“We all live in a Yellow Submarine” ~ The Beatles

This week’s blog concentrates on the Pope’s resignation, and the Sun’s conjunction with Neptune, which are closely linked in nature.

From my Postbag:

“I 1der if u will b bloggin re Pope’s abdication? on sun. I do hp sum1 mre enlitened in the ways of the world (ie contraception) will cum along. Perhaps all the paedo scandal in the church was jst 2 mch 4 a v old man!  U always hve so mch wisdom in ure views, I wud b interestd 2 no wat u think. Lv & hugs – jxxx”

(No it’s not Mediaeval Latin)…

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict’s resignation came as a shock, except to some Astrologers who had predicted it.   8 pm on 28th February would seem a good choice for a planned retirement, since Uranus (change) will be trine his natal Saturn (planning).  The last Pope to have given up serving before he dropped was Pope Celestine V in 1294, who lasted only a few months.  It is amazing that they continued for 600 years without any Pope giving in.

His Taurean predecessor Pope John Paul II was more cuddly than the Aries Pope Benedict, who also has the Warrior Archetype (North Node conjunct Mars).  His role for many years was as aide, protector and confidant to the previous Pope.  Ariens and Taureans are often found together, but it is usually the Taurean supporting the Aries.  However, this is an example of how it works the other way round.  I suspect that his support to John Paul II was a major part of his karmic mission, being in his prime, and that to be a Pope was not suited to his natural tendency of being an academic (his ruler Mars being in late Gemini).

Pope Benedict has not been known for his modernism, but in one respect he follows the modern approach and breaking with tradition, and that is in the manner of his leaving.  Modern views of compassion for the self (Age of Aquarius), not taken lightly, but going against conditioned thought, as against the Piscean view of self-sacrifice which will have been motive for previous Popes serving to the end.  He must have had many a conversation with God before taking such a step.

The Prophecy of St Malachy from the 12th Century indicates that the next Pope may be the last.  Ariens and Taureans are not known for their reforming zeal, but an Aquarian Pope may fit that brief, as many feel reform is what is required.  I am looking out for an Aquarian candidate, but no luck so far.

Aspects

On Monday at 12.02 hrs the Sun enters Pisces, and we begin to taste the essence of Pisces. I will be posting the penultimate in the Zodiac Masterclass series, the Piscean Guide to Compassion, by Yoga teacher Alison Charles.  Look out for that!

It is indeed Essence of Piscean Week, more than usually so for this time of the year, with Neptune in its own sign and several (Sun, Neptune, Chiron, Mars and Mercury) planets in Pisces.

The themes are not unrelated to the Pope’s resignation, for Pisces represents aspects of renunciation, surrender and divinity come with this, and the story will be current for the whole of this week and beyond.

Pause for a moment, the question is: have you enjoyed all the planets being direct?  Did you even notice?  We tend to notice when they go retrograde, and two will do so this week, the first being Saturn later on Monday.  Saturn going retrograde may mean that you may have to retrace your steps on a project.

With planets going retrograde, and the only aspect this week being Sun conjunct Neptune, the tone of the week is quite passive.  Non-action will possibly achieve more than action, so brush up your copy of Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, and follow the natural, organic processes of life.

“When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.” ~ Lao Tzu

Sun conjunct Neptune

On Thursday (21st) we have the aspect of the week, Sun conjunct Neptune, an aspect which comes once a year.  It represents riddles, mystery and wonder; complexity and possible confusion.  We may reach the centre of the labyrinth.  Our actions may grind to a halt, and we may be forced to go into our inner resources and processes.  This aspect represents the deep reaches of the sea, and coincidentally Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is launching sea ecology projects (with Neptune sextile his Mercury-Venus conjunction).  Immersion under water, or emotion as its psychological counterpart, is the feeling under the influence of this aspect.  This may be reflected in the day’s weather or climate too, but rest assured neither the Boxing Day Tsunami (2004) nor the Japanese Tsunami (2011) took place under this aspect.  It is a pause for thought.  Past-life phobias, such as from drowning, may come up, and addictions may be highlighted.  The conjunction happens be aligned with the star Fomalhaut in Pisces Austrini.  “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld states:

“This star has an excellent ability to release addictive states by bringing to consciousness the purpose of addictions…The awareness of past-life connections that create the necessity for such addictions also comes to one’s consciousness with repeated use of this star.” 

Sun conjunct Neptune in the birth chart

Paul McKenna

Paul McKenna, who works through hypnosis,  has Sun exactly conjunct Neptune plum in the middle of Scorpio.  It could be that he sometimes feels submerged in the collective unconscious, taking people into the depths of their minds and Unconscious. The deep nature of his work may weigh on him to an extent, and he revealed recently that he has been battling with depression, which is probably linked with his natal Mercury-Saturn square.  At the beginning of his public career, there was an attraction to the glamour and illusion of the game, and stage hypnotism.  Then he gravitated towards using his gifts for healing.  His new book “Hypnotic Gastric Band” takes the success of his “I Can Make You Thin” work a step further.  I have known people who have benefitted from his approach.

John Keats

John Keats also had this aspect in Scorpio, and was among the greatest of the English poets, channelling the depth of his feeling into classical poetry, seeing deeply into nature, and the dilemmas of human existence.

On the sea, he wrote: “It keeps eternal whisperings around desolate shores”, and he penned his own epitaph as “here lies one whose name was writ in water.”  He died 192 years ago this week, on 23rd February.

The current Sun-Neptune conjunction is in Pisces, even more nebulous, mysterious and overwhelming, and in terms of human evolution a more advanced initiation than that of Sun-Neptune in Scorpio.

Mercury Retrograde

On Saturday (23rd) Mercury goes into Retrograde mode.  What does he think of his latest photo, which has been spiced up from the natural beige tones to blue-green, to look more interesting and to provide us with information on its geography?  It is a beautiful photograph, but will we experience Mercury Retrograde any differently?  It may generate more love for the planet possibly, and that may mitigate some of its usual bad press in relation to communication during its retrograde run.

Competition still open

The competition for the new mnemonic for Richard III to reflect his changed circumstances will be held open for another week.  The prize is a Year Ahead for you or someone of your choice.  ROYGBIV, Richard of York Gave Battle In Vain, used to remember the colours of the rainbow in order, needs to be revamped, and who better than the readers of my blog.  I know that some of you out there have a way with words…!

Here’s the link, in case you missed it the first time round:

http://www.lanawooster.co.uk/blog/2013/02/richard-iii-1452-1485/

The week in bullet points:

  • Tomorrow – A good day for swimming, and retracing your steps
  • Thursday – Perfect your swimming strokes
  • Saturday – A challenge to perfect your communications; love your Mercury
Date: Feb 17th, 2013 · Comments RSS · Tags: Aspects · News · Postbag