Category: Astrology Overview

AQUARIUS: An Energetic Overview & Guide to Embracing the Water-Bearer

AQUARIUS: An Energetic Overview & Guide to Embracing the Water-Bearer

Overview of the Aquarius Archetype

Aquarius is the second-to-last sign of the Zodiac and is a fixed air sign. Fixed signs indicate the middle of their season and are characterized by staying-power and stability.

Ruled by: Uranus (modern), Saturn (ancient)

Modality: Fixed (Winter)

Element: Air

If you have heavy Aquarius energy in your natal chart, you’re likely to be born into a small box of who you’re “supposed” to be – created by cultural norms, religious dogma, and other family conditioning. The purpose of this is to unravel the conditioning, thread by thread, to eventually discover the true self and decipher it from the trained monkey self. That is the path of Aquarius energy.

Aquarius’s archetypal aim is about the process of individuation. Not fitting in is a mirror to gain clarity on who you really are, because by experiencing things that aren’t you, you begin to discover what you are. The structures and rules of the world around us act as a mirror to see ourselves more clearly.

To understand Aquarius, it’s important to consider both its modern ruler, Uranus, and its ancient ruler, Saturn. On the Uranian side is the individuation process, of becoming your most true and authentic self – the highest expression of Aquarian energy. On the Saturnian side are the pressures of conditioning, the early-upbringing process, which play a huge role in the Aquarian path. Saturn makes the rules, and Uranus breaks them.

Fear of being yourself doesn’t come from nowhere. Somewhere along your soul’s journey, whether it was in your childhood or a past lifetime, you learned that there is safety in conformity. It may have even meant survival. As humans, we gravitate towards herds or tribes for that reason, because there is safety in numbers. 

Aquarius Keywords

Sovereignty, individuation, questioning the status quo, authenticity 

Shadow Side

Aquarius has the stereotype of being cold, detached, or aloof. As astrologer Steven Forrest explains – there is emotional distance with Aquarius, yes, but it is traumatically-induced emotional distance. Aquarius planets in your chart in general are pointing toward past life or early childhood experiences where you experienced something that was too emotionally strong for your system to cope with, and through that experience of being emotionally overwhelmed, you developed the ability to detach, or dissociate, from your emotions. That emotional energy doesn’t just go away though – it bottles up in the background and will eventually need to be addressed.

This shadow of traumatically-induced emotional distance makes Aquarius very self-protective. For an Aquarian to open their heart and shine their light out into the world takes a ton of courage, because of their history and the resulting unprocessed emotional baggage. You’ve been wounded deeply, traumatized, by other people’s expectations, but you’re here this time around to find your way back to your own sovereignty, your own freedom to be the person your soul came here to be.

Article written by Maddie Billings; content presented by Carly Whorton during Astrology & Coffee livestream.

VENUS: Energetic Archetype & Qualities of the Lesser Benefic

VENUS: Energetic Archetype & Qualities of the Lesser Benefic

Essential Dignities

Domicile: Libra, Taurus

Detriment: Aries, Scorpio

Exaltation: Pisces

Fall: Virgo

Joy: 5th House

Overview of Venus Energy

Venus is the goddess of love, peace, and the arts, representing the finest things life has to offer.

Venus spends about one month in each sign and rules both Taurus and Libra. Taurus is the feminine face of Venus while Libra is the masculine face. With that, Venus is associated with the second and seventh houses.

Much of what Venus gets chalked up to is relationships or falling in love, but it’s also our relationship with ourself – as that’s the foundation. All other relationships reflect that one. In fact, our relationships with others serve as mirrors to better understand our relationship with ourselves, including our shadow patterns and limiting self beliefs.

Since Venus rules love and relationships, its placement in your natal chart can point you toward what kind of energy you’re looking for in a partner or relationship. 

