A Stressful Week with Saves from Venus and Jupiter

This week started off with an intensity on Monday, April 14th that has yet to abate. Pluto stationed retrograde at 7:44 p.m. at 14 degrees of Capricorn. It produced a lot of tension and forced many of us to examine issues around power. I know that I was not alone when I tweeted that it was the lack of power that was so frustrating. Pluto is also squaring Mars and I am feeling the hits of transiting Pluto squaring my ascendant and Mars conjunct my ascendant.  Is it any wonder that I am experiencing controlled rage about situations that I have no control over?

What did I do on the day of the 14th? I had my annual gyn appointment, which was pretty routine except for the fact that my gynecologist was puzzled when he couldn't retrieve the results of the mammogram I'd had the previous week because the computer records said "unread."  I didn't think anything of it but there is more to come on that front. I also went to see the Marathon Memorial at the Boston Public Library because I felt it was something I needed to do after having witnessed the aftermath of the Marathon Bombing a couple hours after it happened. I had a hard time finding it but I did. I knew I didn't want to go the next day, the actual anniversary because I don't do well with crowds. The exhibit did elicit tears and painful memories but it was worthwhile.  It was my personal way of dealing with the Pluto station. After all, it was the Marathon Bombing that was a catalyst for me to make much needed changes in my life. Nothing like unearthing your deepest fears and feelings in order to transcend them.  Thank you, Pluto in Capricorn.

On Tuesday, April 15^th we had the lunar eclipse in 25 degrees of Libra.  It conjuncted my Neptune in the first house and I literally woke up feeling sad.  Was I soaking up the collective sadness of the Marathon Bombing anniversary?  I purposely avoided watching television but I did hear the church bells ringing at 2:49 p.m. to commemorate the event.  What happened next really shocked me.  I received a text from the owner of the clinic where I give Reiki treatments informing me that I might have trouble getting into work the next morning because Copley Station was closed and the area was blocked off.  Apparently there had been two unattended backpacks that needed to be detonated.  The bags contained photography equipment and a rice cooker filled with confetti.  But the individual who left the bags was arrested and rumored to be bipolar.  And he chose to act out on a lunar eclipse!  Granted, the moon had moved into Scorpio by that time, but we were still getting the full effect of that full moon in Libra opposing Aries. 

I also got a disturbing phone call from the lab where I had my mammogram done the previous week; I needed to return for a repeat imaging because there was something off compared to my two previous mammograms.  I did not get much information from the person who called me.  I just remember being told to come in as soon as possible and the earliest opening was Friday morning.  I was in shock, to say the least.  A few hours later I composed myself and checked the Patient Site online records to see if the results were in my online records.  The report basically stated that I had dense breasts which limited the sensitivity for detection of masses.  This was news to me; I had never thought of myself as having dense breasts.  Friends tried to reassure me that it was probably nothing and that maybe they had squeezed so hard that it made it impossible to read.  Transiting Mars conjunct my ascendant feels literally like an attack on my physical body, but the whole experience is also making me feel really angry that no one explains things anymore. Uranus in Aries is transiting my 6^th house for almost another year, so I suppose that I should not be surprised that this is happening.

But relief was in sight.  On Wednesday, April 16^th we had a Grand Water Trine with the moon in Scorpio, Venus in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer.  Once again, the water planets rushed to the rescue!  It felt like something was lifting.  Venus and Jupiter are in their signs of exaltation, which is always a good thing.  The much ballyhooed Cardinal Grand Cross will be upon us next week, but I remember reading encouraging words from astrologer Jessica Adams that Jupiter can soften the cross.  I tend to think of Jupiter in Cancer as a secret weapon.  I realized that it was technically the last day Mars would be in my first house, but I would be feeling the effects of Mars conjunct my ascendant until the end of June, forcing me to deal with issues of anger, conflict and resentment.  I did have hope on that day.  An old friend called me that night and we had a delightful chat.  I remember reading the good news that Valerie Harper had been declared cancer-free.  A little over a year ago, she had been given three months to live and I had been devastated by that news.  She struck me as a very inspirational person in her reaction to the diagnosis, and it appears that Jupiter is working its miracles for her.  God bless her and her positive attitude, which we all could use more of these days.  When I went to my weekly meditation group that night, I received a message that I would be making more money in May.  I definitely needed to hear that because business has been really slow this week.  I know that people are majorly stressed out, but it hasn’t translated into business for me.  Then I remembered that I had good financial news in December 2013, the last time transiting Saturn in Scorpio was conjunct my Sun. In May retrograde Saturn will once again conjunct my Sun.   So there is a history and definite potential for it to occur again, because I have been playing by Saturn’s rules and working hard.

On Thursday, April 17^th, we had a delightful trine between in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer at 9:19 p.m.  The moon had moved on into Sagittarius, but that wasn’t a bad thing either because Sagittarius tends to be so optimistic and hopeful. 

On Friday, April 18^th, the moon in Sagittarius was squaring Neptune in Pisces, trining Uranus in Aries and squaring Venus and Chiron in Pisces.  A part of me was feeling the fire of indignation of having to endure another mammogram and another part was downright scared, especially since the Patient Site had me scheduled for two appointments that morning.  After the mammogram they gave me an ultrasound which revealed the presence of a cyst and the potential for papilloma, which is a benign tumor.  They recommended a follow-up ultra-sound in six months, but gave me the option of scheduling a cyst aspiration or core biopsy sooner if I chose.  I had a cyst about 12 years ago and had the fine needle aspiration because the cyst started causing me pain.  Right now I am currently leaning towards waiting the six months, but at least I know that if I get too freaked about my less than 3% chance of this being cancer, I can be proactive.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that we have the next Uranus in Aries squaring Pluto in Capricorn square on April 21, 2014. Rumor has it this one will pack the biggest punch.  This represents an erosion of the old ways of doing things while simultaneously experiencing a frustrating denial of escaping obligations.  It is not an understatement to say that it is a major test of patience.  I came across some very wise words from astrologer Vivian Carol at:

http://www.horoscopesbyvivian.com/index.html

Basically, she commented on how the Uranus Pluto square is also activated by Jupiter in Cancer, which squares Uranus and opposes Pluto.  This can play out in two ways: by either creating a joint purpose that everyone can agree on or create drama triangles with a victim, perpetrator and a rescuer.  This scenario is highly dysfunction and should be avoided at all costs.  So let’s focus on creating a joint purpose with next week’s Uranus Pluto square and Grand Cardinal Cross.