Despite a lot of angry rhetoric, I have the happy feeling that the 8th brings forward the smartest and most loving of feelings–mainly because, in the case of both aggressive communications and loving practicality, everyone’s focus will be on the ideal (with a sad few lost in their own delusions). That means that even under the shouting or harsh expressions, there’s a strong desire to see things become as we would ideally envision. Of course, that also means there are some who won’t recognize boundaries or the rights of others–simply because they lack that kind of awareness in the first place. Everybody’s tired; today may offer a largely unexpected chance to see our own empowerment blossom, to see positive forces win out, for once, if we’re able to see that communications are what they are because the people involved are where they are (mentally, emotionally, psychically speaking). (Mercury enters Aquarius and sq Mars, Venus enters Capricorn and nov Pallas, Uranus qnx Juno, Sun parallel Mercury and sxt Neptune).

Saturday the 9th sees two distinct ‘flows’ of energy, and each of us will likely choose (or maybe, fall into) one or the other. Both show us the power of our words and thoughts to manifest in the material world; one, though, will ‘put us in jail’ in some form, restricting our thoughts or expressions (or even holding us to some promise or discipline we’ve previously claimed), while the other conjures up our beliefs and assertions in real-world terms that show us the positive power of a mind disciplined and clear in intention.

Add to this two other possibilities: 1) that interaction with the social order, or expressing our beliefs or laying out ‘the facts’ will add to our personal authority and enhance our personal power, and 2) that we have a chance to balance opposing energies so that they are complementary to each other. This latter is due to a Venus trine to Mars that can not only see yin and yang in perfect harmony, but can also make taking considered action (the kind that keeps others in mind) pay off nicely. Warning: if you find yourself suffering under that ‘jailed’ sort of energy described above, you do run the risk of spending or aggressing in relationships in an attempt to break the energy impasse and soothe your own frustrations–better not to, though (Jupiter sesq and Sun qnx NN, and Jupiter nov Ceres, Mercury conj Saturn).

By the 10th we have an interesting opportunity: to focus on and honor those things we truly revere and are committed to. This is not only a good chance to see our values in action, it’s a good chance to see where we need to reinforce our values expression in the everyday (Sun trine Vesta). Other influences are minor, describing facets of what we find sacred and how we need to adjust to make these closer to our ideals, especially in the ambitions we pursue and our ability to ‘walk our talk’ (Juno semi-sq Zeus, Mercury semi-sq Neptune).

The Weekend Word Image is 30 pieces of silver. Of course, we know this as coming from the New Testament of the Bible, as the price Judas accepted for betraying Jesus; in current parlance it means much the same, referring to a benefit someone has received for betraying others, a community standard, or some cause it would otherwise make sense for them to support. It’s easy, especially right now, to point to the many betrayals going on publicly, and we’ve all got a short list of others who’ve done us wrong and left us with a permanent feeling of their treachery that will forever color our memory of the relationship. What I would ask each of us to do is to consider the possibility that there is some significant way in which we are betraying ourselves. This most likely comes in one of two ways: either by ignoring a genuine need we have, or it has occurred inadvertently, over time, as we compromise with others. With the first we are acting against our best interests, and we’re likely aware of this but not totally conscious of how much of a betrayal this is of our own needs and well-being. With the second we may have simply crossed a line without realizing it, in an attempt to cooperate with or respect others; in this case, we’ve come to the point of injuring ourselves and failing to fulfill our own needs out of a blurry line between ‘us’ and ‘them’, very possibly caused by us taking on too much responsibility for others’ needs or happiness. The first step is to become conscious of this condition, and the second is to ask, in what way am I benefiting, what is my ‘pay off’, for betraying myself?

Have you gotten your new calendars for the year?