Good Stars Jyotish

On Saturday, August 20, 2022 (or a day earlier or later depending on your location), there is a great Mercury in Virgo election that you can use for a variety of Mercurial purposes, such as:

* Detail-oriented work and research

* Writing and publishing

* Launching a new business (especially one that has to do with communication and writing)

* Anything to do with magic and/or the hermetic arts

In particular, this chart would be fantastic for publishing and networking involving writing, as I’ll describe below.

The Chart

This powerful Mercury in Virgo election is on August 20, 2022 and is timed for 8:31 am at my location in Berlin, Germany (Central European Standard Time Zone).

If you need to relocate the chart for your time zone, just make sure the ascendant is between 20 to 23 degrees of Virgo and that the moon is between 9 to 10 degrees of Gemini in the 9th or 10th house (anything less than 9 degrees would put it a little too close to Mars, and anything over 10 degrees would mean its next aspect would be a trine to Saturn, which would slow down the effects).

Although this election could be used for any of the topics I mentioned above, it’s particularly fantastic for publishing, gaining visibility or networking in the publishing/writing field. This is because the moon is in the 9th house, which rules publishing and is very close to the fixed star Aldebaran, a star which is known to bring riches and honors. The moon’s next aspect is a sextile to Venus in Leo in the 11th house, which makes the chart favorable for networking and/or gaining fans, particularly women.

How to use an electional chart

I wrote this text which gives you more details about electional astrology, so check it out if you don’t know what this is or would like to know more.

In a nutshell, you need to do some sort of concrete action at the exact time of the election to set the ball in motion. This could be something like:

* Naming and saving a word document you plan to use later to start a project.

* Submitting manuscripts, contacting agents, etc.

* Sending an e-mail or making a phone call.

* Creating a website or social media account linked to your intention.

* Taking the first step in a project.

You don’t have to do much more than that at this stage, just make the first move. Whatever you initiate at this moment will hold the energy of the election, allowing you to benefit from it in the long run.

How to use this chart magically

This chart is very potent and can also be used for astrological magic. For this, you create either a petition or a talisman, which allows you to harness this energy for future use. Since Mercury also rules magic, you could use this election to enhance your abilities and gain honors in this field.

Since Saturn will move into Pisces at the beginning of next year (placing it in opposition to Virgo), this will also be one of the last times you can work magically with Mercury in Pisces for a couple of years, so make that talisman now when you still can! If you’re interested in astrological magic and finding out how to use elections to make talismans, check our my Patreon page.

Best of luck in your Mercurial pursuits, whatever they may be!

On August 1 - 2, 2022 we have a rather explosive combination in the sky: Mars in Taurus conjunct Uranus and Rahu, otherwise known as the North Node.

Uranus is the planet of sudden, erratic changes, both good and bad and Mars is the planet of action, heat and aggression. When they come together, it can definitely bring in a fire to the powder keg kind of energy. For example, sudden accidents, freak explosions or major volatility in anything Taurus rules (food, housing, security in general).

With Rahu in the mix, this energy gets super charged and even more unpredictable and erratic.

However, as hazardous and unstable as this aspect is, there is one saving grace: Venus. Taurus is ruled by Venus, which is currently in watery Cancer. She is also making a harmonious sextile aspect to Mars, Uranus and Rahu, which may help steady things more than if she were in a different sign or joining the Taurus party.

How will this affect me?

If your ascendant is in a fixed sign (Aquarius, Leo, Taurus or Scorpio) or you have any personal planets between 15 to 25 degrees of any of these signs, then I suggest you proceed with caution around this time.

This doesn’t mean you need to cower under the covers, but maybe wait on that skydiving trip until the stars are a little more in your favor.

Astro stats

* Mars, Uranus and Rahu (North Node) meeting up at around 18 degrees of Taurus on August 1 and 2, 2022 (this aspect will be felt a few days before and few days after)

* The explosive nature is tempered somewhat by Venus, which is currently in Cancer and making a harmonious sextile aspect to these three planets

Photo by Luke Jernejcic on Unsplash

In this episode, I talk about the the full moon in Capricorn on July 13, 2022 and touch on how it emotionally speaks to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade.

Here are the astro stats for this full moon:

* Culmination of the new moon in Cancer on June 29, 2022 (you can find out more about lunar cycles here)

* Full moon occurs at 21 degrees 21 of Capricorn

* Aspects on this day include a square to Jupiter in Aries and an opposition to Mercury in Cancer

More general thoughts on this particular moon is that it speaks to conflict between putting your higher ideals in action (square to Jupiter in Aries) and could negate more sentimental feelings (opposition to Mercury in Cancer) in favor of a stiff upper lip, I’ll-go-the-road-alone feeling or makes it difficult to voice your needs.

A song for moon in Capricorn

As I mention in the podcast, Saturn-ruled Capricorn is a difficult placement for the moon. The moon is a sensitive, emotional planet that craves connection, but its placement in Capricorn (the sign of its detriment) brings in the harshness of a cruel, lonely world that can sometimes lead to depression and feelings of isolation.

