ASTROLOGY THIS WEEK: FEBRUARY 11 - 17

Tuesday February 12th
10:19PM PST: Mars conjunct Uranus in Aries, both at 29°12’
This conjunction marks the last of five that Mars will make with Uranus during his eight-year cycle through Aries. Conjunctions magnify a vibration by combining the power of two planetary bodies. Sometimes they butt heads but mostly, they become a force with which to be reckoned. Uranus in Aries has been about the collapse of our individual identities so we can forge forth on new terrain. It has asked us to be rebels in the parts of our chart that contains Aries. It has fissured, shattered and cracked open pieces of ourselves that could only be released through rebellion against something we see that isn’t working for us. It has also shown us where our total focus on self causes serious system malfunction. 

Uranus wants us to hit breaking point. The peak of pressure is where it finds release, transcendence if you will; true genius in seeing with finality that we cannot continue to operate in a certain way. As Mars approaches Uranus, it activates one last rupture that gives way to personal revolution for the sake of social change. Consider the groups whose ideologies have held you these last eight years. Have they held you back? What communities have you cycled through or made a break from? Where have your questions become too big to hold? Or where are they not big enough? Uranus has a way of seeing through the bullshit. It is the ultimate agitator and in Aries, can be hyper-focused on self. The key to your personal growth is to find freedom from the ego of needing to be seen a certain way by a particular group. Our sense of importance operates uniquely for each of us. Uranus will either metamorphose or cut and run. Consider what the chaos of your current situation is trying to teach you. What continues to not work and what innovative solutions can you offer yourself?

Aries is the pioneer, the trailblazer, and in some sense, the colonizer. Uranus is the anarchist, the rebel, the revolutionary. Uranus in Aries has been characterized by an elevation of consciousness around identifiers that keep us othered. It has called attention to privilege and power. It has awakened us to violence towards people of color, trans, gender non-binary and queer folx and raised the voices of communities justifiably angry. Uranus will always enlighten us in areas where social systems are not supportive of the whole community. Uranus in Aries gives you a choice. You can be the detached player who cheats and escapes the game, or the ultimate ally as we take on the task of decolonization. 

Mars energy can be volatile and in Aries, it’s out to exert itself. This is the last hoorah, like a grande finale, a door slammed shut or swung open. If you feel like you can’t cut a break, use this burst of fire to propel you into the next thing. Mars and Uranus together in Aries will strike a match for change. Let this be another opportunity to begin again, especially on paths that needed the pressure of your resilience. Reflect on these prior dates and the times leading up to them when Mars and Uranus previously joined: April 2, 2011; March 23rd, 2013; March 12th, 2015; January 15th, 2017. Note any themes that blaze through these moments for you. Ask yourself what you can do differently. Don’t wait to be ready. Strike the match that lights your own fire.

Thursday, February 14th
2:51AM PST: Mars enters Taurus
As Mars enters Taurus, we become much more slow and deliberate with our actions. While Mars in Aries revved its engine, Mars in Taurus is steady and methodical. It makes decisions and sticks with them. Consider the work you are committed to doing on yourself and your process. Make a list, then work through it gradually, leaving space for new leaves to unfurl themselves as you labor. 

Mars in Taurus will listen to Venus, becoming a more receptive actor. Mars is associated with conflict and in Taurus can be quite the fixed opponent. But in Venus’ domain, Mars is also much more graceful as it navigates collaborative work efforts. Consider who you want to call a partner in the long haul. Take patient steps as you work towards clear goals. Let beauty be part of the process and watch where it multiplies down the line. If you let poetry, art, aesthetics, enjoyment into the practice, you will see them in the performance.

Taurus is the domain of our resources. Mars in Taurus can help us activate various types of wealth in our lives. We might begin with gratitude lists, or even meditate on wealth as a concept. Taurus is tactile. Mars in Taurus wants to take actions that open up our senses, connecting us back to our bodies and the earth. Think elaborate meals that take a long time to make, or penetrating deep tissue massages. Mars will want to pair pain with pleasure so make a mental note of where those meet for you. Let Mars in Taurus bring you balance between work and rest.

Sunday, February 17th
0:45AM PST: Venus in Capricorn sextile Neptune in Pisces, both at 15°30’
Following in Saturn’s footsteps, Venus’ sextile to Neptune is much subtler than that of grandfather time. Venus Neptune aspects often sing soft spells into waiting ears, with an emphasis on longing. 

Venus and Neptune together in earth and water are making fertile earth. Venus’ work in Capricorn unearths and lays down guidelines that keep our love life stable and our commitments clear. Neptune in Pisces is all dreams, a little delusion and sometimes suffering. Speaking sweetly with Venus, Neptune finds some grounding support for its wishes. Let this aspect help you sink deeper into your desires. Rather than trying to empty yourself of feelings into a pristinely clean vessel, consider that all the sentiments you hold are what make you desirable and wholly you.

No mud, no lotus.” Both planets of intense love, Venus Neptune aspects can provoke a profound sensation of longing. Thich Nhat Hanh talks of transforming suffering into joy, teaching that both are transitory sentiments. This aspect requires a commitment to seeing everything as temporary. Venus is love of other beings while Neptune’s love is transcendent and spiritual. Whether you are feeling sincerely secure or deeply yearning, remember that this moment will pass. Do all you can to savor how alive your love, longing or not, helps you to feel.

11:54PM PST: Sun in Aquarius sextile Uranus in Aries, both at 29°22’
As if in response to Mars’ conjunction earlier this week, the Sun swoops in with a shot of Uranian surprise. Sextiles are communicative aspects. The Sun in Aquarius, listening to Uranus for direction, is a master organizer for collective work. Take this evening to try on shoes with a new crowd. Break artistic molds and test out a new medium. Let this aspect help you wake up to what else is out there. 

Aquarius and Uranus are fierce advocates for individuality. If you notice everyone around you looks the same, realize that you might be the common denominator in your relationships. Thinking outside the box might mean stepping out of your compact bubble. This aspect gives you the gumption to go somewhere new and the ability to articulate your experience from a place of detached ownership. Be an activist for your own growth in a way that resonates intuitively. Commit to being uncomfortable for the sake of learning something new about yourself.