Astrology the Week of February 14, 2010: A Sun, Mars, Saturn Yod Pattern: Feeling Inadaquate to the Task

Last week I wrote about the Venus “finger of God” that took place on Valentine’s Day this year.  Now this week it’s the Sun’s turn to take the far-point between Mars and Saturn.  Whereas last weekend the issue was the pushes and pulls of love and the pathology behind it with Venus; this weekend it will be the issue of power and the various motivations and shades of pathology behind its exercise in our lives through the Sun.

Specifically this will take place on Saturday and Sunday, February 20 and 21, 2010.

A “finger of God” or “yod” in the western astrology is when two planets form a sextile (nearly or exactly so, 60 degrees apart) and then another planet at the far end of the zodiac forms a quincunx (150 degrees) to both of them, forming an elongated triangle or yod-configuration.  The planet at the far point is accentuated.  It is a mixed, (good/bad) type of configuration.

The sextile is a 3rd/11th house aspect (the third and eleventh house sextile the ascendant), which is moderately harmonious.  The quincunx is a 6th/8th house type of relationship to the planet in question, which is decidedly challenging.

The Sun in mixed relationship (quincunx) to Saturn relates the exercise of power and authority stemming from self-assurance or the lack thereof.  Self-assured power is characterized by a calm methodical diligence without bluster.  Un-self-assured power however is usually characterized by exaggerated affectation accompanied by a good amount of bluster/condescension/preaching.  It seems that the non-self-assured authority needs to convince himself as much as the person he is speaking at, so any amount of rationalizing verbiage accompanies the actions.

The same goes for Mars, which is concerned with if the individual is decisive, effective, and sufficiently penetrative in his/her actions.  In the long run it seems the self-assured doer gets more done since the non-self-assured doer spends so much energy justifying their actions as opposed to the accomplishment of the actual goals.

Nevertheless the Sun aspecting the combination of Mars and Saturn is challenging any way you look at it.  Reinhold Ebertin of The Combination of Stellar Influences (an essential astrology text) defines this specific combination as:

“Weak vitality, the inability to meet all demands or to master all situations, the necessity to overcome illness. The illness or death of members of the male population.”

Illness and death may be a part of the externalization of this configuration.  People may feel inadequate to the tasks presented to them.

It should be noted that the planets in this configuration have no significant good dignity; the Sun is debilitated in Aquarius, Mars is debilitated in Cancer and retrograde, and Saturn is only slightly dignified in Virgo and is retrograde.  This means that the more problematical or negative effects of this configuration are more likely to manifest.

Day by Day Predictions with Updated Results (could manifest one to two days before or after)

Sun, Feb 14, Valentine’s Day
This could be a weird one (Valentine’s Day).  A lot of pathological elements line up with Venus, the planet of love.  On top of that the Sun, representing selfhood, conjuncts Neptune, the planet of self-abnegation; this combination also has delusory and dysfunctionally sacrificial aspects to it.  Reaching, grasping, or clutching for happiness in relationships may not turn out well; the sting of not finding outside what must be first instilled inside may be very acute today.  Nevertheless, some passion and intensity may come about.  (Venus quincunx Mars and Saturn, sextile Pluto, Sun conjunct Neptune)

• Filmmaker Kevin Smith ejected from airplane for being too “fat”
• Cheny criticizes Obama on national security, Biden fires back
• US missiles slam into Afghan home by mistake killing 12, NATO commander Stanley McChrystal says “sorry”.

Mon, Feb 15
Deliberate, focused action and application is favored; results may be slow but good.  Be careful of simmering undercurrents of frustration, look to the good that’s happening now.  Activities like yoga or weight training should be favored.  Relationship developments can occur.  (Mars sextile Saturn, Venus aspects Nodes)

Tues, Feb 16
While there will be setbacks and disappointments, plenty of opportunities to kick oneself, and acute moments of dead seriousness; there probably be other moments of cordiality, harmony, and upliftment.  Be careful of trying to assuage pain by such methods of buying something expensive or eating or drinking something delightful (but regretful later).  There may be wonderful moments in relationships, and at some point taking leaps of intuition may be fortunate.  (Sun biquntile Saturn, Venus conjunct Jupiter, Mercury semisquare Uranus)

• Serious warnings traded back and forth between US Sec of State Hillary Clinton and Iran President Ahmadinejad (Sun Saturn astrology) News story

Wed, Feb 17
No peaking influences

• China sells $34.2bn of US treasury bonds suggesting loss of faith in US govt policies and may be the start of grave repercussions for the US economy.  News story

Thurs, Feb 18
Love and passion may burn hot, it may be a day to act in regard to relationships.  He/she who hesitates may lose.  (Venus biquntile Mars)

Fri, Feb 19
At some moment today the power of the mind to penetrate mysteries, to project with charisma, and to persuade may be very strong.  Obsessive tendencies may be activated, and the propensity to abuse this added power may come out as well.  (Mercury parallel Pluto)

• In the days leading up to the highlighted Sun-Mars-Saturn yod formation we are having the Republican-themed Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) with leading Republican figures and presidential hopefuls.  With a lot of “neo-con” rhetoric flying about including libertarian-conservative Bob Barr being jeered for saying waterboarding is torture, the crowd was getting a little heated.  Obama-bashing as a convenient strawman seemed to be the favorate strategy.
• Tiger Woods makes his mea culpa admitting to irresponsibility to his family with his many sexual affairs, sadly this is as much corporate spin control effort as much as some type of personal vindication for Woods.  As with the CPAC conference above aggressive business-financial aspects to these events.

Sat, Feb 20
Action, initiative, and the courage to assert oneself will be highlighted.  Be careful of accidents, cuts, burns, and other human conflicts.  Elements of woundedness of the ego may be especially sensitive; reminding us that “tough” guys are really weak guys (or girls if the case may be.) Offenses which seem so intolerable may be only affecting to most minor of points.  A calm, self assured approach is always more effective instead of a lot of “sound and fury” based on an underlying sense of powerlessness.  (Sun quincunx Mars)

• Reagan era Secretary of State Alexander Haig dies, i.e. the “death” theme of this weeks astrology mentioned above.
• The Dutch government “quits” after disagreements about troops in Afghanistan.  News Story
• CPAC et al: oneupsmanship, strawman bashing, etc., these are all tactics that are based in an underlying sense of inadequacy.  In order to validate oneself, a person has to put another person down. They project their inadequacy onto “them”.  In this case it’s American conservative movement. This kind of behavior is not too surprising with the Sun-Mars-Saturn astrology mentioned above.

Sun, Feb 21
Obstacles and delays may attempt to steal our happiness today, but we should learn to appreciate the wonderous way the Universe presents to us areas that need to be adjusted.  Instead of despair, replacing it with a determined intent to change those vulnerabilities in our lives should bring about renewed serenity.  However ardor and passion to take bold steps will be amplified as well, so it may be difficult not to be dramatic in what we do.  This could be a key day to inaugurate change in our lives.  Early on intellectual, creative, and persuasive avenues will be favored as well; be careful of promising too much, assuming things to be true when they actually aren’t, and all sorts of prideful, egotistic , grandiose proclamations.  (Sun quincunx Saturn, Mars biquintile Jupiter, Mercury quintile Jupiter)

Mon, Feb 22
A pessimistic, dark kind of influence may come over the mind that could tend to inhibit action or resolve; communications could be halted or made difficult, however a strong sense of realism, practicality, and shrewdness will be accessible as well.  (Mercury sesquiquadrate Saturn)

Curtis Burns
curtis.burns@q.com
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