I have to credit astrologer, Caroline Casey for this post. This is her idea, which she got from one of her teachers along the way. I read about this in her book, Making the Gods Work for You. I don’t like that title, but I loved the book. It has a lot of weirdness in it; something for everyone.
I read this book in the late 90’s so I don’t recall the context here. But she talked about doing an exercise in a workshop where she was to “thrust” for several days (Mars) and then go yin and see what came back to her.
Those are my words around her ideas. I don’t recall her language or even what point she was making, but I’ve always remembered this concept.
I consider Pluto not just yin, but super yin. Â While Mars goes out and hunts, Pluto attracts. It pulls you in. Aware I have these choices, I work with them. Lately, I’ve been thrusting.
I’ve been thrusting to no end and I’m getting a little sick of it. Carrying all the water. Â I decided to set down my buckets…and see what happens.
Are you someone who typically does the thrusting and/or the heavy lifting? Â Have you ever stopped? What happened?
Photo credit – Ian Muttoo on Flickr.
I am totally the one who does the heavy lifting (according to me) and I’m defs ready to stop doing so, or at least trying it out! Doing all the heavy lifting has most definitely left me feeling completely worn out and bored (in relationships), so it’s definitely time for a change.
I’ve been trying it out already! I have no idea what’s going to happen.
We’ll see.
The ultimate Yang is Aries. I mean, fellas go round town acting and taking action. Then you see the Yins chilling on the porch, letting the air thru. 🙂
I’ve been doing the heavy lifting for years. In work, home tasks and relationships. I cant do it now. When I say I cant, I mean there is nothing here to do it with.
Interesting…. when you cant, sit back and see who does it. Take note. My husband is carrying the load right now and expressed aggravation last night which is rich. I have been completely taking care of him for almost 20 years and he is expressing aggravation in less than two weeks? HA
I have a couple of people reaching out making an effort. My youngest son has. More than anyone other than my husband. But the rest….when I get well they can go straight to hell.
Hear yah, soup!! ((Geez sometimes WHAT it takes to get to this point is such a beast.))
I guess what Caroline Casey describes here is how I normally act, especially in human relationships. I have both Mars – yang – and Pluto – yin – in Libra, not conjunct, though.
great article! pluto, moon, neptune, venus is all yin isnt it? and mars, Jupiter, Uranus, sun being yang. for me i am ultimate yin. but i do alot of light work (housework, cooking/cleaning) not heavy (which is construction work or anything that is very very heavy)
i think it’s interesting that the yang (Aries) morphs in the higher octave (Pluto/Scorp) and is yin!
Thanks for this larger picture of yin and yang. My natal Mars and Pluto conjunct with Saturn in the middle for this tres-way powerhouse IN LEO in the relationship and legacy houses (7th and 8th) !! Putting down the heavy lifting is something to behold. When the lifting is being down at the lower reaches, it hard for me to realize I’ve been doing it. The let-down though … felt it last night as Jupiter went retrograde:)
Sometimes one is not even aware that they are thrusting. When you finally do become aware, you ask yourself why are you doing this, anyway – you don’t really have to.
So you decide to stop and let the other/others do the thrusting. Very often things just fall apart. But then, after a time of uncertainty and confusion, the other side wakes up and starts to do their share of thrusting, and you think to yourself: I am a control freak, after all.
I have quite a positive mars in the 1st house, although it is in Virgo, and a strong Pluto – not so positive – so I can be a considerable pain, and also confusing – to others and to myself
I saw this play out with a woman friend who “enabled” a weak man by doing all the thrusting on his behalf. 10 years later, when she finally had enough, she let go and threw him out. He congratulated her for having the “courage” to let her man go. Six months later, “thrusting” for the first time in his life, he jumped from the 8th floor balcony.
This happened in November!!
@marlyn, omg that sounds horrible. It’s as if the long term enabling made the man who he is, and when finally he was let go, he didnt know how to handle it without her (mars)aggressive action/yang energy. at least that’s what i got from it.So sad.
Not everybody wants to be “thrusted” upon. lol I knew someone who thought they were responsible for solving my problems. I advised them that it’s okay and I will handle it. Sometimes “thrusters” assume control over issues that don’t require their “thrusting.”
I agree.
Wow. That is insightful. I was thinking on how to post from my yin/yang point of view. But I have a very difficult time being thrusted upon. Some people want to engulf and conquer you and get super pissed off if you don’t accept. I like to go it alone and think very long and hard before I ask for help. I am more comfortable with that but I need to let go a little.
