The Cardinal T-Square Continues

The last several articles have been covering the potentially eventful period between July 15 and August 15, 2010 which I am calling the cardinal T-square. Other astrologers have referred to it as the cardinal climax. It can be thought of that way because this series of transits actually lasts for several years but is right now reaching a climax since so many of the aspects being made are exact. It can be helpful to think of this period of time as not just likely to create events, though it can. Instead, it signals that many things are up in the air and/or changing directions. This is a time when people leave jobs for new ones, decide to do something that they feel is not just better for them but also more appropriate, and in so doing many people are deciding to downsize so that they will have more freedom to do what they want or need to do. Today’s article is going to look at some of the specific transits that are the most intense right now and how they may be affecting us.

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.

The Coming Cardinal T-Square of 2010

We are now in the beginning of the most interesting period of transits we’ve had in a very long time. It will combine many of the specific transits I’ve been writing about for the past year, but now, all of them are in play at the same time. I intend to write shorter, but more frequent articles in the next few weeks to paint a picture of how things are emerging.

There are four sub-periods worth noting and we are in the first period right now. The second period occurs between July 29-31 and the third period happens about a week later on August 6-7, 2010.

What is happening right now is that Saturn is at the end of its transit in Virgo and will enter Libra on Wednesday, July 21 at 8:09am PDST. As it does so, it immediately moves into an opposition with Jupiter and Uranus in Aries. This is what is being felt right now and will be for the next week or so, when more will develop as well.

I want to quickly summarize what I’ve presented concerning Jupiter and Uranus in Aries. It is the perfect expression of an exuberant embracing of change and, further, the desire and need for a new birth. It is a bright shining star of hope, optimism, technological advancements and unexpected appearances of things we can hardly imagine. However, as strong as this is, and it will actually weaken before it gets going again in 2011, Saturn is opposing it and has been for a year. Saturn is holding us back more now than ever right now. Saturn has us being cautious, tentative, and reluctant to risk too much. We feel the need to hold onto reserves. For example, many corporations have lots of cash to invest with, but are not doing so because of a general pessimism that investment will lead to a sufficient return. Will consumers open up their pocketbook and spend money, especially while unemployment and the uncertainty it brings is still growing? When they don’t do so, the corporations hold back on investing even more and things get even tighter. All of us see the downward spiral this set of considerations is creating.

So, let me ask you. Are you holding back? Not just about money, but about everything? Are you in some way feeling like you are on hold, waiting for something to happen or to receive some signal that you can move forward? I do know some people who are moving forward, but those who are, have been moving slowly toward something in particular for many months now. They are the ones who are now finally getting moving, albeit slowly. In other words, even the ones who are moving forward are doing so pretty slowly and only after a great deal of effort, hard work and patience. This is how we succeed when it comes to Saturn.

An example in the news today is that finally after a great deal of argument and delay, the Senate broke the filibuster and approved aid for 2.5 million unemployed Americans. This is a classic example of the Saturn opposition to Uranus. Change finally arrives after much thought, delay and arguing.

This can be a period of great frustration since we might want to move forward so badly that we can become angry that we are not able to do so. But, more often, we are apt to just feel tired and some people are telling me that they are feeling a bit hopeless. Actually, this is one of the reasons why I write this Blog. If we understand the cycle we are under and that it will end, we are more able to go with the flow, or lack thereof, and wait it out patiently. Or we adjust to the times and work patiently and do what we can do. This is what this period of time does allow us to do. Do what you can, be patient, and take what comes and work with it. The rest will have to wait until the times allow more movement. AND the good news is that…..

Very big changes are in store for us in the coming year. Its tone will be very different from what we are feeling now, such that we will hardly remember this time. But, for now, we have to deal with what we feel right now, and that can be difficult.

I’ll be writing more soon, but would love to hear from you. If you would like for me to post something anonymously, please send it to my email address and I will do so.

Hope you write in.

The Solar Eclipse – Endings and Beginnings

Eclipses always come in pairs, thus the period in between the two eclipses are always important. We are in that period right now. The Lunar Eclipse that occurred on June 26, 2010 will now be followed by a Solar Eclipse that occurs this Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 12:40pm PDT. The exact position for the eclipse is 19° Cancer and will affect most significantly those who have planets activated by this point. Specifically, 17°-21° of all cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) and 2°-6°of mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) are points of special significance for us.

A Solar Eclipse always occurs at the New Moon, which means that it is concerned with the emergence of a new cycle of some sort for us. However, it is considered to be as much as 100 times stronger in its effect, than a regular New Moon. We can already begin to feel its effects as eclipses are said to begin before they actually occur in the heavens. There is a ’set up time’ that brings forward the actions that will be precipitated on or near the date of the eclipse. This is why it’s so helpful to know when the previous eclipse occurred, for they are connected. Both eclipses change the inertia of a situation, meaning that they demand our attention. Something must be taken care of or examined and sometimes action must be taken.

So, let’s take a look at the nature of this particular eclipse. It is part of the Saros cycle called 12 South. Its meaning according to Bernadette Brady is that it “will bring successful outcomes to long-term worries or illness. An issue which has worried or drained the individual for some time will at first seem to be worse and then clear, with generally successful outcomes.” The reason for this is that Jupiter is strong in this particular eclipse cycle and that usually brings about success. I would add, however, that Jupiter is concerned with freedom so that the nature of the success may have a lot to do with the gaining of freedom for someone, which means that a person could decide to leave another person to pursue their own path or purpose. It can often be helpful to have a consultation with an astrologer at this time to help clarify matters and see where things may be leading us, especially given what is developing in the latter part of this month and early August.

