Astrology Update, April 8th, 2017: Isolation and Control

Moon in Virgo trine Pluto in Capricorn at 9:24am PDT
Moon in Virgo trine Mars in Taurus at 12:54pm PDT
Venus retrograde in Pisces square Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius at 1:28pm PDT
Sun in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn at 5:49pm PDT
Moon in Virgo opposite Chiron in Pisces at 10:18pm PDT

Today starts out with a late-morning trine from the Moon in Virgo to Pluto in Capricorn, bolstering our instinctive responses with a sense of power and control, and the feeling that the hidden powers in our lives have actually got our backs at this time. We are better at ferreting out hidden information at this time, especially in relation to practical matters, and have a greater sense of determination now. Our goals may seem clearer as well, and we are likely to pursue them with a fervor, and our feelings may intensify as well during this time, though the supportive flow of the trine makes that intensity an asset now.

This afternoon that intensity gains focus with a trine from the Moon in Virgo to Mars in Taurus, taking the emotional power generated by the Moon/Pluto trine and funneling it into our energy and drive. Since these signs are also earth signs, this is a very practical energy, steady and secure. We are not likely to move quickly under this influence, but the actions that we do take are firm and clear, and oriented toward growth and process. We have a greater sense of how our actions fit into a course of progress, and can methodically take the steps that we need to manifest what we desire in the material world.

However, this afternoon also sees a square from Venus retrograde in Pisces to Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius, which may impart a sense of coldness to our interpersonal connections now, and a degree of insecurity in how we relate to others. Feelings of depression and isolation are heightened now, and we may find ourselves behaving more brusquely without even intending to or knowing why. Things we have previously taken pleasure in may now seem dissatisfactory or frivolous, and we may take a dismal outlook on our own values now, questioning why things matter to us, or even if they matter. We may limit our own indulgences now, unwilling to waste time on lightheartedness, yet our practical, serious orientation may also suffer from a certain discontent, as our more affectionate side questions why, why must we submit to this isolating, restrictive mood? We simultaneously feel the need to exert discipline over ourselves even as we struggle with the joyless feelings this invokes. Since both Venus and Saturn are retrograde now, this challenging aspect invokes the need to reconsider how we contribute to our own isolation, when we must remove ourselves from things we find fun in order to tend to our responsibilities, and how to keep the balance between our isolating discipline and our pleasurable affections, and where they need to mix. Not an easy mixture to be sure, but good boundaries can enhance our ability to relate to others, not just dampen it, so this is a necessary lesson.

Tonight the Sun in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn, and the tension of the Venus/Saturn square gets an added tension to contend with, as our conscious urge toward self-determination is challenged by the hidden forces in our lives, the powers-that-be clamping down on our ability to step fully into the adventure of our lives. We may find our fight-or-flight response stirred up by this aspect, making us either more contentious or more avoidant, depending on what fears the influence stirs up. We may find ourselves forced to confront endings or transitions that we would rather avoid, secrets coming to light in especially disruptive ways, and we may find ourselves feeling out of control as a result, potentially making some of us scramble to regain that control and setting us at odds with others in a similar state of unease. We are likely to find ourselves drawn to intense situations that bring out these feelings, even if we want to avoid them (and sometimes especially when we want to avoid them!). Conflicts are more likely to erupt tonight, and those of us in already abusive situations may find those coming to a head at this time.

Later tonight the more emotional after-effects of today’s two big squares are likely to make themselves known, with the Moon in Virgo opposing Chiron in Pisces putting our more rational instincts in conflict with our deep, inner hurts. We may be made more aware of the patterns of injury that we subject ourselves to in the aftermath of the Venus/Saturn and Sun/Pluto squares, as Chiron forces us to feel these wounds deeply. Since the Moon in Virgo is ruled by intellectual Mercury, this is not a lunar placement that is comfortable with these kinds of deep feelings, so this can be a difficult awareness, as we try to balance our rational feelings with a sense of injury that we don’t know how to heal for ourselves. Navigating through this period successfully is aided by talking through things with people we trust, or for those of us who don’t have that option doing journaling and a lot of self-care, particularly with regard to our bodies, as the Virgo Moon finds it easier to deal with emotional health through the vehicles of mental and physical health. This is also a time to be conscious of how our current experiences fit into our long-term patterns of growth, as Virgo is attuned to cycles of growth. Above all, we should endeavor to be compassionate with ourselves and others tonight – this is a day when we are processing a lot of powerful information about ourselves and our ability to relate to others, which can give us long-term insights that extend far beyond ourselves and our immediate circumstances, and choosing to confide those experiences tonight can help effect deep healing for ourselves and others if we are willing to admit to and try to understand our pain.

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All aspect times used in creating this post are calculated for Pacific Standard Time. I tend to speak in broad terms when I reference time on this blog, referring to time-frames like “morning” or “afternoon” rather than specific times, since I still have a lot of friends on the East Coast who read these posts and I’d like them to be pertinent to those friends as well as folks here on the West Coast. Readers from further abroad will need to adjust time-frames accordingly.

Please keep in mind that we all have different responses to the aspects of the day because we all have different natal and progressed charts with which these aspects interact. If you would like to know more about your own natal and progressed charts in order to better understand how the aspects of the day will affect you, please take a look at my astrological services, and let’s get started on helping you to understand your life better! The threads of fate can only be adjusted when we start from a place of deep self-knowing.