SkyWriting

Solar Eclipse in Aries conjunct Chiron; Compassionate Action
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Solar Eclipse in Aries conjunct Chiron; Compassionate Action

April 8th’s Solar Eclipse is one of the biggest astrological events of 2024. April carries some of the most significant transits of the year and all of these transits are contained in the Eclipse Chart. In addition, the Solar Eclipse hits a key point in the U.S. Birth Chart that may cause a significant shift in the nation's karma. In a later post, a week or two after the eclipse, I'll share some reflections on Chiron, Pluto, and the history of eclipses in the U.S. Chart.

Eclipses have an unknown, mysterious quality. They can bring sudden, unpredictable changes to our lives. Solar Eclipses happen at the New Moon when the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun and the Sun appears to disappear and disappear in the sky. They carry the sense of a sudden new beginning, a cosmic “reboot” to some part of our lives.

The Sun relates to our vision and life purpose, how we structure our understanding of the world. It also relates to solar figures whose guidance and governance structure our world, such as leaders and people who may play the role of father in our lives. Symbolically, Solar Eclipses can bring sudden changes to how we understand the world and the appearance or disappearance of solar figures in the world.

This Solar Eclipse happens at 19 degrees, 24 minutes of Aries, EXACTLY conjunct the asteroid Chiron, “the Wounded Healer,” in the sky. It is quite rare to have any planet or asteroid exactly conjunct a New or Full Moon, so understanding how the archetype of Chiron may play into the eclipse is especially important.

Chiron is a Centaur from Greek mythology, an immortal being who was known as “the most righteous” of the Centaurs. He was a teacher and a healer. Some of the myths about his life center around a wound that he suffered through no fault of his own that caused him incredible pain and for which he could not find a cure. His suffering was so great that to escape it, he agreed to become mortal and take the place of Prometheus who was about to be killed. Chiron was killed in his place and Prometheus was saved from his fate.

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Lunar Eclipse in Libra; Letting Go of Harmony and Balance
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Lunar Eclipse in Libra; Letting Go of Harmony and Balance

The eclipse on March 25 is a South Node Lunar Eclipse at 5 degrees of Libra. Like all lunar eclipses, it happens at the Full Moon and fleshes out themes that arose with the New Moon 2 weeks ago.

The South Node is a place of release in the chart and is associated with moments when we are asked to “let go” in some area of our life. On the material level whenever there is a South Node eclipse, we may experience a loss in the part of our chart where the eclipse happens. For example, if the eclipse happens in the 11th house in your chart, you may find yourself letting go and leaving a group or organization to which you belong, or if it happens in the 4th house you may encounter a situation where you have to let go around something having to do with your family, home, or ancestry.

Libra flavors the eclipse by adding a sense of the archetypal themes that may have caused you to stay in a situation past the point where it served your Soul’s purpose. Libra is an air sign ruled by Venus, the goddess of love. It is the sign of the diplomat who works to balance different needs and find harmony in relationships. A South Node Libra eclipse can bring karmic lessons that require us to let go of situations where we have lost track of our own Soul’s needs—where we have accommodated others rather than being firmly rooted in own sense of who we are and what we need. The remedy for the shadow side of a sign is often the energy of the opposing sign. In this case, it is Aries, a fire sign ruled by Mars, the god of War. Aries energy allows us to establish a foothold in the world, to proclaim the importance of our own individual existence and carries the energy of “I am,” “I need,” and “I will assert myself to protect my needs.”

The theme of letting go of our tendency to privilege harmony above all else fits with the New Moon from 2 weeks ago. You may recall the New Moon had a strong Aries energy. It happened just after Mercury, the god of communication entered Aries. It called us to new creative beginnings and urged us to find our confident, self-assertive voice in the world. Now, 2 weeks later, we may find ourselves experiencing the consequence of asserting our creative individual self in the world. When we act out of our Soul’s true self-expression, we fulfill our destiny AND learn the sometimes difficult lesson that standing in our own integrity can lead to losses to the extent we have stayed in situations or relationships that do not fit with who we are. There is no right or wrong about whatever may transpire with this lunar cycle, it is just the cyclical reality of life—we step into something new, and it brings a shift that may include a letting go of that which no longer suits our Soul’s path.

