Category Archives: current events in the sky

Monday Poll Round-Up, Past and Present Collide, and the Fog Rolls In

17 Monday Nov 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto

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We only had one poll this week, ‘Is Love or Money your big ‘danger area’ with Venus in Capricorn?’ As of this morning, 28% say Love, 33% say Money, and a puzzling 39% are looking forward to this, as their natal Venus is in Earth; and I say this is puzzling, as we might expect more like 25% of readers to have Earth Venus placements. So what does this say? Maybe that people who are practical and concerned about concrete Venusian issues read astrology blogs out-of-proportion to their Airy, Watery, and Fiery counterparts.

I’ve had some intense, jarring experiences in the last few days where past and present have met in some unusual and intriguing symbolisms. People I haven’t thought of in years have popped into my head (or my dreams!) and the same seems to be happening to people around me–and I’m assuming, to you, too. What’s driving this? Perhaps Pluto at 29 of Sagittarius, exorcising the distant past, and conveying information about the now at the same time–if All is One, and there is no time in a linear sense, then a window is open that allows us to connect and synthesize elements of the past as they apply to the future, surely a delicious opportunity for understanding and acquisition of knowledge.

The Cancer Moon today (the 17th) quincunxes Pluto, suggesting that the emotional implications of the past and present reconciling will be at the forefront of our emotional reality; the Moon will also trine the Sun, then, when it enters Leo, trine Mars at 00 Sagittarius, and what action we might take will come clear. On the 21st the Earth perfects a quincunx to Pluto, bringing the material impact of all this Plutonian dredging and examining into focus (would that we could see this first, then receive the Mars/ Moon impetus to act, but ours is not to question why  . . . ) The upcoming Sun/ Mercury Superior Conjunction on the 24th brings the final message–believe what is communicated at this point, as it will be the key to finishing up with Sag issues successfully.

The fog rolls in–literally, as it has done here in Seattle, and figuratively, with the Mercury/ Neptune square. We know the drill here, know all the keywords that can describe Neptune’s effect on communication, information, short-distance travel, sibling relationships, and so on, so how do we determine which one of the scary (delusion, illusion, deception) or uplifting (inspirational, idealized, dream fulfilled) banners should be hung on Mercury for us as individuals? It’s elementary, dear Watson: look at the emotions behind the messages (Merc in Water) and the ways in which they clash with our ‘mental pictures’ (Neptune in Air). A secondary method involves looking to the positions of transiting Merc and Neptune in the natal chart, noting what they may be aspecting (anything at approx. 19-23 degrees of Air and Water signs, plus the ‘off’ measurements of the quincunx and semi-square)–if this puts at least one of them in hard (conjunction, square, semi-square, opposition, quincunx) aspect to something in the natal chart, then your message and meaning come here–and don’t forget, this is a conflict-meeting of the rulers of several Houses in the natal chart–look here, too, for meaning. If you’re having trouble, describe the situation of the transiting planets in your chart in the comments section (not to my email!) and I’ll see what I can see!

And in the meantime, have a great Monday!

Monday Poll Round-Up, and Identity Shifts: If Barack Obama Wins . . . .

03 Monday Nov 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Pluto

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We either see change as fundamental to life, and therefore as having purpose, or we see it as threatening, and so consistently negative. Though I’ve warned of over-simplification of the concepts (particularly the Uranus/ Saturn opposition) that are accompanying the US Presidential election, there is a strong argument to support Uranus as fundamental change that Saturnian forces must deal with; and if that translates to an Obama win, then we have to ask ourselves: What fundamental changes will we feel at a personal level? And definite changes for two specific groups come to mind.

