Whatever 2014 has brought you so far, the sky is offering a way for you to grasp it like a handle. Like most of astrology, it begins with the luminaries, Sun and Moon, today. Unlike most days, the configuration of the luminaries is being mirrored by two planets, Mars and Jupiter.
In combination, the Sun and Moon, and Mars and Jupiter, are also probably mirroring something of your situation, which implies how the handle is that of a tool available for your use.
Today is the lunar first quarter, an Aries Moon half lit and half dark, halfway across the sky from the setting Capricorn Sun. That configuration, which you can see with your own eyes, serves as the prototype for all opening square aspects.
Any situation correlating to today’s opening square aspect from Sun to Moon implicitly corresponds in turn to something that originated with the New Moon on Jan. 1. That was when the luminaries were conjoined in Capricorn, and the Moon was nowhere to be seen.
That’s how to begin grasping your situation today. Since Jan. 1, the Moon has “opened” a separation of 90 degrees from the Sun, and presented you a situation somehow half lit and half dark. Look back one week to find the seed, which (like the New Moon) was not apparent at the time, but which has since become evident according to what you can see and feel now. That will be your handle.
Once you have a handle on your situation, the next step is to do something about it, or not. That’s where the opening square from Mars to Jupiter comes in.
The opening square from Mars in Libra to Jupiter in Cancer is not exact until about 5:36 pm EST tomorrow, but is fully functional now. By mirroring the luminaries during the lunar first quarter, the primary function of Mars and Jupiter today is as an extension on the conceptual handle the Sun and Moon are concurrently providing. To understand the nature of that extension, and how to use it as a tool, you need to look back to when Mars and Jupiter were last conjoined.
Mars and Jupiter were last conjoined at 5+ Cancer on July 22, 2013. It was an eventful day for astrology, history and probably for you. In retrospect, the correlations are informative.
The astrology of July 22, 2013, was essentially initiated by the merger of Mars and Jupiter. In the hours that followed, Venus vacated Leo for Virgo, the Sun filled the vacancy by entering Leo, and the Moon entered Aquarius to oppose the Leo Sun for a Full Moon — all in one day!
Following the energetic nature of Mars on July 22, 2013, were the decisions of two prestigious athletic championships — for golf (the British Open) and cycling (the Tour de France). Perhaps more memorable, and following the regal nature of Jupiter, an heir to Great Britain’s throne was born on that evidently auspicious day.
Hence, today’s concurrent opening squares of Sun and Moon, and Mars and Jupiter, offer some information for you to work with. That information is your tool.
It is information indicating that two notable days in the past (Jan. 1, 2014, and July 22, 2013) are reaching a crucial juncture together. It is data implicitly favoring an active rather than a passive approach to your current situation. It is the Sun and Moon making you aware of where action may best be applied, if you will but see what is to be seen and feel what is to be felt. It is Mars exhorting you to aspire, and if necessary, perspire. Finally, it is Jupiter encouraging you to think big, and perceive today as the first day of the of the rest of your life rather than just another day to get through.
It’s a great day for astrology. It’s a great day to get a handle on your situation. It’s a great day to be one with the sky. In the final analysis, however, this day will only be for you what you make it. If all you do today is realize that one truth, you will have made personal history and achieved success by grasping the most important handle on your situation for now and always. May that success be yours.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Thanks Strawberrylaughter!
Salamander, I enjoy your thoughts so very much. Thank you for sharing your journey.
On July 22, 2013, I had to deal with a rough family visit, and I got my boating license. Today, I’ve found myself learning the bowline knot (important for boating, and for tugging along a stream discharge measurement device), and driving on the highway. On New Year’s Day, I dealt with a more pleasant family visit, but still intense. I was eager to start going back to my work routine. ^^
Essentially, I have a roadmap to professional success I must follow.
1. I must not let challenging family situations affect me emotionally and interfere with other areas of my life.
2. Learning hands-on practical things is essential. I have to harmonize the intellectual with the physical in order to advance (grounded thinking/inspired action).
3. I have to be a mistress of vehicles, whether it’s a small car, a pickup truck or a boat.
4. I have to be able to handle any road I travel, even highways with short merging lanes.
be, Amanda, nilou, P. Sophia, Chief Niwots Son, aword, Hazel1, strawberry, Alex(!), Jann, DivaCarla, and beleclaire: If (as Amanda put it) there was food for thought in this meager offering of mine, you have each and together made it a feast. My cup runneth over with gratitude for each of you individually and for what your comments (taken together) have accomplished.