On a personal note, I have seen several breakups developing over the last several weeks as well, but what is more important, is the reason for the breakup. In each case, what is bringing the breakup about is a discovery or a set of discoveries about what the person really wants in their life. A major clarification has taken place resulting in the realization that one has little choice to remain in a present situation if the person wants to be truly themselves and pursue the goals and types of relationships that they really want.

This is in part, the nature of Uranus squaring Pluto, where the ‘essence’ of a matter is not only revealed but also the need for authentic behavior is being demanded. Illumination (Uranus) meets the deepest Soul needs (Pluto) and one MUST act to save one’s Soul. That’s how strong the need can be. It is my belief that when the need for action is ignored or refused, profound frustration develops leading to even more dissatisfaction. The present transits are very strong and will not allow us to act in a way that is inauthentic, if we are to be happy.

The Cardinal T-Square

The most critical part of the well known T-square is nearing and will be felt in the next month. Saturn will be in opposition to the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction. In fact, the chart of August 6, 2010 has 7 planets squaring or opposing each other. This chart indicates very high tension and almost always results in either a significant disclosure or event. The market is dropping again but this time, were there to be a real downturn as there was in 2008, there are no reserves to be able to prop the economy back up. Interest rates are so low that they really can’t be lowered any further. Economists are very split on what, if anything, to do, which is a classic condition of so many squares. Obama and some of his advisers would prefer a stimulus package, but the nation, for the most part, wants to cut spending with no added taxes. Feelings are running very strong, but no one knows for sure what needs to occur. There is seemingly no consensus on anything.

There is a lot going on in the U.S. chart right now and will be intensifying in the next year. I will be speaking more about this in future articles, but it is clear that the divisions in this country that we are already seeing are likely to be increasing. This country will be experiencing its Sun squaring Uranus in a year or so and this combination usually brings about some kind of rebellion or revolution. It is usually anti-government in nature. This may not be much of a surprise to many of the readers of this Blog as we have been talking about these things for over a year. The news reveals a growing sense of dissatisfaction with government and it seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, the more government is attacked, the less the leaders want to do, so we are not seeing any significant actions from the President or Congress. Whether this is a good or bad thing, of course, depends on one’s political viewpoints, but whatever your view, it seems safe to say that the people have less confidence in their leadership no matter which party one is affiliated with. This is quite typical given the conditions that the T-square this country and the world is facing.

As always, I welcome the responses we are getting form our readers. I hope your responses will give some indication of how the eclipses are affecting people in a specific manner. I also hope you check back to the Blog from time to time to see what people are saying.

Thanks for reading and for writing in.

Rising Tensions and Great Transformations

Today’s newsletter is going to run a bit longer than usual. There is a great deal happening right now and therefore a lot of ground to cover. I thought about publishing this in two parts, but have decided to just go for it all at once. There are some very significant world events occurring that are important markers for our future and simultaneously there are also profound culture-changing forces at work as well. So, I’d like to start with the more mundane events, if you can refer to the tragedy of what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico as a mere mundane event. Then we’ll travel into much deeper waters as we look at how Uranus and Pluto are bringing forth new paradigms from the universal and archetypal depths.

Many of my family, friends, students and readers have been emailing me this week asking pretty much the same question- “What’s going on in the heavens?” Well, a lot is going on and I suspect many of you are feeling it in some way. For the past two years we have been going through a lot of tension-producing transits, but it is now that they are all finally coming together as we move into this summer’s cardinal squares between Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto. The activation of this has been what has been emerging this week with special force.

In the Mundane World

Jupiter is moving closer to its conjunction with Uranus, which occurs on June 6, 2010. But on Sunday, May 23, the day this newsletter is being written, Jupiter is in exact opposition to Saturn. Let me begin by looking at the long-term effect of Jupiter opposing Saturn, because, by itself, it is a very important transit. The Jupiter/Saturn cycle is a 20-year cycle that rules the economic and social life of a person, family, business, or nation and the principles that guide these areas of life. The mid-point of this cycle (the 10-year mark) is occurring now, which is what is signaled by the opposition. Any opposition is similar to a Full Moon in that it brings things to a head, a fulfillment, so that the seed of what was planted at the conjunction can now be fully seen. The conjunction in 2000 was at 22° of Taurus, which is an earth sign. Yes, an earth sign. Maybe we ought to look at what the earth is telling us.

The Great Oil Spill(?)

There are a variety of astrological factors that can explain this increasingly horrible event. But I believe that the chief thing that has triggered this is the very transit I’m writing about now. As of now, we do not have a clue as to how big this spill is going to be nor what the effects on our environment and economy will be. This is not a spill. The images we are finally beginning to see show that huge amounts of oil are pouring into the Gulf of Mexico. We are discovering that we are not being told anywhere near the full story about the amounts flowing out of this gash in the Gulf or when it will be stopped. We do not know what things will look like when the crisis has ended. Will there be oil on the beaches from Mexico to the north Atlantic? How many animals will perish and how severely will the economy be affected? A friend described the gushing forth of oil in a particularly accurate way when he said, “Mother Earth is bleeding out as if a surgical knife had accidentally hit a major artery.” It seems that sometimes images and poetry are the only real way to comprehend the truth.

