Jupiter

Major Shifts and Movements – Day 673

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Saturn, Jupiter, and the moon – Photo: L.Weikel

Major Shifts and Movements

There’s a lot happening celestially this week that’s impacting all of us, in big ways and small, and our life here on Earth. On a grand and profound scale, major shifts and movements of three of the outer, slower moving planets are beginning to take place. These shifts are directly related to movements and alignments that began in January and then reversed in late April/early to mid May. On a smaller scale, a new moon is occurring on Thursday.

As we all know by now, astrologically, new moons are times when we are encouraged to begin new projects, enter new relationships, and plant the seeds of new ideas. Full moons are often viewed as times of reaching full ripeness and peak expression and experience. In the podcast I’m recommending today, master astrologer Rick Levine gives a synopsis of the major planetary influences that will be occurring during the month of September.

Plant Small Seeds

Given the nature of everything that’s going on around us, from a pandemic, to unprecedented wildfires, to hurricanes and water tornadoes, it would be easy to think that the seeds of intention we might want to plant around now would be big honkers that will herald a whole new world. But apparently that would not be the wisest course. Rather, Levine counsels that we plant small seeds. In other words, right now, the wisest course of action is to set small, manageable goals of intention. Take our lives and our intentions to create change one small step at a time.

When I heard this today (I’ve begun listening to podcasts, especially when I mow the lawn, since receiving earpods for Mother’s Day), it not only made sense to me – it felt like a relief. When I set intentions (or make a wish, for instance, on the candles of my birthday cake), I tend to ‘go big.’ I often aspire to make what feel like significant shifts in my approach to life or my practice.

And with the election only 50 days away, I feel like I should also be setting all sorts of intentions to be more of an activist on behalf of voting rights and preserving the integrity of our elections.

Yet the wisdom of setting some small, attainable goals in the midst of the insanity all around us feels really good to me.

The Big Guns

This might be at least partially because the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto are now beginning to shift their configuration again – and based upon what’s happened so far, I expect we will see the impact of that within a couple of weeks.

Briefly, in January, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto all basically clumped together in the sign of Capricorn, which can be seen as the sign of patriarchy, structure, and capitalism, among other things. This is also when we started hearing rumblings of the arrival of a virus that could cause a pandemic. It’s when, unbeknownst to us, the virus was spreading like wildfire, particularly in New York.

In late April and early to mid May, each one of those major, very slow moving planets stationed retrograde. It could be argued that this is when the assurances were being made that it would go away, it would all disappear, and we would be able to return to normal by Memorial Day. Remember that?

Well, just this past Saturday, Jupiter stopped its retrograde movement, stationed direct, and is now moving forward again. Jupiter ‘makes things bigger.’ Saturn, planet of boundaries, restrictions, lessons, and karma will station direct and begin moving forward the last week of September. And then Pluto, planet of transmutation, change, and death, will station direct and begin moving forward on October 3rd. Can’t help but wonder what these planets moving ‘full steam ahead’ might bring.

Hold Your Fire

I encourage you to listen to the podcast I’ve linked. It’s all quite fascinating. And it doesn’t need to be scary. Not by any means. Education and preparation is power. There’s only so much any of us can do individually. But we can remain aware. Plant small seeds. Be prepared.

The ‘theme’ Rick Levine gives for this month is ‘hold your fire.’ It makes total sense when you consider the celestial movements as they relate to our experiences here on Earth, particularly in the United States and the calamitous spewing of revelations we’re being confronted with day after day. It’s important that we not allow ourselves to become exhausted by trying to fight too many huge battles every damn day as we plod through this month and next. It is a temptation we must resist.

We need to allow ourselves to charge our batteries so that when it is time, we will be operating at full power. Take a listen. Especially starting around minute 47 or so. Wow.

(T-438)

Cosmic Parade – Day 626

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Saturn Jupiter Moon Antares – Photo: L. Weikel

Cosmic Parade

Oooh, I am so glad we waited until the sun set before taking our walk this evening. By shifting our usual trek time to more than an hour later than usual, we ended up experiencing an array of unexpected treats – including witnessing a veritable cosmic parade.

