Get ready for Venus retrograde in 2 months!

by with 6 Comments Astrological Insights

Astrology is such a wonderful tool for observing cycles – cycles within cycles within cycles…it seems to me that that’s what life is made of. 

We can investigate any of the planetary movements and brainstorm what it might mean collectively or personally as you place it in the context of your natal chart. 

I have been thinking about Venus a lot recently, as my progressed Venus made a conjunction to natal Saturn and transiting Pluto and Neptune slowly activate my Venus at the same time, I become increasingly aware about the importance of being attuned to our personal values in a deeper sense.

How do you make your decisions in life? How do you ponder which way to go when you reach a crossroad?

I find that Venus, differently than what we find in most basic astrological textbooks, has a very important function when it comes to our decision-making process. 

A life worth living is a life aligned with our deepest values and we can only be aware of our values if we relate to the Venusian principle in our charts authentically. 

Yes, Venus is about what we find attractive and how we attract, what is beautiful and pleasant for us, but in a deeper level, it is reflecting what we value the most. Venus in Sagittarius will value freedom and being adventurous outdoors very much whereas Venus in Scorpio will value intensity, exploring taboos and harsh inner landscapes more. 

You get the gist.  

When we look at Venus in our charts, we also must contextualise, for instance, Venus isn’t just in Virgo, it is also forming aspects (or not), and it is also placed in a house. Everything will have something to say about what you value the most and how you value yourself as well. 

This little article is a heads up so we can prepare ourselves for the next Venus’ cycle of retrogradation which will be happening in 2 months. So here is some astrological info on this cycle and hopefully we will be able to get some insights into our own journey. 

The last time Venus was retrograde was from May 13 until June 25 in 2020, it happened in Gemini and this cycle of retrogradation involved Neptune in Pisces as there was a square between the two planets. Around that time, we were dealing with illusions of all kinds but also potentially refining our values through the longings that were brought to the surface. 

The next time Venus will go retrograde is in December 19 at 26 degrees Capricorn and conjoined Pluto (at 25 degrees Capricorn). This one seems to be a powerful period for revisiting and purging everything Venus related – our compulsive relationship patterns, our values, how we enjoy ourselves, pleasurable obsessions, etc. 

Venus takes a trip into the underworld for a longer period here! 

The last time Venus and Pluto met in the sky was at the end of January 2021 at 25 degrees Capricorn – the exact degree of the next conjunction this coming December. Do you remember what was going on around that time?

(It is interesting to see how I felt the urge to write this little article whilst Mercury is retrograde at 24 degrees Libra and square Pluto right now. Libra, a Venus ruled sign, has a strong resonance with one-to-one relationships and the process of knowing oneself through the eyes of another. And Mercury retrograde is about reassessing, rethinking, etc.) 

Venus will turn direct on the 29 of January 2022 at 11 degrees Capricorn but before that, on January 17th, there will be a full moon at 27 degrees Cancer (closely activating the degree of the conjunction between Pluto and Venus). Full moons usually reflect culminations and the potential for intense situations providing insights into our journey. Whatever happens around this full moon will have something to do with that Venusian purging process which started during the conjunction between Venus and Pluto in December 2021. 

It won’t be until March 2022 that Venus, now in its forward motion, will meet Pluto again at 27 degrees Capricorn. The interesting thing is that this conjunction will be a triple one also involving Mars in Capricorn – and because Venus will be coming out of its retrogradation period, and for that reason slower in motion, they (Venus and Mars) will be moving together for quite a while (most of February and March 2022). 

Masculine and feminine (yin/yang) will be aligned not only with each other but also with Pluto!

What a powerful time ahead for revisiting and realigning ourselves with our deepest values. The conjunction between Mars/Venus/Pluto in March 2022 could be reflecting not only the purging of what/how we love, but also how our actions could be aligned with it. 

We could detox and empower the ‘yin/yang’ principle within us by that time. 

So, take the next few months to think, feel and reflect on what are your deepest values and how aligned with it, or not, your life is – and here I mean all areas. Periods of retrogradation are wonderful for asking questions rather than rushing into answering them. 

Do you love your job? How do you invest your time in general? What is the state of your personal relationships? Do you love your home? Do you love yourself, and if so, how do you express that on a daily basis? What are the things that you value the most in yourself, in your friends, in your partner, in your life in general? 