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Pisces New Moon, from Dream to Reality
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Pisces New Moon, from Dream to Reality

Today’s New Moon in Pisces brings an opportunity to work with a dream and make it reality. The New Moon is between Saturn, the god of responsibility who encourages us to understand our limitations, and Neptune, the god of dreams. This New Moon also carries a spark with it--an energy that makes it seem possible to work with our dreams and make something real out of them. Mercury the god of communication and writing just entered Aries, a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars, the god of war. One well-known dreamer with the Sun in Pisces and Mercury in the first decan of Aries was Albert Einstein.

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Aquarius New Moon square Uranus: Liberating Energy
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Aquarius New Moon square Uranus: Liberating Energy

February 9, we have a New Moon in Aquarius. This is the first time we've had a New Moon in Aquarius with Pluto in the sign for over 250 years. The New Moon kicks off a deeper relation to this energy for all of us, giving us a hint of the changes, he may bring to whatever house he occupies in our chart. For example, if you're a Scorpio rising, Pluto is in your 4th house and will likely bring deep change around home, family, and ancestry.

This is also a significant new moon because it is squaring the planet Uranus, the god of liberation, sudden changes, and breaking free of old structures. We also have Chiron, an asteroid representing our deepest wound close to the North Node in the chart. Whenever the North node is with a planet or asteroid, it expands its energy. When you put all the aspects together, you get a feel that this New Moon may bring a sudden desire to break free of old structures, to free ourselves from wounds that may be holding us back from expressing ourselves more authentically in the world.

On the positive side, we also have Mercury, the god of communication applying to a square with Jupiter, the god of optimism, possibilities, and big vision. This makes it more likely that we will be open to the changes that may be coming our way. At the same time, the square is a tense energy, so there’s a chance our optimism runs hot—we overestimate how much joy the changes may bring us, a good thing to keep in mind as we work with these energies over the next couple of weeks.

One last thing, when you compare this New Moon to the Full Moon chart on February 24, you see a story unfolding; in the New Moon Chart Chiron, our wound is being emphasized and expanded by the North Node energy vs. in the Full Moon chart, the two are separating from each other, giving us a sense that we reach a resolution with the Full Moon. This fits with the nature of the Full Moon itself which happens in the first decan of Virgo, a spot in the chart that has a lot to do with humility, reflection, and growth coming from our observations of the natural flow of the universe.

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Full Moon at 5 Leo, Call for Progressive Change
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Full Moon at 5 Leo, Call for Progressive Change

January 25 we have a Full Moon in the sign of Leo. Full Moons happen when the Sun opposes the Moon and lights it to its fullest brilliance. They are times of revelation and understanding that can bring a sense of "aha!" This Full Moon carries the energy of taking concrete action to make a progressive change in your life and the world. The Moon is at 5 degrees of Leo, a point in the chart symbolized by a young person who challenges an older person around ideas they think are outdated (Sabian Symbol 6 Leo). This energy is mimicked by the fact that the Sun is with Pluto, the god of transformation, in the first degrees of Aquarius, a part of the chart about the rebel, the innovator, the outsider who wants to shake things up. When you combine these two energies, you get the real sense that the Soul will likely want to shake things up this month and let go of old understandings that inhibit its growth.

When we bring new progressive ideas into the world, it can create tension for other folks or within our psyche. The Full Moon energy reflects this--we have Chiron, the wounded part of our chart in a tense aspect to Mars, the god of War, and Mercury, the god of communication, confirming the conflict that may arise within yourself or with others if you make a move to upset the comfort of the status quo.

The good news is that the most helpful planets, Venus and Jupiter, are in a lovely flowing energy to each other in the practical earth signs, offering concrete support for any changes you might like to make in your life.

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From Saturn-Earth to Saturn-Air, Pluto enters Aquarius
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

From Saturn-Earth to Saturn-Air, Pluto enters Aquarius

Expect a big shift in energy a bit later in January when Pluto, the god of the underworld moves into Aquarius. Aquarius is an air sign that has to do with innovation, technology, thinking outside of the box, and having the capacity to have a distanced and objective view of the world. It is opposite the sign of Leo in the birth chart and that opposition is baked into the meaning of Aquarius; where Leo tends to center the individual, Aquarius centers the larger community and shies away from individual glory.

Pluto will be in Aquarius for the next 20 years so we are entering a period where we may notice a distinctive shift in energy toward the good of the community over the individual. There will likely also be leaps in the area of technology and communication—Aquarius is an Air sign that wants to share new and sometimes unusual ideas with the world.  

