Low-Down Archives February 2005

Planetary Transits

February 1 to March 20, 2005

Imbolc to Ostara

THE BIG PICTURE (for Feb.01 to Mar.20):

The Jupiter-Neptune Trine still permeates the astrological landscape, urging us to find new and wonderful ways to bring peace, love, beauty, compassion and wisdom into our lives. As the Sun, Mercury and Venus move through Aquarius and say hello to Neptune, they will give us the opportunities to bring the Jupiter-Neptune energy into personal focus.

Saturn continues his isolation away from the rest of the solar system (which has been happening since November and continues until about May). Saturn requires that we pay attention to difficult areas like responsibility, accountability, structure, limits and authority � but also encourages us to develop our ambitions, goals, achievements, and make a commitment to whatever we're willing to work hard for.

The Moon pays Saturn a visit in mid-to-late February and mid-to-late March, peaking with the Moon-Saturn Conjunctions on Feb.20 and Mar.19. At these times, Saturn requires us to "get real" at a personal level about our goals, personal boundaries and self-honesty about where we really are in our development, what our next step is and what might be blocking our progress.

This column's time period ends with Mercury going retrograde, which happens 3 times a year for about 3 weeks at a time.

Feb.01 � HAPPY IMBOLC!

Feb.01 � Jupiter stations Retrograde (in Libra)

For up to a week before and after this date, you may feel expanded by ideals that inspire you, visions that require more work, judgements that require rethinking, and relationships and strategies that need to be reassessed. In the next 5 months you will have the chance to reconsider and reassess these areas. Right now is a turning point that will take you back into issues that have been developing for the last 3 months.

Feb.01 � Venus CNJ Chiron (in Capricorn)

Unresolved problems and unhealed wounds in relationships and finances may be in the foreground now. Part of the problem may be that attempts to balance the situation become more like over-reactions that lead to power struggles. Your best strength right now is being able to accept that although ideal solutions may not be possible right now, you can still make the situation better by looking at the long-term view.

Feb.02 � Groundhog Day (in North America)

Hug a groundhog today. ;-)

Feb.02 � Venus in Aquarius (until Feb.26)

Idealism is the key word now, as Venus is now in a position to foresee future possibilities and translate desires into wishes and new hope. Aim for the high road and a loving detachment in relationships, finances, self-love and love of humanity.

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Feb.03-10 � Sun/Mercury CNJ Neptune, TRI Jupiter (in Aquarius/Libra)

The idealistic Jupiter-Neptune trine colours our awareness, communication, expression and creativity during this time. You may be inspired to new heights, brighter vision and deeper compassion that lights your path in the months to come. By conquering your need for security, certainty and guarantees, you can loosen up enough to let the higher energy in.

Feb.06 � Mars in Capricorn (until Mar.20)

Mars becomes a workhorse in Capricorn, where ambition, drive, focus and discipline are at their peak. This is a good time work hard to manifest your dreams and goals. You may also find yourself loaded up with a long to-do list during this time, but you should be able to get a lot done and get good results.

Feb.08, 5:28PM EST � NEW MOON in Aquarius

Today�s New Moon will set the tone for the coming four-week cycle, reaching its peak at the Full Moon (Feb.23). Idealism is a strong focus, especially how you fulfil your humanitarian principles and how you see your place in the big picture. The challenge is to figure out how to be responsible and disciplined without short-selling your dreams and possibilities. Determination and keeping your actions true to your integrity will help.

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Feb.14 � Happy Valentine's Day!

Do something to love and appreciate yourself!

Feb.14 � Sun CNJ Mercury (in Aquarius)

You have an opportunity now to bring into clearer focus your visions of possibilities, your striving for detachment, your stretching to encompass the big picture, and carving out a new place for yourself within your community or peer group.

