Uranus entered Aries for the first time in this cycle on May 29, 2010, but it only visited for a few months before returning into Pisces. This gave us a brief glimpse of what was in store for us but when Uranus entered Aries fully on March 13, 2011 the game changed for good. Uranus will be in Aries for about 7 years or until 2018 and during much of that time it will be squaring Pluto, so it’s really time to take a look at what all this means as we are now able to extrapolate on what we have begun to see.

Uranus is the archetypal symbol of independence, of acting and thinking for oneself instead of blind acceptance of what authority figures may tell us. It is the iconoclast, the person who must challenge the prevalent beliefs and even attempt to destroy old, outworn structures, institutions, and symbols. This, of course, will be resisted by the structures in charge at the time, but especially if those structures are seen as dominating the people of that nation by dictators, autocrats, and monarchs. Uranus in Aries, amplifies this much further as Aries needs to be able to roam free, unfettered by outside figures who seek to control, limit or curtail the Aries spirit that seeks to act in a way that the individual Aries feels it must do. Together, Uranus in Aries will not tolerate restrictions from totalitarian authorities who the Aries will regard as corrupt.

However, it is important to make a distinction between how an individual responds to a potent transit versus how the masses do. In fact, they can act in very different ways. For an individual, the person will be inspired to break free from the past programming and desire to take risks one might not have even considered at other times. One may decide to pursue a path that they could not envision doing in the past, but now, it’s different. Now, one sees that to keep oneself in the status quo is a kind of soul-death. To feel alive, one must grow at all costs, leave the past behind and follow one’s Bliss, as Joseph Campbell (an Aries) put it. But when this type of transit is experienced by the people of an entire nation or continent, Uranus often becomes the chaos maker, seeking revolutionary change at all costs. People mobilize for social causes and for more than just governmental reform. Instead, it may seek revolution. The more severe the oppression, the more severe the response to that oppression will be. I have often wondered why dictators so often refuse to understand this. Mubarak is only the first major leader of an Arab country to ignore this truth and has fallen as a result.

The Arab World

What we are witnessing in the Arab world is truly historic. It is likely that we are seeing a fundamental paradigm shift in that area of the world. Admittedly, as is typical of Uranus, there is always great uncertainty about where things will go. All one knows is that there is a demand for change. No doubt some changes will be constructive, while others will be worse than what existed before. Unfortunately though that is the way of things, is it not?

We have seen revolution in Egypt and Tunisia. Libya seems to be on course to the overthrow of Qaddafi. Of potentially much greater significance, Syria is seeing mass killings by a dictator seeking only to stay in power, which of course, means that his power is likely to be on the way out. We see unrest in Bahrain, Yemen and other countries. Every citizen in the Arab world is watching developments closely resulting in the development of a spiral towards more and more countries falling to this growing desire for change. Each successful revolution motivates the citizens of other countries, emboldening them, and makes them more willing to die for their cause. Is this not a revolutionary spiral we’re seeing? How can we know where events will go? The truth is that no one knows where it will lead or when it will stop. The huge royal family of Saudi Arabia has got to be very concerned as their dominance is certain to be increasingly questioned and even attacked. We haven’t even had the first square of Uranus to Pluto, meaning that what is happening now is just a run up to what will be emerging in the next year.

Where is this going?

Many journalists are using the term I have chosen for the title of this article. The Arab leaders, in power for many decades and longer, are accustomed to having their form of dictatorship go unquestioned. It was assumed that it would never end. And, of course, the idea of democracy being introduced was unthinkable not long ago. But these assumptions are no longer true. So, the term ‘democracy virus’ is being used to describe what is growing exponentially in the Arab world. It is radically new and to the leaders at least, it is regarded as an aberration, a virus that must be destroyed and a threat to their idea of what their life is supposed to be. But it is growing more each day and is not likely to end.

As most of the readers of this blog know already, we can attribute this to the internet and the emergence of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. Both of these are ruled by the planet Uranus and the sign of Aquarius. And of course, the smart phone, which is transforming our world yet again, bringing us closer together in some ways, but, in my view, farther apart in other ways. (But that’s for another time.) There seem to be two strategies to deal with democracy virus – the carrot and the stick. The dictators are using violence and payoffs as their only alternative. But how can this work for long if the real need of this part of the world is the kind of participation that can only be found in democracy or at least some degree of it.

The Paradox

Here is what I find the most interesting. On one hand, we see that Aries is a sign of individualism. One of the chief ways this is emerging in the U.S. is the revolutionary spirit that regards government in the same way that many citizens in the Arab world think of their autocratic leadership. Does anyone find this odd? Is it the same? Is the U.S. system a monolithic, dictatorial system?

