Category Archives: About astrology

Ask Our Readers: How Do You Handle Conflict in Relationships?

After writing the post on Libra’s approach to fighting fair, I decided to pursue this topic a little further and see how others feel about this. Maybe you prefer to a more visceral interaction than I, with all my Libra. If so, please tell us about it.

Thus, this week’s question:

How much tolerance do you have for conflict in relationships, and how is this shown in your chart?

I’ll go first:

I believe it’s my Libra Moon-Neptune conjunction making me particularly sensitive to someone yelling harsh words at me. It feels like I’ve been punched in the solar plexus when that has happened. It is having Mars conjunct Mercury in Scorpio that gives me the means to edit my speech before it emerges.

It’s also possible the North Node in Gemini, another air sign, pulls me towards communicating my anger in a more civilized manner. The Sagittarius South Node in my first house is not nearly as good about choosing the right words.

At any rate, that’s what I see in my chart encouraging me to express my feelings, especially anger, in as non-threatening a way as possible.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Weekly Forecast September 1: In the Wake of the New Moon in Virgo

The Guilded Cage, by Evelyn de MorganWe’re still in the wake of last Saturday’s New Moon in Virgo, and we likely will see manifestations of it right up until Wednesday, when the Sun conjoins Saturn, thus carrying the energy of the New Moon to Saturn’s “classroom.”

What lesson you’re learning at the hand of the taskmaster depends on what house of your natal chart he’s transiting and whether he’s making an aspect to any natal planets. For that, you’d need to consult an astrologer, but in general, we are learning how to become our authentic selves and, in so doing, how we can better serve humanity. This theme will become more prominent as Saturn approaches opposition to Uranus this fall.

For now, just be aware of how limiting yourself could be hurting not just yourself, but others as well. What is your greatest gift to the world? What changes may be necessary in your life in order for you to give it?

That’s a heavy homework assignment, and it is one you’ll need to contemplate for awhile.

Meanwhile, we’ll get a little taste on Monday of what next week’s Venus-Mars conjunction may bring our way, as the Moon in Libra aligns with Venus, Mercury, and Mars within a 12-hour span.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Mars-Venus conjunction, which will be exact on September 11. Mars-Venus conjunctions typically are good for relationships, and that should be all the more true with this conjunction occurring in Libra, the sign most associated with relationships.

That said, Mars is not well-placed in Libra, the sign of his detriment. We think of Libra as the peacemaker and the conciliator, but that is not the natural character of Mars. In Libra, he can be passive-aggressive.

Also please note that Mercury goes retrograde in Libra this month, and Mars is now moving through Mercury’s retrograde path, which will extend from about 7 degrees to 23 degrees Libra. Mercury, remember, is about communications. Mercury-Mars conjunctions, even in Libra, can result in anger. Not that this is a bad thing. We tend to view anger as negative, but it’s a lot more negative to repress it. A good clearing of the air, especially in intimate relationships, may turn out to be exactly what we most need. As I mentioned above, keep an eye on what happens in your life on Monday for clues as to how this important transit could affect you and your relationships.

Speaking of Mercury, I’ve started receiving reports of events that sound suspiciously like Mercury retrograde activity, so I’m betting that Mars is the culprit here. There will be lots more, too, as Mercury officially enters his retrograde shadow period on Tuesday. Heads up!

The Sun goes on to trine Jupiter on Thursday. The Big Guy is in his fall and still technically retrograde, but he’s slowing way down (that’s what it looks like from down here anyway) in preparation to return direct late Sunday on the West Coast of the United States. Yes, it will be next week already in most of the rest of the world. This will be a powerful moment to decide what you want to manifest, especially as it relates to fulfilling your highest purpose and destiny. It’s not called soul work for nothing. It’s work, it’s hard, and sometimes it seems impossible.

We’ll get an extra nudge on Sunday from squares to Jupiter from Mars and then Mercury. We usually think of squares as presenting conflict, but these two can be useful if approached with an intention to go for the highest good. In any case, a little effort this week will go a long way, so just do it.

Love and blessings,

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: The Guilded Cage, by Evelyn de Morgan, 1919. The message here is about how attachment to material possessions can prevent you from living a more free and authentic life.

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Am I Feeling So Angry?

This week’s question comes from Elaine in San Francisco:

All summer, I have felt consumed by anger, frustration, and guilt. I feel the earth shaking under me and feel like we are in a deeper movement than just my personal upheavals. Anything to this? Or is it just my neurotic self and shifts that I am doing and not allowing?

