There’s been a lot of great commentary on this upcoming opposition, much of it focused on the political situation in the US, with good reason; even for those not politically inclined, the ‘coincidence’ of the election occurring with the exact Saturn-Uranus opposition is intriguing, and certainly suggests a significant effect is to be expected. Some of my favorite commentaries include this http://www.daykeeperjournal.com/murray.shtml , this http://astrologymundo.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/saturn-oppose-uranus-recycling-the-revolution/ , and this one, though not directly about the opposition, highlights what has led up to it http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-voting-in-november-waste-of-your.html and this one addresses the effect on one’s love life http://jeffreykishner.com/astrology/love/2008/07/how-saturn-uranus-opposition-will.html , while this one touches on the financial ramifications of the current situation http://www.astrologyexplored.com/astrology-money-the-reason-to-start-your-christmas-shopping-now/. There are many many more I’ve not listed; read as widely as you can on this aspect, and gather as many viewpoints as possible–several are sure to apply directly in your own life. (Thanks to Urania, Jude, Monica, Jeffrey, and Beth for pointing the way. And apologies to all those not listed–there are only so many hours in the day!)

Now my take on things: the Saturn-Uranus opposition reaches exactitude on the 3rd-4th November; at this point, the Moon is in Capricorn, conjunct Jupiter and trine Saturn (and later sextile Uranus as the orb closes)–the emotional climate is exaggeratedly strained, critical, and precision-oriented, all in service of either preserving the status quo or in stabilizing the unstable, before the emotional need for change becomes obvious. There’s stress on Saturn ruler Mercury in Libra; it quickly sextiles Pluto, which itself is distressed at 29 degrees of Sagittarius, poised to plunge back into the rigorous sign of Capricorn. This suggests highly stressful and potentially destructive communications, between ‘partners,’ and about which others are willing to give no quarter. Mercury then briefly goes Void before entering Scorpio and becoming the midpoint of the Juno/ Ceres trine; these energies, too, are under stress, this time from their 00 degree placements. Energies very early in a sign tend to flounder a bit, and with Ceres and Juno involved we are likely looking at a pair of powerful energies, perhaps newly installed in their positions of authority, that appear to clash as they grasp for power and supremacy, but that are really working in harmony (trine), suggesting that they may work within a system of collusion, with co-ordination of the communication picture.

This scenario of energies at the extreme (Pluto, Ceres, Juno, and then Mercury joins them by the 4th) points up veins of tension that will run through many situations. Even more stress is apparent when we note a pair of Grand Crosses in effect at this time: the Sun/ Earth axis squaring the Nodal axis–this happens on a regular basis, and tends to indicate moments that are fate determining, no matter how subtle the course correction, and the other is made up of the Saturn/ Uranus opposition squared by a Venus/ Pallas opposition–here’s where things get a bit nasty. We may see an effect with the latter Cross where there is a feeling of forced values indoctrination, and this is so whether we see the status quo remain or whether change sweeps in–and don’t forget the Juno/ Ceres situation, which suggests that, despite a power stand-off likely couched in words and other Mercurial forms, the two powers fighting for supremacy are not really fighting at all–and this implies that the status quo may hold as much potential for revolution as does the force that claims change, and vice versa. Perhaps this is the result we can expect: that the two opposing powers will in essence be, while not the same, a mixture of both Saturn and Uranus–not at all what most of us, no matter our political or social inclinations, want to hear in such dire times.

So we look to the ruler of Uranus, Neptune, at 21 Aquarius, conjunct Chiron, trine Pallas, sextile Venus, and square Mars. This ties Neptune firmly to one of the Grand Crosses, and the question becomes, Does Uranus represent a force inspired, change that is delusional (and thus impossible to implement), change that may ultimately heal, may injure more than it heals, or is the spectre of change illusion, in the end being nothing more than another incarnation of Saturn? The involvement of Mars says that assertive energies will be brought to the fore in service of Neptune, and that perhaps active ideals can influence both the values picture (sextile to Venus) and will easily follow a wise course (trine to Pallas), and this suggests that Uranus, ruled by Neptune, will reign supreme. Then again, are we looking at revolution, or is this merely the triumph of technology, the modern sweeping over all and putting the determination of all our futures in the hands of a few? That’s certainly a possiblity, embodied by the incredibly faulty electronic voting machines that are more and more prevalent (and against which, as an electorate, we have less and less power to refuse their use).

These are troubling times; it’s up to good people everywhere, whether they seek to improve what is, to wipe clean the slate and start anew, or to bring a modified and more equitable vision into being, to see that this opposition brings hope, security, and stability to as many on the planet as possible.