sprites strip
Today’s photo: Sprites during a thunderstorm over Nebraska on August 12, 2013 (photo by Jason Ahrns, onSpaceweather.com)
PLANETARY EVENTS this week seem to be conspiring to move us forward, helping us take risks that propel us beyond the habits and patterns of the past. Change is on the horizon; to embrace our new life directions, we often must relinquish our hold on what has kept us safe, but also has kept us small.
Our Full Moon on Tuesday (6:45pm PDT) is in the sign of Aquarius, arguably the most forward-thinking of the astrological signs. At the time of the lunation, the Moon opposes a stellium of planets in Leo: the Sun, Ceres, Mercury and Vesta.
This Full Moon has the potential to shed light on how we have allowed a lack of self-confidence to inhibit our creative fulfillment. Or, we may see more clearly how our desire to care for others or to gain their approval has sidetracked us, and how we may have limited our own potentials along the way.
THE SABIAN SYMBOL for the Full Moon provides a powerful image for us to meditate upon as we work with the energies this week:
“A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis: The capacity to utterly transform the character of one’s consciousness by radically altering the structural patterns of everyday living and the types of relationships one enters upon.”
Further interpretation of this symbol by astrologer Dane Rudhyar underscores the life-changing potentials inherent in this Full Moon:
“Nothing short of a complete renewal of all the implications of being alive as a human individual will do. A radical change is needed. What is revealed is the potential ability of every human being to participate in a higher realm of evolution AFTER his or her emergence from a critical state of transition.”
I KNOW that many of us can relate to this last phrase — “a critical state of transition” — as descriptive of our experience in recent months. This is no doubt especially true if you’ve been working directly with the energies of the Pluto-Uranus square this year.
This Sabian symbol and its interpretation also make me think of the familiar quote by Anais Nin, which no doubt you will recognize:
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
THIS QUOTE puts into words the energy of the Uranus-Jupiter square, which is exact less than six hours after the Full Moon and emphasizes the themes of emergence and transformation this week. Uranus is in Aries, inspiring us to have the courage to take our lives in new directions, while Jupiter is in Cancer, pulling us toward the safety of what is known and comfortable.
Our choices with this planetary confrontation are clear — will we remain a bud, in the chrysalis? Will fear rule the day and keep us from our next evolutionary step?
On the other hand, will we, in our impatience, head out the door without thinking first, and neglect to pack into our satchels the healthy elements of our past that we will continue to need going forward?
Or, can we garner the courage to emerge from the restrictions of our heritage, while still drawing on the strengths from the past that can continue to support us in positive ways?
THE SUN AND MERCURYboth changes signs this week. The Sun moves from Leo into Virgo on Thursday, and Mercury follows suit on Friday.
The shift from Leo to Virgo can be an interesting one, given that Leo rules play, enjoyment and Living in the Now, while Virgo rules service, discipline and a focus on Growth Potential. As we start working with the Virgo energies and begin to get down (or back) to work, we’ll want to retain some of what we learned from Leo about the value of spontaneity and bringing joy into our daily lives.
NEXT SATURDAY looks like a good day to get chores done, with the Sun and Mercury aligned in task-oriented Virgo. It may be best to plan and carry out the tasks independently, since Virgo is a perfectionist and can tend to be critical of the contributions of others.
If you are interacting with others, however, be aware that we also have a Pluto-Venus square on that day, which can tend to manifest in large or small power struggles. From a positive point of view, whatever comes to the surface in our relationships with this aspect will be important for us to see, acknowledge and deal with, rather than pretending it doesn’t exist.
OH — and did I mention? The keyword for this week’s Full Moon is Metamorphosis, and the explanation reads:
“In spiritual terms, this implies ‘Initiation,’ entering a higher realm of conscious existence and there joining a sacred Company.” Powerful week, I’d say.
Blessings,
Pam
NorthPoint Astrology Blog: Two blog posts this week! Please visit http://northpointastrology.blogspot.com/ to read about “CMEs” and “Latest multidimensional news.”
Spirit In Action 