Aquarium Age

Aquarium Age: August 7 – 13, 2019

By Ralfee Finn

The sky illustrates our current collective situation: A Sun/Venus conjunction in Leo trines Jupiter in Sagittarius, providing the potential for optimism, joy, and the true expression of a generous heart. But at the same time, we are still in the grip of the ongoing Saturn/Pluto conjunction, which despite its retrograde motion continues to inflame that which divides us from each other and from the planet we call home. While the positive Sun/Venus/Jupiter trine doesn’t oppose the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, the tension between the expansiveness of Jupiter and the contractive force of Saturn/Pluto intensifies over the coming weekend. As that stress combines with several other key interactions, you can expect the weekend and the days that follow to be a mess. You might want to consider laying low and just taking a break if you can.

Here’s a breakdown of that astral traffic jam: On Sunday, August 11, at 9:37AM, EDT, Jupiter goes direct, still maintaining its trine to the Sun and Venus. Expect exuberance to be high, but also anticipate feeling a bump in the ethers. That same morning, the Moon starts to transit the Saturn/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn; we are familiar with this monthly event, but just because we’ve grown accustomed to it, that doesn’t mean it won’t be disturbing, as more information is revealed about what’s been going on behind the scenes, from both a personal and a political perspective.

Later on that same day, Uranus Retrograde begins at 10:26 PM EDT. We always, always, always experience a disruption when Uranus makes a “course correction,” and this one is likely to be quite emotional given that as Uranus “turns around” it trines the Moon, which adds an emotional component to Uranus’ already erratic signature. We’re likely to feel the brunt of that emotional disruption on August 12 as the Moon conjuncts Pluto at 6:11 PM, EDT, and then starts to pull away. Anticipate feeling a bit scrambled or at odds with yourself and with significant (or insignificant) others.

I was talking to a fellow astrologer today about how to celebrate the enthusiastic, positive benefits of this week’s Sun/Venus/Jupiter trine in the midst of our current collective madness. How do I write about the good news when there is just so much bad news? As I write this, the reports of two mass shootings are streaming through my computer, streaming the heartbreak of this violence everywhere. And even if I can manage to find a glimmer of hope, will it be enough to lift the spirit and restore a sense of balance? I don’t think my dilemma is any different than the one facing most of us every day who care about our planet and about each other are facing every day in the era of Trump.

But because the stars are positive this week, the question is: How do we take heart in the midst of such adversity, with so little positive, tangible relief? In the healing world, the rule of thumb is to follow your feelings, which will eventually lead you to a greater understanding; awareness diminishes impulsive, habitual reactions and helps to transform them into thoughtful responses. The trouble with feelings is that they can often deceive us, especially when they are based on old survival patterns and defense mechanisms. Hence the advice to stay with them before taking action. But that’s hard to do right now because we are bombarded by outrageous, violent vigilantes—those using everything from verbal, physical, psychological, and spiritual weapons to actual ones. The appropriate response to outrageous acts of violence is outrage—but not through more violence.

Another friend, a Tibetan nun who is also a psychologist, reminded me that we are in the midst of a huge collective trauma, suffering from collective PTSD, which only exacerbates individual suffering. Her theory is that Trump and his Gang of Hungry Ghosts have figured out, instinctively or premeditatively, how to trigger old issues of abuse: he is like the abusive father who hurts a child in whatever way possible—through words or deeds, and in Trump’s case, through calling others to violence and enlisting their efforts. He is a racist, determined to pit us against each other, making it harder to unite against him and his minions; he is also a misogynist who only values women as objects in his narcissistic system; and he is an addict, but instead of being drunk on alcohol or drugs (as far as we know), he is drunk on power. He is familiar to us all in one or more of these guises, and his very presence triggers previous patterns of suffering.

Millions and millions of people have dealt with these patterns personally and have healed from the toxic effect of abuse and addiction, but few of us were ready to cope with this bloated, poisonous collective id made manifest. The reckless hatred Mr. Trump has let loose during the last several years has retriggered the despair of many of our fellow travelers who thought they were healed and freed from patterns of abuse and addiction. Since Mr. Trump began his rise to power, and through his term in office, they have struggled and continue to struggle to regain their healing ground.

