Stellar Insights for April 11 - 17
Dreams + The Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction
Am I dreaming? is something that many are uttering these days.
The “dream” in question may be the experience of noticing that what one has hoped and wished for is now filling one’s daily waking reality. Whether this relates to experiences in which long-desired connections with family are now occurring, or a professional goal seems like it was all of a sudden magically reached, or we find ourselves finally free to show up in our relationships in a way that we had always envisioned but were uncertain we could achieve (or any of the other numerous situations where things are surprising in a beautiful way), things may seem a bit dreamy.
And/or the “dream” may also be something more akin to a nightmare, notably one that we may feel is occurring on the world stage. As we witness events that don’t seem real, brutality that seems otherworldly, we may struggle trying to get our head around what is happening, trying to square it with “reality” as we hadn’t felt that such things could happen in the light of day but only on the screens of movies or our minds during a terrifying dream.
The “dream” could also be experienced through the people in our daily lives. Perhaps we witness others who seem to be acting irrational or out of character, with situations seeming to be “odd” and not the usual we expect.
Additionally, as I’ve heard recently of many people struggling with their sleep (including yours truly), Am I dreaming? may also be reflective of those moments when we are in bed and questioning whether or not we have yet reached the Land of Nod. If you’ve been having a hard time with your sleep recently—and/or finding your dreams to be quite vivid and intense—you’re not alone. It does feel like with everything that’s occurring and our greater sensitivity to it, that are minds—both conscious and unconscious—are doing triple time trying to distill, discern, and digest what is unfolding.
Regardless, of the way that a dream may be appearing, it feels like what is occurring is reflective of a very special alignment that is happening this week: the Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction in Pisces. With Jupiter—the planet that governs expansion and growth—coming together with Neptune—the planet of the numinous and blurred boundaries—in the sensitive, imagination-revering, and dreamy sign of Pisces, it’s no wonder that the veils feel thinner and we’re more apt to feel like we’re in a dream. It’s an alignment that we’ve been speaking about for a while because of its seemingly special and unique nature. After all, both Jupiter and Neptune are co-rulers of Pisces and so they are together in a place in which they feel exceptionally at home, and with that they have an ease of being and a power in their expression.
This alignment is also very unique in that it’s relatively rare, only happening once in our lifetimes (if that). While these two planets do get together every 13 years in different signs of the zodiac, the last time they did so in Pisces was in 1856!
Before we look back to that time, it’s important to remember that while a planetary alignment occurs at a given moment, we feel it before it becomes exact, and it ushers in shifts afterwards. It’s not a one-and-done, but rather it opens a door for us to know and weave into our individual and collectives lives archetypal themes moving forward.
As for 1856, we can see it as a time of heightened mysticism, with the spiritualist movement becoming a greater part of Victorian subculture. It was also a year in which several people whose lives emanated Jupiter/Neptune in Pisces themes were born. These include Florence Cook, one of the most well-known mediums; Frank Baum, the author of the magical and imagination tale, The Wizard of Oz; and the artist John Singer Sargent, the leading portrait painter of his time.
Additionally, a very Jupiter/Neptune in Pisces event that occurred that year was the invention of the tin-type camera. Photography itself is ruled by Pisces and Neptune given that it’s an artistic process that seems to magically capture and create images that would have been otherwise ephemeral. Different than the daguerreotype that preceded it, the tin-type camera expanded the applications of photography and the settings in which it could be used. As such, it was an important moment for photography becoming more popular and commonplace.
In all of these events, we see signs of Jupiter/Neptune in Pisces and the realms of spirituality, fantasy, art, and the blurring of worlds with which it is connected. It is these fields that we may see further developments now on the collective stage and the ushering in of related trends.
Yet, let us now be in the very present moment, looking at this week in which this illustrative alignment occurs. It seems like it may be a week in which our boundaries seem thinner and we have a greater ability to pick up on subtle perceptions. It may feel too that we are swimming in a deep ocean of emotion, sometimes feeling like we are surfing the most beautiful wave while at others questioning whether we will be caught in an undertow of sorrow. As we may also feel that there is less distance between our self and our muse, it’s a wonderful time to open up to the channel of our creativity; not only may we be very generative but doing so may also be a salve to help us find grounding and centering during the tides of this time. As we may feel even more connected to others with the Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction in Pisces dissolving barriers, we may find ourselves aligning with the power of prayer or even doing metta meditation in which we send healing and compassionate thoughts and energy to those in need.
I love working with flower essences and I think that there are some that may be particularly good elixirs for this moment. These include:
Aspen, if you’re finding yourself overwhelmed by feelings of disquietude, anxiety, and fear of the unknown. It’s said to inspire trust and confidence to help work through hidden fears.
Pink Yarrow, if you’re finding that maintaining emotional boundaries is challenging. It helps one to maintain the experience of loving awareness of others while not taking on their feelings as if they were your own.
Yarrow, if you feel that you need an energetic shield of protection. If being with others feels like it depletes your energy, perhaps because you are picking up on their feelings and fears, consider trying this flower essence.
Star Tulip, if you would like support to quiet a worried active mind so that you can tune in and listen to the wisdom that is deep within yourself. This is a great flower essence for meditation, dreamwork, and reflective journaling.
Similar to the seemingly endless flow of the Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction in Pisces, I could go on and on talking about it, but I will conclude for now. Yet before I end this missive, I just wanted to remind you that Saturday is the monthly Full Moon. This one features the Sun in Aries and the Moon in Libra. And with that, our focus is upon forging alliances that can help us pursue our desires as well as using diplomatic strategies that can aid us in better championing a cause near and dear to our hearts.
I wish for you a week of beautiful dreams and the strength of heart and clarity of vision to navigate the challenging ones.
xoStephanie
ASTROLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS
April 11
Saturn square Lunar Nodes
April 12
Sun/Saturn Sextile
Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction
April 14
Mars enters Pisces
April 16
Libra Full Moon
April 17
Mercury/Venus Sextile
All days reflect Eastern Daylight Time (-4 hours GMT)