However, with suffering comes maturity. People with Capricorn moon natally often have to grow up fast and may be subjected to the school of emotional hard knocks. But what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.

Though often tough when you’re young, like anything Saturnian, Capricorn moon gets better with age. At its best, this placement brings maturity and strength others can depend on – from someone whose been through the emotional wringer and come out the other end.

I should know, since my natal moon is in Capricorn. When I was in high school, one of my favorite songs was “I am a rock” by Simon and Garfunkel. The ultimate Capricorn moon song if there ever was one!

On July 5, 2022 Mars moved from Aries into Taurus and Mercury moved from Gemini into Cancer. Although it is by no means uncommon for planets to change signs – speedster Mercury usually whips through signs in about two weeks – this particular shift has created a significant change in mood that will stick around for a while.

I get into more detail in my podcast, but in a nutshell, here’s what the shift reflects:

* Aries (fire) and Gemini (air) are both masculine, outwardly-oriented and quick-paced signs which lead to forward moving speed of action and communication

* Taurus (Earth) and Cancer (water) are both feminine, inward and slow signs which lead to nonverbal introspection

Mars rules Aries, which gave the month of June a high energy, pedal to the metal feel. However, in Venus-ruled Taurus (the sign of Mars’ detriment), energy is much more sluggish and focus more on comfort and slow-paced (sometimes stubborn) action

Mercury rules Gemini, which made June a time when communication flowed smoothly and tended towards the more chit chatty and rational. However, in moon-ruled Cancer, words (especially of the small talk variety) may be much harder to come by. This is a time when thoughts and communication take on a still-waters-run-deep vibe, where words may be harder to come by, especially surface chit chat or those that express dry, analytics ideas.

My advice? Take things slower this month. Linger in bed longer if you can, and give yourself space to dream and lose yourself in images and memories you can’t quite capture in words.

Astro stats

Mercury will be in Cancer from July 5 until July 19 and Mars will be in Taurus from July 5 until August 20.

The change in name

As you may have noticed, my podcast is now called Astro WMM, although the substack link has stayed the same.

So why the change in name?

When I first created this newsletter/podcast, I was really excited about the era shift into the new age of air: less centralization of power, a greater focus on innovation and networks/working together rather than rampant individualism.

Sounds great, right?

Yeah, and maybe it will be someday. But right now, I think we’re going through some major growing pains, where many nations are still overly focused on Earth-era principles, strategies and solutions, like “who gets what” and fossil fuels.

The air signs are about ideas and innovation yes, but they can also be about (over)idealism and dogmatism, and we’re definitely seeing some of that as well.

Air disperses and is unreliable, a light gust one day, and a hurricane another. The Earth era may have been dull at times, but at least it was predictable.

Long story short, I’m a bit burned out on the age of air these days. Astro WMM is perhaps a bit inscrutable (I’m not entirely sure what the initials stand for myself), but the name will do for now. :)

On May 10, 2022 Mercury will go retrograde in Gemini until June 3. As is always the case with Mercury retrograde, this period can cause snafus in communication, (particularly verbal communication since Gemini is an air sign) as well as mishaps in technology, travel and business, which are all things Mercury rules.

Mercury retrograde is not a rare occurrence: in fact, it happens 3 to 4 times a year. These periods are designed to add a re- prefix to your actions. Revise, review, revisit, you name it, whatever topics come up around Mercurial topics in the house in your natal chart with Gemini on the cusp.

However, I think it will be particularly valuable to pay extra special attention to the topics or issues that come up during this Mercury retrograde because Mars will be going retrograde in the same sign in early September.

A much rarer occasion, Mars only goes retrograde about every two years. During this period, it can cause frustration, a feeling like things have come to a standstill or are not moving as quickly as we would like them to move – something that is always frustrating for action-oriented Mars.

Mars will be retrograde in Gemini from September 10, 2022 to January 12, 2023 and in the sign of Gemini from August 24, 2022 to March 25, 2023 – over six months of heat and possibly conflict in the house in your chart with Gemini on the cusp!

This period (and Mars retrograde) may particularly affect you if Gemini is on the cusp on one of your angular houses (1, 4, 7 and 10) or if you have any planets in the mutable signs (Gemini, Pisces, Sagittarius, Virgo).

Another reason why I think this particular Mercury retrograde is important is because it also will retrograde back into Taurus and head towards the North Node, which will bring attention back to whatever topics got triggered during the partial solar eclipse in that sign that happened on April 30, 2022.

Eclipses bring great beginnings and great endings and often bring drama in their wake, and they will be happening in the Taurus (North Node) and Scorpio (South Node) axis in your chart until late summer, 2023.

Since Uranus has also been speeding things up, bringing in the new and disrupting patterns in the house in your chart with Taurus on the cusp since May, 2018 when it entered this sign, Mercury’s return to Taurus may echo new developments as well as give insight for what might be yet to come. It will particularly draw attention to anything that came up from April 26 to April 30 (the day of the eclipse).

In short, your house with Gemini and Taurus on the cusp are going to be getting a big spotlight and some heat and shaking up, so keep that in mind and take notes when Mercury goes retrograde next week until the beginning of June!

