Nonstop Movement

2.23.09


Hi, everyone… I'm back from a couple weeks of busily, hyperactively even, living my life.

I would like to share what's been going on with me, but before those of you desperately seeking astrology (and perhaps somewhat less interested in 'Barry the person') dart off, let me urge you to stick around. Astrology does play a part.

I have been in nearly constant motion for the past four weeks, ever since right around my birthday (January 22). First, I visited my parents for a few days. Next, I traveled to Tucson, AZ, with my business partner Rabbit, to purchase a truckload of crystals, stones, jewelry and artwork for our shop, The Sacred Well. Then, before we even had a chance to unpack everything we'd just bought, we repacked half our store and brought it to PantheaCon, one of the largest Pagan conferences in the US, where we vended all last weekend to the many hundreds (thousands?) of participants.

Fortuitously, this month-long concentration of intense activity, which I'd fearfully anticipated as being 'too much' to healthily handle, unfolded in a near-perfect flow, my personal efforts only gently expended then helped along by serendipity's wind gusts.

But what else could I have expected from a period kicked off by a solar eclipse so near my birthday, and made that much more grand and gallant by Jupiter's presence conjunct my Sun? The tales I could tell from these past few weeks alone could serve as illustrative astro-snapshots of what it means to have a Jupiter-influenced eclipse hit one's natal chart—expansive and epic, beyond the confines of prior limitations of consciousness, occasionally overly self-inflating or grandiose, but nevertheless profoundly inspiring. That's why I'm presently in deep gratitude to Jupiter for blessing Aquarius with his wide-eyed, life-opening visions of more.

If you've paid any attention to my 'Barry the person'-related posts over the years, you might've gleaned hints that my past couple years haven't been the easiest. (Read updates from May 07, Nov 07 and Jan 08 for a refresher course.) Throughout much of '07 and '08, I contended with transiting Pluto's opposition to my natal Saturn/South Node and conjunction to my North Node. This was a painful exercise in learning to accept duty, physicality and mortality (6th house) through the need to continually show up for my earthly work, day in and day out, all while my desires to escape all external responsibility altogether and retreat to my blissfully vacuum-packed seclusion where I owed nobody nothing and could indulge every private fantasy to its fullest tempted me elsewhere.

Whether this 'acceptance' has been fully integrated into my consciousness yet (doubtful), the overwhelming pressures forcing me to contend with such issues have thankfully eased since Pluto moved into Capricorn once and for all back in Nov 08. In the darkest moments of this two-year Plutonian experience, I barely floated through on the fundamental comforts astrology provides. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. Timing is everything. This too shall pass.

Then, as pervasive as Pluto's darkness had been for so many months, the wheel of the seasons kept on turning enough to leave it behind. And the blend of Jupiter's entry into Aquarius (where I have four natal planets) and the solar eclipse (midway between my Venus and Mercury) brightened my mind's eye and nourished my heart's hope. And in what feels like the blink of an eye (though, in reality, it took about a month and a half), everything changed for me. Presently, I am more upbeat and enthusiastic about life than I've been in a few years. Dread is being replaced with optimism. I now find myself excited to discover what the next unfolding of my unknown future will reveal, rather than terrified. Damn I love you, Jupiter!

What has transpired in my life these past few weeks contains so much more juiciness than my dry recitation of the itinerary betrays. Though I'm definitely interested in offering more detailed descriptions of the numinous first-person experiences I've undergone, not only recently but throughout my life, I'm still curiously exploring how best to go about it. There is an inherent language problem that arises in attempting to discuss 'metaphysical' or 'supernatural' phenomena (neither of those two words, for instance, especially pleases me). Yet, as a writer, I'm committed to developing methods to adequately communicate the information I seek to share.

Here, I could depart on a sharp left-turn detour into the realm of synchronicities and omens, intuitive voices (from within? from above?) begging to be honored and heeded, dusky emotional remnants of childhood trauma resurfacing to be healed, shamanic initiations (complete with spontaneous nosebleed!), crystals encoded with ancient wisdom, extraterrestial and/or interdimensional beings, messages for me showing up in someone else's dreams, and so many more strange and perception-bending happenings that I can hardly believe myself. (Plus, all those words just sound so silly.)

But I won't… at least not here, not at this very moment. It goes beyond mere astrology, though is obviously related to my calling as an astrologer. This 'opening' past my prior level of understanding is quintessential Jupiter expansiveness—still tentative and fresh, thrilling but not yet secure. When I am not 'here with you' (meaning: not writing extensively about the latest astro-events in articles beyond your regular weekly horoscopes), I am continuing my work on our collective behalf. Only, Jupiter has shifted the bounds of my playing-field outward, so I'm not quite sure yet what rule-changes are due to impact the game… or what the consequences will be.

One sign I've definitely noticed: In recent weeks, I've encountered several individuals who, similarly to me, spend much of their life-energy following the somewhat solitary path of the 'mystic' or the 'shaman' (language problems again), crossing thresholds between worlds, communing with strange beings, surrendering to the guidance of larger forces on behalf of collective healing. At each meeting, the individual held a copy of the first-person account he wrote, in order to make sense of the experiences and share the insights with others. At each instance, I bought the individual's book. I'm now reading these accounts, hyperconscious that this is an indication it's time for me to write my book(s), considering just how I might go about this herculean (or maybe not-so-herculean?) task. I'm embarking upon embarking upon it as I write this.

To close on an astro-note, the nonstop movement I've recounted in my own life over recent weeks does have its broader astrological explanations… and not merely for Aquarians. (That said, I'm not the only Aquarian going through such stuff. Check in with your Aquarian friends and family, to ensure they're not too overwhelmed or ungrounded by the 'opening'.) Almost since the eclipse, both Mercury and Mars have been happily traipsing along through Aquarius, with Jupiter's presence there making their efforts go that much farther. And Venus's audacious exploits in Aries (a sign that flows well with Aquarius) have only enhanced the titillation we derive from fast-action excitation. In other words, there's been no major astro-happening to hold back this forward advance.

Within the next few weeks, alas, we'll run into a few interesting snags… namely as a result of Venus turning retrograde (starting Mar 6) for a couple months, while both Mercury and Mars move into Pisces (Mar 8 and Mar 14, respectively), where intelligibility sometimes evaporates into idealistic aimlessness. Needless to say, things will then be due to get complicated and/or confused—but, incidentally, no less exciting.