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Jupiter in Virgo ♃ Aug 11, 2015

Jupiter transits Virgo from August 11, 2015 to September 9, 2016

Click here to learn more about Jupiter. Click here to learn about Virgo.

Jupiter transits have a profound impact on the arc of human life from year to year.

Since last summer 2014, Jupiter transited Leo. Whenever Jupiter transits a fixed sign, life is rough around the edges. Not only that, but Jupiter in a fire sign is aggressive, full-throttle, yang energy to the max. Jupiter in Leo placed particular emphasis on children, romance and recreation, but it was far from play time. He pushed and pulled with constant tests of character. Although we had energy at our disposal to create opportunities and take big risks, Jupiter struggled mightily with the powerful, all-consuming leonine ego. The grandeur of our dreams was matched only by the supreme difficulty inherent in their manifestation. I was so optimistic at the outset as I thought this year would favor self-confidence. I suppose it did, but not as expected, with all the dark challenges crashing in day after day after day. Rather than feeling supported in our efforts to be courageous, we had to cultivate it all on our own as a way to defend against endless obstacles.

I am thoroughly excited for what’s coming next. Jupiter in Virgo turns our attention towards work, health and routine. We’ll take an intensive look at our professional life as well as daily activities conducive to ultimate productivity: proper nutrition and exercise, sleep schedules, meditation, etc. Jupiter in Virgo will help us regain bodily sovereignty. Jupiter in an earth sign comes back to the body: total agency, with impressive self-discipline.

Jupiter normally rules mutable fire sign Sagittarius so he is quite at home in fellow mutable sign Virgo. As Jupiter moves through the signs, certain domains in our life become more prosperous or “lucky.” This is not a very social year - we’re focused, diligent, working without breaks. Jupiter in Virgo can’t wait to get your life in order. It’s time to iron out all the kinks and polish the cogs. Jupiter in Virgo is a life coach, personal assistant and diehard rationalist all rolled into one. No more bullshit, no more excuses, no more lollygagging - Virgo dislikes nothing more than procrastination! If you’ve been waiting for some force to come along and kick you into action, this is it, my friends.

Virgo marks halfway around the zodiac wheel, which is appropriate considering her role as Goddess of Harvest. It is Virgo’s responsibility to cut down all that has been growing over the first half of the astrological year. In the process, we come face-to-face with the results of our labor; Jupiter in Virgo inspects as he chaffs, noting with exceptional detail what’s going well and what’s not. It’s time to sit at the table with Virgo and listen to her report - where are the weak links in our systems? She is as brutally honest as she is helpful. In fact, we should be careful not to get too concerned with making repairs. Jupiter in Virgo tells us that we’re slacking if we’re not sweating, which is false of course. It may take a few months, but we’ll find a balance between work and relaxation. This year will be incredibly busy. It’s up to you to decide how much you are willing/able to accomplish - just remember that it’s very easy to go overboard.

This is the perfect time to go on a diet, quit smoking and head to yoga. What were minor aches and pains before will be hard to dismiss now - Virgo brings even the most minute to the fore. Try ignoring areas of the body or your professional life that are less than ideal, and you’ll find that those issues are suddenly magnified to extreme proportions. Open your closet, find the skeletons, and then scrub the hell out of the floor. Virgo is a serious creature, perhaps to a fault. Let’s channel her expertise and make change - this is the essence of mutable energy after all. Jupiter in Virgo needs massive stimulation. We can’t sit still with such a long to-do list. If you’re trailing behind, look around you and be inspired by the changes that others are making, changes that will render a better life, now and in the future. This is the beginning of an entirely new chapter! Tune in, get ready.

I was born with Jupiter in Leo, so this last year was my Jupiter Return for me and everyone else with Jupiter in the sign of Leo. If you were born with Jupiter in Virgo, now comes your Return - more to come on that subject. Click here to see what sign Jupiter occupied on your day of birth.