It was hot today. Perhaps not quite as oppressive as it was last week, but pretty darn close. I’ll admit that I made the mistake of watching Bill Barr’s testimony yesterday before the House Judiciary Committee, and today I paid attention to the news as the day unfolded. Witnessing what’s going on in the world, especially in our country, at the moment is enough to test even the most even-keeled person’s resolve to remain detached and chill.

And Karl and I have both been inexcusably indolent lately. We actually failed to take a walk two days in a row – both Monday and Tuesday – in spite of the fact that we desperately needed to walk the frustration off. So today we were both adamant that we wouldn’t capitulate to the temptation to stay at home in the air conditioning.

Not the Comet

As we rounded the third leg of our shorter journey this evening, the waxing moon was so brilliant, she was throwing stark moon shadows. Glancing up at her in the sky, I noticed a reasonably bright object slightly below and to the right of the moon. I wondered if it was a planet, so I whipped out my phone to check my Sky Guide app.

Actually, I discovered it was the star Antares, which is a red supergiant located at the heart of the constellation Scorpius. (I only know this courtesy of Sky Guide.)

Cosmic Parade – Photo: L. Weikel

But the cosmos had snagged my attention. The sky was growing darker and darker, making more and more of our ‘hatun chaskas’ (great Star brothers and sisters) visible.

One extremely bright object in the sky initially had us thinking it must be the lights on a plane approaching. Nope; it was Jupiter. I then excitedly realized that just to the left and a little below Jupiter was Saturn, not quite as bright as Jupiter, but definitely one of the brighter objects in the sky.

We were delighted to witness this parade of planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Moon – with Antares thrown in as a bonus. (I know the moon isn’t a planet.) I guess the better description is a cosmic parade.

Here is how Sky Guide displayed what we were observing:

Sky Guide screen grab – Photo: L. Weikel

If you get a chance to take a walk tomorrow night, I highly recommend that you get outside around 9:00 p.m. and take a look in the southwest sky. Oh my.

 

(T-485)

Venus & Jupiter Conjunction – Day 378

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Venus & Jupiter Conjunction – Photo: L. Weikel

Venus & Jupiter Conjunction

Even though it didn’t feel like we were getting all that late of a start on our walk tonight, darkness seemed to slam the lid shut on the day more quickly than I was expecting.

I was going to write tonight’s post on the very obvious presence of Venus and Jupiter in the evening sky, but then became distracted by a discovery upon arriving home that demanded my attention (and whose import continues to linger in my mind).

Tonight Venus and Jupiter were the closest they will get to each other (from our perspective) in the next thirteen months or so. Here’s a brief article. It’s called a conjunction when planets or other celestial bodies are either exactly at or within a few degrees of each other in a particular sign. In these two planets’ case tonight, they are conjuncting at 28 degrees Sagittarius, as I mentioned yesterday.

Well, now that I’ve started writing, I guess I might as well follow through and complete this post about the planets. I did manage to get a decent photo of them, considering I only have an iPhone 6.

I was particularly pleased with my effort to capture reflections of the planets in the puddle of water we were walking past. I managed to catch Venus’s reflection especially – probably because she was so bright. While Jupiter is also reflected, it’s harder to see because it’s simply not as large or as brilliant (to our naked eye). Jupiter is actually exponentially larger than Venus – and much further away from Earth than is Venus.

Look For Yourself

In case you’re wondering, the brighter of the two planets, the one on the lower left, is Venus.

It’s not too late! You should be able to see these two very obvious celestial bodies in the western sky for at least another couple of nights. I’ve noticed them getting closer and closer to each other during this past week and admired their stark beauty in the orangey glow of the post-sunset sky. I’m sure you’ll be able to see them if the weather holds and you have a decent view of the western horizon.  You will need to get outside to look at around 5:00 p.m. or so. They may not have set by 6:00 or 6:30.

Tomorrow’s Post

I do want to share the surprise that was awaiting us tonight when we concluded our walk, but I guess I’ll wait until tomorrow to write about it! It did point to a reason why tonight’s post went out a bit later than it should have. But I’ll leave it at that for now.