Pluto is the slowest moving planet and can bring big changes to your life when he switches signs, especially if you have your Sun, Moon, or Rising sign at the beginning of any of the fixed signs (Aquarius, Leo, Taurus, or Scorpio). If you’re interested in knowing more about how Pluto’s shift into Aquarius may affect you, feel free to reach out for a reading.

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New Moon in Capricorn, What Will You Build?
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

New Moon in Capricorn, What Will You Build?

Tomorrow we have a New Moon in Capricorn, a sign that has to do with hard work, leadership, responsibility, and ambition. Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign that loves to initiate projects and build things that will last.

If you are itching to start something new, now is the time! This New Moon has an energy that supports our hard work and commitment in a lovely way. Mars, the planet of our desire to make something happen is in Capricorn where he has extra power and authority to accomplish difficult tasks. What is more, Jupiter and Saturn are in a flowing sextile to Mars, supporting him by offering optimism and perseverance as he strives to take action to create something new. The energy is "go for it!"

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Full Moon in Cancer: “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays?”
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Full Moon in Cancer: “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays?”

On December 26 we will have a Full Moon at 4 degrees of Cancer bringing a longing to connect with family and home. Symbolically, the moon represents our emotions, our body, our memories; it can be a stand-in for “mother,” the figures in our life who nurture us. The moon rules Cancer and when it transits this sign, we can feel more emotional as it connects us feelings and memories that may otherwise be difficult to grasp.

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Mercury Rx in the ♥ of the Sun; Feel your Way to the Truth
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Mercury Rx in the ♥ of the Sun; Feel your Way to the Truth

On December 22 Mercury, the god of communication, will be “cazimi,” that is, it will be exactly conjunct the Sun, our light, our vision. When Mercury is in the heart of the Sun, it can bring an “aha!” realization to an issue we’ve been grappling with. Since Mercury is still retrograde, this “aha!” is likely the first step in a process that began with December 12’s New Moon and will resolve early in January as Mercury goes direct.

Here are a few thoughts to contemplate on the day of the cazimi. Mercury’s cazimi is at 0 Capricorn, a degree that invites us to step into our power with integrity. The type of power I refer to is our receptive power, the power and authority that come with being fully grounded in our authentic nature. It is the opposite of ordinary notions of power in our Western culture; it is NOT the power of the ego, but the power of the Self.

The cazimi also takes place in the first decan (10 degrees) of Capricorn. This decan corresponds to the 2 of Pentacles Tarot card which I’ve attached. The card has a quality of balance, of play, of staying centered in the moment, of being light on one’s feet. The first decan of Capricorn invites us to come to know where we are based upon our own internal capacity to find our footing. That footing comes from a feeling of knowing where you are rather than an intellectual understanding. It evokes a capacity to understand where to be, how to be, how to navigate a situation from out of one’s intuition rather than one’s thinking mind.

If you can, take a moment at the beginning or end of the day on the 22nd and contemplate the 2 of Pentacles; sit with the image and ground yourself in the energy that invites you to find your way to a solution to whatever dilemma you may be facing out of a connection with your own inner knowing rather than out of thoughts about what you “should do,” or how you “should be.”

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Sag New Moon with Mercury Rx…Off on a Quest, Is it Fantasy or Reality?
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Sag New Moon with Mercury Rx…Off on a Quest, Is it Fantasy or Reality?

On December 12 we have a New Moon in Sagittarius. New Moons are a time when we plant a seed for the next cycle, a time when we can pause and connect with the deeper part of ourselves and listen to what our intuition tells us about the next stage of our growth. Working with that intuition we can set an intention to nurture the seed as it grows over the coming months.

Sagittarius is the sign of the Quest, the search for the Holy Grail. With Mars connected to the New Moon, we may feel a strong urge to step into a new adventure, take up a new cause, and fight for our beliefs and ideals. With Mercury, the messenger of the gods in a flowing aspect to Jupiter, the god of optimism and big ideas, like Don Quixote, we could get “puffed up” about our vision—confident that we know what we are doing and that our quest stems from some divine injunction. This is especially true as Jupiter rules Sagittarius and so rules this lunation.

