Sometimes when we sit in grief, we need to just sit there. Sitting still. Sometimes when we sit in grief we need to also allow it to galvanize us to act, to be in action.

At first, when I thought of writing this week’s Stellar Insights I wanted to stay in the former. Filled with grief on the heels of two back-to-back mass shootings in the U.S., I couldn’t see how to align my writing with all that has encircled us individually and collectively from these—and previous—tragedies. Did you know that while yesterday was the 216 day of the year, it was the 251th mass shooting in the U.S. since the year began. Enough is enough, we say. And it continues…the violence—and its roots, as well as the continued easy access to weapons of wars—seems unending at times.

I wanted to express this but didn’t want to be cursory and just connect this to the astrology; and yet you read my writing not because I’m offering you a news or cultural commentary but a way to hone your vision of life and the world through using astrological lens.

As such, I will say this: I think a lot about the Saturn/Pluto Conjunction that casts its hue on the kairos this and next year (and the Jupiter/Pluto Conjunction that does the same next year). Saturn/Pluto is having us look at the underbelly, of the feelings that we have pushed aside individually and collectively, to bear witness to our personal shadow as well as our group shadow. It seems as if we sometimes feel like we’re facing the un-faceable, the unbearable, the ugliness of hatred, of lack of respect for the sanctity of life.

And yet, ideally with Saturn and Pluto, instead of this causing us to go numb, it’s in the feeling of the pain, of the grief, that we invariably realize our resiliency and that what matters really matters to us. It can have us find a fierce place within, one that we may not have believed existed, that says “Enough!” It can have us touch to the depth of feelings and have that breathe life within us, so that we further know the sanctity of life and become impassioned to fight for that for ourselves and others, to help transform structures that bind us in an imprisoned way. It can help us accept and be with our grief while letting it be an agent that empowers us to burn through the sh*t, get to the bottom of things, and find the jewels of humanity previously buried.

There are many more ways that the Saturn/Pluto Conjunction seems to be infusing our awareness. Yet, we can speak of those at another time. I will just leave this here for now.

There is something else that I do want to address for this week, and that is that on Sunday, August 11, not one but two planets will be stationing, set to shift directions. Those planets are Jupiter, which is set to end its retrograde station Sunday, and Uranus which is about to begin its retrograde cycle. If you recall, when a planet stations, the archetypes it represents appear to be very concentrated days before and after.

With Jupiter stationing in Sagittarius, we may find ourselves focused upon our beliefs and truths. We may ponder what it is that we truly believe, and how the things that we believed no longer feel aligned. We may also find ourselves wading through reflections related to truth…what it is, what it is not, while seeing some trying to push their agenda of truth, and their bevy of beliefs, upon others. With Sagittarius being the sign connected to travel, law, the media, publishing, and religion, these realms may be at the centerpiece of news that catches our attention.

With Uranus stationing in Taurus, we may find ourselves surprised by the unexpected. As things shift we may see the need to redefine what security means to us, understanding that growth occurs by staying bouncy and finding innovative ways to discover practical solutions. Remember that if you keep your knees literally and figuratively bent, your adaptability will be heightened and your ability to respond to a wealth of different inputs will feel easier and less jagged. With Taurus being a sign connected to the earth, we may find ourselves further turning our attention to the land and nature, even seeing ourselves surprised by new thoughts and beliefs that stream in and catch hold of us.

With Jupiter often seeming to make things bigger, I can’t but help wonder whether it will cast that hue on the Uranus energy leading to the potential of us feeling even more surprised or shocked or caught off guard or in wonder. Yet, with Jupiter being the planet of the guru, we may also see that adopting a unique approach, being flexible, and accessing a deeper sense of personal liberty will allow us to learn exceptionally valuable lessons.

It’s one of those weeks to Stay Bouncy!, and flex your flexibility muscles. Remember that while your go-to’s may have served you well, that there are many other ways to approach things other than the ones that seem tried and true. Should you find yourself detoured this week, after shaking off any inconvenience or upset that often accompanies surprises, see how taking a new path can actually broaden your horizon, while having you see how resilient you and how your world is bigger than you may have previously believed.

If you’d like to hear additional perspectives on the Jupiter and Uranus stations, check out my discussions with Megan Skinner on August’s So Divine! podcast (we begin talking about this at about the 7 minute mark).

All my very best,

Stephanie

Astrological Highlights

August 7

Sun/Jupiter Trine

August 8
* Venus/Jupiter Trine

August 11

Jupiter Stations Direct
Mercury enters Leo
Uranus Stations Retrograde

All days reflect EDT time zone ( - 4 hours GMT)

Stellar Insights: August 5 - 11, 2019

Astrological Highlights