Saturn and Inner Wisdom

by with 2 Comments Astrology and meInner life

Ok, so this writing just happened to me.

I was listening to music and having a cry when these words just started coming to me, so here they are.

But before that, just an astrological note. I see my Saturn in Scorpio being reflected in the text below, and when I recently found out (or maybe realised) that this planet sits exactly in the midpoint between my natal Venus square Neptune, I am convinced of its importance. Getting to know this Saturn and daring to integrate it a bit further seems to hold an important key for me and the potential success of my relationships. I think that the text below encapsulate a bit of it, a bit of my Saturn in Scorpio in the 12th at best.

Feeling things intensely isn’t the issue, the real issue is how we manage and work with the powerful energy that gets released/triggered with powerful emotions. Having someone that supports this process is of utter importance to me, for my growth and self-understanding. It is also paramount to not project and blame another for those feelings, either when they’re pleasant or unpleasant. Either way, we need taking a position of ownership rather than victimhood and to not act out onto another. 

The respect has to be mutual. 

It is clear to me that I cannot be with someone that cuts off emotions, or that find it all a bit too much. People that shy away from tears as if they’ve seen the antichrist disturbs me. Emotions are just that, something in motion, changeable. It is just a powerfully healing and transformative force. And I do not take the power of emotions for granted. This is why it is necessary to be like some sort of samurai, some kind of martial art master – to be brave enough to master your emotions. To ride them and see where the destination is, at least in that moment, for it changes from moment to moment. 

Bravery to be an observer of the change.

I see emotions like a powerful chariot, like the one in the Tarot, with a white and black horse pulling it around. Happy or sad, emotions drag us around, it pushes us to do things, to take chances, to cry in the bathroom when no one is looking. One thing is for sure, emotion is what heals, inflames, possess us at all times, so getting to know them, making them your acquaintance is, in my view, a positive way of relating with it. It is a powerfully transformative way of relating with your deepest and authentic self, of getting to know you…    

A little on midpoints

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsAstrology and meInner life

Astrology as a subject for research never ceases to amaze me.

I have currently been looking into midpoints a bit more and what a fascinating topic. My Moon in Libra, ultra sensitive towards symmetry and beauty, really seems to love the idea of a midpoint being a place where integration can happen.

For the ones reading this and thinking ‘what the hell are midpoints?’, it is a very simple concept, for instance every single point or planet in the horoscope, in relation to another, will have a half way – if mars in your chart is at 6 degrees Sag and your Venus is 26 Virgo the middle between the two is 1 Scorpio. Does that make sense? It is a simple mathematical calculation really. (there will be a further midpoint and a closer one, the closer is the most commonly used including to cast composite charts – another fascinating use of midpoints!)

In the astro.com website they say: ‘A midpoint marks the focal point at which the energies of two planets meet. If a third planet is conjunct this point it receives these energies and to a certain degree acts as a channel for them.’

Exactly!

It is very interesting, if you have a planet in the midpoint of two planets in an opposition (that would be a T square) or in between two planets forming a square, it could act not only as a ‘channel’ but also it could reflect a possible way out from the dichotomy and towards more inner integration.

I love how we can potentially discover new things as we continue our astrological learning journey, including discovering new placements and things about our own astrology chart that we did not notice before.

I have written about my currently progressed Venus forming a conjunction to natal Saturn and roughly how serious I have been feeling regarding love relationships and personal boundaries – well, as I researched the midpoints in my chart I realised that Saturn sits right in the midpoint of my natal square between Neptune and Venus!

How interesting! To me this placement is somehow quite hopeful. The more I work on my Saturn in order to integrate it further in my psyche, the more I can potentially become more solid and realistic in how I deal with others… I feel that my natal Saturn holds a potential key for practicing boundaries and realism when my Venus-Neptune combo gets too dreamy.

Has any of you found an important planet in between a natal square like this? Do you feel that that planet can help you out with the conundrum?

Reflections and realisations

by with No Comment Astrology and meInner lifeProfessional Astrologer

The coming full moon eclipse on the 30th of November will be exact conjoined my natal Chiron in the 7th house. There are lots of different insights that I can have by observing the full moon’s chart in comparison to my own, but what strikes me is the reminder that most things astrological symbols reflect are rather process oriented than a ‘one off’ type of thing.

