By Len Wallick
Way back on November 8 Venus and Mars changed signs within hours of each other. Now, they duplicate that feat.
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It is an accumulation and culmination, an amazing example of synchronicity and symmetry that attracts our attention as surely as yesterday’s relationship between Mars and Jupiter.
Yes, there is a lot going on. The tenor of our times pervades the astrology as the Sun and a host of other objects have crowded their way into and through Sagittarius. It carries over to the political as wars and rumors of war compete for our attention even as a new release of documents by WikiLeaks threatens to undermine duplicity as the cornerstone of modern diplomacy.
These things also have their counterparts in our personal lives. Even as the established order strives to contain the untenable and constrain the unthinkable, many if not all of us are feeling as if we are engaged in a rapid oscillation from pillar to post and back again.
Therein is the key. In order to engage with the world at all, we must first be in touch with ourselves. It is important to prioritize what it takes to attend to our physical health. Our mental health is part and parcel of our physical bodies and will likewise benefit from the decision to be selective and simplify. If social pressure is compelling you to act otherwise, pause to remember that most of the busy social whirl could go on without you, but you can’t. If you feel yourself to be important — and you are — try pulling back a little. Summarize and focus.
It is this spirit that your faithful correspondent is striving to exemplify. Thus it was that a meaningful conjunction of the Sun with the centaur Amycus and a compelling sextile between Saturn and Pholus were left off yesterday’s blog. This in spite of the fact that both aspects inform the established order’s attempts to contain and constrain. This in the hopes that the selected focus would be powerful and applicable enough to open new possibilities in your personal lives. Such an approach, of necessity, continues today and for the foreseeable future as we strive to select and simplify to best meet our goal of service to you.
That being said, we now return to examine the second simultaneous sign change of two personal planets.
As October drew to a close, there had developed an impressive stellium in Scorpio. The Sun was last to join Mercury, Venus and Mars, the three personal planets. The asteroid Vesta was a vital part of the mix as well. Sol initiated its tenure in the sign with the first of two consecutive oppositions to the Full Moon in Taurus. But by the time Luna came around two weeks later to conjoin for the Scorpio New Moon, the collection had already begun to come apart.
During the short days of the Scorpio stellium we were visited with questions that echoed our experience earlier in the year. What unexplored potential is there in our individual ways of being and in relationship? How could we discover and evaluate these potentials? What do we want to be? How would we change our relationships if we could? True to the energy of the sign of transformation and metamorphosis, it was not always easy to imagine what those options would look like because they were not always easy to look at.
Then Mars, never one for self examination, picked up the asteroid Eros and fled to Sagittarius. Mercury soon followed and as it did, retrograde Venus simultaneously made its way back Libra, a sign that it rules. Which brings us to today, from a echo left behind to two contrasting echoes adding further depth to this simultaneous sign change. For both Mercury and Venus are in echo, or “shadow” phases of their own.
While in the late degrees of Libra, Venus stationed forward and is now in the echo phase that follows a retrograde. It will remain so until just before the Capricorn solstice. It means covering the same territory for a third time and is fittingly called an echo for the reiteration that often takes place during the period in question. While in Libra, that reinforced review seemed to take place on at least two levels. There was the unimpaired expression of balance and and equity in relationships — whether we chose to avail ourselves of it or simply be aware of the principle. Then there was what seemed to be an inquiry towards balance over time, lifetimes even. As Venus approached but did not achieve a second set of air trines to Chiron and Neptune, we may, in recent weeks have experienced dreams of those whose names we may have forgotten and with whom closure was never quite complete. We may find those dreams fading.
Now, entering a third review of the first third of Scorpio, the shift is towards the more recent past. Just weeks ago, as a matter of fact in the brief heyday of the Scorpio stellium. Venus was the only member to conjoin the others before their collaboration dissolved. This was back when our current season was approaching its crescendo, an entirely different time already. So the final echo is distorted and faded from the original call, though the original voice can still be identified.
It’s a different Scorpio now than it was when Venus backed away three weeks ago. Vesta, which lent depth of meaning to the stellium of personal planets is in the last minutes of the last degree, about to accompany the centaur Chariklo into crowded Sagittarius. But Venus is and always has been enough, just as you are, to carry on a creative process of metamorphosis and transformation.
Mercury, meantime, is entering Capricorn while experiencing the front end of its own echo phase, that which precedes a retrograde station. It started when Old Fleet Foot crossed the point in Sagittarius where it will turn direct as our year comes to a close. This period is a little more difficult to grasp as an echo because the planet in question is still direct, albeit slowing down. It is more an anticipation than a reflection of the “sound”. For the more sensitive, however, it is a period of augury, when the nature of the upcoming retrograde period can be foreseen. Its something like the paradox of remembering the future.
