Autumn Equinox 2013: Mabon

In the yearly cycle of our Earth around the Sun we come to that special time of equal balance between light and dark now known as Mabon.  This year the Sun enters 0 degrees of Libra on September 22nd here in the USA.  Rightfully this should be a time of celebration and of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest of all good fruits of the earth.  Libra is a sign of sharing.  Just as the Earth Mother in all her abundance shares generously with us, so may we share with each other and give back our thankfulness for the life we have been given.

This is a rich and multi-layered chart with much to commend it with all the yin signs in sextile with each other including that fertile Moon in Taurus. Preservation, conservation, and laying up the bounty of harvest for the winter months to come are implied in this map. For the sake of brevity, however, I’m only going to look at the Sun and its aspects.

The chart for this moment in time shows the on-going conflict of Pluto and Uranus putting added pressure on the sign of Libra which tries to bring a greater sense of equality, fairness, and balance to the mix of right by established might, as symbolized by Pluto in Capricorn, and the battle cry of individual freedom, as symbolized by Uranus in Aries.  Adding further tension to the Cardinal dilemma is Jupiter in Cancer representing primary and basic needs for survival especially for the young, who need nurturing, and the old who are also vulnerable.

Looking at this Equinox chart as the outer ring to the Sibley Chart of the United States we see that the Sun in Cancer square Saturn in Libra is now becoming actively triggered by all of this Cardinal tension.  Cardinal energy always wants action in some form.  That is why with each turn of the yearly wheel from Equinox to Solstice the Cardinal energy has recently activated over and over again the tense Pluto/Uranus square which continues to bring to the forefront powerful energies of breakdown and change.  In a collective chart, such as a nation, the Sun represents the executive head of State such as the President, while Saturn usually represents the administrative or governing body   In this national chart there is a decided conflict between the two archetypal themes:  Sun/Jupiter in Cancer square Saturn in Libra.  As Jessica Murray states in her book Soul-Sick Nation, An Astrologer’s View of America, “America as a whole has real trouble understanding the interplay between expansion and contraction.”

With Pluto opposing the Sun increasingly, and Uranus edging ever closer to squaring the Sun, we see the pressure building and gathering intensity for something monumentally powerful to bring both a breakdown and even a revolutionary change to the executive branch of the United States government.  Jupiter, of course, is emboldening the Sun and tending to blow everything up bigger than life.  Beyond the Sun as representative of the acting head of state, it also represents a nation’s true purpose; thus we are alive and witnessing something at work here in a collective body that portends of the potential death and hopefully re-birth of a national purpose.

Saturn in Libra is impacted simultaneously with transit Pluto in square to it, and transit Uranus opposing it.  What will be taking place within the organizational body of this nation in the year to come?  What will be pressuring the very structure of the ‘Union’?  Will it hold and last?  These are burning questions in the hearts of many of us both within and without this nation.

The drama that is unfolding around the Syrian issue is remarkable.  Every day as I write this article brings some new and startling development, the latest being President Putin’s op-ed in the NYTimes addressing all Americans. (Putin is a Libra Sun sign) I know this past week as the dark cloud of another potential conflagration and even war loomed over all of us I participated in a global prayer on September 7th with the vast and expanding community of The Shift Network  Four spiritual leaders, James O’Dea, Zainab Al-Suwaij, Grandmother Flordemayo, and Sister Jenna, plus Stephan Dinan prayed for peace, reconciliation, and a unified resolution between world leaders and the crisis in Syria.  They even had a global map on the site so you could see where everyone was who either called in or went on-line for the communal prayer.  They opened the prayer line to the participants on the phone and those prayers were amazing and uplifting as well. This kind of collective participation gives me great hope, because I do believe in the power of prayer especially when amplified by many gathering together as one large force field of positive energy.  Please, if you feel called to do so, join Mr. Dinan’s network.

So here’s another paradox amidst the wonder that we are living with today:  the inter-net is this enormous web.  Right?  It enables you to read my blog and it enables me to connect with most anyone in the world who posts something on it.  It also enables organizations such as the NSA to gather every scrap of sharing and information that we people post and open it up and read or listen in if they so choose without real over-sight.  Yet, the power of thought forms and deeper spiritual connections are also being strengthened by this new technology so that a ‘brave new world’ is unfolding for good or ill.  The outcome is still hanging in the balance.

Let’s now look more closely at this Equinox chart and the major Solar configurations impacting all of us:

Sun square Pluto:  Powerful and deeply intense forces are at work now to plunge us into the underworld of both ourselves and the collective.  Like Persephone being abducted into the land of Hades, this time of year automatically warns us in the Northern Hemispheres that it is time to prepare for the longer nights and colder days to come.

Persephone Queen of the Underworld
Artist: Kinuko Y. Craft

Persephone, however, represents a part of ourselves which may gain further treasures by descending into the shadow realm.  There are treasures to be recovered in going deeper into the mysteries.  Where in your life may this be occurring?  Pluto demands that we release what we are attached to that may be holding us back from moving into something new.  Plutonian times in ones life are never a waltz in the park, but they are often when we get in touch with core strengths and even core values.  So if Pluto is working in your life, breath with it and continue to let go.