(T-733)

New Moon Coming – Day 377

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New Moon Coming

Next Tuesday morning (November 26th, 2019, at 4:06 a.m. EST) the moon will be new – in Sagittarius.

I’m not sure why I’m so acutely aware of this coming new moon, but I am. It feels like it will be a particularly auspicious time to plant the seeds of what we’d like to manifest in our lives.

Perhaps it’s because my natal moon (the placement of the moon in the zodiac at the exact time I was born) is in Sagittarius that I feel drawn to the power of this particular transit. Or maybe it’s because Sagittarius is a fire sign – a mutable one at that – and the whole concept of change (mutation) and the vibrancy of fire have me imagining big shifts happening.

Pre-Holiday Reflection

I’m writing about the new moon now, tonight, because it is a Saturday evening and there still remains another day in this weekend for potential quiet time. We all know that once Thanksgiving arrives, it feels like an untethered toboggan ride down a ski slope to Christmas and New Year’s. It feels important that we sit back and take a few breaths this weekend before Thanksgiving to reflect on what we’re bringing to the Gratitude Table this year and what we would like to bring next year.

Thus, unlike most of my musings about the moon’s phases, this time I’m trying to give everyone a heads up with a little time to spare.

Time to spare? Yes. I’m getting such a strong sense that 2020 is going to be a year that holds enormous change that I feel it is essential to give us all as much of a chance to get ahead of the curve as possible. Major disruption in 2020 is a distinct possibility, perhaps, but ultimately sets a tone and establishes a foundation for many years ahead.

Again, with the fire of Sagittarius warming the soil of possibility, and the added guidance and expansive tendencies of both Jupiter and Venus, both of which are also enjoying their last moments in Sag as well, I urge us all to begin the process of reflection, assessment, and dreaming-into-being now. Not only ahead of this Tuesday’s new moon, but also ahead of the eclipse season that arrives on the next new moon (December 25th), then the start if the calendar year, and then the solar eclipse on January 11th. (The subject of another post or two down the road.)

Seeds of Intention

What intentions do you want to set this new moon? These can be the same ones you may have noticed lurking recently in the corners of your mind, the aspirations you were toying with bringing out into the light around December 31st.

What activity, cause, or idea lights you up or sparks your passion? How can you bring that passion more directly into your life and, beyond that, expand on it?

Are you yearning to plant seeds of change in how you think about yourself? Your love life or partnerships? Are you thinking about having children or creating in some other, perhaps artistic manner? Are you feeling a call to further your education? Is there a burning desire in your soul to explore the bigger existential questions, such as why you are here, or how you can use your unique gifts or skills to make the world a better place?

A Potent Warm-Up

This will be the last new moon occurring in Sagittarius until 2030, so it feels important to take advantage of the unique energies associated with it. It also feels like these next few days before this new moon are a powerful warm-up.

I’m bringing all of this up so that you start the process of seriously contemplating the feelings you want to cultivate in your life. Start by giving yourself some attention this weekend, set the intentions (plant the seeds) on Tuesday – but also realize that you can hone these intentions over the next six to eight weeks as we move through the holidays and celestial events. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started; allowing ourselves permission to begin the process of becoming aware.

Awareness is such an essential aspect to growth and evolution. Use these shorter days to retreat into a cocoon of reflection and self-kindness. Ask your soul what s/he really wants to feel going forward.

(T-734)

Tomorrow: New Moon in Leo  – Day 261

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Cassiopeia via smokymtnastro.org  

Sticking with the theme I’ve been on for the past couple of days, cosmos-wise, I want to remind you that tomorrow is the New Moon, and it is in Leo.

So I’m thinking it would be of benefit to hit your personal ‘refresh’ button, set new goals, step outside your old ways of thinking and being, and set some new, bold, creative intentions.

You might want to take a look at where Leo (which is not only where the sun is at the moment, but also exactly where the moon is – hence the moon being ‘new’ and therefore ‘dark’) falls in your own birthchart. Whatever ‘house’ Leo is in on your birthchart may be the area of your life where those new intentions might be most effectively planted.