Immediately upon its ingress to Capricorn, Mercury will conjoin with the centaur planet Crantor and that greeting is significant. Crantor is currently at a sextile to its discovery position, the first degree of Scorpio, where Venus is today. It is one of the few Centaur planets not named after a centaur. Rather it was named after a Lapith, that tribe of mortal super-humans with which centaurs formed a rivalry and met their match.
Philip Sedgwick interprets Crantor as representing a cathartic, emotional declaration, which seems fitting in its current position as the gatekeeper to a cardinal earth sign. Mercury will station retrograde in less than a week and will find occasion to conjoin with Crantor on the cusp three more times. It will be interesting to watch the anticipation become the call, then the recollection to see if Mercury’s echo is in Crantor’s voice.
So to meet our objective simply and in summary, Venus and Mercury have a lot in common today. There is the timing of changing signs on the same day. There is the fact that this quite literally re-collects a day just weeks ago when the same two planets simultaneously changed signs. This re-collection is also reflected in the phenomenon of both planets being on opposite sides of a retrograde station. One is echoing the recent past. The other possibly conveying the sound of the near future, for those who can hear it. Venus is returning to the creative darkness of Scorpio and Mercury is about to enter the realm of Pluto with creative energy all its own.
Finally, there is Crantor. Discovered where Venus is today, currently situated where Mercury is today. It is separated by a supportive sextile, encouraging us to develop the idea. In this case it is oddly but appropriately mis-named, symbolizing the centaur and human reflected in each other’s mortality. Not to be ignored, this gatekeeper to Capricorn and December begins its tenure mediating the reflection of Mercury and Venus.
Its a passionate voice from the creative darkness that we may hear many times. Indeed, today, if we have occasion to discover ourselves reflected in another person, place or time, we may find that voice to be ours, heralding not an inflicted trauma but the determination to begin anew. We may be able to heed our own call.
Offered In Service
Aword:
LOL. Good one, thanks!
😉
Fe,
I should be that good at astrology!!! However, it will be a knock-down drag-out affair but the Universe does seem to support your hope.
The lunar TOTAL eclipse on December 21 forms a mutable cross including Juno, goddess of relationships opposed Uranus (exactly!) who is conjunct Jupiter. The Sun at 29 Sag 20 opposes the Moon at 29 Gemini 20 to complete the cross. Assuming Juno and Uranus (+ Jupiter) come to an agreement/balance/harmony, I would see history being made. Eclipses being eclipses, it won’t be clear immediately, but Mercury rx and the Sun conjoining the Galactic Center, will be facilitating the transmission of loftier ideals on the road departing from duality.
Later on December 21 the Winter Solstice adds emphasis on the opposition between Juno and Uranus as well as the GC and of course, the Aries point of 0 Capricorn. I noticed that the days around Thanksgiving reduced the ferocious war-of-words and produced a sort of calm. It’s reasonable to think that the Christmas holidays will have the same effect on the land. However, on Dec. 29th, the day before Mercury goes direct, Mars will square Saturn in the Cardinal signs of Capricorn and Libra. I expect it will all hit the fan again at that time.
With the emphasis on emotions (eclipsed Moon) and communication (Gemini) in this full moon chart, it will of course, be dramatically expressed on our tv’s, blogs and telephones.
It seems certain though that consciousness will reach new levels, what with transiting Chiron (and Neptune) in these important charts – sitting exactly on the U.S. Sibly Moon (the people). The Moon is conjunct the (U.S. natal) “Warrior Queen” Pallas Athene, who is also “Protectress of the State” – making sure that U.S citizens’ feelings regarding the military and security will be on full alert. Chiron and Neptune will trine the eclipsed Moon and sextile the 12/21 chart’s Sun, GC and Mercury rx. The people have accepted change and are ready to leave DADT to the history books. This will be the final pass of transiting Neptune and Chiron over the U.S. natal Moon, although Neptune will come within a degree next year at this time when he stations direct at 28 Aquarius 08. Probably one last hurrah!
be
WOW! um…like, Wow…
no wonder my head is buzzing today… yes, i too have been feeling mercury retrograde for several days and many folks I have heard from expressed the same…and yes, i have also been having the dreams…and I am reminded of how connected we all are in mind-spirit
last night I wanted to chart venus’ tracks to get a handle on the past month which was so heavy and to gather a vague notion of the month to come, but I was distracted… and look what you have served up here! a most impressive and ethereal treat…
thank you for this most excellent piece of astrology today and always for your profound sensitivity ….
