The Stars This Week — February 14th v. 2/6

Sun and Mars enter Aquarius: innovation and idealism

Innovation is front and centre this week as both the Sun and Mars enter sidereal Aquarius.   Since this is one of the Saturn-ruled signs, there could be a stronger sense of analytical detachment here as greater emphasis is placed upon creativity rather than on human relationships.   This is not to say that family and friends are destined for the back burner; it may be merely a case where our enthusiasm and imagination are temporarily captivated by new possibilities.  Typically, Aquarius likes concepts and ideas that are unselfish and can benefit everyone.  Perhaps all the excitement in Egypt this weekend was a taste of that Aquarian urge to remake the world according to an idealized image.  After all, the Sun was just one degree from entering Aquarius when the revolution succeeded in deposing the old Mubarak regime. 

The desire to "make it new" can be quite strong here since the Sun gets an infusion of extra energy from Mars.  The allure of novelty may be quite strong as a result, so much so that we may not give proper consideration to established patterns and traditions.  In fact, in the rush towards newness we can sometimes fixate on invention for its own sake, rather than its practical benefits.  In its more negative guise, Aquarius can become overly enamoured with innovation, even when it is bizarre or impractical.  So while this could be a time to try new approaches and solutions, it may be smart to subject things to a basic test of plausibility.  Just because something is new does not mean it is better.  As we get a good collective dose of Aquarian energy this week, it may be wise to balance the allure of the new with the reliability of the tried and true.  So before you run out and buy that new computer, remember the relative cost in terms of time and energy that transferring all your old files will take. 

What is particularly interesting about this dual ingress of the Sun and Mars into Aquarius is that both of these energetic planets will soon come under the aspect of Ketu, aka the South Lunar Node.   This may not really get going until later in the week, but the Ketu influence on all this Aquarian energy would seem to greatly emphasize the transformative dimension.  Ketu is often synonymous with change and its role here may give a boost to the weirder and more iconoclastic side of Aquarius.  Aquarius can be quite idealistic at the best of times, but it is sometimes led astray by believing its own hype, as if it really can save the world through that recently discovered alien energy source or Tesla’s perpetual motion machine.   The Ketu aspect upon these Aquarian planets will tend to encourage this idealistic streak, even if it feeds into some fairly hare-brained schemes. 

The positive side to this Ketu overlay is that they may be a much greater sensitivity to the needs of the human family (cue the cold fusion experiments) and a clearer, if unspoken, perception of future needs.  Ketu often operates in a non-linear and non-rational way, so it may be a time when conventional thinking does not find common currency.  Ketu makes the leap of faith that solves the problem almost without trying, or at least using an unexpected technique.  Ketu is also an esoteric and spiritual energy, so that sacred realm may also be incorporated into the Aquarian thirst for novelty and innovation.  In an effort to trim expenses, maybe Obama’s new health care bill will include a national yoga and meditation program. After all, a happy mind leads to a happy body, and that translates into fewer insurable claims and ultimately lower taxes.  Well, that is admittedly a slightly offbeat notion, but it nonetheless exhibits a distinctly Ketu-meets-Aquarius flavour.

On a personal note, I had a stark reminder of just how fiery both the Sun and Mars were last week.  These two fireballs conjoined around 22 degrees of Capricorn while closely aspecting my 6th lord of health, which happens to be Mercury.  The result was a raging fever and a bad case of the flu.  I couldn’t imagine a clearer example of how the nature of the planets than that: fiery planets cause fever!   Both are natural malefics and can therefore create health problems when they are associated with the 6th house and its lord.  I feel better now, but that was one for the books.  While the flu was not an inevitable result of those transit hits, one can see how it was a very apt embodiment of the energies of the planets involved. 

Have a good week,
Chris