The week begins still humming from last Sunday’s Full Moon in Cancer, but moves swiftly into its own series of developments.   With Mercury,  Venus and Mars all featured prominently in the action, this week’s gestalt theme is all about relationships of all varieties.

  Mercury, freshly ingressed into Capricorn, spends the middle of the week in a conjunction with dark Pluto, giving thoughts and communications an intense but potentially unpleasant cast.   Meanwhile, Venus spends the middle of the week aspecting both Neptune and Saturn and then enters Pisces, aspecting Jupiter over the weekend. Finally, seething, almost-retrograde Mars is highlighted by a trine from the Sun mid-week and then a conjunction with the Moon on Friday night.

 Mercury Conjunct Pluto: A Raven From The North

From: "How Birds Fly" http://www.benrey.com/birds/index.htm

Mercury moves through early Capricorn this week, on its way to a conjunction with Pluto on Friday.  This conjunction gives thoughts and communications an intense quality.  Secrets trade lips, plans are made and evolutionary turning points are brought to judgment.  Yet Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn can inspire obsessively negative thought patterns and may exaggerate difficulties and obstacles.  There is the opportunity to speak and hear of potent things- just make sure to be the equal of the truths you seek.

Venus in Aquarius: Bird’s Eye View

"Sky Goddess" http://www.shaolintiger.com/2007/05/24/kharu-sky-goddess-ii/

Venus spends the mid week moving into simultaneous aspects with both Saturn and Neptune, which are completed on Friday, the same day that Mercury conjuncts Pluto.

Venus’ conjunction with Neptune describes a romantic, forgiving and compassionate romantic vibe.  Yet the simultaneous touch with Saturn points toward compassion’s boundaries and limits to forgiveness.   This strange combination of connectedness and bounded-ness, harsh reality and dreamy ease permeates the emotional level for the first half of the week.  Questions about the principles of right relationship drift about the aethyrs here.

 Venus in Pisces: Hot Fish-Bull Action

On Friday Venus departs the eccentric wavelengths of Aquarius for the Fishes’ primordial ocean.   In Pisces, Venus is considered to be in her Exaltation, meaning that the planet’s pleasant significations are quite strong.

Venus’ pleasing move may be drowned out by other action on Friday, though.  The Moon in Virgo conjoins red Mars in Friday night’s sky, inflaming irritations and widening the window into the Mars’ retrograde station later in the month.

On Saturday, however, Venus in Pisces sextiles Jupiter in Taurus.   The two are not only in aspect, they are in mutual reception, an auspicious configuration.  The two benefics will stay in mutual reception for the next 3 weeks, helping to smooth and sooth Mars’ increasingly irritating emanations.

Mars Almost Retrograde: Slow Burn

Behind Mercury’s temporary plunge into the depths and Venus’ passionate progress, Mars continues to march closer to his retrograde.  Although not retrograde yet, Mars is deep in the shadow of the coming phase, bristling with conflicts just around the corner.

During the middle of the week the Sun in Capricorn trines Mars, bringing the central spotlight to bear on these developing tensions.  On Friday the Moon conjoins the red planet in the night sky, a lunar magnifying glass for the red light.

It’s important to identify what the challenges of the swiftly approaching retrograde are before they’re on top of you.  For a preview of the nature of Mars’ upcoming retrograde, check out my piece “Mars In Virgo Retrograde,” excepted from my 2012 Astrological Almanac.

Horoscopes

Horoscopes are not a real chart reading by an experienced astrologer. However, they are fun and can be reasonably accurate. In addition to referring to your Sun sign, read your from Ascendant and Moon if you know them. If you don’t, find out. I’m a long time fan of the free chart generation software at astro.com.

Oh, and if you’re still concerned that your sign has changed, get a little clarity here.

Aries: The Ram

Mercury’s meeting with Pluto this week may point to some hard truths about your professional situation.  Accept the facts but guard against unnecessary pessimism.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th provides a little relief from internal conflicts, greasing the creaky wheels in the back of your skull for the next 3 weeks.

Meanwhile, you’ll want to keep an eye on your physical and fiscal health, as the Sun and then Moon shine a light on the red planet’s upcoming retrograde this week.

Taurus: The Bull

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week may dim your view of the future temporarily.   Acknowledge what brutal truth may be delivered, but don’t get the idea that what you’re seeing is the whole picture.

Venus enters Pisces on the 13th, infusing your social life with a natural easy flow until Venus’ ingress into Aries on Feb. 8th.

You’ll want to keep an eye on where you’re putting your energy, as the Sun and then Moon both shine a light on the red planet’s upcoming retrograde this week, highlighting mistaken allocations.

