Leo remains in the spotlight this week, though that last hurrah of the cardinal grand cross is still working itself out. Tuesday at 5:41 pm EDT (21:41 UTC) the Sun ingresses Leo, the fixed fire sign and in many respects the core of the zodiac. Jupiter has just arrived in that sign, so the Sun’s ingress is a Sun-Jupiter conjunction. This is all heading toward the Leo New Moon on Saturday, which means we get Leo in many flavors and colors this week. I’ll cover that very interesting chart in more detail later in the week and in Thursday’s subscriber edition.
Before we get to the Sun’s ingress into the new sign, it’s still completing its run through Cancer, and by my reckoning is now void of course. The Sun has completed its square to Mars and is now done making aspects to other planets until it’s seated in its sign of rulership, which is of course Leo. So we get a moment of what you might think of as solar drift. This may have the feeling of a pause, or of an opening where something unusual or special can come through. An opening is a vulnerability, though I suggest you observe without being defensive, pay attention and see what you notice. For example, notice what opportunities you have and how you respond to them.
As this happens, Mars leaves shadow phase from its long retrograde Monday at 2:49 am EDT (06:49 UTC). That may come with a ‘pop’ sound as the vacuum seal breaks, and it will be interesting to see how this is reflected in the 3D world. This really is the final passage of the winter of 2013-2014 — Mars has been in Libra since early December. It will ingress Scorpio Friday, where it will be till Sept. 13.
One aspect pattern to watch is Mercury, which is now opposite Pluto. Said another way, Mercury is the next initiate to pass through the Uranus-Pluto square. All I will say is this. Uranus-Pluto is certainly illustrative and perhaps in some abstract way responsible for the intensity and chaos of our particular times. It is not an easy aspect pattern. It’s having its influence on every single natal chart, and its effects will range from challenging to exciting to difficult to overwhelming.
Yet as Mercury and later Venus pass through the Uranus-Pluto square, I am reminded to tell you one thing. You will miss this aspect when it’s over. You might look back and remember what a strange, beautiful time it was; you might look back and wish with all your heart that you had done more with it, taken creative action, or political action, or set yourself free in some way that you know you dearly want to. As inner planets pass through the Uranus-Pluto square this week, it becomes more tangible and accessible to ‘normal’ consciousness. Take a bite…and take another…
And Beth, you shouldn’t have trouble attracting money, because Pluto is great at attracting what it wants, but you may have trouble holding on to it because of its close tie to unpredictable Uranus. But speaking of Uranus, your Venus in Aquarius on your DC may mean you just need a little help from your friends to get a better handle on your finances. Always look for the positive in your chart, because that’s where the angels lurk. 🙂
Beth,
Venus might be part of the key to unlock the puzzle. If structuring self-expression (which you said does work for you very well) seems to be your puzzle, Your Venus on your DC in Aquarius might mean you have to get creative with a partner, in an intellectual way (Aquarius), to find your way to that structured self-expression. I am a Libra Sun, ruled by Venus, so maybe you just got your nudge. 😉 You are a Capricorn Sun so the Pisces Saturn in the 8th house means you are deep and wise, but you are locked away and hiding in the 8th. Use your Mercury – your mind, your intellect, your ability to communicate in a solid (Capricorn) way, coupled with Venus’s love of beauty and connection in your partnership house to bring yourself out into the Sun. This new moon in Leo will probably help you very much in achieving that! I think you are well on your way to doing exactly that.
I love astrology! 😀
Thank you Laura and Bette. Laura, I do have Venus at the DC at 11-12 Aquarius, and my Sun is at 26-25 Capricorn in the 6th house (square the IC/MC at 26-49 Aries and Libra, and recently when the Sun was passing through 26 Cancer, Mars was conjunct the IC). Pisces and Capricorn are indeed very different energies, but I have a lot of Pisces people in my life, and really love the Pisces energy when it is flowing. As for Cap/Saturn, I do get frustrated with the struggle for self-discipline when it comes to creativity, I just want to let loose and let things take their own course. But, I have learned that the more I structure my time and boundaries, the more I produce. I’m wondering how Venus fits in, self-expression that involves beauty? Unique ideas and visions? Something about technology…? I do have difficulty attracting money, though this could partially be due to my Pluto/Uranus conjunction in Virgo in the 2nd house, which is trine my natal Mercury. I like the your advice to think of it as a puzzle, I just wish I could solve it more easily!
I’m looking forward to the fire under the stars on Saturday night, and burning off the old to make room for the new.
Re yods: I don’t have any in my chart, but one chart I dealt with for a number of years (that of an ex-partner) has a Saturn-Neptune conjunction at 29 Libra in the 11th sextile Pluto in Leo, & the yod focus is Mars at 29 Pisces conjunct Venus at 1 Aries, straddling the 4th house cusp. It came out rage & addiction, but he did seem to begin to give up his warrior ethic in time. He also has Pluto conjunct his South Node, which seemed to connote a long history of vengefulness.