Another fellow astrologer wrote an interesting text regarding the coming full moon eclipse and linking it up to a lunation from May 2003, that’s when I was beginning my History degree in Sao Paulo. I can’t particularly remember anything else, nothing special in the relationship arena (which I would expect to see with a natal Chiron in Gemini in the 7th house). What about yourself, can you remember anything relevant that was going on for you in May 2003?

The Sagittarius-Gemini axis relate to information and education in general, how do you communicate your ideas and beliefs? How attached are you to them?

Since 2017 the big planets transiting Capricorn have been activating my natal 3rd house and a huge process of deepening and exploring ideas about astrology and how to communicate them has been taking place for me. Also, the Saturn-Jupiter conjunction will be happening there for me, in my 3rd house. It will be forming a trine to my North Node in Gemini in the 7th house as well as a square to my Pluto.

Ideas, communication, writing, reading, expressing myself, are some of the themes that have been under the spotlight for me recently, and it seems like it will be even more so in the years to come.

Regarding intense emotions and full moons and eclipses, I just realised how emotional I feel right now after having a melt down by myself for feeling really tired. I haven’t had a whole day off in ages, I can’t even remember when was the last one. I have always wanted to work on my career so badly in order to make sure that my job never feels like a ‘job’ in the boring/obligation kind of sense.

I have known that I can only dedicate myself to something meaningful and enjoyable for quite sometime.

But as I was crying and feeling the tension throughout my body today I suddenly realised that that too feels like ‘work’, like something serious and important, and that I need to find ways of relaxing and having lightness and fun in my life. At the moment I doubt my capacity for doing that, for enjoying myself without studying or working or being productive in some way. One of the only ways that I could do that was by having a romance and dating someone but the last thing I want to bring into my life now is frivolity, and dating seems very shallow to me at the moment (says the progressed Venus exact conjoined natal Saturn in the 12th).

I feel heavy. Hope you are feeling better out there.

Brief catch up

by with 2 Comments Astrology and meInner life

I have been feeling a bit nostalgic and melancholic lately. The current global crisis, even with its promises of a positive much needed change, it’s taking its toll on me, most probably on all of us.

Social distancing is proving to be more challenging than I thought it would be. I miss the people I love, I miss hugs and physical contact, I miss the quiet presence of someone else in the room.

When we isolate I believe that we meet whatever is placed in our natal 12th house, and here I am, having my daily meetings with Saturn and Pluto in Scorpio lately.

Don’t get me wrong though, I appreciate the power that both, specially Saturn, seems to have in my chart and in my psyche, and I see it playing out in every deadline that I manage to meet for my masters for example. But there is also something heavy here, something deeply heavy and serious and melancholic.

I feel the deepest feelings when Im on my own and people bring lightness into my life. Somehow that’s how it works and the configuration of Pluto-Saturn in the twelfth versus Moon-Venus in the eleventh is a reflection of what it seems to be my experience.

I can sense that we are onto something big right now, perhaps something to do with the potential for positive realisations which will then enable us to actualise it once we are free to move and get together again. I don’t know.

All I know is that I feel for everyone out there in isolation as well and how this might be challenging your mental, physical and spiritual health, not to mention the ones that are, and have always been, suffering from the many unfairnesses of a system in decadence. I feel for you, for us all.

And I hope that during this most extraordinary time of disruption and change we can all make the most of it and come out empowered, so we can co-create a better reality for us all, including for the animals and nature in general.

 

Full Moon in Taurus, and the importance of conscious lightness…

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsAstrology and me

Today I’ve been working on my first assignment for the current module Im taking for my MA and was checking the astrological weather for the coming weeks.

Mercury still moving backwards in Scorpio reflecting an invitation for non-action and for deeply rethinking about our emotional patterns and shadows. Communication only if deeply honest and tempered by psychological awareness.

Where is Scorpio in your chart?!

This is the area where all of this soulful reassessing is happening…

My ASC is in Scorpio and as I write this post, Mercury is starting to make its way back into the 12th house of my natal chart until it reaches my natal Saturn, in the exact degree that Mercury will be stationing to go forward again on the 21st of November.

I feel that much of the themes that this Mercury retrograde is reflecting personally to me is quite recognisable, all the emotional honesty kind of stuff, including addressing my fear of it as well (as Saturn in my case is involved in this cycle).

I do love what Scorpio stands for though, even if sometimes is a bit too much, or too intense, I have a real appreciation for it. This too reflects something of my own nature / natal chart. The dichotomy between the Scorpio placements and the strong disruptive tendencies symbolised by the prominent Uranus in my chart.

