This month’s newsletter is devoted to COVID-19 and the economic and social challenges that come with this virus. It is a long newsletter and I could have said a lot more, but I ran out of time and energy. I hope it makes sense
If you are looking for a meditative process to practice during this challenging time, I have copied the Heart Math Institutes’ Care Focus: Rise of the Human Spirit, towards the end of this newsletter.
April begins with no planets retrograde. Note: All the dates below are for Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time.
April 4: Venus to Gemini
April 5: Jupiter conjunct Pluto in Capricorn
April 8: Full Moon at 18 Libra 44
April 11: Mercury to Aries
April 20: Sun to Taurus
April 23: New Moon at 3 Taurus 24
April 28: Mercury to Taurus
The virus has taken most of the astrological community by surprise. We were all expecting a major economic slowdown and recession - perhaps with climate change a contributing factor - but with the newly discovered dwarf planet Eris involved there was a wildcard element that was going to lead to chaos and discord. My sense is that Eris is the indicator of the virus while the stellium in Capricorn indicates the economic and social upheaval…
The pieces of this situation will take a little unravel so here is what I plan to explore:
The three levels of experience for transit interpretation
Pluto in Capricorn as the key to mass consciousness
Saturn in Capricorn [since 2017] came to meet Pluto in January this year and increased the pressure
Jupiter in Capricorn [since December 2019] will conjunct Pluto three times, beginning on April 5 leads to an explosion.
Eris in Aries – the wildcard and bringer of chaos -squares Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter throughout 2020: indicator of the virus?
Signs of hope for Australia
Working with fear: I have copied a process from the Heart Math Institute called Care Focus: Rise of the Human Spirit
Three Levels of transits I feel it is important to state upfront that I am a psychologically oriented astrologer with an interest in mundane astrology [the study of the collective] so I want to address the current situation on three levels and will weave them together in my analysis:
1. The level of events Here we are looking at two things: the virus COVID-19 and its trajectory as well as its economic [and political and social] ramifications.
2. The level of feelings The virus and its effects are creating a lot of fear, anxiety, depression and anger; in fact we can say the virus of fear is as dangerous as the actual virus.
3. The level of meaning This is the ultimate purpose in terms of the evolution of the personality or soul; it is where the growth comes from both personally & collectively. There is a lot for us to learn at this level and it will probably take a few years to process these events and our responses and distill the ultimate meaning of this virus.
Pluto in Capricorn: 2007 to 2023-4 Pluto, the God of Death, Rebirth & Transformation is the key to mass consciousness. He symbolizes a collective obsession with the affairs of the sign where He is located at any particular time. He seeks to transform all things ruled by the sign; those things that cannot transform and evolve can die. Pluto does this by bringing up the shadow - highlighting it for us -so we have the opportunity for catharsis [letting go] and healing on all levels. I believe Pluto’s path is that of the shaman, a calling to face the darkness, embrace our fear, perhaps befriend, it so it no longer controls us, but this is much easier to say than do. We can all only do the best we can and try not to fall into the shadow of terror, paranoia, suspicion and a desire for revenge.
Now, Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter are all transiting Capricorn during 2020, making this the primary area for the collective focus and highlighting the need for TRANFORMATION [Pluto] and RESTRUCTURING [Saturn] here. Capricorn is associated with:
The Economy, business, banking
Government
Authority figures and structures
Law and order – police – armed forces
All structures / institutions both external and internal – including health systems.
Faults and inadequacies in these areas are being emphasized by the transits of Saturn and Pluto. At the international level we are seeing some nations doing this much better than others, but 2020 was always going to be a powerful reality check.
Capricorn and His ruler Saturn can both create a mood that is negative, pessimistic, rigid, controlling and prone to guilt, shame and blame. The positive side of this – remember the opposite is always there as a potential - is disciplined, realistic, pragmatic and responsible …qualities we all need now and to see demonstrated in our leaders. The shadow Capricorn can be the tyrant who doesn’t learn from mistakes [the control freak & the authoritarian], while the positive Capricorn is authoritative and has the wisdom hard earned by willing to learn from past mistakes [whatever their age]; both these types of leaders are highly visible at the moment.