Let’s return to the Jupiter/Saturn part of this event. To this author, there is a connection between this event and what happened in 2000 when George Bush and Dick Cheney were elected. In the following years Cheney held private meetings with the energy companies only the purpose of which was to ‘create’ an energy policy (?). This resulted in relaxed oversight of the oil companies in many areas. We are only now finding out about what this meant specifically. We were not allowed to know what was decided and what role the government would play in the new policies. But as we look at what is happening in the Gulf, the first question is “Why was there no contingency plans in place for an event like the one we are seeing?” It seems that no one thought this could happen. But can we be that naïve? There doesn’t seem to be a solution in place for this eventuality. How can this be?

This is but one example of what an opposition between Jupiter and Saturn can reveal. The nature of oppositions is that they reveal the truth or effects of something decided upon much earlier at the conjunction. The world is now seeing this in all of its disgusting and alarming images. I suspect that what will be revealed from this has only just begun.

Why Humans Often Learn the Hard Way and How Change Takes Place

One of the basic principles I offer is that individuals and collective entities are not the same. Individuals can choose to become aware of something before a huge crisis forces them to pay attention. We can extrapolate and prevent the worst effects of something before they strike. Large or collective organizations rarely do this. So, now, as a people, we are reaping (Saturn) what we have sown. I’m not really blaming the Bush administration. It is the entire nation that will bear the results of this. I say this because this nation loves its cars and the cheap gas that enables us to do what we want when we want. We have absolutely refused to change our lifestyle and have continued to regard views that we should pay attention to the potential damage to our environment with great disdain. Politicians always end up doing what the voters want. For the most part, they are followers. It’s the way of things.

I would like to add that before writing this blog article, I have spoken with many conservative friends about this event. Most of them agree with what I’ve said here. They do not see this article as a political one, but as a simple description of where we are as a people. It is my belief that both political parties represent ‘old ways’ of operating. Real rebellion will be seen when the entire system itself begins to be questioned. This is likely to come from more than one direction. The Tea Party movement is one arm of this process. It is not the only one. The change of which I am speaking goes much deeper and is more inclusive than what any one organization can bring forth.

What We Can Learn – Building for the Future

The implications of this massive spill are likely to be felt for many years. They will likely result in a new look at our energy policies and could become a springboard for the funding of research for alternative energy sources and many other things. As a people, we will learn from this and begin to regard the warnings of those who have been concerned about this as real and we will begin to do something about it. This is what oppositions are really for. They make us aware of something that has not yet been seen and felt, so they we can then act in a better way. It may even lead to the emergence of a new paradigm. This takes us to the deeper aspects of the present transits.

Rising Anxiety Accompanied by Rising Potentialities

I am giving an example of a real life crisis that is illuminating an area of life that is important. But underlying all of this is something much deeper. Because the outer planets of Uranus and Pluto are involved, something much bigger lies just below the surface of the world’s consciousness and for each of us as well. To understand the significance of the transits that are just beginning we must take a new look at Uranus and Pluto.

Uranus Challenging Saturn’s Power

The nature of Uranus is to bring about a revolution, a new way of thinking about the nature of reality. As such it must challenge Saturn’s power, its exclusivity, dominance and rigidity. When active like it is now, Uranus projects a fundamentally new image or paradigm into the world view of the people. It creates a new ‘ego’ in the sense that we don’t recognize ourselves after the change takes place. It asks for a transformation that brings to us a new way of perceiving reality. Uranus is called the “Illuminator” in that it brings forth the light of the Universal Principles so they may be seen in new forms and capable of fulfilling new needs at a particular time and place. It is a higher vibration which means some of us will be able to have new understandings that are more inclusive, holistic and integrated. When Uranus transits with Saturn as it is doing right now, it can bring about a confusing mixture of the old resisting the new, which simultaneously frustrates while also giving us hope of a new approach at the same time.

Pluto as the Sower of the Celestial Seed

The marvelous astrologer, Dane Rudhyar refers to Pluto in a poetic way as the ’sower of the celestial seed.’ A seed is created as part of the plant’s way of surviving, but that seed isn’t the plant itself. It is in the plant, but not of it. Thus, the seed is an archetypal image of transformation or the death-rebirth process. Before rebirth can occur, however, there must be a descent into the depths, for one’s very identity must die before anything truly new can be born. This is what makes the Plutonic process evolutionary in nature. It calls forth a leap into totally new territory. In this sense it follows the new insights of Uranus with the call for the creation of a truly new plant or way of being. One might ask the question – “Where does this new creation come from?” Certainly an aspect comes from the old plant in part, but that alone couldn’t create anything truly new. Something more essential is at play here.

