Mars: Gone Rogue

Some may wonder why my blogs are written around the time of a new or a full moon. The monthly moon cycle, in itself is noteworthy because each one is a unique and integral part of an annual phase of learning, developing and maturing. But what grabs my attention is the way in which the new or full moon activates components of the larger evolutionary themes initiated by the planets as they link to form interesting pictures during the course of their passage around the Sun.

     The current Grand Square/Grand Cross (Dec 2013 – May 2014) strongly urges, often through pain and frustration, the building of sturdy, stable foundations to support the four cornerstones of life:

«  the self

«  relationships  

«  family / home

«  career / business / personal goals / position in the world.

Each month since December 2013, the Sun and the Moon, whether new or full, activated a part of the Grand Square that needed construction. During March 2014, Mars disconnected from the square and as my friend, Karen said, ‘went rogue.’ The Sun and the Moon (full on the 16^th March 2014) took Mars aside to deal with some very important issues before it once again takes up position in its corner of the Grand Square, in April 2014.

     The purpose of the March Full Moon is to make sense of, and sort out complex ideas necessary to build the structure to house a cherished dream or important goal. It focuses on organizational and managerial abilities required in the drawing of plans for these complex ideas. It initiates a bout of spring-cleaning (material, emotional and mental). Promises are made and a new daily routine, work schedule, exercise program or eating plan is put in place.  It inspires creative options and intuitive solutions.

     However, in addition to all this planning and sorting, the two luminaries have their work cut out for them in a liaison with Mars. The main objective is to illuminate relationship behaviour that sabotages or results in the compromising of the most basic of needs. At night, when sleep eludes us, actions born out of guilt - that weakening kind of guilt that strips away self-confidence and eventually explodes in anger, are clearly visible in the bright light of the beautiful moon.

     The moonlight shines into the dark crevice that is home to the victim. The shame of the victim and the victimiser is to be cleansed. Past actions of self-undoing are to be forgiven and redirected. We learn how to give things up through careful consideration to avoid loss by falling victim to circumstances beyond our control.

     The Sun and the Moon draw Mars aside to inspire the letting go of suppressed anger that will surely vandalise the solid structures of achievement intended by the Grand Square configuration. They appeal to the red planet to influence clear decisive action within all significant relationships (love, family, friendship, work) with courage, especially when asserting personal needs. The trio highlight past relationship behaviour that diminishes or results in yielding in order to keep the peace or to be loved, liked and included. It encourages the ability to boldly say YES or NO, wherever appropriate. Separation or loss, permanent or temporary, is inevitable.

    Vulnerability slowly spreads like a dense fog. It swallows all reason, steals faith, and leaves a feeling of helplessness or futile emptiness.  One response is to frantically make sense of the vulnerability, hastily launching into the mist of confusion to find the answers.

   
‘No, this is not the way,’ whispers the Sun.

   
‘Be still,’ advises the Moon. ‘The way to gather the scattered and lost parts of yourself and your life is to sit down in the fog of vulnerability. Be quiet. Wait. Profound insights are sure to percolate up into your consciousness and slowly burn away the fog.'  

   
‘This is when you discover special talents, new qualities, a better plan,’ adds Mars. This is the time to heal the wounds of the past and love with tenderness. This is when you discover how to make healthy compromises, when you find the elusive win-win option. This is when you know exactly how to rebuild broken relationships. This is when you find a new way forward.’
 

With love for the bright light of a full moon,

Sharron.

February Full Moon

Over the last two months, the challenges of the Grand Square tested the patience of many and a gnawing frustration became the order of the day. However, little by little, tendrils of reassurance and security replaced irritation and we got on with the business of adjusting to endings & beginnings and all that goes with starting a new year.

    Having read the two previous blogs, there should be a measure of familiarity with the Grand Cross formed by Jupiter/Pluto and Mars/Uranus. To recap, on the first day of 2014 the Sun and the Moon (new Moon) joined forces with Pluto on the Pluto/Jupiter arm of the cross, triggering the larger themes of this powerful planetary configuration. 

Now in this month of February, the Moon, full with the light of the Sun (Friday 14^th at 23h54 – GMT) perfectly positions itself to antagonise the Jupiter/Pluto arm of the cross, the very arm it activated on the 1^st January 2014. The vibrant full Moon in cahoots with Sun draws out the worst qualities of the Jupiter/Pluto opposition in yet another planetary configuration, the Hard Rectangle.