Saturn in Capricorn / Jupiter in Capricorn / Saturn conjunct Pluto Saturn joined Pluto in the sign of Capricorn during December 2017 and will remain there until December this year, even though He has currently moved into Aquarius for a few months. With Saturn joining Pluto in Capricorn and forming an exact conjunction with Pluto in January the pressure increased exponentially, especially when we factor in the fact that Jupiter, the Principle of Growth and Expansion joined the pack in Capricorn during December 2019 [when the virus was starting to spread].
Saturn and Pluto conjunct every 32 to 37 years and are associated with
Major economic shifts & volatile market forces
Deep cultural transformations
Power struggles /shifts – often leaning more towards conservative & authoritarian leadership as an antidote to fear
Rise and fall of empires
Use and abuse of power
…but I believe it is Jupiter’s presence that has turned the whole thing into a major global disaster as Jupiter will expand anything, positive and negative. With Jupiter conjunct Pluto three times this year - April 5, June 30 & November 13 – the worldwide numbers of people infected are likely to skyrocket in nations that have ignored the need to be responsible and take control of the situation. Blame won’t save lives.
Note: Jupiter and Pluto in Capricorn and the 2008 -9 GFC. Twelve years ago when Jupiter joined Pluto in Capricorn was when the world experience the Global Financial Crisis. Most astrologers have been wary of a repeat performance and have been warning of the need to transform and re-structure inadequate institutions and bureaucracies for the last 12 years in anticipation of the current transits.
Saturn’s role in the situation As mentioned, Saturn is in Capricorn and conjunct Pluto, and as the ruler of Capricorn – the sign where all the action is taking place. I believe His energy is the key to successful resolution of the situation.
Saturn, is the Principle of Contraction but is also referred to as the Reality Principle: He tests us and His transits are always a CALL TO ACTION. His challenge is for us - personally and collectively - to get real and take responsibility: to re-evaluate, re-structure and learn from our mistakes. He gives us the opportunity to develop wisdom, but it is the hard-earned wisdom learned through often painful experience. If we don’t learn we keep repeating the pattern until we do. Saturn is reminding us of this quite forcefully at the moment that we can’t be complacent. So the emphasis on Capricorn and it’s ruler Saturn are demanding a major reality check, authoritative leadership and the setting of clear boundaries. If we can honour Saturn there is hope.
The Wildcard: Eris in Aries square to Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter As I have sat with this emerging crisis is has become clearer that the stellium in Capricorn is the economic and social crisis that we are seeing - the failure and sometimes success of nations, systems, institutions, and economies – but the virus is Eris.
Eris is the Goddess of Strife and Discord – She delights in chaos and was said to delight in hanging around battlegrounds to witness the carnage. She was also the catalyst for the Trojan War. Interestingly, She is a new addition to the planetary pantheon and astrologers are still working to understand Her energy. I don’t have time to tell you all about Her but She was the Goddess who threw the Golden Apple – inscribed ‘to the fairest’- into the midst of a wedding celebration that lead to a fierce competition for its possession.
Zeus, as leader of Olympus, abdicated responsibility because he didn’t want to upset the three goddesses who claimed it. He appointed a mere mortal, Paris, to adjudicate, a terrible failure of judement. Eris watched on with delight as the goddesses all lied and cheated to try to receive the prize. Aphrodite received the apple and awarded Paris the bribe of the most beautiful woman in the world, who just happened to already have a husband, sparking the war between the Greeks and Trojans.
It seems that instead of the golden apple, Eris has thrown humanity COVID-19, and is now sitting back enjoying the show. What can we learn from the myth?