These shifts apply to a basic world view, as innate in what we know as gravity is to living upon the Earth. The first group, white men, will be faced with a symbolic loss of power. The power structure will for the first time in this country look profoundly different than what we are all used to, and for white men, this will be the first time they’ve looked at those at the very top of the pyramid, at the ultimate pinnacle of influence, and not seen themselves. Now, I’m not judging this, or saying that white men will all perceive this change in the same way, and I’m not saying that they think or act as a group, since individuality within all classifications and ways of grouping humans trumps a simple external likeness; but I am saying that in a patriarchal society built on the mostly unspoken presumption of supremacy of the white male as most ‘qualified’ to lead and arbitrate the social order, white men have always enjoyed the kinds of privilege allocated those at the top of the heap. They are more likely to be seen as serious and stable, and therefore a ‘better’ employee, they are in many instances paid more than minorities or women for the same jobs, and, since they ‘look’ just like the power that came before them, they’re more likely to be promoted and mentored by the white men who preceded them. Yes, these are all generalizations, and yes, there are many exceptions–but they typically prove the rule.

So for them, this election may skew the world view in such a way that they may not recognize the landscape as their own. I think this will be true beyond any racism or position of dominance; things just won’t look the same, which is true for all of us, but for the white male, it represents a command to loosen the psychic grip on the reins of power.

The other group affected by this at a profound level will, of course, be Black men and women. Justified pride in looking to the pinnacle of power and seeing one of their own is almost beyond expression for me; I can’t pretend to know the depths of feeling connected to this, but I can know that it will represent a fundamental change for them, too. On the one hand, it will be a peak moment of Collective experience in terms of a group that has been historically underserved, denied opportunity, and has suffered horrific prejudices and injustices, finally seeing a new dawn for themselves within the power structure. This will be undeniably sweet for many in the older generations, especially for the 109 year old daughter of a slave, Amanda Jones, who voted this week for Barack. And for the younger generations, a Black man ascending to the Presidency has to act as a beacon that shows them the truth of the idea that nothing is out of their reach. On the other hand, it makes a demand of the worldview, too: one cannot continue to define oneself as underserved or trodden upon to quite the same extent when one looks at ‘The Man’ (can you tell when I was young?!) and sees distinct cultural, racial, and experiential similarities–suddenly (Uranus) the social landscape changes, quite specifically for different groups (Uranus again) and our disparities may parse out more and more in cultural, educational, and economic spheres, and less and less (I hope) in racial ones. A scant few, married to a victim mentality, may stay with a victim mentality, just as there will be whites who will embarass themselves by railing against the country’s chosen leader, simply because of skin color (but there’s always a chance it’s out of a sense of intellectual inferiority, very Age of Aquarius!)–but there are always some who will be vessels of intolerance, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

The social landscape I speak of is Jupiter; right now it’s still in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, but the trine it forms with Saturn does not perfect again; each energy goes its own way, Jupiter moves into Aquarius in early January 2009, and Saturn retrogrades December 31st, while Uranus goes direct late November. And what does all this suggest in terms of change in the social sphere? Inevitable, progressive change, the Saturnian grip loosening, forward thinking energies gaining; maybe this is finally, as the long-ago song suggested, the dawning of the age of Aquarius.

But I’m not entirely convinced that Obama will win, despite the polls. I’m feeling we’re in for some real upheaval, and I can’t put my finger on that nature of it. I’ve wondered if a natural event might not supersede the results of the election, not on the day but shortly thereafter; and I’ve wondered if this election might not turn into another contested catastrophe a la 2000, but with a different flair–or maybe Bush as a lame duck will try to institute changes that will bring everyone under pressure and up in arms (maybe literally–a draft?) At least, we don’t have long to wait to find out what happens.

We had only one poll this week. I actually put up two but Polldaddy has issues (!) so until they’re resolved we must be satisfied with having asked just one question: “How do you think Pluto’s move into Capricorn will affect you?” Overall, more people were positive about anticipated changes, or were neutral, feeling it was hubbub over nothing (55% total) than were concerned. A troubling few answered as if they are sure they will be victims of Pluto–but they should remember, as one of the options said, Pluto can’t do anything to us that we don’t agree to.

And have a great Monday!

