This reminds me of being a small child amongst much larger school friends and playing on the see-saw with them. I never managed to lift them off the ground, so light was I and so much heavier were they. So, I sat up in the air until they jumped off and released me back to earth with a bump.
I use this image because it illustrates clearly what is happening in our skies right now with no fewer than 6 planets (astrologers include the Sun and Moon in the planet count) in Pisces: Sun, retrograde Mercury, Venus, Mars, Chiron and Neptune. While Neptune is in for the long haul, the rest of them will move on swiftly enough. However, when the Moon is New on 11th March, it will take the total of planets in Pisces up to 7 – now that’s worth writing about!
You may be asking – Chiron? Who he? It is a rather large asteroid with planet-like attributes. Its orbit is between Uranus and Saturn and it has a 52 year cycle. As its orbit is rather odd, it is slow when in Pisces (now) to Cancer. From Leo to Aquarius it seems to whizz along at a merry pace. I think astrologers are still arguing about its attributes: the Americans think it is the Wounded Healer, from Chiron’s reputation as a teacher, astrologer and wise mentor to the young heroes of Greek mythology- he was half-man, half God, fathered by Zeus disguised as a horse – hence Chiron’s appearance as a Centaur. He taught Heracles and Achilles the art of war, he taught Aesclepius the art of medicine and thwart death; he taught Jason and Orpheus the art of music; and he taught them all astrology.
His problem came when he exchanged places with Prometheus, who had defied the Gods by giving mankind fire. The enraged Gods sentenced him to everlasting torture by having his liver torn out by vultures every night only to have it regrow in the morning. Chiron took his place and was rewarded by Zeus with a star system in his form – Sagittarius, the Centaur.
This is a wonderful story and suits the healers and shamanists – however, in Europe we see Chiron much more as a maverick energy that encourages people to behave in sudden new ways, to take the road less travelled, to begin again in our lives. even when we didn’t believe it would be possible.
Me? I don’t know – I allow you to make up your own minds. Although I do have Chiron exactly on my Ascendant and am an astrologer and healer – I’m also known for making sudden changes in my life. Being an astrologer could be seen as a maverick activity.
I will bear all this in mind as I write below.
It is of course Virgo that is being lifted up in the air by the weight opposite in Pisces, and I’m sure they have noticed. I imagine that the Full Moon earlier this week was a welcome relief for a couple of days with their feet on the ground, until the Moon moved on and up they went again into the air.
However, whatever sign we have our Suns placed – or our Ascendant, if we know it – we will all respond to this Piscean energy. I sometimes suggest that we can do as Vedic astrologers do and take our transits from our Moon sign as well.
Any opposition across the Zodiac acts like a 7th House aspect. This house was seen by the Ancients as the house of marriage, agreements and conciliation, and open enemies ( boy, did they understand marriage!). For a therapist, it can also describe their clients, although we could argue that one slightly to make it rather the 8th House. For a nation it can be those enemies whose whereabouts we know – secret enemies come under the umbrella of the 12th house. Just test it out, dear readers, and let me know your thoughts on the comments page.
The interpretations sign by sign will naturally begin with Pisces. And those among you who are 52 years old will be undergoing their Chiron returns over this couple of years.
Pisces 19th February – 20th March: The emphasis on your birth sign has been building over the last few days when Venus also entered the fray. The weight that has kept you in one place over the last few weeks is there for a purpose, so it’s important to bear this in mind. With Mercury, ruler of your 7th and 10th houses, going retrograde in your solar First House you will be wondering about all the agreements you usually make with others to keep the peace – is it working for you? Could you change your behaviour and do it differently? Similarly with your career – by all means question everything you wish to do with your life, as long as you wait until Mercury changes direction in a couple of weeks – the 17 March to be exact. So think about it and make your decisions – if it feels right then go ahead.
Aries : 21st March – 20th April – this is all going off in your 12th House of spiritual matters, matters that are difficult to get hold of – all in all a pretty uncomfortable time for you. Taking a course in meditation might work for you. Just keep your eyes fixed on your goal ad the feeling will pass in a few weeks. Mercury ruling you 3rd and 6th Houses can mean that getting to work can be a tricky issue right now – just try taking a new route and see how your perspective changes. Your siblings, neighbours and cousins could be going through changeable times in their lives. If it’s your neighbours, then Chiron my surprise you – you’ll either love ‘em or hate ‘em – so the choice could be between pulling your boundary wall down or moving house. You may have to visit someone in hospital.
Taurus: 19th April – 20th May This combination occurs in your 11th House of friendships, objectives and political ideas. With mercury going back and forth, so could you be mentally trying to work out where you stand with your ideals. Chiron could challenge you to take a radically different viewpoint – and as you do it could open up a whole new social circle that suits the new ideas that you are thinking right now. Normally you would struggle with changing your views, as a fixed sign once you make your mind up that’s it for life – however, just let yourself be guided by your reality rather than your fears of change.
Gemini: 20th May – 20th June: This combination occurs in your 10th House of career, parents (usually mother) and your public profile. With your ruler Mercury going retrograde for the next couple of weeks you may find that information technology is letting you down and messages aren’t going where they should. It is highly irritating and all you can do is bear with it. Work wise, you may find that you are suddenly wanting to spread your wings and do something completely different. Wait, give it time and when Mercury moves ahead, then you can make a decision. It may be your parents who suddenly decide to emigrate or move house – certainly they will be in some flux in their lives that will have an impact on your own.