Yet this New Moon cautions us to hold our ideas lightly. With the New Moon square to Neptune, we may find that, like Quixote, our vision was rooted in a fantasy. Neptune is the god of dreams and ethereal thoughts. As the Moon ripens, we may need to adjust our quest if we discover that our initial intuition was rooted in illusion.

Mercury turns retrograde within a few hours of the New Moon, reinforcing the need to hold our quest lightly. When a planet turns retrograde, it appears to move backward in the sky. Ancient philosophers interpreted retrograde movement to be aligned with “primary motion,” the motion of the divine. In contrast, the everyday movement of the planets around the zodiac was called “secondary motion” and was connected with our actions in the material world. Symbolically, retrogrades can be seen as moments of “karmic correction” when we encounter difficulties that force us to slow down, reflect, and re-align ourselves with divine will.

In late December and early January, Jupiter and Mercury turn direct within a couple of days of each other and we are likely to gain clarity around our New Moon vision. In the meantime, as you take up your quest, you may want to explore what fantasies lie beneath the surface. It may be best to hold it lightly with the understanding that you may need to change course as fantasy gives way to reality and as Mercury retrograde offers its karmic lessons.

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Gemini Full Moon, Embrace the Contradictions
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Gemini Full Moon, Embrace the Contradictions

On November 27 we have a Full Moon Gemini. Gemini Full Moons bring moments where we are curious and social, wanting to gather and share information with the world.

Gemini is an air sign ruled by Mercury, the god of communication and the “trickster” of the pantheon. It is comfortable with contradiction and multiple perspectives, and, unlike its opposing sign, Sagittarius, it cares about facts and information more than singularity of “truth.”

Mercury the planet that rules this Full Moon is in Sagittarius right now creating potential difficulties around communication. Mercury has a rough time there because it craves details and facts where Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius offers big ideas, visions, and quests for “truth.” On top of that, Mercury is in a tight square to Neptune bringing the possibility that our visions could be based on fantasy, not reality.

What does that mean for each of us? We could find ourselves in social or work situations, chatting away, imagining we are sharing information only to find that we have been taken over by our own idealistic vision of reality. We may later discover that our whatever “truth” we thought was guiding our side of the conversation was rooted in fantasy.

The Sun and Mars are in a square to Saturn in this chart meaning that we may also end up having to walk back any hardline positions taken during this time. Square aspects demand that we adjust, and compromise and Saturn is the planetary taskmaster who asks us to be realistic, thoughtful, and mature about our actions. At the same time, Saturn rewards thoughtful behavior, so there is also a chance to learn and grow presented by this Full Moon.

So, even if we overstep and find ourselves in the ideological “deep-end” in conversations, Sun Mars square Saturn provides us with the chance to slow down, reflect, adjust and listen to others’ perspectives. Gemini LOVES to hear others’ thoughts, so although this New Moon may carry uncomfortable energy, it also presents an opportunity to deepen and widen our vision of the world by making room for multiple perspectives to carry truth at one time.

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Scorpio New Moon, Complex Emotions
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Scorpio New Moon, Complex Emotions

On November 13, there will be a new Moon in the sign of Scorpio. New moons happen when the Sun and Moon come together in the sky and mark the birth of something new. Scorpio is a feminine water sign ruled by Mars, the god of war, it relates to deep emotions, a desire for truth and honesty, and a desire to excavate and grapple with what lies underneath the surface of our everyday lives. People with heavy Scorpio placements have an innate understanding of the transience of life and can be drawn to intense experiences that help them come to terms with the cycles of life and death.

The Mars-Uranus opposition that I wrote about a couple of days ago, is still active in this chart; Mars is in a tight conjunction with the new Moon and is quite strong as it rules Scorpio. This means that the volatility we've been feeling the past day or so is baked into the new Moon, intensifying the possibility that we may all feel emotionally reactive over the coming weeks. And with the Moon in Scorpio now, our reactions may carry an added layer of melancholy and a deeper sense of empathy around world events. The moon in Scorpio understands and feels the depth of pain in the world; indeed, the Buddha, who is said to have had the Moon in Scorpio said the first noble truth is that "life is suffering." So you can imagine that this new Moon may ground us more deeply in the reality of the pain of life.

One ray of hope with this new Moon is that Venus, the goddess of peace and harmony is now in her home sign Libra offering a bit of balm for our souls; Libra is an air sign that urges diplomacy and balance as we relate to others. She brings the possibility that if we do find ourselves in the midst of a sudden conflict we are able to work through it--that we are able to find our "inner diplomat" and listen with grace to the perspective of others.

