Exploring Reception and Non-Reception in the current Mercury in Libra square Mars in Capricorn alignment.
After Mercury moves on beyond its conjunction to Jupiter it will be applying a square to Mars in Capricorn. This perfects at 11 degrees of both Libra and Capricorn in the evening of October 13th Eastern time.
There is an interesting case of reception here that I was considering for my post earlier but decided to give it its own airtime in a brief post of its own.
Mars is in exaltation in Capricorn which gives that planet’s significations a lot of strength. With this placement, we expect, among other things, to see movement in the world take on the color of deliberate pace to achieve a goal and being supported in all the ways necessary in doing that. Mars’ strength also acquires primal life force by its apparent proximity to Pluto. Capricorn already has gravity, Pluto in Capricorn is like the irresistible force and pull of a black hole. Mars in Capricorn infuses human assertion here on earth with that quality of force. Then there is the underworld/black books theme of Pluto which is a topic for another time.
Mercury in Libra is in the sign where Mars is in his detriment. When Mercury applies to Mars, Mars (strong!) is beholding Mercury draped in the qualities of a sign where, when Mars is there, it is considered unable to perform in the way Mars is understood to perform best – being assertive, clear about desire, able to put forth pinpointed laserbeam action to achieve the acquisition of a desire. In Libra, taking the sign’s qualities into consideration, Mars cares too much about what you want to do to project its own will in its own way in its own time.
Mars is a planet of extremes, and requires mindfulness in wielding, because when you get red hot, it’s easier than usual to do and say things that are later regretted.
Other considerations are that Mercury in Libra is in a superior square to Mars, Mars is traditionally considered ornery and not super cooperative, and the square aspect while providing a lot of fuel presents resistance, tension, and obstacles, which require creative solutions.
All in all my mostly exploratory attempt at a general forecasting delineation of this case of non-reception is that in the days leading up to the perfection of this alignment that any verbal exchanges are accompanied with gravity that is proportional to the effort it takes to push air through lips : not much. Something is being negotiated and trying to be resolved. Because one party is in a much stronger position than the other, a full and fair hearing of all the factors involved in what is being negotiated is necessary but not possible and that well designed forward movement will be taken anyway. Doing rather than thinking or talking may even be advisable as it will actively shape the terrain.
References:
Chris Brennan and Rhyan Butler: http://theastrologypodcast.com/2015/02/16/reception-mitigating-factor-astrology/
Nina Gryphon: http://gryphonastrology.com/blog/2015/01/31/reception-by-malefic-planets-astrology/
Rhyan Butler: https://starlightknight.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/horary-technique-3-rejection/
