Mary Jo Wevers

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Becoming Your Own Adult

A significant astrological event during our life time is the Saturn return. The first Saturn return occurs around age 29, when transiting Saturn returns to the exact placement it was at our birth. Saturn has completed its journey around the zodiac, touching on all parts of our natal chart, thereby giving us opportunities to develop self-sufficiency and maturity in corresponding areas of life. It has provided difficulties, hardships, obstacles and challenges for us to hone our life skills and learn important lessons about the real world. It has given us opportunities to grow up.

Having completed its cycle, the first Saturn return is time for us to assess how prepared we are to go out into the world as a self-reliant individual. In order to move forward in life we need to become a fully fledged adult. It is time to let go of childish attitudes and dependencies on others, especially authority figures. How mature are we? Do we take responsibility for our life and exercise self-discipline? It is time to get real about our goals and ambitions, and what we need to do to achieve them. Have we created the necessary structure, organization and ability to work within the constraints of time to make success attainable? Are we willing to work hard and delay gratification?

The term “adulting” was coined by millennials to describe this process as they approached the first Saturn return. According to the Oxford Language dictionary “adulting” is the practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks. While mastery of worldly tasks is an important part of becoming an adult, an internal shift in our attitude and relationship towards authority is also required.

One of the Divine Virtues found in various sacred texts and religions is self-referencing. Self-referencing can be described as tapping into your own inner source of wisdom, knowledge and personal experience, rather than looking outside yourself for answers or guidance. We internalize and cultivate our “inner adult” and regard it as our highest and best source of information and direction. 

How do we develop this “inner adult?” One step is to stop blaming others for who we have become and for our lot in life. We let go of spinning stories about their behaviors, their treatment of us as justification for our own attitudes, choices, and actions. Perhaps we did not have the mother/father/boss/spouse we wanted. We take responsibility by first releasing them from playing that part in our life. We then take on, practice and express the traits of the adult we always wanted someone else to be for us.

This takes commitment and diligence, with consistent, repeated effort. Over time we see results, which we then evaluate and make needed adjustments. Through testing our approaches and methods we learn through practical experience. We become our own authority through the real-world outcomes of our choices. 

We earn respect from others by taking responsibility, being disciplined, honorable and having integrity while we do the hard work. In time we gain a reputation for being a wise, pragmatic authority, someone people look up to. We feel more self-sufficient, stable, and confident in our abilities to navigate difficulties in the wider world. We become our own self-referencing authority in life.

“Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.”

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Rejuvenating our Vision of Life

The lunar nodes and their axis in an astrological chart describe important themes of the evolutionary path we walking, and what we must attend to in order to make progress and move forward. The Moon’s South Node describes our unconscious and potentially problematic attitudes and patterns of behavior that hold us back. These traits need to be made conscious, so we can revise their expression or release them. The Moon’s North Node describes beneficial qualities we can cultivate or express, which balance the South Node and draw us in a more productive direction. The North Node is a beacon of light at the end of our journey, which draws us towards a more positive and rewarding future.

The lunar nodes entered the signs of Gemini and Sagittarius in April 2020. The South Node has been transiting the sign of Sagittarius, and the North Node the sign of Gemini.  The lunar nodes are nearing the end of their transit of Gemini-Sagittarius and will change sign on January 18, 2022. The remaining two months of the Gemini-Sagittarius transit is time for us to finish up our work releasing attachments to old beliefs that are holding us back, and to be curious, open-minded, and explore different perspectives, new ideas and information. 

In the ingress chart for the solar month ahead the Moon is in the anaretic degree of Gemini, the last degree of Gemini before it changes sign and moves on. This is also a void of course Moon, in which the Moon makes no aspects to other planets in the chart before moving on into a new sign. The anaretic degree represents an urgent need to address matters and learn the lessons associated with the sign, or to correctly use and express the energies of the sign, in this case, Gemini. This is a further impetus for us to push forward and do the work to upgrade our understanding and expression of both Gemini and Sagittarius. 

The lunar South Node in Sagittarius suggests we need to release outspoken expressions of overly generalized, self-righteous opinions that are not based in fact. We need to be conscious of our own biases, prejudices, and beliefs, especially those we have adopted from people or institutions of traditional authority. We need to be careful believing we “know” something, and closing our mind to new information, alternative perspectives or ideas. Problematic Sagittarius can cling to impractical or irresponsible convictions, because it believes its beliefs are more important than being flexible and realistic. When rigid and dogmatic, it refuses to honor other points of view or belief systems. It is often too restless to listen to others, and prefers to escape by riding off into the proverbial sunset.

In order to move forward in the years ahead and lay the foundations for new societal systems, structures, and organizations, we need to view current conditions that arose from our broken past from a broader and higher perspective. We need a new Sagittarian vision that will take us over the horizon and into the future. Keeping our old mindset limits options, and keeps us repeating mistakes from the past, or even from realizing they are mistakes. A broader perspective allows for new ideas, innovation, and inventive new possibilities, that will carry us forward as we lay the groundwork for the future.

The North Node in Gemini refreshes and renews the South Node in Sagittarius by lending its curious, communicative and versatile qualities. Adaptable Gemini is socially adept and responsive as it gathers information. It lives in the moment, unfettered by old ideas or approaches. By sharing and assimilating ideas, details, facts and figures, intelligent Gemini responds to conditions in its immediate environment. Dexterous of mind, it can entertain different ideas and hold seemingly dualistic or polarizing viewpoints. Emulating or practicing these Gemini traits enables us to hold different perspectives and points of view, which expand our own vistas and understanding of life. It helps us prepare for and accommodate changes in our rapidly transforming world.

“…Belief is actually a fixation upon a version of the truth. When a belief becomes rigid, seeking and growth are not possible.”    

– Owen Waters

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Creating Inner Peace and Harmony

While we tend to focus on the outer world when talking about peace and harmony, justice and fairness, these qualities cannot exist outside of ourselves if we do not embody them internally as individuals. When we create the necessary balance and integration among the sometimes conflicting parts of ourselves, our deepest wants, needs and desires, we exemplify the best expressions of Libra. 

In astrology we view the planets as representations of archetypal forces within the human psyche. Our personality has many facets, each with their own drives, principles and urges. The planets in your birth chart describe the different facets of your multi-dimensional personality. Like characters on a stage, they each have a specific role to play in the development and expression of your character. One archetypal part of your psyche may get along fine with some of the other archetypal forces, but have difficulties with others. Astrologers examine planetary aspects in the horoscope to get insight into this. 

Learning how to implement, balance and integrate the different archetypal forces within us into a healthy, balanced and cohesive whole can be challenging. We must find ways for each of the different parts of our personality to express themselves and function in a productive manner. If we utilize only some parts of our planetary personality constellation and repress others, we feel out of sorts, incomplete, unfulfilled. Repressed or unexpressed facets may erupt at inappropriate times or in extreme forms, or may be projected onto others instead of owning them ourselves. The inner conflict between our “characters on the stage” is then played out in our outer relationships and experiences. 

Alternatively, we may strongly identify with specific parts of our personality, mistakenly thinking this is the only way we are supposed to be. This can lock us into limited ways of thinking and behaving, and keep us from fully utilizing our potential. When we successfully engage and express all parts of our personality in balanced ways we experience satisfaction and a state of peace, wholeness, and completeness.

Each of our personality facets, the “characters on a stage,” must play out their roles. We can allow them to work collaboratively by finding common ground where they can cooperate. If they cannot share the spotlight, perhaps they can take turns being center stage, or in different parts of our life. Ideally we want them to come together in a respectful “meeting of the minds” where we can listen to each of their viewpoints and honor the contribution they can each make to our current situation or endeavor. Learning to value and trust the unique gifts and skills they provide is a first step in integrating and balancing the different facets of our complex psyche.

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”  – Thomas Merton

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The Sun

The Sun is the ruling “planet” of the sign of Leo. The Sun represents the unique frequency or vibration of the Divine Spark of Life within us. Our Sun sign defines how we radiate the energy of Divine Spirit through our individuated self out into the world.

The sun is the center of our solar system. It provides the gravitational pull and cohesive force that keeps all the other planets in orbit around it. The innermost planets absorb and reflect the light and energy of the sun.

In astrology the Sun represents the ego, which provides the cohesive force in our psyche. The other planets represent various archetypal urges and drives to meet specific needs. The Sun is our conscious center, our ego, our individuality. It holds together all the other pieces of our multifaceted self.

The glyph for the Sun is the circle of spirit surrounding a dot representing a seed of potential. The Sun is a conscious focus in the astrological chart, and therefore can be more easily recognized and understood by us. Perhaps this is one reason why sun sign astrology is so popular. 

Our Sun sign provides the fuel for our inner battery. When we need more energy and enthusiasm in life, doing our Sun sign revitalizes us and helps us feel more powerful. Through engaging with our Sun sign activities we feed the solar function in our psyche, therefore enabling us to experience higher levels of engagement with life. We feel more alive and vital. We have more fun!

The Sun represents our power urge, or will. It is associated with the 3rd chakra, or power center. It bestows dignity and authority upon us. It gives us honor and pride. The Sun indicates how we manifest our personal power. It describes our qualities of leadership and success, where we “shine” and are seen as an authority or leader.