Feb.14-17 � Venus CNJ Neptune, TRI Jupiter (in Aquarius/Libra)

This is similar to the Sun and Mercury back on Feb.03-10, but this time the energy is about recognising and embracing true beauty in all its unique, offbeat splendour. You may have to resolve a struggle between the need for security-oriented forms of love and beauty, versus the urge to break away from the familiar and into the freedom of the unpredictable.

Feb.16 � Mercury in Pisces (until Mar.04)

Intuitive wisdom breaks through the fog and brings new form to creative imagination and spiritual awareness. You are likely to be very open and receptive, making you very sensitive to other people and your surroundings. Some initial flashes of insight can stabilise and give you new strength and inspiration to confront some obsessions you need to let go of.

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Feb.18 � Sun in Pisces (until Mar.20)

Happy Birthday, Pisces! For all of us, that same intuitive wisdom from Mercury in Pisces (above) now applies itself to our sense of Self and purpose. Over the next 4 weeks, there will be an initial burst of insight, inspiration or liberation, followed by restructuring and stability, which will prepare you to let go of some ideals and obsessions that have outlived their usefulness, giving you a new direction to pursue if you choose to.

Feb.20-25 � Mercury and Sun CNJ Uranus (in Pisces)

You may get flashes of insight about the ways you are being held back by circumstances, aggression, stubbornness or impossible standards. By the end of this time range, you will likely have found a way to keep frustration and counterproductive reactions on the inside, while utilising your strengths and opportunities on the outside.

Feb.21 � Chiron in Aquarius (until 2010)

Chiron, the Wounded Healer, brings his healing process to our experience of groups, community, friends and how we establish and maintain our individuality within these areas. During the next 5 years, you will have the opportunity to find a new balance between the urge to reflexively rebel against the establishment and the need to be clear on what you really stand for. Start by taking stock of the ideals, visions, hopes and dreams that aren�t working for you anymore versus the ones that are. It�s time to shed the deadwood and liberate what�s left.

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Feb.23, 11:53PM � FULL MOON in Virgo

This is the fruition of the New Moon in Aquarius (see Feb.08). It may be a wild ride, as you are challenged to stay true to the inspiration that can liberate you, while working with the conflicts of interest between visionary potential and responsible accountability. Just like at the New Moon, keeping your actions and reactions true to your integrity will support and guide you.

Feb.26 � Venus in Pisces (until Mar.22)

Creativity, sensitivity, receptivity and connectivity are in the foreground during this time. Expect initial surprises, insights and breaking free of old ruts in your relationships, finances, material values and sense of harmony during this time. This leads to a period of restructuring and stability, giving you the strength to face and strategise difficult situations in these areas; for example: power struggles, shedding what (and who) doesn�t work for you anymore, and/or empowering yourself in areas where you are vulnerable.

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Feb.27 � Mercury TRI Saturn (in Pisces/Cancer)

Intuitive learning and perceptions can work constructively with emotional boundaries and protection, as long as they don�t become an excuse for not dealing directly with situations when this is necessary. However, this time can give you some realistic insight and practical acceptance that will be a valuable resource over the next couple of weeks.

Mar.01 � Mercury SQR Pluto (in Pisces/Sagittarius)

Empowerment in your communication and perceptions is the challenge you face right now, but this may not come easily. It may involve having to face some rather difficult truths that disturb your sensitivities. But in doing so, you gain a greater and deeper understanding and acceptance of your situation and your place within it.

Mar.03-07 � Mars SQR Jupiter, OPP Saturn (in Capricorn/Libra/Cancer)

This is a challenging combination of energies (in orb from about Feb.24 to mid-March). It may feel like you are being held back by arbitrary circumstances or by your own fears of inadequacy. The impulse to over-react or become self-righteous is likely to just make matters worse. It is better to deal with the situation diplomatically, responsibly and philosophically, while still responding directly and assertively. Aim to be grounded, calm and clear, rather than rigid or defensive.

