Amelia’s Blog

“To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
And find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
And is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.” Wendell Berry

“Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” Galileo’s epitaph

It’s a busy week in the starry heavens as we enter the dark time of the year here in New England.

In the beginning of the week Mercury at 24 degrees of Scorpio forms a challenging aspect to the North Node in Aries. The fiery planet, Mars, is highlighted now as he rules over both the signs Aries and Scorpio. This can make for irritability and impatience in both thought and communication. Best to approach this time with patience and restraint.

Pluto and Venus are in a harmonious alignment in the earth signs of Virgo and Capricorn. This can be helpful with affairs of the heart and deepening of love for self and others. If you have goals related to transforming relationships and/or finances, this alignment can be of assistance.

Mercury in Scorpio makes a harmonious alignment with Neptune creating a time that bodes well for mystical dreams, spirituality and creativity.

On Wednesday Venus, the goddess of love and beauty will move out of Virgo and into Libra – one of the signs that she rules. This opens the door to more willingness to work together in a cooperative manner. Pallas Athene, the asteroid goddess of diplomacy, mediation and strategy is now in the signs of Libra but conjunct the South Node. This can indicate old ways of dealing with conflict. Venus in Libra can open the door to working together to solve problems in a more balanced and just way.

Friday Mercury will move out of Scorpio into Sagittarius. This ushers in a time to broaden horizons – through travel and learning. Mercury will then form a challenging aspect with Saturn – creating a time for serious thinking and conversation. It’s wise to remember that, as Caroline Casey has written “Saturn lays the tracks for the reality train to follow.” It can help with planning and creating a good foundation for goals and aspirations.

Mars and the Sun are moving up to an opposition to Uranus. In general this indicates a more volatile time throughout much of the month. It’s best to provide extra downtime for the integration of information.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”The ocean with white caps.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“Mars is the god of desire: eros, feistiness, aggression, heat and activism. We draw up on Mars for courage, dynamism, passion and kinship with life.. When we dance with Mars, we enter the realms of fire, where qualities of bravado, courage and forthrightness are forged.” Caroline W. Casey

“Under the sky of pea soup
She is looking at her work growing away there
actively, thickly like grapevines or pole beans
as things grow in the real world, slowly enough.
If you tend them properly, if you mulch, if you water,
if you provide birds that eat insects a home and winter food,
if the Sun shines and you pick off caterpillars,
if the praying mantis comes and the ladybugs and the bees,
then the plants flourish, but at their own internal clock.” Marge Piercy

There’s plenty of energy and enthusiasm to be drawn upon during November for moving forward with new adventures, new projects and endeavors. Just with a couple of caveats due to the aspects Mars is making.

Mars is a strong influence now and through most of the month  as the Sun and Mars form an opposition to  Jupiter, the planet of expansion. Under this influence there can be excitement and enthusiasm for new endeavors and a desire to act on them quickly. But Jupiter’s influence often needs to be tempered as it can be  associated with over extending, overindulging  and extravagance.

Shortly after the Sun and Mars move out of the opposition to Jupiter, they move up to an opposition to Uranus which will be within orb widely through late November. It’s wise to provide extra down time during this time as nerves can be frayed and there can be unexpected  and sudden events.

On the 22nd the Sun will enter Sagittarius and form a square aspect to Saturn. This influence will tend to slow things down and may bring order and  movement to conflicts in need of resolution.

Throughout the month, its best to slow down and think things through thoroughly before acting.

One of the Sabian Symbols for this time is,”A quiet path through woods, brilliant in autumn coloring.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“In that open field
If you do not come too close, if you do not come too close,
On a summer midnight you can hear the music
Of the weak pipe and the little drum
And see them dancing around the bonfire
The association of man and woman …
Rustically solemn in rustic laughter.
Lifting heavy feet in clumsy shoes,
Earth feet, loam feet, lifted in country mirth
Mirth of those long under the earth.” T.S.Eliot

“A wise old owl lived in an oak.
The more he saw the less he spoke.
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?”

The Sun entered the mysterious sign of Scorpio on Monday. This ushers in a time of turning inward – as the trees shed their leaves and the days grow shorter and colder here in the northern hemisphere.

This week  Sun forms a harmonious trine with Saturn. This provides good timing for pragmatics. It can be supportive in grounding creativity and intuitions. It bodes well for integrating higher knowledge.

This week Chiron, the asteroid of the Wounded Healer makes challenging aspects to both Ceres, the Great Mother,  and Venus, the goddess of love  in Virgo. These aspects can bring up questions as to how we deal with painful circumstances – both in our personal pasts and in the world in general – and how it is handled – whether it is seen as an opportunity to grow in wisdom and compassion or whether it creates hostility and anger.

Mars and Mercury will form a conjunction this week and oppose Jupiter. It’s  wise this week to watch for impulsive behavior. Best to make sure to have all the facts before acting. Extra patience and forethought with speech will be beneficial as tempers can be short.

The Lunar Eclipse is Saturday at 5 degrees of Taurus at 4:24 PM EDT. Eclipses are evolutionary in nature and can bring new beginnings and endings.  It’s wise throughout the week with the Eclipse and Scorpio planets to heed any information that surfaces that speaks of personal transformation  and evolution.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A bridge being built across a high narrow gorge.”

Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill

 

“When someone deeply listens to you
your bare feet are on the earth
and a beloved land that seemed distant
is now at home within you.” John Fox

This weekend the Sun and Mercury in late Libra square Pluto, the Lord of transformation. It’s a good time to harness the considerable energy available, and get busy with tasks that require physical energy.

Venus in Virgo is forming a harmonious alignment with Jupiter. This can be helpful with forming alliances and progress with negotiations.

We are still in the midst of an eclipse period – the second of which is Saturday- a lunar eclipse at 5 degrees of Taurus. There have been and continue to be contentious, warlike aspects and its wise to focus on the resolution of conflicts now.

Sunday Mercury will move into Scorpio bringing in a time of more profound thinking and communication. Mercury will make a favorable alignment with Saturn boding well for serious conversations and logical thinking.

The Moon in Capricorn will  conjunct Pluto and enter Aquarius – it’s wise under this influence to be open to new ideas.

“A man alone in deep gloom, unnoticed angels are coming to his aid.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

 

 

 

“Everything that exists is and expression of relationships, alliances, balances of energies, powers and spirits.” L. David Peat

“Signs from the soul come silently
as the sun enters an awakening world.” Tibetan proverb

Saturday’s New Moon Eclipse is at 1:55 PM EDT. The Sun and Moon will be ushering in a new  lunar cycle at 21 degrees of the relationship sign, Libra.

Mercury and Pallas Athena – the asteroid of diplomacy and strategy – are widely conjunct the Sun and Moon at this time. Major planets – Pluto, Uranus and Neptune are all aspecting this South Node Eclipse.

These aspects can bring to awareness the need to change relationship dynamics that are out of balance in order to move forward in a clearer direction.  This includes relationship to self as well as others.

New Moons are always a good time for a fresh start with new or renewed aspirations.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A child giving birds a drink at a fountain.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances. If there is any reaction, both are transformed.” Jung

“Once the realization  is accepted that even between the closest of human beings infinite distances continue to exist, a wonderful living side by side can grow up.” Rilke

Juno, the asteroid of marriage and commitment is in Leo now and making a harmonious trine to the North Node in Aries and  a favorable sexile to the South Node in Libra.

The Nodes were said to govern fate and destiny in the old texts. A more contemporary interpretation would be that they reflect  path of  personal evolution.

The Nodes are karmic in nature and in a birth chart can reflect the tendencies that are passed down through the ancestors or through the blood lines and the path of personal evolution forward.

When the Nodes are a strong influence in the heavens, as they are now,  it indicates a particularly good time to look at what karmic patterns from the past need to be released in order to move forward on the path of personal evolution and growth.

Because Juno is involved at this time it bodes well to look at commitments in relationships of all kinds ( romantic, family, work etc.) to see if adjustments can be made to improve the direction they are heading in.

The North Node in Aries brings courage, insight and passion to the process of envisioning the road ahead. It’s a good time to heed any insights which emerge about the future.

Mars is making a tense square to Pluto now  indicating a good time to look at issues of power and how it plays out in your life. Do you feel appropriately empowered? When Pluto is involved there can be issues with power and control.

It’s best to get plenty of exercise under this influence and a good time to take on projects that require hard work and energy.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Through imagination, a lost opportunity is regained.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

“My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird – equal seekers of sweetness. Here the quickening yeast, there the blue plums.
here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn? Am I no longer young and still not half perfect? Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” Mary Oliver

This week  we have an earth trine with Mercury in Virgo aspecting Jupiter in Taurus. This is a culmination of sorts – being the third and final time these two aspect each other in this way.

Mercury trine Jupiter is a good time for expanding horizons.It’s a good time for taking in the “big picture” perspective, for learning and for travel.

It bodes well for reviewing recent realizations and to put them into motion.  Jupiter brings a sense of expansion and optimism into the planning process.

Venus forms a harmonious conjunction to Juno at 21 degrees of Leo this week indicating a good time to think about relationship  commitments – both business and personal and whether they could be moved in a more vibrant or life affirming direction.

It’s also a good time to look at issues of self esteem and self love to see if positive adjustments could be made.

Emotions can run high on Friday’s Full Moon at 6 degrees of Aries.  Venus at 22 Leo and Uranus at 22 Taurus will be forming a tense aspect indicating that there can be volatility in relationships. It’s wise to provide extra downtime this week as with this aspect, which will be building all week, nerves can be frayed and tempers short.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, ” A woman successfully expressing herself in two worlds at once.”

“We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again. If happiness is a skill, then sadness is, too.” Katherine May

On the Autumn Equinox.  September 23, the Sun moves into the airy sign of Libra, heralding the start of Fall in the northern hemisphere.

This “turning of the wheel”  provides a good time for reflection about the past season and a good time to look ahead at what’s to come. The Libra Sun encourages a balanced mind which is open to considering a variety of options.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”The dawn of a new day reveals everything changed.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

“There’s a thread that you follow. It goes among
things that change. But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it’s hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.” William Stafford

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust

The New Moon at 21 degrees of Virgo is this Thursday at 9:40 PM EDT. The New Moon will make two beneficent alignments – trining both Uranus and Pluto . This opens a  lunar cycle with the potential for personal breakthroughs and revelations.

Mercury will station direct Friday at 8 degrees of Virgo. This is a good time to put plans into action – particularly those involving improvements to health, daily routines and work.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”An expressionist painter making a futuristic drawing. ”

Saian symbol from Lynda Hill

“Only with winter-patience can we bring the deep-desired,long awaited spring.” Anne Morrow Lindburgh

“Have patience and the mulberry leaf will become silk.” Spanish proverb

Venus stationed direct yesterday at 12 degrees of Leo and now will start her journey forward. This normally would  provide good timing for putting into motion any new endeavors related to personal aesthetics, relationships and finances.  With so many planets retrograde it’s best to proceed with care and be prepared for possible revision.

Jupiter stations retrograde today (Monday 9/4) joining Mercury,Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto and Chiron.  This kind of planetary activity makes it a good time for turning inward.

If you’re feeling discouraged or drained. it’s a good time to look to strengthening your boundaries.

Memories and unresolved issues can surface in dreams as well as waking life under these influences in order to facilitate a deeper level of understanding and resolution.

Jupiter stations direct while forming a earthy trine to the Sun and to Pallas  Athena- indicating it’s best to maintain hope and optimism on this journey.

In general this can be a time when projects slow down or stall out. It’s best to expect delays. It’s likely with the Jupiter retrograde that more information is needed in order to make plans evolve.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A woman teaching the true inner knowledge of the new world to her students.”