For the past three months, we have been in an astrological phase where many of us have the opportunity to bring about practical and transformational changes in our lives. This has been due to the trine, a very harmonious aspect, between the planet of opportunity, Jupiter, and the tiny, but potent Pluto, that intensifies whatever it touches. This began in early June, when Jupiter entered the stable earth sign Taurus and has been strengthening as the summer heated up. This transit lasts much longer than most Jupiter transits because of its retrograde period that creates the exact trine three times. In fact, it lasts until late March, 2012, which means the trine is in effect for 10 months. This means that we are going to have several shots at making something happen, if we are willing to take some practical risks.

I am well aware that the economy is stagnating for a variety of economic and political reasons. In fact, because of the much deeper transit of Uranus in square to Pluto, major changes are coming that will force us to question many of the models or paradigms that control life in this country and in the planet in general. But, for individuals, life goes on. In fact, it is very important that each of us recognize this and that we do what we can to refuse to get caught up in the general fear and possible malaise around us, so that we can take advantage if something does come our way. I believe that the transiting Jupiter trine to Pluto aspect we are in right now is preventing things from being even worse than they might be otherwise and that for some people, great opportunities can be discovered.

Let me first talk about the nature of any trine. It is an aspect between two planets of 120°, which is the angle that forms in an equilateral triangle. It represents ease, harmony and flow. The reason we like our trines when we have them, is that usually things will work out well for us, i.e. that our affairs go easy. However there is another side to this. Because there is an ease at this time, there is little pressure or need to act on anything. It is the squares and oppositions in astrology that bring us the necessity for change and movement. In other words, while this is a time of possible opportunity, it could be one that is wasted.

Please remember that, by necessity, I am making broad generalizations. There are many factors in an individual’s chart and all of them would have to be examined before we could know how a specific person could be affected by this transit.

So, this is a time to really look around and see what is appearing in our lives. Although there is no need to push, if we do see an opportunity, we should take it seriously. With Pluto being involved, the archetype of ‘all or nothing,’ is always the best way. Go all of the way or let it go. We need to dive in or stay out of the water. The ones who will win are going to be those who fully see the potential for growth and who decide to ‘go all in.’ This trine is an earth trine, the signs of Taurus and Capricorn, which tells us that this is a time of great opportunities to manifest something significant in the world. Jupiter, the planet of vision and expansion, means that there is a good chance things will work out the way we envision, if we only make the effort.

Right now, Jupiter has just gone retrograde. This does not mean that opportunities are stopping and that we must wait. It means instead, that things we might have missed, not seen, or which were not ready for manifestation, must now be picked up. You can picture a bus going downtown, but is going so fast, that some people who are important for our future, were not picked up for the ride. We will not be able to progress until we return to pick them up. Here are some of the other meanings for when Jupiter goes retrograde:

1. Opportunities will reappear and this time, we will see them for what they are.
2. Any changes in our philosophy about a project should be considered carefully.
3. Avoid missing steps. It is better to take one’s time than to force things to happen prematurely.

More about a Pluto transit

This archetype is about resurrecting something new out of the ashes from an old cycle. For example, this is seen when a business is bought at a low in order to be rebuilt and radically transformed into something new. This includes, of course, the facing of the necessity of first letting go. We’ve seen both HP and Google let go of some products they have invested in heavily and which now are seen as losers for them. With the present transit, it will be interesting to see what they do over the next months now that they have surrendered to something they know won’t work for them. Other things we can do is look and see if there is value in areas that others have missed or something that you can see has great value for the future.

However, Jupiter is in Taurus, so we will need patience, perseverance and dogged determination if we are to turn this into something truly significant for us. What is needed here most is INTENTION. Once we’ve decided what we want to pursue, we need to commit fully and not let our courage wane in the middle of the stream. Any transit of Jupiter trine Pluto reveals the “Power of Intention” in determining our ability to succeed and create something new. But know that Intention is always tested and challenged. We cannot know if we actually have it, until we successfully handle this test. We are going to be measured for this quality. Why? Because this is what the sign of Capricorn always does.

As always, I want to encourage you to reply to this post. All of our readers enjoy hearing how others are being affected by the present transits.

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.

I never tire of watching the way that astrology operates in life. Before looking at the astrology of the present revelations, let me make a few comments on my thoughts about the revelations coming from WikiLeaks. Some have called this a ‘historians dream and a diplomats nightmare.’ Right now, when you Google WikiLeaks, you get zilch. Governments are doing all they can to stop this ‘terrible intrusion into diplomat’s private thoughts’ and of course, everyone is complaining about ‘damage to national security.’ What I find interesting is that what is coming out is, to me, a bit reassuring and sometimes just plain obvious. It’s like seeing that the emperor has no clothes. Is this the disaster it is being made out to be? It hasn’t revealed anything nefarious. It’s not like in the 60′s and 70′s when coups and assassinations were being planned by the U.S. government. In fact, what is coming out is that for the most part, the U.S. policies we are being told about are basically what is really happening. It is what a rational person would expect. Diplomats are being shown to be sharp, well-informed, lucid and astute. Maybe they are more aware and better than many of us thought?

