Mars conjunct Jupiter

Astrological news this week: Mars in its happy place and a Gemini New Moon

art by Shiloh Sophia

Astrological update for the week of May 23-30, 2022

Mars in Aries. The instinct for self-preservation is a critical one for the survival of a human individual the role of Mars is to preserve the Self and to gratify desire.  Mars is particularly strong when in the sign of Aries, and Mars will enter Aries on Tuesday May 24.  While in Aries, Mars is at its most potent and the aggressive force is permitted full expression, unhampered by the niceties of signs like Libra or Pisces, by practical considerations such as Capricorn and Taurus would exercise, or by reason and intellectual processing such as Gemini and Aquarius would instigate.  It is pure, unadulterated need and drive.

When this basic force of need is thwarted, frustration is the result.  A certain amount of frustration leads to anger, and chronic anger leads to chronic rage and health problems.  The idea that Mars is a malefic planet that brings no good is a feature of traditional forms of astrology in which the outcome of human life is considered to be fated. It’s certainly true that when Mars is positioned opposite a difficult planet like Pluto, it can bring misfortune to the native especially in early life. We often see some kind of abuse or oppression under these circumstances. Actress Samantha Morton, for example, has Mars in Aries opposite Pluto in Libra and she has talked about the abuse she experienced while in foster care and her life has not been easy. But the personal empowerment experience after mastering the challenges that a Mars/Pluto combination can bring can also bring great success and deep feelings of satisfaction.

At any rate, a healthy Mars […]

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By |2022-05-23T08:33:08-04:00May 23rd, 2022|Planetary news this week|0 Comments

Sunday Inspiration to handle Mars this week

art by Mario Duguay

Mars is finishing up his round in Pisces, having just transited Neptune where Mars has great difficulty in finding the higher virtues of his aggressive tendencies. In compassionate and transcendent Pisces, Mars needs and desires can become sublimated and pop up at inconvenient times, especially when Neptune is involved. And of course Mercury is retrograde, having just moved back into Taurus where we can become stuck when we need to adjust under the retrograde call for revision. 

Mars enters Aries on Wednesday and will conjoin Jupiter where any repressed anger or frustration will find it easier to emerge, rather like a volcano if we’re not consciously aware of what we are feeling. 

Physical activity is an excellent way to burn off or harness excess Mars energy, but an ideal scenario this week is to use the intuition of Pisces and Neptune to inform our next steps which will become easier when Mars enters its own sign of Aries and the engines are fully fired.

This quote from Rumi fits quite perfectly into this week’s Mars scenario. ❤️


When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety;
If I sit in my own place of patience, what I need flows to me, and without pain.
From this I understand that what I want also wants me, is looking for me and attracting me.

There is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it.

~ Rumi

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By |2022-05-22T07:43:58-04:00May 22nd, 2022|Inspiration|0 Comments

Bring on the fire with the Aries New Moon: March 24, 2020

We have had a dearth of the fire element for quite a few months now.  Mars, the fire planet, was in the sign of Sagittarius in mid-January, but a stellium of planets in earthy Capricorn acted as a blanket to dampen the fire energy.  In practical terms, when there is adequate representation of the fire element among the planets, it becomes easier to access the motivation and inspiration of fire.  We have instead been under the influence of earth primarily, which is practical and good for creating structures and plans, especially in Capricorn which is the sign of achievement and success.

Over the past week or so, Mars (currently in Capricorn) has been traveling through the Capricorn stellium of Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn, and under the new reality of the Coronavirus which requires greater restriction (Saturn 29 degrees Capricorn) of movement (Mars), we have seen quite a few people rebelling against (Mars/Jupiter) the call for isolation.  Some countries are using police to keep people in their homes, and in my lifetime I have not seen such a powerful example of Saturn in Capricorn.

On the day I write this (March 23), we have just passed through the portal of the Vernal Equinox, the Aries point which is ruled by Mars. Mars has just traveled by Jupiter and Pluto and the Martian energy of aggression and fiery rhetoric as well as power struggles has been intense.  We have seen this in the struggle of governments around the world to agree on measures to try to contain the virus, and perhaps in our own homes as we spend more time together than we may be used to.

Into this mix comes the New Moon in Aries.  Aries is the first sign of […]

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By |2020-03-23T09:34:04-04:00March 23rd, 2020|Moon|0 Comments

Aquarius Full Moon, July 22 2013

Aquarius Full Moon Photo from CaptainKimo.com

We are in the midst of a very active planetary environment right now.   Mercury has just turned direct after a retrograde period, and Uranus and Pluto are still creating tension that will require us to let go to the force of irrefutable change.  Mars aligns with Jupiter today, evoking a burst of energy and activity that will help us to break free of any delays imposed by Mercury’s retrograde passage.  The watery grand trine (see the sidebar for a link to more information) is in full force and while trines (harmonious aspect between planets) generally foster ease and good will, they can also lock us into a loop of complacency and resistance to the kind of shifts that Uranus and Pluto are putting into motion.

Into the midst of the strong watery energy with so many planets in Cancer and the watery emphasis of the Grand Trine comes the Aquarius Full Moon on the 22nd. Aquarius is the sign of rational thinking – Aquarius doesn’t understand or care for the kind of emotionality that Cancer brings to the table and prefers a more reasoned and scientific approach.

The Sun has just entered Leo and the Self longs to be expressed, while the Aquarius Moon seeks a more transpersonal expression. This polarity can be difficult to balance since each side struggles against the other. Who am I relative to my standing in the community? Where are my needs important relative to those around me? Confronting these issues in the watery realm of Cancer and the Grand Trine can be challenging and this Full Moon illuminates the path to reason.

You can expect this Full Moon to offer a counterpoint to the intuitive creativity and feelings that are highlighted […]

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By |2022-07-27T07:10:36-04:00July 21st, 2013|Moon|0 Comments