“Don’t rock the boat!”
Have you heard this phrase?
Maybe you’ve heard the 1973 song by The Hughes Corporation about this idea as it pertains to a relationship. Rock the Boat
The phrase has been attributed to a quote by U.S. Politician William Jennings Bryan who said in his 1914 speech, “The man who rocks the boat ought to be stoned when he gets back on shore”. That’s a strongly worded statement.
‘Rocking the boat’ has come to mean an action that disrupts the harmony of a situation. Most often it is used as a way to deter someone from creating what is determined to be an unnecessary diversion or disruption. “Don’t rock the boat!”
I’ll come back to this.
And yes, another ‘sea’ reference. We are in the deep waters now. Even if you are not an astrologist, you can probably infer that there is something significant happening as you notice the current line-up, primarily in Pisces. We also have a very potent, recently stationed direct Mars in the water sign of Cancer.
Pisces
I have so many ideas flowing through me which I attribute to the inspiration that emanates from the sign of Pisces. I hope I can put them together for you, here, in a coherent manner. As beautiful as Piscean energy is, it is also formless, elusive, and intangible.
Let’s start with this archetype as it is so prominent, shall we? Pisces is the final sign in the natural zodiac. This yin, mutable water sign holds the entirety of potential.
It also contains completion, the inevitable ending within the cycle of life.
After a plant has died, it decomposes and returns to the soil and becomes part of the composition of the earth. This is the essence of how Pisces energy affects observable nature. In the spiritual sense, it is the returning to Source, the immersion back into Oneness before being reborn within Aries.
In the human experience, because we crave familiarity and a sense of security, disillusionment can feel extremely confusing, overwhelming, frustrating. Losing a grasp on what we believe to be real can feel maddening. Transcending the discontent and the quest for meaning can motivate us to make lasting change. We gather our courage to start anew in Aries.
Mars/Chiron
Mars is the planet associated with Aries and, as I mentioned, has recently moved out of retrograde in the sign of Cancer. Whenever a planet is ‘stationing’ or slowing down to turn either retrograde or direct, its influence is stronger. (Planets do not actually move backwards. It is simply how they appear from our perspective on Earth). The evolutionary intent of Mars through Cancer, including the recent retrograde, has been encouraging us to respond in new/different ways in times of insecurity.
Chiron remains in Aries. What also remains is an ongoing heart-to-heart between these two. Chiron is a vast archetype, but for simplicity’s sake, I like to describe it as how we feel after a sunburn. Once the initial sting has passed and the healing is beginning, we don’t notice it until we brush up against something or someone touches it. Wherever Chiron sits in our birth chart is interpreted as where we are evolving through a deep rejection wound and where we can find the medicine. Chiron in Aries, for the Collective currently, is helping us learn how to show up and take up space in every aspect of our lives.
Venus has recently entered Aries and is beginning her slowdown to start her retrograde journey on March first. This will be a time to reflect on how we ask for, and actively pursue, what we want and need - from ourselves and from others. She is in a loose conjunction to Chiron at this lunation, which adds to the sensitivities we may be experiencing.
Just like when our sunburn is abraded, when our sensitivities to rejection and internal insecurities are triggered, we are bound to have a reaction.
The choice in how we respond, when triggered, is always our agency.
What might we feel in ourselves and/or observe in others during this time? Anxiety, tension, insecurity, anger and frustration, impatience and projection. It is important to be aware of this within ourselves - to be able to pause and reflect - to make the best choice for ourselves in the moment. I also think it is important to be aware that these energies are present for everyone and, perhaps, it will help us extend grace to others.
Sun/Moon and Jupiter, Mercury and Saturn
This energy of decaying, culminating, completion is giving us a focal point with Jupiter. There is another square aspect occurring - this one between the Sun and Moon in Pisces and Jupiter in Gemini. This is a repeated theme - opportunities to release outdated thought patterns and responses in order to make new choices that support our future selves. I often talk of the ‘void’ - the space between what has already passed and what is yet to come. This can be a scary place to be. What may help is to remind ourselves that this is all in our mental space.
The void is also the place where hope lives.
What are the repeated stories that run through your mind that no longer speak to who you are in the present and who you are working to become?
Can you strengthen your resolve to surrender those narratives to the void and extract the excitement of potential? What is your revision?
Can more than one thing be true of you at the same time? Can you give yourself permission to grieve your past self while also anticipating your new chapters?
Saturn and Mercury are bonding in Pisces at this lunation. Saturn is offering the necessary framework for your new stories. And Mercury is offering us a chance to let go of the persistent negative self talk and to begin dream and be inspired again.
Final Thoughts
Let’s revisit the meaning of ‘rock the boat’ - an action that disrupts the harmony of a situation. Complacency can sometimes masquerade as peace, but it keeps us from growing and thriving. Sometimes, we must rock our own boats! We must stir up what is stagnant and row ourselves to the point of release - where we can surrender to what is and let go of what is no longer relevant for us.
Let your deeper emotions be stirred, be present with them. Embrace this time of Yin reflection to deepen your self-compassion. When the water settles, clarity comes.
I think we will appreciate being soaked in all this water as March heats up with the fire of Aries.
I’ll leave you with a reflective song from one of my favorite bands, Anberlin Asking
Until next time, take care of you.
FOCUSED ASPECTS DURING THIS LUNATION
Sun/Moon square Jupiter
Mercury conjunct Saturn
Chiron conjunct Venus, square Mars
Neptune conjunct North Node, opposing South Node
Grand Trine between Pluto, Uranus, and South Node
IMPORTANT/UPCOMING TRANSITS
2/23 Mars stations direct in Cancer
2/27 Pisces New Moon
3/1 Venus stations retrograde in Aries
3/3 Mercury enters Aries
3/6 Final square between Saturn in Pisces and Jupiter in Gemini
3/13 Virgo Full Moon Lunar Eclipse
3/15 Mercury stations retrograde in Aries, remains conjunct Venus retrograde until early April
Love this!