Here are the astro stats:

* April 30 – Mercury enters Gemini

* May 10 – Mercury stations retrograde at 4 degrees 52 of Gemini

* May 23 – Mercury retrogrades back into Taurus

* June 3 – Mercury stations direct at 26 degrees 05 of Taurus

* June 13 – Mercury reenters Gemini and stays in the sign until July 5

The sun is currently in Aries, its sign of exaltation. An exalted planet is one that is celebrated and treated like an honored guest for its qualities. To understand what this means, imagine an actor from a popular TV series suddenly showing up in your town. People would get excited, rush up and ask for autographs or selfie shots, how great that so-and-so came to our town!

Therefore, the sun in Aries boosts solar principles, such as vitality, charisma, self-confidence, visibility and fame. Like the sun itself, strongly solar people shine bright and draw people to them. They are naturally born leaders who can stand in the spotlight, exuding satisfaction and sovereignty.

Great energy to harness and keep on tap, especially in days where it’s increasingly important to stand out from the crowd. Luckily, you can do just that with this Sun in Aries election.

Sun in Aries election

On Wednesday, March 30, 2022, there is a great exalted sun election that you can use for a variety of solar purposes, such as:

* Gaining honors and recognition

* Increasing your visibility, e.g. by growing your online presence

* Come across as charismatic, in charge and capable

* Effectively boost your (self-)promotion

* Enhance your vitality and self-confidence

The chart

This Sun in Aries electional chart is timed for March 30, 2022 at 1:03 p.m. for my location in Berlin, Germany and can be used anywhere in the European Union.

Strong in the its sign of exaltation, the Sun is directly on the MC (Mid-heaven), which speaks to gaining recognition, visibility and popularity in your career or the public eye.

In any electional chart, the moon is extremely important because it acts as the intermediary between the celestial realm and the material plane. Without the support of the moon, the election is ultimately ineffective. The moon here is in Pisces in the 9th house and applying to a conjunction with Jupiter, which greatly boosts the good fortune of this election.

Although this chart could be used for many things that fit the aspects I described in the bullet points above, it would be especially auspicious for success in higher learning purposes, for example, to increase your chance of acceptance for a study program, gaining recognition in a spiritual field or publishing (all 9th house matters).

However, one thing is worth mentioning here: In this chart, Mercury is in Aries and also combust (=within eight degrees of the Sun). Since this planet is also directly on the MC, this may result in your gaining a reputation as a person who directly speaks their mind, albeit sometimes to the point of being blunt and brusque and/or blurting things out without thinking first. Great if you’re trying to promote your new maverick podcast, but less ideal in other situations. If you would prefer to avoid this energy, then I suggest using this chart instead:

This chart is also in the hour of the Sun with the Sun in Aries in the 10th, so you still get the benefits of the solar qualities previously mentioned. However, with Neptune and Jupiter on the MC, your image will gain a glamorous, positive allure.

If you need to relocate the chart, here are the times to use (if you’re location is missing from the list, just ask and I’ll look it up for you :) ) As is always the case with electional charts, it might not work everywhere and/or will change the date and time depending on your location:

Europe

* Central European Standard Time: March 30, 2022 at 13:03 p.m. (Sun on MC), 12:12 p.m. (Neptune/Jupiter on MC)

* Greenwich Mean Time (UK): March 30, 2022 at 12:53 p.m. (Sun on MC), 12:08 p.m. (Neptune/Jupiter on MC)

USA/Canada

* Eastern Time Zone: March 30, 2022 at 12:53 p.m. (Sun on MC), 12:08 p.m. (Neptune/Jupiter on MC). The moon is conjunct Jupiter here, but it hasn’t separated yet, so the election should still work.

* Central Time Zone: Unfortunately this chart doesn’t work because the moon has passed Jupiter.

* Mountain Time Zone: Unfortunately this chart doesn’t work because the moon has passed Jupiter.

* Pacific Time Zone: Unfortunately this chart doesn’t work because the moon has passed Jupiter.

Hong Kong

* March 30, 2022 at 12:23 p.m. (Sun on MC), 11:29 a.m. (Neptune/Jupiter on MC).

How to use an electional chart

I wrote this text which gives you more details about electional astrology, so check it out if you don’t know what this is or would like to know more.

In a nutshell, you need to do some sort of concrete action at the time of the election to set the ball in motion. This could be something like:

* Naming and saving a word document you plan to use later.

* Signing up for a class/course.

* Sending an e-mail or making a phone call.

* Creating a website or social media account linked to your intention.

You don’t have to do much more than that at this stage, just make the first move. Whatever you initiate at this moment will hold the energy of the election, allowing you to benefit from it in the long run.

How to use this chart magically

This chart is very potent and can also be used for astrological magic. For this, you create either a petition or a talisman, which allows you to harness this energy for future use. To do so, you need to perform a ritual as described in the Picatrix, a 10th century book on astrological magic.

