(first published 12 Aug 2020)
This is a very quick, off the cuff post … hope you like it.
As I write, our world is consumed by Covida: a chronic state of irrational fear, uncertainty and doubt. (lookup Microsoft and F.U.D.) So, prescriptions for how turn fear into power (thanks, Starhawk for this idea) are especially pertinent…
Today,12 August 2020, Mars is in the first of 3 squares to Pluto. Time to look what scares you straight in the eye and be bold. Don’t worry if it’s tough, or terrifying, or if you don’t do a good job of being brave .. life will hand you several opportunities to practice this year.
‘Twixt now and late December, we’ll have a chance to practice – at least thrice – how we handle issues of assertion and desire, or the lack thereof. Put a bit differently, for all of us, we’ll be invited to :
1) take a deep breath and calm down
2) figure out exactly what you want / are not getting
3) take the minimum action needed to get (2).
Because of the singular retrograde, odds are that whatever you do for (3), you’ll need to persist, and do it again.
if you botch (2) then you’ll find yourself enraged or depressed (same thing, just not expressed) over what will be fundamentally distractions from the main issue.
Mars is all about developing courage ….
So, where in your life will this call to action occur ?
If you know your rising sign, the following may help you identify where in your own life you’ll get the call to go deep into how you get your needs met (Mars).
If not, and you’d like a free tool to find out, let me know. If enough people ask for it, I’ll write a tool on this website that will tell you ..
Aries rising:
Where do you stand up for yourself and declare : This is Who I Am , and that is what I want, w/o apologizing to anyone ? Improving your self-assertion
Taurus rising:
Something about your connection to god/spirit/imagination/inspiration want you to be brave. A vision quest calls you – spend a night , alone, in the wild. Your connection to “soul” needs you to do something scary and bold, to widen your doorway to infinity.
Homework Assignment #1 : look up the original definition of “Awe”.
Assignment #2: Answer this question: in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, why did Indiana Jones cover his eyes and ears in the scene when the Ark of the Covenant was opened ?
Real spirituality is not for sissies …
Gemini Rising:
Find those people and groups who want what you want – eg. your community – , and do something constructive about what stops you, preferably as part of a team with others.
Authors note: Please do NOT take this as any kind of endorsement of the violence I see each day in the news. That is exactly opposite of what I’m preachin’ here.
Cancer Rising:
Mars is in your tenth house. figure out what is not happening in your professional life, and claim your right to act publicly. Take a public stand that’s not ‘safe’.
Leo Rising:
Teach ! Study ! Boldly go where none have gone before , Challenge your beliefs..
Virgo Rising:
Be naughty. show your passion, take (considered) risks in being honest with those you love. Trust (but verify!). Call forth your personal creative magic and do something that matters. Ask for something you want and are afraid to have…
Libra Rising:
this is a tough one. With Libra rising, odds are you’ve benefited by crafting, and wearing, a mask of peace, calm , politeness. With Mars in your seventh house, it’s time to remember what the first astrologer I studied with taught me (thanks, James Farrell, wherever you are..)
“Libra is the sign of Peace …. and War”. Be diplomatically assertive, brave and fierce with those you deeply love and trust. Know what you want and need, and share that with your bestie’s .
Scorpio Rising:
Imagine: you are having a quiet night at home. maybe you are brooding about something that annoys you. Suddenly … a knock at the door. You look through the spy-hole (or maybe ask Ring to show you who’s out there) and see what looks like a Samurai warrior… She’s got swords and guns – and that’s just what you can see… clearly, someone dangerous.
“Who is it ? ” you call out.
Comes the answer: “You think you know how to fight, but you are blinded by toxic passion. I am here to teach you precision and skill, if you can humble your pride and receive schooling” …
Sagittarius Rising:
Party ! time to Have Some Fun – be creative, try new things, push the edges of your self-expressions and reveal, to the right audience, something so personal , so deep that, in the wrong hands, they might hurt you. Dare it anyway. your creative power has become blocked, and you need to take a chance to re-open your access to Joy.
Capricorn Rising:
Within your family (birth family, your adoptive tribe .. best friends forever) be brave.
be clear about what you want and need, ask yourself – is this what i was taught to want, or is it really from my deep core self ?” if the latter, you need to let your intimates know who you really are.
Aquarius Rising:
Expand you inner heretic. Post troubling questions on Facebook (and yes, you might get blocked. dare it anyway !) . Pursue thoughts that might lead to trouble. Raise your voice in a disagreement. Write a strong letter to an editor. If you see an Emperor without any clothes, in a crowd that ignores the obvious, grab a bullhorn and shout the news..
For you, until the end of December, “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword.”
Pisces Rising:
Boldness feeds your self-esteem. Figure out what you need, and find an ethical way to take it. Don’t let the lies that you are not worth it, or worth anything, stop you. Note what stops you, and direct your anger into action. if you don’t , the passivity induced by apparently hopeless frustration will drain your life into oblivion. Don’t fall for that trap. Commit to making an omelette, and break a few eggs.