90 Degrees of Frustration
Surviving the square between Saturn and the Sun
This guy thinks he’s a gift from the gods - the hairless chest and punchable face are dead giveaways.
What the f*%k is happening this week?
Scorpio season closes out on a very grounded, focused note thanks to Pluto engaging in some sexy aspects with Mars and the sun. (I mean that literally - Pluto is making a sextile to both objects on Monday and Tuesday.) We can expect to have stamina through Wednesday for long-term planning, the planting of aspirational goals and ideas, and a little saucy, freaky time at home for those so inclined.
By the time Thursday rolls around, we can expect responsibilities and chores to pile up and threaten our good time, so try to get as much out of the beginning of the week as possible. This is because that huge, ringed bummer, Saturn, will make a square to our fiery ball of ego, the sun, on Thursday, thus creating a series of irritating roadblocks that will clutter our path to progress.
We can expect these obstacles to manifest in ways ranging from annoying to infuriating; think travel delays, application rejections, and invalidating correspondance (Saturn, a.k.a. Kronos, is the ruler of time and its measurement, so tougher aspects with Saturn often result in delays and cancellations, as well as the feeling of always ‘running late’ and missing important deadlines.) Interpersonally, friends or relatives we were counting on may lessen support or express doubts about our endeavors, resulting in a crisis of confidence, and we may feel inclined to take even the slightest rejection or delay very personally. Delays, setbacks, and rejections don’t always imply total negation - a smidge of self-doubt can be motivating and will sometimes lead to self-improvement, if for no other reason than that proving people wrong provides it’s own serotonin boost. We always need to be cautious with any Saturn square, however - when we let frustrating incidents or negative feedback alter our internal trajectory too drastically, we risk falling victim to paralyzing defeatism and cynicism. Never forget that Kronos ate his own children to maintain power, guaranteeing his own demise at their hands and perpetuating an endless Greek tragedy of self-defeatism. Shit happens and we don’t always get what we want, but we must maintain a clear mind to recognize that facing rejection regarding one desire is not the same as facing total destruction of all of our desires.
For those unfamiliar with planetary glyphs, our sun is represented by the red circle that looks like a boob, and Saturn is the fancy, purple, lower case H that looks like it’s wearing the pope’s hat.
Why would this have anything to do with me?!
Some astrological events can be felt viscerally here on Earth, whilst others make insane, dramatic shapes in the sky and business carries along as usual down here, impacting our earthly inhabitants lightly, if at all. Much of the impact of current astrology depends on individual natal charts - the idea being that planetary placement at the time of someone’s birth dictates whether or not present planetary placement is in harmony or opposition to that particular chart. For instance, someone with a chart full of harmonizing Saturn aspects like trines and sextiles may not encounter any friction this weekend because Saturn energy is very comfortable for them. Additionally, folks with the sun or other major planets in Capricorn may not find this moment unpleasant at all; Capricorn-heavy people love restriction and negation, because it makes them work harder to button down all the little details over which they joyfully obsess. A simplified breakdown of the major players this week looks like this:
The Sun = Apollo, golden child, ego, illumination, our idealized selves
Saturn = Kronos, father to Zeus, grandfather to Apollo and Ares, cannibal despot and time dictator
Mars = Ares, hot dude with zero impulse control, athletic grandson to Saturn and half-brother to Apollo
Square = 90 degree astrological aspect between two planets that often feels like an elbow to the face
As we can deduce from the information above, this aspect can suck, and suck bigly. This is because our sun represents our ego and sense of self, astrologically. In Greek mythology, our sun is associated with Apollo, Zeus’ golden boy by Leto, and twin brother to virginal huntress Artemis. Apollo acts as a kind of proxy for our idealized selves, as he was considered the most beautiful and adept of Zeus’ sons (It is not difficult to understand why Zeus held Apollo in such high favor, considering his next closest son, Ares, could best be described as a professional asshole.) He is often depicted strumming a lyre that was gifted to him by his half-brother Hermes, surrounded by those old-school groupies, The Muses, and it’s not difficult to see Apollo in the face of every man who simply will not stop playing guitar in people’s faces at parties. Apollo is the ultimate hipster guitar guy - he is ego personified, breezing through life confident in the knowledge that he is quite literally a gift from the gods. So when he squares with Saturn, a.k.a. Kronos, it can be a painful reminder of our limitations and a huge blow to our egos. Suddenly, we face rejection, and the ideal self-image that we constructed in our minds must be dismantled and reworked.