Pluto is attempting to concretize or bring substance to the Divine itself. It is universal in nature, but becomes specific for an individual. This occurs through the realization that by confronting both sides of the life experience we can be transformed in a fundamental way. Can we know abundance if we never experience poverty? Can we know health if we have never experienced disease? I do not refer to a mere intellectual understanding. That is not enough to bring about the kind of rebirth that may literally change one’s DNA. This process is visceral, in one’s body, and changes us forever. In its highest sense, it can take us so far from one’s old understandings that an entirely new paradigm or way of looking at reality is created. This can be resisted and often is, at least at first. When that happens, things turn ugly as we attempt to force things in a ruthless and manipulative way. But for some of us, Pluto calls us to go through a life-changing process that opens us up to a totally new way of Being

Summary

We are going through a very unusual period now and there will be many different ways in which it will manifest. It can be helpful to acknowledge the fact that a fundamental, cultural shift is emerging for us, both as individuals as well as the collective society. For some of us, it can lead to a deep transformation that enables to see ourselves as Divine beings, with a purpose that transcends mere personal matters. Every realization we make can be thought of as a doorway to a profoundly new understanding of ourselves and the World in which we live.  But the fundamental changes to which I refer are not here yet. There are the feelings of tension, frustration and anxiety that always precedes major changes, but they are a part of the coming future. The bigger changes are not quite here yet. We have more to see and discover. For some people that I know, relationships are ending. These endings are best seen as indicators of a bigger shift in terms of the way one regards relationship in general. Every change one goes through now may end up being bigger and more significant that what we are able to see in the moment. It is a very exciting time to be alive, especially because of all the challenges we may be facing. Why? Because there is a very good chance that some real change will become possible as a result of what is coming to the surface. Pun intended.

Please feel free to make comments and express personal experiences to the readers of this Blog.

Thanks so much.

Pluto and Venus and More About this Summer’s Intense Transits

One of the things that astrologers look for to discover short-term themes is whenever a planet changes direction. The reason is that for several days or weeks that planet is either completely stationary or barely moving at all. The effect of this is amplify the nature of that planet’s effect on human behavior. This week Pluto becomes stationary on Tuesday, April 6th and will be affecting us more than usual all this week. Also, Venus is in trine (a harmonious and flowing aspect) to Pluto so let’s see what this might look like. Pluto intensifies whatever it touches while Venus rules love, relationships and values, finances and money. Venus is in Taurus, which it rules and Pluto is in Capricorn, so these two planets are in earth signs, focusing our attention on tangible and practical things. A small example for me is that I’m intending to buy a high quality blender as I’m in the process of changing (Pluto) my diet and want to add juicing to my new way of eating. Another way it could be manifesting is that it can make it easier for a person to get a loan or financing for something one wants. Things are ripe for opportunities to appear that can mark relatively harmonious changes for us. Pluto rules the many forms of transformation, both physical and psychological, so if you’ve been waiting for something to happen so you could buy something you want or get a good loan, this may be a good time for that.

About the Matter of Love

Pluto and Venus, as a planetary pair, are often written about as ‘intense attraction.’ It can certainly be that, but then it can also sometimes be viewed as ‘fatal intense attraction.’ That’s Pluto’s way of turning things into black/white or all or nothing situations, which can lead to very negative emotional states. This does not have to always be the case. The moment we decide to enter our own ‘underworld’, and become conscious of the nature of our ‘obsession’, Pluto changes from being just plain crazy to something potentially very deep and transformative. The present transit is most likely to be too short for this to occur, but it’s worth mentioning as a red flag of warning and simultaneously, a potential great opportunity for growth. It’s always best to take a deeper look when attraction becomes so intense that we can’t think of anything else. It means that a projection is occurring. If we can discover the nature of this projection, it can lead to a release of charges that brings the Life force into us.

Another way to say this is to look at Pluto as a great force of release of the false and inauthentic in favor of the real and authentic. That’s what happens when we let go of the projection. It also means that one becomes able to truly see and relate with another person. So often in life, we think we are in relationship when we are not. It is as if the relationship with our own projections have taken over and blocked us from seeing the one we love. Pluto can assist us to create real relationships when we are willing to see the projection and let go of them. Finally, the ‘Plutonic process’ is about destroying the armor that most of us have encased around us.

The Cardinal T-square of this Summer

Although I’ll be writing more about this as we get closer, it may be helpful to begin to take note of what is coming beginning this summer. This very difficult transit runs from June to September of 2010 as well as in early 2011. It is composed of Pluto squaring an opposition between Jupiter/Uranus and Saturn. This type of transit last occurred in 1931. It is likely to affect our financial system, especially the huge banks and the problems created by our huge debt. But it also will force us to look at the fundamental tension between the Aries and Libra polarity. This polarity is two sides of a set that can be described as self/other, me first/ we first, my needs/our needs, etc.

Aries is the archetypal sign of the individual with an adventurous spirit looking for every opportunity to express itself dynamically and spontaneously. It hates it if it feels blocked or opposed in its attempt to do what it wants, when it wants and where it wants. This is the explorer seeking out unchartered territory and finding itself through its having to face real challenge.

Libra, its polar opposite, is concerned with ones desire to and be in relationship, the aesthetics and subtleties of that wondrous art of connecting and partnering with another person. Libra is the archetypal principle of justice, fairness, balance and the seeking of solutions to relationship or societal issues.

This opposition is going to create great challenges for this nation in particular, especially given the state of things already. Oppositions have the potential of bringing people or a nation together, but only after the tension is used to resolve whatever conflicts are emerging. Individuals can take on the task quite readily, but nations usually go through a much more difficult process as the initial stages of the transit brings about more polarity, not less. The purpose for this is to enable everyone to concerned to become more aware of what the dividing issues are. When there is true discourse, discussion and debate, creative solutions that neither side could find on its own, are discovered. When there is no attempt to see the viewpoints of the other side, obviously the opposition will result in stalemate, frustration and anger. Is this not the state of things right now in our political system?

I’ll be observing and commenting on this much more in the coming months and hope you will choose to join in with me. It should be very interesting times that are approaching.

