Saturn & Mars to Neptune

[Jim Eshelman]

I'm laying low for a few days, so far as possible ... only doing routine things ... because of the current transit pattern. I'm sure everything will be fine, but it would be stupid not to be a little cautions.

The Mars-Saturn square occurring about now is exactly on my natal Neptune, with all involved planets moving slowly. This seems worth watching and writing about. Here is a technical breakdown:

1°20' Libra - r Neptune
1°18' Aries-Capricorn - t Mars-Saturn square 8/24/20 (Monday), 11:19 AM PDT
NOTE: My local SSR EP is 0°58'

Aug 7-Sep 23 - t Saturn sq. r Neptune within 1° (exact 8/23, today)
Aug 20-30 - t Mars sq. r Neptune within 1° (exact 8/24, tomorrow)
Aug 21-28 - t Mars-Saturn sq. within 1° (exact 8/24, tomorrow)

Saturn already crossed through once (February 3-21) and will do so again (I dread that one since it overlaps Election Day: Oct 4 to Nov 18), but this is the one where Mars joins and they perfect their aspect 0°02' from my Neptune. (Mars to natal Neptune is my single least favorite transit of all 100 possibilities.) Additionally, my SLR and Demi-SLR are marked almost entirely by a foreground Moon-Neptune aspect. I feel acutely vulnerable, psychically and physically (and, for the SLR, I would expect that to be the whole of the effect were it not for the transits).

What I'm hoping is the effect: Last Thursday, one of my doctors put me on a new medication that, bottom line, is an antihistamine. (It's targeting a minor problem that is a nuisance but not threatening.) Almost immediately, my physical and psychological energy was cut in half! (At first, I thought this was the ferocious hot temperatures, which have their own way of draining strength and concentration; but as the days have cooled, it's still there.) Saturn-Neptune is consistent with "drained strength" and Mars-Neptune with "undesirable drug interactions" (and Moon-Neptune with "more sensitive than usual, be careful what you ingest). Since it's the weekend and I know I can push through my workday Monday (and since the immediate effect is non-threatening), I've decided to do nothing about this until Tuesday.

I'd eel I got off easy if the worst effect is energy and concentration loss for a few days and then it either normalized or I stop taking the medicine.

Precautions I'm taking: Meanwhile, I'm taking precautions. (One of these is telling all of you what's going on.) First, of course, are physical things: Keeping an eye out for food, drink, etc. that could cause a physical reaction, monitoring myself, and being more scrupulous than usual about infection exposure.

But Mars-Neptune, in particular, and Saturn-Neptune more generally, are usually more psychological in their effect. I've found that they can take the most innocent conditions and turn them into volatile, emotionally eviscerating, reaction-stirring conflict and pain. So, I'm committing to a few days of the most peaceful life I can, withdrawing a bit, and especially avoiding conflict. I'm uncomfortable that tomorrow, when it all peaks, is a work day - I'm not aware of any vulnerabilities or volatilities related to work, but one can always be blind-sided. I need to go into the office all day Tuesday because of some equipment repairs: I have no reason to think there is any greater risk of exposure (we're scrupulous in the office and almost nobody is there) or that there will be a negative encounter, so it will feel a lot like withdrawing cautiously.

I suspect, when it's all over, that it will merely have been horribly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, this is a rare, severe, personal transit that, at the least, I need to publicly monitor so we can learn something from it.

Everyone else: Please stay safe out there! Even if this doesn't touch your chart, we're living in a world where everyone else is experiencing Mars in Aries square Saturn in Capricorn for a week (and it hits the U.S. Capsolar angles).

[SteveS]

Mentally/consciously, you are well prepared Jim. That's all you can do which probably helps more than anything.

[Jim Eshelman]

One of the things I hate about Neptune: It tends to make me think that "duck and cover" is a legitimate tactic.

I guess it's sometimes needed.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Applied judiciously, and not as the go-to choice, "duck and cover" is a legitimate and sensible tactic.

[Danica]

Jim, in light of how your nat Neptune is positioned - opp Sedna 12' (and part of the important Mid-point structures that include Ju,Ur,Ma), I think this transit may be simply focused on your relationships with the Female (inner and outer alike) - restructuring of a kind in this 'area'.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Mars - fire
Saturn - slowing you down
Neptune - smoke. Hard to breathe.

We're hearing all of California and half a dozen other states are all on fire.
You having trouble with the smoke in the air?

[Jim Eshelman]

Mars - fire
Saturn - slowing you down
Neptune - smoke. Hard to breathe.

We're hearing all of California and half a dozen other states are all on fire.
You having trouble with the smoke in the air?

Nothing serious. A bit of eyes burning but only during brief parts of the day. (Thanks for asking.) - Over a thousand lightning strikes set off fires especially in Northern California, and there are some fires in Santa Barbara county and - at least last week - on the outskirts of LA. Haven't been tracking much and we haven't had any of the spectacular sunsets we always have when the atmospheric ash is heavy, so I think the breezes are mostly taking care of it.

I'm going into the office tomorrow so I'll be on the West Side, which usually has a bit more of what's flowing down the coast but also has great breezes. We'll see. In a day or two, we'll be clear of this. (I think Sun squared by Jupiter is helping more than a little. In brief: Grace.)