After the Women’s March last week my friends and I have been flooded with requests to sign a multitude of petitions, send postcards to elected officials, and participate in new marches on related subjects. With Venus currently in Pisces, the idealistic side of us wants to do it all. The sobering effect of Venus’ square to Saturn on the morning of January 27th, however, urges us to be discriminate, do our research and decide what is most important in the movement towards a diverse and inclusive society. In Sagittarius, Saturn archetypally represents the need for focused inquiry into our choices and to be realistic about what is likely to manifest after the vibration of the intent behind them is released. Our choices need to be conscious, deliberate and efficient as well as informed from the big picture perspective. In the long timeline of human relating it is easy to see that the issue of whole sectors of the population being devalued in society did not begin with one election, nor will it be solved with a few marches and postcards. One thing this challenging alignment may generate is a commitment to inquire into our own sense of self-worth and how it drives our choices.
In the afternoon of January 27th, the New Moon in Aquarius gathers the Venus/Saturn vibration of commitment to value into the new lunar cycle. The Moon and Sun united in the sign that champions individuality, freedom of choice and tolerance for diversity provides an appropriately neutral vibration that may help us see through the heated political rhetoric. Aquarius is the most progressive sign in the zodiac. Ruled by Uranus, the Aquarius archetype thrives on change. Together in this sign, the Moon and Sun are symbolically united in a movement towards breaking free of old programming (Moon) in order to align with a core purpose (Sun) to progress. The Aquarian purpose of progression, according to Dane Rudhyar, is that once the unique individual is fully developed to then devote that uniqueness to the ideal of “service” to humanity, which seeks no recognition of any kind in return for selfless acts that reveal the divine within. In our current collective state, with polarized progressive and regressive movements reaching a crescendo point, our attention is being forced on “the spiritual requirement of the Age about to come” with the “thrusting open the gates of tomorrow by the explosive release of atomic energy.” Rudhyar wrote those words in his chapter about Aquarius in 1946 after the atomic bomb was dropped, a major scientific breakthrough with tragic results. The need to review our use of power and whether or not it is for the greater good is again at the forefront. “Whoever seeks to hold power for power’s sake, or for the self-centered use of power,” writes Rudhyar, “finds himself thereby on the highway to destruction. Power can bring wholesome fruits only to those who hold it in trust for the Whole and, with it, serve the Whole. Monopoly on power in whatever form can only lead to eventual self-destruction.” Bringing this down to a personal level, I for one will use the energy of this first New Moon of 2017 in Aquarius, to inquire into my own programming that may be diverting the use of my power to the needs of the self-serving ego rather than my core individualized self dedicated to serving humanity.
By evening of January 27th, Mars returns to its home sign of Aries, uniting the energy of action (Mars) with the spark of initiative (Aries) to make movement seem facile and natural. More intuitive than considered, the characteristic of Mars in Aries is uninhibited when it comes to pursuing desire. We may feel an onrush of energy as if spring has come early and we are ready to burst forth with new life. This ingress also tips the elements scale from water to fire dominant emphasizing action over feelings. Classically undeterred by consequences, the Mars in Aries drive is most effective when fueled by a well-formed intention that has consciously been adapted to the conditions and needs at hand.
January 29th through 31st, Mercury conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn and squares Uranus in Aries, triggering an uptick in emanations from the revolutionary outer planet alignment. Potentially correlating to intense focus on a core situation in need of an innovative breakthrough, also possible under this edgy transit are powerful words, power plays and declarations of freedom. It won’t be hard to imagine this coming from the political arena but we would do well to think through actions and deeds at this time with respect to others, especially considering this alignment coincides with Venus entering the “shadow” on January 30th. Travelling the degree space between 27° Pisces and 13° Aries three times due to Venus being retrograde March 4th to April 14th, matters dealing with values and relationships that present themselves now will come under review during the retrograde. Venus is still under the influence of the square to Saturn at this time, setting a tone of seriousness, limitation and a need for studied judgment as the shadow period begins.
Here’s the data (using Pacific Time and planetary positions rounded to the nearest whole degree, unless otherwise noted)
January 27 – Venus square Saturn at 24° Pisces/Sagittarius at 9:50 a.m.
January 27 – Moon conjunct Sun (New Moon) at 8° Aquarius at 4:07 p.m.
January 27 – Mars at 0° Aries at 9:39 p.m.
January 29 – Mercury conjunct Pluto at 18° Capricorn at 12:18 p.m.
January 31 – Mercury square Uranus at 21° Capricorn/Aries at 7:31 p.m.
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