Morning Star: Daily Astrology for November 10, 2014

A few years ago, a dear friend of mine pointed out that Pluto would make 5 passes in square to my Mars and Neptune would make 5 conjunctions to my Moon all within the same time frame. Today marks the 5^th square of Pluto to Mars exact to the minute (11 35 Capricorn/Libra) as transiting Mars meets Pluto by conjunction tonight (6:01 PM). The 5^th conjunction of Neptune to my Moon is coming soon after Neptune turns direct on the 15^th.

Over the last few years, as I've experienced these Pluto squares, I've learned a lot about my Mars and how it operates. This is in addition to the knowledge I already had about my own Mars conjunct Pluto in my natal chart in the 8^th house. I remember when I first started pontificating the possibilities that would arise with these squares and vowed to buy a kevlar jumpsuit for protection. And...actually, there WAS a firearm involved in one skirmish in which this aspect was activated. It wasn't aimed at me, though. The other party involved in the skirmish was aiming it at themselves. I was attempting to disarm them. Thinking about it now, it was a pretty volatile and potentially dangerous situation. But, in that moment, I had no fear. Immediate action was required and I didn't hesitate to take it.

There were many times during these transits in which I was under actual direct threat, though. And, in each instance, I found myself fearless and prepared to handle whatever came my way. The threats did not scare me, in the least. What scared me was my vengeful, vicious, blood thirsty initial reaction to them. I have spent a lot of time over the past few years talking myself down and reminding myself that I really didn't want to be a monster. And, it was shown very clearly to me that I did have the potential to be a monster. I have spent a lot of time disallowing people to push my buttons to the point where I feel this level of viciousness. That was hard to do in and of itself with Neptune on my Moon as well. I could certainly feel my own seething. But, the permeability of my Moon also helped me feel their seething acutely compounding my own anger.

 

Through all of this, physical threats, power struggles etc, I discovered the biggest power struggle of them all was the battle going on inside of me. I learned to let go of the rope in power tug of wars whose outcome, in the long run, mattered very little to me. I learned to leash up my anger and take it somewhere safe for me to unleash it. I learned to let go of seething and vengeance. I vowed to use this bottomless source of power for production and regeneration instead of allowing it to prompt me to hurt others. That vow was tested over and over again. I had to re-direct myself in each situation and sometimes that was very difficult.

Needless to say, I've learned a lot about myself during this transit and some of it I would rather not know. But, now that I do know, I can direct it purposely instead of allowing the energy to take the path of least of resistance prompting me to do something I would surely later regret. I've also learned where the seat of this seething anger comes from. In peeling off the layers of my Mars I found the barbs in my childhood and early upbringing that provoke me to such a level of defense. Interestingly, some of those barbs were placed in my very early life as Pluto made his way across most of my chart by conjunction. So far, he has met my Mars, Uranus, Sun, Mercury, Neptune and Jupiter by conjunction between 2 years of age and now.

Overall, the way I operate has changed in light of these Pluto squares. The way I engage in situations has changed. The way I react and handle my anger has changed. These have been very positive changes, but I could just have easily allowed the forcefulness of Pluto to cause me to do irrevocably ugly things. The choice was up to me as the change for better or worse was due to happen either way. The Universe is wonderfully impartial in these situations doling out consequences when applicable to either choice you make. I could have become a killer or a black hearted evil witch as Pluto to my Mars also made my powers of manifestation very potent. But, I didn't want to be those things. So, I set my choices to steer me in a different direction. And, in doing so, my personal powers grew even more. I'm more self-mastered and stronger than ever. I feel if I had chosen to let this inner beast loose, that would be more of a sign of weakness than prowess. True power comes from the ability to steer yourself toward doing the right thing for you instead of allowing other people's provocations to prompt you to do something out of line with who you want to become. Sometimes self-defense and combating your attacker is not as simple as taking them on in hand to hand combat. Sometimes the best preservation efforts are those that take you out of that situation or deescalates it even when you know you could absolutely devour the person who is coming after you and even when escalation of the situation is so, so tempting and alluring. Don't think for a minute that I wasn't tempted. Temptation was paramount! There were times it was seductive, even. Pluto is dead sexy and sometimes that is hard to resist. I mean, the Devil does has his wiles...you know?

I also learned that I have a tendency to be provocative and catalystic. That is why I named my business Shock Therapy. The title fits my chart and some of my natural tendencies. But, I choose to use the powers of provocation and catalysm to help people instead of push them to the edge of destruction. I want people to understand that they are not doomed by the harsher energies in their natal charts or that they experience by transit. You have a choice. I am living proof.

Today, we wake up to the Moon in Cancer. The emotional body is brought to the forefront. The prominence of the emotional body is highlighted even more with a trine from the Moon to Neptune at 12:45 PM. Many may feel emotional, moody and potentially withdrawn. I'll also remind you that intuition enters the body through emotion. These inklings are not very clear if you are not familiar with your own intuitive and emotional body. In those instances, incoming intuitive feelings are interpreted as anxiousness or nervousness. Our water signs hold the biggest potential for an influx of both emotion and intuition. Our ability to handle these rifts in the water depend largely upon how well we navigate our emotional body to begin with. Being well grounded and having tight boundaries helps tremendously with this. It also helps to put a leash on your re-activeness and, instead, allow yourself time to evaluate the entirety of the situation instead of just skimming the surface of what is going on.

