Balance—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—is the key to navigating the intensities of the week. Whether you’re struggling in Houston, Bangladesh, Montana, Los Angeles, or any other place of extreme physical suffering; or if your heart is beating too fast from either great grief or great joy; or if you’re wrestling with difficult ideas, stretching the boundaries of your known intellectual universe, or simply trying to make sense of impossible situations; or if you’re doubting spirit because you’re surrounded by too much suffering to blindly believe it’s all happening as it should…wherever you find yourself challenged and uncomfortable, that’s where balance is a must—and that’s where balance is hardest to find.
To be sure, finding and maintaining your equilibrium isn’t easy under normal circumstances—and daily life is anything but normal. But this week it might be just a wee bit more difficult, given the Full Moon, in Pisces, today, and also given Mercury Direct, which began yesterday, September 5. What’s more, this week we start moving steadily toward the final Jupiter/Uranus opposition, which is all about balance in the midst of upheaval. (More about this interaction next week.)
But that’s not all. There’s also North Korea and its nuclear arsenal, and as it happens, North Korea’s Saturn is exactly at the eclipse sensitive point or where the eclipsed occurred. (Yes, the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 is the gift that keeps on giving.) On Sunday, September 3, Mars crossed the eclipse sensitive point, triggering North Korea’s Saturn. Mars symbolizes war. Saturn symbolizes authority. Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader symbolizes his nation. On Sunday, as Mars activated the eclipse sensitive point, Kim Jong-un made his power known through a nuclear test—the strongest one yet. And because of all the things previously written in this column concerning Mr. Trump’s chart and his relationship to the eclipse sensitive point, and because Mr. Trump has no diplomatic skills whatsoever, we’re in this escalating eclipse mess—and there’s no way of predicting what the outcome might be. North Korea celebrates its Independence Day on September 10 and we can only hope and pray that a missile, as a declaration of strength, can be avoided.
A Sun/Pluto trine provides plenty of stamina, strength and staying power to get almost any job done. For those of us who are not engaged in international incidents, the week offers the promise of moving out of Mercury Retrograde stagnation and into dynamic Mercury Direct progress. Just don’t expect instant results or overnight miracles.
Fortunately, a Venus/Saturn trine kicks in by the weekend. Venus is in Leo and Saturn is in Sagittarius. This is a positive alliance that can generate goodwill as well as a steady hand in almost any situation. Use this configuration and its dazzling yet reliable energy to enliven situations in need of a boost.
This week and the weeks ahead require an extraordinary effort to stay calm and clear about what’s truly important. Try to keep in mind that the only thing we take with us when we leave this world is the love we create, express and hold onto as we move through the vicissitudes of earthly existence. Spend more than a moment contemplating what you really value. Then integrate those values into action. And as always, do your best to help those in need of care, compassion and tenderness.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
If last week was delighting in over-the-top passion, this week is all about knowing how to dial in moderation. Yes…there may be some static between the broadcast signals, but the goal is finding a balance that allows you to be enthusiastic and realistic all at the same time.
Taurus April 20-May 20
Transformation is always about death and rebirth, and while most of us welcome changes once they are complete, the process of change is often quite demanding. The best way through your current transformation is to make like a snake and shed what is no longer authentic—and just like a snake, you will survive.
Gemini May 21-June 21
As the Dalai Lama has so eloquently pointed out, science and religion are two different dimensions of human experience. While keeping that wisdom in mind, don’t give up your need to understand how things work. Just don’t get hung up on the why—some things will never be understood intellectually, and that’s okay.
Cancer June 22-July 22
It’s all about marriage, but not necessarily about a romantic partnership or even a business arrangement. The marriage you are in the midst of solidifying is the marriage of thought and deed with speech and action. This is an internal union that only you can put asunder—so handle it with care because it is quite powerful.
Leo July 23-August 22
There are lots of decisions to be made, and while it may seem daunting, you’re definitely ready for this challenge. Rather than stew over problems you can’t solve, reach for radical solutions. Not every choice will be the perfect answer, but sorting through the possibilities has the potential to start a positive flow.
Virgo August 23-September 22
All sorts of opportunities are opening up, and the key to knowing which ones to act upon is listening to your heart and trusting what it tells you. And while I know sometimes that isn’t as simple or as easy as you would like it to be, if you take the time to get quiet and comfortable, you’ll easily hear your deepest guidance.
Libra September 23-October 22
You can resist taking responsibility for your situation and blame it all on others, or you can decide to discard old habitual ways of dealing with this repetitive problem and search for new and improved ways of connecting with others. Sounds like an obvious choice, but letting go will take a lot of effort.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
You are actually attempting to balance several areas of life simultaneously, and it isn’t easy finding the thread that unites these disparate pieces of your personal puzzle. Rather than trying to make them fit, arrange them according to passion. Concentrate on what you love most, and the rest will become clear.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
Saturn is moving forward in your Sign, which means you’re nearly at the end of a two-year-plus process that’s been focused on probing structures in your life to see what works. Use this week and the next several weeks to recalibrate your self-awareness, always with these questions: How have you grown? And what more is there to do?
Capricorn December 22-January 19
You can mentally chew on all the things that are wrong and need to change, or you can refocus your perspective and concentrate instead on admiring the precision of the universe as it unfolds. Yes, there are things that are unfair and unjust, but that’s no reason to brood—that’s a reason to become an activist.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Try not to be surprised when certain aspects of your life start falling apart—maybe they have already. Sometimes it’s important for certain structures to crumble so that new and improved systems can be born. You don’t have to abandon those you love; you just have to be honest with yourself about what really matters.
Pisces February 19-March 20
It’s important to figure out how to maintain your internal equilibrium even when your beliefs are challenging to others. Have the courage to take a stand for what you believe in and don’t be afraid of disappointing significant others. It’s not necessary to always agree.
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