THE WEEK AHEAD: FEB 17-23 The Call to Act Responsibly, and to Take Responsibility for our Actions

Pressure of a whole new kind emerges significantly into our lives as Mars now joins the other planetary ‘heavies’ in status-obsessed, South-Noded Capricorn. It becomes clear that action is needed in every area, but what kind of action becomes quite another thing. Mostly, in our attempts to move forward, we are called to try to repair or reconstruct a past failure, and we shall see how this call to respond accordingly intensifies over the coming weeks and months. Often we feel trapped in the sins of our South Node, and as they become revisited upon us, we see how our social status becomes increasingly affected by the consequences of our past actions.

We have still hardly begun to uncover, let alone process some of the emerging social problems, whose complexity we are only starting to grapple. One is subtle the breakdown of the boundaries between our private and public lives. What we are about to discover, in spite of all our ubiquitous tech gadgetry, is that we have allowed ourselves no moral tools with which to extricate ourselves from the situations our technology is subtly steering us towards.

At this point, we are all still clamouring to get ahead in the race, win the golden apple. We are still signing up for things which are deeply driving the wedge of social division through every conceivable intersection. With Jupiter/Saturn/Pluto, the resulting effects upon the cohesiveness of our society are going to be morally and ethically challenging, to say the least. (I will talk about these in far more detail during this week’s CosmicBus episode)

For now, let’s look at this week’s transits:

• Jupiter’s first trine to Neptune for 2020 while there is still a tight semisquare to Neptune from Uranus, unfortunately, increases our gullibility for an idealised state. Unless this heightened optimism is integrated into practical measures to get a grip on life, it could see us spiralling into a false notion of wishfulness.
• Mars now enters Capricorn – his sign of exaltation – where the zeal to ‘get real’ revs up with ever-increasing urgency, and combining with other goat=like social climbers ♃/ ♄/ ♇ a burning ambition for success pushes everyone to achieve their greatest practical purpose, show how best we can rise to meet those responsibilities, or face extreme consequences, lol. True. Shit gets pretty tough, for here on end. We’re seriously at the business end…
• Mars’ continued out-of-bounds status (till Mar 9) generates unprecedented levels of fervent competitiveness, even in sober, serious Capricorn. We could see the best or worst of Mars because to maintain a respectable social image some will be willing to scramble to get to the top of the heap by any means, even if trampling over all the rest is necessary.
• Between Feb 16-Mar 31 Mars will meet benefic Jupiter (Mar20) and then malefics Pluto (Mar23), then Saturn (at 00°♒40′ on Mar30). Watch for increasing social alienation while certain individuals seek to advance themselves at the expense, censure and confinement, even tyranny of others. They will use whatever powers and means.
• The Moon enters Capricorn Tuesday, creating spectacular night displays, and if you’re on North America’s West Coast you can catch the lunar occultation of Mars just hours before dawn on Tuesday. She then swings over the South Node and towards the vicinity of Jupiter on Wednesday and to the south of Saturn on Thursday.

What will happen when the Moon obscures the red planet is anyone’s guess but just knowing the volatile nature of things, it’s best that we are on our best behaviour, especially if it affects our social credit rating. Anyway, it should be one hell of a show, so go out and catch a glimpse.

• Mercury stations to retrograde back out of Pisces on Monday. Over the next few weeks, already sensitised pathways of transmission are prone to contamination as boundaries get blurry. High susceptibility to delusions, dreams and illusions can be both inspiring and deflating; usual narratives and self-told stories become muddied – not firmly grounded; misinformation and misunderstandings are likely; situations of martyrdom, confusion, escapism and victimhood enter our mundane affairs, and we must be mindful of falling prey to deceptive means and infections.
• Sun enters Pisces (Wed), and we begin to resolve or somehow dissolve the happenings created over the past 12 months, making way for the new cycle. This is a powerful time to exercise compassion and forgiveness, tie up loose ends & create closure, clear the decks and retreat into quiet isolation, rest, meditate, restore your inner balance. 
• As Mars heads towards the South Node, he commonly brings out the worst aspects of humanity’s egocentricity. This week’s square to Chiron (Fri) will push out the more harmful slants of testosterone-fuelled masculinity to be examined, where assertiveness can cause hurt to others. Often this is a cry for help. Again, forgiveness is the medicine, but then, it cannot be conditional if we hope to heal anything.
• A Mars/Uranus trine (Fri) produces unorthodox and nonconformist sentiments. Those who are used to freedoms, as well as those who feel forced to live under certain confining could seek to liberate themselves from any conditions inimical to their natural needs as evolving individuals.
• The New Moon in Pisces (Sun) receives a direct (sextile) from the above (♂/♅) midpoint, impelling us to make a wholehearted attempt to pursue our personal dreams in the most independent way. An intention to experiment with acting in greater empathy for others must be met with an instinctive need to be liberated from our own sins. This could just about take us anywhere under this climate. Action is needed. (Look out for more on this in Thursday’s Newsletter)
• By the end of the week, Venus’ square to Jupiter shows how much we have all indulged in unattainable fancies and neglect for the things we do have. Resentful of having to take any real responsibility, we may either take the low road, do nothing, or do something truly regretful.

In spite of all this Capricorn pressure to fall into line, many of this week’s transits are actually leading us to actions which might otherwise seem radical and noncompliant.

There is a lot of Mars energy about now, so we must get used to dealing with things that will trigger us. Learn to exercise so you are in greater command of your physical faculties. Mars is the lower, more personal expression of our ego, now obdurately charged to make it big by breaking away from the pack. He is determined to act alone and for himself. He will show everyone.

We must stay mindful that though we often don’t know exactly what we’re doing when we are in action, it is impossible to undo what we have done once we have done it. Be super cautious of every action. It ties you into a string of consequences.

Wild, unbounded energies (action processes) are not only unpredictable, they are also irreversible. Unless we are operating from a clearly defined Solar centre – quite difficult under the haze of this diffusive Pisces Sun, there is no mortal authority who can undo what we have done – especially if we later become unhappy with our deeds, or should the consequences prove disastrous.

No-one can erase our failures, especially in this day and age. It’s all recorded somewhere, digitally. Nobody has the absolute power to wipe the slate completely clean, pardon our sins and indiscretions, forgive our scandalous, lewd or vulgar past.

Being denied forgiveness, or the release from the consequences of past actions, our future capacity to act will feel stifled, condemned or perhaps defined by one single misdeed, one from which we could never recover.

Society is cruel, and masses can take a cold, stern, judgemental attitude upon those who failed to show some decorum in the way of process and progress. Should we find our entire public identity inextricably linked to one mistake or shortcoming (and let’s face it – who doesn’t have some dirt under their nails?) we might remain the victim of the consequences forever.

This week, let’s begin to look at our actions and reactions, past and present. Look at those of others. How much do we hold each other into debt, control, contempt or vengeance by them? If to forgive and forget is the divine goal, how is that possible if, for selfish reasons, we cannot find a place in our hearts to totally release each other from the past and co-exist together more harmoniously in the now? See you on the Bus, midweek!

Blessings, and have an amazing week xx

Cosmic tribe subscribers, please look out for our Lunation Newsletter, Thursday, with links to your Special Empowering Messages for this New Moon.