In Egypt, what really angered the people the most? The answer is clear. It was the corruption in the Mubarak government. I don’t know if he would have been ousted if it weren’t for this. Is this not where the anger really comes from when there is revolutionary talk? So, in the Arab world democracy is seen as the answer to corruption, but what about in the U.S.? Are the people of the U.S. asking for more democracy? Well, in some ways we are seeing this. In a very unusual move, the people of southern Arizona want to form their own state. They’ve named it Baja Arizona. Why? Because the people of Tucson feel they have no power in their very conservative state. These are the liberal and moderate people of Arizona who do not feel their voice will be heard no matter how loud they scream. But will the rest of Arizona permit it? Will the state allow their southern counterparts to have two liberal officials suddenly appearing in the U.S. Senate? Obviously, the greater number of conservative voters are not going to give permission for this to happen as it would totally nullify the conservative influence the state of Arizona now has in the Senate. And there are other states where a similar theme exists and is occurring from both sides of the aisle.

So, what does this tell us? As I mentioned Uranus brings in new paradigms, new ways of seeing problems and even more new ways of solving them. If we focus on events only, the coming 3-4 years may bring about much talk within states that can change the structure of the U.S. It could be like what we are seeing in Arizona where one state splits into two or there may be secession talk. Already we are seeing states refuse money from the ‘evil’ federal government. Is the U.S. government truly the same as Mubarak in Egypt or Assad in Syria? But we need to look at more than just events. We also must value the coming opportunities for new thinking and new approaches that are outside the present political two-party system.

Let’s see how astrology might help us. The fact is that no sign exists alone. In fact, I do not believe that it is possible to fully understand one sign if you do not also understand it’s opposite. So, to understand Aries, one must know about Libra as well. By definition, a ‘set’ is composed of two sides, each of which depends on the other in order to exist. When this is seen thoroughly, it can help us move forward. When a set of opposing forces is seen, we recognize that the first step is to realize the limitation of approaching any problem that is posed in a dualistic manner. So, if Aries is the archetype of individualism, then Libra as its opposite sees how important social equality and harmony is for a society. Libra knows that the social contract is important. This means that a society must find a balance between the forces of individualism and social harmony, which is naturally a state of tension. Each of these archetypal needs must be validated as necessary. Tension can either break us down or it can motivate us to find creative solutions.

To apply this to politics in the U.S., I am suggesting that to label people as either conservative or liberal is itself an underestimated problem as it prevents our present form of government from being able to solve problems. Instead, let’s suppose that two things were added to our approach to government. First, suppose the citizens of the U.S. found a way wherein they could approach solving specific problems on an individual basis and secondly, found a way to debate those issues in a way that was truly informative before the decisions were made. What would happen? I believe consensus could be developed about many issues, because despite the seeming rancor constantly bombarding us by the 24-hour news cycle, most reasonable people would agree on many things if the issues were broken down into manageable problems. But this would mean the destruction of both parties as they exist now. It would also mean the destruction of the incredibly powerful lobbying groups who have so much influence over the decision-making process. Is this even possible given the fact that these forces dominate the entire process? Must we not either find real solutions to the significant problems we face or be bogged down into immobility?

My purpose here is not to propose or predict a possible future as much as it is to suggest a truly different paradigm for how decisions could be made in a democracy. In fact, I am suggesting we become more of a democracy than we are now, where money rules all decisions. Is this our definition of democracy? Or is this the definition of corruption? I think it is the latter. These ideas are not inconsistent with Uranus in Aries because Aries can be bold and give more weight to the individual while Libra, as its opposing force, reminds us that we also must have a relationship with our fellow citizens.

So, will Uranus in Aries be simply a revolt against ‘big government’, which we are seeing now, or will it become the introduction of a new paradigm about how a people can have influence over the problem-solving process that affects us all? Will Uranus further democracy and seek to oust or minimize corruption, or will it do the opposite and give even more control to the powerful influences controlling the entire decision-making process? By the way, since when do we really believe that a corporation is a person? What is the effect of the Supreme Court deciding that it is? And more importantly, how is this view actually promoting or valuing true individuality? Isn’t that what Aries wants and needs?

Summary

Whenever Uranus is in play, and especially when it squares Pluto, there are opportunities for very significant change. But by change I do not mean revolutions that simply oust one group in favor of another group who have the same basic values and way of operating. This is the time when new kinds of structures can be created, where new values replace the outworn ones and when those who really have the power lose it in favor of a true spirit of democracy. Is this too idealistic? Perhaps it is. But at least in the true spirit of Uranus, the ideas are being expressed. What will happen with these idealistic ideas is unknown, but the coming transits will likely bring forward very unusual and out-of-the-box approaches for consideration.

Here’s a really fun website that you might enjoy about the imaginary debate between the economists John Maynard Keynes and F.A. Hayek that goes into the two opposing ideas of how an economy should be run. It’s called the Economic Fight of the Century.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. May they come from both sides of the aisle and also from the true iconoclasts among you.