Also, falling asleep requires Venusian energy – to soften the body and the consciousness and intentionally let our cork float, returning to a state of equilibrium. Venus represents our desire and tendency to find a state of equilibrium. The Taurus side helps us find equilibrium within ourselves, while the Libra side represents equilibrium with others.

So what is Equilibrium, anyway? Equilibrium is our sense of inner balance. Physically, it’s how we recover after taking a hit to our nervous system. The gravitational pull of Equilibrium always brings us back into balance, a living example that Wellbeing is Dominant. Always. This process is highly Venusian, utilizing the Taurus/Libra axis to establish both inner and outer balance.

The state of equilibrium creates a sense of inner security, which Venus strives to cultivate.

Venus also represents our value system. What’s important to you? How do you perceive your own self worth? Your Venusian value system also influences the skills you take the time to develop because you deem them to be important. Venus drives us to create value within ourselves in order to have something to offer the world, and to accept a fair exchange of value in return. This is the kind of balance Venus is after, and it also contributes to one’s sense of inner security, another Venusian principle.

What this all comes back to is – how are you investing your time? Venus wants to ensure that the things you’re investing your time into are worth it (based on your own personal value system.)

Venus is also protective and guides us to protect what’s valuable to us. What do you think is worth protecting? Look to your Venus placement for some insight into the things you find most valuable, or use this Core Values exercise.

Venus Keywords

Equilibrium, harmony, balance, reciprocity, values, beauty, love, relationships, cuteness, art, peace, calm, inner security, marriage, union, cooperation, children, fertility

URANUS: Energetic Archetype & Qualities of the Great Awakener

URANUS: Energetic Archetype & Qualities of the Great Awakener

Overview of Uranus Energy

Essential Dignities

Domicile: Aquarius

Detriment: Leo

Exaltation: N/A

Fall: Taurus

Known as the Great Awakener, Uranus is electrifying, inventive, original. It has an 84-year orbit. It is said to be the higher octave of Mercury, representing the higher mind. Uranus is flashes of genius, or brilliant ideas. When that Uranian opening in your brain happens (which can be stimulated by inner peace, by quieting Mercury) you’re connected with your higher self.

Uranus instigates sudden changes to shake you out of scenarios that don’t suit your highest path. It wants your soul to fully self-actualize, which is the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid.

To walk the path of who your individual soul came here to be is the power of Uranus.

Uranus challenges us to recognize your conditioned self vs. your true self, and to do the work to bridge the gap. The highest frequency of Uranus is an altruistic humanitarian. If you’ve unlocked your true self, that lives in your vibration and positively impacts everyone you come into contact with.

Uranus Keywords

Electrifying, breaking loose from what’s holding you back, willingness to break social norms and the status quo, inventive, original

JUPITER: Energetic Archetype & Qualities of the Greater Benefic

JUPITER: Energetic Archetype & Qualities of the Greater Benefic

A great way to understand Jupiter is that it either brings Excellence or Excess. It’s one or the other, with excellence being the highest frequency of Jupiter and excess being the lowest. Jupiter itself is pretty neutral, although it is the “greater benefic,” the bringer of good things. What it really brings though is opportunity, and with opportunity, it’s up to you to show up and put your skills, energy, and intention into it to maximize the potential.

CHIRON: The Mythology and Meaning of The Wounded Healer

CHIRON: The Mythology and Meaning of The Wounded Healer

Overview of Chiron Energy

The first discovered of the Centaurs, Chiron is a comet/minor planet. Because it’s not actually a planet, it doesn’t have any official essential dignities (domicile, detriment, exaltation, or fall.)

Discovered in 1977, Chiron is known as “the wounded healer.” Part of the point with the wounded healer is that even if you can’t fix it inside of yourself, you can help others that are having the same issues. Struggling with our own wound creates great compassion for those who are suffering from the same thing.

In our chart and our psyche, Chiron is tender. It’s a sore spot, a wound. By nature, it’s a poisoned wound that just won’t heal (read the mythology below for more on this.) It hurts every single time it gets bumped. And for most of us, depending on the aspects to Chiron in our birth chart, it’s getting bumped a lot.

As we experience pain and suffering, we learn how to be with it, and how to self-soothe our way through it. There are ways that we can learn to be with our pain and still have a good quality of life. We can learn to strengthen ourselves however we need to in order to proactively mitigate the pain of those bumps to our Chiron wound.

Some astrologers believe that the Chiron wound can be healed, but my personal belief is that to become “fully” healed (if that’s even a real thing in the physical) isn’t really the point. I believe that the invaluable lessons of the Chiron wound come in the suffering and the process of learning to understand and work with that suffering.

Suffering is one of the greatest spiritual teachers we can ever manifest. This is the root of shadow work and the essence of Chiron.

When we step into Chiron territory, we’re stepping into the metaphysical realm of alchemy, where we take our pain and suffering and we transmute it into medicine for ourselves, yes – but mostly for others. Chiron represents our gifts where we can help others with certain problems. In ourselves, those same issues tend to be blindspots or extra-challenging areas. These areas actually point to our superpowers that we can use to heal and help others. 

A good example of this would be a single matchmaker, who is highly skilled at finding well-matched relationships for others yet struggles to do the same for themself.

Ultimately, the best thing we can do for Chiron and our core wound is to right our relationship with suffering. Why would we choose to become physical where suffering is basically guaranteed? Because suffering is one of the best teachers there is. There is a profound spiritual maturation that can occur through suffering if we accept it and let it teach us instead of fighting it or hiding from it. 

The Mythology of Chiron

The story of Chiron is tragic from the get-go. His mother was a water-nymph named Philyra, and his father was Saturn, or Kronus. The story goes that Kronus approached Philyra wanting to mate with her, but his advances are unwanted, so she transforms herself into a horse in order to run away from him.

In response, Kronus then transforms himself into horse form, too, and chases after her. He rapes her and she then becomes pregnant with Chiron. Following the assault, Philyra transforms back into nymph form, carries out the pregnancy, and gives birth to Chiron. Chiron is born a half human-half horse hybrid, aka a Centaur – a product of the union that created him in the first place.

Philyra was surprised and mortified by her son’s form and tried her best to renounce him, even attempting to run away. She begged and prayed to no longer be Chiron’s mother. Not only did she not want him, she didn’t even want to be his mother. 

This was Chiron’s entry into existence, and this is essentially the core of the Chiron wound. It’s in the first year or two of our lives that we begin to see patterns forming around how this wound is manifesting. 

When Chiron was rejected at birth, he was adopted/fostered by the Sun god, Apollo. From Apollo and other mentors who helped foster him, Chiron learned many healing techniques. As a Centaur he was considered a beast – the existing community of them were known for being rowdy, rambunctious thieves. They were seen as an enemy. Eventually, there was a battle between the centaurs and the people, and Chiron tried to intervene, leaving him shot in the leg with a poisonous arrow. With a God for a father, he was immortal, so what should have killed him didn’t. The poison was fatal.

So he carried around a wound in his leg that wouldn’t heal. Since he couldn’t heal the wound, he just suffered. Endlessly. He eventually reached a point where he decided to trade his immortality so that he could finally die and put an end to his suffering – and that’s the end of Chiron’s story.

The Point

While Chiron’s story is a sad one, it exemplifies the depth of learning available in our deepest soul wounds. As humans, we are not immortal. Our lives here on Earth come with an expiration date, and then we return to the non-physical – so our suffering is not endless. There is a certain amount of suffering that just goes along with being physical, as part of the duality of life in the 3D world. It can’t be avoided, and to avoid it is not the point.

Having a relationship with suffering where we let it teach and inform us and make us wiser and more compassionate to ourselves and to others is beautiful. Divine. That’s letting the suffering do what it was intended to do. That is the point.