Behind schedule? You mean it’s morning? OMG Afternoon??!!! My schedule must be with those apostrophies.
be:
Just hope that DADT will end up permanently off the books so that the next Administration cannot put it back in. Do the aspects support that?
Well, it appears I was talking about Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; Mercury on the Aries Point (0 Cap). . . passionate awakening. . . . grand transformation . . . Venus finding out which closures can be attained or transmuted. . .all that stuff. New study announced just a while ago.
As for those missing apostrophes:
I resemble that remark!
Talk about echo phase!
Len:
Absolutely right. I can feel the Merc retro even now, even though its over a week away. I had to turn around from my commute to the city to work to turn off the space heater I left on in the house.
Thank goodness I upgraded my cell phone three days ago. Just in time to avoid a lemon.
Now – to get some Christmas presents ordered so they can arrive on time.
“Also, does anyone else notice how nearly everyone and everything seems to be behind schedule from the get-go this morning?”
YES!
as for those missing apostrophies: i didn’t touch them! 😉
Oh… And I forgot to note that it all jives perfectly with Eric’s Cancer/Leo inner space newsletter that also arrived this morning. Talk about support (and a depth of detail)for huge transformations!
Len?
Is Venus still pulling the common thread? I do think so! I recalled that phrase of yours from your “Clearing Muddy Waters” piece on October 25, when Venus and Mercury crossed paths; he going forward and she going retro. You made the reference to the common thread due to her hooking up with all the planets that at that time were residing in Scorpio – Mars, Vesta, Mercury, and the Sun. You said she would be back and now she is. You said Venus’ retrograde “seems to be synchronous with a passionate awakening to attachments which have not yet attained closure.” Judging from recent comments to your article(s) that seems to have been the case. Her connecting with the other Scorpio tenants has had her on a mission.
Since Vesta is the one remaining tenant of Scorpio as Venus re-arrives, and because she’s so close to moving into Sagittarius, I get the impression that her fire is dedicated to Venus’ return. That passionate awakening might have been kept focused for this purpose; as Venus exacts the sextile to Mercury tomorrow morning, might that fire not enhance the message between them? Might not Mercury get a message from Venus as to which closures can now be attained or transmuted?
Could this be part of the message he will be delivering directly to Pluto? This 10 day sextile between Venus and Mercury as Mercury slows before his own retrograde, could this be thought of as a heart to head clarification of what to keep and what to part with during this grand transformation period?
Might this purpose be at Pluto’s “suggestion” when they were guests in his sign? Could the fact that Mercury is himself at an Aries point be a grand announcment of these findings, based on Venus’ retrograde back to Libra?
And what of Mercury’s subsequent double conjunction to Pluto, the 2nd one being on the same day as Mars conjuncts Pluto? Does the torch/thread/message/passion as received by Merc from Venus/Vesta get passed to both Mars and Pluto? Does Pluto determine the mission for Mars? I suspect so as Mercury going backward and Mars going forward will, between them, make major contacts to the symbol of ego-consciousness, the Sun, and all the participants of the cardinal t-square, plus Neptune before Mercury again stations.
How ever would we manage this complex transformation without the little guys and gals? These giant movers and shakers of the galaxy may make the important decisions and provide the energy for transformation, but it’s the smaller, faster movers in the galaxy that pull the strings to make it happen. The threads if you will. Bright Venus seems to play the puppeteer’s assistant for these historic events, keeping the threads from getting hung up and keeping everyone in the loop. No wonder the Mayans held her in such awe! I’m rathered awed myself.
be
“Its something like the paradox of remembering the future.” And your final paragraph… YES!
Making my decision for a quiet work-at-home day, without the constraints of performing exactly so, the perfect decision. I can simply follow a work/personal thinking-listening process all the way through to bed-time. Heady, hearty days.
Thanks, Len.
Thanks Len, this is amazing. Heralding not the inflicted trauma… and with whom closure was never complete…. if only.
One minor correction. Mercury will conjunct Crantor on the cusp two more times, for a total of three times (not three more times). Also, apostrophies seem to keep vanishing. Maybe Frank Zappa is stealing them.
Also, does anyone else notice how nearly everyone and everything seems to be behind schedule from the get-go this morning? This is shaping up to be one dandy of a Mercury retrograde.
Thank you all.
I second that!
Liz xx
OMG Len…you are so amazing: “…we may, in recent weeks have experienced dreams of those whose names we may have forgotten and with whom closure was never quite complete. We may find those dreams fading.”
Or dreams of people we didn’t give much thought to but now have directed our light of clarification on? Dreams that jump started that clarification because there needs to be some closure or at least definition of who or what that person is in our lives. Wow. Just amazing. Have you been living in my head and heart this week or what?
Excellent as always.