The Earth continues to wobble on her axis from a plethora of holographic shifts in opinion, perspective, and actual reality that blast and blare through the ethers 24/7. This constant barrage of tremors, courtesy of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, undermines our essential trust in governing systems everywhere—citizens rely on governments to uphold the social contracts of daily life and when they don’t, daily life can slip into chaos. China, anyone? Coronavirus anywhere? Oh… and the rule of law in the United States? Driven by fear, greed, and ignorance, our collective condition deteriorates daily, refusing all sorts of remedies, and political polarization is throwing too many curve balls to handle. Lots of folks find themselves reacting out of old emotional, default settings they thought were long gone rather than responding through the spiritual muscle of all the work they’ve done.
For many, trying to manage the routines and requirements of daily life is exhausting. More than a few people I’ve talked to are wondering why they feel like they are being oppressed by an abusive parent, again. They are adults, free from the yoke of that abuse, yet unable to escape a sense of victimization. Of course not everyone is suffering, and for that I am truly grateful, because more than ever in this era of dislocation—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—it’s comforting to be reminded that joy is possible. On a personal level, much can be done to alleviate the impact of the stresses and strains of our global situation—meditation, creative projects, and immersing oneself in other joyful endeavors. The best way through the next several weeks would be finding your middle ground in the midst of this madness and holding fast to that equilibrium.
Part of this week’s wobbles are attributable to Mercury Retrograde, which continues to create its own universe of miscommunication and travel snafus until March 9—but I’m still not complaining about this retrograde. Not only is it a welcome relief that provides time for reflecting on the recent past (which we all know has been way too busy), it also serves as a “pre-relief” retrograde phase, because the two remaining 2020 Mercury Retrogrades occur in tandem with other retrograde planets: in June, Mercury goes retrograde as Venus is finishing her cycle and in October, Mercury joins Mars in the middle of its retrograde. And those combinations are sure to drive most of us bananas.
The current retrograde Mercury is conjunct the Sun in Pisces, a position that tends to amplify subjective points of view even as it amplifies compassion—Pisces is, after all, the even-tempered Sign of empathy. Mercury also sextiles Mars, a positive interaction but one that tends toward over-active minds. The good news about those busy minds is that a Mercury/Uranus sextile, which is a positive interaction that favors imagination, has the potential to flood the mind with innovative ideas. Just wait until the Mercury Retrograde is over on March 9 before you try to put any new plans in motion—this retrograde will be over soon enough and March is an ambitious month with lots of activity. The Mercury/Mars sextile ends on March 1; the Mercury/Uranus sextile ends on March 9, but as Mercury moves forward that sextile will begin again.
Steve Bannon, recently on Real Time with Bill Maher, said that Mr. Trump is a transformative figure, an historic president who has changed the judiciary and deconstructed the administrative state. Bannon is correct—although why anyone would want to deconstruct the government is not clear. Some attribute it to good old-fashioned maliciousness and greed; others see it as part of an evangelical Christian movement that wants to hasten the end times; even more see it as willful destruction meant to satisfy the narcissism of a limited mind through ever-escalating, self-aggrandizing dramatic acts that, unfortunately, only cause harm. This attempt to destroy the trust citizens have in their government will only produce anarchy, and anarchy seldom has the interests of the collective at heart.
From an astrological perspective, the chaos we’re experiencing is just the beginning dynamics of the United States Pluto Return, or the American Revolution 2.0, because like any Return, a Pluto Return is about learning from the past and recalibrating in the present. For Pluto, that means reassessing power—individual and collective, political, financial—all aspects, including the power of government. The first American Revolution challenged the power of the king to dictate how lives were lived. This next one is occurring for a similar reason: the power of a wanna-be king and his enabling party (or modern-day courtiers) to dictate the way we live. Whether or not the principles that founded the country will endure is not yet decided—that decision is up to its citizens.
