4.10.23 Moon-day Musing
This new cycle of Jupiter, as he begins to depart from Aries and heads towards Taurus, we are preparing our own next phase of life. This phase will ask us for endurance, honesty, compassion, and even a little salt of the earth humility. A fresh Jupiter brings in new faith, generous charity, and expansive optimism. Just as the trees are bearing buds in the northern hemisphere, we open our windows and let the fresh spring air move the stale winter fog.
This week begins with the Moon in the sign of Sagittarius, which is ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter has many significations, including holy wisdom, the law including judges, spiritual figures, lawyers. It can represent churches and courthouses. Jupiter is an expansive energy, and known as the greater benefic of all the classic seven planets. Jupiter signifies good fortune, hope and goodwill. Jupiter also rules Pisces, and it is noted that the birth of Jesus Christ ushered in the “Age of Pisces”, which is ruled by Jupiter.
The planet Jupiter is currently undergoing a rebirth or a resurrection, as we are just moving off of Easter. Even if you do not observe this holiday and the death and resurrection of Jesus, the symbolism of Easter, the celebration of Eostera and the commencement of spring can be paralleled to Jupiter’s own movement this week. Themes of regeneration and return of hope ring through the heavenly spheres. Spending most of Easter Sunday prepping my garden, starting summer seedlings, refreshing altars, this is Jupiter being reborn.
When Jupiter goes through a rebirth process, it is based on the synodic cycle, or better put, a planet’s position to the Sun. Jupiter being reborn means the planet conjoins the Sun at the exact degree in the sign, which is also referred to as “cazimi”. A cazimi moment is a very powerful moment for any planet to endure, and ancient astrologers always paid close attention to this specific aspect. A planet that moves through the heart of the Sun is said to be imbued with great strength and even revelation.
The Sun is the “King of the Heavens”, imbuing life into every living creature and plant. Without it, we cease to exist. The ancients associated the Sun with kings, rulers, the soul and ultimate source. The Sun represented fathers, solar figures, courts and palaces as well. Together the Sun and Jupiter coming together represent a supercharged power house of illuminating wisdom, clarity and power.
Jupiter is also currently in the Sun’s exaltation in Aries, lending it even greater vigor. Where Jupiter treads, life and energy expands. This Jupiter cazimi is a moment where the potential for great optimism, prosperity and revelatory insights burst on the scene. This comes after what could be a crisis of confidence.
The Sun is the ultimate King though, and any planet that gets too close to it will go through its own rollercoaster of fragility and empowerment.
The days that lead up to the cazimi moment and the days after, Jupiter goes through more challenging terrain. Like Jesus entering the tomb as a lamb, and coming out as the Lion of Judeau, this is similar to how planets undergo their own death and resurrection. A planet on either side of the Sun, within 12 degrees, is said to be under the beams, and the closer it moves within mere degrees, the planet is combust and weakened. Both are conditions that extract energy and will from the planet. I see this as a shedding of the solar cycle, the revolution is complete and the planet has finished his work. First they must sacrifice something of themself, and as they enter the heart of the Sun, a revelatory gift is given. The Holy Spirit is infused.
The days that lead up to the rebirth, like Jesus in his tomb or the tulip pushing through the soil, they are not seen. Jupiter is blotted out by the Sun’s intense light. Jupiter’s will is handicapped. A planet like Jupiter, when combust, can show up as fallen solar figure either through death or personal crisis. In your own life, you may have personal ethics violated or grapple with the concepts of truth, morality, or spiritual quandries.
The conjunction is a full explosion, like a lion bursting on the scene. What was hidden is revealed. The days following cazimi, in this case up until April 27th, the planet returns to a weakened state due to the Sun’s immense rays. Similar to a New Moon, the light of the planet isn’t fully visible but will grow in strength and eventually appear as a visible morning star. For now it must grapple with its new state, the new skin it is growing. New synodic cycles bring a period of transition, renewal, and re-direction.
Jupiter has been through a revolution. First beginning on March 5th 2022, where it last conjoined the Sun in its own temple of Pisces. This period was a potent and highly fortunate period. Wherever Pisces is in your own birth chart, I imagine that this house has undergone a profound, emotional and possibly spiritual transformation since 2022.
The last major aspect Jupiter had with the Sun was a square at the winter solstice, and this is also associated with Jesus’ birth and the return of the Sun after a long takeover of darkness. The Sun squared Jupiter just as it left Pisces and entered Aries at the 2022 winter solstice. This was a moment of slowing the collective down as the year turned, asking us to realign our goals and vision, take our time. The Sun needed time to warm up, and the two have finally caught one another. Can we now proceed ahead with new year resolutions that may have been spinning their wheels, searching for direction? Jupiter has a near month left in the sign of Aries, projects or commitments we have begun at the new year, it is high time to check in on them and see what nourishment is still missing. Be cautious of over commitement or an overdoing it, this can be the nature of Jupiter in Aries.
When the Sun reaches 12 degrees of a separating conjunction, Jupiter will be free from the burning rays and appear in the sky as a morning star. If you wake early at dawn beginning on April 26-27th depending on location, you will begin to see a beautiful bright king rising at dawn. Jupiter is diurnal by nature, this is a powerful omen. As the Spring Sun warms the earth, may our own hearts, goals and actions be infused with the invigorated goodwill of Jupiter.
This new cycle of Jupiter, as he begins to depart from Aries and heads towards Taurus, we are preparing our own next phase of life. This phase will ask us for endurance, honesty, compassion, and even a little salt of the earth humility. New ideals or principals may surface. A fresh Jupiter brings in new faith, generous charity, and expansive optimism. Just as the trees are bearing buds in the northern hemisphere, we open our windows and let the fresh spring air move the stale winter fog.
The very same day of Jupiter cazimi, we get Venus and Pluto in an interesting and compassionate aspect. This seems to point to that whatever is being revealed, exposed, induced through the Jupiter cazimi, a deeper, more compassionate understanding is paired with it. Venus has just entered the sign of Gemini the day prior, on the 10th. Venus in Gemini is up for discourse, creative problem solving and Pluto may just swoon at Aphrodites temptations. This is a point where deeper connections, conversations may be had. Personal relationships that have struggled may find new in-roads, cathartic conversations related to intimacy may immerse your personal circles. This may be a point where you have a renewal of faith, hope and spirit.
Near the end of the week, the Last Quarter Moon in Capricorn presents some tension. Venus and Saturn, the last Full Moon’s landlords, meet through a square aspect, this can deflate earlier decisions or creative attempts. It is a quick aspect, and Venus may find herself walled off, perhaps having to rework earlier negotiations. Or it may just be the cross-road that begins to really test that renewed hope. Do you respond with your old conditioned responses or do you pause, and realize you too are wearing new skin. This renewed sense of self and spirit brings with it new responses.
The old ways may no longer work, and do we even want them too? Resolutions, game plans, projects that we envisioned at the outset of 2023 were infused with a bright-eyed optimism, Jupiter and Venus, the two benefics, ask us to trust their process and not fall back on to the old ways. They ask us to have a little faith.