These are some of the questions that can guide you to a transformative and empowering process reflected by the coming Venus retrograde conjoined Pluto. 

Let’s take responsibility (Capricorn) and make the most of it!      

Stellium in the 3rd

by with No Comment Astrology and meProfessional Astrologer

Interesting to think about the amount of spare time that we all suddenly have at our disposal, and the job that we are all probably having to redesign our routines at the same time.

Everything seems to be a little disorientating at the moment.

The multiple conjunction between Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn seems to be reflecting very well our current situation. The polemics created by some of our leaders trying to prioritise the economy over ‘a small number of deaths’, the collective response to the situation, if any. The general panic shopping around the world, and someone observed, I think maybe Lynn Bell, the interesting connection between the conjunction of Pluto with the planets mentioned and people stockpiling toilet roll…

Pluto is connected with purging and detoxing, release, defecation… Richard Swatton used to call Pluto the ‘cosmic toilet’.  There you go. Astrology in manifestation once more.

All of these big transits happening in the 3rd house of my horoscope and the MA Im currently doing seems to be connected because it sure is bringing me a lot of food for thought.

These days I’ve been, for the first time in a long time (maybe ever to be honest), questioning my desire to continue defining my career path as an astrologer. Quite shocking at first, as I always had that certainty. But to be honest, my certainty remains in the fact that astrology is my passion. What I am not so sure anymore is perhaps astrology as a profession.

Im working on an essay about the decline of astrology in the seventeenth century and it is bringing me a lot of questions regarding my profession.

According to Patrick Curry there are 3 types of astrology, high astrology, middling astrology and low astrology. Sounds quite simplistic putting in this way, but I feel that this being my blog, differently from my essays, I don’t necessarily need to go much deeper into it.

High astrology is the astrology of the scholars and theologians, the big philosophical questions about the universe and how the planets affect terrestrial affairs; the middling astrology is judicial astrology, reading charts to clients for example. The last one, low astrology, is connected with the popular horoscopes written in the newspapers, etc.

According to Curry what happened in the seventeenth century was a decline of both the high and middling, and the rise of its popular version, low astrology, which was highly criticised by some astrologers, scientists and the church as well.

With that in mind, we start to have an idea about the complexity of astrology’s history and process of development.

In addition to this picture, we also have a myriad of techniques, and types of astrology practiced around the world. Perhaps even because of that astrology has failed in producing a professional organ with cohesion, at least in the seventeenth century.

During this quarantine I’ve been questioning myself and my choices regarding profession. At least I’ve been realising the frustration in having to decide on so many intricacies within my profession because I need to explain to people what is that I do.

And what is that I really do?!

(Do I believe in fate? Do I believe the stars are causing something or are reflecting something? Can I foretell the future? Is there any positivity in telling someone about the future? Do I psychologise astrology too much so it fits within the capitalist/secular paradigm? …)

 

Creative quarantine

by with 2 Comments Astrological Insights

Life is turned upside down.

Suddenly it seems like the North Node in Cancer became the rule in our daily routines and the multiple campaigns talking about the importance of staying home now are just a reminder.

Funny to think that for things to get better and to move forward again it is required that we stay still at home. (It would have been pretty hard to imagine that sometime ago!)

The challenge is set.

We are all pretty much thrown back at ourselves and any personal work that hasn’t been done is coming back to catch up with us. Any anxiety or unhappiness that was lurking under the surface is now shouting at our face full blast.

I was listening to a very insightful podcast published by the Astrology University with Lynn Bell and Laurence Hillman, where they were talking about this moment as an invitation to descent. If we graciously accept the invitation or not isn’t the point, as we are taking a trip into the underworld regardless our willingness to do so.

So what would be the best thing to do right now?

I think that being conscious of this transitional moment can be really helpful. Knowing that this is a time for digging deeper within, and at the same time, for doing the things we love the most in order to keep our psychological balance and well being.

Be kind to yourself. Nurture yourself. Keep it simple.

This crisis is pointing out to what does not work in our society anymore, and in our personal lives as well. It’s like a collective and individual big purging happening simultaneously. Best to be present with it.

