Venus Making Its Appearance

While we have focused as of late on the Mars retrograde cycle, which is still in effect and the even tougher aspect of Saturn squaring Pluto, beginning this week Venus is rising to get our attention. But this is a less personal Venus since it will have a very Piscean tone to it. It may start out feeling a bit subtle, but it will be gaining strength in the next week. It began by conjuncting Neptune on Sunday, February 6th at 25 degrees of Aquarius and then will amplify its Neptunian ambiance as it enters Pisces on February 11th, 2010 (the ruler of Neptune) and then conjuncts expansive Jupiter at 7 Pisces on February 16th. Not only does this conjunction occur in Pisces, but Jupiter is the co-ruler of this compassionate water sign and Venus is exalted in it as well. We are about to experience this archetypal energy in a very powerful way.

Of course you’re asking what this means and I must tell you a brief story. Last night in class, a student expressed the fact that she has a very hard time understanding and talking about Pisces. Then, another student who has the Moon in Pisces in her birth chart, said, “I know, even I do too!” The reason for this is that this sign is such a dissolving archetypal form, that it defies and must defy simple verbal definition. It literally rules the principle of imagination and idealism, so no wonder that when we approach trying to describe it, we find that we must do so by using images, story, metaphor, and so on. The symbol of Pisces is literally two fish looking at or opposing one another, and yet tied together somehow. This immediately evokes the image of contradiction and to those familiar with archetypal transformational symbols, the notion of reconciliation of opposites. Another story that might help is the woman who called me a few days ago and asked me what was ‘up with the stars’ last Sunday. She said she was watching all of the Dr. Drew Celebrity Rehab shows that were on that day. Well, sure enough that was the very day that Venus aligned with Neptune. So why did this show pique her interest? Because Pisces/Neptune rules both drug addiction and the possible rehab/recovery process. But let’s go deeper. Sure, it tests us in intense ways, but it also takes us into a place where we must learn to have compassion for both ourselves and others. I know several people who participate in 12-step programs and do not have specific addictions. For them it is a way of participating in a spiritual process with others who must move towards being able to reach into one’s very bottom of despair, hopelessness and fear and come out the other side as a transformed person. It also represents ‘every-persons’ connection with one’s own human vulnerability, imperfection and even sorrow…. It is sometimes a specific sorrow that pertains to something that has happened to us, but often it is more of an existential sorrow that does not connect to anything we can clearly identify. And it can connect us with whatever we consider to be God, the Divine, or Life itself.

Archetypally, Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac and this itself is quite helpful to us as we attempt to understand this mysterious sign. We can think of life as a building up process that moves us from Aries to the next to last sign, Aquarius. As we grow in concern from oneself, to one’s family, to our relationships with others, and then to society in general, we must finally arrive at Pisces, the symbolic end of the cycle. Because it represents the ending, its aspects must include surrender, letting go and a sense that only we, as individuals can regard the entire cycle as meaningful or not. Sometimes, we see that Pisces can be morose, negative, hopeless and even depressed. It can do all it can to escape the harshness of life and even the sense that it is all meaningless since we all die anyway. But this is exactly where Pisces can ennoble us and take us to new territory. What we are really needing to surrender is our ego attachments to a dying cycle. In doing this we may discover that it is not ‘we’ who are dying, but our identifications that are coming to their inevitable end. Thus, it is Pisces wherein we may encounter our own immortality, but not without a crisis first. That crisis is the result of our having to meet our own mortality and surrender to its inevitability. As we surrender our identifications and even identities, we find that what we are really doing is letting go of all the things we are NOT. It is only then, that we are able to witness what is left when all that we are NOT has dissolved.

One of the ways this can happen to us is through an encounter with the harsh aspects of life. What do people face when they are either in some sort of recovery or in close connection with someone who is? They face BOTH sides of the life cycle. First there is the fear, disgust, desire to flee that always comes with an encounter with people who are at ‘bottom.’ But then, at least for some, there may come the other side, where unconditional love is felt and experienced. It is where we let go of our judgments of self and others and arrive at a deep and profound acceptance of all that is Life. It’s amazing highs and gut-wrenching lows. It is in Pisces where every part of human life is validated, confirmed, and then appreciated and seen as necessary. Not only do we realize that there cannot be highs with lows, but more significantly we see that life without ‘everything-in-it, could not exist. This is the mystical experience of total immersion into all of Life and how we are transformed by this degree of Divine Love and Total Acceptance.

Now that Jupiter has entered Pisces and will soon be followed by Venus, we are going to each of us have a chance to experience this level of love and compassion. But it is also likely that we will also experience the other side as well. In Pisces, ALL of life emerges from the unconscious and while we face the harsh side of life, we can simultaneously also see, sense and experience the deep compassionate side as well. Venus and Jupiter are identified as the higher and lesser benefics, so when they come together, it is generally considered to be a very fortunate time. And they indeed are likely to be. But perhaps it is best if we do not forget that this period could easily take us into an aspect of life that asks us to surrender our judgments and ego-attachments and just BE. Just BE with oneself, with others and with Life. Relationships may indeed form now, but they may take on a tone that is less personal than Venus alone. Venus can be motivated by physical attraction and personal desire. It can express itself as love and beauty in a positive sense, but it is also the Evil Queen who spoke those memorable words – “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all.” The coming Venus-Jupiter transit is going to have a concern for others that can go way beyond ego- gratification and exemplify the best of what Love can be.

Mundane World - It is likely that although most Republicans are wanting the health care bill to die, under the transits that are going in the next weeks, what is more likely is that the bill will be ‘resurrected’ in a new form. The Mars retrograde has brought about large changes but will probably not end the process completely. The next step will be to find some sort of compromise that at least can be embraced by a larger majority than before. It may be much smaller in scope than it was originally, but some sort of compassionate response will be more wanted now than ever. Also, I suspect there will be an increased willingness to take some actions that will relieve the sorrows of those of us who are the least able to take care of themselves.