Libra ponders . . .Neith’s response:

Elaine, Uranus has been hanging out in your eighth house creating an aspect pattern called a Yod with your Ascendant in Leo conjunct Pluto sextile Neptune in Libra as the base. Of course, any planet activating your Ascendant-Pluto also affects your Sun because of the natal Sun-Pluto opposition.

All the astro-babble can be translated into simpler terms as follows: The eighth house relates to Scorpio and all things Plutonian and Uranus transits are noted for stirring the pot to help us become our most authentic selves. Anger, frustration and guilt are all good Pluto and eighth house issues. Outer planet transits to one point of a natal chart pattern can act like a fly wriggling on the corner of a spider web, shaking the whole thing.

Uranus encourages us to look out for ourselves and Pluto demands we deal with our darker aspects with detachment and acceptance. Yes, it’s a major pain the rear but the rewards can be equally great if we do the work.

Pluto also moved back into Sagittarius for a final visit in June about a week before Uranus turned Rx taking the collective into a period of review and potential catharsis. Perhaps you are more sensitive and aware of what’s going on in a broader sense because your personal planets are aspected natally by the outer planets. Both Pat and I are outer planet people too and consequently pay more attention to their movements.

As always, my suggestion is to practice forgiveness and treat one’s self with kindness and forbearance. Good luck!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s answer:

Elaine, you are a powerfully “Plutonian” person, with natal Pluto poised on your Ascendant at 21 degrees Leo. My guess is that you are extremely psychic (possibly a hereditary trait), and that you are indeed picking up some universal energy.

I’ve written quite a bit on my blog, The Pisces Chronicles, and to a lesser extent here on the Real Astrologers blog, about the current series of eclipses in Leo and Aquarius, with a window on healing provided by Neptune and Chiron on the lunar North Node around 19-22 degrees Aquarius, which means that they are sitting opposite your Ascendant and natal Pluto. This has opened a powerful window of opportunity for you to do some deep healing work, possibly related to wounds you brought into this incarnation with you. Some of these may have been considerable — deep and dark, and very much in the realm of Pluto, who, as you may recall from Mythology 101, was the dark lord of the underworld.

I do believe that the current eclipse series is corresponding to a groundswell shift, and you are no doubt feeling it. As an Aquarius with Aquarius Rising, I most certainly am!

As I’ve also noted on my blog, there is another, simultaneous energy pattern happening right now, related to the imminent opposition of transiting Saturn and Uranus. Saturn currently is transiting your first house, but he’ll move to the second shortly, and so the opposition will happen in your second and eighth houses. Neith already has described one of the effects of Uranus in the eighth house, so you can see how this relates further to Plutonian themes.

Anger is a natural part of the healing process, but it is one of the scariest and most uncomfortable emotions for us, especially women. Just allow yourself the space to process it, and don’t judge it as “bad” or “negative.” Anger is a powerfully motivating force, or can be, when used properly. Just use it with care, don’t point it at anyone (at least not anyone who doesn’t deserve it!).

I also would note that since mid-June — the time you said this anger began — Mars was crossing your Ascendant, so of course he conjoined natal Pluto. This can be a period of blind rage, so it’s hardly surprising that you felt a lot of anger. Then Mars crossed Saturn in your first house and went on to oppose Uranus in your eighth house. Many people I know, myself included, either felt anger during this time or were the targets of anger.

Thank you for raising this very important question, Elaine. Much love and courage to you.

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Ask Our Readers: What Don’t You Like About Your Chart?

We got such a great response to our new Wednesday format last week that we decided to do it again.

Here’s this week’s question:

What about your birth chart, if anything, makes you uncomfortable or scares you?

Just to help the get the discussion going, I’ll go first.

There are two patterns in my chart that are scary and that have made life quite difficult in a number of ways. First, I have a fixed T-square, with a debilitated Mars opposed to Neptune. Second, I have a very tight square between my Pisces Moon and Saturn in Sagittarius. Together, this is a recipe for low energy plus an unhappy childhood feeding into adult depression. Fortunately, I have found a way to deal with these issues, largely through astrology and Tarot, and they no longer rule my life. But they do demand constant vigilance and work.

OK, it’s your turn!

Meanwhile, Neith and I would like thank everyone who responded to last week’s question. We got some great answers, with the kind of details that help us collect information and become better astrologers.

