Jupiter in Capricorn: Don't Dream It. Be It.

Jupiter in Capricorn: Don't Dream It, Be It

It's time to say goodbye to #Jupiter (Tzedek), leaving his home sign of #Sagittarius and entering #Capricorn territory at 10:30am Pacific time today (do the math for your own time zone).

Now as everybody either knows or should know, Jupiter is the ruling planet of Sagittarius, so an entire year of Jupiter in Sag has been like a homecoming. A big, loud, raucous, expensive, over the top homecoming party with several bands and of course nobody’s parents at home. Nobody to tell you to clean up the mess.... until now. 

Everything is about to change as Jupiter enters Capricorn, a place its expansive self finds a little too restrictive for its abundant, over-the-top extra extra supersized self. Jupiter is about going big, expanding, bringing abundance, enlarging wisdom. But there’s a reason the zodiac is ordered the way it is. Now it’s time for all the expansiveness we’ve enjoyed over the last year to learn how to actually manifest in the real world. That’s what Capricorn is all about: it’s the Cardinal (initiating) Earth (manifestation) sign – it’s the sign of Initiating Manifestation. 

Capricorn makes things happen because they’re REAL things. Jupiter in Capricorn is about taking the grand and glorious ideas of Jupiter in Sagittarius and manifesting them in real time in the real world. It’s about building the changes we want to see in ourselves and this world. As Dr. Frankenfurter says in the Rocky Horror Picture Show: “Don’t dream it, be it!” Jupiter in Capricorn takes our dreams, the ones we dreamed for ourselves during Jupiter in Sagittarius, and applies them to concrete real life. Are they viable? Can they live outside our imagination? Jupiter in Capricorn will answer these questions, tachlis, bottom line. It’s not a feel-good position: Jupiter in Capricorn will not lie to you to make you feel better. Jupiter in Capricorn isn’t about giving everyone a gold star simply for trying hard. It’s about making dreams and ideas real, viable, sustainable, practical, and material. 

In Jewish astrology, Capricorn is G’di, the mountain goat, and is associated with the Tribe of Dan who fiercely guarded the borders of ancient Israel. Saturn (Shabbtai) is the ruling planet of Capricorn, and “borders” and “boundaries” are the function of Saturn/Capricorn. This is because in the era of classical astrology, Saturn was the furthest visible planet from earth and thought to guard the boundaries / borders of our solar system (this was before the discovery of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, of course). I dare say that Jupiter, with his function of expanding everything he touches, will also be expanding the concept of “borders” and “boundaries” in our own personal, individual lives (which will depend on the placement of Capricorn in our own individual natal charts). How Jupiter in Capricorn will play out on a global scale may also see an expansion in border security and boundaries between countries. 

Jupiter will make three conjunctions with Pluto during 2020. Each of these conjunctions hovers around the sensitive point of the Zodiac (22 degrees Capricorn) where the Saturn/Pluto conjunction in January 2020 will occur These are the dates:

April 5th: Jupiter 24 Capricorn conjunct Pluto 24 Capricorn
June 30th: Jupiter 24 Capricorn conjunct Pluto 24 Capricorn
November 12th Jupiter 22 Capricorn conjunct Pluto 22 Capricorn

Jupiter = expansion, Pluto = raw power. It may be a gigantic power grab, or it may be the death or downfall of individuals or organizations which have blatantly abused power. 

This is all about Jupiter's journey to "THE GREAT CONJUNCTION" of Jupiter and Saturn at zero degrees Aquarius in December 2020. Everything Jupiter has to do on his way to that Great Conjunction will be HUGELY practical, GIGANTICALLY pragmatic, and IMMENSELY realistic. For the most inflated planet, this transit through Capricorn is all about deflating the hot air and revealing Jupiter's most tachlis gifts: growth (into maturity because Capricorn), wisdom (based on practical reality not dreams or imagination because Capricorn), and optimism (but not the wild kind: optimism based on an adult understanding of life rather than a child's untested desire for utopia). 

Jupiter in Capricorn: Don't dream it, be it!

Sivan: The Power of Life and Death in Our Tongues

Read my horoscope for Sivan in The Jerusalem Post.

Gemini/Taumim from a mahzor, Germany 1342

Chodesh Sivan (June 4 – July 3) is associated with the constellation of Gemini the Twins (Taumim). Tradition tells us that it was during Chodesh Sivan that the Children of Israel received the Torah on Mt. Sinai: the ultimate Divine data-download symbolized by Gemini/Sivan's ruler, swift Mercury (Kochav), the planet of communication. Sivan is all about gathering and disseminating information and interfacing with the immediate environment as indicated by Sivan’s Tribal ruler, Zevulon, whose flag was decorated with ships, symbolizing his journeys along the coasts of the Mediterranean, seeking new horizons and new opportunities. 
 

This month the journey is towards upgrading our relationship to the concept of security, both personal and public. What makes you feel safe: structures or relationships? Institutions or family? Old fears compete with new alliances when Saturn, South Node with Pluto in practical, serious Capricorn opposes the Mars / North Node / Mercury conjunction in emotional, sentimental Cancer on June 13. “Trust but verify” now, as information is more likely than ever to be biased. 

The second in a rare series of three exact squares this year made by Jupiter in Sagittarius to Neptune in Pisces occurs June 16. Stretching the boundaries of dreams and testing the borders of perception, we must guard against extreme distortion of ideals and zealous fanaticism. Facts must actively fight against fear-fueled fantasy now.   

June 17’s Full Moon in truth-telling Sagittarius inspires frankness. Proverbs 18:21 tells us “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit”. The Summer Solstice (Tekufah Tammuz) and the Sun’s ingress into Cancer June 21 immediately following Neptune’s retrograde gives us a moment to evaluate whether what we’ve spoken has been life-affirming or destructive. May we be wise with our words and careful guardians of our hearts during Chodesh Sivan!

Astral Weeks August 5th - 11th: Retrograde Season and the Dog Days of Summer

Astral Weeks

August 5^th – 11^th

This week begins the dozen days (August 7–18) during which Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto will all be retrograde. These are the celestial “dog days” of summer. The retrograde motion of planets is an illusion caused by the moving Earth passing other planets in their orbits, a phenomenon relative to our location on planet Earth. The planets of our solar system themselves do not actually reverse their orbits and travel backwards: it just looks like it from our vantage point. Nevertheless, the energetic manifestation of any planetary retrograde reflects a sense of energetic impedance, feeling “stuck,” or difficulty going forward. Which is why these dozen days in August calls for vacation time, whether it’s a getaway or stay-cation. If you can’t get away physically, at the very least it’s time for a brain vacation. 

Sunday August 5^th finds the planet Venus at the very last degree of Virgo. The Moon enters Gemini on Sunday evening, energizing a double-Mercury (Gemini and Virgo) tag team between emotions (Moon) and romance (Venus). Venus at 29 Virgo is in the “critical” degree, and in the case of Virgo, this can be taken literally. Beware of being too fickle, too finicky, too fastidious or too frenzied. 

Venus moves into her home sign of Libra on Monday, August 6^th, inspiring art and creativity. Interpersonal harmony in the area of thought sounds like a theoretically great idea, and perhaps might even be possible for some as Venus in the early degrees of Libra makes a trine to retrograde Mars in Aquarius – sweet, but possibly short-lived, as Uranus stations retrograde at 3 degrees of Taurus on Tuesday, August 7^th, making an exact trine to Saturn in Capricorn. The practical Earth signs want to know: who’s paying for this party? The Moon enters her home sign of Cancer on Tuesday night, and opposes Saturn early Wednesday morning, August 8^th, ramping up emotionalism and enhancing super-sensitivity around security issues. The Sun conjuncts retrograde Mercury in Leo on Wednesday evening, during which we can expect to hear the lion roar – especially when feeling misunderstood and/or disrespected. Emotional Moon enters proud Leo the evening of Thursday, August 9^th. Tears of frustration and rage may give way to passionate venting – avoid becoming personal during conflicts with others. But – hey! Remember my advice at the beginning of this column about the vacation you were supposed to take this week? By Friday August 10^th you’ll be wishing you had taken this advice to heart at the beginning of the week. Retrograde Mercury in ego-driven Leo squares retrograde chronic exaggerator Jupiter in compelling, controlling Scorpio, raising the stakes in a very public game of “truth and dare.” Escalating one-upmanship expands gap between raw desire and the polite or impolite things you’re willing to give – or take – to get what you want.   

Those who did not take a vacation from their ego this week may be heading for a real confrontation with the relative smallness of their own existence during Saturday’s Solar Eclipse / New Moon in Leo on August 11^th. Saturday, Shabbat Parshat Re’eh, is also Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul, whose initials in Hebrew stand for “Ani l’Dodi v’Dodi Li” – I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. Remember who and what you love, and cling to that reality while the winds of life’s dramas and traumas swirl around you. Reduce anxiety by asking yourself: How much of all that chaos actually belongs to you– and how much just doesn’t belong to you at all, but is a product of the mass hysteria of a world in pain, screaming at you from every screen? Don’t overdose on the information wars right now, they’re only serving to stoke the flames of the collective angst. The Moon goes Void of Course shortly after the eclipse as we all simultaneously exhale, and Moon enters calm, rational Virgo late Saturday night. We’re deep into Retrograde Season, but in every seeming impediment there’s the opportunity for re-calibration. Course-corrections are worth slowing down for.

