As of Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 3:51 pm CST, we have been within the sign of Aquarius. That is to say, the sun is in Aquarius.
But there’s more than that going on. Mars entered Aquarius on Christmas day, and Mercury entered the day before the sun did. And in fact, Venus is on her way – next up on February 1st, but a mere hour after Mars leaves the sign. So three planets in Aquarius is all we’re going to get this time around.
This morning, I was back to listening to that one song while mending a pillowcase. Music is so intriguing. When I was listening to this song yesterday, I put some of my anxiety into it. Having returned to the music, the anxiety came right back. So while I was mending my case, I was also mending my other case – ha ha!
In the first minute of my sewing, I accidentally knotted the tread. As I pulled the needle, the thread formed the ball and before I knew what I was doing, it was too late. The knot was tight. Damn.
We all know about knots. They seem far too easy to create and undoing them can take hours… and patience. Good eyesight doesn’t hurt either. And whatever you do, don’t pull! How many times, out of frustration, have you pulled at a knot angrily either breaking the string or forming a ball so tight, it’s there forever.
Filled with anxiety while simultaneously enjoying this great song, I stared at the knot. It wasn’t beyond undoing. It was tight, but not impossibly so. One part of me wanted to simply cut the thread and start over, but another part of me realized that I really needed to try and undo it – for I was not simply untying a knot, I was also easing and healing and releasing knots in my other case.
So I worked at it and I let the analogy blow over me. I thought about all kinds of knots and how we work on them. We get knots in our body for example – especially in our shoulders and backs. And we pay others to work them out. If you’ve ever done bodywork on someone, you know that those knots can be as difficult to untie as any other.
As the knot started to come loose, I thought of other things. Aquarius is an air sign (despite what many think). And intriguingly, it is fixed air.
Fixed signs have great purpose. Fixity feels most like earth. Fixity has staying power. The only way this physical realm stays in existence is thanks to fixity.
But fixed energy has duality like any other. A house of stone will weather storms and quakes, but redesigning them is a challenge. Have you ever wanted to redo a concrete stoop – replacing it with something prettier like wood steps and a deck? I have – and then though twice about it. Breaking apart concrete is not much fun. Working with metal can be a challenge too. I have always preferred wood – it’s so much more forgiving.
So fixity has those applications that work well, and those where it presents challenge.
When I was first learning about the signs, I thought, “What does fixed air feel like?” Air is the most fluid element, even more than water (ironically). Water flows well, but is subject to gravity. Air, however, can float high above the earth. And despite its ease, air can be just as damaging as water and nearly as much as fire.
As one studies, they quickly learn that air represents thought. Gemini – mutable air – is noteworthy for its ability to think fast. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all learn as quickly as Mercury in Gemini?
But wait. Learning fast is great, but forgetting quickly is not so great. One can hurt themselves over and over again that way.
What many don’t think about is how our entire way of life is built on fixed concepts. Fixed doesn’t mean permanent (in Astrology anyway). It simply means stable. The US of A is built on stable concepts, but ones that do change with time. Some ebb and flow as new norms are evolved.
Fixed air allows one to build upon a concept, a thought, an idea. It’s no surprise that it follows Capricorn. In a way – Aquarius is what Capricorn needs! Capricorn – the builder – needs a plan to work from. The Aquarius fixity of thought is ideal for completing the plan.
So air represents thought, and fixed air represents those thoughts that stay – in other words: beliefs.
But here’s what occurred to me today as I worked on my knot. Another symbol for air can be string. Thoughts lead to other thoughts – always. They are like strings. And like strings, they can form knots. When we get too rigid in our beliefs, we tie knots in our minds, and thus circle back around and around. When we have knots, it’s hard to move forward.
Air represents not only thought, but communication. Well strings apply there too. We communicate through the air when talking in person, but we communicate over wires too. Even cell phone technology requires wires – in the phones, and in the networks. It is not all wireless.
And conversations can have knots too. Think about arguments you’ve had with someone whose beliefs are as strong as yours, but contrary. You can talk ‘til you’re blue in the face, yet neither of you will budge.
Yesterday, I spoke of true forgiveness taking time. Really – it is healing that takes time. The forgiveness comes in an instant when the healing reaches a threshold.
So part of ease is allowing – allowing time to pass between where we were and where we want to be.
Aquarius may be fixed air, but it’s also great at playing the fool. And you know how I feel about the fool. He only appears foolish. He’s far wiser than we’ll ever know.
So, as we enjoy three planets in Aquarius for the next 14 days: be easy with your knots, push on the rigid beliefs that are not serving you, build new ideas that will help you create the life you want to live, and remember that the fool never passes up the opportunity to smell a rose and entertain an onlooker.
And for the record, I ultimately ended up cutting the thread. I’m not foolish enough to spend all morning on a stupid piece of string! 😀
A Fool's Inclination 