Popping in this morning to recommend Len Wallick's take on today's astrology, because I found it personally resonant: had a look at my mother's chart yesterday and --whaddya know-- her Nessus is conjunct my Moon, by one degree. Yeah. I'm also not surprised that I saw it for the first time yesterday either, as Nessus is today conjoining Mercury in Aquarius...La la la...
I differ, however, from the implication that Nessus usually points back to a "poisonous echo of abuse that was either overtly sexual or is covertly acting upon our sexuality," although I do feel Nessus affects our primary sense of safety, emotional or physical, ultimately making it difficult to share oneself, vis a vis emotional intimacy through sexual expression. In my experience, Nessus shows up as "gaslighting," where phrases like "I didn't say that" "that never happened" don't square with the memory of the client. Nessus needs an alternate (more ego pleasing) story to erase an ugly truth. Nessus jacks with your head and lets you doubt Reality.
So! Today's astro via Planet Waves (highlights mine)
Today’s dominant theme would seem to do with the conjunction of Mercury with the centaur planet, Nessus, in Aquarius. There is promise in this aspect, because Mercury can coincide with awareness. When taken in the context of concurrent aspects, it is a promise of redemption.
First, the Moon. Luna in Gemini is always an active time. The Moon involves emotions and moves quickly (over 13 degrees a day right now). Gemini involves the intellect and is impelled to move on. It would seem on the surface that the two would mix like oil and water but that need not be the case. The key is to take the time to be open to other people when they are expressing their feelings to you. Also, to be selective about who you open your own heart to. If we can have the patience to listen with compassion, our intellect can serve to complement another’s feelings and mutual assuagement can be found.
The rest of the Moon’s path today is telling and serendipitous. Its early conjunction with Chaos encourages us to get creative instead of getting frazzled. Later, it squares Venus in Pisces. Remember, the square (90 degrees of separation) connotes action towards the resolution of tension. In this case a tension between a source of nourishment and the need to be nourished. Finally, it trines the Mercury-Nessus conjunction. This encourages us to be present to the experiences of the day as they collect, allowing them to flow into and support awareness of how healing can be achieved.
In addition to being squared by the Moon today, Venus itself forms a square of its own to one of the universe’s biggest mysteries. The Great Attractor in Sagittarius is the direction towards which millions of galaxies, including our own, are compelled to move. Yet, it appears to be moving away at about the same rate. This has always reminded your servant of the motion picture icon, Greta Garbo. She made her living and was defined by a persona that was attractive for reason of being mysterious and beautiful. Yet, she was repelled by the attention her charisma created, becoming more and more of a recluse as her life progressed. This is turn, made her more mysterious and therefore, attractive. Venus in square aspect would seem to be working to resolve the tension between attraction and repulsion, especially in regards to sexual issues. This flows neatly back into what would seem to be today’s dominant chord.
The centaur planets as a group resonate with the concept of shadow material, the complex and persistent residue of trauma experienced in the past. The growing consensus of astrologers is that Nessus represents a poisonous echo of abuse that was either overtly sexual or is covertly acting upon our sexuality. Nessus having been in Aquarius for about four years now has brought attention to this as a collective phenomenon. As such, each of us are subject to being acted upon and contributing the form of abuse represented. This takes the form of a cycle. The cycle in this case is most often perpetuated from one generation to the next.
Abuse combines two potent elements. First, as the object we frequently have no understanding of the abuser’s motivations. This is especially true when we are young. Second, it acts as negative reinforcement, discouraging and inhibiting our behavior. This combination can lead to a loss of confidence, the diminishing of the ability to accept one’s self. Thus a shadow is formed. A cold, dark place where we keep the pain hidden for fear that others will find us as repulsive as we find ourselves.
When we turn to our society or to other individuals for acceptance without first accepting ourselves, we set up the continuation of cycle of abuse. Inevitably, that which is hidden will be revealed. If we act out our self rejection on others when we see ourselves there, the poison will be passed on. In personal relationships, this can inhibit intimacy. In the collective this can become an institution, alienating us and making us feel alone.
When Mercury conjoins Nessus today we are presented with the opportunity to stop passing that buck by moving into awareness and out of the shadow. This will require us to integrate the other aspects already mentioned. The Moon in Gemini means we need to exercise patience in communication. Moon’s square to Venus and Venus’ square to the Great Attractor mean that we need to be proactive in accepting ourselves and allow the affirmation of others, especially where emotions are invested. Mars, still retrograding in Leo reinforces that what we want above all is to be loved and accepted, and that must begin inside with each one of us.
Finally, the Sun shows us how carry today’s labors forward by actually harnessing the ongoing cardinal square between Saturn and Pluto. In a separating quincunx with Saturn there is the implication that we can break through the limits we place upon ourselves by indulging alienation from the collective. In Sol’s applying sextile to Pluto we are encouraged to believe that we can participate in a positive way with the irresistible forces of change by shaping what that change will be. That it is indeed possible to proceed from acceptance to affirmation to change that which we actually want and need. All beginning today.
