What an odd time the New Year has been! It seems like ever since 2010 came to town, currents through the Collective have been running with a vicious undertow (Uranus in Pisces), structures are crumbling (Pluto in Capricorn), it’s difficult to sort true from illusion (Neptune in Aquarius), and injury to the intellect or the automatic use of the most facile elements of the mind, without reference to whether this is positive or not (Chiron in Aquarius), have plagued us all in one form or another. But you may rightly protest, haven’t these placements been in effect for what seems like forever? Yes, yes they have, and yet it seems we’re only now getting a glimpse at their most recent influence. A few developments in December and January have cleared the way for us to get a gander at what’s up right now, a peek below the covers that could inform us as to what responses may benefit us most (these are just a few main points that led into the current period; for full forecast and current conditions, please see the Winter issue of ECLIPSE http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com/eclipse-in-depth-astrology-for-the-21st-century/).

Mars’ retrograde brought us up short, if not outright stopping action at least forcing our choices to take an indirect route, making them less effective than they typically would be; then the Sun entered Capricorn and the circumstances illuminated were those of hard reality, while upon the Sun’s entry into Aquarius our attention was drawn to thinking about what we’d just observed–a contemplation that felt ineffective, simply because the action energy is still withdrawn. Saturn retrograded and suddenly barriers were down; the rules can be bent, regular ways of accumulating, building, impacting are not working and, combined with Mars’ situation, means we are in an especially tough position, one that says we are strongly desiring productive action, but are not terribly likely to be able to make it a reality.

To add to this, mid-December saw Pallas enter Scorpio; this wise lady moved from a stance of concern with relationship to others, of partnership and co-operation, to a viewpoint that urges her to dig for the truth, to perhaps express destructive anger when she finds it, to destroy or transform what she touches, and to keep secrets, out of fear, security, or power needs. Pallas is, then, in a mode that can be as injurious to the exercise of wisdom as it can be supportive of it, and may not come to our aid in quite the way we expect, we’d like, or that seems the most beneficial to our interests from our point of view.

Late December moved Ceres from Scorpio, where she was a wee bit overbearing (angrily, at times), to Sagittarius, crowning our feeling of authority (for what is the maternal force but ‘the one who knows best’?) with the need/ desire to let our authority be known, and with this, Ceres will often be the one who dictates what should be–and then along comes Jupiter; he enters Pisces and our impulse to reach out to the Collective becomes a major force. And with that we are back at our effectiveness, or lack thereof, with the retrograde energies of Mars and Saturn.

What do we get from all this? Don’t worry if you feel things don’t seem to be moving as they should, and don’t be hard on yourself in terms of accomplishment–though things aren’t proceeding with the kind of feedback we expect or are used to from our efforts, they are making a mark–it will just be some time before we see it.

And in gratitude to all who’ve been so supportive in purchasing the inaugural issue of ECLIPSE, I’d like to offer the opportunity to ask a single, brief question. Email me at juliedemboski@hotmail.com with your query; include your birth info (write out the month, place name not co-ordinates) and I will determine if your question requires a look at the natal chart, at transits, or a horary chart. Vague, open-ended questions bring vague answers; specifics bring focused info. All answers will, of necessity, be very brief; be patient, I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible, and I’m sure you can understand that I won’t have the time for any follow-up exchanges, though of course I look forward to any comments you may have. This offer is valid only for purchasers of the magazine, and cannot be reassigned to anyone else, and the email used must be the email from which you purchased the magazine–no exceptions. No questions will be answered before magazine purchase. And, in case you’re wondering, it’s not too late–purchase your own copy of ECLIPSE–only $2.95!–and get in on the deal! http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com/eclipse-in-depth-astrology-for-the-21st-century/

And see a brief, NEW excerpt from my forthcoming book JUNO IN THE NATAL CHART here http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com Scroll to bottom of the page

Photo is in the public domain, thanks to the very generous Ondrejk, via WikiMedia Commons