First Quarter Moon in Aquarius: It’s personal and hey, we’re in this together
also, Mars in Scorpio brings the desire that won't die
And so we must face what is holding us back from what we truly desire. Which is different from complaining about the state of things around us. Instead of seeing an obstacle course (or to my strong Mars nature, a battlefield), can we see the ways in which we are tying our own hands, muffling our own voices, doing X when what we really want to do is Y - anything, it seems, than going after what we want most? We can, with help from our friends.
Every seat on the struggle bus appears to be occupied. From friends, to family, to clients, to myself, we are buckled in for the ride of our lives together. We may think we are having an individual experience because what each of us is facing right now feels extremely personal. Think about what you are currently going through with your mother, your boss, your finances, your kid, your neighbor, or fill-in-the-blank. This particular painful situation feels tailor made for you, poking at all your subconscious fears and insecurities. Yet there is no denying the jarring universal experience we are sharing.
For example, my hackles are currently up because I can’t seem to make the ants stop invading my kitchen. Someone else might say, “No biggie, just call the exterminator.” But to me, those little black creatures raise some bad childhood memories, plus asking for help means defeat, and defeat means I am not capable, which means I will be kicked to the curb, which means I will die alone (The Sun and Mars in Scorpio are bringing some drama to even the most banal situations!).
The energy of a First Quarter Moon can set us on a self-righteous crusade. Because the issue at hand is a personal one, there is an underlying urgency to address it, and that urgency causes us to ignore any version of the situation other than our own. Anything or anyone blocking us from the speediest way to make the problem go away becomes an obnoxious obstacle. When the obstacle is the person in the mirror, then we must acknowledge we don’t have the solution. We need to seek help from our fellow travelers on the struggle bus, and offer our help in kind (remember, everyone has some awful situation going on right now).
This First Quarter Moon is in the sign of Aquarius, where Pluto sits, reminding us of our responsibility to address structures and systems which hold all of us back from evolving to something better. Unfortunately, the ants in my kitchen are not the only symptom of a structure or system in my life meant to be examined. The other challenges I have experienced lately are more complicated to address.
You may recall that Pluto in Capricorn had us examining themes such as: isolation, restriction, work, status, and money (Capricorn and its ruler, Saturn), all as relative to power (Pluto) - via a global pandemic. Aquarius is traditionally ruled by Saturn, as well, but focuses on the power of alliances and groups of like-minded individuals to bring us into a better future.
Aquarius reminds us that common ground is easily found when you are seeking it. Oops. Have we been so focused on our individual quest to survive that we have forgotten about the shared experience we are meant to have? The aspects Mars (representing our personal drive) makes first to Jupiter (morality) and then to Saturn (long-term stability) near this lunation remind us to maintain the big picture, and to remember that the big picture is not a selfie.
Relevant Sabian Symbols1 for the week
These symbols help me flesh out the themes of the lunation of the week in the context of the larger astrological themes at play. The below mirror many of the themes of Pluto in Aquarius, as well as Saturn and Neptune finishing up their tours in Pisces. We are meant to be asking ourselves meaningful questions, thinking about how adaptation at the individual and group level affects the future state of all that exists.
Mars trine Jupiter 10/27 11:19 PM PDT
Mars, 24° Scorpio
An X-ray photograph.
Keynote: The capacity to acquire a knowledge of the structural factors in all existence.
Jupiter, 24° Cancer
A will-full man is overshadowed by a descent of superior power.
Keynote: The response of spiritual forces to the integration of personality through positive will-full endeavors.
First Quarter Moon10/29 9:20 AM PDT
Moon, 6° Aquarius
A child is seen being born out of an egg.
Keynote: The emergence of new mutations according to the great rhythms of the cosmos.
Sun, 6° Scorpio
Deep sea divers.
Keynote: The will to explore the hidden depths of all experiences and to search for primordial causes.
Mars trine Saturn 10/29 12:05 PM PDT
Mars, 25° Scorpio
Native Americans making camp after moving into a new territory.
Keynote: The ability to adjust swiftly to a new situation by tuning into requirements.
Saturn, 25° Pisces
Watching the very thin moon crescent appearing at sunset, different people realize that the time has come to go ahead with their different projects.
Keynote: A keen appreciation of the value of individualized responses to any challenge in life.
Tarot haikus for each zodiac sig
n
For the collective. Queen of Wands.
I’ll manage desire/Fools often want stupid things/Until they get burned
Aries. IV of Wands.
This place I call home/It’s people, not just the land/We raise each other
Taurus. XIII Death.
No treasure will last/In loss, I explore true worth/Rebuild, not regain
Gemini. III The Empress.
Understand nature/It sheds what brings imbalance/Effortless control
Cancer. Queen of Pentacles.
My worth becomes clear/I invest more in myself/I have more to give
Leo. X of Wands.
We’ve been here before/Success brings more to uphold/Less joy to behold
Virgo. VII of Swords.
Who said life is fair/Hurt people hurt people, true/So, healed people heal
Libra. IV of Swords.
When I’m pushed too far/I’m restored in solitude/There, I choose my words
Scorpio. Ace of Swords.
Perfect clarity/The answer under my nose/Seen in the mirror
Sagittarius. XVI. The Tower.
I didn’t mean it/Life called my bluff on despair/And gave a fresh start
Capricorn. Page of Pentacles.
New ventures excite me/Possibilities abound/A new path takes shape
Aquarius. V of Swords.
Disillusionment/My reward leaves me empty/With no one to share
Pisces. XVIII. The Moon.
I see all sides now/Climbed great heights only to fall/My shadow caught me
Excerpts from An Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformations and its 360 Symbolic Phrases by Dane Rudhyar
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Thank you for your lovely writing.
"The aspects Mars (representing our personal drive) makes first to Jupiter (morality) and then to Saturn (long-term stability) near this lunation remind us to maintain the big picture, and to remember that the big picture is not a selfie." I love that last bit especially, Maria! One way to shift from feeling like a victim (of the ants, of old contractive family dynamics, of threats to democracy (!!), fill in the blank...) is to shift to focusing on that big picture and to take some kind of constructive action. Even if the big picture seems bleak, doing something to help a cause greater than ourselves can also help us to make space for our own solutions. So often, serving the sovereignty of the soul means serving others—something you are so good at. Thank you, Maria!