Here’s how to do so (n.b. some of this is my own way of doing things combined with what it says in the Picatrix, which is fairly barebones):

* Shortly before the election, light a candle and some incense or plant material that corresponds to the Sun, such as rosemary, orange/citrus in general, basil, cinnamon, St. John’s Wort, or frankincense.

* Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Imagine your body being surrounded by the color gold. Breath. Now imagine gold is coming up through the ground and coating your bones. Once all your bones have been covered, imagine the bright, warm sum floating above your head. Now imagine his symbol in your heart. It looks like this.*

* Open your eyes and recite the Orphic hymn to the Sun, which is below:

Hear, golden Titan, whose eternal eye With matchless sight illumines all the sky. Native, unwearied in diffusing light, And to all eyes the object of delight: Lord of the Seasons, beaming light from far, Sonorous, dancing in thy four-yok'd car. With thy right hand the source of morning light, And with thy left the father of the night. Agile and vig'rous, venerable Sun, Fiery and bright around the heav'ns you run, Foe to the wicked, but the good man's guide, O'er all his steps propitious you preside. With various-sounding golden lyre 'tis thine To fill the world with harmony divine. Father of ages, guide of prosp'rous deeds, The world's commander, borne by lucid steeds. Immortal Jove, flute-playing, bearing light, Source of existence, pure and fiery bright; Bearer of fruit, almighty lord of years, Agile and warm, whom ev'ry power reveres. Bright eye, that round the world incessant flies, Doom'd with fair fulgid rays to set and rise; Dispensing justice, lover of the stream, The world's great master, and o'er all supreme. Faithful defender, and the eye of right, Of steeds the ruler, and of life the light: With sounding whip four fiery steeds you guide, When in the glittering car of day you ride, Propitious on these mystic labours shine, And bless thy suppliants with a life divine.

Now it’s time to create the talisman or petition. To do so, either imagine the following (for a petition), draw it on a piece of paper imbued with Solar herbs (list above) or carve/scratch it on a garnet, ruby, carnelian, amber, gold or brass, all of which have a Solar nature.

The image you need to use for the drawing/carving:

A man standing as though wanting to salute, holding in his left hand a round shield and under his feet the image of a dragon. You also need to add the seal of the Sun, which looks like this:

If you’re not much of an artist, don’t worry (I can’t draw at all). It’s totally fine if you just draw stick figures and a wonky looking dragon. It’s the intention behind creating the image that matters, not the aesthetic results.

Once you’ve finished your drawing or carving, pull the talisman or paper through the incense smoke several times and state your intention, e.g. Please help me, John Doe, to get a promotion, get accepted to Harvard, gain more visibility and followers for my Instagram account, increase my self-confidence, regain my vitality.

You can be as specific or general as you want, but make sure what you’re asking is something the Sun can actually deliver according to his nature. Once you’ve finished, you can lay the talisman/paper down next to the candle and leave it there at least until the incense has burned down.

Please note:

The timing for the ritual from start to finish is crucial. Here are the windows you can use for each of the time zones listed above (in a few cases, the times are slightly earlier to leave room for the beginning of the ritual):

Europe

* Central European Standard Time: March 30, 2022 from 12:08 p.m. to 1:08 p.m.

* Greenwich Mean Time (UK): March 30, 2022 at 12:03 a.m. to 13:03

USA/Canada

* Eastern Time Zone: March 30, 2022 from 11:59 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Hong Kong

* March 30, 2022 from 11:28 a.m. to 12:28 p.m.

Luckily the length is good for these elections, so you should have plenty of time. Remember, the earlier you start, the more you’ll have the softer, dreamy Jupiter/Neptune influence.

A few final thoughts

I’ve been practicing astrological magic for around three years now and I’ve had some really great results. What I especially like about it is that it is strict and particular in that you have to wait for a great election like this one for it to work, and you have to use materials that correspond to the Sun and an image as specified in the Picatrix, but other than that, the rituals are fairly simple and straightforward.

That said, your ritual in of itself can be an artistic act, and I have noticed that when I put in more effort, I sometimes get stronger results. Some ideas in this case would be to:

* Create a small altar for the Sun using e.g. the Sun’s magic square, seal, and the other symbols you can find here. Again, you could simply print this sheet out, draw it on a yellow, red or gold (the Sun’s colors) or etch on glass, whatever. It’s totally up to you.

* Dress in yellow, red or gold and perhaps add some rosemary sprigs to the altar or camomile flowers (another solar herb).

* Incorporate the number six into your altar, which is the Sun’s number (e.g. six pieces of amber, six gold coins, etc.)

* Do the ritual outside in the sunlight.

Again, none of this is necessary, but it can make things fun and help the energy attune even more to the nature of the Sun.

I’ve created solar talismans in the past and found them excellent for seeing things more clearly and having more energy, which is also something you could ask for.

If you do end up using the election or making a talisman, feel free to share your story below!

*Thanks to Austin Coppock for suggesting this small meditation to tune into Saturn’s planetary energy!

Next week, Mercury in Pisces will conjunct Jupiter and Neptune, a transit I’m calling “A time to dream – with a word of caution.”

