Recently a few of my readers have sent me SkyScrapings they bookmarked from four years ago or so. That was about the time that the astrological impact of 2020 caught my attention. It wasn’t because of the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto triptych in Capricorn. It was because of Pluto and Saturn and particularly Jupiter all square Eris. Jupiter and Pluto have three squares with Eris; Saturn scrimped by with one, though when he stations in late September, he does so within one degree and ten minutes of an arc to Eris. Technically, in the close enough to get a cigar category (you know, close enough for government work), that means Saturn gets two significant shots with Eris.
Why particularly Jupiter? Two mythological reasons.
One, when Eris rolled the golden apple to the feet of the trinity of goddesses attending the wedding from which she was not invited, and the entire cat fight over the possession of said apple occurred, Jupiter was smart enough to avoid positioning himself in the center of litigating that mess. He selected the naive shepherd, Paris, to judge and resolve the conflict, and when Paris chose his reward from the offers of the goddesses, that only resulted in the Trojan War. So, note that Jupiter slipped out from being a focal point in the mess, and excused himself from any culpability.
Two, when Jupiter decided he did not appreciate results of the election in Mycenae, he enlisted Mercury to trick the new ruler of the land, then brought Eris on board to execute said trick and reverse the results of the election. Jupiter holds the power to make changes in political leadership in the lands.
Symbolically and with a tad of imagination contributed by Neptune in Pisces, the application of the above myths to real world news is not a huge stretch.
At present, countries, states and counties relax their restrictions intended to thwart the spread of COVID-19. At a time when the virus continues to ravage the leadership of Iran; the Prime Minister of the U.K. slowly recovers a narrow escape from death; the virus snuck into the White House and the West Wing; and reports are that many on Putin’s staff suffer infection and Putin himself has been notably unseen.
In the relative near future, Pluto (on 14 June) and Jupiter (on 26 June) again square Eris. Given that they complete these transits in November (17 November for Jupiter) and December (11 December for Pluto), it could be argued that the upcoming squares in June mark the virtual and symbolic midpoint of the Eris component of transits in 2020 and to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Eris component hinges upon the one thing that Eris despised the most: being excluded, shut out and isolated. Pretty much how this whole COVID-19 thing cuts most folks off from the apparent flow of activity in life and achieving life objectives.
At the midpoint of a transit pattern, it’s a great time to evaluate. Where am I? What have I learned? Where do I want to go now based upon that learning? How do I best course correct for maximizing revised aspirations? How do I emotionally wrap around and get through this?
This is a tough time. Eris is a planet and a potent planet at that. Whether or not you’ve been directly impacted by the virus, everyone is indirectly affected. Personally, I know several people who have had the virus, several who are suspected to have had the virus. And a film colleague of mine here in Tucson... everyone in his family (and his wife is a doctor) got the virus and his 19-year-old son died from it. The virus is not to be taken lightly.
It is lamentable that the relaxation of restriction is happening as it is. In my state, our new case and death curve is on a steep upward incline, as loosening of restriction occurs. Given the retrogrades is it likely that the relaxed protocols will extend the virus? More than likely, yes.
Okay, so now we’re at what do you do about it? One, be honest with how you feel about being cut away from your ability to manifest life the way you planned. Be honest about the morons that surround you who defy the fates, furies and viral karma with Uranian defiance. Finally, spend serious time face to face wrapping around how Eris is forcing your evolution.
The perihelion of Eris is 5 Libra 54. Its node is 7 Taurus 36. These are heliocentric points so they are not relevant to your geocentric horoscope. However, if you run your helio chart and find planets connecting with these degrees, guess what? You are an ambassador for Eris. If you have strong aspects with Eris in your natal chart(s) - geocentric or heliocentric - you are an ambassador for Eris. Keep in mind Eris is in Aries where it has been for months short of a century! Eris in Aries... first, make it all about you and your arc forward in life. How can you state your case, stake out your claim in life, and do so in ways that promote cooperation and evolution instead of conflict and devolution? Sit with Eris and find out how to reverse and correct tracks.
The perihelion and its accompanying urgency of Eris asks you to assess how you feel about relationships... intimate, professional, casual and social. Which cause you to thrive? Do you feel any freer without the obligation to go certain places and not engage in specific activities you never enjoyed anyway? Take note. When this whole thing winds down, such new discernment and selectivity must be applied to your life.
The node of Eris emphasizes the hard core realities of the material world and the pursuit thereof. Yes, the global economy’s salvation is pretty damn urgent. How you get paid for what you do becomes subject to review, and contributes to the global economy. If you lose your job, you might as well apply your talent and efforts to those things you always said you’d do if you only had time.
Both of the life cues that Eris’ orbital elements promote may not be comfortable. You don’t have to like the new mode of life. What is important is to consciously accept how life is redirected through this frigging pandemic and how your course in life is being improved. Improved? Ultimately, yes - improved, simplified and more karmically efficient. Meanwhile do not short circuit your frustrations, emotional reactions to setbacks and those damn uncontrollable twists and turns that accompany this convoluted Erissian process. Remember, Jupiter enlisted Eris to assist in reversing the movement of the heavens for purposes of shifting perspectives for those who would not get it otherwise. A clearer perception is at hand, or will be available within the next wave of transits to Eris for those who care or dare to see.
One final point here: Some might contend that Uranus in Taurus now conjoins the node of Eris. Not yet it’s not. The geocentric position of Uranus recently - as in the past week - crossed the heliocentric node of Eris - but these a different reference systems. So is all this independence, resistance and rebelliousness warranted? No, not yet it’s not. The exact heliocentric transit of Uranus to the heliocentric node of Eris occurs on 25 July. So, if intelligence is applied to the forced changes of COVID-19 and Eris, we could effectively release restrictions in July... akin to what Los Angeles plans, or like the lights of Broadway, now closed through August. Those actions fit the transit and promise accordance with the Cosmos.
Meanwhile, in the midst of the Eris patterns with heavy duty planets, respect the direction of the Cosmos and for your part, do cool things. Act accordingly, be smart, keep yourself safe and in ideal accord with the highest manifestation of the evolution implied by Eris.
More soon.