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Mars opposite Uranus, Volatile Breakthroughs
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Mars opposite Uranus, Volatile Breakthroughs

On November 11, Mars, the god of war, aggression, and assertive desire opposes Uranus, the planet of unexpected events that strike like lightning and demand that we wake up, break free of old patterns, and step more fully into our authentic selves. The Sun is conjunct Mars on this date as well.

Mars and Sun opposite Uranus is a volatile aspect that can bring sudden changes around our sense of identity (Sun) and outbursts of anger or aggression (Mars). When I think of this aspect, I’m reminded of the movie “Network” where a news anchor hears his show is about to be canceled for low ratings and launches into a long rant about the state of the nation and the “bullshit” of modern American life. He ends the rant by encouraging folks to throw open their windows and yell “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore.”

This scene shows the way a Mars-Uranus opposition can unleash frustration that has been building inside us over a long period. We reach the boiling point and our desire for freedom from old patterns outweighs our fear of violating social convention.

Mars also has an impulsive energy that when combined with Uranus can bring the possibility of sudden accidents and physical danger. I’m reminded of Frida Kahlo’s birth chart which has a Mars-Uranus aspect that was triggered by a Mars-Uranus transit on the day she had the accident that changed the course of her life.

A word of caution about this story, try not to step into the trap that can happen when you first discover astrology—where you see a difficult transit and imagine the worst. We cannot predict future events with astrology, only what archetypal energies may be present. That being said, it makes sense to be aware of the potential for angry outbursts or impulsive actions this weekend and imagine how we might hold these opposing energies if they arise for us and attempt to understand how they might be playing out internally rather than acting them out in the world.

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A time for Diplomacy, Venus into Libra
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

A time for Diplomacy, Venus into Libra

On November 8, Venus, the goddess of love, relationship, and beauty moves into her home sign, Libra. This is a big shift for Venus who has been in the sign of Virgo where she is in her “fall,” and has a difficult time achieving her goals. Venus wants to spread the love, encourage folks to open themselves to relationship with others, to find joy in beauty, but can have a hard time doing that in Virgo, a sign that likes to compare, contrast and judge what is happening in the world.

We may notice the shift in energy that comes with Venus’s movement into a new sign more than usual because she is moving from a position of weakness to a position of strength—she gains strength and power by moving into a sign that she is her home. It’s like the difference of working out of our own homes vs. trying to do a project when we are staying in someone else’s home. If you’re in your own home you know exactly where to find the materials you need, you have access to whatever room in the house that suits your project, and you don’t need to ask anyone’s permission to start your work.

Libra is the sign of the scales of justice, an air sign that is related to diplomacy, balance, fairness, and harmony. Venus’s shift into Libra will make it a bit easier for all of us to find the right language when we are trying to navigate conflicts or differences that arise in our relationships. November is a rocky month astrologically, with Mars in Scorpio conjunct the new Moon and opposite Uranus. We may experience sudden changes or conflicts with others where we are likely to want to dig in and fight, we may find that Venus allows us to navigate these trouble waters with more equanimity, either by allowing us to take a step back before we react or by helping us to mend fences after a conflict erupts.

If you’re learning astrology, this is a good opportunity to take some time and see if you can observe the ways in which you feel Venus’s shift appear in your own life. You can look to what house Libra and Taurus (also ruled by Venus) occupy in your chart and think about whether things ease up for you in some way in those areas of your life. For example, if Venus rules the 4th and the 9th houses, you may find that relationships at home become easier and that you are more open to new ideas related to religion, philosophy, and different perspectives.

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October Lunar Eclipse: Big Emotions, Ideological Battles
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

October Lunar Eclipse: Big Emotions, Ideological Battles

On Saturday, October 28th we will have a lunar eclipse in Taurus. A lunar eclipse can be understood as a supercharged full Moon and can bring up a lot of feelings for us to process. The Moon in Taurus longs for safety, security, stability, and pleasure. Unfortunately, the eclipse chart suggests we may have a tough time satisfying these longings. With the personal planets Mercury, Mars, and the Sun all opposite the Moon and Jupiter, the energy of the eclipse feels stressful and personal. Mercury, the god of communication is with Mars, the god of war, making it more likely that we will all dig in on our opinions, this is especially true because these planets are in Scorpio, a sign that can have an obsessive, “fight to the death” quality.