In traditional astrology, Mercury is said to be in its sign of detriment and fall in Pisces – a sign traditionally ruled by Jupiter – which makes it the most challenging placement for this planet.

Mercury is the intellect, curiosity, communication, that which seeks to understand the world through analysis and rational thinking. It is a planet that loves memorization and lists. The planet of youth, it can signify the schooling we receive as children and adolescents.

Jupiter, on the other hand, is expansion, buoyant optimism, that which seeks to understand the world with intuition, faith and big picture thinking. While Mercury lives for details and the specific, Jupiter prefers the general and universal. He stands for higher truth and higher education and that which is innately known.

Mercury seeks to measure, categorize, analyze, and place knowledge into boxes, which is not the type of activities Pisces supports. When Mercury is in Pisces, the intellect can become overwhelmed with the oceanic vastness of Jupiter’s expansiveness, which can lead to issues with communication, among other things.

However, this placement is great for dreams, music and poetry, for understanding and communicating that which is beyond words. For example, the poets Maya Angelou and Amanda Gorman both have Mercury in Pisces in their natal chart. Although they illustrate the power of this placement in their work, they also both struggled with communication issues as children.

The Mercury transits ahead

Here are the stats:

* Mercury ingresses into Pisces on March 9/10, 2022

* Mercury conjuncts Jupiter on March 20/21, 2022

* Mercury conjuncts Neptune on March 23, 2022

What these transits are great for

Since this is a whole lot of Jupiterian energy, let’s talk about the positive sides first:

These transits will enhance your ability to slip into the world of dreams, write otherworldly poetry, compose songs that speak to the soul and have mystical and spiritual experience that are beyond anything you’ve ever experienced before. This is perhaps especially true when Mercury meets up with Neptune, which is the dissolver of boundaries.

The motto for the week should therefore be mehr Hingabe, which is German for more surrender, giving yourself over to the poetic power of this energy .

Photo by Fernando Jorge on Unsplash

Bathe more often, go to the spa, spend a week by the sea. Mediate, focus on your spiritual practice and allow your thoughts to wander. If you surrender to the positive sides of this energy, it could be truly mind blowing.

What you need to watch out for

Now let’s move on to the negative sides of these transits, and there definitely are some to keep in mind.

In general, when Mercury is in Pisces you may find yourself more forgetful and scattered, and more at a loss for words than usual, and these transits will heighten such tendencies. Therefore, this week it will likely be harder to complete and concentrate on mundane or super-detailed/analytical tasks. These combinations are great for reaching higher plains and grasping philosophical truths, but they aren’t so great for day-to-day stuff, like finishing a boring report at work, remembering to do your taxes or running errands.

These transits are very much about turning off the logical, rational mind, which can be positive, but it also holds an inherent danger.

Next week, more than ever, you have to be extra mindful of misinformation, especially anything that seems too good to be true. Jupiter has a tendency to gloss over (sometimes important) details in favor of wearing those rose-colored glasses and Neptune is also the planet of illusion, which means these transits combination can definitely lead to unclear or even delusional thinking.

Although this combination is fantastic for spiritual experience, it also could make people more susceptible to falling into cults, so if you come into contact with a person, group or philosophy at this time that insists you have to turn off your mind and abandon any type of critical thinking, run the other way. Faith can be a beautiful thing, but it should never be blind faith that forbids you to question things.

What these transits mean for you

To find out what kinds of topics these transits might bring up for you, take a look at the house in your chart with Pisces on the cusp.

In general, this transit might leave you feeling disoriented and ungrounded and at a loss for words at times, which may be especially challenging if you are more of a left-brained, logical person.

If this is the case, try to let go and just enjoy the dreamy Pisces wave for the time being without losing your head in the process.

On March 26/27, Mercury will move into Aries, a sign where it is much more assertive, blunt, quick and to the point.

On March 11, 2022 Venus will enter into what is called besiegement in traditional astrology. Besiegement means “hemmed up or surrounded by hostile forces,” and in this case the hostile forces are the traditional malefic planets Mars and Saturn.

Venus is the planet of harmony, relating, bringing things together and keeping the peace, all of which will be difficult to do when she finds herself besieged.

The dance of Venus and Mars

In this episode, I talked about Venus entering the underworld when she conjuncted Pluto on December 11. This aspect happened again on December 25, when she was retrograde. The third and final meet up with Pluto happened on March 3, when Mars also crashed onto the scene. All three planets entered into an exact conjunction on this day at around 28 degrees of Capricorn.

Although what comes up for you during this period may echo those Venus Pluto aspects on December 11 and 25, Mars – which is extremely strong at 28 degrees of Capricorn, which is both its sign and degree of exaltation – starts steering things in a different direction.

As I mentioned above, Venus harmonizes, mediates and brings things and people together, while Mars causes strife, cuts and tears tears things apart. And they will be “dancing” together in the same degrees for a while, first in Capricorn starting on March 3, then in Aquarius on March 6, where they remain tightly conjunct until around March 11.

Its rare for these two planets to stay so closely together for this long. In some ways it is a positive aspect because Venus can help temper Mars and hopefully prevent some of his worst sides – such as hostility, aggression and violence – from spiralling out of control.