At it's best, Moon/Neptune helps us empathically feel our connection to all things. It increases our compassion and talents of intuition. The aspect can bring a direct connection to divinity producing one of the most exalting spiritual experiences a living person can have. At it's worst, it is emotionally swamping, leaves us more open to illnesses and confusion perhaps promoting emotionally escapist behaviors be those escapist behaviors rooted in sleep, wallowing or drugs and alcohol. Again, grounding and boundaries make all the difference here.

Mars meets Pluto by conjunction at 6:01 PM and this power lust and alluring temptation toward vengeance overlays the whole day. But, it is compounded as the Moon meets the conjunction by opposition between 1:45 AM and 2:14 AM. Night terrors come to mind with the exactitude of this aspect occurring overnight. But, during waking hours, some may feel as if they are actually living a nightmare.

There may be actual physical attacks and various abuses of power that occur over the next few days. But, what is at true issue here is the battle within our selves between our higher more refined drives and our lower personal demons. Now. That is not to say that you need to lay down arms in the event that you are actually physically attacked or targeted as a victim for some of these abuses of power. It is not to say that your personal demons are to blame for you being attacked or targeted. What it means is the person who is threatening, attacking or abusing their power has lost the struggle with their personal demons and the suggestion to you is to survive and get out of the dangerous situation quickly without allowing the person to drag you down with them.

Sure. You can engage in hand to hand combat. But, battles between two people under the influence of Mars/Pluto are long, bloody and can result in death. So, you know, if you've got nothing better to do than to prove how many blows you can endure or how much you can bleed without dying go ahead. I'll be over there, in my safe place, eating a cookie until everyone else chills the hell out.

Physically defend yourself when necessary. But, mark your primary aim toward exiting not exacerbating volatile situations. Be wary of the inklings brought to you through intuition. But, wait out those inklings instead of jumping to conclusions by grounding yourself in the reality that not everyone is out to get you. At the same time, realize that not everyone is aware and consciously working to direct this energy away from destructiveness. Some will fall prey to the lustful vengeance of Mars/Pluto and some will perform unspeakable acts in the process.

This is NOT the day to go around poking people as most will be emotionally sensitive making them more open to reacting from a base of pain and confusion rather than one fostered in logic and reason. Step away from the crazy people. Protect yourself and, in that process, study the things that trigger you aiming to find their root cause so you can better direct yourself in light of those triggers.

Be active burning off any excess energy that threatens to build up causing you to become reactive and volatile...on edge. If you feel yourself seething in anger, take that anger for a walk and DO NOT invite the person agitating you to come along. Dismiss yourself from the power struggle and expend your anger wisely and productively. Capricorn calls for responsible use of power and that burden of responsibility falls upon each individual. Don't allow yourself to be the weaker one who just spews that anger detrimentally all over the place.

Today and tomorrow are tight....with a razor sharp edge. Be careful and be conscious of both yourself and your surroundings. The tension brought forth under this Moon (not to mention the rising emotional tides that accompany the tension) persists all the way until the Moon finds Saturn in Scorpio via trine at 4:18 AM on the 12^th pushing the Moon into Void status. We have the power of endurance at our disposal with all the Scorpio energy in the sky and the perfection of Mars/Pluto. We can survive it and come out the other end stronger than we were when we entered it. And, on the milder extreme, we can entertain the lustfulness held within this set of aspects through sex with a trusted partner. Sex with mutual consent and trust can be particularly gratifying tonight. It is the non-consenting sex and the abuses of power directed toward getting it that is partially what we need to be wary of.

Aim for a strong center of self-control, grounding and awareness today. Eat well. Ensure you've obtained adequate amounts of rest and decrease any intake of unnecessary stimulants (caffeine, nicotine and sugars) and chemicals (illegal drugs, intoxicants) as these threaten to make you more likely to be over-reactive. Do NOT poke the bears. Do NOT stay in harms way just because you think you can take down your attacker. And firmly tell the Devil to get behind you today taking his inklings of temptation with him. Know that there will be people who will negatively respond to this energy so don't put yourself in positions where you are more likely to meet up with those folks (no lingering in dark alleys, please). Keep your guard and radar up when in out in public while disallowing that pro-active guard to steer itself toward paranoia. Stand firmly in a position of self-control and do not allow anyone to provoke you into acting like a future inmate.

If you have planets at 11 degrees cardinal who have been continually under the influence of Pluto for the past few years, know that Mars interacting with that square calls for you to take action on what you have learned thus far. Employ what you have learned from these transits responsibly as if you were the boss of your energies...because you are.

If all of this sounds potentially scary and volatile, that's because it IS. And, I just can't sprinkle sugar on that fact and try to pass it off as a gift. Be careful out there. The night is dark and full of terrors and the wolves are hungrily pacing outside.