We have a Full Moon on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 7:45pm PDT that is very potent and will have effects for many of us that last for more than a year. But first, I want to speak about the Mercury retrograde cycle that we are in and won’t end until next Saturday, April 23, 2011. It is always interesting to see how Mercury retrograde periods can cause some delays, even in the most dynamic of situations. We can be bursting with enthusiasm, optimism and the excitement that comes with wanting to manifest a new dream or just get started making something new happen, but it’s just not quite the time. That’s how it is going to be for us for just a little longer.

Mercury Retrograde

We are in the depths of this retrograde period and I’m hearing story after story about people’s experiences. I’m having some of my own as well. For me, this retrograde has included becoming focused on how to get the right medication that does not have horrible side effects. It’s been quite a battle with many changes, most of which made matters worse, and at times, things seemed hopeless. Right now, something new and very different is being tried with better results. The process may not be over though as we still have 6 days to go, but there is some improvement. Also, I’ve noticed that I am not having a hard time communicating with people I am close to and with whom I really need to speak, but it’s completely different with people who I want to talk to, but who I don’t know yet. It seems to be impossible to get a hold of someone who is new to me. This is not surprising because new relationships are hard to develop while we are in the middle of a Mercury Retrograde. What we need to do instead is focus on areas that need to be reviewed and the people with whom we already have a relationship.

This is a time to really observe what is coming up for us, what is disturbing or bothering us and to deal with it in a straightforward and direct way. This period is about confronting what is. My thought here is that what this retrograde does is force us to get to the root of something that has been dangling or avoided much to our detriment. We often can let things build up or maybe we don’t express something because we think that it’s not that big of a deal, when in fact, it is. Something festers so that when it does come up, it can come up suddenly, fiercely and erupts without our being able to express it in a constructive manner.

For some people, this may have already occurred while for others, there remains a lingering set of unresolved matters. But what makes this time so important is that it is accompanied by a very potent Full Moon that will push us to act.

Aries-Libra Full Moon

As I’ve often written in previous articles, the Full Moon period, which has been growing for the past several days, is concerned with bringing things to a head. It is a time of culmination or fulfillment and may result in a revealing of something that was born at the New Moon or in this case, which began in the last month or even earlier. But since it is ‘surrounded’ by the retrograde Mercury, what may be emerging now is that which we have been reviewing, looking at and realizing. There are very important things to see here, and we cannot act until they are fully seen. This is what tells us what to do. A Full Moon can create a huge urge for action once we know what we must do. Since the polarity of this particular Full Moon is an Aries-Libra one it is likely to concern itself with relationships and the need to balance one’s own needs with the needs of another person.

Just because we are seeing more clearly now doesn’t mean that what we are seeing is pleasant or comforting. What we do know is that we must not let time go by before we act on what we know we must do. For some, this period is not going to be as intense as what I am describing, but the theme is a common one that can be seen in many different ways. Also, once Mercury does go direct, we will really need to ‘hit the ground running,’ as is often said. By then, we should know what to do and have prepared for getting started on it.

So, while you may be chomping at the bit, don’t worry, your time will come and it will come soon. Also, this Full Moon has a conjunction between Mercury and Mars, which is great for opening to new ideas. It can help us jump start our thought processes and amp up our desire to learn and express what we are thinking and wanting to do. The energy can be super-heated right now in whatever area in which we have become interested and engaged. You can love the desire, but remember also that enthusiasm can wane just as rapidly as it came on. So, if what you are interested in is a passing idea or thought, it’s fine to just fire away with passion, but if you believe that what you are considering right now is more than a passing fancy, you may want to also remember that one cannot learn it all at once.

The Sun enters Taurus on April 20^th, so things will start to slow down a bit then, but only a little as we are going to have several planets in Aries for the next few weeks.

As always, I hope some of our readers will want to share some of how they are experiencing this Full Moon and Mercury retrograde, so please feel free to reply to this article.

If you look at the chart of it, you will see 6 planets in Aries, including the expansionistic Jupiter, which makes us want to climb the highest mountain and conquer that biggest challenge we can imagine. Nothing is impossible right now, or so it seems. Except there is just one little thing to consider in addition to this. In the midst of this joyful, innocent enthusiasm, there is also an exact opposition to Saturn that counterbalances the Aries energy.

Saturn – is the archetype of structure, order, planning, and it slows things down so we can create some kind of form or system. It is an opposing force to the Aries excitement, but it does have its purpose. I do not believe that Saturn in this position automatically puts up obstacles that block the development of anything. Some people think in this way and that belief does in fact create the feared obstacles themselves. A much more constructive way to look at this is to regard Saturn as having an intention that challenges the youthful Aries energy to take what is being considered much more seriously. Right now, something important is happening, and while a new impulse can be wondrous, in this case, some of these impulses are important enough to really matter. They are meant to endure and develop much further that a mere impulse or spontaneous eruption of excitement that lacks follow-through. Right now, I suggest you focus on examining what is coming up for you that is really important and something that demands your attention, effort and hard work.

