The Saturn Opposition to Uranus #3- More Polarization

The coming week of September 14th – to the 20th is a very busy one astrologically. With Pluto turning direct last Friday, September 11th, we will have three major transits occurring this week each of which us significant by itself. By ‘significant’ I am referring to several key ideas. It is at times like these when new ideas are introduced into one’s life that can indicate a new path for a person. For example, each New Moon introduces something new for a person which will develop as the phases of the Moon progress. When there are three signatures of change in just one week, however, it indicates that the week could have a great deal of promise as well as bring about major revelations. I believe that is what is happening right now.

Let’s get into the details which are as follows:

1. On Tuesday, September 15th at 5:50am PDST Saturn will oppose Uranus for the 3rd time.
2. Friday, September 18th at 11:44am marks a very significant New Moon at 25 degrees of Virgo.
3. Finally, on September 20th at 3:05am we reach the mid-point of the Mercury retrograde cycle which is called the Inferior Conjunction.

Today’s newsletter article will focus primarily on the Saturn opposition to Uranus which has been strongly affecting our lives during the past year. Let me also mention to new readers that I often use political and current events occurring in this nation and the world to show how astrology is affecting us in a ‘macro’ way. Part of the reason for this is that some readers really do want to hear more about the way astrology affects mundane events in our world. Others, who are not particularly interested in outer events, can also benefit from this since it gives an archetypal look at the general nature of the astrological transits. Maybe we can apply the themes in our personal life in a more constructive way than nations can. A newsletter cannot show how a transit is likely to affect an individual, so perhaps readers can extrapolate from the general description as to how they are being affected personally.

I do have an idea I’m working on that may solve some of this problem and hope to announce it when Mercury goes direct in late September.

When an outer planet affects Saturn, some structure (Saturn) will need to change or be reformed. Saturn rules both sides of a difficult to understand dichotomy. On one hand, it reveals the structure that may need to change and does so in a very concrete and realistic way, while it also simultaneously evokes resistance to that change. This is an inevitable process and is a part of the way change takes place. It would certainly help if the agents of change and those who resist it could understand this fundamental fact. For if both sides did understand, the crazy emotions and fears that are being engendered in our political system, might be either reduced or handled in a more constructive way. Unfortunately this is not occurring in the U.S. right now, which brings us to what I believe the present Saturn opposition to Uranus is revealing.

The Culture Conflict Threatening the U.S.

The present transit is an opposition and like a Full Moon it reveals where we are as a people about some issue. Keywords for such transits are culmination and fulfillment. What was born at the time of the conjunction (like the New Moon) can now be seen in a stark and clear manner. Thus, an opposition goes way beyond politics or any political process. It also goes beyond the so-called health care debate, which in my view is not a debate in any manner whatsoever. The Obama speech on health care this week was overshadowed by the well publicized scene of Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina calling Obama a liar. He yelled out for all to hear- “You lie!” This is hardly by itself important. But that’s exactly what astrology can help us understand. At this time, that small scene tells us that something far bigger is being revealed. What he did is something not done in our political system. In England, it would not be a big deal. But here, it is a clear indication of tremendous disdain for Obama. It says that neither Obama nor the office of the President is worthy of respect. Yes, he apologized, but that’s not the point. Rep. Joe Wilson is not the point. This breach of Congressional etiquette shows us that behind his shocking words are tremendous fear, anger, resentment and a passion about something that is being cloaked in a political context.

Wilson, like many of the conservative base of the Republican Party is afraid that they are losing ‘their’ country. What could bring about such intense reactions? It is too simplistic to blame the media (Fox News and Rupert Murdoch in particular) for to do so is to avoid confronting the real depth of the fears that do exist in this country. This has been brewing, in my view, for 50 years. Ever since the revolutionary 60’s, there has been a portion of this country who have been scared and who further are also easily scared to heights unimaginable to me years ago. They are ready to be scared and watch TV hoping to be scared even more. Luckily for them, but not for the country, there are plenty of means at their disposal. When a person operates from or out of fear, ordinary logic does not work. No logic will appeal to their better sense. Wilson even admitted that he didn’t know what came over him. More importantly however, his words arose from the millions of people who are afraid just as he is. They are on the lookout. He, for a moment, was their speaker.

This one incident is the tip of a huge iceberg that the present transit is demonstrating for all to see. Unfortunately neither logic, debate nor rational discourse can touch this growing national emotional force that is beginning to culminate now. It is serious and in my view does threaten the ability for this nation to be able to come together for a single purpose. The transits coming soon (especially the transit of Uranus squaring Pluto) could literally bring about an increased desire on the part of some citizens to secede from the U.S. It is not inconceivable that this country could divide itself in the coming decade. That is itself an very shocking thought.

This speaks of a cultural phenomenon that is an underlying force ruling the political process today. If it continues, where can it lead? What is the natural outcome if nothing changes? Putting it even more bluntly, can the red states and blue states get along? Can the rural and urban areas see that they need each other? Can the religious right allow others to exist in “their” nation? This is what I am referring to when I speak of cultural polarization.

Saturn will oppose Uranus two more times before completing its cycle. It will oppose on April 26th 2010 at 28 degrees of Virgo and Pisces and finally on July 26th, 2010 at 0 degrees of Aries and Libra. This last opposition is highly volatile as the 0 degree of any cardinal sign marks the beginning of a new cycle and creates an influx of a tremendous amount of new energy. What we see emerging strongly now is going to continue to increase.

This Is No Way To End a Newsletter Article

It is never wise to end an article on a somber note. Also, it is true that oppositions occur all the time in life and can be handled in very creative and healing ways. In fact, it often takes a crisis of one sort or another to see the necessity of healing and the need for compromise or better yet as a close friend urged – collaboration. Oppositions ask us to see the other side and perhaps, to even respect it. That is the way we can not only temper our own arrogance and the belief that we are the ones who are right, but appreciate the viewpoint of another as an aspect of something whole and complete into itself. A viewpoint, no matter what it is, is incomplete. When will we as a nation understand this? There can be no liberal without a conservative and vice versa. Every dualistic thought is actually a set where the two sides obscure an underlying unity. When this is realized, something can transform. This is what oppositions can bring about. This is also how we, as individuals, can take advantage of an opposition. Whether a nation can handle such things in very stressful times, cannot be known. But it is certainly true that we as individuals can find creative ways to solve seemingly impossible conflicts and stresses.

Duality is something than may be transcended. But it has no chance of happening if one side denigrates and invalidates its brother or sister. Yes, its brother or sister. The relationship between two sides of one set is the same as a brother or sister. The moment a person realizes its dependence on the existence of two sides of one set, we are freed from the demand that the war between each side be enacted and re-enacted, over and over again. Am I being too idealistic?

Well, yes, maybe so. But with Jupiter conjuncting Neptune, I do have the right! This is a great time to envision a brighter future, even if it does seem unlikely. And perhaps most importantly- This is the way to end a newsletter article.