Yesterday at 12:47 pm EST was the Scorpio New Moon. Any time the Sun and Moon come together in the same degree of a sign, the Moon starts a new cycle (which lasts about 28 days). So all New Moons signify a beginning, though each one has its own flavor, its own message and its own themes that you might notice unfolding in your life as the Moon waxes.
Among the many interesting objects interacting with yesterday’s New Moon (and still in aspect to the Sun, though the Moon has already moved out of alignment by now) are the Trans-Neptunian Object Ceto, conjunct the Sun and Moon in Scorpio; and asteroid Hera, making an opposition from Taurus.
In Greek myth, Ceto was a primordial sea goddess who birthed a host of monstrous children, including various sea monsters. Hera, as you might recall, was queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, known for (among other things) her jealous rages in response to Zeus’ infidelities. You might even think of her as the ‘mother of jealousy.'
In aspect to the Sun-Moon conjunction in Scorpio, Ceto and Hera seem to pose a question: Are you aware of the ‘monsters’ you birth deep in the sea of your emotions when you let jealousy rule (for example, a desire for vengeance, or magnified possessiveness)? Jealousy is a normal emotion in humans, but it can wreak havoc when not dealt with in healthy ways. Jealousy is a normal emotion in humans, but it can wreak havoc when not dealt with in healthy ways.
Sometimes, such as with jealousy incurred by insecurity (rather than actual betrayal), compersion can be a way through, as Eric Francis discusses on this week’s Planet Waves FM -- though it can seem a Herculean task to engage with the process.
Or to approach it another way: when you are met by the righteous jealousy of a partner for deeds you thought you’d kept secret, what does that confrontation breed? Do you take responsibility, or lash out in defensiveness? Or do you allow this encounter with yourself -- in whatever form it takes -- to spawn some empathy, compassion and genuine soul-searching?
Though you might not have encountered yesterday any situations fitting these descriptions, the questions are ripe for your consideration as the Moon slowly waxes over the next two weeks. As you ponder, two new additions to the sign Libra may assist in keeping interpersonal relations fair and balanced. Venus entered Libra this past Sunday; today at 4:41 pm EST, Mars follows suit.
Libra is one of the two signs Venus rules; she is refined and aesthetically at her best here. As a result, Mars is said to be ‘in detriment’ here -- though that does not necessarily mean it’s a ‘bad’ place for Mars to be. The energy of Mars expresses best when it can take action directly and with focus. In Libra, however, everything must be weighed and considered thoroughly first.
While Venus in Libra glides along, making things lovely and listening to all sides of every story with charm and grace, Mars’ desire to do everything in a balanced way can actually lead to provocation, as he procrastinates or becomes passive-aggressive, thanks to thwarting his own desire to act. Yet Mars in Libra can also indicate enthusiastic action in relationships -- not a terrible thing at all, especially with Venus lending clarity and directness to our emotions.
So it would seem that as these two personal planets move through Libra (until Dec. 4 for Venus, and Jan. 3 for Mars) one key for you will be to avoid letting your desire for everyone to get along to undermine your ability to be direct about what you want. There are ways to get your point across, to hear others and to move forward that are considerate and yet do not sidestep the important issues. Explore them.
As we head into the weekend, a couple of minor aspects on Friday are offering you support in your relationships, in business and toward your overall plans for the future. Venus in Libra sextile Saturn in Sagittarius not only engenders a sense of gratification from serving the best interests of your loved ones, it’s a chance to sit down and ‘get real’ with them in productive -- even beautiful or ‘spiritual’ -- ways.
Meanwhile, Mercury in Scorpio is sextile Jupiter in Virgo. With mental powers sharp and intuitive, and with a sense of how the details relate to the bigger picture, see if you can use Friday to get clearer on what you want in life. Get curious, and try shifting your perspective (or even just your position or location).
They say that travel broadens the mind, and it’s true. But some days, even just a trip to the coffee shop on the other side of town, instead of the one on your corner, can be of benefit -- minus the hefty plane ticket and jet lag. This is also true when it comes to jealousy: the smallest internal shift can open up a whole new emotional world. Granted, sometimes that can feel scary. But there’s an ocean of difference between actually falling off a cliff into a sea full of monsters, and just feeling that way.
