What happens to the atmosphere when Venus enters the coolly intellectual sign of Aquarius? Maybe we ought to inspect what that Venusian energy is coming off of: a square to Uranus which is at 29 stressful degrees, suggesting sudden surprise, crisis, revelation, or accident that pushes a Love, Money, or values matter ‘over the edge’; then Venus moves into Aquarius and contacts Chiron, freshly into Aries–and that suggests hurt, maybe in the form of a challenge to the Self-concept, the ‘I Am’–but it can also suggest rapid healing, as Mars noviles Chiron, offering brilliant ways to address hurtful matters. What does Venus end up with, then? Understanding, another Aquarian watchword, a sensibility that sees how power within situations isn’t always fair, and that what we dedicate our energy to must bend to what’s wise, what’s practical, and this is the way we identify the obstacles in our way forward, and handle them.

(Juno contra-parallel Zeus, Vesta sesq Pallas, Mars nov Chiron, Venus squares Uranus, then enters Aquarius and sextiles Chiron, Sun sesq NN)

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 11 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!) What is it you want this year? It seems that, more than anything, you want to know what the future holds, how to move forward most effectively, how to make your best life, as they say, happen. That’s reasonable, but truly difficult for you to master this year. Too many things cloud the vision: you know there are problems with the Love or Money situation, and yet you can’t seem to get a handle on them; you’re questioning your own wisdom, as things aren’t panning out quite how you thought they would; and it seems to be some kind of stand-off telling you there’s a choice to make: be original and daring, or be smart! That’s no choice at all, is it? Do your best, this year, to listen to instinct, to work as directly as you are able with circumstances that may involve your ‘blind spot’, and be willing to act on what you ‘know but don’t know’. As long as you’re truly following instinct, and not the mind or emotions masquerading, you can go farther than you think, as opportunities will come that you never would’ve seen, if things had gone as you’d hoped.

There are power struggles, and then there are power struggles; the key is figuring out which are worth engaging in, and which will only frustrate, lead no where, or be, in the end, inconsequential. Hints for success in claiming your ‘day in the sun’: don’t take on authorities–at the moment they have the advantage; make the effort in areas you would describe as your ‘territory’, and then listen, both to instincts and to what surfaces in consciousness that you ‘know but don’t know’; and make sure what you’re showing the world reflects your true ambitions and desires–it’s only if we ‘own’ these that we have any real hope of fulfilling them.

(Juno parallel Sedna, Mars qnx Ceres, Venus sq Pallas, Sun contra-parallel Juno and Sedna, parallel Zeus, sq Ceres)

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 10 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!) Love or Money hits an extreme this year, with sudden accident, surprise, or innovation causing the extremity, or arising from it. You may even see a related pattern, a roller coaster of ups and downs in some Venusian arena. What’s causing this? Truth is uncovered, things ignored or denied come into the open, and then new, unexpected opportunities arrive from having the facts in evidence. What can you do to have the smoothest, most profitable (in all senses) year possible? Don’t insist on having your way–sometimes, to paraphrase the saying, the highway is actually better; be aware that the most difficult things you face are the things that will actually shape your future; and seek counsel from wise others–your inner guidance may be a little off, right now.

The things that bother us about our relationships and/ or our finances are simply pointing to what we need to fix, do something about, pay attention to, or (here’s a novel approach) fight with, for, or against. What draws our attention is the way this Venusian subject violates our Highest Values, and action, defense, or making a choice is called for. Luckily, we have the pluck, energy, and Will to tackle it as we need to.

(Venus semi-sq Vesta, Sun sxt Mars)

Because a single degree doesn’t fall evenly within each day, every so often I have to list more than one degree. If you’re ever looking and the degree you’re searching doesn’t fall on the day you expect it to, look to either the previous or following post.

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 08 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!) This coming year, visualization powers are strong, and you have the inner harmony to act and make what you see a reality. Reaching for what you ‘see’ is key, as your vision serves to stimulate all power you or others hold, and so make obvious who wants what, who can actually make things happen, who to take seriously (hint: this year, it may be you!) and who could be destructive, possibly without even realizing it. The more you actively use your energy, the more you’ll understand the power structure in your life, the more you’ll be able to command and transform, and so the more you’ll be in control of things, and your own talents and abilities, by your next birthday. And remember, exaggerating your emotions won’t have the effect you think it will–instead, use feelings to make solid contact with what you ‘know but don’t know’.

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 09 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!) This year, through to your next birthday, may feel like it’s all one big test of your autonomy, of how well you can stand on your own two feet–and yet it’s much more than that. If you look closely, you’ll see that you’re being offered a promotion, of sorts, one that puts you in charge of a distinct territory where you’ll call all the shots. Does that sound exciting? Then go for it–you’re more than ready. Does it sound a little scary? Don’t say no immediately–you may be surprised at how you’re equipped to handle more than you think you are. In any case, communications surrounding love and/ or money are key this year, defining one or both of these areas in significant ways, and offering support, some of it quite surprising.