Seeking Advice During Mercury Retrograde

06 Monday Oct 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury

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Just a reminder that, in these tough times when so many of us are looking for effective guidance, we must remember that most basic of admonitions: seek advice from those who really know. Sometimes we lose the logical connection during a Mercury retrograde; we forget that the proof is in the ‘life pudding,’ so to speak. Does it make sense to ask for relationship advice from someone who can’t sustain one? or to ask financial advice from someone who can’t make a living? how about health advice from someone who is not able to resolve their own health issues in a timely way? No, it doesn’t make sense at all; but we can easily forget this in the midst of Mercury retrograde, when we feel a lot of pressure to decide, get things done/ going, to make up our minds; this might be an especially pressing issue for those experiencing a hard transit from Mars right now. If we use our intuition in seeking advice, we’ll do well–as long as it’s truly our intuition speaking, and not our agitated and frustrated mental faculties as they struggle against the retrograde tide.

Are we requiring perfection of those who offer guidance, formally or informally? Not at all; nor should we–learning comes through experience. But to seek, say, financial advice from those struggling to make ends meet makes no sense–if one can’t do ‘it,’ whatever it is, for themselves, then how can they advise others? It’s the same in any area–would you call an electrician to handle a plumbing problem? You see my point. (This also implies that the individual has some asset they could and probably should exploit, that’s being ignored in favor of something else, likely something that is feeding the ego, and little else).

What about those who offer advice but are not truly up to the task? I have a theory about what people choose to do in life: they either choose to do something they’re really good at, or they choose to do the very thing they actually need done for them. I realized this when I met a nurse who desperately desired nurture from the Universe; and she wasn’t a very good nurse!

This doesn’t mean that we avoid learning new functions, or that we only undertake what we are already competent with; it does mean that we don’t ‘practice’ on others until we are very clear about ourselves.

 

The August Eclipses, 2008

28 Monday Jul 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, eclipse, Moon

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The August Eclipse set will fire us up (Leo) and present us with a distinct mental challenge (Aquarius): do we put ourselves first, or do we go with the group? For some, this will translate into an even more personal dynamic, with a twist: the dilemma will be between weighing the efficacy of what we must do to earn individual glory, versus the temptation to rebel against group demands, which offer an implied glory for the individual (likely of a reflective nature, where the individual basks in the glory of group achievement or ascendancy), just without the personal ‘spotlight’ effect. So, the essence of the eclipse influence will be a measuring of action (Fire) in terms of a kind of ‘attention payoff,’ with the main question involving whether the choices must be independent and Self-focused to attain Self-glory, or whether acts must comply with what the group thinks, wants, requires in order to earn its acclaim.

The total Solar eclipse of August 1st occurs at 3:12 AM PDT at 9 Leo 32, and is part of a single configuration; the Sun/Moon conjunction, opposed Earth, forms a T-square with Vesta in Taurus (see previous entry for other aspects active at this point). A fire lights us from within as the Moon and Sun meet; the aspect pattern says we will assess our material situation to see how this fits with the urge to act, and it also implies our conflicts in this regard will be presented by the home situation, the sex life, and/ or those subjects we hold sacred. That’s a formidable challenge, and one that is at the core of who we are; in order to successfully negotiate the eclipse energy, we must determine what our essential sacred values are, and then we must act accordingly. This is, however, only the initial phase of the set, and so we look to the Lunar eclipse that follows for clues as to how this scenario will play out.

The two weeks between the eclipse points will be fraught with tension, at least as regards our personal ambitions and our urge to forward our own cause. Though some may paint this as too much Self-focus, too vain, it is an absolutely appropriate response–no time should be wasted in judging ourselves for what occupies our attention. Instead we must make a concerted effort to understand our priorities, and what we need to fulfill the Leonine desire for acclaim. Focus on the Leo related elements of your natal chart will outline the methods, venues, and most effective approach(es) that you can take in dealing with the initial eclipse energy. During the two week interim both Mercury and Venus move from Leo to Virgo, and gently move our processing abilities from concentration on ego needs to the categorization and details that will help us implement the actions we’ve discovered we must take in order to thrive. When each of these energies meets Saturn (Mercury the 15th, Venus the 13th) be prepared to be presented with either an actual material manifestation of the action-need, or with an idea or concept that will point the way to fulfillment–either way, it will be solid; the only thing preventing successful use will be an unwillingness to recognize what’s come to us.