If you are curious about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me for more insight.

Mantra: lucky harvest

Jupiter turns retrograde - Dec 8, 2014

Jupiter is retrograde in fixed fire sign Leo from December 8, 2014 to April 8, 2015

Click here to learn about Jupiter. Click here to learn about Leo.

I recently posted about Neptune turning direct after being retrograde for more than 5 months. Click here to learn about retrograde motion. Jupiter is retrograde approximately 4 months out of the year. This transit will herald Jupiter’s nearest position to Earth until June 2019. Cool tidbit of information from EarthSky:

On February 6, 2015, Jupiter will be at opposition […] If you could look down upon the solar system plane on that day, you’d see the Sun, Earth and Jupiter making a straight line in space, with Earth sitting in between the sun and Jupiter.

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Where to look on Wednesday night, courtesy of EarthSky.org

To be very clear, planets in retrograde are not actually spinning backwards – it is entirely an optical illusion as seen from Earth. Backwards motion appears to happen when Earth passes slower moving planets in the outer solar system. In astrology, this illusion manifests as a sort of “backwards” functioning of the planets and their roles.

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Where to look for Jupiter, courtesy of EarthSky.org

Journeying within

Jupiter is concerned with spirituality and higher learning. One might describe this planet as jolly and generous, much like Santa Claus. Areas associated with this planet are law, ethics, education, justice, fairness and equality. When Jupiter is retrograde, our quest for greater understanding becomes an inward journey.

There’s really no need to panic with this transit; as with the other gas giants, this retrograde period is quite tame when compared to, say, Mercury. In any case, it is advisable, as with all things in life, to adopt a healthy attitude here and see this as an opportunity to stop, take a step back and get a good look at where you’re heading. Jupiter encourages us to be aware of our horizons and so-called boundaries. Now we turn this awareness within so that we may evolve spiritually and emotionally. In pausing and reflecting, we come to better understand who we are now and what we can change in order to move forward more quickly and efficiently. From the Daily Defenders of Good Karma:

It’s also a time to look at the details that are a part of our larger plan. Because Jupiter in forward-motion promotes activity and going out into the world, Jupiter backwards is all about knowing ourselves and our emotional life. Reconsider truths you previously thought to be self-evident.

Setting a goal

Jupiter will work diligently for you if you set a definite goal - he loves nothing more than goals! I don’t use the word “enlightenment” lightly; after all, it takes many lifetimes to achieve such a state. However, if this is something you yearn for, now is the time to cultivate the necessary discipline and self-control. Jupiter is encouraging you to communicate with the Self. Deep within is an eternal wellspring of perfect wisdom; with a quiet enough mind, you just might be able to hear it begin to bubble up.

We are now more preoccupied than usual with our path: where am I going? Am I becoming the person I want to be? One more from the Daily Defenders of Good Karma:

Instead of the happy-go-lucky planet pushing us to go go go, Jupiter will now go slow slow slow — which means it’s the perfect time to take a time out and examine our personal philosophies and reevaluate the beliefs that motivate us on a daily basis.

Returning to old lessons

Jupiter Rx does not equate to total introversion or constant delays in projects and plans. Plenty of exciting opportunities will still be available to you, but these Jupiterian good fortunes will likely be connected to lessons you failed to learn the first time around. Retrograde periods ask us to return to that which has been ignored, forgotten or discarded. In particular, Jupiter Rx might lead you back to school or to mentors/friends who have wisdom to share.

When direct, Jupiter asks us to reach beyond what we think is possible. When retrograde, we reach instead for the highest version of the Self. The paradox with all retrograde periods is that the very thing you are encouraged to do is in fact the most difficult; for example, gaining access to spiritual insight may not happen effortlessly now. However, this is precisely what makes these transits so rewarding and powerful. These obstacles force us to jump higher and higher; with each successive transit we are ever stronger and more knowledgeable. From astrologer Kerry Shamblin:

Planets when retrograde gain ‘chesta bala’ which is strength to act. This implies that while Jupiter is retrograde, we may have to struggle more to gain the fruits indicated by Jupiter. We all expect exalted Jupiter to shower us with abundance, knowledge and spiritual fulfillment. With the retrograde status in effect, we cannot expect this shower without doing some work of our own in these arenas.

