unstable. We tend to assume, for example, that people are going to remain the same rather than change or grow. We talk about growth — but, most of the time, the human structures that we live within are threatened by it.
These days, Uranus in Aries is driving our need for independence and freedom to new levels, and our relationships are feeling it. Many are noticing that compromises no longer work, yet it’s challenging to find a partner who will honor us as a whole person. Saturn may be giving you the sense of being enclosed within something more palpably than usual. You may feel like you don’t want a relationship, but you do want to relate. Now is the time to consider what kind of relationship structure best matches with the reality of who you truly are, and what kind of person would be best suited to that reality, if anyone.
For those of you currently in intimate partnerships, you might ask: How much of your identity is wrapped up in your relationship? To what extent do you use your relationship to stabilize your life, rather than doing inner work on the issues that might be destabilizing you?
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Lucky me, I have this aspect natally…
Eris (conjunct MC) opposition Saturn (conjunct IC)
Astrology has been a helpful tool to help me navigate life´s experiencies in order to grow and to affirm myself as a whole.
Amanda, if I’ve got it down right, it means an extra point of creative action. :)xo
“perhaps I’ll put it on backwards and check out glory-holes in the ladies room after dark after work.”
…i’m trying to figure out how the backwards part works…?
🙂
lol! I’m in the mood to adjust my strap-on; perhaps I’ll put it on backwards and check out glory-holes in the ladies room after dark after work.
Something shifted today – if not tangible, well, lately what is? This passage is a long stairway through the hall of mirrors, to be sure. Lots to reflect on. Not sure what the POV of the original Self will be at the end of the ride.
Or maybe the idea of sitting with Silly Putty and the Sunday Funnies is apropos to the moment — stretching the original structure all sideways and up.n.down and then printing the new image somewhere on Self like a tattoo.
Although I hadn’t this precise moment in mind as did Len, I am surely Grateful for this moment as all points prior absolutely lead here now into this shift. Like a hand into a custom made glove.
Or an Aries on a Taurus flank. A Perfect Fit. (!!GREAT pic!!)
Thanks, PW-All.
xo
robbi cohn, let me second that emotion. I had an interview with an 85 year old man today who normally votes Republican. He is not amused, not even a little bit, with the Grand Ol’ Pissers — as he called ’em.
It was a trip to listen to him and his view of the current situation – said that he had never been so sure that the whole system is a giant crock and that we need to dump ’em all– Start over with a copy of the Constitution in every legislator’s mailbox and 30 days before roll-call on a public-administered test. If they don’t pass, run ’em out on a rail.
He was on a tear. A lot of energy for someone 20 years into retirement, and he is not alone…
Eric,
Deservedly separate praise for the photo. Nice catch. Jupiter trine Pluto anyone?
Thank you. i have been waiting for this aspect (Saturn opposing Eris) and this blog for over two years with anticipation. Well done! Or, in the spirit of your blog – wet spot on! It’s so great to have long anticipation end without disappointment. i was fixing to get uppity when i saw the (usually derisive) term “pervy queer” but you took the risk advisedly and pulled off a nice save.
Eric: Special thanks to you for the historical perspective. i agree. Today’s opposition of Saturn to Eris is a truly auspicious moment that will stand the test of time as a point of reference in both the personal and political realms.
I don’t know if this applies, but the pressure I’ve been feeling is a strong pull to actively participate in the Occupy movement, a feeling that transcends most everything else and contradicts several areas of my life.
Vaurien. How did you know I wasn’t able to get out of work yesterday?
interesting parallels…many of us who were active in Vietnam era antiwar protests have been experiencing personal and multiple Saturn:Uranus oppositions, echoing contemporary astrology. It’s like watching the wheel…returning, in one sense, yet it’s different…the same, but different.
I can FEEL the energy…I even hear rather conservative individuals going WTF. The energy is palpable…you kinda get the feeling that people either need to get on the bus or get out the way…cuz whatever is happening has LOTS of mojo…
A Decade of Saturn Opposing the Outer Planets : Summary
There is some background to this story. I am not sure where I wrote it out once before, but here is the short version. Saturn has been making a lot of oppositions to outer planets the past 10 years. By outer planets I mean in the classical sense — Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, which are all fairly close together in the sky, having made a series of conjunction sin the 1960s and 1990s. So Saturn opposed them one at a time between 2001 and 2010.
First was 2001-2002 – 9/11 era – Saturn opp Pluto. First stolen election, false flag attacks, anthrax, National Security State consolidated, point of no return on corporate merger with government, start of Afgh and Irak wars. Solution to everything: duct tape and plastic wrap. (Three exact oppositions.)
Then was Saturn opp Neptune – 2004-2008 – Hurricanes Katrina + Rita, second stolen election, economic slide, precursor to the bank crash. (Three exact oppositions with a very wide orb since it’s Neptune.)
Then was Saturn opp Uranus – 2008-present – The economic crash, Obama election, pluralists v reactionaries, rise of the Tea Party, European banking crisis (Greece, Ireland, Spain, etc).
Now we have Saturn opp Eris. I include Eris among the many, many objects existing in the region of space beyond Pluto because Eris qualifies as one of the ‘great’ outer planets, not a minor planet, in that it summed up all prior minor planet discoveries, defined an era of astronomy, and an era of history. This is making one exact opposition — TODAY. The influence seems to be distinctly personal as opposed to ‘historical’. But there is also a distinct era in history: withdrawal of GI troops from Irak, murder of bin Laden, and of Qadaffi and the rise of the Occupy Wall Street movement, awareness of the need for personal responsibility.
While we are definitely still getting some effects of Saturn opposite Uranus, and the early effects of Uranus square Pluto (exact 2012-2015), this intense, even insane year (Tucson shootings, Fukushima, etc.) will teach us a lot about Eris because of the exact opposition from Saturn.
The theme we’ve been developing the past two months about autonomy in relationships, personality chaos that cannot be answered by marriage or a partner, and many other themes, relate back to this aspect. It’s about an era in personal history that is defined by the idea of personal responsibility and standing up for what is right.
Would love to hear more thoughts from astrologers or astrology students.
efc