Qigong - an appealing solution for my Mars in Pisces

With natal Mars in Pisces, I'm forever on the lookout for suitable ways to strengthen my physical body.  I tend to run away (or collapse!) from anything that is too strenuous and dynamic.  Yoga is a fantastic option,  and I was involved in kundalini yoga for a while, however, living in the far east, I thought I would involve myself in some authentic qigong (or chi kung).  It is an ancient Chinese practice which seeks to integrate physical movements, breathing techniques and concentrated mental intentions.  I see it as a Chinese form of yoga, as 'qi' (or chi) is akin to 'prana', the life force.  'Gong' (or kung) can be translated as 'skill' or 'work', so putting it together, it is the skill of disciplining your life energy to improve your vitality.  It is also an active form of meditation to cultivate mindfulness.

My first qigong class was back in April this year.  Looking back at the ephemeris, I noticed many tight aspects to my natal Piscean Sun.

Triggers from inner planets:

t. Venus conjunct n. Sun  (I like the idea of qigong and I get to go with my dear friends)
t. Mars quincunx n. Sun   (Do I really want to spend 2 whole days on it?  Would it be tiring?)

Aspects from outer planets:

t. Pluto Capricorn sextile n. Sun  (An opportunity to shed a layer and to move closer to my solar goals)
t. Jupiter Cancer trine n. Sun  (It's a form of nourishment to my core self)

I've been going back every 2 months to work with the charismatic qigong master (our initial prediction of him being a Leo was correct, as he readily displays his playful child persona on every occasion - even though he is in his 80s!  He loves standing on the mini stage, under the spotlight, with students taking videos on their smartphones to record all the postures.)

I have just returned from another weekend workshop and found an obvious increase in my energy level this time.  Besides this, I appear to be more outspoken and not as affected by external opinions as I used to.  It seems that my natal Mercury in Aries received a little boost (trine) from the transiting Mercury-Jupiter conjunction in Leo. I can definitely see evidence of the release of my inner spokesperson.  I was able to express some hidden thoughts to my friends, which I had been harbouring for the past year.  In addition, I have been working on my inner child (Leo) which has exposed more hidden (12th) memories from childhood.

Natal Saturn devouring personal planets

In Greco-Roman mythology, Saturn (Cronus) devoured most of his children for fear of dethronment by them one day, thanks to his father, Uranus' curse.  Well, that is what you get for castrating your own dad....

Any planets, especially personal ones, in close challenging contacts with natal Saturn, is akin to having them swallowed by Saturn.  The outward manifestation is that of feeling restricted emotionally (if involving the Moon), inhibited mentally (involving Mercury), displaying self-sabotaging behaviour (involving Mars) and having a suppressed personality (involving the Sun).  I know this is the case with me.  Thanks to my Saturn-Sun and Saturn-Mars contacts, I am an overly-cautious individual who is too afraid to break new grounds.  My Saturn in Virgo swallows my Sun and Mars in Pisces' creativity and replaces it with rules and structures.  I can draw - but only if I have something to copy from.  Creating something from thin air disturbs me - like drowning in the ocean.  Give me something to copy and I am confident that I can do a great job.

Saturn becomes easier to negotiate with age.  Life experiences allow us to see why we need Saturn in our lives - to give us a framework to live in, to adhere to a set of rules so the world doesn't become too chaotic, to give us enough consistency and stability for us to get on with our mundane lives.  As always, moderation is the key.  When life gets too predictable and too structured, it makes one want to break free from the mould and engage in more adventurous tasks.  

How can we break out of Saturn's grasp?  Going back to the myth, it was Jupiter/Zeus, one of Saturn's offspring, who released his siblings from the pit of Saturn's stomach.  Therefore, take a look at your natal Jupiter and the house it rules, for there lies the key to unlocking those personal planets within Saturn.  For me, trusting the Universe and having faith in my own talents (Jupiter in Cancer 12th, ruling 5th ) soothes my innate fear of expressing myself truthfully (Saturn in Virgo 2nd house oppose Sun & Mars in Pisces 8th). 

With outer planets, the dynamic is like in a tug-of-war.  In the myth, Saturn castrated Uranus but Uranus cursed in return, instilling fear in Saturn.  Saturn sticks to the tried and tested whereas Uranus blazes a new trail.  Saturn forms boundaries and Neptune dissolves them.  Saturn builds and Pluto demolishes.  The key here is to find a middle ground to permit both parties to exhibit their natural skills and talents.  Uranus provides us with new ideas but we need Saturn to manifest them into form.  Neptune can clear away unnecessary barriers but a certain level of defense is healthy to keep the ego intact.  Pluto can help us de-clutter ruthlessly and thereby clearing out outdated junk from our system.

Has Saturn swallowed any of your personal planets?  How can you release them?

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