As we prepare to embrace the equinox and change of seasons, if we step back and check the celestial configurations as seen from the Sun - the heliocentric view - there’s a heap of activity supporting the seasonal shift. Today Mercury reaches perihelion. Also today Jupiter and Neptune both made conjunctions with the Earth, which means they both stand opposite the Sun, or at the virtual midpoint of the retrograde era. Friday (03:08 GMT, so Thursday for some) Jupiter and Uranus align in Pisces. In two days, Jupiter squares the perihelion of Saturn. All this as Ceres squares the Galactic Center, searching for cool new ideas that help out the underdog. Looking slightly ahead, come October 9 Jupiter enters Aries heliocentrically; Uranus makes it into Aries January 29th using the Sun’s centrist view.
You’ve probably encountered posts and blogs about the recent Jupiter and Uranus conjunction with both planets retrograde that occurred this Saturday past, again depending upon where in the world you stood. And more than likely you’ve heard that Jupiter and Earth made their closest distance encounter until 2022, and we are now receiving an intense solar stream of energy from increasing solar activity.
If all of the above feels like supercharged intensity, it is. We now feel Jupiter’s massive embellishing influence through the shortest physical distance in quite some time. This exerts a feeling of pressure upon the chest and shoulders, requiring more than the usual supply of deep breaths to counteract. Chomping at the bit, feeling an urge to get something to happen... anything to happen... may impel a person to engage in rapidly selected tasks. Some may match with one’s ultimate agenda. Others may dispel some of the energy, but also consume time, taking that time away from more patient and purposeful approaches. Still, the urge to get something complete in the real world that holds breakthrough potency comes from the alignment of Jupiter and Uranus with the Earth.
Add to this Mercury at perihelion. This is where Mercury moves the fastest. As seen from the Sun, Mercury races through an astonishing six degrees of the ecliptic a day! Bear in mind this occurs every 88 days, minus a Mercurial smidgeon of time. This time, though, it occurs on the time line with some other huge planetary pushes. Mercury at perihelion can turn conversation into a barrage of machine gun chatter that may overload the ears and patience of others. Focus is a good thing. Mercury is in Gemini when at perihelion (again, these notations are from the Sun’s point of view... he is also still in Virgo as seen in traditional Western astrology); perhaps playing devil’s advocate and issuing the perspective of both sides of the coin. This objective flip-flopping may become a bit much. It may be easier to conduct pro/con assessments internally, delivering only the final product of such summations to others when the process exhausts itself.
Also working as a subtle undercurrent, Saturn recently opposed the “upset the norm, overturn the agendas of those snubbing forces of exclusion,” goddess of discord Eris. Over the past several months, this influence has been in play for more mature (in the age sense) folks, and now impacts those with births in the early 1950's. Over the next year, Saturn will press on virtually everyone alive, asking if the outcome of life to date works in terms of the original blueprint of one’s incarnation, or if significant changes of course may be required. Saturn’s and Eris’ subconscious pressures add to Jupiter’s squeeze, which intend to invoke the creative spirit, align with a political cause, disengage from social activities that devour time and offer no benefit, cull those one considers one’s closest allies, dismiss disruptive workers and establish quality time for people and activities that feed the soul and mean the most.
As noted above, Jupiter squares the perihelion-aphelion axis of Saturn in two days. This axis notes the maximum and minimum speeds of a planet’s motion as it circumnavigates the Sun. The axis sets up a sense of urgency for the natural concerns of the planet to engage. With a square to the perihelion-aphelion axis a fulcrum-like assist appears in the form of the squaring planet. Here we have the needed balance, point of perspective, pause to reaffirm the cause, and assessment of the expenditures of time and energy as demanded by the planets involved. So, in this instance, we have Jupiter pressing outward and Saturn squeezing inward at the same time, looking to create a functioning bellows for the smith’s forge of life.
From where Jupiter drives on the heliocentric highway, he can see the state of Aries ahead. Having been in Pisces for an appropriately indiscernible time, he can hardly wait to get there. His foot on the accelerator might press down more firmly, unnoticed until Saturnine authorities pull him over on the side of the road, issuing an expensive “slow down,” and “put your seat belt on, I don’t care if you were reaching into the seat pocket behind you for your favorite motivational CD,” set of warnings.
The scent in the air suggests that if you do nothing to advance your causes, your cause cannot advance. Yep, that’s true. Perhaps this is one of those times, though, where what is done to advance the cause, occurs in the energetic realm and appears non measurable in the mundane, an effect that is totally annoying when planets align with the Earth. The caution here would be to ensure that the work in the energy realms actually occurs. If one says they are planning how to lay out the structure of new integrated circuit idea in their mind, make sure the focus stays on said planning, instead of scouting fantasy sports picks, checking airline fares or making sure your Twitter account wasn’t hacked.
Patience may be a virtue, but waiting for the mundane to catch up with previous effort and/or seeding the next wave of creative ventures and having to wait another two seasons for present time results can wear on a person feeling squeezes from Jupiter and Uranus as irradiated and amped up by solar emanations as we all are presently encountering in our own unique ways. Mercury, while moving frantically, might be the answer. As your mind moves as fast as it can to keep up with the overload, ensure it maintains a focus on the far horizon of life’s objectives so that it does not mire to a muddled halt in a maze of mental manipulations. When playing devil’s advocate with yourself, be gentle, applying no cruel inner critic to your self interrogation. Realize when examining both sides of that pro/con objective fact assessment sheet that the winning side will ultimately align with your innermost desire. Should you ignore reason, Saturn is there to tug your reigns just enough. Should you work too much with energetic speculations, Jupiter will kick your posterior back into the sphere of engaged life participants. Should you be fretting over why you don’t fit certain Bell Curve parameters, Saturn to Eris suggests that you create your own perfectly fashioned niche.
As the Sun sees it, it’s all about being the brightest and most efficient you that you can become, bearing in mind, of course, that everyone else is on the same course. Take some time away from the frantic pace and see if you can assess exactly how those subtle heliocentric urges are pushing you along.