The biggest news that is coming out is that the Arab leaders are very concerned about Iran and, in fact, are so concerned that they are telling the U.S. that they would support military action. No doubt they are embarrassed and don’t want their real feelings to be made public, but does it hurt the U.S.? In fact, it confirms the U.S. argument against Iran that they are a de-stabilizing force in the region, and that they are not acting on behalf of the whole Middle East which is the exact opposite of what Iran is contending. They have spouted all sorts of statements saying that they are representing the entire Middle East and that position cannot any longer be regarded as real. The one who is the angriest about all of this has to be Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The world now knows that he and Iran are feared and hated by the Arab world. It seems like a good outcome to me. By the way, please feel free to comment on my view of this in the section below.

What is interesting astrologically about the timing of this is the transits that have brought it about. Mars entered Sagittarius in late October and was followed by Mercury on Nov. 9, 2010. They joined together on Nov. 20, which empowered and strengthened both. Mercury in Sag. is going to tell the truth as the particular person sees it. It can exaggerate and over-generalize, but it is mostly accused of a lack of discretion, not for overt lying. It does exaggerate its beliefs and can ignore those petty facts that ruin those wonderful belief systems that we all know and love, but in our hearts, we aren’t lying. When it is conjunct to Mars though, it becomes highly assertive and even combative. On top of that, when both square expansive Jupiter (Nov. 25) they become very eccentric and rebellious. This is just not a time for keeping secrets. Squares create stress and this is when it is next to impossible to hold back speaking ‘truth to power.’

Things seem to be exploding now and the founder is soon to be captured. The planets that have brought all this about will soon enter into the more discretionary sign of Capricorn so I imagine these events are about to end. They have already been reduced. Mercury is in Capricorn now and Mars joins it on Dec. 7, 2010, so we’ll see if this shuts down WikiLeaks for good. And yet, its effects will be significant for years, perhaps. We just are unlikely to know what they are. Too bad, is my view. Truth is a good thing and the severe reaction to truth makes me even more in favor of it. I wonder if it would be a good thing if the games played in diplomacy were a bit less and the truth was a bit more important. Most will disagree, but hey, I have Jupiter and my Ascendant in Sagittarius and it squares Mercury. Blabbing the truth is what I like to do, even if at times, I choose to be restrained in what I say. Yet, it is always hard to do.

New Moon in Sagittarius

We have just had a New Moon which occurred on Sunday, December 5, 2010 at 9:36am PST at 12° of Sagittarius. A New Moon marks the beginning of a new cycle that affects a person in whatever area or house it occurs. It lasts for a month and goes through very definite phases. The house it is in is likely to really affect the affairs of that house most of all. But this month has a significant square in it which creates intense and surprising action. Mars is in square relationship with Jupiter and Uranus. Uranus brings surprises and upsets and includes things that are unexpected and shocking. Furthermore, on Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, that same Mars will conjunct Mercury and Pluto in Capricorn and accelerate even further whatever seed is being planted now. The key will be connected to balancing out speaking what you feel is truthful while knowing when to hold back for practical reasons. Under these transits this may be very difficult, but when we are dealing with the highly intense energies of Pluto, it is often highly advisable. In other words, the planets moving into Capricorn remind us of the importance of being strategic while being truthful when appropriate. Sometimes when change is in the offing, we must be careful and plan when we can. High tension between the two tendencies is to be expected now.

We hope you enjoyed our first expanded Monthly newsletter. There are some wonderful recipes in it as well as lots of information about the coming transits for December. Please feel free to offer any suggestions to us and if you enjoyed it, we will be very grateful if you forward the newsletter on to interested friends and family members.

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.