What’s smart today is whatever fosters your own authority and power (and by power and authority I mean those areas where you take full, and I mean full, responsibility–not the ones where you like to think you do, but those where you carry the entire load–sometimes it’s a fine line, but you know, right?) From this comes perceptive thinking that builds a positive future and lets us know through our own instincts and what we ‘know but don’t know’ what will be worthy, payoff, bring rewards, or gather love. It’s a choice, really, between being our ‘best Self’ (even if we aren’t really ‘feelin’ it’ or if we balk at faking it–go ahead, the attitude will ‘fit’ in no time!) or succumbing to those troublesome qualities that cause chaos (rebellion, erraticism, hypochondria, pessimism, and a refusal to cooperate or ‘be there’ for others, comes to mind). Eyes on your own autonomy, plus the vetting of original impulses and ideas against one’s Highest Values, guarantees a positive outcome.

(Pallas nov Ceres, Uranus contra-parallel Vesta, Venus trine Sedna, Mercury sxt Sedna and trine NN, Sun contra-parallel Hygeia)

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 07 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!)The energy, Willpower, and focus available to you this year is outstanding, and is best used in a disciplined way that is mindful of material consequences. It’s not a time for pushing forward, but for moving in a considered way–and that may, on occasion, be hard to do. You may find some of your biggest challenges around the need to test and discard outmoded ideas regarding personal power; you need to take a good look at who you are, and what territory is really yours, and ask yourself, Is this where I want to put my energy? An honest answer brings emotional illumination and good intuitive guidance.

We may get tangled up in our own ambitions, finding that it’s difficult to exercise the power we’ve gained, and to profit from past effort and investment, with so much of our attention on holding on to status or catering to those who seem to hold our fate or well-being in their hands. It seems things are rushing by, out of our scope of influence to an alarming degree. That’s the operative concept really, seems; the most productive thing we can do today is to look at each and every place where we are telling ourselves it’s someone else’s doing, they’re holding us up, and suss out just exactly how, where, and why we’ve contributed to, even orchestrated, the current situation.

(Juno sesq Zeus, Venus conj SN, Sun semi-sq Pluto)

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 06 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!) You’re really focused in this coming year, dear Pisces, on being all you can be, so what’s holding you back? It may be all the old social programming you’ve up to now been able to ignore or deny; all that suppressed material is leaking out, marring social situations and even infecting your beliefs, and until you purge the system, intentions won’t line up with actions. Answers to how to handle this are found in the past, in what you’ve learned from what you’ve already accomplished. Hints toward success: intuition and sensitivity support creative efforts–those qualities inform all your tasks and projects with especially perceptive sensibilities at this time, and deep inquiry into health matters and particularly into the environment you surround yourself with are vital to making progress at this time.

Our attention is on what we want, lust for, aim for, on every ambition we hold–and the answer to how to get what we want, to reach that desirable destination, is held in some experience of the past. That previous episode showed us what works, how to proceed, and maybe most important of all, what doesn’t work, to move us forward–combined with the knowledge we’ve accumulated since then, we become (almost) unstoppable. What makes us lose the magic? Taking (or having to take) our eyes off the ball.

(Sun sesq Zeus and nov SN)

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 05 Pisces! (See your birth chart for your Sun degree!) All attention this year is on what you want and how to get it–and your best assistance comes in the form of intuition, a deep knowing, a willingness to investigate (and then to actually see and accept what you find), and perhaps through emotional experiences, which will, whether you know it or not, support your identity and Soul needs in a rare and complete harmony. Caveats: know your potential power to harm, consider both the material and emotional consequences of taking action, and know that what seem like emergencies where you must choose between the welfare of yourself or someone else, it’s really about originality and a need to approach ‘either or’ problems in a new way.

 

A strange day, in that many things may be hard to pinpoint, slippery in their meaning, layered and nuanced–and this only surprises us because it all seems so straightforward at first glance. The subtle shifts in message–in the midst of the communication, or thought, or plan–stops us in our tracks, but only briefly, if you’re ready for it. The contrary energies come largely in the form of uneasiness, of a fear we can’t trust ourselves (or maybe, our eyes or ears!): the smart choice seems hurtful, we resist change to relationships or assets, not seeing the potential payoff available under different circumstances, and Love and Money carry a destructive element. Those who can center in the Power of Love (big ‘P’, Big ‘L’) won’t have a problem; everyone else, be willing to modify ambitions and desires–you may be barking up the wrong tree, or scaring somebody needlessly with your ill-considered passions–and be willing to both question your own beliefs and avoid the stickiest of the social scene–if they remain unexamined, these latter two areas bring forward the biggest conflicts of all.

(Chiron parallel Pallas, Venus conj Pluto, Mercury contra-parallel Pallas and Chiron, qnx Zeus and sq Jupiter)

Happy Solar Return to those born with the Sun at 03 Pisces! (Sun passes into this degree this year at about 3 PM Pacific of the 21st thru to that time on the 22nd–see your birth chart for your Sun degree!) Power and status struggles in the form of who has dominion over what form the core conflicts of this year for you–and this begins right after you feel you’ve achieved equilibrium, especially emotionally, so go figure, right? What seems steady can shift in a heartbeat, but most of the surprises are rooted in conflicts over communication (make it clear!) and in the way ambitions in their current forms draw on (and maybe drain) relationships and/ or finances–and those conflicts will largely disappear once you are really clear on what you think and want. You think you are, now, but what comes at you will let you know where, and just how much, you might need to re-think things.