A Week In The Stars:
On Tuesday January 31st, Mercury (messenger god of communication) makes a challenging aspect to Uranus (the change-maker trickster planet of revolution). Mercury has been zipping through the goat-merm sign of hard work and integrity: Capricorn, while Uranus (who is so slow moving she changes sign only once every seven years ish) has been traveling through the fiery, independent terrain of Aries.
When Mercury squares Uranus there is the potential for revolutionary thinking and/or understanding. Excellent! Just what we need right now! The catch is that with a square, this could end up feeling stressful or tense. If you have been grappling with a political paradigm shift or if you have been attempting to figure out how to communicate effectively about our current state of affairs, Tuesday might be the day you make the breakthrough. It could also be the day when the stress of this pursuit reaches such a peak you may wish to throw in the towel on the whole endeavor. Consider doing that work offline as time and again we have found FB to be a stressful, aggravating platform with which to advocate.
Friday February 3rd, Venus ingresses into Aries. Venus, who is generally depicted as the soft, sweet love goddess who appears resplendent upon a clam shell or an ocean wave, steps into her warrior-princess garb when she passes into the land of Aries. Venus isn’t quite comfortable in Aries but it’s a great reminder that doing the hard work and fighting the good fight is not necessarily a comfortable experience. Caroline Casey says Venus in Aries wants art “once again to assume a heroic leadership function in the world.” If you are interested in some Venus in Aries inspiration for this week I would highly recommend revisiting the Femme Shark Manifesto which you can find here.
Sunday February 5th Jupiter (which has been in Libra since September 9th 2016 and will stay in Libra until October 2017) will retrograde. Retrogradation means that from the earth’s perspective, a planet appears to be moving backward in it’s orbit. Like when you are in a car that is going faster then the car beside you. Although the car next to you isn’t actually going backward, it appears as if it is. When planets appear to move backward, things get a little funky. When planets retrograde we tend to see the energy of that planet turning from more external manifestations to inner contemplations. Jupiter in Libra is going to retrograde while opposite Uranus in Aries. What we have here is the jovial god of abundance and optimism (Jupiter) in tension with the molotov-cocktail-lobbing god of freedom (at all costs (Uranus)). My favorite prescription for being in tension is to clarify my intentions. Spend some time doing that this week.
Weekly Affirmation:
“I radically clarify my intentions so that I can strike beautifully and with integrity.”
The following horoscopes are written for your RISING sign, and TOTALLY NOT your sun sign. If you really, really, really don’t know and can’t figure out your rising sign than you can read for your sun. Because there is so much that could be said for each sign every week, I pull tarot cards to help me narrow down the scope of the reading. This week I am using the tarot deck Slow Holler. If the tarot card that accompanies your sign speaks to you, I recommend working with the energy of that card throughout the week. Enjoy!
Aries
In The Sun, a golden peacock runs across a rich red background. There are large red and white flowers that are drawn so that they literally resemble the sun.
You embody any planet that appears natally in your first house. So if you have mars in your first house you might say: “I am a warrior.” This week, Venus enters your first house of self by transit. That means that for a certain amount of time you embody Venus. March 6th Venus will turn retrograde at 13° of Aries. So this is a valuable time for you to get used to Venus shining like the sun in your first house before it goes backwards and gets wonky. This week, practice embodying your own femme shark version of Venus. Tell yourself: “I am fierce compassion. I am passionate love. I am assertive charm. I am courageous connection.”
Taurus
In Six of Stones, a black ball lays inside the protective circle of six wall-like stones. There is an opening in the circle of stones and when the little black ball is ready, the world outside awaits. To the top left corner of the card there is a small rosebud that has yet to bloom.
The Six of Stones is a card that speaks to the need for sanctuary and protection while healing and recuperating – but this card also says: “when you are ready to come back out into the world, there are beautiful things out here ready to bloom with your help.” This week Venus is traveling into your 12th house Taurus. The traditional name for the 12th house is “The House of Bad Spirits” and it is often associated with hidden enemies. Both the hidden enemies out in the world, and the hidden enemies inside yourself. This week, give yourself all of the protection you need (whatever that looks like, plenty of sleep, time for your art, connection with loved ones, good sex and/or chocolate) so that when your patron planet, Venus, steps into her feisty, fiery Aries outfit, you are resourced enough to hold that power, and see what comes up for you.
Gemini
In Strength, a figure with their back to us warms themselves by a fire underneath an arch. Rain pours down around them. Moss hangs down from above.
