The Innocents

Mars in Libra opposes the North Node, cozying up to the South Node

I re-watched The Innocents (1961) in daylight. And if you’re like “Wow, Amelia. You’re a big chicken.” Then just try to get through the opening credits (this link will actually take you to the full movie on YouTube, you’re welc!) in the dark. I dare you. Is there anything more terrifying than a precocious and omniscient child filmed in black and white? There is not.

Both explicit and vague in only the way early 1960s cinema can be, The Innocents is an adaptation of the Henry James novel, The Turn of the Screw. If you are not familiar, here’s a quick recap, no spoilers: A governess is employed by a wealthy man to take care of his orphaned niece and nephew (Flora and Miles) at a typical Victorian estate. The governess, at first charmed by the two, starts to not only witness odd behavior but also the figures of a man and woman lingering in the distance whenever they exhibit this hostile, creepy behavior. She becomes convinced they are possessed by the spirits of two deceased employees of the estate who were entangled in a physically and (probably) sexually abusive relationship. Incestual implications aside, the governess decides she has to save Flora and Miles, but do they need saving?

Do you need saving? What are you possessed by? How much power do you give to your past? These are the questions we’re asking ourselves with Mars in Libra, the planet of power, opposing the North Node in Aries, which represents where you’re going, the future, “destiny” is a strong word with some baggage (IMO) but the North Node represents that too. Today you may give more power to your past and the narratives you’re trying to outgrow, since Mars is opposing the North Node, this means he’s on top of the South Node, which represents where you are coming from. And since the South Node is in Libra, the Venus-ruled planet of relationships, you may be struggling to let go of a relationship you’ve outgrown. Use that Martian power to make peace with your past and strive toward your individuality. Don’t sacrifice yourself or your sanity for the lives of two children being possessed by Victorian servant lovers, babe. It’s just not worth it.

Who will have to push through their past the most during this transit?

-Those with cardinal ascendants (Cancer, Capricorn, Libra, Aries)

-Those experiencing their nodal return or reversal at this time (North and South Node on the Aries Libra axis)

-Those with a natal Mars in Aries or Libra + or - 25 degrees