Saturn retrograde – the stabilizing planet, the rings that set boundaries and asks us to make conscious choices is still retrograde and will be until early June. We can get frustrated with Saturn’s slow pace and delays, but actually this period is not just mere stoppages. There is a purpose to the Saturn retrograde period and it is this. There is something we need, before we can go forward successfully in whatever we are working on and this is the time to go back and pick it up. We often do not know what that is exactly. It could be knowledge, information, etc., or it could be a person we need to meet and perhaps partner with, before we can achieve the aims we’ve set for ourselves. We are in that period now, and in fact, it may have already appeared.  This is due to the completion of the opposition of Jupiter and Saturn that has just occurred as well as the Aries New Moon.

Mercury retrograde – As I wrote in the last newsletter article, usually a Mercury retrograde period asks us to review and reconsider some area of our life. Often, new information comes in that requires that we look at things from a new, fresh perspective. Also, we are advised not to act on this new information yet, since more may be coming. Thus we are urged to ponder and even digest what is coming forward, but…..

Mars Conjunct Uranus – is at 1° of Aries. This placement of Aries is an incredibly active and potent starter of new and exciting events. I have already heard from quite a few students and friends as to how they are being affected by this fast-moving and shocking transit. One friend has so many things on her plate she can barely see straight, while another had a bicycle accident. To ask someone to go slow at a time like this is absurd. The energy is too high to be ignored or just placated.

My Suggestion – let’s take a look at these contrary forces and try to make sense of it. The energy demands we really be open to spontaneous inspiring ideas, concepts, and possibilities. And, to me, some of them need to be acted upon, even with all of the reservations I have spoken of in this article. So, the obvious suggestion is to separate thinking and pondering from actually acting and to handle them differently. It is best to be totally open to new thoughts, suggestions, and to follow up on any leads that are developing. When it comes to acting upon them, though, try to keep your cool and slow down enough to really think and see if it’s time to act yet and even if it is, try to determine what the most effective action is right now. Allow yourself to be led by the emerging events and if you really feel you must act, then go for it and see where it leads.

Aries can be incredibly intuitive. Sometimes its just blind luck, and at other times, it’s that sixth sense that knows what to do while not knowing why or how it knows. It seems to me that sometimes astrology can be interpreted as being a little like an old grandma or grandpa who seems to only know two things to say: It’s either “Shhhhh” or “Don’t do…..” So, if you’re in the mood to really ‘go for it” and it seems right, then do it and see where it leads. To ignore the opportunities for inspiration and change is too high price to pay.

I’d love to hear from you on how you are being affected by these opposing forces. So, let’s hear from you.

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”

– Johann Von Goethe

Someone once asked me my sign, and when I told him I’m an Aries, he nodded knowingly and said, “Aaaahh,……Aries, the lovable assholes.” I laughed, but I couldn’t help but think how perfectly that suits us. Don’t play dumb, you Aries. Wha..us??? I know you can’t help it, but surely you’ve figured out by now that we piss a lot of people off.  The one sign that people seem to have a less than indifferent reaction about are the children of the Ram. Who can blame them – Aries are brash, bold, bossy and independent. We’re aggressive and temperamental, seemingly oblivious to the needs and feelings of everyone around us. We can play well with others, but if things don’t go our way, we’re inclined to have a royal hissy, take our toys and go home. It’s not pretty.

Being the first sign of the zodiac, these are the infants in all their messy glory. Like blossoms bursting from the dead of winter, they bring promise and vitality of the new life. It may be hard to imagine this state, as we live with a natural sense of accumulation – experiences, feelings, memories. But with Aries they start with nothing which can be incomprehensibly refreshing. They are a clean slate, the tabula rasa from which they push off, self propelled without the drag of all that psychological gravity. It gives them the drive and enthusiasm combined with an endless curiosity that leaves them open to everything, because everything contains the fresh wonder of discovery. The world has become an amusement park where they plunge in, double-fisted ready to play all the games, win all the prizes.

As an Aries, I want to take some time to address a few misconceptions…

Aries are courageous

Courage implies having a sense of fear and acting in spite of it. It’s really more accurate to say Aries are fearless, but that’s only because we don’t know any better. We have no concept of the future which includes repercussions for our actions, and what could go wrong?, blah blah.  Who has time for that? It just gets in the way of doing, and if we’re breathing, we’re doing. There’s a saying that goes, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” Aries have no more experience of failure than success.  We march out blindly welcoming whatever lies in our path — skinned knees, broken hearts and all.

Aries are self-confident

The truth is deep down we’re the most insecure of all the signs, because we have yet to build up a strong sense of self. Our lives are about building a self. We may be misinterpreted as self-confident simply because we rarely listen to others. We always need to find our own way, stand on our own two feet.

