Tag Archives: Venus-Mars conjunction

Weekly Forecast June 15: Summer Solstice, Venus Conjunct Mars

summer-solstice-in-southern-hemisphere.jpgThis week begins with Jupiter at a dead stop as he shifts into retrograde mode, while Mercury returns to his home sign of Gemini and begins to pick up speed. The result could be the kind of agitation we feel when our minds are spinning out of control but we’re too tired to move a muscle.

I could barely get off the couch yesterday, except to bake a batch of oatmeal cookies. I could have eaten them all, but fortunately got sick after the second one. With Jupiter in the first house, just looking at a cookie will make you gain five pounds. A friend said it felt like her body had been “unplugged.”

Seriously, though, this means that Jupiter, Neptune, and Chiron are all retrograde until early November. Our healing processes will continue, but on a more subtle level. On one hand, we may be better able to go all the way back to the source of our wounds, thus allowing healing at a deeper level. Or, for some, there may be resistance to the initial wakeup call or escape into denial. I see that happening with a couple of people I know who have the Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction in a sensitive place in their charts.

It’s safe to say that many of us are going to feel a little discombobulated this week. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but our minds and bodies may need a few days to adjust to the energy shift.

As for that “something big is coming” feeling, several of you left comments on my Saturday Extra! post saying you felt it, too, but your point is well-taken that we’ve heard this before, and nothing happened. With Jupiter now retrograde, I’m wondering how this unfold. Jupiter retrograde periods aren’t associated with the frustrations, delays, and relationship difficulties we tend to experience when Mercury or Venus are retrograde. It’s simply that the growth and expansion halt or slow down. If you’ve been in a period of sweeping change, the break might feel good. A pause may even be beneficial for those who are resisting growth. For some people, especially fixed signs, the more they feel pressured, the more they resist. If this sounds like you, the pressure is off now for several months, which should help you more easily assimilate new information.

We should know more on Wednesday about how retrograde Neptune & Co. is going to affect us, as the Sun will form an easygoing trine with all three planets in turn. If we need to assimilate new information, this will give us a boost, as the Sun can have broad-spectrum healing abilities. Perhaps this will manifest as a sudden awareness of what needs to heal and what we can do about it.

Of course, since Uranus is traveling in a semi-sextile with Neptune & Co., this also means that the Sun will square the Magician, and that could mean that awareness comes as a result of a disruption or upset.

I am happy to report that the rest of this week’s aspects are much lighter and happier. Mercury comes out of shadow on Tuesday and moves into new territory, so wherever he is in your chart, you may experience increased activity or communications. This past Mercury retrograde has got to be one of the weirdest I’ve ever experienced, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.

On Saturday (late Friday on the West Coast of the United States and later time zones), the Sun enters Cancer, which is the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Whether you live north or south of the equator, the moment when the Sun stands still is a gateway to higher consciousness. The Sun rules the heart. Open yours and see what good things flow in.

On the same day, Venus conjoins Mars, their third and final meeting in less than a year. This time, they are in Taurus, which means they are in her territory. In relationships, love and desire prevail over lust and the need for conquest. With our hearts already opened to the energy of the solstice, I think this could be a day filled with magical memories for many of us.

Wishing you all open hearts brimming over with love,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: This magical photo was taken at last year’s Summer Solstice at the Kokino megalithic observatory in Macedonia. The observatory was discovered in 2001 and is estimated to be 3,800 years old. Photo by Ognen Teofilovski for REUTERS.

Weekly Forecast April 27: Mercury Enters Gemini

Hey, Joe, guess who?On first glance, it doesn’t look like there’s much happening this week astrologically. But the energy is decidedly different than it has been, and most of you likely are feeling more energetic.

I forgot to mention in last week’s forecast that Mercury entered the pre-retrograde shadow period on Wednesday, April 22. Over the past few years, many of you have written to say that you begin to experience Mercury retrograde in the shadow period, well before he goes into reverse. (A planet is said to be retrograde when, due to its relative orbit with the earth, it appears to move backwards in the sky from one day to the next.)

Sigh. Just when we were getting over retrograde Venus.