The partial Lunar eclipse (Full Moon) arrives at 2:15 PM PDT on August 16th at 24 Aquarius 21. Is a partial eclipse less powerful than a total one? I like to think so, simply because ‘total’ suggests an overwhelming influence we can’t avoid, while ‘partial’ gives us wiggle room, and possibly implies that some will remain largely unaffected by this contact unless it also aspects a personal natal placement or point.

This is a meshing of Moon and Earth, a blending of emotion/ intuition and the material; the Sun in opposition puts ego and Soul urges ‘out there,’ either in direct contrast to, or unavailable or unrelated to, the Moon/ Earth combo. The Soul/ ego/ identity becomes ‘the Other,’ and our focus becomes the emotional reaction to the material surroundings/ situation. We look to the feeling reality to guide us in material choices; the sensibilities respond to the unseen behind the physical world and the everyday object. We can make decisions about material matters with uncanny emotional accuracy at this point, if we can allow intuition to work ‘in the moment’–trying to get intuitive insight ahead of the game means we will be relying on every faculty except the intuitive–keep this in mind if you happen to be one who finds it difficult to walk into something without your mind already made up.

At Lunar Eclipse time we also see Mars exactly square Pluto and sextile Ceres, Chiron less than one degree from conjunction with the North Node, and Venus exact trine Vesta. Less precise in aspect, but still of note, are Ceres sesquiquadrate Juno and quincunx Pluto. These aspects suggest the atmosphere we’ll face as we are immersed in the emotional/ material meld. The ego Self will be bent on destruction or transformation, either in concert with or on its own authority; action feels both necessary and justified, but that authortiy on which we rely, whether personal or external, may need adjustment in order to truly be in our own best interests, the kind that keep us empowered, and again, the destruction/ transformation urge is linked with this. With Chiron/ NN and Venus trine Vesta we see elements of (misperceived) fatedness or woundedness, and a possibly too-adamant reverence for the sacred, enter the mix. These can make us intractable, unreasonable, and can give the ego too strong a foothold on the action, as it uses what we hold dear to justify nearly anything it wants. On the positive side, we may see Chirotic skills brought to the fore, and a true appreciation for relationships/ assets; we may even profit from events.

Though eclipse effects are strongest at the event itself, influences will play out through to the next eclipse set in January/ February 2009. Matters of Self, Self-promotion, and absorption/ resistance to the group will be recurring themes; look to the Houses of the natal chart where the eclipses occur for the areas of your life mostly likely to be affected.

Watch the eclipse here: http://oregonspacegrant.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/view-a-full-solar-eclipse-webcast-live-at-omsi-august-1-2008/

!

Pallas Into Taurus: the Wise Earth

19 Monday May 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Pallas, Pluto, Saturn

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We’ve seen startling transformations to the solid structures of the Earth, whether man-made or natural, in the earthquakes in China, with the unseasonal tornadoes across the United States, with the massive cyclone in Myanmar, and I’m sure there have been many other instances of destruction of the current reality, figurative and literal, in many many places. Saturn and Pluto have been showing their willingess to embrace each other; destruction and the solid easily combine, and humankind loses what they count on in the process. With Pallas entering Taurus, we’ll witness a Grand Trine for approximately one week, from the 20th to the 27th. What can we expect when Pallas puts down her shield and spear, and looks to plowing the field? 