When you add Jupiter to the mix, this energy has the potential to be amped up even more; Jupiter expands whatever it touches and when it opposes Mars, we see the potential for victory, but at what cost? Jupiter loves the big idea, the quest, and loves to imagine it has “the solution” for the world. The problem is these planets are in opposition, suggesting the possibility that ideological battles may emerge in the wake of this eclipse. Venus the goddess of love and relationship rules this eclipse. However, she does not do well in Virgo, which adds to my sense that any conflicts that arise out of this eclipse could leave everyone feeling a bit bruised and unhappy.

As always, if big emotions come up for you during this lunation, take a breath. Write out your thoughts--see if you might let the battle play out on paper instead of in your relationships. You may gain a deeper understanding of what matters to you, what is worth fighting for, and how to articulate your position without harming someone you care about

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Mercury Cazimi Sun, Square Pluto: Birthing Pains
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Mercury Cazimi Sun, Square Pluto: Birthing Pains

Early on Friday October 20, Mercury, the god of communication will be “Cazimi” the Sun. This is a special moment that happens periodically that can bring insights around issues we have been struggling with. And boy have we been struggling lately. The crises on the world stage, in the U.S., and in our personal lives have been coming to a head with the intense energy of the past couple of weeks. Pluto, the god of the underworld has been in a square to all the planets moving through Libra, the sign of diplomacy, relationship, and balance. We also just had an eclipse in Libra squaring Pluto. Pluto brings up dark matters from our unconscious and can trigger our deepest fears, making us feel as if we are in a life and death struggle to survive.

On a positive note, the Cazimi chart promises that if we stay with the difficult emotions associated with the death of old ways of being, the birth of a new understanding may await us. In the days leading up to the Cazimi, the sky shows that we may experience the inevitable pain that comes with any birth; Mercury and the Sun both pass over the South Node of the moon emphasizing the fact that we will be dealing with the pain of letting go of old ways of understanding the world. Right after the Cazimi, Mercury and the Sun are in a tense aspect to Pluto suggesting that while we may struggle against the insights that await us, we will also experience the catharsis that comes with the birth of insight.

The story of this Cazimi ends on a positive note late on Saturday when Jupiter, the god of optimism and expansion makes a flowing aspect to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. The impact of this transit is especially strong since Venus rules Libra, the sign that has been at the root of the difficult energy we’ve been experiencing recently. This final aspect feels a bit like the days after we give birth to something new. It reminds me of a parent after the birth of a child who looks back at the experience in wonder and awe at the birthing process and their ability to survive the experience. And, holding the child in their arms, they grasp the reality that they have been forever changed by the process.

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Solar Eclipse in Libra, Karmic Corrections
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Solar Eclipse in Libra, Karmic Corrections

Eclipse season begins October 14 with a South Node Solar Eclipse at 21 degrees of Libra. Eclipses are moments when one of our two lights in the sky, the Sun or the Moon are hidden from view and bring karmic corrections or shifts in our lives. The Sun is a symbol of spirit, of how we view the world, and what our conscious relation to reality is. When the Sun is eclipsed by the South Node of the Moon, it is a time for our ego to let go of old ideas, old constructs, and identifications with outworn thought patterns that have guided our lives but no longer serve us.

The hard part is that our egos love to hold on to what is known even at the expense of new possibilities that may present themselves. Hence the “karmic” correction. When we have been holding on to someone or something or some situation that does not fit the core of who we are, this can be a time when we are forced to let go whether our egos want to or not. With Pluto, the god of the underworld squaring the eclipse, we may find ourselves struggling a bit, being forced to make a difficult decision between the past and the future, between an old way of doing things that may have involved power struggles and a new way that invites us to own the darker parts of our own nature.

Also, Mercury, the god of communication is in Libra opposite Chiron, the wounded healer in the eclipse chart suggesting this eclipse may also bring an opportunity to heal old wounds around how we communicate in our partnerships. When two planets are opposed in a chart it can start as a feeling of a stand-off with another person, and if we hold the energy of our perspective while listening deeply to the perspective of the Other, there is a possibility for a third perspective to arise that brings a creative resolution to the stand-off.

