I’m a little bit consumed with the upcoming opposition of the Sun to Pluto, perfecting on the 17th, but as I look at the sky patterns for that day, I’m struck even more by two bodies and a point (Sedna-Black Moon Lilith in Taurus trine Vesta in Virgo) all at 29 degrees of an Earth sign, and even more commanding, at that point Earth-Pluto will be trine Ceres (again, Earth placements) and sesquiquadrate the North Node. So, what might seem like a perfectly straightforward aspect (Sun opposed Pluto) seems to burn in a crucible of stress (the 29 degree placements) and difficult, fate-shaping events or, more likely, difficult or fate-determining thoughts or ideas (the North Node is in Gemini). We may be tasked with sorting and committing to what we really value, as opposed to what we instinctively value and what we may value but deny is important to us. This suggests a strong material, health, or instinctual component that works on both the mind/ way of thinking and that brings forward the challenge of how best to serve our highest values (which feel as if they’re under assault)–and that could prompt many of us to either ignore what we know but are loathe to acknowledge, or to unleash a ‘scorched earth’ policy in areas we think are too messy, or too unpleasant, to sort out and deal with. This kind of excessive response (Jupiter is planet of earliest degree, flooding the environment with exaggeration) would indeed shape the future, and probably not in any way we would see as desirable. Pluto-Ceres says it will be easy to be destructive; or, that Nature herself will make change, or even do damage. Better to be willing to look at the Plutonian elements revealed by the Sun’s bright glare without being too judgemental–the ‘warts and all’ glimpse that we get should remind us we’re all human and that on its own is not a sin–and then refuse to overreact–which is exactly what all those 29 degree factors, plus Jupiter, will push us toward. Add that the Moon will trine Jupiter on the 17th, alerting us to the possibility of emotional factors persuading us to justify a too-big response–so just be aware.

During this period through to the 17th, these aspects are accompanied by a lingering meeting of Mars and Venus in Leo, suggesting nothing so much as the kind of romance where each person is thinking more of themselves than they are of the other. I don’t mean that negatively; the Leo placement suggests to me the kind of satisfaction and pride in one’s ability to attract and interact that is part and parcel of the Leo charm (and, admittedly, the Leo ego!) This conjunction promises a short time when relationships that are in some way complimentarily balanced (male/ female, animus-focused/ anima-focused, one where one brings the money or looks, the other the strength or capacity to ‘get it done’, and so on) will shine particularly brightly–so if you’re part of one of these partnerships, time your moves for this window. Even singles will gain by being a little more confident, a little more of a peacock.

Jump back a bit, to the 15th, and we see Earth and Neptune acting as base for a Finger of God with apex Venus. This won’t last long but could bring one of two effects: our idealism is made manifest, and we are rewarded, or we experience the material impact of our delusion, and it costs us. Just another argument for being as honest as possible with ourselves–and that means being as connected to the real world as we can be, and still dream.

The only other thing I want to mention is the still extant sextile between Saturn and Chiron. Here’s where we get a clue about what could be putting us in a bad position in terms of the Finger mentioned above: if our sense of reality (Saturn) is filtered through wounds and hurts, especially those related to our own agency and competency, or around our expression of Will (Chiron in Aries), then we are much more likely to suffer the delusion/ cost expression of the Finger, rather than the rewarding one. Proceed with care.

Your Word Image for the period: a white room, where a dark-eyed, dark-haired woman sits dressed all in white, with a baby, also dark-haired, dark-eyed and dressed in white, who sits on her lap; the woman is upset to learn that this baby, which is her baby, is ‘haunted’. This is an image from a dream and carries a wide variety of possible interpretations, all of which may depend on your definition of what a ‘haunted baby’ really is. ‘Somebody’s baby’ is a phrase that for me brings to mind something special an individual may be deeply engaged with, usually a project or creation they see as uniquely theirs–and if your ‘baby’ is haunted, that may suggest there are unseen or even unperceived influences that are affecting creation.

Or maybe we should look at this more in light of the woman as an individual, and her baby as the part of herself that is extraordinarily young, inexperienced, immature, or undeveloped, ‘new’ in some important way, and the haunting as what’s preventing the maturing of this part of her. Could the baby be a ‘fresh’ thing, talent, characteristic, or project that is being held back by the influence of others, whose criticism or comment has seeped in and may need to be exorcised?

Do you think of a baby as an extension of its parents? In that case it may be that some way that the individual is reaching out into society is being unduly invested with the ‘spirit’ of others–or maybe it’s something as simple as being afraid of something new, something ‘just born’, that we don’t understand. In any case, an interesting image; apply it to your own life as you will.