The spirit of Taurus is of the Earth itself; when the Warrior Queen enters the sign of the Bull, she puts aside her armor, leaves the battlefield, and returns to the source of sustenance and creation. This is represented by Taurus as the sign of the fields, of gardens and growth (though agriculture is Virgo–why?–because Taurus is the seed, the act of planting that is akin to faith, while Virgo is the gathering in on a large scale of the product); as well, Taurus is the actual soil things grow in, and as such she is the sign that represents those crafts and artisanal skills that are quite literally of the Earth and its products, such as sculpting, pottery, cooking, the fashioning of jewelry, and use of stone and wood to build.

Pallas steps onto the fertile Earth, and a set of talents entirely different than those we’ve seen during her time in Aries come forward. Pallas is an indicator of practical and artisanal abilities herself, and when in Taurus she becomes the pair of hands that deals skillfully with all that the Earth produces. She is also a businesswoman, and as such will deal in Taurus with the material, the tangible, with the real estate (in its most expansive sense) of each one of us. She will help us re-build, help us find a home, bring us to fertile ground, in one sense or another.

When she enters Taurus she creates a Grand Trine with Saturn and Pluto, and should aid in recovery from all the devastation that the Earth and her inhabitants have been experiencing. This aid will be practical and beautiful; Pallas is nothing if not wise in her choices. To respect Pallas is to honor our own wise inner voice, as well as our most useful skills and abilities. For this week long period, we’ll see some of the most meaningful steps being taken in building, planting, with energies rising Phoenix-like from Mother Earth. Check the House in the natal chart where this will occur for you to know where best to apply your Taurus and Pallas oriented efforts–you can make significant strides during the week long trine, and can exercise the wisdom of Pallas Athena in all Earth-related matters as she helps us move forward toward a productive and bountiful summer.

A Heat Wave, Ants Invade, Progress is Made

16 Friday May 2008

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It’s not supposed to be 93 in May in Oregon, but it is; why does reality constantly contradict what’s ‘supposed to be’? That’s so irritating. For once curious about the weather, I looked at the current aspects, just to see what I could see (or imagine, or make up). At first I had no idea what to look for; should I concentrate on elements, certain ‘weather-y’ planet characteristics, hard aspects? (And I’ll apologize right now to those who are more knowledgeable about mundane astrology than am I–I’m making this up as I go along!) Then it jumped out at me: Chiron/ Neptune/ the North Node conjunct in Aquarius, trine Mercury/ Ceres in Gemini, Mercury semi-square Mars in Leo. Debilitating (or perhaps wounding) weather, very humid (fog formed yesterday morning, with temps in the high 70s), a sign of climate change? (NN), contacting changeability and the seasons/ Mother Nature, all in Air, heated up by hard contact to Mars in Fire. Hot air. That describes so much!

Have you heard about the ants that crawled off a cargo ship in Houston two years ago and have now taken over five Texas counties? Dubbed ‘Raspberry Ants’ for the exterminator who first identified them, they are blanketing Pearland, and moving northwest. The good news: they eat Fire Ants, and their own bite is very mild; the bad news: they are unaffected by existing pesiticides. We see a possible indicator of their arrival two years ago with the Ceres/ Neptune conjunction–Mother Nature sneaks in under Neptunian obscuring cover. So why are we hearing about it now? I’m going back to that same well, with the Ceres/ Mercury conjunction in Gemini trine Neptune/ Chiron/ NN, communication, nature, the obscured facet revealed, the skills we need to develop (or is it Neptune, the poison we’ll create?) to deal with this; and today the Moon briefly creates a Grand Trine, perhaps making the importance of this obvious to all. The involvement of the North Node at this point suggests to me that we’re just recognizing that this may be ‘where we’re headed,’ and that it won’t just peter out, but needs to be addressed.