‘Cahoots’ is perhaps too disparaging a term for the Sun/ Moon partnership because the intention is not solely antagonistic. The reason for pressurising the Jupiter/Pluto arm of the cross is to ensure we work their themes thoroughly, specifically to find the most creative way possible to transform and rebuild portions of our personal worlds and to be free of the part of the past that holds debilitating fear or recurring patterns of insecurity that belittle, trap, diminish, or manipulatively control.

Jupiter /Pluto Arm of the Cross

Ordinarily I don’t refer to the actual planets and zodiac signs in my blogs as it can be confusing but these planetary pictures are strong and graphic and therefore worth breaking the rule of avoiding astrology jargon.

    Jupiter moved opposite Pluto in early July 2013 and holds opposition until early June 2014. It is generally a positive force but as with everything there is a hazardous zone to navigate and I think it is the Hard Rectangle that will cause the tension needed to expose the dark nature of the Jupiter/Pluto pair, before its immense power can be harnessed.  I’d like to unpack the qualities of Jupiter in the zodiacal sign of Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn and then look at the role of the Full Moon/ Sun in the Hard Rectangle, placing the qualities under two headings – great possibilities and the nasty nature.

Great Possibilities

There is a growing understanding of the cause of insecurity, vulnerability or fear that is rooted in childhood. This new understanding results in greater faith in personal ability. A new perspective on family concerns dissolves unkind judgements and replaces it with warm fuzzy feelings of comfort and belonging. Spurts of growth guide the reconstruction of portions of our personal worlds - both inner and outer.

    A stronger inner core grows from the knowledge discovered during months of soul-searching. We draw on good values inherited from our families. We see the benefits gained from early education and all the good stuff we learned from childhood, before life became burdened with responsibility.

    This grand opposition influences the re-building of the vulnerable parts of our lives with wisdom. It is with greater confidence that we put down roots and commit to building a sound structure to house a dream or vision. And slowly, brick by brick a new personal world is constructed. It is the culmination of a long journey, one of searching for self-belief, a place to belong and a philosophy to live by.

    The strength and stability of the inner core determines the strength and stability of the outer structures built to support business, career or personal goals. It is possible to grow in a new direction. Excitement for new possibilities bubbles up in interesting conversations. It is possible for hard work to result in achieving something of personal significance, something that is close to the heart.

Nasty Nature

The Sun & Full Moon in the Hard Rectangle stressfully highlights the dilemma between being responsible and a desire to be free of the restrictive and claustrophobic feeling associated with responsibility. There is a rebellious reaction to a new status quo. There is conflict between passionate involvement and aloof distance.  

    Fear of failing or not feeling special enough to try something different emerges as rebellion or rejection and all kinds of excuses are made to avoid the challenge. Fear of a loved one doing something new results in the kind of over-protection and over-nurturance that smothers. Control – the lack of or too much of, leads to emotional explosions. Rejection with cold detachment is painful. Emotional breakdown could follow the build-up of repressed needs.

    Fanatical behaviour causes deafness to other alternatives. There could be a display of ruthlessness to get ahead at the cost another or could result in a perpetual play for power.

    Lies are exposed. Untrue behaviour struggles to survive. The truth is flushed out. The validity of inner growth is tested. The validity of a career decision is tried and life direction choices are put under enormous strain.

Although the Hard Rectangle brings further tension to an already challenging Grand Cross, it encourages us to be thorough and do our lives properly. It helps us break free from negative aspects the past or other hindrances. It promotes equality, fairness and encourages inspired ways of resolving problems.

    The light of the Sun reflected on the Full Moon brightens our lives, shows us how to believe in the good in the world, how to be creative, how to be unique, how to be free and how to be true.

With love for this bright full moon,

Sharron.

The Art of Living Inside

A Grand Square

I wrote about the Grand Cross/Grand Square at the beginning of January in the blog that featured the new moon on New Year’s Day (see at the end of this article). Uranus, Mars Jupiter and Pluto hold the square in place (on and off) over the next few months and not just for January, so I thought it worthy of deeper consideration and dedicated this entire article to the Grand Square. The intensity and friction caused by this planetary configuration will  rise and fall over the next few months building to a crescendo in April when between the 22^nd – 24^th the planets lock into a tight square on 13 degrees of each of the four zodiacal signs they occupy. To add to the intensity there are two eclipses in April - solar & lunar but more about that closer to the time. The Grand Square is held in position until 10^th May 2014 and then slowly dismantles over the weeks that follow.