Cancer: 21st June – 22nd July This combination occurs in your 9th House of foreign travel, languages, higher education and religion. Mercury rules your 3rd and 12th Houses – this would seem to indicate that you are waiting to create a future for yourself that may take you into a whole new culture to explore. If you are thinking of higher education, wait until Mercury goes direct at the end of the next couple of weeks – you may make a huge shift in your desire to study a particular subject and look at something altogether different. You may experience an incident of bibliotherapy, which is when a book lands at your feet or hits you on the head as you’re browsing the store shelves for something to catch your eye, and it changes all your ideas about your life and yourself. You may have a sudden announcement from a child that they are going to become a parent and you have to adjust to a massive family shift.
Leo: 22nd July – 22nd August This combination occurs in your 8th House of other people’s money and resources, shared finances, taxes, pensions and mortgages. A lot of items for one house – however, you’ll note that they all hang together. This could be a good time to dust out all those files on your various tax arrangements, etc, to see if they can offer some new ideas about re-organising your finances. Wait, though, until Mercury changes direction in a couple of weeks before acting on them. Mercury rules your 2nd House of earned money, so this could be a time of something from your past coming into your present – “back to the future”- that offers new ways of financing your life. Mercury also rules your 11th House of friendships and objectives – it could herald a time of old friends catching up with you and again offering you a new future.
Virgo: 22nd August – 22nd September This combination occurs in your 7th House of relationships, marriage, conflicts with others (open enemies). It is always vital that sensitive Virgos don’t take to heart other people’s crass behaviour around them. It is NOT your fault – don’t make yourself ill over it as you can so easily do. Take a deep breath and detach from them for as long as it takes. Your ruler Mercury is going backwards, and you may feel as if you’re doing the same – and again this could impact on your health. Any health checks may have to be done again when Mercury goes direct – get a second opinion if you need to. Mercury also rules your 10th House of career, public profile, parents (especially mother) – so the backwards action can bring up old stuff for you to let go of this time around – to clear away the old so that the new can take root. You may even decide to change your job and find a career that really suits your inner being.
Libra: 22nd September – 23rd October This combination occurs in your 6th House of health, everyday chores, office work and small animals. You may find that the atmosphere in the office is somewhat charged with unspoken emotions and energies. Being a kind soul who wants everyone to live in peace can be a pain sometimes, as you are motivated to sort them all out and restore calm once again to the environment. You may act quite unexpectedly and walk out without even a smile – preferring, for once, your own company. It could be an opportunity for you to see what you do want out of your work and what you don’t want – is there anyway that you can change that? Mercury rules your 9th House of foreign travel, languages, higher education and religion and your 12th House, also associated with foreign affairs. You could decide to take a trip for a few days to get a change of air and meet new people – always a Libran reason for doing something on your own. Wait until Mercury goes direct before you decide, then when you do – enjoy the stimulation of fresh new contacts. A small animal may give some concern.
Scorpio 23rd October – 21st November This combination occurs in your 5th House of creative pursuits, children and love affairs – a lovely house! You may be feeling deadlines breathing down your neck – those creative projects that are needing finished – boring but necessary. Your children may be going through their own major life changes – and may not tell you a thing about it until much later. They will have ideas that they need to develop in private and only reveal them when they feel its safe to do so. Mercuryrules your 8th House of debts, mortgages, pensions and finances that you share with others, so there are likely to be things going on there – that you need to be clear about. Mercury also rules your 11th House of objectives, friends and ideals. Your friends may be going through their own life changes and may call on you to accompany them as they do. An old friend may turn up with some offers of new life for you, too.
Sagittarius 21st November – 21st December This combination occurs in your 4th House of domestic affairs; family of origin; your homeland, if you are a stranger in a strange land and parents, particularly father. Your home demands much of your attention right now – decorating, joinery, plumbing etc. You may be thinking of relocating or going across water to put down new roots. Elderly parents can also be a concern – do you extend your home to include them under your roof? You may decide to do something unexpected with your home such as finding a tenant to finance a relocation or crossing water to put down new roots. Mercury rules your 7th House of relationships, agreements, marriage and conflicts with others – so many shifts and changes could be being acted out there. Mercury also rules your 10th House of career bringing many considerations to be gone through. However, you must wait until the middle of March before making any major steps in your life.
Capricorn 21st December -19th January This combination occurs in your 3rd House of siblings, neighbourhood, cousins and short journeys. You are taking a long hard look at where you live right now and are wondering if it will sustain you in the longer run. Mercury being retrograde here can mean that the reasons for being where you are may no longer be valid – such as the children finally leaving home. Chiron could have you waking up from a deep sleep and saying “I don’t want to be here any more” – and you have to make new plans that suit you better. Your siblings may be going through their own stuff and need you to be a shoulder to cry on. Mercury rules your 9th House of higher education, travel and religion – you may decide to do some more training in an area that you would like to make into a new career path; this could necessitate a completely new regular journey to your place of study. You may have a flash of mystical insight that makes things clearer for you. Mercury also rules your 6th House of everyday chores and work which can also go through its own changes when Mercury changes direction in a couple of weeks.
Aquarius 20th January – 19th February This combination occurs in your 2nd House of personal finances, security, and deepest value systems. You are an extremely avant garde thinker, except that once you make your mind up about something you can become stuck in a rut and refuse to change. This is being challenged right now and it can only be for the good. Once you see what is needing changed you can leap into a whole different set of ideals – just wait until Mercury goes forward in a couple of weeks time before leaping. Mercury rules your 5th house of creativity and children and your 8th house of shared resources, mortgages and loans. Just make sure that you are not spending too much of your hard earned cash on your children, it won’t hurt them to do without for a while until you sort yourself out first. You may have a wonderful lightbulb moment that gives you a great idea for making money – what fun is that?
