Magical Labors
Dates and times are given for U.S. Pacific Time zone. Click them to see the date and time where you are.
What is magic?
The Sun’s opposition to Neptune (Sep. 10, 0:24 am) lands on two magical Sabian Symbols: 18 Virgo, A gigantic tent; and 18 Pisces, An Ouija board. Growing up in the 1960s American Midwest, the giant tent – the “big top” – was how you knew the circus was in town. We relished our circus adventures and treasured our commemorative programs.
It seemed magical, watching acrobats seemingly fly through the air. I’m sure our parents smiled at our childish amazement. As an adult, I appreciate even more the hours and hours of practice and sore muscles that went into creating those effortless-seeming illusions.
As for Ouija boards, I’ve had some long-ago experience with them, too. In fact, I unexpectedly proved somewhat adept at channeling (the Sun in my birth chart is on the Sabian symbol The human soul awaiting opportunity for expression), and I was surprised at how much physical stamina was required for this metaphysical process.
As the Sun opposes Neptune, we might ask, What is magic? Is it something entirely metaphysical, ethereal? Or is it just what happens sometimes when we’ve perfected the physical world enough to allow the human spirit to express itself?


Connect the dots
In pointillist painting, an artist creates images by painstakingly applying small dots of color to a surface. Up close, these dots don’t look like much; it’s not until you stand back and look at them that you can see the picture.
I was reminded last week, as half the sky stampeded through Virgo, how crazy we can make ourselves with details. After I’d told my third or fourth client to step back, focus on the big picture, and try to let things unfold in their own way, I finally started to listen to myself. Like so many of us – maybe even like you – I was too close to the dots, too immersed in technique and details to see the big picture.
As Mars in Virgo squares Jupiter in big-picture Sagittarius (Sep. 12, 2:06 am PDT), it’s a good idea to step back from day-to-day work to remember why we’re doing it in the first place. We’re creating lives, Virgo-like, from small, careful dots of color. And unless we stand back from time to time, we’ll lose sight of what we’re creating.


Away from our labors
In another era, the practical beauty of the Harvest Moon (the Full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox) was that it extended the farmers’ work day at a time of year when that was most useful. The poetic beauty of a Harvest Moon is that the brilliance of the moonlight tempts us away from our labors to dream and imagine something more. With four planets still in Virgo at this Full Moon (Sep. 13, 9:33 pm), we need the balance of the Moon and Neptune in lyrical, dreamy Pisces – and the big-picture loftiness of Jupiter square the Full Moon – more than ever.


To market
This week, the balance in the sky begins its shift from Virgo, sign of never-quite-satisfied perfectionism, and toward Libra and encounters with the outside world. It’s no longer enough to consider what we are, have, think, want, create, or serve; now, we encounter and must negotiate with The Other and all their needs.
Mercury in Libra (Sep. 14, 0:15 am) asks us to consider how best to articulate what we think, or ask for what we want, in a way that’s best designed to make all parties happy. Venus entering Libra (Sep. 14, 6:43 am PDT) marks its return to home base; how delightful it is, to revel in beauty, balance, and affectionate companionship! So far, so good.
But the road ahead for all planets moving into Libra in the coming weeks will be complicated by the road blocks and noisy, dusty construction of Saturn and Pluto. We’ll talk about that as we go along. For now, it’s enough to enjoy what’s lovely and delightful in sharing our thoughts and affections with lovely and delightful others. Enjoy the week!


© 2019 by April Elliott Kent

Online Class: The Essentials of Relationship Astrology
Details and payment info