Astro update – what fresh hell is this?

I had another post on my mind yesterday, but this one bobbed its head up early this morning, demanding to be written. For those of you who have been travelling with me for a while, you’ll know that astrological themes pop up in my writing from time to time. I pay attention to the great and small cycles of life, and for me, astrology is part of that.

So, in case you’re wondering what that smell of sulphur and brimstone is, and why everywhere you turn there seems to be some fresh version of hell – here’s my take on it.

Pluto, that great wrecking ball, is grinding to a halt in Capricorn (the father, patriarchy, the system, rules), preparing to go forward after a period in retrograde. Some background: Pluto, ruler of Scorpio and God of the Underworld, has been in Capricorn since 2008, and will be staying there until 2024. Yep. According to Llewellyn, the last time Pluto was in Capricorn, the American Revolution occurred. Just saying. Pluto is an outer planet, so moves slowly, affecting macro events in the world. Make no mistake however: whatever house you have Capricorn will be in the process of deep excavation.*

In April, Saturn the great Taskmaster, joined Pluto in Capricorn. Saturn wants you to grow up, to take responsibility, and to do what you came here to do. Saturn gives out the medicine, and you take it, one way or another. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, but either way it’s getting done. That’s two big hitters in Capricorn.

Just to spice things up, Venus, lady of love, has just entered the deep, dark realms of Scorpio, joining her big brother Jupiter who has been throwing the curtains open on all things taboo since November last year. Yes, the patriarchy is on shaky ground after being battered by Pluto for years now, and the women are very fucking angry. Not for the first time of course, but this time round the anger has a distinct scorpion vibe – sex, power, money, taboo. No more can things be hidden, and the smell of revolution is in the air.

So, Pluto, ruler of Scorpio, is waking up after a few months retrograde, and the Goddess of love and all things woman joins bigger than Ben-Hur Jupiter in Scorpio. Now can you see the energetic background for the #metoo movement? 

There is no avoiding these themes – it’s fix it or fuck it energy, it’s unmistakably breakthrough, breakdown or breakout. We’re uncomfortable, squirming, triggered and exhausted. Sometimes we just don’t know if we can take anymore of this crap.

I want to tell you – we can and we will, and we won’t stop until the house is cleaned. 

Things to do:

• Attend to the basics. eat well, get enough sleep, ground, connect to nature and your body, practice mindfulness and self-nourishment.
• If you are triggered by the news and social media, disconnect. Be mindful about what you take in, because it becomes part of you.
• Accept whatever is happening in your life, take responsibility for your part, be a fucking grown up.
• Search out inspirational art and people: poetry, books, movies, essays, visual art, music, podcasts, video, teachers, friends. Fill the well.
• Create something. Whatever it is you do, do more of that. You might not think that your garden, kitchen, craft table or blog makes any difference to anything, but it does. To create something in the midst of destruction is very powerful.

Lastly, this poem from Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes may help: 

HOW TO SILENCE A WOMAN: 
RETRIEVING HER VOICE

When someone says, “We’re saying the same thing.”
Say, “We are not saying the same thing.”

When someone says, “Don’t question, just have faith”
Say, “I am questioning vato, and I have supreme faith in what I think.”

When someone says, “Don’t defy my authority.”
Say, “There is a higher authority that I follow.”

When someone says, “Your ideas are seductive.”
Say, “No, my ideas are not seductive, they are substantial.”

When someone says, “Your ideas are dangerous”
Say, Yes, my ideas are dangerous, and why are you 
so afraid hombre o mujer ?

When it is said, “It’s just not done.”
Say. “It will be done.”

When it is said, “It is immature”
Say, “All life begins small and must be allowed to grow.”

When it is said, “It’s not well thought out.”
Say, “It is well thought out.”

When they say, “You’re over-reacting.”
Say, “You’re under-reacting vato.”

When they say, “You’re being emotional.”
Say, “Of course I have well placed emotions, and by the way,
what happened to yours?”

When they say, “You’re not making any sense.”
Say, “I don’t make sense, I am the sense.”

When they say, “I can’t understand you when you’re crying.”
Say. “Make no mistake, I can weep and be fierce at the same time.”

When they say, “I cant understand you when you’re being so angry.”
Say. “You couldn’t hear me when I was being nice, sweet or silent, either.”

When someone says, “You’re missing the point.”
Say, “I’m not missing the point, but you seem to be missing my point— 
What are you so afraid of?”

When someone says, “You are breaking the rules.”
Say, “Yes, I am breaking the rules.”

When someone says, “That’s not practical.”
Say, “It’s practically a done deal, thank you very much.”

When it is said, “No one will do it, believe you, follow it.”
Say, “I will do it, I will believe in it, and in time, the world may well follow it.”

When it is said, “No one wants to listen to that.” 
Say, “I know you have a hard time listening to that.”

When it is said, “It’s a closed system, you cant change it.”
Say, “I’m going to knock twice and if there is no answer, 
then I am going to blow the doors off that system and it will change.

When it is said, “They’ll ignore you.”
Say, “They won’t ignore me and the 100s of thousands who stand with me.

When they say, “It’s already been done.”
Say, “It’s not been done well enough.”

When they say, “It’s not time yet.”
Say “It’s way past time.”

When they say, “It’s not the right day, right month, right year.”
Tell them, “The right year was last year,
and the right month was last month,
and the right day was yesterday,
and you’re running behind schedule vato,
and what in the name of God and all that is holy
are you going to do about it?”

When they say, “Who do you think you are?”—
tell them who you are…
and don’t hold back.

When they say, “I put up with it, you’ll have to put up with it too.”

Say, “No, no,no,no.”

When they say, “I’ve suffered a long time and you’ll have to suffer too.”

Say, “No, no, no,no.”

When they say, “You’re an incorrigible, 
defiant, hard to get along with, 
unreasonable woman,

Say, “Yes, yes, yes, yes,

and I have worse news for you yet—

We are teaching our daughters,
our mothers, 
and our sisters…

We are teaching our sons 
our fathers, 
and our brothers

to be

just

like

us.

*If you want to know what part of your house Pluto is destroying/clearing out so that the new can be born, you can get your chart here for free. Check out what house you have Capricorn in, and then read this for a quick insight. For instance, I have Capricorn in the 10th house:

Pluto in the Tenth House: Your career goals will change, and you may decide to go into a profession that is completely different than the one you trained and studied for. Your status in the world may undergo radical change, and you could find yourself in the public eye, one way or another.

This is so gobsmackingly true of the last decade, I can’t tell you.