Thank you so much Len for this timeline. On July 22nd the Sun Moon opposition lay exactly on my nodal axis – Sun on the South – so I was ready for some old old stuff to emerge. I had to confront a patriarchal pattern both insidious and destructive to a Lilith gal like myself. Sure enough the same thing popped up on Jan 1st. I have a handle now and will learn from it.
You’re a star!
July 22: the day after I cancelled a sweat lodge (for the first time ever) because I just did not have the energy to show up. I spent the day asleep. It happened to be a full moon. This day marked the turning point in a unusual slide in my physical health that hit me at the solar eclipse May 9, and turned around on July 22. January 1, I held a sweat lodge on New Years day, as I do every year, in challenging weather conditions, as we do every year, though perfect Sun and no wind, which made the work possible.
I smell smoke. I ‘ve been driving with the brake on. Time to step on the gas, and I’ll either get a handle on it and create what I am here to create, or I’ll crash. No walking away from either scenario.
The Pisces annual preview mentions Precision. Vagueness is my path of least resistance, and with Saturn returning now, and continuing to play a trio with Jupiter and Chiron for the next few months, Precision matters, for errors will be magnified and everything will fall apart. And no that is not the Tower. The Tower fell around Winter Solstice.
July 2013? Hmm. Time of New Moon intentions to recognize and embrace much needed changes. . .and let go of unfinished business ; )
Now? Voids and lulls in the usual workaday demands is an opening, a threshold to cross to a different way of living. What time is it? Time to act on the intentions.
Len, thanks for a much needed astrological KITA* to launch me out of the frigid paralysis of Michigan in the New Year.
JannKinz
*”KITA” = kick in the ass
Len, reading this retrospectively has been just the trick, after I crystallized a brand new focus, discarding the shell of the old.
You nailed it, man!
Len, the correlation of these two events is incredible. July 22 was when the little kid walked past me singing “These are the things I can do without.” Jan 1, I got clear on that list. Thank you for helping all of us make connections.
Hazel1, “and I used my natural strengths to hold me up instead of doubting myself” …can you hear yourself? Dismissing and overcoming self-doubt, even momentarily, is a major victory we’re all constantly striving for. Doing so in a way that engages you with your passions, all the more so. In science, creating a solution often makes the situation less clear at first (e.g.: salt water), but clarity comes with time. I say cheers! to the way you’re walking your path.
July 22 was a day when I took a big (to me) plunge and it fizzled out in a rather disappointing way. But I felt good for having tried. Jan 1, I decided to let my body help my mind/spirit feel better and went on a good 4 hour long walk with my dog. I guess the thing that ties them together for me is both times I made a move that made me feel better even if it didn’t “solve” anything. And I used my natural strengths to hold me up instead of doubting myself. And I knew they were strengths.
I know this is off-topic but I keep meaning to ask if anyone has written about the fact that Janet Yellen became the Chair of the Federal Reserve while transiting Venus was conjunct (twice in December and again in March) the U.S. Sibly chart’s Pluto in Capricorn. Also of note is that her Aquarian Moon is conjunct the U.S. Moon (and U.S. Pallas-Athene) in Aquarius. Wow.
Janet has a sextile between her natal Sun (20+ Leo) and her natal Uranus (20+ Gemini). The U.S. Sibly Mars at 21+ Gemini is conjunct her natal Uranus, and when transiting Venus was opposite transiting Jupiter last Thanksgiving Day, together, they formed a Boomerang pattern; Janet’s natal Sun and Uranus (conjunct U.S. Mars) both were quincunx (adjustment) trans. Venus in Capricorn and both were semi-sextile trans. retrograde Jupiter (20 + degrees) in Cancer, with trans. Jupiter (the big picture) being the last stop for all that energy. The U.S. solar return chart (2013) also has Mercury at 20+ Cancer retrograde (which trans. Jupiter was conjunct on Thanksgiving) and solr return Mercury sits at the point of a loose yod with the solar return sextile between Juno in Aquarius and Pholus in Sagittarius who are also retrograde. Some “small” (Pholus) thing involving “partners” (Juno) that started on or near Thanksgiving Day will re-surface in February as transiting Venus once again opposes the U.S. solar return Mercury (20+ Cancer) first and then the U.S. Sibly Mercury (23+ Cancer) which is when trans. Jupiter (understand the big pix) and Uranus (unexpected) also perfect their square. 🙂
I think we will see how powerful Janet’s connection to the U.S. (people and power) is in March when transiting Venus makes her final conjunction to the U.S. Pluto (27+ Cap) at the same time trans. Venus squares transiting Mars (27+ Libra).
