Inanna's Descent + the Psychopomp: Week of September 22nd - 30th
Galactic Greetings, my loves.
This week I shared the tale of Inanna with my students. In many ways, the myth of Inanna and Erishkigale is similar to that of Persephone and Hades. Not only do these ancient stories organize our understanding of the earhtly seasons, but they help us contextualize the chapters of our life. They tell tales of impermanence, loss, grief and even death. The arrival of fall is happening this week, mirroring our archetypal descent to meet our own soul. Meanwhile, Mercury prepares to station retrograde in a square to Pluto, the lord of the Underworld. Mercury takes many forms in mythology, but here I am reminded of Mercury the Psychopomp, the only deity free to enter and exit the Underworld as they wish. Mercury helps souls cross between worlds, usually bringing them to the depths of Hades where they will cross the River Styx and pass through the Seven Gates of Hell.
The Underworld is indeed a place of rest, a place of darkness, a place where a piece of us is ready to transfigure. While you may not be experiencing a profound Pluto transit at this moment, nature reminds us of its raw, distinctive pulse.
I’m here fore it. Are you??
Astrology Watch
Sun enters Libra; Fall Equinox 9/22
Mercury square Pluto 9/22
Venus opposite Uranus 9/23
Mars trine Saturn, 9/25
Mercury stations retrograde 9/27
Venus trine Neptune 9/29
Venus square Jupiter 9/30
Aykut Aydoğdu
Sun enters Libra; Fall Equinox 9/22
Inanna begins her descent…
Nature knows that life moves in cycles. She is infinitely wise. As the Sun enters Libra, the sign of balance, we reach an equilibrium of light and darkness around the entire planet. Hereafter, however, daylight diminishes and darkness reclaims her throne. The leaves tell us a story. One of vibrancy and beauty when confronted with the inevitable end. “Go out with a bang,” they say. I recently explained to my students that death can often make us feel more alive. The world is the most vibrant as nature begins her journey to the underworld. The veil thins and the winds howl, conjuring the spirit realms ever nearer. After the Venusian beauty of Libra season comes Samhain, Scorpio season. We know what comes next. Libra season is the time to link up, to forge bonds to sustain us through the winter, to break bread and to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
The Sun is considered to be in its fall in Libra for many reasons, but I love how it literally begins the Fall season here in the northern hemisphere! Libra season will be served with a thematic Mercury retrograde and garnished with several planetary stations. Pluto, Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter will each station direct during Libra season, symbolically steering the ship forward once more. As Libra represents the scales of justice, fairness, equality, big political decisions may be a theme. As Texas tries to turn the clocks backward, will Libra season effectively halt antiquity in its tracks and steer the movement forward again? Only time will tell!
Mercury square Pluto 9/22
To make peace, we must first befriend our darkness…
The first of three squares between Mercury and Pluto arrives on 9/22. We will be in relationship with this excavation process throughout Mercury’s retrograde in Libra, which begins in just 5 days. Mercury in Libra craves peace of mind, pleasant exchanges and the cultivation of intellectual harmony. Beautiful creations can emerge when we put our minds together, when we reflect one another’s essence back and forth – both shadow and allure have gifts to bear. But before we can reach that aesthetic threshold we envision, Mercury’s square to Pluto wants answers.
Megan Rieker
“Well this changes everything.” An unearthed trove of data appears, throwing a metaphorical wrench in our plans. Now we need to know the full truth. No more secrets, no more hiding. Mercury’s square to Pluto calls us to the archeological digging site. Forensic research. Peeling back the layers of our conceptual understanding. Watch where we have an obsessive pull to find out. Mercury’s researching square to Pluto is incredibly resourceful and determined. Sleuthing skills turn up!
We are searching for the elixir of life. A remedy to bring peace, to make beautiful, to make harmonious. What are we to learn (or unlearn) in this process?
The second and third squares will arrive on 10/1 and 11/2. This extended excavation will likely harvest gems and jewels of both wreckage and healing. As Mercury is the magician – pay attention to symbols. The universe beckons us toward the woods. There is magic there.