Predictably, those of you with planets or chart angles in Aquarius and Leo felt the eclipses the most. Indeed, it packed quite a wallop for some of you (it did for that, that’s for sure!).

That said, some of you didn’t feel it, or you didn’t feel it as strongly as we would have expected, given your natal charts. To those people, I would say that these eclipses may deliver their “news” at the New Moon in Scorpio on October 28 or the Full Moon in Taurus on November 13. The degrees of these lunations will be square the degrees of the August 1 solar eclipse and the August 16 lunar eclipse, resulting in a release of energy not unlike what happens when two tectonic plates finally break free of each other, causing an earthquake.

I don’t say this to scare you, only to give you a heads up so that you can plan according. That, after all, is the whole point of predictive astrology.

Love and blessings,
Aquarius, the sign of astrology Pat.

New Moon in Virgo, August 30, 2008

down on the farmThe New Moon this Saturday, August 30, is the first following the pair of eclipses earlier this month. The Sun and Moon at 7°48′ Virgo, conjunct Saturn, emphasize responsible manifestation of our goals.

Saturn is the taskmaster, but at least we find that what he asks of us is easy to understand – not necessarily pleasant, but understandable. Saturn reminds us of the need to behave in a responsible manner. When he’s in Virgo, being of service to others is high on his priorities list. We are being asked to eat our vegetables first, then dessert!

One of the best things about this New Moon is the lovely supporting trine from Jupiter in Capricorn. Virgo and Capricorn are not flashy signs, but they are both excellent for getting down to work in a quiet, straightforward manner. After the drama of the eclipses in Leo-Aquarius, most of us are more than ready for a break. If your experiences this month have been remotely like mine, there is a backlog of things to catch up on!

The Jupiter-Saturn trine will be in effect until early December, giving us time to take care of business. Trines do not require a lot of effort, just awareness to seize the opportunities that present themselves. However, it would be a shame to waste any moment of this very productive aspect between practical Saturn and visionary Jupiter. Those of you who have planets and chart angles at the mid-degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) will notice this aspect the most, especially if Saturn will conjoin those points in your chart.

My Libra self is extremely happy to see the nice stellium in Libra occurring at this New Moon, with Venus, Mercury, and Mars all in the sign of balance. If you have need of charm and diplomacy to make a move at this time, this stellium has those qualities in spades. The trine from Pallas in Gemini provides further support for making accurate assessments of any situation. Pallas is the asteroid specializing in clear, concise thought and organizational skills, and Mercury ruled Gemini is associated with communications in general.

Because neither Neptune in Aquarius nor Uranus in Pisces are aspected in this chart, we are going to catch a breather from dealing with the issues those two outer planets have been pummeling us with over the past few months. Pluto in Sagittarius is also out of orb with the inner planets at this time. It is much easier for us to recognize and deal with matters related to Jupiter and Saturn than the archetypes of the three outermost planets. A practical, mundane focus is in order for now.

The Sabian symbol for 8 Virgo is, A girl takes her first dancing lesson, and the keyword is ASSISTANCE. As usual the Sabian symbol strikes right to the heart of the matter and, in this case, it is the New Moon conjunction with Saturn. We learn many things by practicing with focus and diligence, and this is a great time for practicing discipline, self-control, and concentration. Saturn always blesses our efforts to manage our lives by taking small steps instead of taking giant leaps in mid-air.

All in all, this New Moon is going to be good for us, a time to pick up the loose ends and deal with them in an orderly fashion. Virgo and Libra both remind us of the value of treating others with politeness and consideration – a great time to practice “paying it forward” with random acts of kindness. We need to take advantage of this opportunity, because the Full Moon in Pisces next month will conjoin Uranus, not Saturn, and life will get “interesting” once more.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.

Weekly Forecast August 25: New Moon in Virgo, Venus enters Libra

Helen of Troy, by Evelyn de Morgan, 1898

The Sun is in Virgo, and fall is definitely here in the Pacific Northwest. The days are noticeably shorter, the light is growing thinner, the nights are cold, and the vegetable stands are overflowing with good things from the Earth.

This is my favorite time of year, when I feel invigorated. Perhaps we know deep down in our genetic coding (we in the Northern Hemisphere) that this is the Earth’s last hurrah, our time of celebration and abundance before heading into the darkest days of the year and the corresponding turn inward.