And yet, we can’t hold it against anyone who gets lost in the labyrinth of their own suffering. Who eventually reaches the same conclusion that Chiron did – of no longer having the capacity to endure the suffering. Of having enough. We aren’t meant to suffer for all of eternity, and that’s why (at least partially why) our lives on this planet are finite.

Chiron’s Lop-Sided Cycle

Chiron has an irregular orbit. It spends about eight years in both Aries and Pisces, while only spending one to two years in Libra and Virgo. This means that a greater percentage of people are born with natal Chiron in Pisces or Aries than any other Chiron placement.

In my opinion, these two signs are actually the most challenging Chiron placements. Chiron in Pisces signifies not feeling wanted in the physical world, while Chiron in Aries signifies feeling unsafe to establish a sense of self in the world. Both of these wounds exist at the most fundamental levels of existence.

Chiron in Gemini, for example, signifies a wound in the realm of intellect, and there are times when we’re not in that space. We exist outside of it, so we can take a break from it. This is not the case with Pisces and Aries – the wounds are at the basis of being, the heart of existence, and cannot be escaped.

This is why it’s interesting that there are the most souls incarnating with Chiron in those two signs. This existential pain is widespread in collective consciousness.

Why do you think this is? Leave your response in the comments below and we can chat about it!

Article written by Maddie Billings; Content curated and presented by Carly Whorton

PLUTO: Energetic Archetype & Qualities

PLUTO: Energetic Archetype & Qualities

Pluto embodies the idea of “the only way out is through.” The ruler of death and rebirth, Pluto reminds us that endings and beginnings are all wrapped up into one – they’re inseparable. Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, it is only through our own demise that we may be reborn, released into a newer, higher reality than we left behind because we have become a newer and higher version of ourself.

GEMINI: An Energetic Overview & Guide to Embracing the Twins

GEMINI: An Energetic Overview & Guide to Embracing the Twins

Overview of the Gemini Archetype

Gemini is the 3rd sign of the Zodiac and is a mutable air sign. Mutable signs mark the end of their season and are characterized by fluidity and flexibility, making Gemini the flexible thinker of the Zodiac.

Ruled by: Mercury

Modality: Mutable (Spring)

Element: Air

Gemini, symbolized by the Twins, is known for splitting itself into two. This way, it has somebody to talk to! As a result, Gemini can often come off as self-contradictory, or feel as if there are two totally opposite sides of themself. Gemini is a walking contradiction, which can certainly contribute to its charm but can also slip into shadow territory.

Gemini doesn’t see mistakes – it sees learning opportunities. And a willingness to learn naturally comes with a willingness to change. Both Mutable and Air energy roll with change much more smoothly than Fixed or Earth energies, giving Gemini double adaptability power. Mutable air is essentially wind, no different from the symbolic winds of change, covering tons of ground due to its ability to go with the flow and follow its wide-ranging whims and curiosities.

Gemini energy shows us the value of being the jack of all trades. While air energy covers a lot of ground, it doesn’t go deep. Gemini always wants to be learning new things and can get bored easily, moving onto new subjects frequently. This energy usually doesn’t thrive in a traditional workplace and often requires a more flexible working situation, like freelancing, or may change careers often or even juggling multiple careers at once. Certain career types that are more fast-paced or varied in tasks, like project management, event planning, or real estate, might also be more harmonious with Gemini energy.

One of the worst things Gemini could do is pick one thing and just stick with it! That would be majorly selling itself short. Generally, one just isn’t enough for Gemini. As the Twins of the Zodiac, they require at least two of everything, right? They contain multitudes and prefer to experience the world that way too.

Gemini Keywords

Splitting, duality, covering a lot of ground, polarity, multi-tasking, conversation, surprise, awe, curiosity, openness, shifting gears, changing direction or ideas, fast change, highly adaptable, high tolerance for contradiction.

Shadow Side

On the shadow side, Gemini energy can be flighty, flaky, or self-contradictory. 

