Apalachicola Fog. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2015.

This week starts out on a somewhat difficult note, but otherwise there are several positive planetary aspects, for individuals and the world in general.

We’re heading into the most intense month of the year, with stress that can feel overwhelming. That makes this week’s positive aspects all the more welcome. We might feel adrift in the fog, without a physical anchor, but there are ways to stay mentally and spiritually balanced. For some, supportive relationships have a steadying effect. Others feel a sense of continuity in creative projects, exercise routines, or spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation.

With Saturn in Sagittarius, a commitment to fearlessly seeking the truth can be the stabilizing force. It is harder to get knocked over when you’re willing to face the truth, no matter how much it might hurt, offend, shock, or upset. We need a belief system to keep us oriented, but when beliefs stray too far from the truth, we can end up heading in a wrong direction, perhaps to our detriment. Beliefs versus truth will be an ongoing theme as Saturn approaches a square with Neptune, planet of imagination and delusions. Ideally, those who are out of touch with reality will welcome the opportunity to get back on track. With solid grounding in reality, it becomes possible to tap into the true power of the imagination. Likewise, if you’re using psychic abilities or doing past-life regression, it’s critical to know how to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s an illusion.

Saturn is the key player this week, with a conflicting square from the Sun on Monday and a trine from Venus and Mars on Tuesday and Wednesday. Difficult Sun-Saturn aspects can represent confrontation with authorities, which can take many forms. It could be an art student or creative writer receiving a harsh critique from an instructor. Or it could be run-in with authorities, possibly over something seemingly trivial, such as jaywalking at 2 a.m. on an empty street.

The good news is that Sun-Saturn transits are short, lasting only two or three days. Better still, the positive trines from Venus and Mars act to mitigate difficult situations and perhaps even turn them into positive experiences. For example, our art student initially might be angry or humiliated by the instructor’s criticism, but while reworking the assignment could have a flash of inspiration that turns a mediocre work into a brilliant masterpiece. Another example might be a fight with a parent that affords an opportunity to move through conflict and become closer. The Moon is in Gemini on Wednesday and opposes Saturn between sextiles with Mars and Venus. When we’re under so much stress, it’s easy to get into negative feedback loops. Negative thinking can be redirected by asking ourselves if the beliefs feeding those thoughts are really true. This applies doubly to what we believe about ourselves.

A couple of hours after the Mars-Saturn trine on Wednesday, the Sun aligns with Neptune. Creative work of any kind is favored, especially music, photography, and film. If you’re feeling charitable, you might want to consider doing something for someone less fortunate, even if it’s just buying a cup of hot coffee for a homeless person on the street corner.

There is another, more important side to this aspect. The Sun will “carry forward” Saturn’s energy to Neptune, which means we’ll get a taste of how the square will manifest when it becomes exact in late fall. Watch the news for issues of religion and faith. In particular, look for indications of deception and hidden motivations, especially political. As long as there have been organized religions, groups vying for power have used it as a weapon to pit people against one another, typically by creating fear and demonizing an enemy. In the 16th and 17th centuries, wars between Catholics and Protestants devastated Europe, reducing the population by one-third in some countries. It isn’t clear whether the combatant hierarchy believed they were fighting “God’s war.” Some no doubt did, but the conflicts were about wealth and power for the elites. The masses doing the fighting had to be convinced that they were fighting against evil. Of course, religion isn’t the only means of dividing people. Race, culture, ethnicity, and political systems work just as well. Remember the one about Iraqi soldiers ripping babies from incubators and leaving them to die?

On Friday, Jupiter forms an inconjunct with Pluto. Jupiter currently is at the apex of a Yod with Pluto and Chiron. This irritating configuration is manifesting more on a collective level, particularly regarding economic activity. Pluto and Chiron are working together to transform and heal the collective, which is at odds with the “1 percent.” Studies show that the income gap is widening, that a smaller and smaller group of people are controlling an increasing amount of the world’s wealth. This is the “bubble” that has to burst. Several experts believe that we’re on the edge of financial disaster. The EU narrowly avoided it by enforcing a bailout agreement with the new government of Greece.

On Sunday, Mercury sextiles Uranus and opposes Jupiter. Inspiration and novel ideas spring out of nowhere, and some of them could be big. Take notes, and then do some Internet research to find out whether others are thinking or doing what you have in mind. Or get together with friends and brainstorm. Lightning produces sparks of genius. Also pay attention to synchronicities. They are road signs pointing you toward a path you didn’t know existed.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat