Magic Triangle

It is the month of August in the year 2012. Temps are warm or downright hot; the Olympics are in full swing; many are traveling in lands far from home. It’s summer time!

Now the Olympics might be keeping you in at night, but if you have been out, have you noticed the big triangle in the sky? At about an hour after sunset, if you look WSW and up from the horizon, you’ll see it. In the city where light pollution keeps the population of stars low, it’s all you will see in that part of the sky. This is what it’ll look like tonight, August 4, 2012:

As indicated, what you are looking at is the building of the Mars-Saturn Conjunction I’ve spoken of in the past. We are only eleven days from the peak. What I didn’t realize earlier was the tag along. Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo and is chaperoning the pair as they meet, dance, and then part ways. Mars will keep moving toward the other two until it threads the needle on 8/15.

This brings up something interesting for those who follow Astronomy and Astrology. If you recall, I mentioned that Mars and Saturn will conjunct in the sign of Libra on August 15^th. But Spica indicates that they are actually, astronomically, within the constellation of Virgo!

Stay calm. This is not news to Astrologers. This is not a mistake. This is simply the result of being just inside of the earliest part of the Age of Aquarius.

In Astrology, there is a concept called Precession. In a year, the Sun is perceived to travel through the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Precession keeps track of the ages. At the very beginning of the Age of Pisces (some 2000+ years ago), the Sun’s Astronomical and Astrological locations matched up. When an Astrologer said the Sun was in Aires, it was in the constellation of Aires. But via the Precessional drift, the Sun backs up a full constellation each 2000 or so years.

So, since we are just over one back, the Mars-Saturn conjunction appears to be happening in Virgo, but is Astrologically (and energetically) happening in Libra. For more information on this subject, check out my post from January 15, 2011: Did Your Astrology Sign Just Change?

It is actually quite lucky that we happen to live during an era when the difference is only one sign. If it were the Age of Libra, for example, Astronomers and the Astrologers would see everything exactly opposite.

So, in Astrology, what do the ages have to do with anything? Well, in my view, they track evolution. Let’s, for a moment, consider the different between our current era and that of 1000+ years ago. Compare the role of religion and technology. Compare the role of emotion and thought. Religion and emotion are more Piscean. Technology and thought are more Aquarian.

And for the record: I’m sure all of you – my readers – know this, but Aquarius is an air sign. Because it’s symbolized by the water bearer, it is often confused for a water sign.

So, ages map evolution. Now evolution is a subject that is very interesting to me. Not so much the biological evolution that Darwin focused on, I’m more interested in the evolution of humanity – individually and collectively. (Oh – that is soo Aquarian!)

Years ago, I gave a class on the Shifting Role of Relationship in the New Era. With Mars and Saturn nearing each other in the relationship themed sign of Libra, I have been thinking about that class a lot again. In fact, I believe this is no accident. The way I see it, Mars joining Saturn in Libra is a call to action to take more appropriate responsibility in relationship.

Take for example someone who misrepresents themselves. [Really, that’s just a polite phrase for a liar.] So this person lies in overt and covert ways. It could be a salesman. It could be a friend. It could be your ever-embellishing mother. Think for a moment and find an example in your life. How about when a person says, “I’m not trying to pressure you or anything, I’m just showing you what’s available,” and then they proceed to gently or not so gently talk and talk and talk and talk explaining why you have to have this thing they are selling – I mean simply showing you – which just happens to be available – but only for the next hour so you had better just buy it now before you miss out on this opportunity that just never existed before and will never exist again.

Yeah, right.

So, a person who misrepresents themselves is in your presences – and maybe in your face. But you’re a nice guy or gal and it is not your style to call people out on their shit. You don’t like to make waves. Or maybe they’re getting to you. Maybe you do feel obliged. Maybe you do feel the pressure. Maybe you feel guilty. Maybe they’re making you feel sorry for them, (“I have no one else to turn to!”) and thus you feel sorry. Maybe they really are a mess and need your help, for the 100^th time.

Oh dear – now what do I do. I know they are manipulating me, but what choice do I have. I can’t say no to them. Ugh – I just want this to be over.

And if it’s your child or your mother, now you have your love for them that gets in the way. Your sense of responsibility for them is greater than maybe it ought to be. You do want to see them safe, and happy. OK, I’ll put myself out just one more time and maybe this time they’ll get it and do better the next time.

Have I gotten you feeling a little tense in the chest? I know I am! I’ve been around a number of situations like this – just in the past week! First person, and second person – and in every case, awkward feeling and emotional.

OK – let’s all take a deep breath. Inhale to the bottom of your lungs. Hold for a second. Then let it all out.

Slowing things down helps. But with Mars conjunct Saturn, it is really hard to slow things down. Saturn likes slow, but Mars wants nothing to do with it. And since this is happening within Libra (and not Virgo), holding ground is not going to happen easily.

So don’t feel bad if you have been taken advantage of… again. So what, you caved and feel bad, or even feel resentful. Let it go. You didn’t fail the test. You didn’t waste an opportunity. And here is the best part of the whole discussion:

It’s not about actions.

Yes, I said it. It’s not about actions. It’s not about what they did or what you did or didn’t do. It’s not about who was wrong and what should have been done in its place. No sir. No ma’am.

Mars and Saturn are not joining up to tell you what to do. That’s old school. That’s the evolutionary era we’re leaving behind, a bit too slowly perhaps, but nevertheless.

This pretty Triangle in the sky is an arrow! It is pointing the way to the next level of being, but does not expect you to be there already. All it asks of you is your attention.

Notice! Notice when someone misrepresents him or herself. Notice when they pressure you, or guilt trip you. Notice how you feel. Notice the thoughts you have. Look back and see it for what it is. Watch it like a movie. Don’t beat yourself up for what did or didn’t happen, just look at it. Keep looking at it until you see that you made a choice, even if you felt at the time it was the only choice available.

So often, we combat manipulation (the guilt trip) with “I can’t”. After being pressured into situation after situation we loathed, we reach a limit, and we say, “I can’t”. “I can’t afford that.” “I’m too exhausted.” “I just don’t have the money right now.” “I’m too busy.” “I have to do this other obliged thing instead.” But someday, we’ll be empowered enough to say this:

I understand that you really want me to do this thing for you, but I am choosing not to simply because it is not bringing me joy in this very moment. This doesn’t mean you don’t deserve what you desire, I simply recognize that it is not my obligation to be the one to give it to you. I wish you well, and I wish me well too and being that I am the creator of my life alone, I am making the best choice for me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to take care of myself, right here, right now. Good luck to you. I know you can find a way to get what you desire.

OK, we’ll probably say it in a lot less words, or no words at all.

The road to empowerment and joy is paved with “I choose”. I choose yes, or I choose no. The Universe doesn’t really care which choice you make. I really believe this. The universe isn’t really built on right and wrong, good and evil. Yin and Yang are not bad and good, they are 1 and 0, they are in and out. Inhale and exhale are equally important. You cannot live on one alone.

Yes and no are the same. All-That-Is is Source – is the source of everything. We are not. We are only a part of All-That-Is. We are not responsible for more than our piece of it.

Your most effective way to help people is with love and joy. What you love to do, what brings you joy, will help more people they you ever know. What you do out of obligation, guilt, or empathy will not be as helpful as you hope. When you fear for another, you are not in a position to truly help them – or yourself for that matter.

But again – all is well. We are all on this journey and walking it one step at a time. Chin up and smell that beautiful rose over there…