To find your Jupiter sign and whether he was direct or retrograde at the time of your birth, click here. It is interesting to note that, if you were born with Jupiter Rx, you may not notice the effects above as strongly, if at all. More to come on natal Jupiter Rx!

If you are curious about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me for more insight.

Mantra: I reach within

Jupiter in Leo ♃ July 16, 2014

Jupiter enters Leo on July 16, 2014 and will transit here until August 11, 2015

Click here to learn more about Jupiter. Click here to learn about Leo.

For the next year, Jupiter will transit fixed fire sign Leo. What can we expect?

Whenever a planet transits a sign of the zodiac, the qualities associated with that sign are brought into sharp focus. Think of the planets as magnifying glasses that amplify the energy of whichever sign they currently occupy. As Jupiter moves through the signs, certain domains in our life become more prosperous or “lucky.”

Since last summer 2013, Jupiter transited cardinal water sign Cancer. With Jupiter in Cancer, you may have noticed boosts, bonuses or good fortune in the following areas if you felt balanced: heightened sensitivity/empathy, emotional strength, family matters, feminine energy, reconciliation with the past, caring for others and building of support systems. IF however you felt more imbalanced over the last year, you may have experienced an unusual increase in the following: clinginess, lethargy, melodrama, emotional fragility, gullibility, excessive doubt or fear.

Jupiter normally rules mutable fire sign Sagittarius so he is quite at home in fellow fire sign Leo. Fire is all-consuming and powerful. With Jupiter in a fire sign, we have greater drive to create our own opportunities. We are more inclined to dream big and take risks. Make this the year that you finally summon the confidence to do what you have always wanted, professionally or otherwise. Harness the power of the flame and BLAST OFF!

Expect to feel more courageous and outgoing. Just as fire grows and spreads rapidly, your social circle, professional life or interests may expand dramatically. With Jupiter in Leo, you will feel more generous with yourself and others, and not just in a material sense. This generosity may take the form of encouragement. Express sincere pride in your loved ones - your confidence in them is a marvelous, irreplaceable gift!

Leo is the fixed sign of the lion. Jupiter in Leo encourages us to embody the positive qualities of the lion. The balanced lion is dignified, affectionate, romantic and genuine. The lion’s greatest challenge is avoiding egotism and stubbornness. It is true that Leo often gets a bad rap for being self-centered. Channel your newfound Leo pride into admiration for others, healthy self-love and creative expression. The balanced lion loves nothing more than helping others - perhaps because this is the best way to improve the self!

Leo rules all things related to entertainment, children, romance, self-improvement and recreation. Expect your love life to kick up a notch - Leo energy is very sexually potent. Arts & crafts, sports, theater and film may figure prominently in the next year. Leo is notorious for loving the limelight and hamming it up too. You may interact with more children or improve relationships with children who are already in your life. If not, perhaps this is a time when you get in touch with your inner child. Expect to feel more playful. Your inner child will help you enjoy life more fully rather than question your happiness - why do we do that?! Leo is also prone to excess. Watch for splurging, giving away things that you really need or self-destructive behavior.

Jupiter was last in Leo from August 2002 to August 2003. According to CafeAstrology:

What we started during this period is now enjoying a Jupiter return, so that it might blossom, increase, or require adjustments in order to grow further.

I was born with Jupiter in Leo, so this year will be what is known as a Jupiter Return for me and everyone else with Jupiter in the sign of Leo. Check out this chart to see what sign Jupiter occupied on your day of birth.

If you are curious about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me for more insight.

Mantra: my heart is open