But each and every time another shooting takes place, we are all triggered—we are all reminded of just how much more work is necessary before we can right our collective ship. And right it we must. In the last many decades, we have expanded our understanding of what it is to be human and gained great healing ground through that awareness. We can’t give into despair. We must pool our collective determination to evolve rather than devolve.

Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.

Aries March 21-April 19
It’s important to keep up a brave face, but it is also important to acknowledge reality. Finding a balance between your optimism and your anxiety is the task at hand. Rely on your spiritual practice and apply it one day at a time. Staying in present time will not only help diminish fears about the future but also bolster your ability to be positive about what lies ahead.

Taurus April 20-May 20.
It might be wise to call your current situation a spiritual crisis, if only because that will give you a way of contextualizing a wide range of feelings regarding who and what you rely on when the going gets tough or just confusing. Even if it feels like you are in danger of losing your way, you’re not. You are in a transition that includes examining what you believe in and why.

Gemini May 21-June 21
Expect to be frustrated and out of sorts with a number of friends or family members. Just don’t let those frustrations morph into anything more dramatic than a minor irritation. This is not the time to start reading a litany of past complaints in the hope that you will finally be heard. This is the moment to appreciate the depth of dialogue and intimacy that occurs with those you love.

Cancer June 22-July 22
You have to choose: focus on work, and whether or not you are rewarded financially, experience a sense of confidence from the success of your efforts, or focus on tensions with significant others about the quality of your contribution. Sounds like a no-brainer, but keeping self-doubt at arms’ length is going to require effort and determination.

Leo July 23-August 22
Even as you contemplate the seriousness of our global situation, make the time to also experience joy as well. It may not be easy to find, but it is essential to your health on every level—mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. If you can find a way to take pleasure in the small beauties of life, you’ll find a way to shift your perspective on the bigger picture, which will help your heart in so many ways.

Virgo August 23-September 22
Service to others is always a good way to transform frustration, and given your situation at the moment—so much energy and not so many ways to spend it—finding ways to help others will help you. I’m not suggesting you deny your needs, but I am advising you to focus on where you can make a difference. If you do that, you’ll free up your internal tensions.

Libra September 23-October 22
As much as you may want to spend all your time in the convivial company of friends, there are several important issues that need to be addressed. Unfortunately, bringing those subjects up could make you a party pooper. Fortunately, you’re determined to get everything out in the open. Just be aware as you share that certain things are best kept private.

Scorpio October 23-November 21
Consider whether it’s possible at this particular moment to find the right balance between personal and professional responsibilities. Those real opportunities to improve your finances persist, and as long as they do, it’s hard to imagine you saying no to a networking event and yes to quiet time at home. Be honest about your priorities and you’ll neutralize the seeming conflict.

Sagittarius November 22-December 21
Trust your good intentions and rely on your intuition to help you find a way through the intensities. You’re in a rich, expansive state that affords opportunities to break out of several inhibiting patterns as you stretch into new ones, but those old habits are still comforting, which makes cutting the ties difficult. Be determined to grow and you’ll make the progress you desire.

Capricorn December 22-January 19
How other people see you is not as important as how you see yourself, and while I realize that sounds like a cliché, like all clichés, it conveys and important truth. Your self-image is based on self-esteem. How you appear to others is based on their self-esteem. So spend time contemplating how to facilitate an objective self-assessment—take your inventory through a lens of love and compassion.

Aquarius January 20-February 18
The emphasis is still on relationships, especially on how to have fun with those you love. It’s not that you don’t know how to have fun—you do. But it might be beneficial to consider all the things you say no to and just for a moment consider saying yes. Even if you are resistant and it makes you anxious to think about taking a leap, you might also enjoy the thrill of trying something new.

Pisces February 19-March 20
You may be experiencing an imbalance in your empathy reserves. On the one hand, you can be quite stern when you don’t agree with others’ choices, and on the other hand, you may be expecting too little from those who don’t know any better. The goal is finding a nonjudgmental middle ground that’s neither condescending nor pitying. Explore what it would be like to remain neutral.

This article was originally published on August 7, 2019.