Mercury Stations Direct, Too

At the same time that we’re planting the seeds of what we want to change or create new in our lives, Mercury is stationing and going direct again tomorrow too. So, yahoo for communications flowing more easily and technology not going on the fritz unexpectedly. Your efforts to plant and grow those newly planted intentions should flow more easily.

Jupiter Also Stations Direct

One other astrological phenomenon that’s happening tomorrow is that Jupiter, too, is stationing direct. I’ll see what I can find out there to help us understand and isolate the specific areas of our lives that are being activated by these aspects, and share what I find tomorrow night – if I locate something particularly fascinating or enlightening.

I have to admit, my Sky Guide app assisted me in recognizing Jupiter’s presence in the sky over the past couple of nights. It sure is a big, bold, bright spot in the sky.

Cassiopeia

For some reason, my eyes kept being drawn to the constellation Cassiopeia. It’s from the direction of that constellation that the Perseids appear to originate. I’m not at all sure why, but the geometric precision of the triangular placement of the stars just kept calling to me.

I’m still being called to look upward, both physically and metaphorically. Maybe you are, too?

(T-850)

Full Moon – and Jupiter! – Day 218

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Moon and Jupiter – Image credit: Juerg Alean

Full Moon – and Jupiter!

Man, the light of tonight’s full moon is brilliant and powerful. It’s shining in my living room window at the moment, casting blue shadows on the trees and grass across the road.

Tonight I happened to be driving around the countryside at around 9:30 p.m. and I was astonished to see how huge and obvious Jupiter was in the night sky. It’s in the southern sky, and when I caught sight of it this evening, I knew immediately what it was, as it was the only object within a great swath of the sky.

Sky Guide Pointed Me In the Right Direction

To be honest, when I first started reading last week about how close Jupiter would be over the next several days, I ‘cheated’ and enlisted the aid of my favorite astronomy app, Sky Guide. Karl and I were taking a walk and I was describing how Jupiter was going to be so close to us that its four moons would be visible to us with only the use of a set of binoculars.

For some reason, I thought the planet would be hanging out more in the western sky. So I was surprised when I located it just under the horizon to our south. That stood me in good stead, though, because I knew where to look tonight, when the sky became surprisingly clear – at least for a moment.

I was headed south as I was driving home, so it wasn’t as if I had to crane my neck or even hardly take my eyes off the road, particularly when I got within about two miles of our home. I was driving on a stretch of road that is elevated and provides a remarkably unobstructed view of the sky. And I saw it immediately – it almost looked like a plane coming toward me, it was so bright. But in spite of the illusion of ‘twinkling’ that the atmosphere causes, the object did not move; that’s how I knew for sure it was Jupiter.

Caught Without My Binoculars

Unfortunately, I didn’t have binoculars in the car or I would have pulled over right then and there to see if I could focus in on its moons.

Our moon was not yet up (or it was so low on the horizon that it was obscured by trees and I couldn’t see it), so its brilliant, reflected light was not detracting from the brightness of Jupiter.

Obviously, the main photo I’m using tonight was not taken tonight, since the moon in the photo is not full. It was actually taken on January 22, 2013. But it’s such a cool photo, and the four moons of Jupiter are so clear, I thought I would include it. This only reinforces my resolve to put a pair of binocs in my car so I have them when I need them – perhaps even tomorrow night!

Everyone Seemed to Be Tucked Into Their Homes, Unaware…

As an aside, I took particular notice of how few cars were out and about on this Monday evening after the sun had set. It made me realize just how much of our population rolls up their sidewalks and puts themselves to bed every night, remarkably oblivious to the amazing phenomena that occur above our heads all the time. But this made me all the more certain that I would write about this tonight and urge you all to get yourselves outside tomorrow night to take a look!

Check that Jupiter out – and if you have binoculars, look for its moons. What a cool opportunity to expand our horizons.

Perhaps tomorrow night I’ll give you a taste of the astrological aspects that this Jupiter, transiting Sagittarius, is bringing to our lives.

In the meantime – again – I urge you to get the Sky Guide app! You won’t regret it!

(T-893)