I want to encourage readers to respond to the article you’ve just read. I will be making more of an effort to write responses to your questions and comments whenever I can, so I also want to invite my readers to check back and see more reader comments as well as my own. This forum is not meant for people who agree with me only. It is important nowadays for people to air their different viewpoints, especially if it furthers discussion and debate. The purpose of discourse is to reveal something new, whether it be new information or a new way of looking at some idea or concept. This is the great value of any opposition.

However, please do not post ‘ad hominem’ attacks (attacks against a person rather than an idea) against me or any person making comments. There is too much of this in the national discourse and it blocks real discussion. I will not post any comments of this type. Stick to the issues and this blog can become interesting and fun. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Spring Has Arrived and More

On Saturday, March 20, the Sun entered Aries marking the beginning of the new Spring season. This along with the increasing speed of Mars, as it begins to accelerate in its direct motion, informs us that after a long time of review, we are now able to being to move forward again. This will be growing in strength for the next several months as Jupiter is also accelerating as it moves quickly through the sign of Pisces where it will conjunct Uranus in Aries. In fact, what is emerging now for us, is apt to become very important in the coming months.

The sign of Aries is cardinal fire and archetypally is the ultimate in the creation of new cycles and new beginnings. Also, it is where we must initiate, originate and self-motivate. The willingness to face new possibilities requires courage and faith. Without this, Aries cannot thrive. It will become weak and even depressed, for too much safety can diminish and even damage the Aries gifts. Although Aries is focused on oneself and can be unaware of others in its considerations, this is not a bad thing, for self-sufficiency is the Aries way. Aries learns its lessons from doing, not from thinking or analyzing. Can the Ram get itself in trouble this way? Of course, but a few cuts and bruises are signs of a life well-lived and even badges of courage. Wherever Aries is located in our natal chart is where the newly emerging freshness and vitality is taking place for us. It is where we must learn to be a warrior fighting for what matters to us at our deepest Soul level. And it is something we can feel, for it is our Spirit that is guiding us toward a distant future. When we are connected to the Wisdom in us, faith ceases to be blind, but is an unseen, yet real force that guides us as a beacon of light that can lead us safely to shore. Feel the excitement of Aries yet?

Health Care

With Mars turning direct, the so-called death of health care reform that had been forecast during the Mars retrograde cycle, has been resurrected and turned into reality. There are a lot of reasons being given for why this has occurred and certainly how the American public really feels about it is yet to be determined, but the astrology of it is most interesting.

What has been propelling the desire to reform the health care system is the very unusual transit of Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces alongside the fact that with Neptune in Aquarius, a mutual reception is created between these three planets. What mutual reception means is that two planets are in the signs ruled by the other. In this case, Neptune is in the sign ruled by Uranus while Uranus is in the sign ruled by Neptune. Further, Jupiter in the sign of Pisces rules Neptune as well. This means that the planets act as if they are together and powerfully strengthens this planetary pair. Neptune is the planet of compassion and the sense that all of us are connected and need to be willing to sacrifice self-concern in favor of a greater good. The mutual reception I just referred to has been in play for the last several years and so has the issue of health care.

At the same time, there is a significant opposition between the planet of change (Uranus) and the planet that often resists change (Saturn). The way Saturn can work is to bring up all sorts of fears about what change could or might mean. It wants to keep the comfort of the status quo and so when they oppose each other it brings about deadlock and stalemates until finally the side of change wins, at least for the moment. Saturn basically says that what has worked so far, will continue to work long into the future. We see this operating in the health care issue as the passions on both sides have been and still are extremely high. It is my feeling that what brought this around finally was the Mars retrograde review process and the realization by the Democrats and Obama that they had to do something to show real results. The election of a Republican to the Massachusetts Senate, a very liberal state, was one catalyst as they saw that even their own base was unhappy with their not taking action. Another factor was, I believe, the unintended consequences of the decision by Anthem (one of the largest health care insurance companies in the U.S.) to raise the rates of its customers by 39% in California and other Western states. This action seems to have catalyzed many people while also convincing many undecided politicians that reform was necessary. When the enormous increase was announced under a Mars retrograde, I suspected an outcome like the one that has occurred. Mars retrograde is a terrible time to make this kind of announcement because unintended consequences and reversals are quite common at this time. I suppose that for those who favor reform, however, this unlucky decision on the part of WellPoint is turning out to be quite helpful. Life is often odd like that, it seems. Neptune rules the process of letting go or sacrifice of ego and personal needs in favor of something higher. It is the planet of mysticism. With it being so strong right now, many are seeing a need to cease the ignoring of those of us who cannot help themselves.

However, and this is a big however, the Saturn opposition to Uranus and the upcoming square to Pluto is creating an enormous crisis in this country. The capitalistic system itself is seen by some as being in great jeopardy. The hostility about this is enormous. Not only is their significant growth in the tea party movement but the intensity of the hostility is extremely high. An incident that demonstrates this occurred last week at a tea party rally where men berated and vocally humiliated a man with Parkinson’s who was asking for charity. They threw money at him, told him to go to the other side of town where people gave handouts and so on. The tape of this went like wildfire through the internet, demonstrating how high the passions are right now. And. the wife of Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, is involved in creating a tea party chapter herself. Sides are being drawn and intensifying while the truth is that the transit of Uranus square Pluto hasn’t fully begun yet.

