Highlights for Sep. 14-20, 2020: Chanticleer

Chanticleer

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The lion’s den

The Sun in Virgo trines Pluto this week (Sep. 14, 2020, 4:05 pm PDT), on the Sabian symbols for 23 Virgo, “An animal trainer,” and 23 Capricorn, “Two awards for bravery in war.” When the Sun meets Pluto, the desire for personal acknowledgement and worthiness is often frustrated, or backfires. This week, the gentle warmth of the Sun in Virgo, its kind acts and cool capability, will satisfy Pluto’s insistence that we use our gifts in the service of something larger than ourselves. In the face of difficulty, it’s small, diligent actions and calm, quiet courage that will win the day.

Expect the unexpected

A square between Venus and Uranus (Sep. 15, 2020, 8:28 am PDT) is one of those diabolical connections that can symbolize unexpected expenses. Right on schedule, our refrigerator has started to fail and we’ve had to purchase a new one – no small expenditure. I’m still waiting and hoping for the unexpected income that can also be symbolized by this aspect!

Relationships are also Venus’s terrain, and this week could bring a new and stimulating business or personal connection – or, maybe, surprising developments in existing ones. When Venus and Uranus connect by square, tension arises around the appropriate balance between togetherness and independence. Finding that balance is a bit of a tall order these days, when those in relationships are quarantined together 24/7 and those who aren’t have a little too much time alone. But this aspect can also wake us up to one another, and to people whom we might have previously overlooked.

Between the eclipses

The Sun’s square to the Lunar Nodes (Sep. 16, 2020, 5.53 pm PDT) marks the midpoint between eclipse seasons, awakening the tension of the upcoming Dec. 14 Solar Eclipse in particular. Picture the Sun in Virgo as the arbitrator between Gemini and Sagittarius. The North Node in Gemini seeks an opening up to all ideas and information, while the South Node in Sagittarius holds fast to entrenched beliefs. But pragmatic Virgo sees that both sides hold a key to wholeness. Having strong beliefs is not a bad thing, but times change and new information has to be incorporated into those beliefs. And entertaining lots of possibilities is healthy and delightful, but that’s best done in the context of a strong moral compass. Without each other, neither Gemini nor Sagittarius can accomplish much of practical use.

Craft

Leo symbolizes art, and Virgo, the sign that follows it, symbolizes craft – which as astrologer Caroline Casey points out, means “power from dedication.” This beautifully symbolizes the New Moon in Virgo (Sep. 17, 2020, 4:00 am PDT) trine Saturn and Pluto, which suggests that our real power this month will derive not from self-serving grabs for control, but rather from our care, attention to detail, and persistence. (Read my Virgo New Moon essay here. And if you’re not on my mailing list, sign up here to receive a free lunar workbook, new at each New Moon!)

Meanwhile Mercury, Virgo’s ruling planet, squares Jupiter today (Sep. 17, 2020, 3:35 am PDT). This is a “truth to power” aspect, and although its influence is normally fleeting, it occurs so close to the New Moon – within 25 minutes – that it will have a longer tail. In fact, it presages Mercury’s hard aspects to Mars and Saturn next week, and taken altogether this series of aspects brings pressure to Mercury in Libra usual diplomatic style. Libra wants nothing more than justice, and when the scales are out of balance, it’s time to stand up and speak out.

Clear and strong

TToday, as Mercury squares Pluto (Sep. 20, 2020, 10:18 pm PDT), you may face a decision with important, far-reaching consequences. Many voices will weigh in with their opinions, but in the end there’s just your own, unshakeable conviction. Mercury is on one of my favorite Sabian symbols, A chanticleer, while Pluto is on the Sabian symbol Two awards for bravery in war. Like the Sabian symbols for Monday’s Sun/Saturn trine, both of which are connected to courage, this aspect calls us to summon the bravery to speak out clear and strong.