Adding insult to injury is yet another square to Saturn, this time with Mars, perfecting about 24 hours after the sun and Saturn square off. So Mars, a.k.a. Ares, a.k.a. The Professional Asshole, will be trading elbow jabs with his authoritarian grandfather Kronos, infusing us all with fiery determination and a tendency to take things very, very personally. Those rejection letters, workplace critiques, and late arrivals that normally cause mild irritation or disappointment may easily be blown up into big deals that throw our entire emotional trajectory into disarray, causing friction and sour feelings. So what can we do?
Anticipate delays, lateness, and cancellations and allow extra time for everything. In fact, tell people you will be arriving a full day after you actually plan to arrive…low expectations ensure minimal disappointment.
If family gatherings and holidays are unavoidable, expect irritating conversations and prepare an exit strategy. If a finance bro cousin wants to interrogate people about salaries or an uncle decides to start yammering about politics, have a statement at the ready like, “Oh, yes, I never thought about it that way, you might be rig - JESUS, IS THAT A RAT?!” As they look away, retreat into the kitchen and feign obsession with the turkey roasting process. Classic and effective.
Take prescribed antidepressants in a timely fashion to keep the vibes high, and if non-prescription drugs are in play, take some of those too. (I am writing this from the American PNW, where we believe in the healing power of cannabis. You might be required to get high just to visit us, actually.) In all seriousness, remaining unbothered encourages everyone else to relax.
Remember that obstacles come and go, and neither our successes nor our failures (nor the public perception of either) define who we are. If tasks and responsibilities start piling up and creating chaos, it may be best to delete something, or practice radical acceptance and simply let the shit show play out.
Ugh, so when is this happening?
Thursday, 11.23.23 will see the perfection of Saturn squaring the sun, and Saturday, 11.25.23 is D-day for Mars to square Saturn, so when I said to enjoy the first half of this week, I meant it. American Thanksgiving could introduce some friction for many of us that will resonate throughout the weekend and into early next week, so plan accordingly. For all the Capricorns out there, rejoice! You’re going to have a great time, you huge freaks.
We can expect to feel frustrated and put upon by external factors. Holiday season, amirite?!
Tarot
Staying even-handed and playing the long game serves us today, as indicated by Temperance and an accompanying moonstone. We will be confronted with an unexpected hiccup on Wednesday that deters our plans, causing us to feel beseiged and treated unfairly. But as Justice reversed plays out, we must remember to reign in our baser impulses. A mind obsessed with vengeance is rarely productive.
On Thursday, our sense of confidence and self-worth will be tested, so we must remain calm. Remember that a single defeat is not a total defeat. By Friday, we could feel inclined to retreat into ourselves and lick our wounds just like The Hermit reversed, which is understandable in the short term, but will only amplify our disappointment if we let our self-imposed isolation extend indefinitely. Make sure to put a time frame on the wallowing.
Hypnotize your problematic uncle with some shiny rocks.
Crystals
I pulled an amethyst and an obsidian this week, two crystals that are great for calming the Saturn vibes emanating from the heavens. Amethyst has a strong connection to the sign of Sagittarius, which our sun will begin transiting on Wednesday, 11.22.23, and is a great stone for soothing and reducing anxiety. Amethyst is essentially a big purple quartz, and its meditative resonance at the third-eye chakra appeals to the carefree, philisophical nature of The Archer. For witchy folks, amethyst acts like Xanax in rock form.
Obsidian is a deeply protective stone that has the added benefit of Saturn association, so wearing them together might provide a calming anchor amidst this sea of frustrating co-workers, delays, and time crunches. At the very least, they make for shiny, entrancing objects with which we might distract nosy, passive aggressive relatives. Just don’t hit anybody with them…that’s a total Ares move.