Aries are leaders

It’s true, Aries frequently end up in leadership positions, but that’s only because we charge ahead doing our own thing and people assume we must know what we’re doing and follow. It usually takes Aries a while to figure out there’s a crowd of people behind, but hey, if they want to come along for the ride, that’s OK. Just don’t expect us to have a plan. Like Indiana Jones said, “I’m making it up as I go along.”

Aries are aggressive

We may look tough, and we’ll put up a hell of a fight, but we wouldn’t hurt anyone. Chances are we come out swinging because we’re scared, though we’d rather die  than admit it. Aries are easily wounded, having all of the vulnerabilities you’d expect of a child. We don’t have enough experience to have developed social skills, much less defense mechanisms.  Don’t let the bravado fool you — we may as well have marshmallow peep centers.

Aries are competitive

Well, yeah. Isn’t that the point of a game? But we’re not out to beat you; we’re out to win. There’s a difference. There’s only one prize and the goal is to get it — you just happen to be in our way; it’s nothing personal. In fact, we won’t even notice that there are other people in the game half the time.  Besides, how else can we prove to ourselves that we’re good at something unless we’re winning. Duh.

Aries are bossy

We’re not bossy. We’re just used to getting our way – always, which as you’ll learn is really the best for everyone, because if an Aries isn’t happy, no one will be happy. I’ll let you in on a secret – Aries are the most easily manipulated of all the signs.  It may sound hard to believe, but true. You just have to know which buttons to push. Being basically babies we have a deep, primal need to be loved, so in the end, we’ll do anything to keep from losing your affection.  And you want to know  a surefire way to get us to do something?  Simple – just tell us we can’t. We’ll do it just to prove you wrong.  So there. Man, I am so going to get beat up for dishing all this…

One of the most adored actors of all time was an Aries. Silent screen legend Charlie Chaplin (April 16th) is still considered unparalleled for his abilities with mime and slapstick comedy. His trademark character of ‘The Tramp’ seems to personify the impishly troublesome yet endearing qualities of an Aries and was what made him one of the most famous and beloved stars of his time. He had numerous arguments with directors and producers, but his mammoth success led him to creative independence where he wrote and directed his own films. In an effort to secure independence for film makers, he co-founded United Artists Film Company with other stars seeking to escape the power and control of what was developing into the Hollywood studio system.

At the top of her game, no one could beat Bette Davis (April 5th). Her Hollywood colleagues called her a lot of things, but lovable never came up.  In the category of strong, willful women, she was in class by herself.  Believe it or not, there was a time when women were the box office draws and Bette ruled with a velvet glove. She was intense and forceful, known to be combative and confrontational. At a time when actresses were turning down roles that were too ‘unsympathetic’, she sought them out, seeing them as an opportunity to show her range. Her personality, like her famous line from All About Eve, seems to ring out like the Aries battle cry, “Fasten your seat belt, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

Quentin Tarantino (March 27th) is every independent filmmaker’s hero. He dropped out of school at 16, fervently watching movies as his own home school course.  video store, he wrote Reservoir Dogs in only three weeks.  (Aries don’t mess around – they get the job done.) Since then he has produced, directed and starred in many films, most penned himself.”When people ask me if I went to film school, I tell them ‘no, I went to films.’” Aries can’t be bothered with all the preparation and study. They head straight to the doing part.

The self-aware Aries know how annoying they can be – the ‘asshole’ qualities have been well documented.  But all it takes is walking by a daycare center to remind me of the Aries’ saving grace, and the thing I love most about the sign, which is their purity.  They are the truest and most genuine of all the signs, having no guile or pretense, no manipulation or game playing.  They’re completely honest and direct because they don’t know how to be any other way.  They’re refreshingly candid in a guarded and cynical world.  What you see, is what you get.  Bank on it. Like babes, they are enthralled in the moment, aware and excited by what’s happening right in front of them.  They’re unabashedly fun, infecting others with their enthusiasm and humor transforming even the most mundane of tasks into playtime.  They’re open and trusting, loving as freely as someone who’s never been hurt, and would never hurt you.  When they’re generous, they offer up their gifts with a childlike kindness and sincerity guaranteed to leave you but a melted mess.  And like the Goethe quote, they have a mesmerizing, magical vitality which seems to leave a trail of energy as they boldly fling themselves into everything they do with their entire being, leaving their imprint on all they touch.   Everyone around them feels more alive just being in their presence, and they remind us what a gift life can be.  All the aggravation is forgotten, all is forgiven.  You just gotta love us.

