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.

Saturn Enters Libra and Encounters Pluto!

With Saturn entering Libra today, it’s a good time to begin the discussion of what this means along with the square it will make to Pluto. Saturn entered Libra at 10:09am PDST on October 29th. Although this will not end Saturn’s influence in Virgo (Saturn does return to Virgo for one more little visit from April 8, 2010 – July 22, 2010), it does begin a very new cycle that will have many sub-cycles within it. Saturn in Libra operates well as it is considered to be in “exaltation” while in that sign. The reason for this is that Libra and Saturn represent principles of justice, true fairness and an as objective as possible examination of any issues of importance. It also seeks to understand both sides of any area of concern. In addition, it also brings forward issues of reaping what has been sown. This becomes especially true when it squares Pluto.

You will be hearing a lot from me about the Saturn square Pluto transit in the coming year. It will happen three times and begin fully on November 15, 2009. In a few words this transit rules the principles of cutting to the bone, being forced to see things as they are in a sometimes ruthless way and to rid oneself from all ‘unnecessary’ or inauthentic aspects of one’s life. This can be one of the more harsh transits for in its worst form, the rigidity of Saturn meets the forceful nature of Pluto, so that all the forces that resist change become willing to fight ruthlessly or block all efforts to reform what is outworn and useless. It is just another transit that tends to polarize and make things more extreme. If you watch the news in the next few days you may see this in action.

It isn’t all negative by any means. Forces that call for real reform or even radical change will have to be heard during the next year. They will be forced on us as there will not be any choice. Having no choice but to face necessity is often a basic characteristic of this transit. Let me give you an example. While the financial pages of newspapers, magazines and internet sites are replete with articles on the unreasonable optimism about our economic state, the stock market itself went up today (Oct. 29) almost 200 points. How can this be? To many, it makes no sense. What appears to be happening is that there are two very contradictory astrological forces at work right now. On one hand, Saturn moves closer to its square to Pluto creating a sense that things are not as good as they seem and are about to become very negative as we are forced to face the truth of things are they are instead of how we want them to be. At the same time, Jupiter is returning to make its last conjunction to Neptune which will occur on December 21st. It is this transit that has created great hope and perhaps excessive optimism in our financial world. This is why this transit is often described as creating the bubble that bursts. It suggests then that over the next few months we may see the markets drop considerably as the optimism is replaced with the need to be real and face facts.

Of course, in human behavior, we often see that the mass consciousness reacts in extremes. We can go from crazy optimism to feelings of dread and fear so fast it can make our head spin. Both of these conditions are out of whack, of course, but often this is how things work, especially in economics and politics. Irrational exuberance giving way to extreme pessimism does seem crazy, eh? But watch and see if this is what develops this fall and winter. We are beginning to see evidence of it already.

What I love about Saturn on Libra when I see it in a person’s chart is how concerned it is about the subtleties of relating. It has an understanding of the need for a ‘social contract’ between us which must exist for all of us as a society to get along and recognize how interdependent we are. This is where politics frustrates me. The debate between conservative – liberal is in some ways a false debate. Actually seldom is it a debate at all. But here is the point as I see it.

Every civilization must work out how it handles the relationship between oneself and others. It cannot be one side overcoming the other side, because both are necessary. There is a legitimate and important discussion to be had over the issues here for it is easy for one side to dominate the other. If a society significantly emphasizes individualism over the needs of the people as a group, we will get major problems and become unable to solve the issues of the day. And if the concerns of the society outweigh the needs of individuals, we get a growing sense of anger, frustration and resentment as individuals react to the excesses of the needs of the many and the inhibitions on personal freedom. There is a natural tension then between these two sides of a set. It is a good thing to be aware of this inevitable tension. And we would do well not to try to destroy one side of this set. First of all, it is impossible to do and secondly, it only makes things worse when we attempt it. We become stuck, completely stuck and totally unable to move. And this is where Saturn in Libra can give us hope, for it is in this sign where Saturn struggles to consciously work on this important dualistic set and to reconcile its opposites so we may experience its underlying unity.