However, this is by no means a pleasant job for Venus – and Venus prefers enjoying herself. And alas, things get worse for her when she enters into besiegement.

Venus between a rock and a hard place

On the 10/11 of March, Venus enters into besiegement, a condition that is well described by the saying “between a rock and a hard place.”

Poor Venus just wants everyone to get along and restore a sense of balance, but she has volatile Mars at her back and grim Saturn before her.

Saturn is strong here because he is in a sign he traditionally rules (Aquarius) and is also the dispositor of both Venus and Mars, which definitely means he has the upper hand.

Photo by Khashayar Kouchpeydeh on Unsplash

Venus stuck between these two is a bit like someone caught between balancing the demands, negations and inflexibility of a boss (Saturn) and the angry impatience of other people on their team who want to charge ahead (Mars). A frustrating place to be, to say the least, and one that she doesn’t have much power to mollify or resolve.

As is always the case, this energy will be showing up on the collective as well as our personal lives. For a better idea how it might play out in your own life, check out the house in your chart with Aquarius on the cusp.

If you do feel stuck and frustrated, wait for March 19 when Venus makes a square to Uranus in Taurus, as this might bring in a Eureka moment that helps you gain better insight about how to proceed.

Venus headed towards oceanic glory

This besiegement, and the frustration and powerlessness it brings in the realms of peace, harmony and relationships, will start to ease after March 28, when Venus conjuncts Saturn and is no longer sandwiched between these planets.

Things will get even better when she moves into the watery depths of Pisces, her sign of exaltation, in April – so stay tuned!

On March 2, 2022 we will have a new moon in Pisces which will culminate in a full moon in Virgo on 17/18, 2022, depending on where you live in the world. As I wrote in this post, a new moon is always the time when seeds are planted, which bear their fruits at the full moon roughly two weeks later.

The new moon is brought to you by Jupiter

As I’ve mentioned many times here at Age of Air, we have been dealing with a whole lot of Saturn for years now – or at least since 2020, and doesn’t the carefree feeling of the years prior to 2020 almost feel like a dream at this point?

This Saturnian vibe was also amped up in January, when both Venus and Mercury went retrograde in the Saturnian sign of Capricorn, which brought up echoes from the early days of the pandemic, since they were very much tied to this particular sign. February continued the Saturn party by bringing us plenty of Aquarius, a sign Saturn traditionally rules.

Although Saturn is at his best and most constructive in Aquarius – the only sign where he’s even stronger is Libra, the sign of his exaltation – Saturnian energy, by its very nature, is heavy, somber and slow.

That one’s of the reasons it’s great that Jupiter finally gets his chance to come to the fore.

While Saturn stands for things like careful structures, caution, shrewd thinking, discipline, limitations, blocks and restrictions and that which needs time to develop, Jupiter stands for things like blessings, good luck, higher knowledge, grace and wealth both spiritual and material.

Jupiter moved into Pisces on December 29, 2021. Strong in Pisces, a sign he traditionally rules, he’s finally in a position to help us out and bring expansion, optimism and good fortune back into our lives, daring us to dream big. Saturn continued to take the center stage during the first two months of 2022, but this March lunar cycle is the welcome entrance of Jupiter and, ultimately, a renewed sense of hope for the future.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

The lunar cycle astro stats

Whatever aspects are in the sky during a new moon/full moon help paint a picture of what each lunar cycle has to offer. For the new moon on March 2, the stats are as follows:

* Sun conjunct Moon (New Moon) at 12 degree 07 of Pisces

* Sun in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus

* Mercury conjunct Saturn in Aquarius

* Moon conjunct Jupiter in Pisces

The seeds this new moon plants are an openness to change and thinking outside the box (Sun sextile Uranus) and the potential for a growing sense of optimism and grace (Moon conjunct Jupiter), particularly that which is focused inward and/or spiritual in nature.

However, there is still a somber tone here that calls us to keep our thoughts on serious matters and continue to consider the importance of long-term thinking (Mercury conjunct Saturn).

For the full moon on March 17/18, the important aspects are:

* Sun in Pisces in opposition to the Moon in Virgo at 27 degrees 40

* Moon in opposition to Jupiter in Pisces (this happens over 12 hours before the full moon, but it is still important in my opinion)

* Moon in opposition to Neptune in Pisces

My thoughts on this full moon is that it really speaks to the tension between the universal and the particular.

Jupiter is very much about big picture thinking and the power of belief, while Neptune is about dissolving borders and boundaries in both a positive sense (e.g. dreams, glamor and creativity) and a negative sense (e.g. addiction, delusion, and even madness).

On the other hand, Mercury-ruled Virgo is all about details, in-depth analysis and research and making sure you always dot your “I”s and cross your “t”s.

