October 4th ~ 11th
“The Punishment of Sisyphus” by Titian
We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned… so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come. ~ Joseph Campbell
Pluto has only just stationed direct, and we have become intimately drawn into his underworld lair if only for a moment of acute awareness of our life’s purpose and journey. Joseph Campbell points out in his essay on the Hero’s Journey, that if we fixate on the old and cling to it, that we are in danger of putrefaction. Nothing can be made from decay. In order for something to be renewed it must come undone first. In order to create a plant, the seed needs to be broken; in order to bring forth new life, the earth must erupt. And so this is a time when we recognize the necessity of impermanence in order to create new forms. All the more so because of the proximity of Pluto to Saturn. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.
The Sun in Libra enters into this picture over the next few weeks: square Saturn this coming week, and then square Pluto by the Full Moon on the 13th. This is the final closing square of the Sun to Saturn/Pluto which stands between the opposition at the Lunar Eclipse that just passed in July, and the Lunar Eclipse in January when the Sun will be conjunct Saturn/Pluto. At this juncture it should become clearer as to what needs to stay and what needs to go in order to proceed on the journey ahead. Of necessity, things are gradually sloughing off as we make our way along the path. The rebuilding of our lives follows.
The Sun/Saturn square gives us permission to set boundaries, to honor our limits, and to say No when we need to. The Sun is in Libra, the sign of fairness, moderation and balance. In order to restore the balance, we become aware of where we have put too much energy and emphasis in one area of our life, perhaps at the expense of other areas. Saturn/Pluto is showing us either where situations have become unsustainable, or where we need to shore up and rebuild our lives on a much firmer, more reliable basis. And sometimes that means being willing to get rid of the things that we had once planned and held on to so dearly, in order to have the life that is waiting for us.
Mars also enters Libra this week, where it will remain until November 19th. Eventually Mars will enter the picture as well, so we need to take note. When Mars is in Libra we are motivated by a willingness to partner with others in order to create the sorts of changes that we would like to see. This can be grueling for Mars who does not relish collaboration, where he is contained and restrained due to the necessity for diplomacy and manners. But don’t be fooled by Mars in Libra. Mars is still Mars no matter what sign it is in, which is why this combination is known as the iron fist in the velvet glove. Mars may not be able to use his usual weapons to achieve goals and create new initiatives, but our warrior manages to find ways to work around all that. And some of our most effective diplomatic warriors are familiar with this placement.
What Mars in Libra is good for: fighting for justice and equality; and collaborating with others to restore fairness and level the playing field. What we need to watch for, is being evasive: using passive aggressive or indirect manipulative behaviors to get what we want. That sort of stuff just drives everyone crazy. Rather, what works best when Mars is in Libra is to recognize that much much more can be accomplished with a dollop of honey than with a whole gallon of gall (vinegar). Peaceful, non-violent means can accomplish so much more at these times, when we are needing to work with others across the aisle, and are asked to leave our weapons at the door.
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: