Astrology of Now: Focus and Healing
The Empire Strikes Back — learning to focus
It’s an extraordinary — and rather difficult — start to 2016. But amidst the tumultuous energies there are some strong positives.
Here’s the gen.
Mercury is retrograde in Aquarius, then from January 8th, in Capricorn . The time calls for rethinking and practical reassessment.
Mars is in Scorpio, his own sign. The planet of physical energy, libido and aggression, is especially strong here. The quality of Mars in Scorpio is active focus. This is about cutting out the cancers, honing in on what’s necessary. You can see it might work well with Mercury Retrograde. Check where Mars will be in your own chart. It’s important this year, because Mars will be spending a long time in Scorpio.
This theme of focus is further enhanced by the Sun conjoining Pluto, Scorpio’s other ruler, this week — exactly tomorrow (Jan 6). This is a moment for truth and, again, cutting through the cr*p.
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In the following days, the Sun will make a sextile to Chiron, the wounded healer, which means these energies will be working dynamically together. Pluto is in his way a healer, too (among other things). But Pluto heals buy getting rid, expulsion, elimination, and surgery. The Sun activates the dynamic energy of Chiron and Pluto. This suggests pain, yes, and possibly an actual wounding — but potentially finding the truth through pain and wounding. This is not about stitching closed the wound but about digging around and fishing out the maggots. It’s about cleaning the wound.
Of course, this all depends on where this action is happening in your chart, but take a look at Pisces in your chart. If you have any planets in mutable signs — Virgo, Pisces, Sagittarius or Gemini around 17°, this energy may be highly activated. Also, for Cancer-Capricorn, the energy can be positively accessed.
Meanwhile, Jupiter is stationing at 23° Virgo — which is a sign associated with healing also. And the Lord of Expansion props open the gateway of the North Node. The South Node is in Pisces gradually approaching Chiron — although the two will not meet for some time. The Nodes are turning points, destiny points — and Jupiter will be next to the North Node for much of this season. This suggests a tremendous build-up of energy about to burst through to a new beginning — but not yet.
We are in the healing and planning phase. We are at a moment of trying to figure out exactly what needs fixing, and cutting out what is no longer necessary. The New Moon on January 10 is a good time to get rid of something real — like that old hatstand blocking the hall. You need your exits and entrances cleared for 2016.
Yesterday my television, admittedly old and feeble, just up and died, leaving behind the distinct smell of burning electrical wire. I thought, “Thanks Uranus,” for forcing me to finally choose a 21st century set. But Mercury being retro means I shouldn’t buy electronics equipment, right? Do you think this might actually be one of Pluto’s purges? (You may recall that I have 5 Cap rising, and Venus at 17 Cap in the 1st, so I’m thinking the current transits have my name all over them.)
…I thinkg you know the answer to that one. I wonder whether the TV has any added meaning for you also… I’d wait to get the new one and enjoy the void!
Great write up! I have a Moon/Uranus opposition at 17 Gemini (3rd H) and 19 Sagittarius (9th H), respectively. That Moon rules my MC/IC at 11 Cancer/11 Capricorn. Chiron has been squaring my Moon for a good long time — dredging up all those old wounds related to a predictably unstable and unpredictable mother and upbringing, and parsing how all of that affects my stability in personal, intellectual, and career lives.
I’m using this energy to tie up loose ends that have been dragging me down. In a literal sense, I just broke down and recycled an epic collections of cardboard boxes and other unwanted mess from my room that I’d been letting pile up for months. Now at work I’m revisiting work projects I let fall by the wayside — all things that have been dragging me down emotionally.
Mars in Scorpio is transiting my 2nd H — home of my Mercury, Venus, and Pluto — and just today I paid off a load of bills I’d let pile up for far too long. Again something that had been weighing on me emotionally.
Your analysis is perfectly in sync with my experiences: the connection between cleaning up your life in a physical sense and how that translates to a lighter load emotionally and spiritually.
Happy 2016!! 🙂
Hi Christina,
Currently Mars is in my 4th house and I am dreading and hoping for this New Moon on the 10th.
I thought I had sold my appartment and had bought a lovely new house in December, everything was sealed and signed.
Then, on the 30th I received a phonecall that somewhere in the line of buyers somebody had trouble getting their mortgage approved by the bank and now they are asking for more time until the 9th !
It concerns not the buyer of my appartment buth the person who bought her house.
Oh, I do hope everything will turn out all right, but I am nervous about it.
Apart from that : Happy New Year !
mimi
Hope it works out. Mercury Rx through Capricorn and your 4th house! might help untangle that knot.
Thanks for the fantastic image!
Christina
Thanks for your helpful explanation of these confusing energies. I only have a very general understanding of astrology (just enough to get me muddled). When you advise to look at aspects to see where certain energies effect us, do you (astrologers) mean that we are supposed to look at our natal charts or our progressed charts or both? Which one is more important to identify with? Thanks!
Natal trumps progressed. When I suggest you look at your chart I always mean natal. Progressed chart is useful (of course), but you should be able to identify these energies passing through natal houses, if your birth time is reasonably accurate. Following Mars through the year is a good way to do this, because, as the planet of action, he literally activates the house he’s in.
Thanks so much!