Personally, I’m glad this balance is baked into this full moon because it helps keep the Jupiter/Neptune oceanic boundlessness in check: Dare to dream and surrender to spiritual pursuits, yes, but make sure you still keep your feet on the ground is how I’d sum up this particular lunar cycle. This is especially an important lesson to keep in mind when Jupiter and Neptune meet up in a conjunction next month

As always, this lunar cycle will have an impact both collectively and personally, although how much it actually affects you will depend on where the new moon and full moon fall in your natal chart. Since the new moon will be directly conjunct my ascendant ruler and the full moon will be in my first house, I will be personally quite tied into this particular lunar cycle, and will let you know if anything interesting comes up for me.

Please feel free to share your own thoughts and experiences as well!

Saturn is a planet that gets a bad rap in astrology. Sure, he’s the planet that rules things like restrictions, suffering, old age and even death itself – in other words, the stuff none of us really like to face. However, Saturn also stands for positive things, like discipline, mastery, commitment, those things that age well and stand the test of time.

Saturnian energy is what allows us to put our nose to the grindstone and do the hard work and and spend the time necessary to truly master a subject. Discipline and structure may not always make for fun times, but they are most definitely an important part of life, and they are what Saturn provides.

Whenever I think about what Saturn can teach in a positive sense, I always inevitably think about the “wax on, wax off” scene in the Karate Kid. If you’re not a GenXer like me and you’ve never seen this movie, here’s a little summary:

The new kid in town, Daniel, is getting bullied and beat up by some macho karate boys (if I remember right, they also steal his BMX, a mortal sin in the 80s if there ever was one!). To defend himself, he wants to learn karate himself and starts learning with Mr. Miyagi, a Japanese gardener.

Before they start in on the lessons, Mr. Miyagi has Daniel wax all of his old cars in a “wax on, wax off” circular motion, then he has him sand the floors, paint the house and paint the fence. After a few days of doing this, Daniel starts to get pissed off. His shoulder hurts, this is no fun and what does it have to do with karate anyway?

Here’s is Mr. Miyagi’s answer.

To me, this is the beauty of Saturn. It’s not about cutting corners or instant success, it’s about committing to the long-haul, about taking the time to build up something strong and solid, not a rushed, fly by night plan that falls apart in the end. Some of the work is unpleasant, tedious or boring, like practicing scales if you’re a musician, but it pays off in the end.

This weekend, we get a chance to tap into and harness this positive side of Saturn and bring it into our lives in a more direct way. Here’s what you need to know.

Saturn in Aquarius election

On Sunday, February 20, 2022 (or Saturday, February 19 depending on your location), there is a great Saturn election that you can use for a variety of Saturnian purposes, such as:

* Making long-term commitments

* Gaining respect and mastery

* Creating new, lasting structures in your life

* Improving discipline and endurance

* Working on building something in a slow, steady and effective manner

* Anything involving buildings or real estate, which is something Saturn rules

Again, this is not the energy to use for overnight results, but rather those types of pursuits where you need and are willing to put in the hard work (a very Saturnian principle!) to elevate your status and authority in the long run.

The chart

This Saturn in Aquarius electional chart is timed for February 20, 2022 at 11:13 a.m. for my location in Berlin, Germany and can be used anywhere in the European Union.

Strong in the sign it traditionally rules, Saturn is directly on the MC (Mid-heaven), which speaks to slowly and steadily gaining in authority in your career or the public eye. The moon is in the 5th house in Libra and is applying to a harmonious trine to Saturn.

In any electional chart, the moon is extremely important because it acts as the intermediary between the celestial realm and the material plane. Without the support of the moon, the election is ineffective. Since Libra is the sign of Saturn’s exaltation and the aspect is applying (i.e. the moon is heading toward completing a trine with Saturn), this chart has the juice to harness this positive Saturnian energy in the ways I described above.

Although this chart could be used for many things that fit the aspects I described in the bullet points above, I especially like it for committing to a creative or literary pursuit (a mix of the 5th house and Mercury in the 9th), which is how I’ll be using it.

If you need to relocate the chart, here are the times to use (if you’re location is missing from the list, just ask and I’ll look it up for you :) ) As is always the case with electional charts, it might not work everywhere and/or will change the date and time depending on your location:

Europe

* Central European Standard Time: February 20, 2022 at 11:13 a.m.

* Greenwich Mean Time (UK): February 20, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.

USA/Canada

* Eastern Time Zone: Unfortunately, this chart doesn’t work as well in this time zone, because the moon is out of orb. The election may still work, but it won’t be as potent. If you’d still like to give it a try, you need to do it one day earlier on February 19 at 11:18 a.m.

* Central Time Zone: February 19 at 11:10 a.m.

* Mountain Time Zone: February 19 at 11:21 a.m.

* Pacific Time Zone: February 19 at 11:25 a.m.

How to use an electional chart

I wrote this text which gives you more details about electional astrology, so check it out if you don’t know what this is or would like to know more.

In a nutshell, you need to do some sort of concrete action at the time of the election to set the ball in motion. This could be something like:

* Naming and saving a word document you plan to use later.

* Signing up for a class.

* Sending an e-mail or making a phone call.

* Creating a website linked to your intention.

You don’t have to do much more than that at this stage, just make the first move. Whatever you initiate at this moment will hold the energy of the election, allowing you to benefit from it in the long run.

How to use this chart magically

This chart is very potent and can also be used for astrological magic. For this, you create either a petition or a talisman, which allows you to harness this energy for future use. To do so, you need to perform a ritual as described in the Picatrix, a 10th century book on astrological magic.

Here’s how to do so (n.b. some of this is my own way of doing things combined with what it says in the Picatrix, which is fairly barebones):

* Shortly before the election, light a candle and some incense or plant material that corresponds to Saturn, such as poppy, pine, storax, fern, cumin, hemp or frankincense.

* Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Imagine your body being surrounded by the color black. Breath. Now imagine lead is coming up through the ground and coating your bones. Once all your bones have been covered, imagine the planet Saturn floating above your head. Now imagine his symbol in your heart. It looks like this.*

* Open your eyes and recite the Orphic hymn to Saturn, which is below:

ETHERIAL father, mighty Titan, hear, Great fire of Gods and men, whom all revere: Endu'd with various council, pure and strong, To whom perfection and decrease belong. Consum'd by thee all forms that hourly die, By thee restor'd, their former place supply; The world immense in everlasting chains, Strong and ineffable thy pow'r contains Father of vast eternity, divine, O mighty Saturn, various speech is thine: Blossom of earth and of the starry skies, Husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wife. Obstetric Nature, venerable root, From which the various forms of being shoot; No parts peculiar can thy pow'r enclose, Diffus'd thro' all, from which the world arose, O, best of beings, of a subtle mind, Propitious hear to holy pray'rs inclin'd; The sacred rites benevolent attend, And grant a blameless life, a blessed end.

Now it’s time to create the talisman or petition. To do so, either imagine the following (for a petition), draw it on a piece of paper imbued with Saturnian herbs (list above) or carve/scratch it on onyx, jet, dark lapis lazuli, blue sapphire, black leather or bone, all of which have a Saturnian nature.

The image you need to use for the drawing/carving:

A man standing on a dragon holding a scythe in his right hand and a spear in his left, dressed in black or tawny clothes. You also need to add the seal of Saturn, which looks like this:

If you’re not much of an artist, don’t worry (I can’t draw at all). It’s totally fine if you just draw stick figures and a wonky looking dragon. It’s the intention behind creating the image that matters, not the aesthetic results.

Once you’ve finished your drawing or carving, pull the talisman or paper through the incense smoke several times and state your intention, e.g. Please help me, John Doe, to have more discipline (in my creative pursuits, studies, etc.), to gain the mastery needed to write my novel, to gain in authority, etc.

You can be as specific or general as you want, but make sure what you’re asking is something Saturn can actually deliver according to his nature. In other words, don’t ask for help with your love life or overnight success as an influencer and so forth, because Saturn has very little to do with love (except perhaps commitment) and his energy is slow and methodical, more the somber master or elder statesman rather than the early shooting star.

Once you’ve finished, you can lay the talisman/paper down next to the candle and leave it there at least until the incense has burned down.

Please note:

The timing for the ritual from start to finish is crucial. Here are the windows you can use for each of the time zones listed above (in a few cases, the times are slightly earlier to leave room for the beginning of the ritual):

Europe

* Central European Standard Time: February 20, 2022 from 11:06 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

* Greenwich Mean Time (UK): February 20, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. to 11:17

USA/Canada

* Eastern Time Zone: February 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:18 a.m. (not as strong and more suitable to a paper talisman).

* Central Time Zone: February 19 from 10:50 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.

* Mountain Time Zone: February 19 from 11:05 to 11:21 a.m.

* Pacific Time Zone: February 19 from 11:10 a.m. to 11:25 a.m.

If you end up going over a little bit, it’s not the end of the world, but you should definitely have the basic carving or drawing finished before this time.

A few final thoughts

I’ve been practicing astrological magic for around three years now and I’ve had some really great results. What I especially like about it is that it is strict and particular in that you have to wait for a great election like this one for it to work, and you have to use materials that correspond to Saturn and an image as specified in the Picatrix, but other than that, the rituals are fairly simple and straightforward.

That said, your ritual in of itself can be an artistic act, and I have noticed that when I put in more effort, I sometimes get stronger results. Some ideas in this case would be to:

* Create a small altar for Saturn using e.g. Saturn’s magic square, seal, and the other symbols you can find here. Again, you could simply print this sheet out, draw it on a black cloth (Saturn’s color) or etch on glass, whatever. It’s totally up to you.

* Dress in black and perhaps add some poppies to the altar or the branch of a pine tree.

* Incorporate the number three into your altar, which is Saturn’s number (e.g. three candles, three bones, three dark stones, etc.)

* Do the ritual in a graveyard.

Again, none of this is necessary, but it can make things fun and help the energy attune even more to the nature of Saturn.

I’ve created Saturn talismans in the past and found them excellent for better focusing and concentrating on something for long periods of time, especially when alone, so that’s another thing your talisman might bring to you or that you could ask for.

If you do end up using the election or making a talisman, feel free to share your story below!

*Thanks to Austin Coppock for suggesting this small meditation to tune into Saturn’s planetary energy!