This week’s article is different than most. I am going to focus on what’s going on in the economy and what astrology has to say about it. Also, since we are in the midst of the Venus retrograde, which in part does rule money and finances, we indeed are in a period where it is important to try to understand the true nature of things and by implication, where things might be going. We are in the midst of another important transit that can easily be overlooked. I am referring to the opposition between Jupiter and Saturn. To put this into perspective, this is a very important 20 year cycle that has a lot to do with the general shifts in one’s personal as well as the national economy. That cycle began at the conjunction in May of 2000, which means we are now at the mid-point of that same cycle. A conjunction is like a New Moon in that it sparks the beginning of a new phase of developments that is often fundamentally different from the previous one. The opposition, which is where we are now, is like a Full Moon in that it brings to full fruition the ‘essence’ or ‘seed’ of what was born at the conjunction. In other words it takes some time for the new impulse to begin to manifest as the nature of the previous cycle slowly gives way so that something new can be born. The Jupiter/Saturn conjunction occurred in the sign of Taurus, which is a fixed earth sign. In economics terms it asks us to pay as we go, to focus on what is of ‘real’ value, not just created value and to create a foundation that we can really trust. If this is not done, then sooner or later, there will be severe consequences. If we examine the first 8 years of this cycle (2000-2008) we see that the exact opposite of Taurus was occurring. Debt was rising, values had become distorted and very few people were yelling at us to stop the coming train wreck. For example, no longer were people buying homes to live in. They were buying investments to be turned over. No longer were people motivated to pay down their debt, but were instead financing major remodels thereby increasing their debt. And all of this was due to the popular belief that the price of real estate was going to rise forever or at least for a very long time. Now, when in the history of mankind did everything go up forever? Answer: NEVER. Yet, this was overlooked and the result was that this new ‘Taurus” demand for focusing on REAL value was ignored and we have been just waiting for the crash that MUST inevitably come. It came in 2008 and is still with us today.

In our society, so much is politicized that at times we, as a people, may not be able to see straight. Economics is one of those areas of life. So to take a look that is as objective as possible, I often turn to Fareed Zakaria. He makes an effort to bring on guests that he feels are smart and very well-informed; he asks great questions and follows up in ways that truly clarify the matters being discussed. If a guest can’t handle that, they don’t come on his show. This Sunday he had a special show called “Restoring the American Dream.” His guests were CEO’s of Alcoa, Google, Coca-Cola and an Executive who had been CEO of both IBM and American Express. By the way, did you know that Coca-Cola is manufacturing its drinks in 260 countries? That’s more than the number of countries in the United Nations. To some of my readers this may seem like a group of men (and yes they were all men) who are biased. Yes, they are. But none of them could get anywhere if they were not grounded in reality and all of them are quite familiar with how the global economy is affecting this country, so they are worth hearing out. For example how will we deal with unemployment when most experts believe that due to tremendous improvements in technologies, when the economy does improve, that 30-40% of the old jobs will not come back? Those jobs will NEVER come back. A huge transition is happening in the world and we are only now beginning to become aware of its nature.

I will summarize as succinctly as I can what their main points were:

• About the role of government – since the early 1950′s, government financing of research and development of new technologies (primarily but not exclusively through the Dept. of Defense) totally fueled the growth of our economy. Recently, China publicized its achievement of having developed the fastest computer in the world which was funded by its government. For the past few decades, the U.S. government has been spending less and less on R&D, especially on new technologies as well as ‘green’ technologies, which has resulted in the fact that now the U.S. is ranked #6 in the world. China is #1 in the development of new ‘green’ technologies. Most of us believed that certainly the U.S. would want to be the leader in this newly emerging field. This does not bode well for our economy since more and more future jobs will be in this field. To the executives on this show, we need to become #1 again, especially since we no longer have an economy based on manufacturing.
• Education – Believe it or not, 40% of the doctorates (PhD’s) awarded last year were given to foreign-born students, the majority of whom were forced by our immigration laws to leave the country after receiving their degree. That’s a lot of brain drain leaving a country that is quickly losing ground to the rest of the world. The percentage of PhD’s that are given to foreign-born students is a severe condemnation of our present school system, but at least they had to come here to get advanced degrees. Why not encourage them to remain here? By the way, the U.S. ranks #52 in the world in the quality of science and math education, slightly behind Viet Nam.
• Training and Retraining employees – Many countries work hard to retrain employees as they realize that their national economic security and interest depends on this. In Germany, for example, unemployment has been DROPPING the last several years while ours has been steadily increasing. Most feel that this is due to their strong emphasis on retraining workers as they regard this as an investment rather than as just an expense.
• How we regard teachers – for a long time now, teachers and teacher unions have been the whipping boys and girls of politicians, but that’s not how the executives see it. If you look historically at teachers, it has never been regarded as a profession. During and after World War II, teachers were women who wanted to make a little ‘extra income.’ Fortunately many of them were very good. But since then, teaching has not been given nearly as important status as it needs to be. If it were regarded seriously as a profession two things would have to occur. Salaries would have to rise significantly and the quality of teachers would also have to rise with that. At this point, how will this be paid for?

The group of CEO’s made four general recommendations:

1. All were concerned about the high degree of divisiveness in our political discourse. It has gotten so bad that we cannot agree on anything which, of course, prevents us from doing anything. Finding a way to come together as a nation on a commitment to national goals was the first recommendation they made. This includes politicians ceasing to have a mentality of ‘my district first.’
2. Find ways to encourage startup businesses knowing that many will fail, but that some will not and may then become real forces in the creation of a new economy.
3. Revive manufacturing to some degree, even if it does not reach levels it used to be in the past.
4. Changing the nature of our economy – for the past 30 years we have bought into the idea that we could have a sustainable economy based solely on consumption. This means borrowing money is seen as a way to fuel the economy. But it cannot be sustained forever. The economy must change to the focusing on creating either things or new ideas and information. Fareed recommended we create a value added tax (a national sales tax) for the sole purpose of funding new innovation, just like we did in the 1950′s and for decades after that.

All of this is actually what the Jupiter opposition to Saturn is encouraging us to look at. Here are some ideas that Fareed suggested we might do as individuals:

1. Do something unique (remember that we are in a Jupiter conjunction with Uranus ruling uniqueness?). Find a field you enjoy and become an expert in it. Bring back artisanship, craftsmanship and focus on customizing rather than on just making commodities. China can make commodities, but no one country can compete with people who create unique or customized things.

2. Go local – do something within your community that cannot be outsourced.

3. Make yourself indispensable by becoming an expert. Such things are learning a new craft that is difficult (like astrology?); or learn a new language since the global economy is here to stay, etc.

These are just some of the things we can do, but all of them and many more depend on one thing. We must recognize the fact that things have changed forever. The old economy has died. It is not dying, it is dead. For many of my readers who are already in varying degrees alternative, some of this is not new. Many of you have been doing this for some time and will continue to do so. Because Jupiter and Uranus have begun a new cycle, what I’ve written here is likely to be the wave of the future. Innovation will be accelerating in importance and hopefully many of us will be either on board with it or founders of something that is unique.

As always, I look forward to your responses, but especially to this article. Tell us what you are doing to yourself to make these things happen in your life. If the difficult times we are clearly in result in a resurgence of innovation and creativity, we can use these harder times and put them to good use.

The retrograde period has fully begun and we may find ourselves having to face the challenges that it may be bringing. It can be helpful to conceive of these matters as areas that have been present for some time, but is only now something we are able to recognize and therefore something we have to handle. Thus, we do benefit from examining them more deeply.

Because Venus rules values, one of the most significant aspects of this 6-week period has to do with the priorities we have consciously or unconsciously set for ourselves. Life always has its limitations, so we can never do it all or be all things to all people. So the question of what really matters to us is important. And along with that is the issue of why one thing matters more to us than another. Venus rules our likes and dislikes, but during its retrograde cycle, we get the chance to look closely at them to determine why they are important to us or not. This is especially true right now with Jupiter also being retrograde. Jupiter rules our philosophies and belief systems, so together we need to really get to the ‘essence’ of what is important to us.

Our relationship to others and to things/objects – the Venus retrograde affects our relationships certainly. But I would suggest that we go a bit further to look at the nature of our relationship to a person or object in our life. In the negative sense, Venus is known to rule greed, narcissism, possessiveness, jealousy and so on. But it is when Venus is retrograde that that we have an opportunity to discover what is really motivating us in that relationship. What is really going on inside us? We say and feel that we love someone, but do we really? And, if so, why? What are the underlying or real motives behind the relationship? And do we like what we see? If not, the Venus retrograde period is the time to become open to a new way of loving, a way that is real and genuine and which takes into the account not just our needs, but the needs of the other person as well. Venus can be selfish in its needs, so now we get a chance to shift. And, on the other hand, if there is an imbalance in the opposite direction, that is that we do not take our own needs into account sufficiently, we have a chance now to shift in that direction as well. This is a time to examine and re-balance.

Jupiter conjuncting Uranus Revisited

I haven’t written recently about this on-going transit, but it is with us until early February of 2011, so I’d like to revisit it. History records that this transit corresponds significantly with important technological discoveries, quantum leaps of all kinds, political rebellions and awakenings and peak experiences. Let me list just a few:

1.  The Apollo Moon Landing
2.  The report by Arthur Eddington in 1919 that confirmed Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
3.  The construction of the first computer by Jobs and Wozniak in 1976
4.  The completion of Michelangelo’s ‘Sistine Chapel’ in 1512.
5.  The invention of the electric light bulb (1879), the telegraph (1844), the first radio broadcast (1920), the first Internet transmission (1969), and much more.

Sometimes we won’t know until after the transit has completed what is being discovered at this very moment, but one of the most obvious developments affecting the planet is the rise of the smart phone and its exponentially expanding use in the social media world of Facebook, Twitter, etc. The desire for immediate connection to friends and the whole world is changing our world in ways we cannot yet being to fathom. It has become easy for a person to create a website and there is tremendous growth of the Internet newsletter services, such as the one I’m using for this School and its programs.

Of even greater importance perhaps are the paradigm shifts that this transit is bringing about. Any sociologist/astrologer must look at the Tea Party movement (and it is undeniably a movement) and try to determine what it’s all about. Here, I think the astrologer has an edge, because it is easy to see that this movement has all the earmarks of Jupiter conjunct Uranus. Sure, it is disorganized and lacks a center, but that itself is very consistent with the nature of this conjunction, especially when it is in Aries. The movement seems to have the general theme of advocating reliance on oneself and much less on a government. There is anger that is sometimes hard to understand, but which conceives of the government as a hostile force that destroys freedoms. It has already gone so far that many are advocating the privatization of public services such as fire departments that in the past were an unquestioned responsibility of local governmental bodies. Where will it lead and how far it will go is not knowable right now, but it is clearly operating strongly and is likely to grow even more as both Jupiter and Uranus re-enter Aries in the late winter and early spring.

What I also want to emphasize is that for each of us there is the great possibility of starting something new, both externally and internally. Patterns from our past can be released or loosened now and we can both imagine and act on the demand for new approaches to our life, our goals and our sense of purpose.

Although there are no direct aspects between the Venus retrograde and the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction since they are operating at the same time, it suggests that we are freer than ever to find new ways of being in relationship, learning to be free and independent while at the same time, discovering ways to have warm, loving relationships. It’s new territory, perhaps even a little scary, but it is possible, if we are willing to take some risks and venture out onto the tightrope to see what we are made of and what is possible.

 Now that we have fully moved into the Venus retrograde, I want to invite my readers to write in and describe how you are experiencing these interesting times. If you do not want your name attached, please email me and ask me to post it for you and I’ll do it.

Thanks for reading.

Jupiter expands whatever it touches. This expansion can include exaggeration and over-optimism, but also the desire to learn and experience so that our understanding and vision is expanded. This is how this energy is best used. Uranus in itself represents the out-of-the-box outlook and the desire for unfettered freedom to be our own unique self. The Uranian energy needs independence and fosters the sense that no one and no thing should be able to block ones freedom to do whatever one wants. In the best sense, it does enable us to think beyond the constraints of normal everyday consciousness and opens things up for us so that we can break the bonds holding us back fro the fullest expression of our own personal genius. But if it is not balanced by both Saturn and Neptune, it can create a ‘me-first’ attitude that shuts out concern for other people. One ceases to consider others at all, if it becomes extreme enough. In a society this can result in a breakdown of the social fabric. Many astrologers believe that when Jupiter and Uranus dance together that it brings about an increase of tolerance and respect for others. Often it does, but not if these two archetypes move to the negative side of its potentiality. Preachiness, wanting others to abide by our own sense of morality, even if it does not harm another person such as a criminal act begins to dominate the social landscape.

Together, Jupiter and Uranus really push us towards total freedom from constraint and can produce revolutionary conditions. ‘Expect the unexpected’ is the watchword of the day when theses two archetypal energies are in play as they are now. It is obvious to any astrologer that the Tea Party movement is one way in which this transit is playing out. The election of Tea Party candidates in this week’s primary against the more mainstream candidates certainly speaks to this. What is interesting to me is that since Saturn, the restrictor is moving away from its opposition to the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, it is allowing the energy of freedom from restriction (by government) and independence (take back our country like the Tea Party proclaims) to grow as it is no longer balanced by Saturn. The desire for unfettered freedom is exposed for what it is and has been, the view that government is bad. Whether you are in favor of this movement or not, its presence is evidence of something important and which will be growing, not receding.  

As is always true in life, if an extreme side of things appears it will immediately evoke its opposite side. So, just as Christine O’Donnell wins the GOP nomination in the state of Delaware (ex-Senator Joe Biden’s seat) and Jerome Corsi, a conservative author, asks President Obama to renounce Lucifer, Jon Stewart is organizing the “Rally to Restore Sanity” at the Washington mall. It is always like this in life. To understand more of this, read about the basic principles of the I Ching, one of the wisest books in the world and encompasses thousands of years of ancient wisdom. It is pure Taoism. It basically postulates the idea that the two fundamental opposites (Yin and Yang) are always dancing back and forth, moving from one extreme to the other, and seeking balance between the two extremes. This dance excites and moves through each of us, and makes life on planet Earth what it is.

However, this dance is also never stable, at least not in a society. It is constantly in flux. For individuals, however, something more is possible. The finding of an inner stability or equanimity is possible for a person. It is a higher state of consciousness and would have to include the understanding of the existence of both sides of a set, but does it seem possible? I think I need to create a website to discuss that, don’t you? Hmmm! Sounds like a good idea to me. But… I digress.

For now, what we are apt to see is more and more inflamed passions and the move toward greater extremes. Dialogue has been missing for the past several years, but I’m afraid it is going to get worse, not better. That’s what the present transits are suggesting. As I’ve said in the past, the biggest transit of all is nearing and is going to look very much like the 60′s. I’m referring to the square between Uranus and Pluto. Because it is a square rather than a conjunction, and because it will be in Aries and Capricorn rather than more modest and peaceful Virgo, this square is likely to really polarize and divide this country. Another interesting indicator of how things work in the overall scheme of things is that the 60′s were a rebellion from the left or liberal side. The coming square, however, is clearly coming from the right wing or conservative side of the populace. It will be as extreme as the 60′s were, and probably even moreseo.