Many of my readers hope for great progress in the coming years and though I wish that also, what I see for the U.S. is not consistent with those hopes. An example of what is coming is that already the governors of 14 states are planning to sue the U.S. government as soon as the Health Care Reform Bill is signed into law. The conflict between the two very different visions of what America is supposed to be, is growing and hostilities are increasing by the day. This is not likely to stop intensifying for the next several years.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this. If you would like to make a comment, I would encourage you to do so.

Mars Going Back to Its Direct Motion

Well, it’s not the most exciting title I’ve ever come up with for an article, but given the fact that Mars has been retrograde for 10 weeks, the fact that it is about to return to its normal direct motion, will hopefully be exciting enough for us. The end of any retrograde cycle is often the most difficult part to handle. The reason is that on one hand we’ve been working with whatever the cycle demands of us for a long time but at the same time we’re somehow not quite done. Worse yet, is that the planet is moving ever so slowly at the end of the cycle, so that it sometimes just tests our patience. “Why can’t we get started already,” can be our plaintive cry. Right now, Mars is only 13 minutes from where it will be when it turns direct on March 10, 2010 at 0° Leo. So, it is barely moving at all. This means that it can feel like there’s nothing we can do to move forward, and that to try to force anything can only bring frustration. This is not to say that some of us are not busy. But what we’re busy with is often concerned with the finishing up of an old cycle.

Another common theme at a time when Mars is moving so slowly is that whatever has been building up and has not come out into the light of day, will do so now. A friend reported to me today that she was at a meeting where things that have been discussed privately between many of the staff for many months, has suddenly come out into the open and in front of the supervisors. Here again, this group was dealing with old business that had been avoided. How many things in our life can be characterized by the term – ‘Hiding in plain sight!’

I would urge my readers to use this often frustrating time to make sure that anything you know that is ‘Hiding in plain sight’, be allowed to break free from its deadly silence and let out into the open plains of our conscious mind. I know that Mars is often associated with war, conflict, anger, and even violence. But ironically, such things occur in life when aspects that really need attention are resisted or worse, completely avoided.

Mars will go direct at 9:09am on Wednesday, March 10th. This should quickly bring a sense that things can begin to move again. Many of us will feel the shift pretty soon after the change occurs. But just as Mars is going very slowly now, it will continue to do so for many weeks. So, it’s best to not expect a sudden turnaround of momentum during most of March. By April, Mars will begin to get back to its normal speed and with many planets in Aries by that time, we will be able to really feel like we can get started into new territory. By then, the winter slowness will be quickly fading and feel like a distant memory.

Pluto in Capricorn

With Pluto now having moved fully into Capricorn (5°) we are beginning to see its meaning. Also, the square it is making to Saturn,( which is extra important since Saturn rules Capricorn), the meaning of this transit is also becoming clear. If I had to give you one word to describe the essence of this transit, that word would be DEBT. Of course there is much more to it than that, but let’s take a look at how deeply the use of debt has become in our society. Our entire economy has been based on it. We go into recession or worse, when people stop living with large debt. This means that the nature of our present model that operates our economic system is that it has encouraged us to live beyond our means. That is what is changing right now as we are having to look at the results of this. By the way, this problem has reached a peak in the European economy with the debt crisis in Greece and its spillover into all of Europe. We automatically assume that somehow it will all work out. Well, now we are discovering that this assumption is false.

One of the telltale signs of the beginning of a sea change has been the increased status in the Obama administration of the economist Paul Volcker. This change has been a part of the Mars retrograde cycle. Volcker was the head of the Fed in the early 80’s when he raised the interest rates to record levels (18%) in order to stop inflation. He was demonized at the time, but the effect of his action was profound. Not only did inflation stop, but the economy has avoided high interest rates for the last 30 years. So, Volcker represents an official who did what was necessary even if it was unpopular. He saw what was needed for the long-term and ignored short term pain. That kind of approach seems nearly impossible today. What Volcker is proposing now is a major set of reforms of our economic system. Right now, it is Volcker who is representing the major thrust of the Saturn square to Pluto in Capricorn. Not surprisingly, his proposals are being attacked and resisted. So far, economic reform seems to be in a stalemated position as the mammoth banks are fighting back with all their might. Here are a few of his proposals: He wants to prohibit risky investments by commercial banks. Also, he proposes that banks be limited to trading within their own accounts. Simply put, he wants to ensure that the economic crisis that we’re still in, is prevented from happening again, though I think it’s fair to say that our human species has a strong tendency to forget once the crisis is over. He also added that although this country may never return to having the manufacturing base we once had, it is necessary to begin ‘making things’ here again. He proposes more manufacturing and less importing. Why? Because we are so deeply in debt and continuing to move rapidly into even worse shape, that he is afraid a real crisis is inevitable if this doesn’t change.  We need to begin making things again that can be exported to other countries. His fear is that if we don’t do this, we are on the way to becoming more like a third world country than any of us could have ever dreamed. For years, our middle class has been dying out.

In a recent interview, he very calmly described our beloved Congress as the most “dysfunctional” he has ever seen, describing it as unable to enact any meaningful legislation of any kind. The Republican party won’t even allow for the confirmation of key positions in the Dept. of the Treasury, making it unable to do its job. He also said something else that is worthy of serious consideration and asks important questions about the present values of our nation. He reminded the interviewer that in the past, our best minds went into engineering, physics, medicine, etc., but that now those same minds have become ‘financial engineers.’ They produce nothing. They create no real wealth. They just create schemes for making money. And they create such complex systems, that not only does no one really understand how it works, but even more scary is that no one knows at all what the effects will be on the economy of our nation, as they pile up. How can an economy survive when the obvious is no longer understood or even seen?