Two days ago my husband received an offer for a new job–it means a promotion, and also a move. The Universe truly does work in mysterious ways. The time when he was offered the job put transiting Sun conjunct exact N Jupiter, and the T Ascendant exact conjunct his MC. But what am I to make of the four horaries that all pointed toward this coming Tuesday, the 20th, as the day of resolution? I’m very curious to see what next week brings–he’s accepted the job, but no paperwork has been signed–in fact, it won’t be until June 16th. I do not like the looks of this day, and am going to ask him to change it to the 23rd (his other option to start). Among the problems: Mercury is retrograde, Pluto is back in Sag, Jupiter is quincunx the South Node, Chiron is conjunct the North Node, and the Sun is sextile Vesta (these latter three are exact). Some of this doesn’t change in just a week, but at least Merc would be direct, with paperwork on that date initiated before the Moon goes Void of Course. Though not an ideal situation (he’ll have to drive one and a half hours each way until we can move), we are grateful and in many ways, it’s a vast improvement over the current, soon-to-end situation. Many thanks to all who offered their kind words and support during yet another personal crisis! I hope that means I’m done with those for a while. UPDATE: The horaries were right! He received a second job offer, for even more money, in an even better situation. Now, I almost delight in bad news, for like Jung I immediately think, “What good will come of this?” I’ve got so much proof that that’s true!

The Devouring Mother: Happy Post (or Anti-) Mother’s Day!

12 Monday May 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, Chiron, current events in the sky, relationship astrology

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So we have this T-square formed right now with the axis of the Taurus Sun/ Scorpio Earth squaring Aquarian Chiron, and coming into orb as it did just in time for the pseudo-holiday celebrating guilt and obligation that we generally feel toward our mothers (and come on ladies, it’s up to us to break the cycle with the next generation–let’s free our children, so that when they come to us, they come to us out of love, simply and completely), and this touchy config may have led to some less-than-pretty scenes. Oh, things may have gone well on the surface, but how many of us cringed with carrying out the expected (no, required) obeisance? And how many of us saw dissatisfaction expressed, the kind that poked at the primal wound (Chiron) through a not-so-positive evaluation of our material choices (Earth) or our Soul’s necessary direction (Sun)?

Don’t get me wrong; I’m a mother myself, and know what an incredibly difficult, long term task it is to even try to guide and provide for another human being who comes to us helpless and, to some extent, unformed. It’s been said that mothering is the toughest job in the world; but I believe that mothering well is the toughest job in the world. We definitely need to make a distinction between those who approach the job with the best of intentions and a willingness to do their utmost to provide what their child truly needs, and those for whom motherhood has been a role Self-centeredly, if not unconsciously, played.

If you were lucky yesterday (or today, or tomorrow, or the next day, until the Sun/ Earth moves askew to Chiron) you were or will be reminded of one or more of your most personal, unique, and useful skills/ strengths. These are talents you are born with (and as such your association to Mom may be in some way a trigger, or interwoven emotionally, with this, possibly triggered particularly by the Nodal proximity, which as we know is natally mother-related), that you are probably the best person on the planet to deliver to the world, that you don’t need a license, degree, or permission to use (though you may need to take this attribute from a sensitive spot to a positive ability before you can employ it), and these few days are ones that may bring this to the surface.

Now all of this is just a pre-rumination on the real-life possibilities of a terribly unflattering maternal Archetype, the Devouring Mother (and don’t worry, fathers get equal time; for instance, in the form of child-devouring Chronos, so frightened of a prediction that he would be surpassed by one of his offspring that he ate every one of them he could find!) I’ll post a second part soon, with the chart of a real-life example of the Devouring Mother for us all to inspect.