Still, I think this will be a good thing, as we’ll have a chance to reflect on recent events and to process all the new information. Mercury enters his own sign of Gemini on Thursday, but he won’t get even 2 degrees into it before backing up into Venus-ruled Taurus, where he’ll spend most of his retrograde phase. A good bit of what we process may have to do with issues we confronted while Venus was retrograde and, more importantly, when she was stationed at 29 Pisces. Relationship issues continue to take center stage in our hearts and minds.

Speaking of which, it was my turn to do the Saturday Extra! this past weekend, and since I’d been contemplating the meaning of the Susan Boyle phenomenon, I wrote a long post with my observations. I mentioned that Venus and Mars will remain in proximity until the end of June. At the same time, Jupiter, Neptune, and Chiron will form a conjunction at 26 degrees Aquarius, just as all three are about to turn retrograde.

Mercury’s retrograde phase will be an important part of the deep healing process that will continue to work its magic on us for the next two months. Susan’s burst into the collective conscious was just the beginning.

Even though the activity level has shot up and you’re probably going to be too busy to stare out the window with a cup of coffee, do take time for quiet contemplation this week. The Moon in Cancer on Tuesday forms a cardinal T-square with Pluto in Capricorn and Venus and Mars in Aries. Events Tuesday and Wednesday may be the kick in the pants you’ve needed to tend to projects you’ve been putting off. There’s no point in sulking; just do it.

Mars squared Pluto last week, and Venus has her go on Saturday. Venus-Pluto squares can be very sexy, and Venus in Aries certainly can be fiery. But I think Pluto in Saturn-ruled Cap is going to make her cool her heels, and this could lead to the darker side of Venus-Pluto squares, where power plays and manipulation take over. Remember that sex is sacred and not to be used as a weapon.

Love and blessings,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: Morning, by Maxfield Parrish, 1922.

Weekly Forecast April 20: New Moon in Taurus; Mars and Venus enter Aries

The Pain of Love, by BouguereauMajor shifts take place this week, and I’m sure all you sensitive folks with highly attuned antennae are going to feel it.

This is going to be the week we resolve an issue that has been hanging over our heads and holding us back. With that resolution, we can move forward into new territory and, if we look back at all, at least it will be with no regrets.

We begin the week with the Moon in sensitive Pisces, with Venus and Mars moving close to conjunction. That aspect is exact on Tuesday. For romantic relationships, especially, this is a moment of truth. What do we want from our partners? We have to start by being honest with ourselves about what we want and need. Do we long for the impossible, or are we not aiming high enough?

For me and for others who have experienced a soul union with another, only this deep level of connection will do. While that may be hard to find, settling for less out of necessity or for practical reasons would be equally impossible and could have disastrous results. This moment of clarity has come to me only in the past few days, and it has been accompanied by many tears, not unlike going away on a long journey to a new and exciting place, knowing that you are leaving loved ones and a way of life behind, perhaps forever.

Right after the Venus-Mars conjunction, the Moon conjoins Uranus and carries the energy of radical change forward to Venus, just as Mars is entering Aries and the new territory. The Moon meets Mars right after this shift on Wednesday, so be prepared for your world to be rocked.

Venus enters Aries on Friday, but due to her recent retrograde phase, she is moving far more slowly than Mars and won’t catch up to him for nearly two months. This in itself is a rare phenomenon, as Venus and Mars typically meet only once every couple of years. When they meet again in Taurus on the Summer Solstice, it will be their third meeting in less than a year. I do believe this is significant for love relationships and for correcting an energy imbalance on the planet.

Later on Friday, we have the New Moon in Taurus in a lovely earth trine with Pluto. This New Moon will be ruled by Venus, and since she will have just moved into Aries, we can look forward to new beginnings on many fronts. Of course, Neith will have more shortly, so come back and look for her post.

On Sunday, Mars squares Pluto, and unfortunately this raises the specter of raw power plays. Again, I think these will come out mostly in relationships. However, just remember that all conflict isn’t bad. If you can maintain your awareness, you not only can get through the storm, but you can learn important information about yourself and the other person or situation.

Wishing you strong hearts, with much courage and love.
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: The Pain of Love, by William Adolphe Bouguereau, 1899.

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.