Mandala of the Forms of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom, Tibet; 14th century; currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY.
Jupiter in Tropical Scorpio
Oct 10, 2017- Nov 9, 2018
To the ancients, Jupiter was the greater benefic. A planet, that when well placed, brought abundance and good fortune in its wake. The metaphor of the “greater benefic” helps us in understanding Jupiter’s archetypal nature, but it limits us in seeing Jupiter as a wholly positive influence. While often the case, it doesn’t give us the full picture. The vicissitudes that Jupiter brings to us relates to its “expansive” and often inflammatory impact. Jupiter tends to magnify the archetypal nature of anything it touches--making it louder, more visible, and expressive.
Through Jupiter's aspects, it brings a kind of restless yearning for more experience within our conscious narrative. But under strong Jupiter stimulus, we often feel dissatisfied with present circumstances, and eager to push our boundaries around what’s possible. The god/goddess of Jupiter supplies a wellspring of hope, optimism, and confidence, with both positive and negative impacts (which sometimes can be too much of a “good” thing). Jupiter moves into Scorpio on Oct. 10, after its roughly year long transit through Libra (Sep. 9, 2016-Oct, 10, 2017).
While in Libra, Jupiter came into hard aspect with both Uranus and Pluto. On the one hand, Jupiter passing through the epicenter of the now separating Uranus/Pluto square was definitely divisive and tumultuous, and on the other, liberating and transformative. Jupiter is still near orb of opposition to Uranus as it enters Scorpio, so anticipate that these emancipatory urges and cutting edge realizations will still have residual effect in the early part of Jupiter’s Scorpio transit.
Moving through Libra, Jupiter encouraged all of us to push the boundaries of current experiences, especially within the context of relationship/partnership. The tension of Jupiter’s aspects probably showed up in many relational dynamics, as we asserted our individual needs/boundaries or possibly awakened to uncomfortable truths/realizations about ourselves and those we trust.
On the world stage, Jupiter passing through the Uranus/Pluto square was a rather disruptive period of world history, inflaming revolutionary uprisings, and amplifying our collective awareness of the shadowy depths of government, corporate power, and entrenched institutions.
Jupiter ends its year long transit through Libra with its opposition to Uranus, historically correlating with ingenious innovations and discoveries happening behind the scenes, while we witness the emergence of radical changes and “revolutions” worldwide. On the archetypal level, Jupiter’s challenging relationship with Pluto and Uranus provoked the unexpected and unpredictable--manifesting in both the natural and social dimensions.
Jupiter will be fast approaching a trine with Neptune, in addition to a sextile to Pluto while in Scorpio. This next Jupiter cycle won’t be as socially or politically chaotic as its transit through Libra. In fact, transiting the psychic depths of Scorpio and contacting both Neptune and Pluto, we’re looking at a collective and personal process of pushing the boundaries of consciousness, ecstatic experiences, primal desire, spiritual realization, and psychological insight.
While in a more harmonious relationship with Neptune and Pluto while in Scorpio, Jupiter supplies us with easy access to transpersonal realms, virtual realities, and self-realization. The danger of this is that it will be far too easy to slip/drift away into escapism, and succumb to desires/impulses/emotions that could be destructive and harmful to us.
While Jupiter’s influence is typically positive, its ability to open doors to powerful emotional, psychic, and numinous experiences while in Scorpio could just as equally be overwhelming. Collectively, this brief transit of Jupiter through Scorpio could also be surprisingly unifying, encouraging a coming together and mutual support of people from differing viewpoints and realities. This could help break up much of the divisive nature of Jupiter’s transit through Libra.
While transiting Scorpio, Jupiter’s inflammatory influence will relate to an increasing desire for authenticity and the dissolution of personal and collective boundaries. While its transit through Libra served to further individuate us within the context of relationship, as well as break us free from many social/cultural limitations, Jupiter in Scorpio seeks to dissolve psychic, emotional, and physical barriers leading to deeper insight, experience, and extra authentic associations.
Intensity is another notable Scorpio trait, and considering Jupiter’s softer aspects to Pluto, Neptune, and Chiron (at the end of this cycle), will allow intensity to come through more willingly and within our control. But particularly with Jupiter’s trine relationship to Neptune and Chiron, we can anticipate that Jupiter’s cycle could equally unleash the floodgates of mystery, disillusionment, psychic insight, and emotion. Above all, Jupiter’s Scorpio transit will leave each of us with bounteous insight and awe towards anything concealed within ourselves and in the world.