Astral Weeks July 29 - August 4, 2018

Astral Weeks

July 29 – August 4, 2018

For everyone who survived the longest and most-hyped by the media full lunar eclipse of the 21^st century on July 27^th, Sunday July 29’s void of course Moon in Aquarius feels like a little bit of breathing room in a dizzying schedule. Inhale! Exhale! Focus on hope and reject lingering fearful thoughts. Let some of the tension that has built up around all the energetic activity dissolve. Practice the Aquarian superpower: detach and keep moving.

The Moon moves into Pisces Sunday evening, enhancing sensitivity and empathy. Last week’s planetary activity was so jarring, we need tender connection to each other more than ever right now. Monday’s Moon in Pisces trine Jupiter in Scorpio invites deeper intimacy, followed by the Moon conjunct Neptune in Pisces in the wee small hours of Tuesday morning. That’s when boundaries and borders between intimate partners become porous and dissolve. If you are smart and you are lucky, you’ve had a pajama party with your most beloved partner going on since Sunday night. 

Take advantage of the relative down time because mellow turns to fierce and fiery when the Moon goes into dynamic, courageous, impulsive, brave, energetic, and sometimes headstrong Aries on Wednesday morning. The emotional energy gets ramped up but may run into a log jam when Retrograde Mars and Uranus make a direct square Wednesday evening strongly in the fixed signs of Aquarius and Taurus, respectively. 

Uranus is the modern planetary ruler of Aquarius, so square his Fixed Air (Establishing Thought) home sign in the Fixed Earth (Establishing Manifestation) sign supports the possibility of revolutionary energy come up hard against the status quo of the establishment. Uranus is also called by some “the higher octave of Mars.” The connections between Uranus/Mars/Aquarius continue to ripple through the end of the week, energizing (perhaps shocking, perhaps merely surprising) the comfortable out of complacency. 

Thursday might feel like power struggles of the heart when Aries Moon trines Mercury Retrograde in Leo, and squares Pluto in Capricorn. Pushing and bullying others to get your way will only result in a complete system shutdown. When you’re tempted to be forceful beyond the spectrum of customary politeness, realize you’re about to cross the line of perhaps not such a quick return. 

Friday sees the Moon enter Taurus, making a conjunction to Uranus in Taurus in the evening, joining Uranus’ supportive trine to Retrograde Saturn in Capricorn. The Last Quarter Moon in Taurus on Saturday, August 4^th marks Shabbat Parshat Eikev, a recount of the many blessings the Israelites were receiving as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, and exhortations to remember that their blessings were because they were beloved, not because they were deserving. 

This consciousness of humility and dependence on Divine Grace is important to keep in mind always, never more so than during this time in our collective history. Saturday is also Shabbat Mevarchim, during which we announce the molad, the date and time of the upcoming Rosh Chodesh, the new Month of Elul, which will occur on Shabbat, August 11^th, at 7:33 (and 9 chalakim) PM, Jerusalem time. 

A Closer Look at the Skies:

During this week, Retrograde Mars and Retrograde Saturn are inconjunct in Aquarius and Capricorn, respectively. In classical astrology, Saturn is the ruling planet of both Capricorn and Aquarius. Saturn (“Shabbtai” in Hebrew, from the same root as the word for “Shabbat,” meaning Sabbath) is said to be the ruling planet of the Jewish People. 

Symbolically speaking: Mars (aggression) in Aquarius (humanitarianism, idealism) inconjunct (on a completely different wavelength, invisible to each other) Saturn (the classical ruler of both Aquarius and Capricorn) in Capricorn (traditionalism, ambition, assertive persistence, materialism). It’s like a perfect symbolic picture of the simmering struggle between American and Israeli Jews over the direction the State of Israel is taking, politically and religiously. 

The total lunar eclipse in Aquarius on July 27^th conjunct Mars in Aquarius stimulated a series of events that may climax in December of 2020, when Jupiter and Saturn make their conjunction in Aquarius. Following this event, Saturn and Pluto will make a conjunction in Capricorn in January of 2021. The events of this month are the kickoff to the developments climaxing at that time, which according to Jewish astrological tradition (see last week's edition of "Astral Weeks") have a direct bearing on the nation of Israel.

May the One Who keeps Israel neither slumber nor sleep!