Dear Chronogram Reader:
What just happened in this country? In a phrase: Uranus conjunct Eris in Aries. The key phrase for Uranus is, “Expect the unexpected.” And Eris? Well, she is known for taking feelings of being ‘cast off’ and using them to incite competition and chaos.
We have more of that on our plates then we’d like right now. Personally, I am in shock. I knew that Donald Trump could win, but I never thought that he would actually win.
Expect the unexpected. Uranus conjunct Eris.
We’ve experienced two exact contacts between Uranus and Eris so far this year. Before those two planets are done with their tete-a-tete, they’ll conjoin once more in Aries, on March 17, 2017. So, the surprises are not done—though with any luck, the next batch will swing things in a more creative, productive, humane direction to counter what’s been happening in this election year. I’m not making any predictions; just holding space for the idea that even the worst upsets can inspire and engender a wave of energy and action to rebalance what has gone askew.
After all, with each new day we get new opportunities and new astrology to help us make sense of things and move forward. And this week, we get three of the so-called personal planets changing sign.
On one level, this indicates shifts in thinking, in how we receive and relate, and in how we take action toward what we want. Here’s what’s going on astrologically:
Yesterday, Mars left Capricorn and entered Aquarius. On Friday, Venus leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn; the next day, Saturday, Mercury moves from Scorpio to Sagittarius.
Mars in Aquarius wants to pursue unorthodox courses of action. If you can steer its inventiveness toward serving the collective wellbeing through teamwork, much good can be achieved and needed reforms may come about. Yet that desire for freedom can also get a little impatient—and therefore contentious. This is a Mars that must be kept in touch with its core humanity.
That might take some extra intellectual reminders, since Venus will be spending just shy of four weeks in Capricorn, starting at 11:54 pm EST on Nov. 11. This is a less effusive and less emotionally generous Venus compared to Venus in some other signs. Yet, according to noted astrologer Isabel Hickey, what Venus in Cap has going for it is the strength and patience to overcome any fear of ‘giving too much of itself’.
In other words, what we have with Mars and Venus is a situation where you might find yourself leaning on your intellect to remind yourself of things like generosity, compassion, and how to act ways that draw people together and help them feel cared for or included. That’s not a bad thing, actually, given how easy it can be to let our emotions run away with the show—or, as we’ve seen, run away with the shadow. Emotions make valuable signposts, but can be unwieldy masters.
But what is going on with Mercury, the planet of intellect? Between now and Saturday night, it’s still in Scorpio. You can expect your social media feeds to continue to be a mix of those communicating sharply about what they’re passionate about, and those who prefer to keep their thoughts (and ‘scarier’ emotions) close to the vest.
However, after Mercury moves into Sagittarius at 9:29 am EST on Saturday, you might notice your mental landscape and communication tendencies shifting. Mercury in Sagittarius tends to be direct—but sometimes a little too direct. As in, it’s a little more likely to let the arrow of speech (or judgment) fly before fully thinking through all the details.
Yet this Mercury placement is great for understanding social attitudes. That would be a welcome thing in this post-election aftermath, as long as you can keep the details and facts in view even as you look toward the bigger picture.
As you ease your way through the end of the week and tune in to these subtle shifts in the astrological landscape (which really means your own inner experience of your world, and of yourself), be kind to yourself. And, taking a cue from the planets, perhaps consider for a moment the difference between ‘society’ and ‘humanity’.
How do you interact with each of those? More importantly, can you continue to regard, support and work for either of them with an open heart, respect and unassailable devotion?
Yours & truly,
Amanda Painter