As always, I hope many of you will tell us how you are experiencing the upcoming transits. We will all appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jim Sher

An Intense New Moon – Part II

We all know that life is full of strange contradictions, a kaleidoscope of patterns weaving in and out of our lives and the mysterious sense that for every moment of clarity there will also be an equal number of moments of uncertainty and mystery. The New Moon that occurred on November 16 is certainly an example of this. On one hand, we have the first Sun-Moon cycle that contains the newly formed aspect between Saturn and Pluto, which is a contractive, consolidating set of energies. But on the other hand, the Sun/Moon conjunction squares a tightening conjunction between Jupiter and Neptune. Well, sure enough, the stock market went up this week, despite the forces that would defy that movement.

This coming week will likely maintain this upward, optimistic trend as not only does Jupiter continue to get closer to Neptune, but Venus (which rules joy, aesthetics and money) is moving right into that square to Jupiter/Neptune and a trine to Uranus. Reversals in the market seem to become likely after this week in the beginning of December as other transits begin to kick in, so this week is one in which we can enjoy ourselves. Thanksgiving should be very nice one this year. I hope you enjoy the festivities.

On a personal level, this suggests that it is a good time to focus on the solving of problems, especially if we do not lose our footing in the real. Jupiter rules opportunities, but can also pressure us to take such an optimistic approach that we avoid making the necessary shifts. We can think things are better than they are. Saturn is lurking just right underneath and if we avoid that, it will catch up with us soon. Back to the macro level for a moment, the Obama trip to China was historic in the sense that this is the first time a U.S. President has traveled to China with our nation and economy in a weak position, while China’s is strengthening by the day. Our ability to influence Chinese policy is at an all-time low. They are concerned about the free fall of the U.S. dollar, which now appears to be part of a deliberate policy of the Federal Reserve to increase U.S. exports. But, we are not going to be able to dictate to China without repercussions from them. We are in very new territory with the Chinese.

To put into a simple sentence what I believe these contradictory forces mean for us I would say: Take advantage of any real opportunities that appear, while also remaining cautious and patient. This may be more difficult than it sounds right now as it will be easy to ignore the ‘slow down warning signs’ that are also there if we are observant. We are in the waxing or growing phase of the Moon cycle, so we are urged to expand and develop whatever projects in which we are engaged and in fact, with the Moon moving into a conjunction with Jupiter, this is the best time of the month for this.

Mars, the archetype of self-assertion is now slowing down significantly as it prepares to turn retrograde on December 21. It will only travel 4 degrees in the next month whereas it usually travels at a rate of a little less than a degree per day. This is another telltale sign that changes cannot happen at a fast pace right now. Prepare to adjust to a slower pace and pay attention to any temptation to race ahead, because anything that is done prematurely will certainly have to be redone during the Mars retrograde period. See what I mean about flows and counter-flows.

The “Jack and Jill” Series

The final selection of Jack and Jill has been made. I want to express my many thanks to the readers who were kind enough to be willing to participate in this project. Also, I want to express my gratitude to the graduates of the School who assisted me in setting up the best parameters in the selection process as well as in the decision-making process itself. The final decision was based on the intensity of change in the charts selected. They are both going to be strongly affected by both the coming Saturn square to Pluto as well as by the Mars retrograde this winter.

The articles will begin soon and will appear about once a week. The articles will be numbered so if you miss one, you can find it by doing a search at my website for Jack or Jill and be able to read the articles in order or any other way you prefer. I hope this series will be interesting and enlightening as its intention is to help you see how alive and relevant astrology can be. I have an expression I tell me students all the time. It bothers astrologers sometimes, but here it is. “Astrology is only a description and is therefore inferior to the person themselves.” Another way to say it is that if you find that an astrological description doesn’t make sense to you, the problem is likely not in you. It’s in the astrological interpretation. This series is intended to help you discover this for yourself.

Final thanks go to Jack and Jill themselves who have invited you to look at how their lives develop in the next several months. Although they will remain anonymous, I greatly appreciate their willingness to share their personal lives so openly. As Wayne and Garth have said: “Game on!”

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

All the best,

Jim Sher

Wishing for Clarity

There are times when we know what we need to do. We see that things are clear and apparent. We may not like what we know we have to do, but at least we know we have to do it. The time period we are in right now is not even close to being like that. There are several reasons for it astrologically, but the chief culprit is the opposing nature of two very strong transits which are actually getting stronger each day. So, don’t be surprised if confusion and uncertainty continue operating for some time.

The first transit of interest is Jupiter moving toward its conjunction with Neptune on December 21, 2009. This will be its last conjunction and has lasted for the last 7 months or so. I’ve called this the theme of exuberant optimism. It’s so optimistic that one can feel good about things even if there’s no reason for it. It’s like the character played by Geoffrey Rush in “Shakespeare in Love” who, no matter how bad things were, when asked if things would work out he would always respond in the affirmative. The bewildered Shakespeare would then ask, “How can this work out?”, and his steady and consistent response would always be, “I don’t know, it’s a miracle!” Often, things did work out, which is why it is so important to have faith in ourselves and in life. Yet, there can always be too much of a good thing.

The Dow Jones remains high, reflecting the conviction that the recession is nearly over, even though unemployment remains very high and seems to be getting higher. There is also the feeling that we don’t really know what’s going on behind the scenes, although there is the sense that there’s something going on, that it’s not good, but we’re not sure of what it is or whether or not it’s as bad as we think. Neptune rules mystery, things that are hard to see and even deception. But hopefully things will work out, right? No, I mean right, right? Well, probably it will. We hope so, we’re pretty sure, yeah, it’s going to be fine. Phew, that was hard.

Then on the other side of the coin we have Saturn closing in on its square to Pluto which occurs for its first pass on November 15, 2009. Its nature is opposite to the previous transit (what was that again?), in that it is dark and can be pessimistic as it asks us to let go of anything we don’t need. The mood of this archetype can feel like things are much worse than they really are.

Wow!! The fact is that we are getting closer now to the point where these opposing forces are each getting stronger. How can this not create great confusion and uncertainty? So, for the most part, we must simply stay in the present as much as we can and wait until we can see more clearly what, if anything, we need to do.

Yet, there are hints. No matter how subtle, we can smell where the tide is taking us and that we’re going to have be making some hard decisions. The lesson here is to recognize where we are resisting change. That’s what we want to do, and that’s what makes the Saturn square to Pluto so difficult. If change is inevitable, isn’t it better to go with it and accept it? Well. Logically we know that it is, but the resistance can be deep, visceral and compelling. What is the anxiety this nation is feeling right now and how are many handling it? Panic, fear and a need to act out against all the ‘bad’ folk who are responsible for all the bad things that are happening. Anxiety, when understood is often simply uncertainty about what is wrong and confusion about what one can do about it. Again, the complex set of transits we are experiencing right now are testing us both individually and collectively and asking us to dig deep and find a way to ride out whatever it is that is happening. But this isn’t all that is setting up.

Mars in the Shadow

Mars will go retrograde on December 21, 2009 just as the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction ends. To me, this marks a real turning point that we will want to watch carefully. But it’s time to begin to look at where we are now with the Mars transit. The ‘shadow’ period is one in which the planet in question has entered the territory that it will go back and touch. In fact, from October 18, 2009 – May 18, 2010, Mars will remain in the territory between 0 – 19 degrees of Leo. That’s 7 months in a range of only 19 degrees. The area of our chart in this territory is where we will be focusing our attention the most. What it means is that we will be examining our strategies for moving forward in an intense, focused way. The examining will start when it goes retrograde on December 21st. So, the ‘shadow’ period that we are in now is somewhat weird to describe, because on one hand we should make an effort to move forward on anything that is presenting itself, but at the same time, starting something truly new right now will have to be re-examined within the next 4 months or so.

This is a complex period to write about since there are many contradictory forces at play and we must live our lives and move forward in the best way possible. There is no choice but to do that. So, it seems the best way to handle all this is to really see if we can intuit the invisible path that lays hidden before us and to stay present in the life we live now. That’s always a good idea, of course, but now, more than ever, in a situation where we will have to determine whether we need to act or wait, the only guidepost will be to be as self-aware as possible and feel our way through. In some cases we will see that we need to wait for more information while in other cases we will need to seize any opportunities that do show up.

I hope my readers will write about their experiences with the Saturn square Pluto transit that is upon us since we can learn a lot from each other. Individual birth charts are quite unique, of course, but we will all have to deal with the general theme of these archetypal forces. I look forward to hearing from you in the next week or so.

Jupiter Turns Direct – Let’s Get Even Happier

I guess the title gives away my teeny weenie bias about the present Jupiter transit. I have a pretty strong Jupiter in my chart (it’s in Sagittarius conjunct my Ascendant) so I know a lot about the tendency for Jupiter to go to the side of excess and over optimism. During its dance with Neptune, though, we have seen the DOW balloon from around 6,500 to nearly 10,000, which mystifies some as unemployment figures have risen steadily throughout the same time period. Also, consumers and businesses are still finding it difficult to get loans as banks are holding onto ‘their’ money so they can be sure to remain stable just in case things worsen. Is that what they are anticipating? So, why is everyone so excited about the economy? From an astrological point of view, the reason is that Jupiter conjunct Neptune brings about over-exuberant optimism and a tendency to gloss over the more severe aspects of any situation. Of course, this is why this planetary pair has gotten the reputation of being the archetypal ‘bubble that bursts.’

Jupiter is stationary right now and actually turned direct last night, October 12th at 9:36pm PDST. This amplifies the influence of Jupiter and makes things seem even better than they usually are. It is a good time to get things accomplished that you’ve been working on for some time, because Jupiter does open doors and breaks down barriers. Also, it is a great time to turn our attention to the philosophical and spiritual side of life. For example, in my astrology classes, this week is concerned with examining the issue of fate vs. free will and we are going into what the ancient Greek philosophers had to say about it. They knew about concepts we don’t even have words for in the English language. Imagine trying to have a discussion about something that one does not have even the right words with which to examine the subject one is trying to understand. That’s how it is for us when we try to understand this most fascinating subject and unfortunately, we don’t even know it. I’m telling you of this because this is the territory of Jupiter. Understanding the limits of knowledge is an aspect of its domain, just as expanding one’s understanding is as well.

The main message for my readers however is that this exuberant optimism, while still quite high, is moving toward its end. It makes its last conjunction with Neptune on December 20th and will then move on into Pisces. At that time, the square between Saturn and Pluto will take on its full influence and we will find out much more about the things that have been hidden from us. Also, it could signal an end to the stock market run up, if it doesn’t occur on November.

More on Where We Are

We have a New Moon coming on Saturday, October 17th at 25 degrees of Libra, which means we are in the Balsamic Moon phase, the end of the present Moon cycle. This is important for us since it tells us so much about we can and cannot do at this time. The Balsamic Moon phase tells us that we need to finish up what was started at the New Moon phase. We are looking forward to the merging new cycle that is yet to be born, but there are still things to do and that’s where our focus needs to be. But it is not time quite yet to begin something completely new. Why? Because the new energy has not yet been supplied to us. That will happen at the New Moon.

For those of you who haven’t tried this, I recommend that you follow the Moon cycle as it moves from its starting phase, the New Moon, through its 1st quarter square right into the Full Moon, the completion or fulfillment phase. It then moves from its waxing or growing phase to its waning phase where we harvest what we have started. At that time we can also notice that the energy begins to decrease as we work to finish some aspect of what we started and prepare for the new energy to come. In other words, even though we are experiencing the expanded state gifted to us by Jupiter, we won’t be able to activate it fully until the New Moon begins. It’s worth following this cycle, which has been done by humans for thousands of years. Humans don’t do such things for so long if it doesn’t work, but to find out if its influence is real for yourself, you have to make the effort to follow its movement. It shocked me when I first discovered it and it could shock you as well. I must also express the sentiment that many of you have already mentioned to me that the act of ‘bombing the Moon’ is archetypally both significant and dangerous. The Moon represents the feminine and interestingly, I saw the picture of the engineers at NASA cheering when the bomb went off and all of the participants were male. They were so excited. I know the science of it and that they were looking for water, but this act is alarming, in my view. The Moon is the archetypal Mother and most scientists know that without the Moon, there would not be life on this planet.

Well, hopefully, I’ve expressed some controversial things so that some of you will be irritated enough to tell me off. Please feel free to do so. And if not, I promise to keep trying in the future.

I hope you will check back to my blog from time to time as people are posting new opinions all the time and I do try to comment on some of them.

All the best!

Thanks a Latte!

Those who know me know I’m not crazy about my chart. I frequently indulge in a little “chart envy”, wishing it were possible to make a celestial nip/tuck with a placement, or five. I’ve yet to find any value to my Saturn in the 8th House, but with any luck I’ll live long enough to share something profound, or at least learn how to stop bitching about it. Fortunately, I’ve been given a golden ticket or two as well to balance out all the ick –that is, when I can actually see them in action, which I rarely do. How often do we notice when things happen so easily? It’s not uncommon to take the good for granted, and obsess over what’s wrong. These golden ticket are frequently found with what we call the easy aspects between two planets, like the trine. With a trine the connection is smooth and comfortable, creating a natural flow of energy — Think Slip ‘n Slide greased with Crisco. It operates with very little effort from the person gifted with the aspect, so many times they are completely oblivious to their good fortune, because they didn’t do anything to get the goodies. Imagine living a Paris Hilton life – here’s someone who was lucky enough to enjoy luxury and ease as a birth right, not something she earned. Granted, there’s no way to know how she feels about her life, but considering her surroundings, how could she really understand financial hardship or the necessity of work.

Trines are especially enjoyable when they’re between happy planets, like Venus and Jupiter. Everybody likes Venus and Jupiter! They’re what the ancient astrologers called the “Benefics” – Venus being the “lesser benefic” and Jupiter, the “greater benefic”. Venus is associated with money, beauty, things that bring us pleasure – the good stuff. Jupiter is expansive, nicknamed the “Santa Claus planet” for its ebullience, good fortune and generosity. Put the two together and you have a vast potential for piñata dropping bootie. Case in point: I happen to have an exact trine between the two. Now before you go all chart envy on me, let the record show I don’t have a Malibu beach house or a parlor full of gentlemen callers. Sadly. Even with the best of the best, there’s no guarantee life will be full of cash and prizes. But sometimes, if I take the time to notice I can see good fortune sliding to me in all kinds of ways. For example:

•  I find lucky coins on the street all the time. OK, pennies and quarters are not winning lottery tickets, but it happens a lot — so much that my sister ended up buying me a “Lucky Penny Piggy Bank”. It’s a big one. I’ve emptied it three times already.
• I’m really good at finding sweet parking spaces (a necessity in Los Angeles). My friends know this, so whenever we car pool everyone wants me as a passenger in their car to partake of my parking karma. 
• Once I ended up with FREE front row tickets to the one and only Barbara Streisand concert (back then) – they were worth $500. It’s too long a story to explain how I got them, but believe me, they landed in my lap. Since I didn’t really want to go, I gave them to two co-workers who were salivating over them. (And for the record, the clutch on my car had just gone out — $500 to fix — so I totally should have sold them, but it didn’t feel right.)
• Restaurant staff take extra special care of me. When a waitress asked me if there was anything else she could get us, I quipped “Yeah, you can get me an hour in the kitchen with the chef, so he can teach how to make those short ribs…” Well, I didn’t get that, but within minutes he was standing in front of our table where we could rave to him in person. And then later, the waitress delivered a hand written copy of the recipe long before the check arrived. My dinner date, a friend who worked at Bon Appétit, was incredulous – “LeeAnn, it’s Saturday night in the middle of a packed dinner hour and he took the time to write down a recipe for you. That’s huge.” Not as big as a Jupiter/Venus trine, baby!

OK, now I just sound like I’m bragging. I’ll share only one more – promise! Next to our office there’s a gas station / quickie mart. Recently I picked up a habit of heading downstairs for a morning coffee. The thing is, I’m not much the coffee drinker, but I love the instant cappuccino kind that comes out of the machine. (True coffee drinkers would say that is not coffee so much as it is a cup of melted Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream, and they would be right. And it’s goooood.) Anyway, I’ve been hooked on this routine for a few weeks now, until last week when I bounced up to the melted ice cream dispenser to see “Out of Order”. I pouted and whined a little to the guy behind the counter (a very nice Indian man named Ray), who said they were out of “powder” but would get some next week. I checked back every day, hoping it would come in sooner, but it didn’t. More pouting, no whining. Finally one day I went down to buy a real coffee to tide me over, and when I went to pay he said “it’s on the house”. Wha? I stood there a little confused, while he went on about how he felt bad that I came in every day, and they didn’t have it yet, so not only was it on the house that day, but the coffee would be on the house every day until they got the machine working again. Bemused, and a little bewildered, I walked out sipping my steaming hot cup o’ good fortune, and I remembered that sometimes it’s good to be Paris!

A Deeper Look at the Personal Side of the Jupiter-Neptune Transit: Part III

Jupiter is the planet that signifies expansion. It does this in many ways. It can expand our learning by urging us to seek greater understanding through the study of philosophy, religion and higher (abstract) concepts. Also, Jupiter can motivate us to travel which can enable us to experience people, societies and cultures completely outside our own personal limited experience which provides us a platform for discovering a broader basis for finding meaning in our lives. Every time you feel your mind expand or your understanding grow, you are living in Jupiter’s realm. For the most part, however, Jupiter does stay in a relatively conventional area. When Jupiter dominates a person they often find themselves in careers of law, education, or religion, etc. Maybe even a quantum physicist or two will be found as well. What they have in common is that they seek to understand how the world works and perhaps desire to teach what they have learned.