Gemini energy wants its mind changed. That is to say, it wants to learn something new. This can lead to the shadow elements of unreliability and inconsistency due to ideas and opinions being constantly in flux, always changing. While none of this is inherently negative, our current society doesn’t exactly see those qualities as a virtue. Flakiness and inconsistency are not exactly prized in our current world, but that doesn’t make them bad or wrong.

Gemini thrives on change, so it’s about embracing that need for flexibility and honoring it, despite what others may think about it.

How to Embrace Gemini Energy

  • Trust in curiosity as its own divine path. There’s so much divine timing included in what we become curious about – exploring our curiosities can give us the right information or insight at exactly the right time. This can only happen if we allow ourselves to give in to our Gemini energy and get curious.
  • Check out Gemini, Mercury, and the 3rd House in your natal chart. If you lack any planets or placements in Gemini, that doesn’t mean you don’t contain any Gemini energy. Other windows into your Gemini energy are through your natal Mercury placement as well as your third house. Don’t have your natal chart? You can pull one here.

Article written by Maddie Billings; content curated and presented by Carly Whorton

SUN: Energetic Archetype & Qualities

SUN: Energetic Archetype & Qualities

Overview of Sun Energy

Essential Dignities

The Sun is exalted in Aries, which means that it is in its “home away from home.” It feels most at home in Leo, but Aries is second-best.

Domicile: Leo

Detriment: Aquarius

Exaltation: Aries

Fall: Libra

Joy: 9th House

The Sun is the center of our solar system, around which everything revolves. In our natal chart, it holds our personality together the same way it holds our solar system together. It’s like the internal tiebreaker – with ultimate yay, nay, or veto power.

The Sun is central to our personalities, and determines whether you have a day chart or a night chart (placed in houses 1-6 = night chart; houses 7-12 = day chart.) It moves about 1° per day.

It represents our most basic values and is the most commonly known sign in astrology. It comprises our ego, which can easily dip into shadow territory in the form of arrogance, self-distortions, and seeing ourselves as the center of the Universe rather than our Universe. 

The Sun asks – who are you, really? 

Sun Keywords

Astrologer Steven Forrest explains that the Sun represents our evolutionary aim, core values, life strategy, the tools we were born with, life force, vitality, growth.

To ignore your Sun sign is to spiritually stifle yourself, to separate yourself from your life force. It is the ultimate light wanting to be expressed through you, while the Moon, on the other hand, is the corresponding energy that makes it possible for us to shine that light out into the world.

Article written by Maddie Billings; content curated and presented by Carly Whorton

MOON: Energetic Archetype & Qualities

MOON: Energetic Archetype & Qualities

Overview of Moon Energy

Essential Dignities

Domicile: Cancer

Detriment: Capricorn

Exaltation: Taurus

Fall: Scorpio

Joy: 3rd House

The Moon is the ruler of the 4th House and the 4th sign of Cancer. 

It represents our emotions, sensitivities, intuition, and dominant mood or attitude. It’s an emotional filter, kind of like Mercury is our mental or perspective filter. We all process life’s emotions differently, in both how we process and how we express them. No two people feel the same way.

As Mother Moon, the feminine face of God, she represents your mothering instincts, which we all have, regardless of sex or gender. It’s how caring we are toward ourselves and others. The Moon points us toward how we can keep our gas tank full by practicing self-care and knowing our needs.

The Moon is the great healer, creating the feeling of “glad to be alive.” Overcoming hard things to come back to a place of gratitude in our lives. You can’t heal what you can’t feel. The Moon rules over and guides this process. 

The Moon also shows us that where true security comes from is from within. It’s finding “home” inside our own bodies.

Moon Phase Meanings

The New Moon occurs when the Sun and Moon are conjunct, occupying the same space. It represents the “teacher” phase. New beginnings, planting seeds, setting intentions, initiations, activations.

When the Moon is positioned directly opposite the Sun, we get a Full Moon. These are a time of manifestation and fruition, the sprouts (or fruits) of the seeds we planted during prior New Moon phases.