 

In the previous article I looked at the general themes of a Grand Cross/Square but in this one I shall explore deeper levels of its meaning. The four planets are in the four Cardinal signs of the zodiac, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Human life on earth is built on four cornerstones, signified by the four Cardinal Signs - self-identity, relationships, home/family and work/career. These cornerstones are activated by the Cardinal Grand Square.

Living inside the square and contending with these four areas of life can be really tough as it demands a huge amount of energy just to get from one sunrise to the next. Feeling constrained within a problem is desperately frustrating and contending with seemingly impossible situations is exhausting. Old mistakes rear their unwelcome heads and a series of challenges and or obstacles insist on barricading the way forward. One crisis follows another and difficulties come at us from four directions at once. The natural response is to resist, fight back or attack the problems by hurtling into hasty action. Disorganised, frantic behaviour is debilitating. We try to jam too many things into a time frame made for less.

However, it is a force of powerful energy that, if harnessed, can drive successful achievement of spectacular proportions in one or four of the above-mentioned cornerstones. Sure it breaks down tedious patterns but for the purpose of rebuilding and strengthening personal identity, family, relationships and career.

There are times when we are drawn to one corner of the square, believing it is the most important area needing attention. But soon we become entrenched in the one corner and lose sight of the other three corners. The way to achieve goals (personal or professional) or to resolve problems is to draw on qualities found in all four corners of the square and the best place is from its middle regions. From here all four corners are visible.

It is essential to establish a position, a strong personal stand within the four cornerstones - self-identity, relationships, home/family and work/career. Then it is necessary to build a solid foundation for this position and erect supportive and protective boundaries around it.

Once a stable position is established in the centre of the Grand Square, the next task is to draw qualities, opportunities or things from the four corners. The trick is to maintain a balanced central position and not go out to fetch things. It is far better to pull energy, things and qualities towards oneself and then feed them out to the other corners. This is to avoid the danger of distraction, getting lost or scattered.

To my knowledge, it is the only way to live inside a Grand Square. If a central position is established, success is sure to follow. Goals are achieved from this kind of focus and things work out better than expected. Naturally it takes hard work and disciplined effort but is an opportunity to be extraordinary. Perhaps the diagram below will help to illustrate these concepts, coupled with the bulleted information.

 

 

 Uranus in Aries – Self-Identity

·         Break free from dependence

·         Be boldly unique

·         Fresh start

·         Change self-assertion

·         Pioneer a new personal way

·         Assert personal needs differently

 

Mars in Libra – Relationships

·         Establish new grounds for relationships

·         Conflict

·         Pursue new connections (personal & business)

·         Find balance in relationships

·         Confrontation

·         Clear buried relationship matters

·         Reconnect

 

Jupiter in Cancer – Home/Family

·         Understanding the past

·         Rejection

·         Expansion & gain

·         Find a place to belong

·         Find people to belong to

·         Build inner strength

·         Find inner security

·         Needs are fulfilled

 

Pluto in Capricorn – Work / Career / Life Direction

·         Rebuild & restructure

·         Rebuild Reputation

·         Achieve goals

·         Influence

·         Restructure life direction

·         Establish a solid position in the world

·         Rebuild career

·         Change direction or redirect existing projects

 

Challenges of the Grand Cardinal Square

·         Brutal change

·         Distraction

·         Exhausted / overwhelmed

·         Scattered

·         Lack of focus

·         Inertia

·         Repeated mistakes

·         Self-defeating behaviour

·         Crippled beneath the weight of a cross to bear

·         Insufficient planning

·         Inner tension

·         Test of nerves

·         Excessive effort

·         Destruction

·         War

·         Overextending oneself

·         Overdoing

·         Giving oneself away to others

·         Self-indulgence

·         Selfishness

·         Upsets / arguments

·         Intense egotistical behaviour

·         Overburdened

Positive Forces of the Grand Cardinal Square

·        Intense self-awareness

·        Huge energy for taking action

·        Powerful influence

·        Fortunate course of action

·        Successful create energy

·        Making things happen in a big way

·        A big break

·        Freedom from the past

·        Freedom from patterns

·        Freedom from sabotaging relationship behaviour

·        Finding independence

·        Bellyful of optimism

·        Resourcefulness

·         Building on the big picture

·         Establish new perspectives

·         Gain better control

·         Overturn the status quo

·         Inner power and amazing strength

·         Staying power

·         Powerful will

·         Attain great goals

·         Discover individuality

·         Be extraordinary

Whew, what a mouthful! Yet I cannot help but be thrilled with the possibility of great stuff eventually emerging from the cross.