So then I tend to attract people with a very similar split, not to say with the same astrological symbolism in their charts, (even if slightly shuffled). This is an interesting phenomena I’ve seen repeating again and again not only in my life.

Then I was checking this coming full moon which will be taking place on November the 12th in Taurus. Couple of things called my attention.

Firstly we do well in keeping in our minds that this is the culmination of the disruptive New Moon conjunct Uranus we had this month, so somehow the continuation of that story.

The other thing I noticed is that Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio, will be aspecting Jupiter in Sagittarius and Venus, the ruler of Taurus, will be placed in Sagittarius also. This somehow makes me think that keeping things humorous and being in tune with your capacity for laughing at yourself and at life’s situations in general, could be of great aid here. Friendship rather than intense possessiveness could also be a way out from the dilemas potentially reflected by this intense lunation.

The moon in Taurus and the Sun/Mercury in Scorpio will also be harmoniously  aspecting Saturn/Pluto in Capricorn, a potentially positive and productive aspect if we are willing to take responsibility for ourselves, especially our emotional needs, and avoid blaming others or projecting our wellbeing on another person’s presence. Making sure boundaries are well set (paying attention not to exaggerate here, if overdoing boundaries is your pattern?) could be very helpful in order to make the most of these energies available!

 

Mercury Retrograde in the underworld…

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsAstrology and meInner life

Mercury is stationing at 27 degrees Scorpio today and will be moving backwards for the next 3 weeks.

Im feeling an introverted energy in the air compelling to reevaluate and revisit values regarding relationships, sharing and love in general. I think that last week’s new moon in Scorpio opposing Uranus was already calling us to do this work during this lunation, and Mercury retrograde seems to be reinforcing it.

Mercury is stationing conjunct Venus, reflecting the Venusian tone of this cycle of retrogradation.

With Venus and the Sun also in Scorpio I think that we will be able to get in touch with subterraneous intense emotions giving us clues about hidden patterns of behaviour that might be hindering real intimacy and connection with others, and ultimately, with ourselves.

For Scorpio the process of maintaining or reclaiming power is of paramount importance, and a very common tactic for preventing loss of power and vulnerability is by, willingly or unwillingly, stepping into psychological games with others. Manipulative techniques might be necessary in order to get what one wants, but at the same time, is a huge obstacle for what Scorpio mostly craves and needs: deep connections where one is able to be truly seen.

At the time of my Saturn return, my progressed Moon entered Scorpio, making a conjunction to my ASC, and that was the first time that I became consciously aware of these games we play with people in order to hide our heart and true motives.

I suddenly began asking myself what was the point on doing that, on saying no when you really mean yes, and that kind of stuff. I realised that we must make an effort in order to be real so people can also have a chance to be themselves, and as a result, a genuine relationship might be born…

Now with Mercury retrograde in Scorpio I feel the echoes of that time coming back, slightly different, but bringing up a similar theme nevertheless. I am a different person, in a different situation, living a distinct phase of my life, but Im a witness of the fascinating spiral cycles of growth reflected by astrological symbolism.

It never fails to amuse me!

The astrologer Steven Forrest in one of his books, or maybe in an article I can’t fully remember, wrote that Scorpio stands for (radical) psychological honesty. I think that keeping this idea in mind, just like a mantra, during this Mercury retrograde could be of great help to us all…

Scorpio New Moon trick or treat!

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsAstrology and me

Once more trying to keep up with information on lunations…

Truth is that because it’s so cyclical it somehow bores me to write about full moon-new moon stuff.

But never mind that, because I do understand the importance of cycles (I feel that a huge part of astrology’s benefit is enhancing awareness on life’s cycles!) and I also understand how much easier is for us, in general, to connect meaning with the lunar cycles rather than the other planetary ones.

So here it goes…

This month’s new moon (which happens in the early hours of the 28th of October) resonates a little with my restless tendencies of natal Uranus in the first house (hence the boredom I talked earlier…) as the sun and the moon in Scorpio will be forming an exact opposition with Uranus in Taurus.

As I stare into the astrological map of this new moon I realise how much Mars and Venus are prominent in each other’s rulership sign: Venus in Scorpio (the sign ruled by Mars) and Mars in Libra (the sign ruled by Venus).

Traditionally they both are in fall, which would be interpreted by some people as an unfavourable position. Venus, which talks about our values and capacity for sharing and loving would feel uncomfortable in suspicious and protective Scorpio. At the same time, Mars which is about how we fight for what we want is less direct in Libra, the sign associated with relationships and sharing.