My 12th Comes to Life

10 Saturday May 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Pluto, Saturn

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Though I’m loathe to talk about myself (1st House Pisces Moon–see my previous article on how we want to hide!) it almost seems a disservice to relate to my readers, and to astrology, as if it’s all an abstraction, ‘out there,’ and of course part of my job is to apply astrology to real life–so sometimes, as when I spoke of my own recent health crisis, it seems appropriate to share. Almost two weeks ago my husband was told his job would no longer exist as of July 1st. This was more than a shock (and Uranus is conjunct my natal Moon! I was warned of this by an alert reader months ago, but my response was, “Yes, but I think this has already come about with ‘x'” Boy was I off!)–the situation didn’t make sense–my husband’s the guy who actually supervises everyone else, does all the paperwork, keeps things in compliance and running–what were they thinking? That leaves the people who deal directly with the clients, and the big-wigs who do . . . I don’t know what. On top of this, we’ve always been the ones to do the leaving, to wave good-bye to one circumstance as it recedes in the rear view mirror and to head off toward another–no one’s ever said, “You can’t have this job anymore” to either of us. So setting aside the blow to the ego, we’ve both gone through the five stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) in lightning-quick speed, largely because we’ve both got an extremely strong belief that the Universe is to be trusted, that this is happening not just with good reason, but with our consent. I look at the transits to my chart (and maybe this is a weakness for me, that I’m not constantly ruminating on my own chart) and of course see that one of my greatest fears (held for me in the subconscious 12th, which is Saturn-ruled), the fear of extreme impoverishment (and of course it’s extreme, my Libra Sun must swing to radical ends before it balances itself out) and destruction (my packed 8th House) has come to reality (T Saturn just 13 minutes from N Pluto in the 7th of spouse, the other, the audience, Art–Pluto rules the 9th, which contains Venus and the North Node–Saturn also squares the Midheaven, sextiles Neptune, semi-sextiles Mercury).

Or has it? The more time that passes, the more this seems like an obvious blessing. My husband’s workplace is not just dysfunctional, it seems to be imploding (and there’s some question as to whether his position received the ax because he pushed strongly for compliance with federal mandates, and the powers that be were highly resistant–likely because the obvious analysis would have displaced one or more of them). It has challenged us to move toward what we say we want–and though I love my life here, there are things I want to do that will not happen in this spot. It’s pushed us both to make choices, and I’m grateful for the wake-up call to move us forward in so many ways. Yes, we could still lose our house, could still find ourselves in tough straits–but as I work to live in the moment, what I find is that everything is really going very well–and I’m challenged to trust that whatever the future brings, even if it appears disastrous, is right for us.

Silly me, when I first contemplated the possibilities of the Saturn to Pluto transit, I skimmed over the idea of job loss for my husband (7th House location). Saturn and Pluto have always been my friends, and the idea of him losing his position didn’t make logical sense, so I actually looked forward to this. And now, almost two weeks after revelation, I finally am once again anticipating that this contact will, eventually, be a positive one. One last aside, as an astrologer I of course have done some horaries related to possibilities–and had to laugh, as in three separate charts asking three separate questions and cast at totally different times/ dates, the indication has consistently been that resolution (likely in the form of a new job) will manifest May 20th. I’ll keep you informed!

Jupiter Reverses, Mars Enters Leo: The Madness!

08 Thursday May 2008

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We may be feeling a little unhinged as of late, and I think I’ll lay blame at the feet of giant Jupiter as it retrogrades (the 9th at 3:57 AM PDT) and our little internal warrior Mars as it escapes Watery, touchy-feely Cancer for the bravura Fire of Leo (the 9th at 1:21 PM PDT). We’re stirred up yet short-circuited in our bid to keep getting bigger, in some vital way. Jupiter’s turnaround point forces a pause, and a reconsideration of just what we’ve been up to; and it always comes just when we feel we’re on the verge of that BIG breakout.

Why would the Universe orchestrate such a frustrating pattern? We get a clue in the way the Sun trines Jupiter just after retrograde–this points up that we have reached a reasonable peak relative to our efforts, and now must in some way re-visit our path to this moment, if not for revision then at least for time to truly assimilate what’s occurred. But what happens when, as we’ll see now, the ego and assertive urge undergoes its own ‘crisis’ as it moves from one sign to the next?

