Hello, everyone.
This week is a wild one! It holds the Jupiter/Pluto square we’ve seen exploding across the world against the backdrop of the Sun, Mercury, and Mars moving into watery Pisces. This week is like when you’re barbequing and the flames flare up. You need to quickly spray those flames with water before they char your food. But be careful. Pisces also rules oils, and we know what happens when you spray oil on a flame!
Closer to home we see the waning Moon bring the finishing touches to our recent endeavors and the time to either set them aside or hand them off to someone else.
Jupiter/Pluto Square on the global stage
Jupiter began its current cycle with Pluto in December 2007, in the sign of Sagittarius. Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius and this conjunction signaled the beginning of a dozen years or so of turmoil regarding issues of morality, justice, law, treaties, leagues, and religion. Since that starting point Pluto has moved into Capricorn and faster-moving Jupiter has travelled through Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces to arrive in the sign Aries. This is the first square, the waxing square, between these two planets in this thirteen year synodic cycle.
Roman cast terracotta of ram-horned Jupiter Ammon, 1st century AD. (Source:Wikipedia)
I understand the waxing square as an approach/approach conflict. Two directions are vying for our consent and the choice is inherently stressful. We assume that if we choose one we will have to give up the other and we chafe against this requirement. Actually the square is one of the best times to find a way to achieve both of our goals. The key is to act, to seize the moment, to take a stand.
The recent conflicts in the Mid-East and northern Africa are perfect examples of this Jupiter/Pluto aspect. Pluto in Capricorn brings the energy of revolution to everything Capricorn rules: business, the economy, government, the military – all of the massive, often unseen, structures which undergird our lives. As world leaders become more and more determined to hold their power structures together, the annihilating energy of Pluto is toppling regimes and clearing the way for new structures.
Enter Jupiter in Aries. Jupiter, despite his reputation as the giver of boons and the planet that brings blessings and opportunity, can be aggressive and warlike, especially in Aries. Jupiter incites us to seek our version of “truth” at any cost and won’t be held back by traditional, entrenched Capricorn. Jupiter has big ideas in Aries, ideas like overcoming limitations, taking over territory, and establishing a new social order. When these two giants are at a stand-off, as they are now, it gets hot!
Jupiter/Pluto square at work
This energy is playing out in our business lives, too. We are poised to expand, to grow, to design and develop new products and services. The Aries energy pushes us to take risks, to establish our own “new social order.” Yet, with Pluto in Capricorn, we’re all too aware of the economic and financial turmoil which could engulf us any moment. Credit is still tight, customers are still cautious. The Capricorn influence wants us to hold on to what is working. We are likely to experience a “tight in the stomach” risk aversion. We want small, incremental change, not big new endeavors.
The problem with holding on to what is working, which is typical Capricornian behavior, is that – it’s no longer working! Since Pluto entered Capricorn we’ve either already recognized cavernous sinkholes in our “reliable” structures, or we can sense that they are there. So as we try to rely on what’s familiar, we recognize it’s not the safety net it used to be. But when we go for risk and opportunity we know we’re out on shaky ground there too.
Sinkhole (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
OK. How do we make the most of this volatile time? Just as Pluto’s symbol is the phoenix, the mythical bird that arises from the ashes of its former self, as structures disintegrate there are opportunities to implement new ones. As Jupiter in Aries looks for new adventures, look close to home. Dig into the ashes of what worked in the past to find embers that still glow. Expand into new territory using the knowledge you’ve gained from experience.
In the past two or three years we’ve all learned a lot about finance, banking, the economy, debt, credit and risk. Bring everything you’ve learned into the new endeavor. We’re all maturing in this challenging environment. Jupiter gives wisdom and Pluto gives riches. With these two we can foment our own revolution and begin again.
Pisces and Leadership
In the midst of all this we have the passage of the Sun, Mercury, and Mars from Aquarius into Pisces this week. Pisces is a very different energy than the prior sign, Aquarius. Aquarius is a mental, pioneering sign interested in innovation and change. Pisces is the sign least concerned with the mundane world and its crises. The energy of Pisces is emotional, idealistic, and compassionate, given to aesthetic and spiritual concerns.
Your leadership style under this Pisces influence may be dramatically different than the last few weeks. You may decide to withdraw from conflict. You may want to avoid difficult decisions and just let matters unfold. You may feel that your efforts are futile. You may yearn for some peace and quiet, some time to let your imagination wander.
This is easier said than done this week, in light of the Jupiter/Pluto square. Someone has to steer the boat and your second-in-command, represented by Mars, is feeling the same way you are. We all need time to refresh our energies and to turn our attention to our source of inspiration. But next week is not the time. The dose of compassionate water energy is just what this Jupiter/Pluto conflagration needs. And the intuition of Pisces is necessary to recognize the opportunities for growth that can be sifted from the ashes when the flames die down.
I’d love to hear how your week plays out. Your comments are always insightful.
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To get an overview of the year, check out these posts:
Have you seen my new blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.
Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.
For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – February 2011
For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned this week, see
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