The transit of Jupiter entering Aries has surprised us beyond our imagination and if this revolution does reach even some of its expectations, we are seeing a new paradigm come into being right before our eyes. On one of the political shows, one guest used the word ‘new’ many times and at one point even said that what is happening is an example of the new ‘new’. He just couldn’t find the words to describe the shock of these events. But astrology tells us that much more ‘new’ is coming. Uranus will enter Aries on March 11th which is likely to amp up the demand for freedom even higher. Already citizens of other countries are beginning to protest, including Iran. I thought that something like what is happening in Egypt would occur, but not until Uranus was in Aries. But now that the events in Egypt have occurred already, there’s simply no telling what the month of March will bring. Uranus literally rules revolutions and strengthens the need to break free from restrictive circumstances. We see it in the fact that many protesters refused to stop until they won. They are earning their freedom. But to me the most amazing thing was the way they went about it. One day after Mubarak resigned, I watched as the protestors returned to Tahrir Square to clean the streets, to get rid of the burnt out cars, and to replace the cobblestones they had only one day earlier used to as weapons.

When I wondered what the present transits might bring about, I did not imagine that anything like this would happen peacefully. Aries is willing to fight for what it wants and may not give up until it gets it. But this? I still am taking a ‘wait and see’ attitude. So many things can still go wrong, dashing the hopes of the young Egyptians demand for democracy. Still, the entire Arab world has witnessed this as well as the entire World. It has set a tone, which hopefully others will want to match. We have reason for hope. If Egypt, the largest country in the Arab world, does become truly democratic and peaceful, it could represent a new beginning in geopolitics that we cannot predict at all.

The Coming Full Moon

Early Friday morning, February 18th, we will have a Full Moon. We can expect some of the circumstances we are in or internal things we are undergoing, to come to some kind of culmination or fulfillment. But this Full Moon is going to be a bit odd or strange as the Sun will also conjunct Mars and Neptune. I recently heard that one astrologer referred to Neptune as the ‘Deceptor.’ That was her definition. Such statements are beyond belief to me. Yes, that is one way it can manifest. But it is hardly, the only way.

At the Full Moon, we may feel unclear, confused, especially about what to do about an issue that is confronting us. This is because Mars rules how we want to act or move forward and Neptune is asking us to attune to a different way of knowing that is feeling oriented rather than merely logical. It may be that the cause of the confusion is simply that we not on the right track about something or some person and need to shift the way we are seeing things. In other words, the confusion is caused not by Neptune, but by the fact that we need to ‘feel’ our way through to a new understanding.

Some astrologers believe we are the victims of our chart and of the transits that are befalling us. This approach leads to victimhood and the feeling that the universe is a bad place. It’s out to get us, so to speak, which is called paranoia and not to be promoted at all. So, why not ask different questions, such as “What is this Full moon asking me to recognize?” If I’m confused or uncertain, should I reevaluate something? Also, if we are unclear, maybe it’s not time to act yet. Slowing down and waiting until more is revealed is often the wisest thing to do. Let things develop on their own; cease needing to push so hard. We only do this sort of thing if we want to be in control all the time. Neptune is the most positive when we let go, surrender control to that which we regard as higher than ourselves. The reason why Neptune often manifests negatively is because this archetypal force is giving us a lesson. When we learn that lesson, we become happier and more content. Also, whatever is happening during this period may be showing us where we are too judgmental. I’m not referring to the normal and important need to create proper boundaries between ourselves and others. But Neptune can dissolve the armor that separates us from others and the world, the needless resistance we may have to participating in the fullness of living. I know there is a balancing act here, a tightrope, if you will. But perhaps life is best lived when we do walk this line, especially if we do it consciously. So, yes, Neptune may bring confusion, but we don’t have to confuse being conscious with that same confusion. We can stay conscious and aware of our lack of clarity and be humble enough not to force our way ahead, just because we want to. We can wait until something new is revealed, be open to that process of discovery and see the world in a new light. Try it and I hope some of you will choose to write about your Full Moon experiences.

Jupiter Opposing Saturn while Retrograde

We are in the midst of a 4-month cycle that is as archetypally conflicting in nature as anyone can imagine. As I’ve written in this article, Jupiter in Aries is highly motivated to begin new ventures, just for the sake of change and the desire for action. It loves taking risks and generally feels that whatever it begins will work out, and if it doesn’t, well, it was certainly worth the ride. There is an intense excitement arising in us and a ‘can’t wait for more’ attitude. Let’s just get stated.

Saturn in Libra, especially when retrograde, is about checking in with others and balancing all the issues. It urges us to be patient, to work step by step, and focus on being practical. Saturn retrograde, which lasts until mid-June, does have a purpose. We are required to go back and get something we will need before we will able to move forward. Maybe, we must partner with someone or find something we are lacking that cannot go without.

This transit is getting stronger and will become exact in March, but we are already feeling it. It can be frustrating, of course. In Egypt, the citizenry may become disappointed because things are not moving as fast as they would like, but it does not have to mean that it won’t work out the way they want. It just means that new structures take time to build. That’s what Saturn is all about.