By the way, this is why I can already pick Obama as being re-elected in 2012. Why? I don’t need astrology to do it. If things continue to become more and more extreme from the right, it must evoke its opposite force. So, the more extreme the right becomes and the more power it can garner, the more likely it will be that the other side, which will be represented by Obama will have to exist. The more the hatred, the more the self-balancing side of things must emerge. His presidency will become the necessary opposing force. It’s just ‘philosophical physics.’ I just made that term up. (And, by the way, Jupiter and Uranus are squaring my Moon, so I get to make all sorts of new terminology up. The problem I have personally is that some wise person said a long time ago that ‘there’s nothing new under the Sun.’ Then there’s the guy who even said that we don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. Sheesh! Where’s my chance to be totally unique? Oh well, that’s ‘philosophical physics’ for you. All these dualities haunting us all the time. What are we to do?)

One of the wonderful aspects of astrology is in the exploration of the philosophical implications that becomes necessary when we study it. Each planet contains an underlying set of philosophical viewpoints that can widen our understanding of ourselves and the world. There can be faith in astrology, but what is much better in my view is that by using astrology to test out the way in which these forces manifest in our world, we get the chance to formulate our own educated thoughts about what it all means and whether or not astrology works at all. I hope this article will in some way reflect what is happening in your world.

As always, I want to encourage my readers to reply to this article and describe how this Full Moon is affecting you and those you know. Enjoy!!

In my discussions with friends and students, what is being expressed most of all is the sense that whatever I am focusing on now is quite important. There doesn’t seem to be time for ‘casual’ or ‘insignificant’ matters to be considered. We may not want to waste time on areas of our life that do not require our attention. And, if we do engage in such things, we may be more peeved about it than usual. The meetings we have with others seem to be necessary now and we may sense that they are likely to have deeper implications towards our future. We spend time thinking about the best approach rather than to just ‘dive in’ nonchalantly. If so, this is a good thing to do, because whatever we do set into motion now is indeed significant. Yes, more review may be inevitable, but that need not be thought of as a problem. What is developing actually is the possibility of a new ‘intention’ or ‘direction.’ We may find ourselves considering turning towards a new set of potentialities and while we cannot know if they will bear fruit or what kind of fruit they will produce, we do sense the need for a new direction to either be taken or at least be considered.

The meaning of the upcoming conjunction of the Sun and Mercury is that a new ‘seed idea’ is being born which simultaneously is being created by something old that is finally coming to a head. There is an odd sense that it is partially like a New Moon (the beginning of a new cycle) and partially like a Full Moon (the culmination of an already developing cycle). I know it may feel strange but you might like to reflect on what is developing for you right now to see if something from the past is coming together as well as something new being considered. Whatever you find out, it is likely that this is a very potent time, full of newly emerging opportunities. Of course, often we find that before something new can be born, something old must either die or change form significantly, but that’s just the way of things.

Two Ongoing Conjunctions As Well

Right now, due to the combination of faster moving planets slowing down or retrograding, we are in the midst of a ‘dance’ of two conjunctions that usually last for only a short time. This time they are dancing together for a considerable amount of time.

Venus dancing with Mars – usually Venus moves quickly past Mars in its normal transit since it is a very fast moving planet, but right now, because Venus is slowing down in advance of its coming change of direction (turning retrograde) on October 8, 2010, Venus is in a two-month conjunction with Mars. It began in mid-August and continues through mid-October. Although Venus and Mars are associated with love, romance and sexuality, it goes deeper than that. Venus is the symbol that rules the law of attraction, which can be defined as what we want to bring toward us and what we want to push away. Mars is the principle of self-assertion and how we go after what we want. Right now we are becoming clearer about both what we want and how we must approach getting it, if we are to be successful. Combined with the Mercury retrograde cycle we may be determining what these strategies need to be.

Jupiter dancing with Uranus – this dance is lasting many months. Specifically, it is in effect from mid-May 2010 to late January of 2011. This is due to the fact that they have conjuncted and are now retrograding together moving back and forth between early Aries and late Pisces. I have written extensively about this exciting combo. It is bringing forth all sorts of new paradigms, ideas, and insights. Because it is lasting so long, though, my sense is that it will deepen the profound possibilities that can come forth now. While it brings with it a lot of instability and uncertainty, it is going to be well worth it. One friend said that she is living hour by hour right now, as anything can happen and she can’t tell where things are going at all. This level of uncertainty is good for us though, however scary it can be. Learning to live in the moment is so important for us. Why?

Because the only ‘real’ life we can ever have is in the eternal moment of the now. The present transit between Jupiter and Uranus can be exposing us to this, whether we like it or not, and if we go with it, we may discover that we actually like it. It is where we can be so open that we ‘Feel’ the Life force so vividly that we find that we are in a state of constant inspiration. Anything can happen and sure enough, it does. It is where we can do the impossible or, more accurately, what we had thought was impossible.