The energy of the eclipse will unfold over the next 6 months and will be felt most strongly by people who have planets from 18-24 degrees of the Cardinal Signs (Libra, Aries, Capricorn, and Cancer). Feel free to reach out for a reading if you’re interested in learning more about how the eclipse may affect you.

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Mars Square Pluto with Venus opposite Saturn, Power Struggles and Hurt Feelings
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Mars Square Pluto with Venus opposite Saturn, Power Struggles and Hurt Feelings

Sunday, October 8, Mars, the god of war, will apply in a tense relationship with Pluto, the god of the underworld. The chart for this aspect is complex and suggests this could be a day where we have a power struggle with someone, leaving us and/or our partner/friend feeling hurt and rejected.

Mars in a square to Pluto can amplify our warlike feelings, our ego’s need to come out on top and bring up dark unconscious energy from our past around power struggles and feelings of being oppressed by another. The same day, Venus, the goddess of love enters Virgo where she is in her “fall,” she has less power to soothe the troubled soul. She rules Libra, the sign that Mars occupies, making the god of war a bit harsher with his judgments. Venus also is opposed by Saturn, a cold, hard planet that can be associated with melancholy and distance. This adds to the feeling that any conflict could result in people wanting to walk away, to turn a cold shoulder rather than work to reconcile with the Other. To add fuel to the fire, the Sun, our light and vision is approaching an opposition to Chiron, the wounded part of who we are, adding to the sense that any troubles that arise could bring up painful wounds from our past.

The good news is that “this too shall pass.” The transit will build from Friday to Sunday and ease by Monday morning when the planets separate. The transit will be more powerful for folks with Cardinal rising signs (Libra, Aries, Cancer, Capricorn). Stay present if you can and if you feel tense energy building, see if you can find a way to spend some time for inward reflection on what might be coming up from the past. Meditate, take a walk, get out an art project, anything that allows you to create some space and recognize the possibility that your experience of reality may be colored by events in the past and that rather than engage with someone now out of your old wound, see if you can “be” with that wound and release any old rage at situations where you lacked power.

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Mercury joins the Libra party/brawl
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Mercury joins the Libra party/brawl

On October 4, Mercury, the god of communication, enters Libra. Libra is an air sign ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, and is all about diplomacy, fairness, and balance. Mercury will be joining the Sun, Mars and the South Node which are already in Libra. So…it’s a bit of a Libra party, or should I say brawl?? With Mars there since late August, you may have been experiencing conflict with others related to whatever house Libra occupies in your chart. Mars is the god of war and has a rough time in diplomatic Libra and the tense energy is intensifying with Mars about to square Pluto (Oct. 8), the god of the underworld, bringing the potential for power struggles in your one-on-one relationships.

When Mercury enters Libra, you may find you get a bit more information on what is underlying any tense energy you’ve been feeling. And with the difficult square aspect to Pluto building, it is especially important to gather information before you react to any triggers that may come your way in the next few days. A line from Cat Stevens song “Father and Son” came to mind as I was writing this: “take some time, think a lot…” this is good advice during this potentially rocky time. The good news is that on October 12, Mars will be moving into Scorpio, moving past its contact with Pluto and easing tensions that may have arisen over the past few weeks.

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Aries Full Moon, Choppy Waters Soothed by Insights
Catherine Gnatek Catherine Gnatek

Aries Full Moon, Choppy Waters Soothed by Insights

Friday’s Full Moon in Aries has a volatile feel--bringing the possibility for conflict in relationships. Uranus is in a hard aspect to Venus, the god of love, which can bring a desire for freedom and independence in relationships. Mars, the god of war, rules this lunation and is weak; Mars is with the South Node and is in Libra—both aspects make it difficult for Mars to express himself directly. Mars is also in a difficult aspect to Pluto, which brings the potential for power struggles. As a result, any conflicts that arise could be messy, leaving all parties feeling as if they were not able to effectively express their concerns.

The silver lining to this Full Moon is that Uranus, the planet of revolution and insight is in a nice flowing aspect to Mercury, the god of communication. With Uranus and Mercury both in earth signs, a practical solution to any conflict may suddenly appear.

If you find yourself in a power struggle with a partner or a friend in the next day or two, take a step back. Breathe. Find some space to think before you speak. It may be that a solution to the conflict arises naturally, allowing you to avoid a messy conflict.

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