A rakish hat, an open mind, letting go, and renegotiating
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A rakish hat
Mercury meets the Sun (May 4, 2020, 2:41 pm PDT) this week on the Sabian Symbol for 15 Taurus: A man muffled up with a rakish silk hat. Mercury gets a little too full of himself when he aligns with the Sun, like the member of an entourage who imagines he’s famous because he spends a lot of time with a celebrity. We may be a little too confident in our own opinions this week – or at least, like the stylish man in the Sabian symbol, behave as though we are.
Given our current circumstances, it’s significant that the man is muffled, which can mean “wrapped up in protective garb,” as many of us are during quarantine, with our masks and scarves. “Muffled” can also indicate that something is being suppressed or kept down, so while the rakish silk hat suggests a show of confidence, we may not be sharing all of our true thoughts and feelings.
An Open Mind
The Lunar Nodes, which this week shift signs to Gemini and Sagittarius (May 4, 2020, 10:48 pm PDT, through Jan. 18, 2022), echo the importance of both telling our truth and keeping an open mind to new facts and ideas. Since November 2018, the Lunar Nodes have traveled through the signs of Cancer and Capricorn, urging us to confront our fears, cravings for respect, and desire for security. The nodal shift to Gemini and Sagittarius this week begins a process that will test our ability to think critically, to see the big picture, and to question our beliefs.
The 18-month nodal journey through Cancer and Capricorn has been a scary one. And the danger of the Gemini and Sagittarius nodal cycle is that when you’ve been scared, you’re likely to believe just about anything.
During the last cycle of the lunar nodes in Gemini and Sagittarius (Oct. 2001-April 2003), the South Node in Sagittarius was joined by Pluto, a combination that gave us battles over the truth and the manipulation of information to exert control. But whenever the North Node – the direction of growth – is in Gemini, we’re asked to embrace the questioning path, to remain curious and keep an open mind, even as the South Node in Sagittarius tempt us to stay in the “safe” zone of certainty in our beliefs.
The major aspects of the Nodes in these signs will be a square to Neptune in Jan. 2021, symbolizing difficulty in separating fact from fiction; and in Jan. 2022, a square to Jupiter, the planetary ruler of Sagittarius, which may tip the scales a bit toward the South Node and the path of least resistance. Both of these warn of the dangers of believing in things in the absence of facts, and of hiding out in an echo chamber of like minds.
The “letting go” Moon
Both the Sabian Symbols at this Scorpio Full Moon (May 7, 2020, 3:45 am PDT) speak of endings and letting go. The Moon’s symbol is A woods rich in autumn coloring, while the Sun is on the symbol A woman holding a bag out a window.
Letting go is a process, not a single event. But loss can occasionally happen in a moment, and with the Sun and Moon at this Full Moon square Mars in Aquarius, this is an important turning point, particularly for relationships.
The Full Moon is the moment in the lunar cycle for seeing things as they are – especially so at the Full Moon in Scorpio, which sees through things with x-ray vision. What are you holding onto that isn’t serving you? In particular, what negative, toxic patterns and emotions might be making you unhappy and your relationships unhealthy? (For clues, look back to what you initiated around the Scorpio New Moon on Oct. 27, 2019.)
Renegotiating
It was welcome news when Saturn entered Aquarius on March 21. After months of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto buried in Capricorn, it felt as though we were breaking through to a new, fresher cycle.
The reality, of course, has been quite different. We’ve been relegated to our homes, separate from one another, and increasingly even more polarized than ever about the best way to deal with the pandemic and its fallout.
I still have confidence that, in the long run, Saturn in Aquarius will initiate a more collectivist time. But as Saturn turns retrograde this week (May 10, 2020, 9:09 pm PDT through September), and particularly as it backs into Capricorn between July 1 and December 16, it’s clear we need to address some foundational issues that will help us move forward from a stronger platform.
“Expect the unexpected” is a cliché, but it’s apropos of Saturn turning retrograde on the Sabian symbol An unexpected thunderstorm. In the days around Saturn’s turning retrograde or direct, it’s best to avoid taking on new responsibilities or commitments. Instead, let’s assess commitments that we’ve already taken on, sometimes reluctantly, and renegotiate them. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a situation that’s significantly different than you’d expected. Or maybe your personal circumstances have changed (as is true for most of us) since you signed up, and now you need to back away.
That’s not to say you should use this as an excuse to give up on something simply because you’ve lost interest. Persistence is a Saturnian virtue. But some challenges simply aren’t ours to undertake, and as Saturn turns retrograde we are better able to recognize them.
Writing and collages © 2020 April Elliott Kent
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