Celestial Current for August 5 - 11th

Welcome to another beautiful, yet hot Leo week. The planet that we'll be downloading a lot from this week is Jupiter, who still in retrograde, but will be making his trip back to stationing direct at the end of the week.

Since we're at the tail end of Jupiter retrograde, let's take a look at what Jupiter retrograde actually means.

Let's look at Athena first, Zeus' daughter whom sprang from his head fully armored and adult. There's a part to this story that isn't always told - Athena did have a mother. Long before Zeus decided to marry his sister Hera, he pursued Metis, the titan goddess whose name meant “Wise Counsel.” Metis was, as you can guess, a smart cookie and even helped Zeus devise the strategy for getting Cronus to regurgitate his brothers and sisters. But even though Metis was Zeus’ strategist, it did not stop him from pursuing her as a lover. Shape-shifting into forms to evade this advances, Metis tried to escape but eventually he captured and impregnated her. Gaia and Ouranus warned Zeus that the child she would bear him after Pallas Athena was born would surpass him as King of the Gods, Zeus swallowed Metis whole while she was still pregnant with Athena. Metis gave birth to Athena while still in Zeus’ belly and clad her with armor. The splitting headache that Zeus endured after swallowing Metis was so severe that he ordered Hephaestus to cleave his head open with an axe, and to everyone’s surprise, Athena sprung fully formed and armor-clad from Zeus’ head.

Zeus (Jupiter) turned inward (retrograde) is when we are in our Metis (in the belly of Zeus) or Athena form. It's when we are needing to seek the wise counsel within us. If a situation arises during Jupiter retrograde which counters either social law or inner integrity, "it is the ideal time to pull back and reflect what is true for oneself," states Erin Sullivan, author of Retrograde Planets, Traversing the Inner Landscape (333).

As a planet of our higher consciousness, our philosophies, religion (as opposed to "spirituality"), and intuitive thinking (rather then rational thinking), Jupiter pulls this life approach more inward when in retrograde. We get a chance to examine our moral code and make sure we are living life according to our own compass. When Jupiter transits a planet or house it expands and maximizes the worth that planet/house holds at the time, but when it is retrograde it appears to with hold or remove the gift (Sullivan 333).

According to Erin Sullivan, the purpose of Jupiter retrograde through transit is to "connect one with a deeper and more personal sense of justice...[O]ften our own inner sense of what is right and wrong is unconsciously suppressed..." (334).

The shadow side of Jupiter is overconsumption and inflation, where we may "ingest" without intention and consideration especially when we are on a high streak and it goes to our heads. Failure seems almost impossible, and so we get rather ego-centric and make our decisions, actions, and even opinions when we are "full of ourselves." Jupiter retrograde allows us to look at what is actually damaging to our ego, and so we are set on a self-correcting course. The house that Jupiter retrograde transits in your chart should be a time of inner re-evaluation of ethical and moral priorities, which may, depending on any natal planets that it conjuncts during the course of the transit, even stimulate ego deflation. When I experienced Jupiter retrograde conjunct my natal Sun in the 4th house I had one of the most intense days of depression in a long time. However, after moving through most of that day I was able to see the fact that I personally was operating my life based on old standards, yet expecting different priorities instead - a lesson in humility and limits of personal power and what I was over-identifying with (Sun is all about identity).

What's important to remember during Jupiter retrograde is that this is subtle and gradually happening over a longer course of time (aprox. 115-120 days), so you most likely won't experience a direct loss. Your own inner wisdom is deepened, withdrawal from a situation may be needed to receive inner counsel, accepting flexibility in long range planning, and standing with conviction against adversaries enhances our sense of self worth and aids in our maturation. It offers us a chance to look at the source of our motives for social acceptance.

Ok so what does this mean for this week?

The week leading up to the station harbors anxiety as well as excitement - unexplained feelings of unrest, anticipation, and possible apprehension about what is building to climax. It's that feeling of "I feel like I'm on the verge of something...but don't quite know what it is yet," feeling. Once Jupiter finally starts moving again (next week) we'll receive more clarification around what is needed and what will come. So, this week when Jupiter is stationing direct, use it as an opportunity to stimulate the blocked creative flow in order to give birth to new (and intentionally sincere) ideas. See how that mirrors Athena's actual birth?!

If Jupiter is stationing direct on a natal planet, look at see what new, appropriate perspective Jupiter retrograde has awarded you in accordance to the lesson of that particular planet. The final maturity of a long range vision arrives and bears fruit, adjusted from visions of grandeur to co-existing with reality.

Wednesday August 7th Sun trine Jupiter is when we'll be experiencing that restless tension as stated above, but that's because we are ready to give birth to new ideas and plans that are congruent with the most sincere, moral parts of ourselves. You'll find that Athena insight coming into the foreground today and your daily routine become "woke" to a greater understanding of your patterns. Which in turn will allow you to act with more consideration and intention. You'll be able to see your life as a whole, take stock of it and see how it fits your needs. Goals you made for yourself seven months ago may need to be adjusted to better fit with current state of affairs. For some who may be experiencing loss, recognize that this could be a reflection in the fact that there is still some attachment to what feels good, but not actually in our best interest, so insecurity is still present.

Thursday August 8th Venus trine Jupiter offers us a pleasant day all around. Generally considered great for vacations, making investments, entertainment, the arts, pleasure and merry-making. The only day it is not best for is taking on new projects that require lots of mental, emotional, or physical energy, because Venus and Jupiter are two planets that don't like to bust their ass (unless it's for a good time!). Since day is also ruled by Jupiter, do something bold, fun, and daring!

Sunday August 11th Jupiter direct, Mercury enters Leo, and Uranus stations retrograde. My oh my now here's a day with A LOT of planetary motion happening. This has the potential to be a little agitating and explosive. Not only because we learned that Jupiter stationing direct is like when Zeus gave birth to Athena, but Mercury entering the bold sign of Leo might add to the explosion, AS WELL AS Uranus stationing retrograde, which will test what has lasting value to us in the weeks to come.

More about Uranus retrograde in next week's post.

Below may be a great way to clarify through the wrapping up period of Jupiter retrograde this week if you pull tarot cards or like to journal.

Have questions about how this relates to your own natal chart? Schedule a natal chart reading with me, or check my list of events for workshops to learn how to read astrology for yourself in real time.

Until next week babes!

xo,

Kathleen