This cycle is very much reflected in the mythology of Ceres (the Greek Demeter), the quintessential earth mother. I’ve written a lot on my blog, The Pisces Chronicles, about Ceres as the modern ruler of Virgo, if not alone then as co-ruler with Mercury. I have a feeling that if the ancient astrologers who devised our rulership system had known of the existence of Ceres and the other planets discovered since the 18th century, they would have revised their system accordingly.

Ceres, as it turns out, is fairly quiet right now, in the early degrees of Leo and not in aspect with the heavy players of the week. Her influence will grow, however, as she moves through Leo and the degrees of the eclipses in the current series, and then when she enters Virgo in early November. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it…

This week, we have an edgy New Moon in Virgo (more about that in a minute), as well as Mercury and Venus moving into Libra. Let’s talk about Venus first.

Venus has not been happy at all in Virgo, the sign of her fall. Conversely, Libra is one of the two signs ruled by Venus. The image I chose for this week’s post says it all. Venus in Libra is the highest expression of feminine beauty and grace. She is adorned, pampered, worshipped, fought over … and, OK, a little spoiled, but that has been the due for gorgeous creatures since time immemorial.

That said, Venus in Libra is not egocentric and knows how to compromise to get what she wants. Compromise truly is an art, and like many other things, it requires knowing yourself. Otherwise, you don’t know whether you’re giving away too much or compromising your integrity. Venus enters Libra Saturday at 7:41 a.m. on the West Coast of the United States — not a moment too soon, as the New Moon is just a few hours away, and I think it’s going to be a tough one for many of us.

As usual, Neith will have a full report in a day or two. For now, I’ll note simply that this New Moon, just shy of 8 degrees Virgo, falls in fairly close conjunction with Saturn, a stern presence whose lessons are never easy to learn. Depending on the house position of this New Moon in your chart, you may be asked to take on a new responsibility, or you may be forced to accept responsibility for your behavior or your approach to a certain part of your life. This is not a bad thing, obviously, but it is a lesson that many of us learn only under duress.

Mercury also enters Libra this week, at 7:50 p.m. PDT on Thursday. Although Mercury isn’t exalted here, Libra is an air sign and thus a comfortable place for Mercury’s intellectual, analytical qualities. Talking about relationships will be especially productive, and that will include rehashing unresolved problems when Mercury goes retrograde on September 24. The shadow period starts on September 2, so be sure to wrap up Mercury related activities this week, including making changes to your computer system, signing contracts, sending important correspondence, and getting your accounting in order.

Mercury and Venus both square Pluto before changing signs — Mercury on Wednesday and Venus on Friday. This should help identify relationship problems at their source, even if it’s just in your own mind, so that you can work to find solutions. Realizations may be painful, or you may finally just accept what you’ve known inside all along.

Love and lots of courage to all,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: Helen of Troy, by Evelyn de Morgan, 1898. The artist was a Virgo, born August 30, 1855, and of course had Venus in Libra. Could there be a more fitting image for Venus in Libra at the New Moon?

Saturday Archives: Neptune in Synastry . . .

Neptune's Horses by Liza EastmanSince I’ve been coming across Neptune aspects in the compatibility charts I’ve been working with lately, this is the post I decided to pull from the archives. Neptune has also been a powerful influence in the sky lately too, conjuncting the Full Moon in Aquarius. It does not pay to ignore this subtle but powerful planet.

When I think of Neptune in synastry, the duality of the Neptune experience comes to mind. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus but not often expressed as that. Wandering around in a hall of smoke and mirrors and lots of illusion is a far more common experience. Yes, it’s possible we can find our “soul mate” and live happily ever after is a cloud of romantic bliss . . . and if you buy that I have this piece of real estate in the hinterlands that would be perfect for you.

Neptune is darn tricky to understand but when it comes to synastry I see Neptune as playing an important role. He can soften some of Saturn’s harsher edges and give us some relief from Pluto’s obsessions. Or he can lead us down the garden path and make both Saturn’s strictures and Pluto’s obsessive behaviors even worse. Think of some poor badly abused individual that proclaims how much their abuser “loves” them because their addictions to drugs and alcohol (Neptune) are being fed. Admittedly this is an extreme example but there are lots of these folks out there in this type of situation.