Neptune though, takes us into very different territory, a world that is beyond mere words or knowledge. Its world is one of imagination, dreams and an idealized sense of how we are all united in some way, though the feelings often cannot be described. Neptune destroys that sense of separateness and as such can confuse us and bring about an enormous sense of groundlessness that is somehow both scary and exciting at the same time. With Jupiter we can talk, discuss, theorize, debate and write all kinds of books and treatises, but with Neptune we become speechless and seek ways of communication that go way beyond mere words, such as music, art, painting, and theater, etc. We feel moved to enter the world of the universal or archetypal, or whatever words we use to describe that which underlies the mundane world. We sense that the ‘real’ world is a mere superficial layer of existence, the tip of a very deep world that actually creates and supports us.

Jupiter and Neptune Coming Together

When we look at charts of people who have strong aspects between these two giants, we see visionaries, idealists and people of great compassion and imagination. They see through the lens of Love… not a love limited to the personal, but a devotional, even an impersonal love that makes no distinctions between self and another. In music we find Enya, Bob Dylan, John Coltrane and Judy Collins who exemplify the incredible ability to tap into deep wells of human desire for some sort of perfection. In mythology, the pioneer Joseph Campbell saw the universal archetypes operating throughout the cultures of the world. Carl Jung developed a philosophical system that combined psychology and spirituality in a way that is so new and historic that it is still being developed today and is affecting many different disciplines.

Cooperating and Working With this Transit

The way in which this transit will affect an individual will, of course, depend on the nature and potentials of that birth chart of that person. Some will not feel this transit very much as they may not be able to resonate with its subtle urgings. But for those of us who can feel these forces, when expansionistic Jupiter meets boundless Neptune we are moved to reach some sort of higher (more inclusive) ground. But this journey is not something that can be mapped out or planned. To fixate on a goal is to prematurely create a limitation that could needlessly confine us. Moving into a truly new experience always involves a letting go of the past (conditioning) and an embracing of the unknown. What we may find however, may be something that feels eerily familiar. As we break free from rigid confines of our inner structures, we may discover openings to our deepest Self. This “free state” may be sensed as our own ‘real home’, a state that is, at least for a few moments, completely unconditioned. Could this feel unreal? Of course, but we may do well to consider that it isn’t as unreal as we think, but closer to being our true state. This is where we experience a hope that regards anything and everything as possible, that we live in a boundless, multi-dimensional universe that is hidden from us only by our own conditioning.

These are the dynamic potentials of Jupiter and Neptune operating together. It is possible that some could have a ‘peak’ experience that can last for quite a while. But what is more likely is that we will open up or be opened for brief moments that give us a hint, a smell of something far deeper than what we usually allow ourselves to feel.

Sorrow or a Beautiful Sadness

There is no avoiding a side of Neptune that is so difficult to describe, but it is necessary to try. Imagine you are in a spaceship from another solar system and you are entering this one. You have sensors on your ship that can measure the joy and pain of the people living on a planet you are investigating. What do you think the readings of planet Earth would look like? Would you see a lot of joyful readings? I don’t think so. You might be seeing measurements of so much pain and sorrow you would turn your ship around and get away from our solar system as fast as possible. Life on planet Earth is rough and to begin to feel it requires a deep sensitivity, but also something else. It would require a willingness to feel something that we don’t like to feel at all. The planetary pair of Jupiter and Neptune could open a door to our being able to perceive the deep sorrow of what it is to be human. But there is more as well. For alongside sorrow is a nobility and beauty that reflects the co-existing other side that is immensely joyful. To know the sensation-emotion of ‘beautiful sadness’ is to begin to know what it is to be truly human and that is the gift that awaits when we surrender personal ego and immerse ourselves into the consciousness of life.

The Shadow Side

As always, there is a negative or shadow side to any transit of which we would do well to remain aware. The first is the attempt to escape from one’s own (or the World’s) shadow. True integration always demands that we see all sides of any situation, including our own nature. Each of us has aspects of our psyche that we don’t approve of, which we then repress. This is what the term ‘shadow’ means. Some have called this tendency the ‘spiritual bypass.’ We leap so high and feel so good that we want to stay in this feeling of great joy or ecstasy and will do whatever we can to bypass all those things that could bring us down. One friend calls this –‘staying in the cumbaya moment.’ It is vital that while we validate these idyllic moments for they are indeed harbingers of future, potent possibilities. But to actually live in these higher states, we must honor the dark, grungy, yucky, sucky feelings that compose a part of each and every day of our lives. This is our battle, isn’t it? We can be enticed into staying in our Shangri-La sense of perfection or commit ourselves to engage in the ‘holy’ battle with both sides of our nature, which can lead to what is perhaps an evolutionary state for the human race.

The second area of concern is zealotry. An amazing spiritual experience or insight MUST be shared, right? We are full of life and want others to feel it too. But did dogma or the reading of a book or maybe the attending of a lecture or seminar take us to the heights? Or were we blessed by a Grace we do not understand and did not control? And can our journey be duplicated for another or is the truth that each of us has our own journey, a journey that is uniquely ours to travel and be transformed in just the way we need? Perhaps there is no path but our own. If we find ourselves wanting to share our good fortune, perhaps we also can retain the knowing that the Divine is never asleep and that no one needs to be converted.

By the way, a wonderful example of the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron in Aquarius archetype can be found on the new show called “The Philanthropist.” Its appearance on network TV completely coincides with this transit. Our hero uses his fortune to seek ways to overcome national boundaries and create solutions to the world’s major problems. It is utopian, unrealistic and impossible in the ‘real’ world. Gotta love this stuff!

Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron: Part II

Let’s begin Part II by looking more deeply at the nature of Neptune and the value of this often mysterious planet. All planets can manifest in a variety of ways and there certainly does seem to be better ways than others. And yet, it is also important to understand that Life has a wild and crazy side where we can’t know what the outcome will be until we’ve gone through the entire process. Also, it’s true that the moment a particular force works out negatively (or positively), the opposite force is immediately evoked. This is the principle called ‘Enantiodromia,’ which means that the superabundance of any force inevitably produces its opposite. This principle is the basis for the philosophical underpinnings of much of Chinese thought and is exemplified in the I Ching, the Book of Changes and the Tao Teh Ching. What this principle tells us is that in the broadest sense, there are no mistakes or errors because everything ultimately will work out. For example, the excesses that occurred in our economy the past 20 years will balance out at some point. Ultimately, regulations will emerge to balance out the previous lack. By the way, I’m not convinced that has happened yet, but that’s for another time.

So, what might be the shift Neptune is urging us to make? To me, Neptune is enabling us to consider the importance of a new national mood that is more compassionate, sensitive and able to ‘feel’ as a nation that we are inter-connected and in certain areas need to operate in a united fashion. Perhaps the nature of how ‘national security’ is defined will come to be reviewed and will no longer be thought about in the way the neo-cons have defined it which regards it solely in terms of having a strong military. Neptune can help us feel that there can be strength from seeing that we need each other to solve problems affecting us all.

Neptune can be rough for a nation because it asks that we put aside the personal, even ego-centered needs of the individual in favor of a broader understanding that is aware of how much we affect each other and are not as separate as we think. This will inevitably be resisted and antagonism will likely become very strong. It’s already begun as the charges of socialism have become mantra-esque in certain media outlets. Usually, a nation will go through a transit like this in a way that is not as critical as what the country and world is facing today. I recently heard a report about the very critical water problems of which we are not yet aware. We assume we have all the water we need and yet we live the way we did 50 years ago. We have discovered in California that this isn’t true and the problems we face in the near future may make what’s happening now look insignificant by comparison. Problems of this order cannot be solved by individuals ‘doing good.’ It’s bigger than that. It is something that a nation must face and work out together.

Poseidon (Greek) and Neptune (Latin) were the great sea-gods during the time in human history when people felt a profound relationship with the forces around them. People sought to live in harmony with these forces and knew that to fail to do so was to tempt fate and lead to a bringing down of those very forces against the arrogance of those who didn’t recognize that humans owe their very existence to these forces. The greatest sin to the gods was hubris, or pride. Fortunately humanity today doesn’t buy into such superstitions, right? We are above all that. No need to worry about such silly little things. And if things go bad, we are certain science will find a way to fix everything and make it ‘right as rain.’ Oops, that expression doesn’t sound quite as innocent now that we have acid-rain. Sarcasm is a sign of frustration and so we must turn to the hope that new (or is it old?) values will make their way back into the way we live so that we can avoid nature’s wrath or a possible Neptunian deluge.

The Importance of Mythology in a Culture

Neptune rules the principle of the archetype or mythos and sees this as a very important component of living with Soul. So, let’s look at this a bit. In mythology, we find that nearly all cultures have stories of the Great Flood or some sort of deluge that becomes necessary to destroy a corrupted world. Is there a practical value to myths? Are they merely something to be debunked, like the show “Mythbusters?” Part of the nature of our modern paradigm is to regard symbology as worthless. We have become a literal people and our hearts have become sick as a result. The name of Jessica Murray’s book – “Soul-Sick Nation” is one description of the condition that inevitably happens when we lose our footing in the world of symbol, archetype, story and myth. In the recent political campaign any speech thought to be – ‘nuanced’ – was criticized and labeled as part of an intellectual elite. It was even pointed out the word ‘nuance’ comes from the French language. What is this telling us?

Global warming and climate change may best be thought of as symptoms. Sure, they’re real problems. But these outer manifestations reveal in inner sickness. It is a sickness that can only be solved by making inner changes in our values that will then, of course, naturally result in our knowing that we must make outer changes in our daily lives that can lead to the making of a new world.

Let me state this more clearly. When a ‘people’ lose the ability to live in the world of imagination and archetype, we lose our Soul, our ability to find meaning in what has now become a Soulless world. And we then pay an even greater price, if that is possible. We then live in a manner that is so out of alignment with the forces of nature that we bring about our own ruin. The coming transit of Neptune (along with Jupiter and Chiron) over the U.S. Moon can of course add to our tendency to avoid seeing problems and continue to want to escape from that which is in plain sight. But it can also sensitize us to the need to question our values and assumptions and regard the feeling of uncertainty and the recognition of impermanence as valuable opportunities to open to new ways of living and relating to one another, other nations, and the World at large. With Jupiter also in conjunction with Neptune, we may come to understand that there is great value to rediscovering our roots in the world of the archetype or myth. It’s not only about the events themselves, but what these events tell us about our connection to a world of meaning and of Soul. We can begin to feel compassion for all human beings and for what it is to be human and might even see and feel a connection to whatever we call the Divine. No doubt we will see both sides of Neptune in operation, but the hope is that it will catalyze us and open our hearts that lead to new doorways of perception.

I want to add a brief comment about Chiron which is part of the conjunction with Jupiter and Neptune. It is often called the ‘wounded healer”. But some have added to its meaning by referring to it as the process that enables us to “Bridge” one type of consciousness (the literal, lineal, time-bound one) with a more transcendent and meaningful one, where each of us recognizes some a personal connection to one’s Source. Our wounds, the nation’s wounds, can inform us of the importance of seeing where things are wrong and what we will need to do to fix the problems that have created pain and sorrow.

Part III will look at how this transit is affecting our economy and approach to dealing with it.

Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron: Part I

Our nation and the World is going through quite a few significant transits, but one that I want to take an in-depth look at is the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron conjunction that is in effect right now and will continue in varying degrees through late 2010. To be more specific, on July 22nd, as Pres. Obama was making a speech on the health care debate going on in Congress, Jupiter conjuncted Chiron at 24 degrees of Aquarius. This transit is one of the chief factors driving the attempt to reform the U.S. health care system as Chiron, the wounded healer, calls our attention to the weaknesses of a system where the ever-increasing costs of health care combined with steady decreasing benefits in the insurance system is creating a crisis that may finally result in some kind of reform. On Dec. 7, 2009, Jupiter will conjunct Chiron again and then conjunct Neptune on Dec. 24th at 24 Aquarius. After this, Jupiter moves on into Pisces, but Neptune and Chiron will dance together for most of 2010.