Mars is liable to burst forth as it hits Leo. Simultaneous to entry into the sign of the Lion, Mars will quincunx Pluto and then semi-sextile Saturn, and this influence will be felt! The urge to run forward will plunge us into some dark material, some of it by accident, some by design as we hope to erradicate problems and ‘clean it up.’ Saturn’s involvement may bring energies into reality more easily than we would typically anticipate–and then our Mars/ Pluto quincunx will be staring us right in the face–so what should we do, now that we have a chance to make real change?

My thought is that we can look to the House(s) Mars rules in the natal chart, and to Pluto’s natal state in general, for appropriate and effective outlets for this exuberant (and if not controlled, destructive) energy. Elimination of the negative, the encumbrance, the hurtful thing that’s been holding us back, is possible, and timed with Jupiter’s withdrawal of permission to expand indefinitely, implies a graceful intelligence at work in the Universe that prevents us from overdoing the destruction or elimination; instead Jupiter helps us avoid leaping over the brink, and saves us from devastating sturctures, relationships, and creations that we would never be able to recover.

Pluto Transforms Us All

01 Thursday May 2008

Posted by in aspects and placements, astrology, current events in the sky, Pluto

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It seems that tremendous change, if not disaster, has come to everyone in one form or another. What gives? Weren’t all these Grand Trines supposed to bring earthly nirvana, wonderful bounty, and make it really easy to get what we want? Apparently not. Of course, I read trines as an ease in expression; I don’t necessarily see this as positive. So, I’m not surprised by the many traumas and major life developments all around me; I am surprised, shocked, even, by the extremity of the manifestations, by the sheer magnitude of the events. We’re not just seeing death in the vicinity, we’re seeing the life-altering death of parents or siblings or spouses; we’re not just seeing the loss of a job or position, we’re seeing the security and income of entire families wiped out; we’re not just seeing the disintegration or severing of relationships, we’re in the midst of bruising alterations of vital relationships, the kind we use as an emotional refuge, now gone from the face of the earth with a tsunami-like influx of change–but what’s really driving this?

The nature of the change shouts Pluto, and with it sitting at 00 Capricorn we may be seeing Pluto’s blunt introduction of what its time in Cap will really be like: paring everything it touches to the bone. Why didn’t this happen when it first entered Capricorn last winter? Possibly the effect was downgraded somewhat, particularly by the encounter of Pluto and Jupiter in December; that set up the origins of what’s occurring now, but so subtly that we didn’t take those tiny tremors for anything we couldn’t handle, and didn’t already have figured out. We met what came, adjusted, and felt we’d weathered the storm, patting ourselves on the back and thinking we’d come out of that with barely a nick–silly mortals!

As I mentioned in writing about this pairing at the time, this conjunction has the habit of triggering major changes that take some time to surface. Look back twelve years, and tell me there wasn’t a similar, irretrievable shift in your world then, too. The unfortunate part is that currently we are both extremely capable of handling these crises and even making the most of them, but we are also simultaneously incapable of discerning exactly where the correct path lies, and fear is a major factor here (Neptune, North Node, Chiron conjunct; Saturn conjunct the South Node; Mars quincunx Neptune/ North Node, Mars opposed Jupiter, for a touch of exaggeration!)

It reminds me of what was my basic theory of the situation on the show ‘Lost,’ before the story shot off in a thousand different directions: I thought each character was in a netherworld where they encountered their deepest, most secret fear; a fear of not being able to step up to the task or the challenge or the responsibility, to be honest, to walk away from the addiction, to keep someone important to you alive and safe, to love. I suspect that’s the mechanism here; we’re meeting a form of our worst fear, and we must call up from our best selves all that the situation requires. 

What can we do to cope? Hang tight, and even if you’re a born pessimist, become both a realist and an optimist; the combination of clear seeing and faith in the positive is in my opinion the ticket out of this. I’m not talking about hope–that’s something we offer when we are able to, or intend to, do nothing–I’m talking about an attitude that trusts the Universal wisdom and the rightness of all things and pairs this with a willingness to do, to be inventive, to allow inspiration, quite literally, welcoming the Universal spirit, and  continuing to dream, to live, to become.