If we see sextiles and trines between Neptune and various personal planets in a comparison, I find these are helpful in promoting a pleasant romantic vibe. If it’s Venus involved there is likely to be candlelit dinners and flowers that are given for no particular reason except to express appreciation for one’s lover. With the Sun and Moon, Neptune can bring a deep sense of connection, often spiritual in nature and a willingness to exercise tolerance generously. Sometimes Moon/Neptune aspects can promote an emotional, psychic awareness of each other. Mars/Neptune aspects are good for cheering each other on to achieve especially if one or both people are in creative professions. Neptune can be a source of inspiration and creativity that seems to well up out of the cosmos.

Neptune conjunct personal planets and the Ascendant/Descendant can be a little trickier to handle. It’s been my experience Neptune is on his best behavior with some harmonious distance involved. Up close and personal as in the conjunction, he can start churning out his illusions easier and it’s easier to get lost in them. However, Neptune conjunctions do intensify the sense of a psychic link as well as empathy for the other. So I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt and look to other aspects to get an idea of how the Neptune effect will play out.

It’s the squares, inconjuncts and oppositions with Neptune that can get really interesting – particularly the square aspects. Here is where the desire to escape from sordid reality can seriously emerge and create major difficulties. Religion, drugs, and other assorted addictions are often a part of relationships with the tension creating aspects. The opposition can lead to being seduced by a so-called “spiritual leader” where one person projects all kinds of fanciful notions on another. Neptune is often about projections and expectations – both our own and others. With the inconjunct the effect may be of either living in la la land with occasional shocks of cold, hard reality or the reverse which may be more manageable.

When Neptune has us firmly entranced, it seems we must dance to his tune until something else happens to break the spell. In a typical relationship, we are most “in Love” for about two years or there abouts. Now which planet changes signs roughly two and half years . . . . Saturn!! Saturn can help ground us and show us the way to enjoy Neptune’s benefits without succumbing to his downside. This reason I say this is because I have Moon conjunct Neptune natally closely sextile to Saturn and that is my personal experience of both of these outer planets.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

This image is of the quilted version of Walter Crane’s painting, “Neptune’s Horses“! Liza Eastman does amazing work, doesn’t she?!

Ask Real Astrologers: What Is the Significance of a Cardinal Cross?

This week’s question comes from Anya in the United States:

Hello and thank you for your kind work. I have been told that I have a cardinal cross in my chart, and am wondering what that means, if it is so. I appreciate your time and consideration of this question.

Libra ponders . . .Neith’s response:

Anya, a cardinal cross in your chart means you have four planets, one in each cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) aspecting each other. A grand cross has four 90° angles and two oppositions and it is a powerful but stable pattern.

Because it is in the cardinal mode, you most likely are very good at initiating action and may be a natural leader. However, unless you have other planets and angles in either fixed or mutable signs for balance, finishing what you start may be a problem.

A grand cross also means you have four planets evenly spaced around your chart wheel, and whenever transiting planets are in the cardinal signs you will have one corner of the cross being conjoined, squared or opposed. The Sun will conjoin each planet in the grand cross four times during the year, and this can be a great learning tool for you, since the Sun’s transits are brief.

If you wish to learn more about your chart, you can get a free chart at Astrodienst. You can also get some interpretations, but they are computer-generated and no substitute for a reading from a real astrologer. Either Pat or I can give you more feedback, if you wish to order a report. Astrology is a wonderful tool to learn more about who we are and why we do what we do.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s answer:

Anya, this is a great question. Since you didn’t supply any birth data, we will assume that you indeed have a cardinal grand cross in your chart, but let me just comment that, to be technically a grand cross, the planets forming the cross must be among the eight planets (yes, Pluto counts!) plus Sun and Moon. Chiron and the asteroids don’t count, nor does the Ascendant or Midheaven. In my chart, for example, three planets are in the early degrees of Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio, with my Aquarius Ascendant directly opposite. But this is still just a T-square, not a grand cross.

So with that caveat, the classic interpretation of a cardinal grand cross in the natal chart is just as Neith describes. Of the three types of grand crosses — cardinal, fixed, and mutable — this is the easiest to have in your chart. You may be very dynamic and active, but it’s easy to just spin your wheels and not get anywhere unless you have an outlet for all this wonderful energy. To discover where your best outlets are and how to take advantage of them, look for sextiles or trines to the planets forming the grand cross.

