Lines. Boundaries. Borders. Time. Restrictions. Convictions. Rules. Regulations. Division. Cutoff. Inclusion. Exclusion. You stay. You go. This is okay. This is not ok. But is it ever really that simple? Boundaries are nice concepts until love comes crashing through the door.
Relationship. Kinship. State. Wait, state? Yep. That’s what the Thesaurus said, state. I like the concept; you and I form a state once we engage in a relationship. We can call this state anything we want; casual, permanent, experimental, permeable. We can even call it Sassafras, it matters not as long as we agree on it.
Agreement. Understanding. Arrangement. Accord. Concord. But what happens when I realize that there is something that I don’t agree with you about, something that may very well threaten the state of you and me?
Conflict. Whoa, there are a lot of words for conflict in the Thesaurus, oppositeness and ambivalence among them. These strike me as interesting terms to describe the same word. How can you be opposite something while also being ambivalent about it?
This week is an important one if you are working some of your more torturesome relationship edges (or if life is working them for you). Astrological happenings such as this week’s Venus stationing direct a mere degree away from Pluto while it opposes Jupiter. This happens one day after a new moon in Aquarius (inhale). These are just as much events as they are meditations. For those of us that are primed, the events that we need to spur us on our evolutionary path will be magnetized to us in hyper-speed. For others, who for a myriad of reasons, do not need some major upheaval to come their way can meet the moment with a conscious awareness and see what arises. Astrology is about paying attention to what is, not trying to narrow down the mystery of life into 12 neat little zodiac slices of pie.
Having the new moon occur a day before Venus stations direct is an intense little goddessend. A new moon clears the slate, not always the easiest of tasks. This is especially true if you are used to holding onto everything with all you’ve got. It is an essential task if we are to clear space for a more skillful way of being, or in this case a more skillful way of relating.
Let’s go over some of the essentials: Venus went retrograde the same day as our last Winter Solstice (December 21st) in Capricorn. However Venus started slowing down and conjoined Pluto back on November 15/16 (depending on where you live). Therefore since late November we’ve been in a kind of relationship odyssey (this week’s horoscopes focus on this as well as where the new moon occurs for you). That has hopefully helped you glean some insight about what you tend to create via your projections, expectations and boundaries (or lack thereof) in relationships. This week however could tend towards exaggerating, aggravating and magnifying all that is due to Jupiter’s opposition to Pluto and therefore Venus. Again thank the heavens it isn’t a full moon that is in the mix as that would only increase the increase.
Any combination of Jupiter and Pluto is vortex-ish in nature. Pluto represents the underworld and Jupiter expands what it connects to while wanting a lot of everything. With Venus so close to Pluto, stationing direct during the opposition to Jupiter one has to wonder (as if watching a horror movie) if she’ll get tricked by the evil monster-man and sucked into a black-hole of death. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of room for ambivalence when Pluto and Jupiter are in the room. That’s quite possibly the precise place where we lose consciousness.
There are always nuances, subtleties and fine prints that we’d rather not read when it comes to dealing with one another. Anytime Venus stations direct (i.e. appears to stop in the sky and change directions) there is an absolute gem of an opportunity for healing. That’s if we can keep our wits about us and not fall victim to our patterns of going unconscious.
Enter the new moon in Aquarius-perspective please! Aquarius is the cool realm of air where we meet the intellect. This wind provides us with concepts and an ability to detach from emotions so we may think with objectivity. Aquarius sees the scope of things and can navigate the terrain in a calm, thoughtful manner. Aquarius doesn’t get hooked by sentimentalism but rather moves forward and does what must be done. With that kind of energy backing this next transition perhaps we can simply do what must be done when it comes to dealing with compromise, conflict and tender hearted exchanges. More often than not, doing what must be done is setting our boundaries firmly and taking care of our own needs, not much else must be done. And if a Venus retrograde through the Saturn ruled sign of Capricorn wants to make sure of anything, imho, it’s boundaries in relationships.
Perhaps we can stand in opposition to a loved one and hold them with an ambivalent heart. Perhaps ambivalence can bring confusion but also compassion. Perhaps I can know I value and love you and yet still stand in opposition to some of your beliefs.
One thing is for sure; my power lies in how I handle this moment with myself. I’ve made a million and one mistakes in relationships and I’ve mishandled quite a few hearts because I wasn’t awake to my own feelings and needs in the moment, but no more if I can help it. Today my prayer is: May I wake up to my feelings as they are happening so that I can be conscious of what I need. May I have courage to take the correct action once I know my truth.
May Venus bless you with new moon magic!
Chani
New Moon In Aquarius occurs Thursday, January 30th, 1:38 pm PST
Jupiter Opposes Pluto January 31st, 1:16 am PST
Mercury Enters Pisces January 31st, 6:30 am PST
Venus Stations Direct January 31st, 12:49 pm PST
Links:
For articles on Venus and her retrograde cycles:
This week’s new moon horoscopes: