What do you do with the truth?

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011. The Moon spends the day in Aquarius. It will make squares to Jupiter in Taurus on one side and the Sun in Scorpio on the other in the early hours EDT. This is the quarter Moon, which is a turning point and an opportunity to re-balance yourself. Since the Moon is square both Jupiter and the Sun, there does seem to be a dilemma in the air.

You may experience some tension between certain deep emotions by which you have long defined yourself, your values in the material world, and an intellectual urge for the two to make sense.

There may be something else going on, however, which is an inability to decide whether you want to express or withhold. The Scorpio Sun is saying express and retrograde Jupiter in Taurus is saying withhold. The Moon, trying to balance these two things that cannot be balanced, moves quickly — but the dilemma is illustrated another way: Mercury and Venus moving into Sagittarius and making squares to Chiron in Pisces.

Yesterday we covered the theme of denial — that was signified by Mercury and Venus square Neptune. Denial has lots of uses, but the main one is to veil our inner truth. We might have lots of reasons for doing that, but the action begs another question: What do we do with the truth — our own personal truth or some larger one — once we know what it is? One option is to put the truth into action in some way; to make it visible to ourselves and others in our words and deeds. Another choice, as mentioned, is to actively deny it; to continue acting and speaking in ways that intentionally hide it.

But what about attempting to hold inner truth in consciousness without acting on it or actively denying it? Does that work?

It may sometimes seem like, or be, a valid third choice. After all, if I’m not actively proclaiming the opposite, it isn’t really denial, right? Perhaps. Many go on for years knowing what’s true for them and doing something else. For some it becomes a game. For others, there is a mind-body split (for example, knowing their true sexual or relational orientation and acting some other way). There are those who catch the truth like a cat catches a mouse, and play with it until it finally dies and is no longer appealing. Others catch the mouse and eat it like a true hunter.

The situation can get especially sticky when we find ourselves ‘suddenly’ in situations calling for us to act on our truth before we’ve made up our minds to do so. And this may be most commonly problematic when it comes to sexual desires. True, not all sexual desire can be acted upon: he’s married, she’s a continent away, he’s illegally young, she’s your teacher. But that does not negate the importance of knowing what your desire is, what your personal ethics are surrounding it, and making peace with the idea of being known for who you are.

Maybe most Planet Waves readers already get this, but it is worthwhile to acknowledge that you have sexual desire; to admit to yourself that you would like to act on it; to give yourself permission to be — and be known as — a fully sexual being. It’s amazing how damaged and undermined this basic facet of being human is in western culture. If this describes you, chances are you have found yourself in the position to act on your sexual truth despite having not fully come to terms with it. And the conflict that ensues can be painful, even paralyzing. Is that really a valid third option, despite its prevalence?

These thoughts are one angle of the current astrology. Venus and Mercury moving together is a picture of the thought process firmly connected to the element of desire. We can no longer function unconsciously in our daily lives without feeling somewhat off-kilter; and acting unconsciously with sexual desire can be dangerous. But are we clear as to what we attract? We have a choice now between careful thought and remaining in denial. You may be accustomed to making this choice daily, or it may feel inconvenient – even painful – as you give it a try.

Venus and Mercury square Chiron means it’s time to consider our weaknesses and wounds — and those of others. What do we attract via our wounds? Are we attracted to others because of theirs? It may be time to look at this subject from a wider vantage point and engage in new thinking. Among the many centaurs, Chiron was unique in that he operated from higher mind; that is to say, he possessed and was a teacher of ethics. Now that Venus and Mercury are in Sagittarius, is it time to change your mind, or to heal it? At the least, it appears time to understand that mind better, and Chiron asks us to take action using our new understanding. Application is the key, and the reward, with the insights we come to this week.

Note that Mars is still opposite Neptune. We’re not out of the woods yet in terms of possible overreaching where our libido and drive are concerned. You can recognize your inner truth as Venus and Mercury square Chiron and apply it without being impulsive. The week is still calling for discernment. If you jump on a sudden impulse, let it be the impulse to explore the factors driving your impulses and attractions in the first place. The security blanket of denial may keep us where we are, but that is not the same as safe, or genuinely alive, or in possession of our integrity.

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