The day before Jupiter moves into Aries

Partially for fear of copyright problems, partially because I love Windows Paint and always will,
I bring you Drunken Astrology homebrewed artwork.

There's quite a bit of information out there about Jupiter moving into Aries. Moving from Pisces to Aries is a monumental transition in the Zodiac- Aries is the beginning of the circle, the Aries Point, the first degree. Pisces is mutable water, Aries is cardinal fire. Pisces is sometimes labeled as a martyr sign, while Aries is labeled as the brash, reckless pioneer. Jupiter is the "greater benefic" of ancient times, the sign of expansion, generosity, optimism and justice. Jupiter is typically not associated with generational trends- it has a pretty snappy 12 year orbit. The general rule with Jupiter is that it expands whatever it touches. This is not necessarily always a good thing. Limitations and reality checks (usually applied by something like Saturn) rain on the parade of pioneering, expanding energy that is Jupiter. However, without such limitations, things can expand out of control.

The unique aspect in the sky right now is Jupiter conjunct Uranus. Let me tell you, the club can't even handle Uranus right now. I see Uranus conjunct Jupiter as Mario eating a mushroom- all of a sudden he grows, and suddenly feels invincible and throws fireballs. The "fireballs" are gonna come from fiery Aries, first as Jupiter moves into Aries and then as Uranus follows suit in March. Uranus and Jupiter conjunct and then moving into Aries is an indicator of increased freedom, challenges to current power systems, and new ideas and creative developments. It's a call to action. You may recall that, during the Cardinal T-Square this past August, both of these planets were retrograde- turned around, driven into a more introspective state. Now they're full-speed ahead.

We do have the opportunity today, however, to look at the anaretic degree through which Jupiter is passing. Now I must give credit to my Mother, Nikki Davenport, who was the first person I heard use the idea of the anaretic degree, and I feel it's a very strong point. The anaretic degree is the last degree of a sign (29 degrees). It is a powerful culminating point for the energy of the sign, a critical and potentially uncomfortable point of increased energy. It demands attention in relation to the energies of the sign, almost (as I see it) one last chance to make sure you're all packed before moving to the next sign. Symbolically speaking, I feel that this is a particularly challenging demand in Pisces, where Jupiter is currently at.

Pisces, ruled by the dissolving waters of Neptune, does not provide the clear, cut-and-dried information and development provided by other signs (ask any Pisces who's trying to explain something clearly and is accused of being too "vague"...). The challenge of Pisces is that it opens (well, maybe washes away) the door to the metaphysical world, and it's not completely clear. In fact, the metaphysical waters can be awfully misleading. This is how Pisces can be associated with both spiritual insight and substance abuse. So, the challenge with "packing our bags" at 29 degrees of Pisces is that what we take with us and what we leave behind aren't going to be entirely clear. Gemini might have a nice list of what we have and what's still available to grab, Capricorn might have everything sorted and organized. But Pisces? It's just a mist, or a deep pool. We have to use our intuition to reach in and feel what we need to take with us into Aries.

So what can we intuitively take with us from Jupiter in Pisces today? More than anything, I would say compassion. Jupiter in Pisces expands our sympathy (perhaps for many empathy) for others. We can feel others more as Jupiter moves through Pisces, and in entering fiery Aries (which by nature cannot function if it concentrates on Piscean compassion) we need that empathy in our suitcases. As Jupiter and Uranus move into Aries, worldwide change may also get alot more physical. The line between Pisces and Aries is associated with the Ascendant of the chart, the beginning, the point of physical manifestation. This is a day to feel the expansion of our intuition, our global awareness, and our ability to sacrifice for the good of others. This global, compassionate intuition is what we need to reach through and grab out of the mist to take with us as Jupiter pulls us into Aries.

What should we leave behind? Well, this would be a good day to achieve a more responsible handle on any sort of alcohol* or drug use that's been challenging of late. Leave behind the fear that what you're working on may not manifest physically. Leave behind the comfort zone of mental retreat that Jupiter may have helped you build (I know I have one.) That's not to say don't meditate, don't introspect, don't go to that quiet place where you feel re-energized and renewed (do it, especially today). Just don't let yourself get stuck in your own head, especially with all the things in the world that are changing as Jupiter prepares to burst forth into Aries. Don't be afraid of taking action.

I love the Sabian Symbols. I can't remember if I've talked about them before. They are a list of images described through a series of channeled messages that took place in Balboa Park, San Diego in the early 20th century. Each degree of the zodiac received an image describing its importance through a particular image or symbol. They may seem frustratingly cryptic, but can be interpreted and applied to many things. They even mean different things to different people, but their significance can be helpful in interpreting astrological points. You always round up for the Sabian symbols, so we would look at 0 degrees of Aries for Jupiter today (at 29 degrees of Pisces). I included the symbol before as well, because I think both are important. Here's how I interpret them for the Jupiter ingress tomorrow:

29-30 Pisces: "A majestic rock formation resembling a face is idealized by a boy who takes it as his ideal of greatness, and as he grows up, begins to look like it."

This is one of my favorite symbols. It reminds me of Michelangelo, who they say had such a strong power of visualization that he saw his artwork in the rock upon which he worked, and simply freed it from the surrounding slab. Likewise, the 29th degree of Pisces represents the open door of visualization. When we are sensitive (like the young boy in the symbol), we can plant the seeds of what we want to manifest, whatever it may be. As we hold onto those seeds, the grow develop, to the point that we actually become the foundation that we have planted for ourselves. We have the opportunity to identify with that intuition, compassion and service and become those things.

0-1 Aries: "A woman just risen from the sea; a seal is embracing her."

From the watery depths of the Piscean sea, we burst forward into the real world. But we still have the knowledge and experience from that intuitive passage through the waters of Pisces (perhaps embodied by the seal). We are equipped, in this fresh start and point of manifestation, to use embrace we know and perceive.

What happened when Jupiter last popped into Aries? Well, it moved in for a few months this past summer. Though brief (it went retrograde and returned to Pisces, the moved forward again and is about to return), think about this summer and changes you saw or felt. Full speed ahead this time!

*by no means should we not indulge in a responsible amount of tall, frosty brew. Pisces is often associated with the adult beverage industry- and I've learned alot about beer that I'm hoping (hop-ing?) to keep sharing with you guys!

Keep checking back everyone, I got a bunch of stuff in the works- peak oil, the astrology of the world's beer regions, and Chiron.