So, how do we handle this or, at least balance it out? Like all oppositions, each side of this set, must get its needs met while also acknowledging its opposite too. We really do have something to be excited about as something new may be developing, especially if your chart is affected personally. But we must also know that we are just getting started, that there are many more steps that must be walked before we will have a foundation in place in order for us to begin to manifest the ideas we now see as important and possible too. It will feel like driving with the foot on the brake, but it’s OK. When Jupiter goes into Taurus this June at almost the same time that Saturn goes direct, we will have our chance to begin the project. For now, we dream, we do what we can, but mostly prepare for the exciting future ahead.

What starts now is important, but it is still dimly lit. It’s too big to be rushed. And if you are not seeing anything yet, just wait, for I think it is likely that many of us will be finding out that something quite new and exciting is in store.

As always, your responses are appreciated and I will answer questions to the best of my ability.

We are about to see some significant changes coming in the near future, but right now, you may find that things may not be moving as this often happens when a planet slows before it changes direction. Right now, though, two planets are about to do this, which makes things even more interesting. Both Venus and Jupiter are turning back to their usual direct motion on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010. When this occurs the days before the change are often intensified, but without any significant changes actually developing. In fact, there can even be frustration due to the fact that there may be a strong desire for change, but very little chance of anything happening. It doesn’t mean that changes aren’t coming though, because they are, but perhaps not quite yet.

We have nearly completed the necessary re-evaluation of our values, relationships and philosophies and have begun to sort out our priorities and the direction we want to move toward, but we may still be in the dark about how and when this will happen. This is because the new cycle has not been born yet. Specifically, let’s take a deeper look at Jupiter. It will turn direct at 23° of Pisces but it will return to the sign of Aries on Jan. 22, 2011. When it does it will trigger a complete shift for us as Pisces is the archetypal end of cycles and Aries is the fiery engaging of the birth of a new cycle. We had a taste of it last summer, but when it does return to Aries this time, it will be moving very quickly and fly through it and move into Taurus by early summer. When Jupiter is both in Aries and moving at a fast velocity, things happen very quickly and sometimes, with little thought. We may find ourselves flying by their seat of our pants. But, that’s not how things are feeling now. In fact, for many people, it can be hard to imagine the scenario I am painting. That’s OK, because right now all we can do is take what comes and work with that.

Venus has moved back into Libra, but most of its retrograde passage has been in Scorpio and that’s where it will return on Nov. 29, 2010. In a recent class, we examined the nature of the sign of Scorpio in great detail and it was fascinating to see what students expressed. Scorpio is the sign that is often given the worst rap. Some common stereotypes for Scorpio are jealousy, possessiveness, domineering nature, and so on. But Scorpio calls us to do something. It calls us to transform in some important way. We do that by intensely feeling and looking at some aspect of ourselves and other people with whom we are connected and this can make us feel very uncomfortable. I refer to taboo areas, painful ones, etc. and while we are called to move into this territory, we can desire to avoid it at all costs at the same time. It is the avoidance that brings us trouble. So, this Venus retrograde asks us to feel/examine our inner feelings and outer approach to matters that can transform us if we are willing to look deeply within, to see our projections onto others rather than blaming them for what we see.

This is where astrology, in my view, must be seen as being of great psychological importance. The planets do not ‘make us’ do things. They do not function as cause. If that were so, it would have to mean that we are only capable of being ‘effects’ of these outer forces that are making us do things as if we are puppets unable to act freely and consciously. All this changes however, when we cease to think of the planets as forcing us to do or be something and instead regard it as ‘calls to consciousness’ as we meet life in a more self-aware way. Venus retrograde in Scorpio asks us to acknowledge our ‘shadow’ or unconscious material so we can respond to life challenges in a new way. This does take us into ‘dark’ areas of our psyche, but if we can face these phantoms, we can become armed to deal creatively with them and our life improves greatly. I know that many of you have been experiencing some of these things and that it can be very private parts of ourselves that are being looked at and hopefully integrated, but if possible, I hope you might share some of what you’ve been going through with the readers. If it you feel it is too private to post but would like to express it to our readers, you may email me and ask me to post it in my name so that your words are more confidential.

I would also like to announce that the next newsletter will be our first monthly newsletter. It is a greatly expanded one that will delve into the nature of the sign of Sagittarius and the transits of the coming month. Articles will be written by graduates of the School and are looking to be great ones.

I hope that if you enjoy the monthly newsletter that you will forward them on to friends and encourage them to sign up. We are trying to increase our subscribers so the newsletter can steadily grow and improve.

Thanks.