Gemini: The Twins

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week may coincide with some uneasy revelations about the exchanges between yourself and other people.   Pay attention, but avoid paranoia.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th greases the professional gears for several weeks, providing rewards for jobs well done and a little slack for those left unfinished until her exit from submarine sign on Feb. 8th.

You’ll want to keep an eye on your living situation and relations with family members this week, as the Sun and then Moon both shine a light on Mars’ upcoming retrograde.

Cancer: The Crab

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week may coincide with some difficult moments between you and the people in your life.  Get through the discomfort and locate the deeper challenge here.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th brings pleasure from afar.  It may be a visit, visitors, or merely a good book which transports you away from your everyday locale.  Venus will be your tour guide until she enters Aries on Feb. 8th.

You may also want to reserve some extra energy for solving small problems and attending to a multitude of chores, as the Sun and then Moon shine a light on the red planet’s upcoming retrograde, highlighting these areas.

Leo: The Lion

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week may saddle you with a grim set of spectacles.  If problems look overwhelming, wait a few days and look again once the influence has passed.

Venus enters Pisces on the 13th, where she’ll be making it easier to connect to other people’s resources until she enters Aries on Feb. 8th.

Meanwhile, you’ll want to keep an eye on your bank account, as the Sun and Moon’s emphasis on Mars this week activates potential financial difficulties.

Virgo: The Virgin

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week pulls your thoughts toward the need to change up the way you’re allocating your time and energy.

Venus enters Pisces on the 13th, lining the coming weeks with numerous and passing pleasantries.

Meanwhile, you’ll want to keep an eye on how you’re handling interpersonal irritations, as both the Sun and then Moon shine a light on potential conflicts.

Libra: The Scales

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week asks you look closely at your living situation, as well as the state of your relationships with family members.  Examine these affairs, but do not be too offput by the imperfections you will find.

Venus enters Pisces on the 13th, glazing your financial and physical irritations with a bit of healing salve until the evening star’s departure from the submarine sign on Feb. 8th.

You’ll also want to keep an eye on your restive subconscious as the Sun and then Moon shine a light on the red planet’s upcoming retrograde.

Scorpio: The Scorpion

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week pulls your mind in a (more) obsessive direction.   Try to avoid planning elaborate schemes to destroy the global financial system.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th lubricates a variety of activities for you.  Creative work as well as decadent waste will both have a helping hand from Venus until she exits for Aries on Feb. 8th.

You’ll want to keep an eye on your relationships with friends, peers and contacts, as the Sun and then Moon shine a light on Mars’ upcoming retrograde this week.

Sagittarius: The Archer

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week pulls your thoughts toward your financial situation and changes that need to be made in this area.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th heralds some nice times to be had at your home, as well as lubricated relations with family members.  You’ll have these benefits until Venus enters Aries on Feb. 8th.

You’ll want to keep an eye on latent conflicts in your professional situation, as the Sun and then Moon both shine a light on Mars’ upcoming retrograde this week.

Capricorn: The Goat

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week pulls your thoughts to deep questions about you and your place in the world.  Time to get pithy.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th peppers your days with a smattering of short trips and small pleasures.   Venus will be creating a little peripheral luxury for you until she enters Aries on Feb. 8th.

Meanwhile, this week’s emphasis on an almost retrograde Mars prompts questions about the uncertain horizon of your long term goals.  Allow for ambivalence.

Aquarius: The Water Bearer

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week may pull your thoughts in an introspective but potentially depressive direction.  Recognize the truths trying to emerge but don’t obsess on the negative.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th butters up your bank account a bit until the evening star enters Aries on Feb. 8th.

Meanwhile, you’ll want to keep an eye on your arrangements and understandings with people, as the Sun and then Moon both shine a light on Mars’ upcoming retrograde this week.

Pisces: The Fish

Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto this week highlights communications with groups of people.  Secrets abound, and the political annoyance of allies and enemies is highlighted.

Venus’ entry into Pisces on the 13th provides a pleasing background ease to the next several weeks, cushioning what harsh blows may come and smuggling a little extra luxury and love into your life until Venus’ exit into Aries on Feb. 8th.

Meanwhile, you’ll want to keep an eye on the friction in your interpersonal relationships, as the Sun and then Moon both shine a light on Mars’ upcoming retrograde this week.

Private Consultations

If you find yourself a little confused by the strange waters of the season, or interested in a personalized map of those yet to come, consider a consultation. For details, click here. Send inquiries to ac@austincoppock.com.