This week, as Venus moves into your 11th house of community, friend groups, and chosen family (The House of Good Spirits), Strength is calling on you to be that warrior-goddess for your community. Meanwhile, in the opposite sign (libra) and the opposite house (the 5th house of Good Fortune) jupiter is slowing down and getting ready to move backward. As the fifth house is the domain of pleasure and creative pursuits this could be an excellent week to enlist your friends in some creative resistance. Use art to strengthen the community. Create a temporary respite from the rain through revolutionary play.
Cancer
In Ten of Vessels, ten red vessels of a variety of kinds surround a golden pond. Three teacups. A dripping teapot. A flowerpot holding a small shrub. A toy sailboat. A balloon. A drum. A fishbowl with a gold fish. A mason jar holding clouds.
Sweet, fertile, home-making cancer rising folks may move about the world as born nurturers but that does not preclude them from being able to access the ferocity of this week’s magic. When Venus moves into Aries on Friday, it will be entering Cancer’s 10th house. The 10th house is the most public and visible house. It is the house of career (yawn) and destiny (woah!). It is the house that tells you how others see you and the work that you do in this life. Not gotta-go-to-work-gotta-go-to-work-gotta-have-a-job kind of work. Soul work. What-I’m-meant-to-do-here work. Ten of Vessels invites Cancer to shine that Venusian light brightly in your public world and to see that simply by modeling courageous beauty, you give that gift of public representation to every person who witnesses you.
Leo
In Four of Branches three golden critters (are they foxes? Are they bats? JK they are definitely foxes), frolic amongst giant, splendid red flowers of different types (some of which are carnations).
This week, as Venus steps into Aries, she will be joining Uranus in your 9th house, Leo. The 9th house is about that higher mind understanding and meaning making. Some people access he 9th house through traveling the world. Some people access the 9th house through organized religion, and others access the 9th house through books, reading, learning, philosophy. So whatever way you have been doing the warrior (Aries) revolutionary (Uranus) thing, this week you will get a kiss of sweetness to that spot. Venus might help you make the connections between ideas you have been needing to make. Four of Branches recommends that you take a moment this week to celebrate the beauty of your work. Fox around a little bit in the proverbial flowers. Beauty is your birthright.
Virgo
In Ten of Branches two disembodied eyes cry blood. Surrounding the eyes is a fence of branches tied together into a cage-like barrier. One eye is wide open (in shock? In terror?) while the other eye squints (in pain? In skepticism?).
Oh Virgo, long-suffering indeed. This week’s astrology which focuses on the Aries-Libra polarity takes place in your 8th house (the resources you share with other people) and 2nd house (your own, personal resources). Resources can look like a lot of different things. Material resources of course: money, food on the table, a roof over your head. Time resources, energetic resources, and emotional resources. Virgo, the critic, the perfectionist, and the friend that is always offering a helping hand (even when realistically they have no hands left to give) is being asked by Ten of Branches to take a hard, courageous look at how you are using your resources. The Ten of Branches is all about the burden you carry. Although we all appreciate your hard work Virgo, we need a compassionate warrior, not a burnt-out martyr. This week, think about how you can replenish your internal resources so you can show up vital and energized.
Libra
In Six of Branches a little red dude, and their little red dog stand atop the ends of giant branches that tower into the sky like a branch-mountain. There is an opening at the base of the branch mountain that resembles a cave. Grey clouds swirl in the background and small winged bugs fly about, leaving black tail-streaks in their wake.
This week Libra, Venus enters your 7th house of partnership. If the 1st house is the house of self, the 7th house, which is directly opposite, can be seen as the house of other people. But more specifically, the 7th house denotes those relationships that have a contractual element to them. Historically we might immediately think of a marriage or a business partnership but with Uranus in Aries, Libra is asked to consider more revolutionary possibilities for contractual partnerships. We don’t need no paper from the city hall to have integrity in relationship and to make sacred agreements with loved ones. Six of Branches invites Libra to look out from the top of relationship mountain and consider your victories. What have you achieved in relationship? What have you learned? What can Venus in your seventh house bring the beauty of attention and intention to?
Scorpio
In The Kindred (Slow Holler’s renamed version of The Empress) sensual sweetness bursts forth of this springtime scene! There is an outdoor kitchen with jars of preserves, pans, glass pitchers of ice tea and lemonade. A bear and their cub snuggle under a blanket. A cow looks straight at you. A picnic is set up on the grass next to a stool. Squirrels hangout on a laundry line with sheets blowing in the wind. A stream flows. Flowers bloom. A spindle of thread and needle lay discarded in the grass.