Try to harness the strength of Mercury/Mars/Uranus to think about what you would want to change and why. Be aware, this is not just about a collective revolution. All of the same concerns apply to a personal revolution. As always, be kind to your fellow travelers, knowing that when revolution is combined with love it becomes evolution.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
I am not quite sure what advice to offer other than this: focus your attention on your gifts and talents and spend not one moment of your precious mental energy bemoaning your fate or indulging the pity pot. You made it through seven years of Uranus teaching you to be your best self—now it’s time to apply those lessons and be confident in your innate strength.
Taurus April 20-May 20
You can optimize this retrograde phase by paying close attention to how you spend your currency—actual dollars as well as self-confidence and self-esteem. Be honest with yourself about where you feel you are operating at a deficit and where you feel you have “cash” to burn. If you approach this process with an open mind, you might be surprised by the innovations that are possible.
Gemini May 21-June 21
Occasionally a transformational process can happen in the blink of an eye, in a magical manner that’s worthy of praise. But most true change takes place over time, with a keen eye on what to eliminate through the process and what to add. You’re in the phase of figuring out what to let go of, but soon you will be blending new discoveries—and the alchemical outcome will be worth your work.
Cancer June 22-July 22
Take the long view—the one that sees the trees but includes the forest and beyond, because you need a really broad perspective to contextualize what’s happening in a way that is manageable for you and those you love. And don’t sweat the small stuff right now. There are plenty of details to take care of and the more you focus on those essentials, the less time you’ll have to worry.
Leo July 23-August 22
As it almost always is, what’s most important for you during this phase is passion. If you don’t know what stokes your fire and brings you joy, make every effort to identify it and make it part of your life. You are a miserable camper when you aren’t happy and there’s too much right at this moment that dampens your spirit. So find your joy and hold onto it with both hands.
Virgo August 23-September 22
It’s all about digging down deep within and accessing reservoirs of strength you didn’t realize you had. You know you’re strong, but you had no idea just how strong. This process is part of a phase that culminates in a new level of self-awareness—you getting to know yourself more intimately. So take a deep breath and get ready to discover a new you.
Libra September 23-October 22
Be wary of judging yourself too harshly. Sure, there were things you could have done differently if you had known you had other choices. So be kind to yourself, knowing that the best way through is figuring out what your spirit is trying to learn from this experience. Take your time puzzling through the pieces—if identifying the lessons were easy, you would have already learned them.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
I learned long ago that relying on the Divine Mother—or the Great Mother, as some call her—is the best way to find reliable, consistent solace in a world that can often be too harsh. So seek the comfort of friends, but make enough quiet time to ask the Divine Mother for her unconditional love and support. Even if everything is just fine, her presence will enhance what’s good.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
I love the Beatles song “Fool on the Hill” because it reminds me to take a step back and observe the obvious. The fool sees “the sun going down” and “the world spinning round,” noticing the passage of time and continuing to observe it day after day. This might be a good practice for you at this particular moment because it has the power to provide the continuity you crave and need.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
If you are overwhelmed, simply take a step out of the spotlight and give yourself permission to rest. There’s a lot going on, a lot for you to manage, and very few people are aware of just how strained you are feeling. So give yourself a mental-health break, by taking a day off from all your cares and worries and let your heart and mind have a rest—I promise you won’t miss a thing.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
I know you’re doing the best you can and I also know that sometimes you feel as if that isn’t good enough—that you should be doing more and don’t know how to find the vision or energy to make it happen. Certain things just take their own time, so while you may feel that your situation is taking too long to shift, know this: you are learning valuable lessons that you’ll need in the future.
Pisces February 19-March 20
Although you may feel as if you are lost in the woods, you’re not, but that isn’t likely to alleviate the uncertainty about what steps to take next. Rather than forcing yourself into action, wait this retrograde phase out. Concentrate on what you are learning by being patient, and while I know that sounds a little schoolmarmy, nothing is going to shift until you are completely ready.