Sending you all much love and calm energy to deal with whatever it is that we have to now.

 

Saturnian Quarantine, times of change!

by with 3 Comments Astrological InsightsSearch for home

I’ve been back in the UK for the past 5 days and things here (regarding the corona virus) are more heated than it was in Brazil when I left (apparently the panic is beginning to catch up there too).

My friend has left to Brazil and I’ve decided to live in Brighton, a small town on the beach 50 minutes by train from London. Im currently staying at his bedroom until the girls in the bedroom next door (which is meant to be mine) are able to travel (they were planning to go to USA and Spain, both have their boarders shut at the moment).

In moments like this I think of what Liz Greene said about the outer planets talking about collective movements of change related to survival and how much we individuals have little to say regarding that. Some things are beyond our control and we would do good in keeping our peace and mental health in any way that works for us. Meditation, prayer, drawing, painting, dancing, jogging… you name it. Whatever works!

This is actually what I wanted to write about in here. We are in a situation where a quarantine is somehow ‘forced’ upon us, take that as an opportunity to go back to yourself. To reflect upon your life, your choices, your values and who you are in the most authentic way. Who are you? What do you truly need? How can you best contribute with the transformation that we (collectively) and the world seems to be going through?

Jupiter and Mars joining in the conjunction of Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn seems to be reflecting this ’emergency crisis’ in the forefront and I feel this to be symbolising what has been going on in the last few years, a big political and economic crisis. It seems like we are hitting a point where we cannot ignore what is going on anymore. The structures that organize our society are purging and in need for massive transformation.

How can we contribute in this process?

This is one of the questions that we could ask ourselves during the quarantine. What would we like to see more in the world? It’s another one.

By the end of the year Saturn and Jupiter will conjoin in Aquarius marking the beginning of a long cycle in the air element (it will be a change from earth to air) and a 20 year cycle focusing in the aquarian archetype.

Aquarius at best connects with humanitarianism, how individuals can best contribute with the group, progress in a digital sense and acceleration of time (more?). As Jessica Murray said, we will be moving from materialism to idealism.

How is the best way that we, as individuals, can take responsibility in this process?

I think that the answers to some of these big questions could come up as we take advantage of this quarantine to do some soul searching rather than wallow in fear and panic.

What kind of society would you like to see manifesting, starting from your neighbourhood?!

The cafe’s chart

by with 6 Comments Astrology and meProfessional Astrologer

We opened the cafe today!

I took a look at the exact time that we opened the doors as I really wanted to cast it’s astrological chart.

I’m not a hundred per cent sure on how to read it as I am more in tune with the psychological approach to interpreting astrological symbols, but I find it interesting nevertheless.

The rising sign is at 6 degrees Scorpio with both rulers together (Mars and Pluto at 15 Capricorn) in the 3rd house. I thought that perhaps this is the kind of signature of a survivor.

The third house makes me think that we should probably get actively involved with the local community and neighbourhood. Perhaps even promote or facilitate some kind of exchange of information between people?! The Moon is also in Gemini, which somehow speaks of connecting and being flexible?!

The MC is at 18 degrees Leo and the Sun, it’s ruler, in Libra in the 12th house. That sounds a little reclusive for a cafe?! I’m not sure. The Sun is also conjunct Mercury and both are opposing Uranus in the 6th house. Something about being quirk in some way?!

Moon in Gemini is applying to a trine with the Sun in Libra and I like the feel of it.

I specially like that Jupiter and Venus are in mutual reception (Jupiter in Libra, Venus in Sagittarius), Jupiter being the ruler of the 2nd house and Venus the natural ruler of that area. Also Venus is in the second house of the Cafe’s chart and it will eventually make a sextile to Jupiter in the 11th (again the idea of community?! Somehow engaging with groups of people more consciously? An ideal?).

Saturn is in the second house, but it is applying to a sextile with Jupiter also. Perhaps there will be a solid finacial build up?!

I’m feeling quite tired now, not used to doing this kind of work anymore.

It was a 12 hour shift today.

The cool side is that I’ve never worked as a manager before. The challenge of learning new things and taking more responsibility does excite me a bit.

At least for now.

And that’s how I spent the day with transiting Mars activating the Pluto transit to my Moon, working hard!