This week, when Venus ingresses into Aries, she will be entering Scorpio’s 6th house of service. Scorpio is the undercover nighttime warrior where Aries is the totally-visible daytime warrior. Both signs are ruled by Mars (the god of aggression and competition) and both signs are opposite Venus-ruled signs (Taurus and Libra) which means that while Scorpio and Aries might feel more comfortable with the god of war, they both have a lot to learn from the goddess of love. The Kindred is pointing this out in a big way. The Kindred is basically Taurus’ card. It might as well be called ‘Taurus.’ It invites Scorpio to remember that when Venus passes into Aries, it may feel a little uncomfortable but you already know how to hold the femme and the shark at the same time. This week, find the beauty and the swagger in the day to day moments of being in service.
Sagittarius
In Visionary of Branches a naked goddess who blends in with the starry night sky clutches a golden tree. A red moon in the background matches the red cloth tied around her waist.
Sagittarius, who is often referred to as a visionary, could not have a better friend in their corner this week then the fiery Visionary of Branches: the confidant, passionate, self-possessed Queen of Wands. With Venus entering Sagittarius’ 5th house of creative pursuits it is an excellent time to turn that revolutionary vision toward whatever passion-projects have been waiting in the wings. How can you use your work for fierce connection? Remember that by being the Visionary of Branches you can inspire, with your art, anyone who sees you, to be the Visionary of Branches as well.
Capricorn
In The Oracle, a ghostly white figure springs forth from golden fire, a soft knowing look upon their face. One eye is hidden behind their wild hair. A red shall is clasped together by a golden brooch. A gold and white moon, huge in the background, rings their head like a halo.
You embody any planet that appears in your first house. So if you have mars in your first house you might say: “I am a warrior.” Pluto, the most slow moving of the slow-mover planets has been traveling through Capricorn since 2008 and it will stay in Capricorn until 2023. So for every Capricorn rising, this is a time when some part of you can say: “I am power; I am transformation.” Damn! Intense am I right? Last week, Mercury and Pluto conjoined and you had the opportunity to embody transformative understanding. This week, Mercury, still in your sign, is no longer death-rolling with Pluto, but instead must contend with a square from Uranus. Now you can embody revolutionary understanding. The Oracle invites you Capricorn, to say “I am the voice of the revolution. I am visionary insight. I am a vehicle for change and my tool is language.”
Aquarius
The Student of Knives has their back to us. They wear a scoop-backed dress with a talking-bubble pattern. They have a knife earring. Their brown hair flies in the wind. In one hand they hold a knife out in front of them and in the other they hold a knife up to their face to look into like a mirror.
This week, the Student of Knives invites Aquarius to learn about communicating responsibly. Aquarius, a fixed air sign is predispose to be interested in communication albeit, in a more cool, removed, and disconnected way then the other air signs, Libra and Gemini. Aquarius is interested in the system, the structure, the way a community functions. But all too often Aquarius’ vision, which can be genius, is also alienating. We are reminded of this as Venus rolls into Aries which for Aquarius, is their 3rd house of communication. The Student of Swords wants Aquarius to let Venus soften that warrior diatribe. Remember that it can be hard to hear your message when one is feeling punched by your words. Use the weekly affirmation: “I radically clarify my intentions [in argument] so that I can strike [with my words] beautifully and with integrity.”
Pisces
You are the Visionary of Vessels and you are bathing. Along the rim of the tub, candles burn. Beads, shells, flowers, and an animal skull line the edge. Branches grow out of the water and up the walls. Red flowers float in the water. The faucet is on. Your right hand catches the tears in a small red bottle that an eye in the palm of your left hand is weeping.
The Slow Holler says of Visionary of Vessels: “Be a vessel for healing and you heal the world.” Until Friday, Venus is still in your sign, Pisces. You embody any planet that appears in your first house. So if you have mars in your first house you might say: “I am a warrior.” Venus in your first house says: “I am connection. I am an ambassador. I am a vessel for healing, and I heal the world.” Venus is about to leave your first house and move into Aries. But remember the beginning of this week, write down what happens to you if you can, because when Venus goes retrograde it will come back into Pisces and you might return to many of the themes you are working with right now. For the moment however, let the Visionary of Vessels call on you to be the connecting agent in your community through your deep intuition, sacred counsel, and healing spirit.
mabel vautravers 