What area in your chart is Pluto breaking down in order for some type of renewal to occur later on?  And where is the Sun in Libra shining?  In the US chart Pluto is straddling the 2nd house of resources and values while the Sun is about to enter the 10th arena of position in the world where Saturn sits.  “Big Daddy of the World” as Ms. Murray states may be in for some type of major challenge.  Perhaps it already is!

Sun opposite Uranus:  This is wide at the Equinox but will reach exactness by October 3rd.  Oppositions always imply relationships and awareness.  If you can respect another for their individuality and their need for equality, and also ask that they respect yours, this can truly be a liberating period of time.  If it feels that such a balance does not exist then blow-ups may occur to awaken and jolt awareness into the equation.  Uranus now in Aries raises the ante where all individual rights are concerned.  We are seeing this globally and near at hand.  Activism is greatly on the rise even in the face of annihilation.  The battle cry of freedom is rising.  Uranus in Aries may also be the acting out of highly self-serving and lawless people.  It can be dangerous and erratic energy.  Awareness of craziness is important right now.

Look to where Uranus in Aries is moving through your chart and look again at the opposite side of your chart where Libra is.  This is where you may be able to awaken to greater awareness now, even as you maintain flexibility to handle whatever shock waves of change are surging through your energy field.

Sun quintile (72 degrees) Jupiter:  This aspect will peak around October 12th and can indicate a time of creative wisdom in the effort to solve issues of equality and fairness, or a harboring of destructive urges where ego-serving scenarios are continuing to play out.  The key quality to be alert to and avoid is arrogance.

Sun mid-way between Mars in Leo square Venus in Scorpio:  Oh my!  This is quite an armful of highly charged energy.  What comes to my mind is simply ‘make love, not war’.  Both placements indicate passionate qualities and, with the Sun in Libra mid-way at 45 degree angles to both, there is much tension and pressure at work to stay in balance.  Not necessarily easy.

This Equinox shows no harmonious or easily flowing aspects between the Sun and the other planetary bodies.  Thus the next three months are likely to be tense ones indeed.

Grand Trine in Water:  This on-going triad between several planets in each of the water signs continues with Jupiter in Cancer, North Node/Saturn/Venus in Scorpio, and Neptune/Chiron in Pisces still connected.  Emotions will undoubtedly run high through September.  By October this Grand Trine is dissipating as Jupiter moves beyond a trine orb with Neptune and Chiron.  Still, that nice trine between Jupiter and Saturn shows a great potential for ‘balance’ between the principle of expansion (Jupiter) and contraction (Saturn).  This is always a great aspect to have in a natal chart because the native will likely show these traits in their character and potentially be great in any business matter.

The continuing trine between Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune/Chiron in Pisces is also indicative of energies supporting lasting healing.  Chiron represents a bridge as well.  How many oppositions can you think of that might benefit from a bridge from one side to the other?  That might be a great exercise to do.  Write out all the seeming polarities in your life and world that you would like to see bridged so that greater unification may occur.  Look to Chiron in Pisces to be the place where that principle of oneness is going to be the most powerful in your own chart/energy field.

Mercury turns Retrograde on October 21st:  Prepare now for this thrice-yearly turning inwards/backwards of mercurial activities.  By the 21st Mercury will be at 18 degrees of Scorpio.  It enters Scorpio on September 29th and enters the ‘zone’ of repetition by October 1st at 2 degrees of Scorpio.  In other words, Mercury moves from 2 degrees to 18 degrees of Scorpio back and forth between October 2nd through November 27th.  That is nearly two months worth.  The actual retrograde period always lasts three weeks; this time being October 21st through November 10th.

So mark on your chart where those degrees hit and pay heed to the area you must work carefully with during those two months.  If it’s in your second house it might be money matters.  Will it be in your 6th house?  Then it might be your work/health matters and looking more carefully at all of your daily routines.  Perhaps it will fall in your 11th house; a good time to re-examine your goals for next year and to look carefully at all of your affiliations with friends and groups.

Here’s a run-down of key dates to take note of astrologically as these next three months unfold:

September 20th:  Pluto turns Stationary Direct at 9 degrees of Capricorn

October 1st:  Sun squares Pluto

October 3rd:  Sun opposite Uranus

October 8th:  Venus enters Sagittarius

October 12th:  Sun squares Jupiter

October 15th:  Mars enters Virgo

October 18th:  Lunar Eclipse with Moon at 25 Aries 45 and Sun at 25 Libra 45

October 21st:  Mercury turns Stationary Retrograde at 18 degrees of Scorpio

November 3rd:  Annular and Total Eclipse of the Sun at 11 Scorpio 16

November 10th:  Mercury turns Stationary Direct at 2 Scorpio 30

November 13th:  Neptune turns Stationary Direct at 2 Pisces 35

November 25th:  Chiron turns Stationary Direct at 9 Pisces 08

December 7th:  Mars enters Libra where it will stay until July 26, 2014.  (More on this later!)

I’m going to conclude this article with some quotes that either seem appropriate for this time and/or were said by some noteworthy Librans:

“When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than to avenge it.”  Eleanor Roosevelt

 “I’ve never lost perspective on who I am.  Well, maybe briefly, but generally I’m pretty balanced.”  Sting

“Imagine all the people living life in peace.  You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.  I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.”  John Lennon