by Robert Wilkinson
As we cruise through October’s chatter and juggling of multiple tasks and views, I thought it would be good to point out major influences affecting all signs.
First, the pattern that's imposed on all our charts. We ALL are experiencing this "atmosphere," though the emphasis shifts based in our Ascendant, or rising sign. Let me explain.
As I touched on in the recent New Moon articles, we have a wide spread of planets in signs. We have most of the planets spread out in a fairly even distribution of signs, showing that at least half of our reality is occupied with events signified by the planets being in those houses.
We all have Venus in the house where we have late Virgo. We all have the Sun in the house where we have late Libra. We have Saturn in early Scorpio, Mercury in late Scorpio, and Mars in early Sagittarius. Pluto is in early Capricorn, Neptune is in early Pisces, and Uranus is in early Aries. This means we’re all fairly spread out at present, with the personality focus in the houses where we have the sequence of signs across Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius.
The only planet outside of this span is Jupiter in mid-Gemini. That means we are all experiencing the energy of the “Bucket” Jones Pattern. Where the Moon is plays a part in how we’re dealing with and focusing these energies. However, in a “Bucket,” the “handle” is the most important part, since that gives us a handle on how to “grasp” the other energies and turn them to account, or focus them through the "nozzle" of the handle.
Jupiter is expansive, and teaches. It shows us where we can experience a sense of liberation, adventure, opening, and potential to grow into a greater life, understanding, and effectiveness. It is the grace and mercy that balances the severities of life.
In Gemini, the sign of the exploratory lower mind, Jupiter opens many doors of perception, many different ways to learn, many different facets of seeing any given thing. Since June, ALL of us have had opportunities to open to new ideas, new perspectives, new interpretations, any and all of which could lead us into a greater life adventure in the house affairs where we have Gemini, as well as those houses where we have Sagittarius and Pisces on the cusp.
Jupiter has just moved retrograde off its stationary point at 17 Gemini, and is now at 16 Gemini through November 2. The theme of 16 Gemini is “A woman suffragist haranguing.” Besides guaranteeing a lot of women’s issues will become front and center in the US election debate over the next two weeks, this degree is one of the nature of the personality learning what the Soul needs, of “spreading the word,” of passionate pleas for the purpose of persuading others of something, and finding those who are receptive to a message or knowledge we deeply feel is important.
Dr. Jones tells us this is about “the soul’s demand for a full participation in the responsibilities of human society,” and how values “are maintained only as there is a mutual give-and-take” respecting differences in views. We are told the keyword is “INDIGNATION” and when operating positively, this degree is “an unswerving determination to expand every potential of being and take part in every possible detail of world-wide reconstruction.” Of course, there are worlds within worlds, both in the outer and inner existence. It is there that the “reconstruction” will take place.
These are a few thoughts to keep in mind as we move through the next two weeks. Also, Mercury has now entered the area in Scorpio where it will retrograde back through beginning mid-November. That means we’re getting a “first look” at ground we’ll re-trace and re-examine (and re-re-examine!) the last week of November and first half of December. This will give us three angles of understanding what late Scorpio energy demands of us in the area it falls in our charts.
Generally, these energies involve appreciation and faith. Dr. Jones states this span of the zodiac is “sustaining,” “ideal,” “universal,” and “generalizing,” with 21-25 being more of a social focus, and 26-30 having more of a spiritual focus. Pay attention to how these are in play through October 29.
After that Mercury enters Sagittarius, preparing to go retrograde November 6 at 3:04 pm PST, 11:04 pm Greenwich at 5 Sagittarius. I’ll be writing more about the coming Mercury retrograde over the next few weeks, helping you get prepared to navigate this oft-recurring, mostly misunderstood phenomenon.
On a final note for today, in early November, just as Mercury prepares to go retrograde, Venus will finish a sequence of Cardinal T-squares that began in the Summer and moved energies in powerful ways in late September. So while it doesn’t directly affect the next 10 days, we’re still finishing (through Venus-ruled experiences and situations) whatever releases we’ve been mastering as the inner planets pass through Libra and make an opposition to Uranus and square to Pluto. You can find more by reviewing Astrology in September 2012 – Phase Two: A Solar T-Square Bringing Integration through Dynamic Events.