As Neith noted, a reading with one of us is a good way to determine how these planetary configurations operate in your life and when they may be activated. I currently am not accepting new clients, although my schedule is starting to lighten up, so anyone who would like a reading with me, stay tuned…

Wishing you much love and luck, Anya, and thanks for taking the time to write.

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Ask Our Readers: How Did the Eclipses Affect You?

We normally do a poll on Wednesdays, and we’re truly grateful to everyone who has taken the time to respond. However, we’d like to throw something a little different into the mix, primarily to allow you a wider range of expression.

Starting this week, we’re going to pose an open-ended question, and we’d like you to leave an answer in your own words. You can be as brief or as windy as you like – this is your opportunity to sound off.

If you’re not registered to leave comments, you’ll have to do so, but it’s quick and easy. Please just rest assured that we will not give your email address to anyone, for any reason.

So … let’s get started. Here’s this week’s question:

Now that the August eclipses are over, how do you view the changes they brought into your life? Were they disruptive or beneficial?

Please tell us your Rising sign, or even better still (if you know) what houses in your natal chart the eclipses occurred.

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPosted by Pat.

Weekly Forecast August 18: Sun enters Virgo

French painter Jean François Millet stirred social controversy in this 1857 painting, The Gleaners.French painter Jean François Millet stirred social controversy in this 1857 painting, The Gleaners.Whew, I don’t know about you, but I’m sure glad that the eclipses are behind me and that life may start returning to some semblance of normalcy.

I am qualifying that statement as may return, as there’s still a lot going on astrologically that relates directly or indirectly to situations that reached a critical point last week.

There are two concurrent themes right now, linked by the mutual reception between Neptune and Uranus (mutual reception occurs when two planets are in the sign ruled by the other). The current eclipse series, in Aquarius and Leo, is bringing the energies of Neptune in Aquarius to the fore, while the emphasis on Virgo is triggering the influence of Uranus in Pisces. The recent opposition of Mars to Uranus (exact on August 6) was a marker that should have provided you with a clue or two about how the second theme is playing out in your life.

As the week begins, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are in Virgo. They were in a fairly close conjunction at last Saturday’s eclipse. Relationships, particularly your romantic commitments, may have gone through a major change, either a break or a solid commitment. I noticed a lot of weddings in my area on Saturday. I wouldn’t have advised getting married at a Full Moon lunar eclipse, but sometimes these things just happen, and it’s not surprising.

Throughout this week, Venus and Mercury will form a troublesome quincunx with Neptune and an edgy opposition with Uranus. Remember that Chiron, too, is involved in this complex configuration, focusing our attention on healing our deepest wounds. As I’ve written many times, this can be an extremely painful process, because it requires revisiting and reopening those wounds. It’s not for the faint-hearted, especially if you’ve been keeping those issues buried. These wounds may be from early childhood, or you may have brought them into this incarnation with you. Humanity is a wounded species, and our collective wounds (Chiron in Aquarius) are deep and daunting.

It may help you as you go through this process to try to understand how your individual wounds reflect the wounds of the collective. You aren’t alone, nor do you need to stay stuck in guilt and blame. We are all in this together.

Mercury opposes Uranus on Friday, followed by a Venus-Uranus opposition on Saturday. Although oppositions can be challenging, these two are likely to be surprising in a good way, and they may even help you find some unexpected solutions to sticky problems. The more you open your mind to radical thinking, the more positive these experiences will be.

The Sun enters Virgo on Friday at 11:02 a.m. on the West Coast of the United States. Virgo has a reputation for being coolly analytical and critical, but done with a loving heart, criticism is constructive and allows growth to occur. If you feel critical of someone, stop to contemplate your motivation. Do you want that person to change for your own comfort and convenience, or do you truly have his or her best interests at heart?

Also this week, Mars enters Libra (3:03 a.m. Tuesday on the West Coast). Mars is in his detriment in Libra, meaning that both Venus and Mars, key relationship planets, are not shining their brightest. Moreover, Libra is one of the “passive-aggressive” placements of Mars. Since he can’t be direct, he’ll say everything is just fine but find other ways to let others know that they have displeased him. Being direct is not always possible, because some people can’t hear it. But before you withhold critical information, ask yourself whether this is really true, or whether you don’t want to have to deal with conflict.

Incidentally, in a few weeks, Venus and Mars will conjoin in Libra. This will be a special event, and we’ll have more about it as the date approaches.

Much love and courage to all,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: The Gleaners, by Jean François Millet, 1857. The Louvre, Paris.