I so needed to hear this. As a super Marsy person, but also very plutonic… too much thrusting means running into walls over & over (Mars opposite Saturn). I recently employed this technique, backed off my efforts that don’t seem to get me any where… and was pleasantly reassured with some synchronicities that this technique does in fact work. Pluto Scorpio Rising
I have a difficult time discerning between what I feel I should do and its value and what others do (always assume it is far more valuable). I have both Mars and Pluto in Virgo (yin, serves) in my first house. I serve and serve because it might not be enough, eventually something will appreciate it, I am banking the good. I complain to everyone but and then I feel guilty as sin and self-flagellate.
My mother’s Pluto is opposite my Mercury and Venus. I married a man whose Pluto is conjunct exact my ascendant. I often feel like I’ve married my mother (even before I knew the charts). That said, I need to learn how to use my Pluto. This feel scary because I feel like my Pluto is like a nuclear bomb. Seriously. There must be a fine line in my use of compassion and destruction.
I was saying this very thing about yin & yang to my sister-in-law today. I left my middle management corporate job in November to pursue a similar field self-employed during the first 30 days there were a few hiccups and bizarre loss of important licensing paperwork in shipping that forced a slow down and through this I realize I was so unhappy with my job because I had molded myself into something very different than my true nature I was very yang super Marsy for well over 20 years not because I wanted to be I honestly thought I had to be. I am overdue for some yin focus and don’t want to go back to being that other woman ever again. I am having to rethink my life’s plan. This is exactly what is happening in my life right now. I am taking things as they come and allowing things to unfold.
Elsa, thank you for this fabulous book! Just read the free intro on amazon, must read more, so much wisdom!
Yes I got the sample too and will get the book!
In my one consultation with you elsa, you said that I have a very yin chart. So yes, I’m very yin. I always feel like I’m kind of stationary and its life that moves around me. I tend to pull my energy in. I do pull out my yang from time to time though. Mainly when I’m feeling pressured to be more productive from others. Some people close to me don’t get that just because I’m not moving doesn’t mean things aren’t happening below the surface. Thats when it’s all happening!
So weird, I got a new Kindle yesterday, looked through old books to delete and saw the sample too . The came here and saw this . ?
That’s cool….
Very cool and very interesting…
Paying attention?
Listening intently?
Mars and Pluto in Leo near MC. People let me take power even when I don’t want it, which is a good part of the time. I’m bossy but really don’t invest in what others do. They can take it or leave it, all the same to me. I thrust because if I don’t no one will do it for me. When I quit or relax I don’t expect anyone to take over. With Mars going into in my 1stH now I’ll work hard but really just want to be left alone to it.
It seems like the other aspects this month encourage us to be yin, maybe take a “wait and see” attitude. Anyone else feeling that?
Hi Elsa, great topic for discussion, I gave the thrusting a rest (I got tired of doing all the ‘carrying’ too) and something interesting came out if it all, I found a path, a new path between the stresses (frustrating no-go avenues)of the uranus / pluto square. Had I not pulled back I would have missed this opportunity, it had always been there but I had simply not considered it. Tying in with venus conjunct saturn this weekend (which happens to be on my descendant [cusp of 7th house!!]it’s been pure heaven to have found it(like the lost jigsaw piece)It smacks of potential but I’m being cautious and careful (new moon in cap?)I wonder if anyone else has found a middleway path / option between the heavy crushing weight of the u-pl square? perhaps this the path that helps unite us and sort out the angst and debris from the infamous U-Pl square? Thanks for raising this issue Elsa.
Socially speaking, I am usually the one planning and initiating. I decided to pull my horns in. Sure enough, I am now being invited.
It’s nice.
I’m an emotional thruster. If it weren’t for God, I’d carry around too much. But thankfully he helps me dissolve it to Him. But that’s when I finally decide to give it up. A lot of times I wallow in it first, ignorant to the fact that it’s up to me if I want to cast it away. I’m an emotional sponge as well as emotionally reflective. I mirror back the subtle (or not so subtle) emotions people send my way. Moon in Cancer 11th and 12th. Or sometimes I will absorb something from someone else, then project it onto another unknowingly. I realize more and more that I need to be more and more self-aware.
i’ve been weighing both directions over the past few years. i call it the push and the pull. sometimes it’s better to push, sometimes to wait for the pull. hadn’t really thought about it as yin and yang, but that makes sense….