The Nature of Aries

It is hard to understate the significance of a planet moving from the sign of Pisces into Aries. Pisces, being the last sign of the zodiacal system, is the archetype of the endings of cycles where one is asked to let go and even surrender to the inevitable fact that something must die in order for something completely new to be born. There is a sadness to Pisces that does express this internal sense that the old cycle is about to end, while the new one has yet to be seen, much less engaged. We are ‘turned toward a future we feel coming but cannot yet see’ is how Dane Rudhyar has described it. This is what makes this shift one of the most important for us. The nature of Aries, on the other hand, is in complete contrast to Pisces. It represents the purest sense of the new. It is the new shoot that rises from the ground in early spring, tender and vulnerable, but full of hope and believing that anything is possible. There is a naiveté to Aries, which is a necessary part of what it must be if it is to be fully open to the emergence of new possibilities, challenges and worlds to conquer. The somberness of Pisces gives way to the exciting and enthusiastic embracing of the new represented by Aries. It is impetuous and seeks to plant itself in a new way into the world, not caring what anyone else thinks, for that would only serve to inhibit and even threaten the new vision that Aries inherently carries within its own being.

Yet, it is because any new vision will have to be integrated into already existing structures that Aries also must be willing to develop adaptability. Its very survival depends on this. But this adaptability is not meant to suggest compromise in any way. That would be the death knell of Aries. I refer to the awareness that the outpouring of energy given to the Aries cycle will necessarily be forced to face and confront the old ways of being and therefore must find a way to survive what could be a potential threat. On one hand, one must not give in to any threat to this new vision being carried out or care hardly anything about what the results of his action will be. Aries does not care about results. It must not care. For to do so will restrict Aries too much and this is what cannot be allowed. Concern with results is premature now. There is a lot more to be revealed before one can become concerned too much about where the new impulse will lead.

What Aries must do now is to recognize that what it carries is important, its seed is needed, for as it fecundates the world, the world itself awaits the much-needed inspiration that will fortify and strengthen it and even make the world itself come alive again. Aries must learn when to adapt, not compromise, so as to not spend itself so unwisely that the seed itself is destroyed. Aries must not take for granted that ‘life’ or ‘spirit’ will be able to satisfy every Aries desire for action or release. Thus it must learn to manage its own life energy, to not waste its seemingly unlimited stores of power, for not to do so, is to squander its God-given gift. Aries does best when it realizes that it has lying within it something so special that it must be regarded as sacred. That it is NOT its own, but is something that the World needs, even though one has no idea of how that could possibly be true or how it will come about. It is for other signs to develop the newly arising cycle and to let this original impulse emerge into something real. Aries does focus on itself most of all, and this is what it must do. Reliance on others is the lesson for other signs. But this does not mean that Aries is unable to know that the new impulse exists for self alone. Aries can know this and in so doing, know itself to be a carrier of the possible and perhaps even the impossible. For Aries is willing to aim so high that all ‘common-sense’ tells us that it just cannot be done. Aries says, “Do not tell me that it cannot be done! Do not speak to me that way! No one knows what is possible! Not until one makes the effort, and not just a small effort, but the kind of effort that demands everything one has, can we know what is possible.” Only with this attitude will Aries begin to discover its limits. Aries adapts when it knows that all of its creative power is given to him/her by spirit and is given for some sort of purpose known only to the source of that energy. With this knowledge, it adapts with grace and gratitude. Aries sees the new cycle as containing the entire cycle within it, and this it must protect and regard it as sacred, as something that must not be destroyed.

Uranus in Aries

Once Uranus returns to Aries, it will begin an 84 year cycle through the zodiacal signs, but right now, for a few months we have a bursting forth of an even higher degree of openness to the new than what I’ve written above in Aries. Uranus is open to out-of-the-box thinking and approaches. Whatever was regarded as true is now suspect. It’s the old way of doing things, of approaching something, and is must be questioned. Uranus is radical, concerned with revolutionary ways, not just minor modifications or reforms. This is a time for new paradigms to emerge. Some of these new forms will inevitably fall away just as nature always creates prodigiously. How many seeds are created by the plant that will actually sprout and come alive? But we also know that no one can know which ones will grow up at first. They all have a chance. We must assume that. We are entering a time for craziness, for a no holds barred openness to new opportunities, and where everything must be considered to see if something valuable is hiding within it. It’s time for hippies to rise up and question authority. Did I go too far, there? You know, hippies have been criticized and made fun of for a long time. They’ve been the easiest of targets and labeled druggies, unmotivated bums. Well, some of them were, and some of them are. But that was not the spirit of the 60′s. What they were about in the best sense is the very openness that I’ve been writing about in this article. They were encouraging us to open our minds and hearts, to ask the big questions, and to find the answers within. This spirit may return and vitalize our stagnant minds, that have become so small and contained and which accept whatever some ‘authority figure’ says or demands.

Here’s a crazy idea. What happens if the far right and the far left suddenly realize that they have more in common than they thought? I’m seeing a lot of people lately thinking in ways that question everything so much that we should not assume anything, while being open to everything.

Things are getting interesting and exciting and we’ve only just begun!!

I’d love to hear more from you. Tell us the wacky and crazy things you’ve been thinking about lately. It will be fun to hear from you.