I’ve worked with charts with a more peaceful-natured yod, but I do see them as difficult energy to work with, given the often unrelated nature of the signs involved. I would say great patience is called for, & conscious effort. They can be so subtle.
I can read this on my laptop (mac os 10.6, safari 5.1.10) but not on my ipad. On the ipad I keep getting booted off for an incorrect password, even though I am typing in the correct password I registered with.
Beth,
Yes, the Ascendant can definitely count in a Yod. I learned that in calculating a Yod the aspects should be within 2 degrees on either side for it to be in effect. Yours sounds a tad off (13-9 = 4) but I would definitely take it on face value since it involves your Ascendant. If your ASC is in Leo, your DC would be part of the whole configuration as well, being a midpoint between your Mercury and Saturn. Do you have any planets there? The way I like to look at Yods is a puzzle you are charged with figuring out, with the sextile planets pointing the way, literally, to the apex planet which holds the answer. Yours has to do with Self-expression I would guess, and the regulation of it or the structure of it. Where is your Sun in all of this, since it is your chart ruler? If it has any aspects to Saturn or Mercury there might be a clue there.
I, too, am looking forward to this new moon! I like your idea of having a fire under the stars, especially since Leo is all firey. Good way to energetically burn off the dross and start a new season.
It is so good to finally feel a shift in energy, though it’s still slight. It’s like an athlete at the start of the race, in position, waiting for the signal, filled with anticipation and heightened energy. I’m having difficulty both in shaking off the weight of the past seven months, and trying to finish up a couple projects from then, which seems like a distant past. But I have Leo rising and I want to move on, get to a few things that have real meaning for me. And I’m hoping that Mars moving though my 4th house will help me finish up a few of those home painting projects that are lingering. I’m really looking forward to the Leo new moon. I have the urge to go out in the yard and have a fire and look at the stars and celebrate the eye of the storm, and the shift to a new plane.
The Uranus Pluto square has been particularly poignant for me with Pluto camped out on my natal Mercury in Capricorn in the 6th (sextile natal Saturn which plugs into natal T-square that includes my natal Pluto/Uranus conjunction, and Pluto was recently also sextile transiting Saturn – lots of Saturn), it is also trine my natal Pluto/Uranus conjunction. So many quick shifts both stunning and jolting and difficult and exhilarating have been playing out, and I am always feeling like there isn’t enough time.
I have a question that I hope some of you who have a moment could help me better understand and would be greatly appreciated… one about yods. I’ve read that they can only involve planets, can they ever involve an ascendent (or minor planets)? The natal Mercury Saturn sextile I mentioned above point at my ascendent in Leo. The second part of that question is, do yods have to be exact, or how many degrees away make it a yod (ex: Mercury at 13-49 Cap 6th, Saturn at 13-49 Pisces, ascendent at 9-07 Leo). Many thanks.
I don’t know what has been the worst aspect here, the ongoing Uranus-Pluto square, the Grand Cross energy, Mars in Libra (my natal Sun), Mars RETROGRADE in Libra, Saturn Retrograde, all this Cancer energy making me feel like I’m drowning – but I DO know that I feel a shift today. Something’s easing up. Maybe it’s the combo of Saturn Direct and Mars leaving its shadow zone and heading full steam towards Scorpio at long last, and the Sun coming home to Leo, being met exuberantly by Jupiter! I’m so so so ready for this change. So many things are coming to the surface to be burned off, shed, and transformed. I feel like the Phoenix who has been through a very long, painful fire.
Tell us, Eric, what can we expect from Uranus going retrograde tonight? How will this play out in the Uranus-Pluto energy?
yes! … don’t have HIV but I’m feeling that kinda battered and changed. one of my favorite songs. thank you rob44
This soo scary I am a virgo, gemini rising what can I do with a double mercury go help the sitùation?
marymack, I’m with you on this one. That phrase is found, among other places, in the 1993 song ‘The Streets of Philadelphia’ by Bruce Springsteen:
“I was bruised and battered, I couldn’t tell what I felt.
I was unrecognizable to myself.
I saw my reflection in a window, I didn’t know my own face.
Oh brother are you gonna leave me wastin’ away
On the Streets of Philadelphia.”
A good question right now of humanity, toward humanity.
Here’s all I know of this Uranus – Pluto square: I am nearly unrecognizable to myself. (Not sure where that phrase comes from, some song maybe?) but it works here. Could not have gotten here, in this present state, without the help of this transformational wave. Spent, weary, but proud. bring on mm2.0.
mm.
My experience with this Uranus-Pluto square has been exhausting. I’m expecting more and hoping for less. It makes me nervous to think of missing this aspect.
Thanks for creating the stimulus for the tears that have been lurking to come through. I would say the effects of this alignment have been difficult AND exciting AND overwhelming. I’m drinking it deep and grateful for your insight!
Excellent and wise counsel. Consistently. Blessings to you.