Venus Conjunct Saturn & North Node / Full Moon in Pisces / Pluto Direct

We have a few days of heavy-duty magic as we drift toward the full moon in Pisces on September 19^th. And by heavy-duty, I mean no bullshit. This story is about having the power to change your life, no lie—but it only works if you use it the right way. There is definitely a right way involved, and a wrong way.

The right way involves seeing (in an intensely focused, probing, detail-oriented way) what is unworkable or diseased in your life… and REMOVING it. Cutting it out. 

The wrong way involves wishful thinking, pining for the impossible, fantasy, escapism, self-delusion. But thankfully, the current cosmic weather makes grand illusions hard to sustain. Reality itself, seen clearly, will have more than enough magic and strangeness in it—you are not going to be needing your bullshit, or anyone else’s.

How does it play out? Well first, on September 18^th, Venus in Scorpio conjuncts Saturn & the north node at 8 degrees Scorpio. The conjunction exactly sextiles Pluto at 8 degrees Capricorn and trines Neptune and Chiron in Pisces. (The moon is involved today on the 17^th September—so you can try to tune in on what these themes mean for you via feeling, the day before it all really goes down.)



This is a very big deal. The theme of the skies at this time (signified by the north node) is all about karma coming due—and the reckonings involved are profound. Venus (love and money) joined with Saturn (responsibility) in Scorpio (depth and death), backed up by Pluto (transformation).

--I put a picture of a pearl here because the sky these next few days is making me think of pearls. Irritation and wounding (Chiron) transformed (Pluto) over time (Saturn) into something of great beauty and value (Venus). And it happens down in the depths of the sea, hidden from sight (Neptune). And the product of this deep-sea transformation (Pisces) becomes a symbol of purity and integrity, absolute simplicity (Virgo). The themes are all accounted for.

Regarding Saturn in Scorpio: this is all about getting back the energy you've given. Energetic return on investment. So if you've invested wisely in solid relationships or ventures and done the necessary work, you will know it. And conversely, if you've wasted your resources somewhere, it will be quite clear--you will know it's time to cut your losses.

We can't keep throwing good money after bad under Saturn in Scorpio--it's untenable; there is just not enough to spare. Resources (financial, relational, energetic) must be conserved and invested wisely. Squandering your love or your money or your limited and valuable life energy on folly and delusion—will not fly for long under these skies. Casting your pearls before swine: ditto.



However, there IS the opportunity to use your compassion and idealism in concrete, practical ways that ground and heal: that’s courtesy of Chiron and Neptune in Pisces trining the Saturn, Venus and north node conjunction. And Pluto in Capricorn gives backbone and integrity.


As I said above, it’s all about seeing clearly. Using discrimination. The sun is still in precise, detail-oriented Virgo, and Virgo’s ruler Mercury is Libra, just moving out of tense cardinal t-square formation with Uranus and Pluto. All the flaws and imbalances in your relationships have been on full display this past week, right? Maybe you’ve managed to stay out of any toxic verbal exchanges…but I’m sure you’ve felt the tension in some way. I sure have! The mental urge (Mercury) to completely torch what’s inherently flawed (Uranus square Pluto), and do it in words that can’t be taken back… To give the world a good tongue-lashing.

Well, I held back, mostly. And for me that’s been a good thing. It would only have made things worse…and in the end, Saturn (karma) will do what he does regardless. Rottenness WILL be laid bare under these skies, whether I open my big mouth about how rotten it all is or not.

But if you have something burning in you that MUST be said or done in the interests of individual human freedom (not individual self-aggrandizement—be clear on this)…well the days ahead might be the right time. Mars in Leo and Uranus in Aries are in easy trine formation, and Mercury is leaving the cardinal t-square—so the potential for explosive conflict via communication is reduced. Speaking up might even revolutionise matters.

Use discrimination, caution and compassion (in the form of ‘tough love’) and you’ll be backed up by the cosmic weather. Speak the truth if it falls to you to speak. Do it quietly and clearly and with concision—do not go overboard or fall back on emotionally manipulative tactics. The potential for doing so is built-in, via a square between Jupiter in Cancer and Mercury in Libra, so try to stay mindful. But don’t back down from what you know is true, either. And accept the fallout. Of course there will be fallout—there are situations and people you will have to walk away from, or they may need to detach from you. It may hurt. But it is imperative to accept the loss of what is no longer necessary and vital.

The day after the Venus, Saturn and north node conjunction, we have the full moon at 26 degrees Pisces. 19^th September: here is the pearl of great price, fully illuminated. Nurturance, compassion, sacrifice, suffering (Pisces moon) versus method, organization, discrimination, clarity.

It is entirely possible to balance these energies via service to others: that is ultimately what the Virgo-Pisces axis is about, and the energies complement each other. Notwithstanding the brashness of Mars in Leo, this is not a time for self-assertion, unless you are doing it in the service (Virgo) of the transpersonal (Pisces).

And finally, the day after the full moon, Pluto goes direct, having been retrograde since April. There will be no avoiding deep structural changes to your life now. The gears mesh up and the big wrecking machine sputters to life. Whether it’s going to grind your world to dust or seed the ploughed-up ground for new growth, the machine has its own momentum—you really just have to suck it up and get out of the way when Pluto’s involved.

What in your life needs to die? What are you holding onto that is already dead? By now you know exactly what it is…it should be clear as day.

Whatever you are unwilling to let go of now will be ripped from you regardless—so best let go if you can. Make a sacrifice of it on the Pisces full moon. Sit down and name it, define it (Virgo)…and then let it go.