One of the things which came up really strongly for me as I prepared to teach at the Winter Weekend was the contrast between the Capricorn and Aquarius energies which have been so strong over these last two years and the potential for compassion and healing carried by the sign of Pisces. We currently have the Sun, Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces and the latter two meet there in April for the first time in over a decade, the first time in Pisces since 1856. In 1856, the Crimean was was just ending - and now here is the world’s attention again on that region. Not a synchronicity we’d have liked to see.

My whole theme for the workshops I (should have!) taught last weekend was the journey from division and separation - symbolised most strongly by Saturn conjunct Pluto in Capricorn in early 2020 - to this energy of merging with Jupiter Neptune in Pisces carries. Last year was characterised by Saturn in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus and I think we’re still seeing that playing out with the current situation. The two almost make an exact square again in October of this year so the tension is unlikely to fully ease until after that. And so here are dogma and fixed ideas (Saturn in Aquarius), here are economic sanctions (Uranus in Taurus). Mars is still in Capricorn and will meet Pluto there on March 3rd - that will be an intense one and is definitely a date to watch. Venus will be with him, also carrying the energy of finance and resources, maybe some insecurity in cautious Capricorn. But also hopefully the potential to relate, to connect. Then Mars and Venus move into Aquarius - in theory, more forward thinking and less concerned with the status quo but also prone to dogma and detachment. We’re going to need all the compassion of Pisces to get us through until the Jupiter Neptune conjunction becomes exact on April 12th - and I wonder if that powerful flow will bring compassion even to world leaders and those in power? Desperately trying to avoid Aquarian cynicism here but current events don’t exactly give us hope, right?

But what it all comes down to, for me, is a need to end the illusion (Jupiter Neptune in Pisces) that we are separate (Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Aquarius). From nature, from each other, from the cosmos. For centuries we have seen human consciousness and somehow above all other kinds of consciousness, to the point that until very recently, we denied that anything else had any kind of consciousness at all and even now it is nowhere near being mainstream thinking. We divide the world into dualities and then wonder why there is so much conflict, why we find it so hard to understand each other. But astrology doesn’t see the world that way. Astrology is a form of magical thinking, an awareness that we are linked with the cosmos, that what is within us synchronises with the movement of the planets and the powerful archetypes they represent. We are all one. And if we live from that, there can be no conflict, because we know that conflict with “others” is by definition conflict with ourselves. We are all one.

Of course, the other truism which there is no escaping is the one I’ve been going on about for literally years now - Pluto in Capricorn - those in power clinging on for dear life, no matter how many they hurt, how much they destroy. I know I’m not the only one who wants to spend this week hiding in a corner crying. But as well as all the power struggles, the destruction, the pain - life is so beautiful. The world is so beautiful. And so we hold to that, I beg you to hold to that, to find beauty where you can and share it. Let the Sun in Pisces shine a light on beauty, even - especially - when all around seems dark.

Moving beyond separation and duality; astrology for chaotic times

Aries season; compassion in action

Sun into Pisces; turbulence and flow.