The problems this country is facing are hiding in plain sight. But with Pluto now fully in Capricorn, we will be forced to experience the reality of our short-sightedness and greed. The party is over, but it does not appear that we realize it. You can watch and see for yourself how things develop in Congress with regard to financial reform. There is a really funny skit at the following link  from Funny or Die that you might enjoy if you haven’t seen it already. I’ll be commenting more in the near future about Pluto in Capricorn, especially as we approach the summer transits.

A Very Telling Week Ahead

The job of an astrologer becomes very interesting whenever three transits occur at the same time. But when those same transits are also unusually significant in themselves, one can assume that we are in for a very important week. By important I mean that the events and shifts of that week are likely to signal the kind of things that will affect us for many months or even years to come.

We have just completed our recent series of eclipses and the Mercury retrograde. And no doubt these have created situations that we are now having to pay close attention to and work with in a focused way. But in my view, the last month has in actuality been leading us to what will be emerging this coming week. Here’s what’s happening:

1. There will be a Full Moon on January 29 which is closely connected to the Solar Eclipse we had on the Jan 15.
2. On the very same day, Mars retrograde will oppose the Sun of the Full Moon. This marks the mid-point of the10-week retrograde period. This is the time when we can begin to see what the underlying meaning of the entire Mars retrograde cycle. Also, because of the nature of Mars and the Sun, it is likely to feel very intense and to therefore cause us to react strongly to whatever is being felt.
3. Finally and most important, this is the second occurrence of the Saturn square to Pluto which began on November 15, 2009. It is this difficult and sometimes even depressing transit that is setting the tone for what is happening now. It can be depressing because it is forcing those of us who are affected most, to face certain realities that challenge us and demand both fortitude and courage. Our structures, either physical or psychological, are going through a transformation and while they are necessary (Saturn), they often evoke a great deal of resistance to those very changes that must be made. Yet, at this time, reality must be faced. There is no choice. In fact, any denial that has occurred since the first time these planets were in square, will come back much more strongly this time, so that it can no longer be avoided.

Politics - The surprise election of Scott Brown, a Republican, over Martha Coakley for the Massachusetts Senate has revealed a far higher level of dissatisfaction with Pres. Obama and the Democratic Congress than was believed. I’m not sure why so many people were surprised, as I sure wasn’t, but that’s another story. So, within a few days, Obama announced a major shift in his approach to the economic problems and is asking for a variety of new reforms that he has avoided until now. He has proposed new, stricter regulations, especially on the super-huge banks and is listening to a different set of economic advisors as well. (By the way, did you know that the four biggest banks now control approximately 40% of our nation’s wealth?) The confirmation of Ben Bernanke to a second term as the head of the Fed is now in question, although the Obama administration is fighting to keep him in his position. An astrological look at how the present transits affect the chart of the Federal Reserve reveals a very high likelihood that big changes are coming to that organization, so it is very possible that Bernanke will have to be replaced by someone who appears to be far more sympathetic to ‘Main Street’ than in the past. Perhaps he may actually be sympathetic, though there have been no signs of it so far. Also, the entire health care bill is up in the air which had been the cornerstone of Obama’s first year in office. This is a huge political defeat for Pres. Obama. He invested an enormous amount of political capital on this bill, so that its defeat could be devastating to his ability to influence what is happening in the next year. By the way, Obama is extremely affected by the Mars retrograde in Leo, going over his Sun and affecting his Ascendant and Jupiter. He is really being hit hard by all that is coming forward this week. What people seem to be the most upset about is the gap between what he said during the campaign which elicited great hope for many people and what has actually happened during his first year in office. Whenever there is gap in expectations, the people (ruled by the Moon) can become very unhappy and vote in even more erratic ways.

Economics- The stock market has been dropping all week. Many reasons are being given, but perhaps one of the most important is that China has announced that it is going to slow down the growth of its economy, which has been booming. The effects of its tremendous growth is that it has been buoying up the rest of the world’s major economies, which has mitigated some of the worst effects of the U.S. and international economic slowdown. Other factors include the questioning of the reasons why the market has risen so much since last March and the lack of any reforms or regulations that would deal with the causes of the original problems themselves. Here is an article for those interested that goes into some of these issues:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/23/7-things-about-the-econom_n_433688.html

The Intent of the Mars Retrograde

The basic effect of this cycle is that it demands that we change our strategy of how we assert ourselves. Its effects while we are in the midst of the period is that we can have health problems, injuries, accidents and other Mars-related problems. That depends on how the retrograde affects our personal chart. It’s very much like a forced pull-back. No wonder many members of Congress are pulling back on the health care bill so as to re-evaluate how to move forward. One even suggested that Congress wait until mid-march before revisiting it. He probably didn’t know that Mars will go direct on March 10, right in line with his timing. Another possible effect is that we must move to a new location or at least set into motion actions that will lead to that later in the spring or early summer. It has to do with looking at our goals and adjusting them to the actual realities we are facing. This is a great time for the realists of the zodiac, because they’re looking pretty good right now.