That period brought forth very important development in the year cycle and in our lives in late September and beginning of October. By checking out the article, as well as the one linked internally where I discuss the Mercury Cardinal T-square of the third week of September that immediately preceded the Solar T-square, you may understand what you’ll have to do, or move through, in the Venusian ruled areas as it finishes this sequence of squares and oppositions for 2012.
You can also find more by consulting the Cardinal T-square articles from June 2012, since those T-square threw the void into Libra, which is the subject of current T-square that throw the void back into Cancer. Summer challenged us to show good Libra skills, while these Autumn T-squares test our Cancer energies.
As a postscript to what’s been discussed here I found a few relevant links that elaborate on Jupiter in Gemini and other influences in the current atmosphere.
Astrology Sea Changes in October 2012 – Jupiter is Now Retrograde Through January 2013
It’s the Autumnal Equinox – What’s Coming in October, November, and December 2012
And because it’s such a new experience, but will be powerful over the next 2+ years, if you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, here’s Astrology in 2012-2013-2014 – Saturn in Scorpio
Also, part 2 of the recent New Moon articles has links to both the 2011 and 2012 Gemini Solar Eclipses as well as last November’s Solar Eclipse in early Sagittarius. Jupiter has put both Gemini Eclipse energies into play, and the Sagittarius Solar Eclipse will be directly in play as Mercury goes retrograde very close to the degree that Eclipse burned as a hot spot in all our lives for years to come.
So please take a new look at the energies of that Sagittarius Solar Eclipse to get insights about what will be reviewed, reworked, rehearsed, researched, or shown in a new light in November and December 2012 as the Sun crosses early Sag, powering up and putting a big light on those Eclipse endings, and then “birthed” or turned into something of worth by Venus in the third week of December.
The October 2012 New Moon in Libra Pt. 2 – Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What it All Means
© Copyright 2012 Robert Wilkinson
I figured what I wrote over at FB was a succinct way of condensing what I wrote above. So if you didn't see it there...
"In this Twilight Zone we call Earth, there is an atmosphere we all share. This atmosphere affects us in both similar and different ways. And we are all experiencing past, present, and future simultaneously, whether we have the ability to speak of it or not. At this time we're living a future but many are still feeling the past."
Posted by: Robert | October 19, 2012 at 09:30 AM
Thanks Robert. I do have the ability to speak of experiencing past, present and future simultaneously and it is driving me nuts! At this point in time, I'd much rather deal with the future and not have the present and past jerking my chain. I'll try to maintain flexibility. A very real tug-of-war going on. The Jupiter placement of Gemini 16 reminded me of Malala (the girl shot in the head by the Taliban).
Posted by: Deb Marcoux | October 19, 2012 at 10:09 AM
....very interesting! I turned on the computer and found and article about Halle Berry and self-esteem...and how she feels she has finally turned a corner, ref her choice in men. It spoke to me, as I have "self-worth" issues in my chart.
My 2nd house/self-worth with sun/mars in scorp 22/17 degrees...and Merc/jupiter also in 2nd at 8/9 sag... My sun and mars opposse my moon in Taurus in the 8th....endings, of old feelings, timidity?
I am seeing, standing up to those that control, and they are either leaving my life...or they are changin their behaviour toward me.
I am also able to control my emotions better, think before I speak...and my expression has become softer.....I have been owning my feelings, and expressing them much more, so that I do not have to carry around hidden anger.
Also...I'm "seeing/feeling" what is really going on under the surface....games, hidden agenda's and since I am seeing them...I understand and I am able to practice "detachment" so much better and consistently!
On a final note, ...I had a healer in Sedona tell me that I had incarnated as a male in many lifetimes, and in this I had incarnated as a female to find balance.
My sun conjunct mars??? My expression and desires have been somewhat on the "aggressive side"....they are softening, and I am finding new "desires" beginning to bloom....