This is very much a myth for our times and highlights Eris as a catalyst who exposes inconvenient truths [yes, Al Gore published his book around the time Eris was named and he has Eris conjunct his Sun]. There will be many inconvenient truths nations and the global community will need to face at the end of this time. There will be leaders who lead, others who lie and avoid responsibility …we are seeing this already.
In Her dark manifestation Eris likes to cause chaos, discord and destructive competition, potentially warfare [the battleground can be trade and the media] and exposes weak leaders, BUT from an evolutionary perspective chaos can be creative and Her exposures can lead to positive change. The positive Eris will accept and speak the truth, no matter how inconvenient, demonstrate decisive leadership and be a catalyst for TRUTH and creative change.
The potential is for humanity to emerge from this time with a greater willingness to face the truth and hopefully act on it. The danger is continuing blaming, shaming and conflict.
Note: Pluto will square Eris a number of times throughout 2019 – 21 so I will have more to say on this as I digest the interplay between these planetary giants.
Signs of hope for Australia My sense is that the virus will continue to spread around the world throughout this year [Jupiter conjunct Pluto] unless it burns itself out and mutates into another, less deadly form [which is certainly a possibility and what we are all praying for]. The economic impact will be felt strongly during this year and throughout 2021.
Nations who have taken control, have strong structures and leaders willing to act decisively will do better. Australia’s chart shows some promising indicators here.
Saturn is squaring Australia’s ascendant /descendant axis, calling for decisive action. This is happening now and again in July and October. If Australia was my client I would be advising them to embrace the Saturn archetype – clearly evaluate the situation, take responsibility, set clear boundaries but above all TAKE ACTION. Often what we need to do under a Saturn transit is not comfortable, but we will be rewarded if we are willing to take difficult decisions and follow through with them. It appears our state and national governments have risen to the occasion, perhaps a little more slowly than many would have liked, and this bodes well for the future.
The main sign of hope begins in June when Uranus will trine Australia’s Sun. This transit will be exact during July and September and offers an image of possible change for the better, with possible new and constructive ways of working /dealing with the crisis [a vaccine? The virus mutating and losing its aggression?]. My sense is that the curve has flattened [it may be earlier] and there is greater freedom to move around, perhaps a lifting of restrictions. Note: A word of caution Mars will retrograde in Aries later this year and will re-activate the Capricorn stellium three times as it conjuncts Eris and squares Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. This could be a time where the virus re-activates and/or there is increased global tension.
Working with fear We are all finding our own ways to do this but if you would like a simple practice to shift your energy and contribute to a lessening of the virus of fear the Heart Math Institute has developed a simple meditation you may like to try: here is it is.
Care Focus – Rise of the Human Spirit from the Heart Math Institute 1. Breathe feelings of peace and love through your heart area for a few minutes to set a calm and genuine tone. 2. Now connect in the heart with all people around the planet who are radiating love and care to people affected by the challenges of the coronavirus. See the rise of the human spirit helping to reduce fear while magnetizing needed solutions for personal, community and global well‑being. 3 .Let’s send our most sincere appreciation, love and compassion to all the health care providers and others on the front lines and behind the scenes helping people while putting themselves at risk. See them surrounded by our love, care and compassion as they selflessly care for others. 4. Let’s close by radiating love and compassion into the planetary field environment, seeing our collective heart energy easing and softening the impact of the coronavirus. As we do this, hold a vision of the coronavirus inspiring deeper connections among people and more harmonious cooperation for the good of the whole. Let’s sustain a vision for the highest best outcome and for people moving into the next level of their capacity for unconditional love and compassion.
Let’s remember that it’s the deeper connection with our own heart and with the hearts of others that can help to magnetize intuitive solutions for our personal and collective challenges.
You can continue to do this Special Care Focus, if convenient, for a few minutes each day and help lift the energy field environment that surrounds you, your family and our planet. Doc Childre P.S. Please feel free to share this Special Care Focus with anyone in your life you feel may benefit. Here is a direct link to the Heart Math website and the whole article: www.heartmath.org/calendar-of-events/special-care-focus-2-rise-of-the-human-spirit/