In my view, this 2-year dance between these two giants and the one asteroid (Chiron) is doing much more than focusing our attention on health care, especially in the U.S. The reason why it is especially significant here is that all this is going over the Moon of the U.S. chart, which is at 27 deg. of Aquarius. The meaning of the Moon in a nation’s chart is important for it reflects the national mood of the people. It amplifies our sensitivities to all those things that enable us to feel safe and secure as a people and where we are vulnerable. Obviously it can also cause the nation to feel vulnerable, worried and concerned about where we are at as a nation without knowing from where the feeling is coming. (I’m not going to focus on the economy in this series of articles though this factor is clearly influencing all of the issues involved in these transits).

Neptune, the planet of dissolution, affecting a nation’s Moon does more than just create confusion and uncertainty. It can bring about the sense that everything we have depended on in the past is no longer something on which we can rely. We begin to feel the need to question everything not knowing if it’s even possible to come to any clarity. Because of the fact that Neptune moves so slowly, taking over 150 years to orbit the Sun, transits of this order affect a nation in a huge way. The collective consciousness of this nation will not be the same as it was before it all started.

So, what might be the issue that is forcing its way into the collective framework of the nation and the World? To me and to other astrologers the issue that is underlying all of this is the issue of climate change or global warming. This issue is certainly being regarded as important, but a very high level of denial is still in place and still rules any attempt to have a real debate about what to do. The so-called many reasons for not doing anything significant are still controlling the issue, at least for now. But I do not see how this will continue in the next year or two as Neptune will bring forward any issue that cannot be handled by only one nation. The issue of climate change is such that the only way it can even begin to be worked on is by the nations of the World, especially the industrial nations, coming together. And before this can happen, something fundamental must change in the collective consciousness of the people, which is the Moon of a nation. A huge paradigm change is becoming absolutely necessary. Most scientists know it. Most people actually know it. But, I believe that it is this transit that will create such a profound mark on us, that we will be forced to begin contemplating real action. Perhaps this is the issue that will bring the entire World together in a way that is truly historic, but that seems so far off that it is barely worth mentioning.

The astrologer and author, Jessica Murray, has written a wonderful book about the United States chart called “Soul-sick Nation” as well as a recent article in “The Mountain Astrologer”. In her recent articles, she states that ‘humanity as an intelligent collective’ is undergoing a ‘mass meltdown.’ Before anything truly new can be incorporated into the collective consciousness there first must be an often painful process of letting go of all of the old assumptions and trusted views of what life is and how it should be lived. This at first will be experienced as a very real threat. I’m not referring to the actual threat of global warming and climate change, but to the way in which humanity first responds to this threat. Denial is often the first response and is the one we are still seeing.

In the election between Obama and McCain it seemed to many that a ‘culture war’ was underlying the entire debate which lead to confusion, not only about the candidates themselves, but even about why one supported one and rejected the other. To me, Neptune over the Moon of a nation will amplify this and in fact, this transit hasn’t fully begun yet. It’s not merely about being conservative or liberal? In fact, it’s not about anything we can understand clearly. It’s deeper and more fundamental than that. We can think of it as more of how a person reacts to uncertainty and the feeling of chaos. Some people have great difficulty with such feelings and react with fear and blame. On the other side a person can react with the sense that new things are now possible and see the crisis as an opportunity for great new paradigms to be born. Most of us are likely to react in ways that are a little of both as we can sense that something very good could arise from something that remains elusive and unclear.

I will be writing much more on the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron theme in future newsletter articles as this theme is likely to capture our attention for many years to come.

What’s Going On With Sarah Palin?

Because of the unusual political move Sarah Palin recently made by resigning as Governor of Alaska, I thought it might be fun to take a look at what’s going on for her astrologically and there is a great deal going on indeed. There has been a lot of speculation as to why she did this and what it means for her political future. Did she resign so she could make a lot of money? Is she planning to run for President in 2012?

Here’s an article that reveals that her resignation as governor has actually boosted her support among Republicans. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-07-palin-poll_N.htm).  She has to be incredibly happy to hear of this as well as to feel vindicated in her decision. This is where astrology can tell us quite a bit about what she’s thinking and more importantly what is motivating her at this time. Palin’s birth chart is unusual in that she has 5 planets in Aquarius (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars and Saturn) and 2 in Aries (Venus & Jupiter). This means that there is a high degree of focus and certainty in her character as well as ambition. The sign of Aquarius represents the archetypal eccentric, combining attributes that for many of us do not seem to go together. This sign can be liberal, progressive and humanitarian and then turn around and do something people regard as conservative and traditional or vice versa. Dick Cheney, for example, recently came out in favor of legalizing gay marriage, thereby going against everything he supposedly stood for as Vice-President. This issue has been a wedge issue used by conservatives for many years to appeal to conservative voters and show that liberals have no values. Of course, he is now out of office and no longer having to operate so politically. Also, Aquarius wants to make sure they cannot be pigeonholed or stereotyped. They are known for being quirky and very independent. I believe the reason we find so many Aquarians being conservative and in prominent positions in politics is that they want their freedom to be unfettered. The phrase – “we must keep government out of our lives”- is a common theme for them.

What I find interesting is that right now transiting Jupiter is in Aquarius and is conjuncting her Sun, Mars and Saturn. So, she has surprised people by leaving her elected post with all of its responsibilities, limitations, press coverage and potential for scandal and to seek out the broader possibilities of private life. Jupiter rules wealth (she has a chance to make considerably more money after she leaves office), popularity, freedom (I’m not going to take all this crap from the media anymore), publishing (she has plans for writing a book and making a huge amount of money in the process) and participation in a cause. She is the darling of the conservative right wing of this country and she will now be able to make profitable speeches to these groups and still be independent from the GOP political machine. She may run for the Presidency in 2012, but if she does she will do so in a very independent way. She is not liked by the GOP leaders and so will have to bypass them and make her appeal directly to the people. Can a person with 5 planets in Aquarius do such a thing? Well, to quote a famous politician- “You betcha!!”