Finally I would like to mention that this is a good time to be open to not only learning something new, but perhaps more significantly being open to a new paradigm. One helpful definition of the term paradigm is this – “A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the person and group/community of which they are a part.” A paradigm shift is meant to be a fundamental one and can lead to a ‘new way of Being-in-the-World.’ Because the conjunction is in Aries, some people will be only focused on themselves, what they want and desire, etc. Others will be concerned with the importance of personal rights and freedoms which we can already see developing with the growth of anti-government sentiments. But to me, the highest way this transit can manifest is for each of us to find ways to become more connected to what we know in our heart is what we are here are earth to do. We can claim the right to be ourselves in the fullest sense while also understanding that no person is an island and that we are a part of a larger Whole that gives us life and sustains us. These can be very exciting times with loads of new opportunities, but before this can show itself, we may have to prepare for the death of the old cycle. I believe that this is what the retrograde back into Pisces between Jupiter and Uranus actually signifies.

As always, I and the readers love to hear your thoughts about this article and anything on your minds that is in some relevant to what’s happening now. So, please feel free to write in.

Nevertheless, even a novice can take a casual look at the chart to the right and you will see that 7 planets are either conjunct, square or in opposition to each other. This is not going to be seen more than once in a lifetime for it is that rare. In a few words, this configuration creates dynamic tension. It can be a very creative period, but it also has built into it a great deal of resistance. It is common sense to know that the greater the desire and/or need for change, the greater is the likelihood of there being resistance to that very change. We can take our hints from looking at the news and even now we see that Sen. John Kyle (R-Ariz.) has come out for the repeal of the 14th amendment, which allows children of undocumented immigrants to be automatically granted U.S. citizenship. The repeal of an amendment to the constitution is a radical change . So, we can be certain that the seeing of this now means that the sentiments behind it are very significant and will be affecting the political life in this country for a long time.  Most things that happen in the news right now are apt to be important. How we are affected personally depends on where this is happening in one’s chart and also what has been building on one’s life. It can affect one psychologically, emotionally, physically and spiritually or in all of the mentioned ways. On the physical plane, it could manifest as one moving to a new city or home. It could mean that one gives birth or its opposite that one is dealing with the death or possibly death of someone dear to the person. Psychologically, it can manifest as the need to confront something or someone, to face what has been important for some time but which must now be handled. Finally, while it can create events, it may not do so immediately.

The Planets Involved

In this particular chart, the fast moving the Moon, Venus and Mars are acting as triggers which stimulate whatever is in the works and this is why events could occur at this time. The stress for action is very strong. Some people have expressed their feeling that an earthquake here in L.A. is coming or is likely. Such a severe event is not impossible, but that’s not necessarily the way this energetic tension could express itself. What it does signify is the feeling that whatever is happening now is going to be experienced as shocking, intense and extreme. Part of the tension is due to the geometric angles in which the planets find themselves but it is also due to the nature of those planets. Jupiter, the principle of expansion, philosophy, religion and spirituality is opposing Saturn, which is the archetype of restriction, delay, but also manifestation. Saturn is slow because it asks us to bring something into reality, to master something and to avoid missing any steps. This can produce frustration, but only if we try to rush something and do not accept the necessity that things must develop naturally. And with Uranus also involved in its conjunction with Jupiter, we see that the desire for radical change of something can also bring about fear of that change just as quickly.

The Best Strategies to Deal With This Transit

Here are some general ideas of how we might handle what is coming forward right now:

Openness to the New – a new paradigm or structure is emerging for us right now. With it come new challenges, but most of all it signifies some type of  new set of circumstances that we must either adapt to or with which we must work. The famous astrologer, Dane Rudhyar, regarded this type of moment in time as one in which a new seed is planted which will ultimately create an entirely new plant or new cycle. (By the way, this cycle will emerge must more clearly in the late winter and early spring of 2011 when Jupiter and Uranus enter Aries completely).

Intention – Once we understand or can feel what the new seed is about for us, we must then do what we can to embrace it fully, to own it, so to speak. Whatever it is, it is coming about as a necessity, so it is best to intend to work with it, to cooperate with its demands of us and see it as beneficial in the long run. For some this will be easy as the new seed is welcome, but for others, it can be resisted or even fought against. To do so is not helpful, since the coming changes are inevitable. We must learn to hold and even nurture the new seed, so that as it sprouts, we do all we can to help it grow into the new structure that is promised.

Patience – for a variety of reasons, the changes being signaled right now are just emerging and have a ways to go before becoming solid and clear enough to be acted upon fully. What is more likely is that we need to approach whatever we find ourselves being moved toward with openness, but also without any rush. It is too big to be something that can be handled quickly. Saturn is part of this process which means that we must not miss any steps and must go slow enough to build a solid foundation. Saturn provides the rules for all that develops, so respect for that process is so important.

