Many of the things we tried to accomplish during the last couple of months have fallen like lead balloons. The ‘Square’ (grand cross) that I spoke of in my last missive (November 05) suggested there would be awkwardness in daily life, and many surprises for us all. Mars in Taurus was one corner of the Square, feeling like pressure to get things done, and caution has been the wisest course. On 18 January it completed its involvement with the other three corners, so the energy of the Square has become noticeably less.

Jupiter in Scorpio square Neptune:

Now comes Jupiter in Scorpio, squaring Neptune on 28 January. The best of this aspect can be the sharing of deep human emotions, so that through compassion for humanity’s suffering, we can experience the joy of real connection.

There is also the possibility of extreme emotional responses to what are perceived as let-downs or betrayals, which may, or may not, be real.

Reactions that seem to be over-the-top are often emotional reactions to memories that a present-time event has brought to the surface. In the past we have made judgements about things that were said and done. We have formed attitudes to people and events, which connect with certain emotional responses in us. So each time a situation reminds us of the attitude or judgement, we feel the emotions that are connected to it. Over time the judgements slip into the unconscious, and we stop noticing them, so that the emotion is apparently a direct response to the new situation. In order to move on, we need to release this pattern. Usually that involves letting go of blaming ourselves or someone else for a perceived wrong.

For instance, say I had been hurt at being rejected some years ago. If, instead of accepting the situation, I had the attitude that the person should not have rejected me, then I feel angry and judge them for it. Suppose someone now fails to notice me in the street; the slightest sign that could be interpreted as rejection reminds me of the old situation. I judge that ‘ they shouldn’t have ignored me’ and I immediately feel angry again. If my old judgement has become unconscious, I will simply be angry at not being acknowledged. The person in the street may not have seen me, but I will have this emotional reaction exactly the same as years ago, until I release the judgement about the original rejection all those years ago. After all, I have grown since then. Hopefully my attitudes have changed. I may even be able to see what I have gained as a result of the original rejection, and my present response would no longer be anger.

We release emotion when it arises in us by accepting it as an experience. We can focus on how it feels, without thinking about why it arose, and just let it flow. I can say ‘Wow, I’m feeling angry!’ rather than gripping onto what I think made me angry. This lets the emotional hormones run their course through the body, without getting stuck in muscle or fluid.

But the only way to get beyond inappropriate emotional reactions is by releasing the old attitudes that keep re-triggering them. We release the attitudes by taking the past situations into our heart, and accepting that that was our perception, and now it is past. Part of accepting the past is realising that it IS past, and that we are wiser and stronger now than we were then. The Bach Flower Remedy relevant to this is Honeysuckle, which enables us to learn the lesson from the past so that the event can become a memory, instead of overwhelming us in the present.

From this New Moon in Aquarius, all the above becomes more relevant because Jupiter is squaring Neptune from Scorpio. We are likely to find ourselves becoming aware of emotions that we buried long ago. The good news is that there will be plenty of opportunities to clear old situations that have been festering, and the result is improved relationships, and a healthier body. There will be a tendency to over-react emotionally, but we can own up to those reactions as part of our history. We also need to check the accuracy of our assumptions about other people’s actions and words. All this work will enable us to experience our emotions fully, without being overwhelmed by them.

Saturn in Leo trine Moon’s North Node:

In this chart, Sun/Moon, Chiron and Mercury are in Aquarius, and all opposite Saturn in Leo. A large, slow, astrological event has been unfolding since early December, and that is Saturn trining the North Node of the Moon. My experience shows me that the North Node brings out the best of whichever Zodiac degree it occupies. At the moment it is slowly retrograding through Aries, encouraging us to dare to be ourselves, and Saturn retrograding through Leo is helping us do that by paring away any disguises we hide behind. Saturn’s part in the Square suggests that the difficulties we’ve been undergoing were actually revealing the ways in which we block ourselves from expressing who we really are.

It’s well worth the effort to discover how we block our true self expression, partly because those are the same blocks that stop natural abundance flowing into our lives. For instance, a lady I know was telling me how she applied for several jobs during December and didn’t get any of them. At first she felt frustrated at not getting a job, but now she realises that she actually wants to be self-employed. Applying for jobs was blocking the time and energy she needed to recreate her working life in a more satisfying way.

Since the beginning of January, Saturn is no longer squared by Jupiter and Mars, but it continues to trine the North Node until early April 06, so there will be more and more opportunities to manifest what expresses our true selves best, without the difficulties we may so far have experienced.

Sun/Moon and Mercury, in opposing Saturn, sextile the North Node, drawing conscious attention throughout February to the ideal of discovering who we really are. Saturn is supporting the endeavour. It is the tendency to misread situations and people, the tendency to act first and think later, that get in the way of personal success. At this time, the Nodes are ruled by Mars and Venus who, in this New Moon chart, are trine and connecting well with Jupiter. This is suggesting that it is by taking responsibility for ourselves in each relationship that we discover what we really want. It is a call to be independent while in relationship; pillars of the temple are clearly connected, but they don’t lean on each other.

Romance on Valentine’s Day!

Around the middle of February (14 February to be exact) there are two aspects that suggest a burst of romantic feelings. Mercury conjuncts Uranus in Pisces (sudden emotional expressions?) and Venus in Capricorn exactly sextiles Jupiter (deep emotional flow in loving relationships?)! The magic may last for a few days, but on 17 and 19 February there will be aspects that suggest greater clarity and a broader understanding, and perhaps, on 23 February, true loving expression (as Mercury sextiles Venus).

Perhaps all of this is a chance to experience forgiveness for ourselves and others. Saturn in Leo represents circumstances forcing us to see ourselves as individuals, not as parts of couples, or groups, or ideologies. The love that rises, the love that we experience, is always within ourselves. We cannot feel love if we are not in that place of loving inside. When we stand in that place, not only do we feel loved, we also have the magnanimity to accept others as they are, and to release our judgements for any past, perceived, personal wrongs.

Meditation for
New Moon in Aquarius

With the next out-breath,
relax completely and

allow your heart to open wide,
to your shoulders and beyond.

When you feel well expanded,
throughout one in-breath,

breathe the whole of your life
into your heart

and let it flow out into the light
with the next out-breath.

There is no need to think
about what any of it is,

just breathe your life into light
through your heart.

Accept it all on the in-breath,

and on the out-breath just love.