As progressive as Aquarius can be, it is also a fixed sign. So when it’s mind is made up, it is very unlikely to change. Sarah Palin is giving voice to an aspect of the American consciousness that is likely to want more attention in the near future, not less. She is a very polarizing figure and I would imagine that she enjoys that. But also Aquarius is the opposite sign of Leo. I have always believed that we can’t really understand a sign if we don’t also understand its polar opposite. Leo is the opposite sign to Aquarius and so it’s no wonder that Aquarius also enjoys the spotlight. I’ve never yet met an Aquarius who doesn’t have affection for the sign of Leo who they admire for their creativity, magnetism and confidence. Sarah Palin is not in the mood to have her freedom curtailed in any way. Being governor of such an isolated state as Alaska is just too small a stage for her now that Jupiter is controlling her as much as it is. Now that she has been given the opportunity to play on the national stage, there’s just no way she’s going to settle for the small life style to which she had become accustomed. Yet, it is important to mention that Jupiter is capable of exaggeration, self-importance and excessive optimism. In her bid for freedom, it is doubtful that she has thought through the implications of her actions. My opinion is that she has marginalized herself from the mainstream Republican party and that she won’t be able to operate within it. I also believe that with Pluto having left Sagittarius and entered Capricorn, that the political coalition between so-called ‘values’ voters of the religious right and the traditional pro-business side is breaking down. It hasn’t happened quite yet, though we do see signs of it, but  is likely to emerge much more in the next 2-3 years. When this does happen though, I think the Republican party will become much stronger than it is now.

Palin’s actions have changed her destiny forever. Though even she may not know exactly where things will go from here, she will be freer and be able to operate in much larger circles than she ever imagined just a few years ago. Isn’t destiny something?

I’ll be writing soon on the Total Solar Eclipse occuring on July 21st.

Love is in the Air – or Is It?

For the last few months, Venus and Mars have been dancing together with so much ease that it could make it seem that it will always be easy for romance to appear. Lots of people have been telling me that they’re trying to figure out which person they’ve met is the one with whom they may want to build a relationship. (Of course I’m only talking about single people, since it is a well-known fact that love affairs between married people are extremely rare, especially among conservative Governors). Venus and Mars also affects our ability to create, have fun, and shows he we approach bringing joy into our lives. This has been a great time for us to take advantage of opportunities that come our way. The houses and aspects where this conjunction takes place in our chart will tell us where the action is likely to be.

Now, Venus is moving away from Mars, but as it does, they are both moving right into a square to the other planets dancing together.  Jupiter is conjunct  Neptune and it is these two giants that Venus and Mars are beginning to square. A square aspect brings tension and a lot of energy to any situation in which we are engaged. Perhaps there will be conflicts and difficulties as well. What will the nature of these be? Most likely they will involve confusion (Neptune), unrealistic expectations or hopes and conflicts over values and even spirituality.

I want to confide something to you. The planet I have the most difficult time writing about is Neptune. The reason is that this archetype is so enigmatic, inconsistent and subtle. Liz Greene, a Jungian therapist and astrologer wrote a very long book on this planet alone. The other thing I hate about it is that as one begins to describe its characteristics it always comes out negative. Here are some sample keywords – deception (to oneself and to others), disillusionment, disappointment, sacrifice, martyrdom, scandal, and so on. So, where can I go from here?

The fact is that the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) are all archetypal forms that have not yet been integrated into the mass consciousness of humanity. This is why they often manifest more negatively. As we discover how we can work consciously with these, their positive aspects also begin to appear. So let’s look at what Neptune can help us develop. Neptune rules what can be called the ‘mystic understanding’ or ‘mystic experience’. It is not just a matter of thinking or logic. It is an experience that informs us of how we are all connected to one another and to the World itself. It dissolves the sense of separateness, which is something we’ve worked hard to create ever since we were born and came out of the primeval waters of the unconscious. Now, we have to dive back into a world that we worked so hard to leave? Well, yes, but we’re not the same as we were then. If we’ve developed a good, strong ego, Neptune can help us experience amazing heights of beauty, surrender, love and awe—-WHILE we remain working in our roles in life, fulfilling our dharma or duties (Saturn). The archetype of Saturn can help us remain grounded in life while simultaneously venturing forth into the aethers of our imagination and fantasy life. It’s where we wonder if our dreams may be far more real than we think. Maybe we create our reality from these dreams. Or maybe in another dimension, they’re really real. One can never be sure.

Right now with Jupiter conjuncting Neptune, high spiritual experiences are quite possible for us if we are so inclined. But so are high hopes and dreams that may not be possible. Should we try to actualize these even though we don’t know whether or not we are standing on solid ground? Perhaps we should. If we remain aware that we don’t know what the outcome will be, we can stand in the midst of uncertainty and the groundlessness of not knowing and we’ll be fine. We may be better than fine as we must not underestimate the importance of living in the state just described for groundlessness can inspire us and make us feel totally alive. In this state amazing feelings and emotions are invoked as our spirit is taken to wonderful heights…… while also knowing that we could fall to the ground if we go too far. The antidote for this may be ‘faith’ in its highest sense. A faith that lets us be guided in every step by an internal knowing  of what is right and best for us. It exists in each of us and the present Jupiter/Neptune transit can help us find it and put it to use.

With Venus and Mars involved, this theme is likely to play out in relationships. And not just romantic ones. It will affect all kinds. Taking a risk can be exciting, but if you can remain connected to the deepest part of yourself that does know the truth, that risk becomes something worth taking. When we stay connected to That, we can’t go too far off base and even if we do, we can look back and know that it was a great ride, worth every penny. There can be no disappointment when we have that attitude, right?

Hope you are enjoying your ride!!