Last month, December 2013, Mars entered Libra and he started making conjunctions to Janet’s Mars, Venus and Neptune in Libra. This month, January 2014, trans. Mars will conjunct her natal Chiron (18+ Libra) about the same time trans. retro Venus will square her Chiron. (Because the U.S. Sibly Juno (20+ Libra) and Chiron (20+ Aries) are so close to these transits and Janet’s Chiron, it might have something to do with a gender equality issue.) At the end of January trans. Mars will then conjunct Janet’s Jupiter (22+ Libra) at the same time they both sextile transiting Saturn (22+ Scorpio). This will occur as transiting retro Jupiter (12+ Cancer) opposes transiting Pluto (12+ Cap). It will also happen the same time trans. Venus (13+ Cap) stations direct opposite the U.S. Sun (13+ Cancer) and conjuncts trans. Pluto (12+ Cap). Janet Yellen will be making major decisions regarding the future for the U.S. financial and banking industries, and perhaps all of us. And when in March trans. Venus again conjuncts the U.S. Pluto (27+ Cap) while she squares transiting Mars (27+ Libra) who squares U.S. Pluto (with trans. Jupiter still in a tight square with trans. Uranus!) it will be only a few weeks later that trans. Uranus will trine Janet’s natal Pluto in Leo, and I suspect we will all be applauding this powerful lady.
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Aha! And adding in the other planets that strongly factor into my personal mix of aspects – the not-obviously-correlating and therefore surprising correlation re: July Jan and today is ever so clear. Thank you for your generous observations, notations and wisdom, Len.
Today: Got a handle on, and got to handle, and inherent inner schism that dated back to the beginning of my incarnation. Thanks for giving me the words to contexualize my experience Len, your column is always helpful.
I remember July 22. It was a day of feeling and living Potential, and all that that brings.
An ambition to follow intuition-being filled in light.
A liberation to let go of an out come-being changeless/in now.
But also there is a darkness, a necessary part to fill the space/void – is ‘being’ whole.
Len that you, this so much brings me to the present moment, to now as you so wisely offer us -to where and specifically how the best action can be applied to our path. Just as Eric’s beautiful picture, The Epiphany, of yesterday depicts, wise men are set out to discover and to receive, our gift. Just as with the Three of Wands..three ships, are his release, to watch over, we sail out, but are to return-wholeheartedly.
“Understanding the sanctity of the female aspect of duality. Knowing the truth of loving as an expression of the heart of divinity on earth. Of being whole and entering a state of grace where we know our own integrity and share that unity within the unity of all that is.”
What time is it? Oh, it is now.
my calendar is blank on july 22, as is my journal… although july 17 and july 25 both feature interesting and potentially very telling dreams — though they certainly presented themselves as cryptic at the time.
a check of emails to and from my partner on that date also reveals he had a fascinating dream — though it seemed to speak to me more clearly than it did to him. but perhaps, as he suggested in one of those emails, that was me reading my own concerns and struggles into his dream (even as they were not fully conscious at the time) — or rather, overlaying *my* perception of his process onto his dream images, along with underlying concerns.
i think i am parsing the context and continuum alluded to by july 22 and jan. 1 with regard to today… the question is, which of my options for action to follow… and how, and when… and then i am reminded of my own words regarding juno and neptune elsewhere on this blog, and i’m not sure if it makes things clearer of foggier.
much food for thought today, len… thank you.
What a wonderful observation you offer us today Len! I’m so grateful that you included the info regarding the day Mars was conjunct Jupiter last July as it would be difficult to recall how I experienced it myself. It was the inclusion of the baby prince’s birth that brought back the feelings of the day. . the anticipation (for many of us anyway) of the event was very emotional for one reason or another. Looking at the baby’s chart I see that Mercury was conjunct the U.S. Sibly Sun (13+ Cancer) which was trine the north node (13+ Scorpio) as well as Chiron at 13+ Pisces rx), giving release to those Americans whose feelings weren’t following the sports events. That the Moon at his birth was at 28+ Capricorn, where Venus recently stationed retrograde (on the winter solstice) and was opposite the Sun still in Cancer (before the Leo full moon) added even more release to the Mars-Jupiter emotional theme of the day.
Might I assume from this that the handle to our situation(s) might include a release of emotions (New Moon in Capricorn being a bit retentive), perhaps coming through the opposition between trans. Moon in Aries to Mars in Libra later today in a balancing of “me” and “you”, which in turn would affect the ever challenging (competing?) relationship between Jupiter and the Sun as to who is in charge? In the case of the little princeling it might be a balance between the powerful influences of royalty (Jupiter) and individuality (Sun) he will take a baby step toward today. I don’t envy him that. Thanks so much Len, today is indeed a great day for astrology. And for putting a bookcase together!
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