September 13th ~ 20th
“Moonlight” by Winslow Homer
A lake is something limited. Water is inexhaustible. A lake can contain only a definite amount of the infinite quantity of water; this is its peculiarity. In human life too the individual achieves significance through discrimination and the setting of limits. Therefore what concerns us here is the problem of clearly defining these discriminations, which are, so to speak, the backbone of morality. ~ The I Ching (Chieh #60: Limitation)
The Full Moon in watery and sublime Pisces on the 13th/14th, brings the Jupiter/Neptune square to a head. The hexagram Chieh in the I Ching represents the need in our lives for practical limitations. Although it is true that our potential is limitless, our ability to channel and reach that potential is limited by our circumstances: our bodies, our minds, our environment, our beliefs. There is only so much we can do, so much we can accomplish with our limited resources. It can be a good thing to push ourselves just enough past our own expectations. But too much excess only leads to regrettable circumstances. Too much water in the lake causes the lake to overflow its boundaries, at which point it is no longer defined as a lake.
Spending too much, over-reaching too much, trying to do too much will just find you exhausted, over-extended and having to pay the bills later on. Work suffers, health suffers, you’re broke and you lose your sense of self. This is the danger of the Jupiter/Neptune square which is being amped up by the Full Moon this weekend. This is because the Full Moon is conjunct Neptune in Pisces and square Jupiter… The result is a cascading wave of disenchantment and distraction. We can choose to drown in the limitless depths of this diluvian Moon, or we can take the advice from the I Ching: choose moderation; set limits and choose to redefine our boundaries in a healthy way. Too many limits are not a good thing either, but no boundaries will find us dissolving into nihilistic nothingness.
This week we also have Saturn, the planet of limits and boundaries pausing for its direct station in pragmatic and well-defined Capricorn. And although Jupiter perfects its square to Neptune on the 21st, now that Saturn will appear to be moving direct again, it will follow Jupiter’s square with its own transit to Neptune. Ironically, it is Saturn, not Jupiter, that facilitates us achieving our hopes and ideals. We need to recognize what our goals and limitations are, in order to know what is or is not practically achievable. And so we are also reminded in Chieh, that in order to become strong an individual needs to accept and recognize their limitations.
About 2 weeks before Saturn stations direct it always makes a trine to the Sun first. The Sun is the life giver and life sustainer. Usually when Saturn stations Direct, we begin to finally feel that things are now able to move forward, especially in areas where we’ve been feeling really stuck or held back. And although Saturn moving forward can remove the obstacles that are preventing us from accomplishing our goals, it can also help us to take greater control over the direction of our lives by setting appropriate boundaries and limits where they are needed. This means having the courage to say no when you need to, and setting standards and rules as needed. When we align ourselves with Saturn’s more positive and pragmatic qualities, we become stronger, more stable, more grounded and less conflicted.
Do realize, now that Saturn is going direct, it is also going to be moving towards Pluto. We will speak more to this later. But this could mean for many having to make some hard decisions going forward: what needs to go in order for us to be able to rebuild our lives in a way that is more sustainable, reliable and dependable?
Some things that this Full Moon on the 13th-14th could be beneficial for:
Taking a short break or retreat from the everyday world.
Any sort of spiritual practice or teaching.
Immersing yourself in daydreams, fantasy and innocent escapes.
Marvel at the magic that is a latent potential in our everyday world.
Exploring the bounds of your imagination.
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: