Astrology Update, March 17th, 2017: Bruising Compassion

Moon in Scorpio trine Chiron in Pisces at 9:38am PST
Sun in Pisces square Saturn in Sagittarius at 2:48pm PST
Moon in Scorpio trine Sun in Pisces at 2:56pm PST
Moon turns void-of-course at 2:56pm PST
Moon enters Sagittarius at 8:00pm PST

Today has few astrological aspects, but what aspects there are pack a wallop.

The day starts out kindly enough with a late-morning trine from the Moon in Scorpio to Chiron in Pisces, a supportive connection between our deepest emotions and the wisdom gained through our painful experiences and old wounds. Matters of health are likely to come into focus this morning, and we may find ourselves intuiting exactly how to remedy the problems that afflict others around us. This is a good time to get to the heart of such matters with those closest to us, bringing old secrets to light that may prove to be the catalyst for healing past trauma, particularly in relation to power structures and patterns within families. Our compassion is likely to have been amplified by this aspect, and we may find ourselves continuing to feel deeply for others as the day progresses.

Which would be all well and good, but today that compassionate feeling is confronted by the limitations and restrictions that result from entrenched beliefs, whether our own or those of others, as the Sun in Pisces squares Saturn in Sagittarius, and the most sensitive parts of our core being are bruised by fear and insecurity stirred up by cold, hard reality. Saturn in hard aspect to the Sun can make us feel as though we are personally under attack by fate and misfortune. Since both Sagittarius and Pisces are social signs that deal with larger patterns and expanded views, that sense of attack can come from societal forces around us, including organizations that we are a part of. On a personal level, we are likely to want to escape whatever is confronting us, yet we are likely to feel a sense of social responsibility that will not allow us to hide from whatever unkindness is rearing its ugly head today. Frustrations are likely to be abundant today, but may be mitigated if we avoid making assumptions and try to get to the bottom of what is really happening. Are the things we feel confined or attacked by really necessary parts of our lives? It is important to recognize where expectations held by both ourselves and others are indeed legitimate, and where we are allowing them to cloud our vision and restrict us unnecessarily. Saturnine aspects can increase a sense of doom and gloom, heightening depression and even despair, especially when lashing out with the righteously indignant fervor of Sagittarius against sensitive, self-sacrificing Pisces who is all too prone to being a doormat even under the best of circumstances. But this is an opportunity to see the areas of weakness in our views of ourselves, and learn how to stand up for ourselves, as well as how to seek help from others in dealing with the larger and more difficult forces in our lives. For better or for worse, we are not alone.

Shortly after the Sun/Saturn square becomes exact this afternoon, the Moon in Scorpio trines the Sun in Pisces, giving us an instinctive and emotional boost in fortitude that may help us through this time. This is an aspect that increases our internal equilibrium, strengthening our sense of self and giving us the emotional resources to face the trials that our egos are undergoing now. This is a time when the goals that we set at the New Moon and brought into fullness at the Full Moon are now being released into the world, so that we can start seeing results in the weeks and months to come, and may find a greater sense of security in those areas of our lives as a result. Since these are both water signs, our intuition is likely to be heightened now, especially in relation to perceiving previously hidden parts of ourselves and our power relations in the world, so this particularly helpful now in dealing with any sense of imbalance resulting from the Sun/Saturn square. We are in a better position to communicate what we feel about our situations, and our feelings and our core sense of self are united – we are not likely to be uncertain about what we want now, even though that Sun/Saturn square may try to batter us down in favor of what others around us desire. This is a prime opportunity to stand tall on our own behalf without abandoning our responsibilities toward others, for the Scorpio Moon is self-protective but the Pisces Sun values service toward others, and the two go hand-in-hand for us this afternoon.

The Sun/Moon trine starts a void-of-course period lasting for several hours, so this is a time to allow ourselves to float within our routines as much as possible, as our combined conscious and unconscious energies work through the issues confronting us. This is not a time for bold, new moves, but rather a time to see what is out of place, what needs to be adjusted, and how we can best get back on track. This evening is a good time for casual gatherings in familiar places, with familiar people. It is not a good time to meet new people or make important plans, as such arrangements made during a void-of-course Moon tend to come to naught in the end.

Later tonight the Moon enters Sagittarius, encouraging our emotions and instincts to ease up a bit from the intensity of Scorpio, back off from our focus and see the bigger picture. We become less insular now, more social and more interested in new experiences. Our ideals are ignited under this Moon, and we may find ourselves more passionate in expressing our interests and our beliefs, and certainly more forthright – Sagittarius has a well-deserved reputation as a straight shooter. Religious and philosophical feelings are stirred by this lunar transit, and our knee-jerk reactions are likely to be louder, more fervent, and less willing to take no for an answer. That said, our staying power is decreased by this transit, and we are more likely to move quickly from one interest to another, taking in as many new experiences as possible. We are more flexible now, and more optimistic as well, and want to expand our horizons as far as we can. Since the effects of the Sun/Saturn square will continue to linger into tomorrow, that expansiveness and optimism may take a little more time to get off the ground than is usual with this lunar placement, but chances are that at this point, we’ll take what help we can get.

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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!