Awareness – In any process that is truly new, there is an inevitable arousal of fears since we are always more familiar with the past that we can be with the future. The future is unknown and different, so if we find ourselves confronting fear as the new approaches, we do not need to be surprised or ashamed. Our job in that situation is to make the effort to continue moving forward.

Mercury Entering the Shadow

I will speak more about this in the next newsletter article, but I’m mentioning it here because it could cause delays in manifesting what the present intense transits are bringing about. Mercury will retrograde at 19° of Virgo on August 19, 2010, but is now in the area in which it will retrograde back towards, so whatever you are considering you can be certain that there will be a review process about it. More on this in future articles.

Saturn enters Libra

This transit actually began in late 2009, but since Saturn went retrograde and went back into Virgo, it is only now entering Libra completely. When Saturn is in Virgo, we find that we can be very picky, critical and fault-finding. The ‘feel’ of Saturn in Libra, however, is very different. This important planet is exalted in Libra and is concerned with justice, fairness, and balance. Also, Libra is much more people-oriented than Virgo and this suggests that this is an especially good time to pay close attention to how we operate in relationships. Wherever Saturn is in our charts, this is where we will need to watch, observe and take care for this is the territory where we will be held to account and also where we will benefit if we take care of what needs our attention. While Saturn can be restrictive, in Libra it doesn’t ‘hurt’ so much, so to speak, because we may want to cooperate and collaborate at this time. By the way, a student with special sensitivity about Libra observed that Libra does the best not when it compromises. To her, compromise meant that each side or each person was losing in some way. Instead, she suggested that people make the effort to reach a level of understanding that resulted in a successful collaboration which would mean that both sides can find a way to win. Her observations about this are worth considering.

Jupiter and Uranus are now Retrograde

As I have written, the entrance of both Jupiter and Uranus into Aries give a great spark to the initiating of new behaviors, projects, enterprises, etc. It is the archetype of excitement and risk-taking. Suddenly almost before we had time to get started both of these planets have gone into retrograde. Not only that, but both will return into Pisces. Uranus enters Pisces on August 14, 2010 and Jupiter does the same on September 9. This is likely to dampen our enthusiasm about what was just about to emerge, but if we understand the astrological meaning of this it might not feel so bad. After all, by late winter and early spring of 2011, they will both reenter Aries and this time for good.

What this all suggests is that there is something to review, or even something or someone to go back and pickup. I know that retrograde periods can be frustrating, especially this one. But if we go back and look at what actually happened during any retrograde cycle, we will discover that something happened that was helpful to us. We will find that something important was missing without which we could not have succeeded. So, there is still something to do. One need not give up on whatever has emerged in the last 3-60 days. Aries is a time for vision, expansion and exciting new challenges. It’s time will come. So, instead of giving up on the vision, take a good look to see what is still needed before the new cycle can be born. You will likely find that there is indeed something important to consider or accomplish in order for the new to be as successful as it can be.

Mars Joining the Fray

Mars transits are triggers for events and are therefore often found in event charts. Mars can really stir things up and create events. Transiting Mars is already very close to conjuncting Saturn, but on July 30th, this Friday, it will enter Libra and conjunct Saturn, oppose Jupiter and Uranus and square Pluto. Watch the news during this period and you may see a lot of pressures meeting each other. Some astrologers will predict an earthquake or volcanic event, but whether that happens or not, for many people, it could feel like one is happening inside us. Is this a time for action? No, not necessarily. There may be great pressure to act, but it should be considered carefully, if possible. The implications of whatever this transit triggers is going to be substantial, so great care may be needed even if one feels a lot of pressure to just do something. If you have considered it, then fine. And if you simply have to act, then fine also. One must do what is necessary. But if there is no reason to rush, one should wait before acting and just note what you are feeling and what is coming your way. This is the beginning of a very significant period that will become even more intense in the first 10 days of August when Venus and the Moon enter the critical degrees where these transits are playing out.

By the way, if you have planets or your Ascendant or Mid-heaven in early cardinal (0°-3° of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) or the middle (14° – 17°) of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius), it means that you are especially affected by these transits. All in all, this is a period of change and most people will be feeling it. This also means that people can be especially irritable, worried, and even unstable. So, be extra alert when driving or whenever you are in an especially tense situation. Avoid as much negativity as possible. If things escalate, you don’t want to be in the middle of the action. And if you are the Mayor of Bell, CA or an unusually wealthy City Councilman of that fair city, you might want to resign as soon as possible. We’re not in Dodge City and Wyatt Earp isn’t the sheriff, but I think your days are done and the expression “I think it’s time to get outa Dodge” really does come to mind.

For the readers of this blog, as always, I hope you will write comments on how you are experiencing this time period. I will answer as many questions as possible. Thanks for listening.