 

With love for the central staircase that rises out of imprisonment,

Sharron.

 

 

New Year’s Day

 

The first blog of 2014 features a new moon on New Year’s Day. It is a strong moon, a bossy moon, one with determination to build a secure and stable personal world.

    The moon and the sun join forces in a quest to find security – in life generally but they have their eye specifically on professional and financial security. They bring attention to qualities of discipline, patience and perseverance.  They encourage better management of money matters & business affairs through analysis and planning. Solid strategies lead to sturdy foundations. They do however warn of getting too caught up in material affairs at the expense of other values (family, relationships, emotional fulfilment).

     This new moon demands that an important lesson be learned but it is heartening to note that this could well be the final lesson at the end of a long string of tough ones. The lesson could be to do with commitment, dedication and honesty. It may be about rejection or brave self-assertion. It could be about balance within relationships and probably involves a sacrifice. It may teach us to take responsibility instead of casting blame or complaining bitterly. It’s about ditching sanctimony and showing maturity. Whatever it is, there is a sense that this issue will never have to be dealt with again.

 

The Grand Cross / Grand Square

A Grand Cross or a Grand Square is not the easiest of planetary configurations for a new moon to be entangled in but it has a few redeeming qualities. It is a force of action, a force with which to construct, in fact, the whole picture has a structural feel.

    A Grand Cross is known for its dynamic forceful energy. It draws out tendencies to over-achieve or over-do. It can be fraught with friction. When planets form a square there is a feeling of being trapped in an impossible situation. Frustration threatens to bomb reason and agonising intensity is inclined to blow good intentions sky high. 

   Anger and fear instigate a frantic search for answers. Untamed actions impatiently hack at the constraints of the imprisoning square. To be sure the friction is important because it drives success and frustration leads to conquering challenges and climbing over obstacles that show the way to achievement. But the key is to find a quiet spot in the middle regions of the square and to draw solutions and creativity from the four corners of the square, pulling the energy inward rather than frantically lurching outward.

Negative Force of the Grand Square

§  Stagnation

§  Inertia

§  Inner tension

§  Scattered

§  Weighted down by burdens

§  Resignation

§  A cross to bear

§  Repeating mistakes

§  Failure due to insufficient planning

§  Lack of responsibility

§  Trapped

§  Frustration

§  Pulled in four directions

§  Off centre

§  Imbalance

Positive Force of the Grand Square

§  Inner power

§  Strength of character

§  Strong willpower

§  Determination

§  Focus

§  Concentration

§  Ability to draw on diverse talents

§  Ability to integrate conflicting experiences

§  Translate dreams into concrete form

§  Sublime achievement

§  Success beyond expectation

In my view the underlying purpose of the new moon of January 2014 is to establish a strong personal position, to take a stand, to find a position of strength. This could be within a relationship, the family, a project, the work environment or a personal goal. It is about finding the right personal position and therefore careful thought is essential in the thorough scrutinising of all life scenarios.

    Is it best to take a neutral position? Is more caring required or perhaps the position needs to be less emotional. Is it a position from which to make strong judgements or is it one that needs to be more accepting. Is it a position of action or is it more appropriate to be introspective. It would be wise to carefully consider the consequences of a chosen position before fully committing to it.

     Naturally this position is vulnerable at first and could wobble with distractions, friction, irritation and doubt. Fear and insecurity threaten to topple a commitment or even persuade us to abandon a personal position. So once the position is established, it must be protected Stable foundations need to be secured and strong boundaries erected.

    From this position it is possible to draw energy inward instead or dissipating it in the frantic search for answers outside of ourselves. When we stand strong inside the square, the chance of success beyond expectation is possible.

With love for supportive structure,

Sharron.