The Sun reveals our instinctive warm and enthusiasm in life, the focus of our creativity. It shows where and how our innate talents can be self-expressed. It indicates our need to be recognized as special and unique for our gifts.

The Sun represents our heart center. It is our generosity of spirit, the love and affection we give in the world. It is our magnanimity, the giving towards those less powerful than us.

Archetypes for the Sun include the King or Queen, royalty, those who are living representations of God on earth. For centuries the Sun has represented the masculine principle: the father, the husband, and men in general. Traditionally, it symbolized the energy a woman’s husband would have, implying the woman would “shine” through her husband’s vitality, and not through her own Sun energy. As we release antiquated patriarchal belief systems, we gain a greater appreciation for the diversity of expression of the Sun sign in the individual horoscope.

The Sun in fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) is motivated by inspirations and aspirations. Its ego is about will and action. It recharges its energy through vigorous, physically demanding activity and by pursuing new visions for the future. Its urge is to create anew and expand its horizons. It needs to be recognized for its courage and will to become more.

The Sun in earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) is motivated by material needs. Its ego is practical and goal directed. It recharges its energy through working with the physical world and through the filter of sensation. Its urge is be successful in a materially. It needs to be recognized for its wisdom, common sense and drive to accomplishment.

The Sun in air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) is motivated by intellectual concepts and social ideals. Its ego is of the mind and its ability to communicate and share ideas. It recharges its energy through social involvement and intellectual stimulations. Its urge is to gather and disseminate information. It needs to be recognized for its cognitive strength and ability to articulate its ideas.

The Sun in water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) is motivated by deep emotional yearnings and desires. Its ego is feeling oriented and sensitive. It recharges its energy through emotional experience and involvement with others. Its urge is to explore feelings and to express them. It needs to be recognized for its emotional intelligence and its depth of feeling.

The House occupied by the Sun in your horoscope indicates the area of life where you are naturally talented and creative, where you have the most instinctive warmth and enthusiasm, and where there will be a strong urge toward self-expression and creativity. This area of life and its related issues indicate where you can be the most powerful through self-mastery. The House shows where you need to express yourself spontaneously in order to attain and maintain personal vitality. This is essential to your sense of well-being.

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Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence can be defined as having understanding and insight into our feeling experiences. The sign of Cancer is devoted to creating a safe haven to experience emotions in their purest and most direct form. It understands emotions are an integral part of the human experience that provide richness, depth and color in our lives. Cancer intelligently nurtures their healthy expression, application and management, and encourages us to appreciate and master our inner emotional realm.

In her excellent book The Language of Emotions, Karla McLaren explains that emotions contain valuable information and guidance for us. They are our first, pre-verbal information channel to the world, connected to our inner truth and intuition. They continue to inform us, if we honor and pay attention to their messages, after our rational mind develops around age three. 

Cultural conditioning, however, encourages us to value the ration mind and disregard emotions as troublesome, or as annoying inconveniences, especially emotions that we label as “bad.” Yet as Daniel Goleman explains in his groundbreaking book Emotional Intelligence, the rational mind cannot control our emotions. Rather, our primal emotional nature can harness the rational mind to justify its association of emotions from the past with present experiences, distorting our perceptions and ability to respond appropriately in the moment.

Emotions, like the element of water, are fluid. They are ephemeral, usually lasting less than a minute, and are continually changing. They arise from our inner depths, shift, ebb and flow into one another. Emotional agility requires welcoming the changing nature and flow of feelings, and allowing ourself to fully feel an emotion in the moment. When we pay attention to our emotions without judging them, we become the neutral observer. Then we can acknowledge the personal information an emotion is conveying to us, and employ the rational mind to guide our response.

Karla McLaren’s book describes messages specific emotions provide us. For example anger informs us a personal boundary has been breached. Fear is our intuition telling us  something is dangerous. Sadness signals something must be released so we can move forward. And shame alerts us that we are out of integrity with our values. Disregarding this information, or allowing the rational mind to explain it away, separates us from important inner truths. 

In his book Daniel Goleman outlines four domains that constitute emotional intelligence. Self-awareness is the ability to observe our internal state and recognize our emotions. Self-management is handling an emotion appropriately by self-regulating our response. It requires adaptability and striving for emotional balance. Social awareness is the ability to recognize emotions in others, having empathetic understanding. And relationship management is the ability to work with the emotions of others in productive ways, of having social competency in the world.

The archetypal energy of Cancer rules our emotional foundations in life. Its wellspring nourishes our security, well-being and creativity in our “inner home.” It guides us with care, concern and compassion to embrace our emotional nature and learn to use it skillfully in the outer world. 

“The more clearly you understand yourself and your emotions, the more you become a lover of what is.” – Baruch Spinoza