This is my 600th post. Like most who blog, I began this as a place to talk about my thoughts and interests and it began to seem that I had no thoughts. No interests. I'm not sure what was going on in my head except that too much was going on and I'm not sure even now that I have coherent ideas that I can share as any kind of meaningful conversation and so I posted more as a scrapbook over time.
It has become my walking meditation in the mornings that my mind be clear and messages from Source flow freely into my mind, providing seeds for contemplation which I may feel good about sharing with others. It's coming. I can feel it. Until it manifests as something real and tangible ...
NorthPoint
Astrology Journal
By Pam Younghans
Photo: Aurora borealis over Kvaløya,Norway (photo by Helge Mortensen)
THE GROUND beneath our feet shifts this week, as four planets change signs and Jupiter stations retrograde. When a planet changes signs or direction, we experience a shift in our energetic foundation -- sometimes subtly, sometimes more noticeably, depending on our own natal chart configuration.
It is rare to have so many planets making these shifts within a few days' time. It indicates that we are now ready to shift our perspective and, in many ways, to take the next step.
Here's the rundown for the week, ordered by time: Venus enters Virgo (Tuesday), Jupiter goes retrograde (Thursday), Mercury and Saturn both enter Scorpio (Friday), and Mars enters Sagittarius (Saturday).
OF THE PLANETS shifting this week, Saturn is the slowest moving, and so carries the greatest influence energetically. Saturn is known as the Teacher of the zodiac, since it requires us to be disciplined and responsible. If you're familiar with the characters in the Harry Potter books, think of Saturn in the personage of Professor McGonagall -- stern but fair, no-nonsense, but with our growth and learning always the top priority.
Like all the planets, Saturn provides opportunities for growth in the area of life represented by the sign it is traveling through. For our Teacher planet, its sign indicates where we are being required to get more realistic, make practical (and often hard) decisions, and take greater responsibility for outcomes.
SATURN has been mostly in Libra since late October 2009 (with a brief return to Virgo from April to July 2010). For the past three years, Libran themes have been the major focus for many of our lessons. These themes have included partnerships, fairness, justice, and the balance between self and other in all of its manifestations.
This week, Saturn leaves Libra and enters Scorpio, where the planet will travel until late December 2014 (with a brief return from June to September 2015). With this sign change, our core Saturn lessons shift fairly tangibly.
Energetically, Saturn was comfortable in intellectual Libra, enjoying the detachment that air signs encourage. There is a compatibility between Saturn and Libra that helped us integrate the lessons involved, even if we still found them challenging.
SCORPIO is much different energy. A water sign, Scorpio is emotionally based, intense and often moody. As Saturn enters Scorpio, it's a bit like Professor McGonagall taking on the task of disciplining the Slytherins (with apologies to those who are not familiar with or not fans of the HP series).
Saturn last entered Scorpio in December 1982, where it traveled until November 1985. For those who were in body then, we may recall these Scorpio themes being a part of our lesson plan during those years: truth and secrets, power and manipulation, intimacy, sexuality and boundaries, transformation, and the revelation of unconscious or hidden motivations.
It will be interesting to see how we re-engage these themes as Saturn gets more firmly established in Scorpio over the weeks ahead. But we may not have to wait too long for evidence of the Saturn-in-Scorpio effect -- Mercury also enters Scorpio this Friday, which could quickly draw our awareness to where these themes are being played out.
JUPITER'S CHANGE of direction is next in line as we consider this impact of this week's planetary shifts. Jupiter is currently in Gemini, advancing our communication skills and inspiring our interest in new ideas.
This outer expansion turns inward while Jupiter is retrograde (until January 30). During this four-month period, we are encouraged to turn within for our answers, to review what we have recently learned, and to reconsider what we can do to bring greater joy and meaning to our lives.
DURING THIS TIME, Jupiter will support us as we examine what we truly believe, as we learn to listen more carefully to our inner voice and hear what it has to say. If we have been living according to the dictates of the mind instead of our spirit, or if we have been listening to others' opinions instead of following our own wisdom, these next four months can be a powerful time to reorient ourselves, to align more fully with our truth and inner knowing.
And, if we feel we are already in touch with our soul's perspective, this Jupiter retrograde period can deepen our knowing of Self, open us to further insights and revelations, and help us recommit to our soul's journey.
THE OTHER TWO PLANETS changing signs this week are Venus and Mars -- the planets that represent our receptive (feminine) and assertive (masculine) traits. As Venus enters Virgo, we become more cautious about who we allow into our hearts. Virgo is very discriminating, and prefers not to let go of the reins of control, for fear of ending up with something that doesn't match the ideal.
On the other hand, with Mars entering Sagittarius, we feel more like taking risks and are willing to laugh at any mistakes we make, rather than taking them too seriously. If this sounds like a contradiction to what was just described about Virgo, you're exactly right.
AT BASIC LEVELS, Virgo and Sagittarius are motivated by very different needs. Virgo is an earth sign, and wants practical solutions. Sagittarius is a fire sign, and wants life to be fun and exciting. For the next four weeks, while Venus and Mars are in these contradictory signs, we may find our own relationship needs more complicated than usual, and differences with friends or significant others may become more apparent.
As we navigate relationship issues in the days ahead, this is a good time to use the higher qualities of both signs, and to be aware of where we may fall into the lower vibrational traits. With Venus in Virgo, we can choose to observe without judgment, and to love unconditionally while being careful not to slide into self-sacrifice or martyrdom. And, with Mars in Sagittarius, we can choose to laugh "with" instead of "at," and to seek the underlying meaning of what is occurring, making sure not to lapse into self-righteousness or arrogance.
Blessings,
Pam
NorthPoint Astrology Blog: For occasional updates during the week, please visit http://northpointastrology.blogspot.com/ -- I look forward to your comments! To Subscribe to the NorthPoint Journal: If you have been forwarded this issue of my NorthPoint Astrology Journal and would like to receive it directly every week, please click here. Then, scroll down to the bottom of the webpage, fill out the subscription form, and click on Submit. To request a personal astrology reading, please e-mail Pam at pam@northpointastrology.com. Or, see the "Readings" page at www.northpointastrology.com to learn more. Please feel free to share this NorthPoint Journal with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Copyright NorthPoint Astrology 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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