Venus opposite Uranus 9/23
In connection to last week’s square to Saturn, Venus now activates the remainder of the Saturn-Uranus square, the defining aspect of 2021. Venus’ square to Saturn was reportedly felt personally by many, coinciding with significant disputes in relationships around expectations, boundaries, even finances. Perhaps solutions were pitched or even implemented, wielding the constructive side of Saturn’s truth serum.
Venus’ opposition to Uranus provides new breakthroughs. Did we solve the issue and we are now enjoying a newfound freedom within the dynamic? Or are we now realizing that the agreement feels more like a holding cell? Venus’ opposition to Uranus emphasizes the importance of full, unbridled authenticity. Is the comfort of sameness worth clipping our wings? Possessiveness without soulful reciprocation cannot be tolerated at this juncture.
The Taurus/Scorpio polarity highlights a theme of comfort versus complexity. Which sounds more appetizing to you right now? We will be dancing along this polarity as we dive deeper into Libra and Scorpio season. In early 2022, the nodal axis will also shift along this axis. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a slower pace after years of beating our bodies into submission. Similarly, sometimes we must heed the call to leave the nest and ingest the lifechanging alchemical brew.
Overall, we must we willing to get out of our comfort zone – just enough so that one day, even more satisfying levels of enjoyment can be reached.
Mars trine Saturn, 9/25
Clarity of inaction
Where is there trepidation to move forward? Mars in Libra can sometimes reflect a sensation of stuck-ness, where we feel uncertain about the path forward or frozen by indecisiveness. We might experience worry about the outcome of our choices, or potential reception by others within the community. Saturn offers clarity, reflecting the holding pattern in a crystalline way. Saturn can reinforce Mars’ self-doubt, either proving that we have good reason to wait or showing us that the time is now to take the plunge.
Mercury stations retrograde 9/27
Integration, Pause, reconfigure
Yes, it’s that time again! Mercury retrograde is here to put a mischievous spin on everyday tasks like driving, texting and ordering the right size picture frame for your new office (embarrassing personal story there). The celestial trickster treasures the opportunity to roast us for our own impatience, and the real human blips of the mind. The trickster has a creative way of telling us we’ve layered too many obligations onto our plate, that we’re unfocused and not paying attention or that we neglected to think our plan all the way through. However, most of us would rather pull the convenience card and drag sweet lil Mercury through the mud. Discerning the symbolism is optional. However, it should be known that Mercury is a magician who works with the art of parable.
Mercury stations retrograde at 25°28’ Libra at 1:10 am ET – backtracking through the zodiac until 10/18, where they will station direct at 10°07’. Fortunately, Mercury likes being in an Air sign, so we can (hopefully) expect this retrograde to be more constructive rather than confusing. This is an excellent time to reconceptualize a design, to measure a second time before we slice; to slow down, pause, integrate and recalibrate. We might meditate on what peace and harmony actually look like to us. Is avoidance truly more sound than confrontation?
With repeated configurations to Jupiter, Pluto and Chiron, Mercury is on a mission to find inner/outer peace, to find answers and to discover healing remedies. Mercury is on a mission to discover the vital elixir, which can help us regain equilibrium and a readiness to move forward anew by 10/18.
Blake Kathryn
Venus trine Neptune + Oppose Jupiter 9/29 +9/30
Pick your poison. The prick of cupid’s arrow, the thorn of an enchanted rose? What about a potion of soulful music, barley wine and profound dialogue with a beloved? Venus in Scorpio is ready to soften her death grip on how magic finds her. Curiosity and a playful hunger caress the surrender to an alchemical current. The expansive and mystical nature of Jupiter and Neptune entice our dark goddess to give in to her desirous, lusty side. It’s time to have some fun! Let our passions run wild. Feel where your heart yearns to go and allow the slow burn. A rampant hunger for enigmatic connection opens the portals for a dose of primordial gluttony. Venus’ square to Jupiter wants more, more, more sweetness – but in Scorpio, it’s a Devil’s food cake dotted with maraschino cherries.
Open.
There is as much magic in the flesh as in the stars.