Waltzing, Sharp Words and a Lovely New Moon

Venus waltzes with Pluto and Uranus, while Mars and Mercury sharpen (s)words and the New Moon tries to smooth it over. 

Coming off the heels of the Venusian-love-sandwich (read about that here), Venus is starting off the week strong with her recent move into one of her home signs of Libra. On Tuesday, Oct. 14, she makes not one, but two back-to-back trines with Uranus and Pluto. Trines are harmonious aspects of the nature of Jupiter. The energy is free-flowing and positive. As Venus, happy in her airy home sign, waltzes with Uranus - the disruptive planet of freedom, rebellion, technology and innovation - in socially-minded, inquisitive Gemini, breakthrough, expansive ideas are more likely to come to the surface in a positive way. 

Then Pluto cuts into the waltz and the music shifts into a minor key. Maybe the song is about yearning and love and loss and the depths of the soul and losing it all to rebuild something newer and better (i.e. Plutonian themes tempered by Venus’s sweetness). Sure, the Venusian mood shifts on Tuesday, but the current is overall positive. 

Sun square Jupiter brings some challenge

Then, on Thursday, Oct. 16, there’s a little tension in the sky. The Sun in Libra squares Jupiter in Cancer. Take a look at the Libra and Cancer whole-sign houses in your chart to get a sense for the topics that might be at an impasse - experiencing some friction. Jupiter is at home in Cancer’s watery, nurturing waters. It can access its qualities of abundance and wisdom. But, the Sun in Libra is in its fall. The Sun is exalted in Libra’s opposite and sister sign of Aries, where it feels at home shedding light on individuality and the self. But, Libra, ruled by Venus, is all about relationality. The self and the other. It sees both sides. After all, Libra is the scales of justice. So, the Sun, which is concerned primarily with the self and one’s own vitality is not at home in Libra. 

As Jupiter and the Sun square off - yin vs yang, water vs air, emotionality vs rationality - with Jupiter in the superior and stronger position, I wonder what will have to give when it comes to the topics represented by the houses in the chart, particularly the Libra house. 

The Climax of the Conflict

This moment of tension is the prelude to one of the harsher aspects of the month. On Sunday, Oct. 19, there is a Mercury-Mars conjunction in the sign of Scorpio. This is sharp, cutting words. Mercury, the planet of communication meets up with Mars, the planet of war and aggression and the most obvious result is cutting, eviscerating language. But, Mercury also rules transportation and the mind. Maybe you're at war with yourself in your mind. Maybe be extra careful driving or travelling. Maybe write the scathing email and let it sit overnight before you impulsively send it. Mars is extra potent and activated in his home sign of Scorpio, where he shows his more calculating, strategic and even manipulative side. He goes undercover and plays the long game. So, this day and the days immediately surrounding it are days to be watchful of words. And road rage. 

The New Moon Plays Peacemaker

Moving along, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, we have the lovely new moon in Libra, where Venus is currently residing in her domicile. It’s a bit of a balm after the intense Mercury-Mars moment and the Sun-Jupiter square (which impacted Libra) earlier in the week. The New Moon is a time of setting new intentions and planting new seeds in the area of life which it presides over in your chart. There’s a relational grace to the sign of Libra and in this moment it seems fortuitous to plant seeds of unity and harmony in the face of so much division and strife. 

FYI…

Just a heads up, Mercury is entering its pre-retrograde shadow on this day as well. It will go into Sagittarius where it will station retrograde and return to 20 degrees of Scorpio before it stations direct and re-traverses its retrograde path. If you pay attention to Mercurial topics (communication, transportation, travelling) in this area of your life (according to the Scorpio house in your chart), you might notice these topics get revisted/redone/re-imagined during Mercury’s retrograde.