Our Strategy

So what is the best strategy in dealing with possible changes and obstacles? I know this article is not as hopeful as many of my readers would like. It’s certainly not as fun writing as most of my newsletters. But I hope it is helpful in that if we can understand and accept the underlying tone of the times and know that whatever is occurring is temporary, it can assist us to handle things in a more functional and positive way. It won’t last forever. And if there are things we must do, the sooner we do them the better it will be for us. Specifically, Mars goes direct on March 10, 2010 and this summer things change quite radically as Jupiter and Uranus enter Aries and mark a very significant shift in our ability to move forward.

And finally, whenever we’re dealing with Saturn, the one thing I’ve noticed above all is that we always feel better when we handle the necessary issues with which we are confronted. When we do not, we feel worse, more pressure and more pessimistic. The pressure lifts when we accept what we must do. There is the famous quote of Dr. Carl Jung that applies here so I will end the article on that note. “The only freedom I have is to gladly do what I must do.”

As always, as the week moves forward, I would love it if you would write on our blog. The good and the bad.

Wishing you the best.

Jim Sher

An Intense New Moon

As the New Moon begins its monthly cycle of new beginnings (it occurred yesterday at 11:14am PST at 24 degrees of Scorpio), we also have the testy transit of Saturn square Pluto making its first actual pass. One of the best ways to understand the nature of a transit such as this is to look at the major stories in the news at this time for these indicate the outer form of an inner process that begins to tell the emerging story of the transit itself. The way these stories will play out in the next year may tell us a lot about the meaning of this difficult transit.

It seems to me that there are 4 major stories which will likely expand in importance in the collective consciousness of our nation and all are demonstrating the Saturn/Pluto archetypal pair.

1.  The first story is the killing of 13 people in Ft. Hood, Texas by Major Nidal Hason. Only a few facts have come out so far, but since he did survive, we are likely to know a lot more in the next year about what was in this person’s mind as to why he committed these brutal murders. It is helpful to know that Saturn was opposing Pluto in the time of 9/11. An opposition informs us of any problems that exist, but the third quarter square of a cycle, which is what we are in now, will reveal where we are now in dealing with them. Since 9/11, this nation has engaged in two wars and for the first time in its brief history has also taken a public stand in favor of torture along with a ‘do whatever it takes’ attitude toward its enemy. I say this more as an objective truth than a commentary on the values it represents because astrology itself is merely showing us what happens if we engage in certain kinds of behaviors. Let’s be clear about something though. Many of those in the U.S. government do feel that this nation is at war with Islam. No, not all have this belief and Obama does not seem to, but the murder of these 13 people obviously reveals a rage and frustration by Muslims that is linked to this nation’s response after 9/11. This does not justify the murders in any way, but it is important, in my view, for this nation to step back and take a hard look at how it is being perceived by the Muslim world and the Muslim citizens of this country. A third quarter square was called by the wonderful astrologer, Dane Rudhyar, a crisis of consciousness and the trial of Major Hason will likely bring this about for the nation. He will, of course, be held responsible for his actions as he should be, but something deeper is also going to occur as many people realize that there are dark effects from the way we have responded to the challenges that 9/11 brought to bear.
2. To continue the theme of #1 above, the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder with presumably the support of President Obama has decided to put the accused 9/11 terrorists including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed on public trial in New York. This has created a great controversy as it will be a security nightmare as well as being a risky move politically. Ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani has said that Holder is ‘too concerned with the rights of terrorists’ and many have argued that this trial should take place secretly as a military tribunal. Here again we see the nation grappling with its relationship to both the Islamic world and the larger world in general.
3. Last week, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee proposed a comprehensive financial reform bill that would strip almost all bank supervision powers from the federal reserve and FDIC. This bill is very controversial and is already being opposed by the Obama administration and many from both sides of the aisle in Congress. Right now it appears the bill has little chance of passage, but if the economy suddenly turns negative for a second time, the climate might shift such that there would be a clamor for radically new and different regulations. Note that the recent unemployment figures are very disturbing and are continuing to rise. They are around 17% in real terms with no end in sight. Meanwhile the stock market continues to rise and salaries and bonuses at the mega-banks are at all time highs. More and more people are asking why this is as the economy limps along and foreclosures continue to rise.
4.  President Obama in China – this newsletter is hardly the place to go into the complex and mysterious relationship between the U.S. and China. What we do know is that there is a very noticeable trend showing that the Chinese economy is growing, even now, and that the U.S. economy is still very troubled. Is China on the way to surpassing the U.S. economy and becoming an economic superpower? Are the two countries moving towards an inevitable conflict or is there a way to maintain a somewhat cooperative relationship? What are the long-tem effects of the huge debt the U.S. carries with China? The best minds don’t know, but the timing of Obama’s visit to China does signify its importance, though the real outcome may not be known for some time.

I know that some readers prefer I write about the more personal matters of life and how transits will affect us personally. I hope the coming ‘Jack and Jill’ series will help with that. But to those readers who object to the subject of this article I would offer the idea that there is a ‘mirror effect’ between these outer events occurring in public life and our personal lives. Where the Saturn square Pluto transit occurs in our personal chart is likely to mirror the outer events of the coming year.

The simplicity of the Saturn/Pluto transit is that it brings about a radical-foundational transformation of structures. These structures can be as large as an economic system of a government or even of a government itself. Or on the micro level it can signify a deep psychological restructuring. Priorities will be questioned and perhaps in a powerful and compelling way. Emotions can run high as people are triggered in ways that defy logic and rational thought. This newsletter will monitor this in the next year and as always, I hope you will reply with your own experiences.

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.