The way I see this interesting mutual reception between these planets during the new moon, is reflecting a need to work creatively within our capacity to relate and relationships themselves.

An echo of this idea is the axis of Scorpio (Moon and Sun) and Taurus (Uranus) which talks about, amongst other things, intensity and attachment (either emotional or physical/material), and with Uranus making its presence in the mix, I feel that challenges on letting go will feature strongly here.

Possessiveness or impulsiveness on breaking loose from someone could be part of the drama during this month (lunation). The old conflict, which I have written about in here a few times, between freedom and commitment.

A few years ago, during a very challenging time in my Saturn Return (which by the way is in Scorpio!), I read the book ‘Eastern body, Western Mind’ by Anodea Judith and had a great insight into the theme I believe this new moon to be about. The author linked this split with the second chakra and she talked about how the soul needs commitment and the spirit needs space and freedom. According to her the secret is in balancing these two needs because if we identify with only one side then the other person naturally compensates by playing the opposite. So, the more I want someone to commit to me the more the other person craves his freedom.

During this new moon I have the feeling that it is a great time for setting intentions for healing and balancing our two needs, being conscious of them both and not fully projecting one side of it into our significant other in order to avoid extreme situations.

Jupiterianism and the academia.

by with No Comment Astrology and meProfessional Astrologer

This is a strong Jupiterian time for me.

Transiting Jupiter is making an exact conjunction to my ascendant, while transiting Saturn is conjunct my natal Jupiter.

Interestingly, my Solar Arc Venus has just moved into Scorpio and is forming a conjunction to my natal Pluto in the 12th house. I have been aware of this change for a long time and wondered what would that be reflecting in practical terms.

I thought maybe a crisis in my relationship, falling in love with someone else, an obsessive passion of some kind, perhaps my partner would fall in love with someone else.

It turns out, at least for now, that the obsession that Im getting myself into is actually researching the esoteric in the academia!

Jupiter in my chart rules the 2nd, 5th house and the South Node and I remember in 2009/2010, when transiting Pluto was conjunct my Jupiter, I had a sort of “awakening” regarding my interest in the occult.

I started researching it more deeply.

It was when I learned how to read tarot cards, when I got in touch with Jungian ideas for the first time, when I started understanding astrology with more depth.

Both Saturn and Pluto in Scorpio (the sign connected with the Occult) are placed in the 12th house in my chart and I think about Gaquelin’s connection of Saturn in the 12th with research (he says this placement is common in Scientists).

I have started a master degree in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology (slowly, as a part time Postgraduate certificate student first) and the amount of (academic) reading that I have done already is quite incredible.

Transiting Pluto, after the last hit to my natal Moon (which, by the way, rules the 9th house of higher education in my chart), made its way to my 3rd house (of reading, writing, ideas, etc) and it is going to be there for quite a while now. My progressed moon has moved into the 3rd also and transiting Saturn will move there sometime next year.

I can sense how much the intellectual stimulation, by exposing myself to academic work on the esoteric and the classics (Im currently reading Plato’s Timaeus for this week’s discussion in class), will have an impact on how I think and communicate, without even mentioning the impact on my work as an astrologer.

I know this journey is going to be really powerful and it is so exciting that a lot of the time I feel like screaming inside.

I think this is a good sign…

Letter from Saturn in Scorpio

by with No Comment Astrology and meInner life

Dear Sir/Madam,

Is outrageous the way that people are lacking depth when it comes to connections and intimacy.

Everything is so easily replaceable nowadays that people are also becoming disposable.

Or so it seems to me.

Why use people to get over someone that you have a strong connection with?

Why so much disrespect and frivolity?

Can’t you be on your own?

Since when has love become a phoney caricature?

A commodity?

Just like a piece of cheap furniture that you conveniently buy in order to be replaced as soon as you get bored and need a bit of a change?!

What is love to you?

To me, in order to experience a deep love you have to be unflinching. Is about knowing what you want and standing up for it. And when you don’t get it, being able to sit with your pain without running away from it.

Is also about being emotionally honest with yourself.

That deep kind of love won’t happen until you have some auhenticity and decide to be truthful to yourself.

It won’t happen until you have the guts to face your demons.

How can there be real intimacy if you cannot face your fears by yourself?

How can you be the container for another person’s shadow if you’re avoiding looking into the mirror?

Don’t be shallow, have some depth.

Only soulful connections are worth making.

Yours faithfully,

Saturn in Scorpio.