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Mar.04 � Venus CNJ Uranus (in Pisces)

You may encounter surprises and bursts of insight about your relationships, interactions, finances, material security or values. Whether you are involved in creative projects, investment opportunities, falling in love, or feeling frustrated by your current relationship, this can be a time when you are struck by the lightening of inspiration and insight, although it may take a while to bring this to fruition.

Mar.04 � Mercury in Aries (until May 12)

Directness of speech, fast perceptions and a �just do it� attitude marks this time. Mercury stays a long time in Aries this time, since it will go retrograde later in March, so there is ample time to get into the rhythm of this energy. If you are making plans or want to get well focused to make some changes in your life, this is a good time to do it. Just be aware that it won�t be a straight line, and you will need to distinguish between necessary detours and simple distractions.

Mar.04 � Mercury enters the Shadow (until May 1)

Mercury now enters the area of sky where it will later go retrograde (from Mar.19 to Apr.12). This means that situations developing over the next 2 weeks are likely to require further research and consideration over the next couple of months. If you are making important decisions during this time, try to build some flexibility into your plans to allow for later changes. For the next 2 weeks, be aware of the areas that need healing in your life, especially those areas where you might tend to react a bit too quickly or directly, and the areas where your reactions get tangled up in guilt, hesitancy or fears of inadequacy. By the end of this cycle, you will have new insight and direction in these areas.

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Mar.10, 4:10AM EST � NEW MOON in Pisces

Over the next 4 weeks, you are urged to seek a higher perspective in your life situations, in the world around you and your place within it. Connections to the �big picture� will likely come easily, but translating those perceptions into ordinary life and your personal worldview may be more of a challenge. Keep yourself grounded with reality checks, don�t forget to paint yourself into that �big picture,� and remember that every long journey consists of a series of small, practical steps.

Mar.10-14 � Sun/Venus TRI Saturn (in Pisces/Cancer)

During this time, you may find that limits and boundaries don�t feel constricting so much as they are a welcome and sheltering container that helps to minimise confusion and ambiguity. It is a time to commit yourself to certain choices, leaving behind the spectrum of possibilities that dazzle your eyes. But this has the effect of freeing rather than restricting you. This will unfold over the next 4 weeks, with the lunar cycle.

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Mar.14 � Jupiter TRI Neptune (in Libra/Aquarius)

This is the second of three passes of Jupiter Trine Neptune (the other two in Nov/04 and Aug/05), although this energy remains in effect throughout 2005. In the first pass, you had the opportunity to channel your ideals and compassion into intuitive and creative healing. This time you are challenged to begin translating this vast, sublime energy into practical, concrete, structured applications. Although it will take time to develop, the insights, information and opportunities to help you do this may come so fast or be so subtle that you miss or dismiss them.

Mar.14-18 � Sun/Venus SQR Pluto (in Pisces/Sagittarius)

Inner empowerment is an important resource during this time, in order to deal with the challenges you are facing now. These challenges may come in the form of confrontations, power struggles, challenges to your beliefs, or having to let go of emotional issues that are now holding you back from where you need to go. If necessary, slow down, get grounded, and take things one step at a time.

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Mar.19 � Mercury Retrograde (until Apr.12)

Mercury retrograde is a time to rethink, rehash and reflect. Try to put off final decisions about things until after it goes direct (Apr.12). The first half of this retrograde period will focus on bringing the peaceful, humanitarian, compassionate energy of the Jupiter-Neptune Trine (see Mar.14) into a more accessible form. This will mean stripping away the fluff and ambiguity until you have an essence that can be worked with directly, quickly and energetically. By early April, the focus will shift to taking that essence and using it to heal old unfinished business. This can happen by reframing it in a new broader context and thereby finding new ways to respond in a more detached (less reactive) way.

Mar.20 � Mars in Aquarius (until Apr.30)

This marks a shift in the style of how you assert and express yourself, which will impact your experience of the Mercury Retrograde cycle (above). During this time you may find it easier to break out of old habits and ruts, but be careful not to fall into rebelling just for the sake of stirring up trouble or being erratic and reckless just to prove you can choose your own path.