Dandelion

Venus meets up with Pluto in Sagittarius on Thursday, during the full moon in Cancer (tropical Leo), during the Mercury shadow period. Yikes!

I've been mulling this over for a little while and then some things clicked while tuning into a reader I enjoy from time to time. 

Hades and Persephone.
The shadow side of Sagittarius keeps one in narrow-mindedness, no longer exploring the world and all it's thoughts and beliefs, but self identifying with some of them in a way that can be toxic and rigid. Here, it would be easy for Pluto to keep Venus in the Underworld.

It's healthy to go into the underworld and come back changed. It's the process of death as a process of transformation. The thing is, one has to come OUT and come BACK.

It is important the the Moon is in Cancer/Leo during this time because that's where our emotions and psyche will be while we overhear the conversation between these two planets.

Core Wounds and Sacred Rage
How does abuse effect the way in which we express ourselves as individuals and as leaders (Leo)? 

In her book The Heaven's Declare, Alice O'Howell brings up the wounding of the Divine Masculine (DM) during the Age of Cancer and Matriarchal society. It is during this time that she supposes (and I agree) that the DM was wounded, not realizing his part in the creation of life. It is not difficult to imagine how a man might be abused during this time. O'Howell suspects that this was a time when Cancer was quite literally castrating; want to join a women's only cult? 

It's not a surprise to me that the tables turned and Feminine was wounded in turn. No longer the goddess of creation. It was all about GOD. 

Later, both were, and continued to destroy and be destroyed by each other. We see it the way people were burned or hung for "witchcraft" and going against toxic authorities. This is world wide wounding. Every culture has their stories. Every cosmology will reflect the extremes and the actions taken from a place of pain and suffering. Some instances were justified, and some were just an ugly picture of what happens when one attempts justice from a wounded place. 

Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, who not only represents prosperity but justice. Pluto might encourage Venus to remain in a place of hurt, devastation, or betrayal. The rage and disdain from past injustices is more than valid and it has been played out already. If we can learn anything from what feminine has become, rage has no lasting effect other than more pain and hurt.

Restoration
The healing practices I've encountered seek to heal all aspects of the Feminine and in turn, the Masculine. The archetypes of the Child, Maiden/Youth, Mother/Father, and the Wise Woman/Sage require honoring. That means that pain, fear, guilt, shame and anger are all addressed and released. How much easier is it to carry a load of laundry up the stairs when you are without injury? To serve others and become a true creative force in this world is only possible when wounds are transformed. 

In her book Women Who Run With Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes talks about moving away from not only being the victim, but also away from being the survivor. Being survivor mode still keeps the wounds handy. They made you who you are and while that's true, they will continue to dictate who you are for as long as you hold onto them. Surviving is not thriving. 

With Cancer Mother watching, Venus is challenged to alchemize and rise above being the survivor. How has that served in the past? Have things truly changed? What has 2020 shown you about survival and do you think you can thrive if you remain in an old pattern? Tap into your sacred Mother/Father and Lovers archetypes. Open your heart to love and to expansion...that's what Sagittarius is all about. Not remaining guarded and narrow-minded. What kind of Lion heart will you move forward with?

Will you be the dandelions growing through the cracks?

Quick note: How to work with these energies during the Mercury shadow and retrograde period.

Thought the conversation between Venus and Pluto will be short, the energies may linger so close to the retrograde. Love is brave, dive deeply into your wounds. Let Mercury do it's job and show you where things aren't working. Could you use more patience? Maybe you need to speak up? Maybe some self care is in order or maybe it's time to put others first. If you are afraid, dive into it. You've probably seen "whatever you resist is what persists" floating around online. Where are you in resistance to feeling loved or loving others? 

*Banner-Cancer Reading-Linestrider Tarot. Both readings were from 2020, posted as hindsight. <3