:-)
Posted by: Wild Horse Running | October 19, 2012 at 01:57 PM
Excellent reading as always Robert, I am awaiting the merc retro article with bated breath as 5 sag is sextile natal jup/IC conjunction and square natal pluto, it is also conjunct my solar return MC/nth node conjunction...I have faith, alot of it thank goodness!
Posted by: Debbie | October 19, 2012 at 09:34 PM
friend from Ventura offers a visit and help settling in if i want to stay.{not far from Ojai}. I'm pinching myself.Robert do you remember the conversation?
Posted by: cathy | October 21, 2012 at 05:09 PM
Are (transit) retrogrades really important? I have Gemini Asc and never notice anything when Mercury is Rx. Although I do notice it with my natal Venus Rx - never wanted to get married or have kids. Astrologers are split on the issue, it seems.
Posted by: Diana | October 21, 2012 at 09:06 PM
Hi Deb - Yes, it seems that those who have trained are less trapped in time right now, while others are learning how to stay focused. Welcome to Saturn in Scorpio trine Neptune in Pisces!! Given the necessity for "order of priority" right now, you simply cannot do certain things until you've done other things first. More in a coming article.
Hi Wild Horse Running - As Saturn moves through your Solar 12th, you'll understand a lot more about "the movie of your life," and why you are no longer motivated by what you used to be. You may want to take a new look at my article in the archives explaining the 12th house.
As I explained to someone else with Sun in late Scorpio, since Saturn is in your Solar 12th, this is giving you a more thoughtful view of the "movie of your life" born of your direct experience and the wisdom you're learned since 1984-85. You can truly complete some aspect of "the great work" at this time, and renounce lesser responses while claiming a new wisdom of motive. You may be called by others to do "closure rituals" for them, and of course, you could grow greatly the more you do structured meditations or behind the scenes work.
Saturn can strengthen your view of your Light through claiming the experiences that have yielded wisdom and "response ability" these past 29 years. This is helping you prepare a long term restructuring in what you can and cannot live with, based in your own authority, no one else's. While Saturn opposed the Moon can bring hard emotional lessons, it also provides us a chance to adjust the relationship of the public/private, professional/personal, external responsibilities/personal needs in our lives. Usually it means we have to find ways to take care of ourselves appropriate to who we are now, not who we used to be (or believed we were, whether real or not!)
You began your new self image back when Saturn crossed your Asc. Now you're finding the values and resources, material and non-material, you need to draw on to support that new, more mature and responsible self image. Saturn on the Asc brings a new rigor that allows us more authorship in our world. Now you're beginning a several year period of restructuring your Light/Life, how you deal with what aggravates you, how you're living your life in ways you can enjoy on your own terms, and once it enters Sag, you'll find a new learning discipline that will crystallize your Mercury and Jupiter in new ways. It's the end of what began in the 80s!
Hi Debbie - Thanks. Mercury retrograde articles coming soon!!
Hi cathy - Yes. Congratulations!! I'll email you soon.
Hi Diana - Yes. Extremely important as phase shifts in the larger experiential cycle. No split that I've ever heard of. Perhaps you're not taking some things into account regarding how your self image is affected through events of the houses where Mercury RX transits occur.
Posted by: Robert | October 23, 2012 at 08:47 AM
Truly can resonate with 'wild horse running'. I've acknowledge from 2005, this life is a repeat. It repeats or re-runs its course over, over, again till you wake up to your karmic 'conditions' of finding out your true nature beyond limited time scripts. And, not take anything personal. Were each here to fulfill our soul's journey whether it is tramatic or not. It has nothing to do, on a human level from all these 'ideas full of conditions-programs-training' of who you should be or not to be. When you least expect it, there is 'inner' drier help, not the external 'outer' wet stuff were so prone to jump at. We do have inner guidance if only we know from our hearts. just been repressed, hidden, covered over. It is an Awesome Divine love without conditions, which is here anytime-timeless at a drop of a pin. Without the ego-thinking mind getting in its way, even tho the ego doesn't actually exist. The ego-identity is nothing but 'conditions'. To keep you dumb down from finding out your True Nature. Thanks for another great post. Namaste lovin' astrology!
Posted by: MoonDance | October 23, 2012 at 09:27 AM