This week we’re in the tumultuous zone between eclipses. It’s a fitting way to start a new year of radical shifts leading into a decade of upheaval.

If you feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall to communicate with someone, you’ve got lots of company. Difficult communications are among the major themes this week, and at times it could be heartbreaking. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get through. What the heck is up with that?

In terms of specific planetary aspects, there’s not a whole lot going on this week, other than a close conjunction of the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Capricorn. But that isn’t unusual, as these three are never far apart from each other.

More importantly, Mars is tightly inconjunct all three. The inconjunct (more accurately called a quincunx) between Mercury and Mars was exact on New Year’s Eve, but it remains active throughout this week. The Sun forms this irritating aspect with Mars on Thursday, with Venus following on Friday. The friction is especially bad in romantic relationships.

Saturn’s impending station adds to the frustration. We’re really going to feel next week’s retrograde, as Saturn is a powerful influence in the sky right now. Not only is he in the sign of his exaltation, but he’s receiving energy from four planets in Capricorn, the sign Saturn rules. The lunar North Node also is in Capricorn.

Since Saturn entered Libra, I’ve seen a greater awareness of equal partnerships and compromising within relationships. However, wherever Saturn exerts an influence, we often find fear and insecurity. Issues that we may have ignored before as trivial and not worth making a fuss over are now a source of major disagreement. Dissecting every conversation and action gets tiring, and yet we find ourselves doing it over and over.

Of course, this effect is aggravated by Mercury retrograde, to the point that it’s crazy making.

The Moon enters Libra on Tuesday and conjoins Saturn on Wednesday, which may help reduce the noise level long enough for us to hear what the other is saying. Then, what you hear might be depressing. Try to keep the faith. As serious as this all feels, it really is going to pass.

On Thursday, the Moon reaches the halfway point between the lunar eclipse on New Year’s Eve and the upcoming solar eclipse on January 14. We’re sailing through rough seas emotionally.

My advice is to take extra time to try to understand why you feel as you do. If you’re upset with someone, did he or she really do anything to merit your anger, and was it intentional? Difficult as it is to talk things through this week, it’s all we can do.

Once we’ve come through these turbulent aspects, you may find that your relationships not only survived but became stronger. If you’re not in a relationship but struggling with issues of fairness and balance in your own life, you may discover that serious imbalances get your attention to the point that you make a commitment to positive change.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: Sunset on the lagoon. A friend took this photo recently on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It’s a perfect reflection of the dictum, “As above, so below,” which is good to remember in these tumultuous times. Photo by James A. Weythman, all rights reserved.