However, my sense is that the Saturn square to Pluto will cause our politicians to be completely stuck as the two asides of this important set dig in their heels and cannot find a way to work with the set directly. And this is exactly how Pluto often works. It makes things worse so something can be seen and we are then forced to deal with it. So, what could happen is we become more and more stuck and unable to act on anything together, which will ultimately forces us to consciously grapple with the set itself. Then we can see how necessary it is for us as a society to find ways to act together when while  simultaneously still supporting and encouraging the individual to flourish.

Just as an aside, I think this is one of those things that I consider to be this nation’s biggest failure. Perhaps it is part of the growth of an immature nation. But what I despise about American politics is its rigid, dualistic nature that turns the other side into an enemy instead of just the other side of a broader set. Why can’t politicians see that there must be two sides just as there are two sides in every coin? Great debate and great discussion is what we need, where each perspective is seen as important and necessary. This is where true creativity lies. Perhaps the transits of Saturn in Libra will help us discover this and help us turn towards a more mature and constructive national discussion instead of the extremely polarizing debate(?) we see today. Let’s hope that we can begin a process of reconciliation and find ways to discover the underlying unity that exists in potentia as we need to accomplish this desperately.

Taking a Hard Look Ain’t Easy

There are times when we can feel forced to look at aspects of our lives that just aren’t easy to confront. We are entering one of those times. What’s happening in the heavens is that on October 7th, Mercury will align with Saturn at 27 degrees of Virgo after which Venus will go over the same point 5 days later on October 12th. As I’ve often written, Saturn asks (and sometimes demands) that we be realistic, even if what we must see is painful. The way this can work is that something occurs that forces us to pay greater attention, such as an illness that stops us in our tracks. It is then that we start to ask the important question of what we can do to stay healthy so that the problem might never happen again.

However, in this case, the conjunction of Mercury and Venus with Saturn is much more serious than it is usually. On Nov. 15th, Saturn will make its first of 3 squares to Pluto at 1 degree of Libra. This means that Mercury and Venus are ‘triggering’ the upcoming square to Pluto as it is only three degrees away from where it will take place. I will be writing much more about this difficult square in the near future, but it’s time to begin referencing it.

To introduce it, let me remind you of the last time that Saturn and Pluto were in aspect to each other. It last occurred from August of 2001 to May of 2002. The significant event of that period was, of course, the 9/11 terrorist attack. It set into motion a great many things – the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the creation of the Dept. of Homeland Security, a tremendous increase in the national debt and perhaps most importantly, a change in the feeling of safety in this nation’s psyche.

For us to understand the inner effect of a transit, we must be open to examining the unconscious whether it be for a nation or for ourselves. Pluto rules the underworld and while it does include any area of life that is very powerful and intense, it is the planet that seems to be in charge of those deep inner processes that can either lead to very powerful transformation or a very intense experience that can be terrifying if we repress or seek to avoid what is coming up for us.

There is a debate going on in this country and in the world about how to deal with Iran possibly developing a nuclear device. The biggest fear is that the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmajinedad, in his hatred of Israel and the Jewish people in general, might attempt to wipe Israel off the face of the map. What is so interesting for astrologers studying Pluto’s effects is that Ahmajinedad’s family has Jewish roots. Take a look at an article on this. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/6256173/Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad-revealed-to-have-Jewish-past.html. Why is he hiding his past and what is the effect of that on his psyche?

This debate is already creating intense reactions from every political corner. Some have advised that the U.S or maybe Israel destroy the nuclear reactors, even though that could throw the entire region into war (even more than it already is) and also affect the world’s economy greatly as the price of oil could skyrocket in response to “Western aggression.” This is because Pluto rules immense power and the struggles for it, while simultaneously also pointing to the hidden, repressed areas of our psyche that are actually controlling our outer behavior.

The key for us personally is to discover ways to deal with these archetypes without having to resort to the use of power. Something else may be necessary. And this takes us into Saturn’s territory. Saturn rules those areas of our life that test us because it is where we feel weak, defensive and afraid. Therefore we can be motivated to ignore and avoid those areas. We are faced with the psyche’s tendency to create defense mechanisms as a way of avoiding something with which we don’t feel able to deal. So, when Saturn begins to square Pluto the best thing to do is to be willing to look within, to blame no one, and be willing to work as consciously as possible with one’s own defenses and resistances to truth. Truth here simply means seeing what is.

We may get by ignoring ‘what is’ during much of our lives, but when there is great tension, which is what happens during a square aspect, what happens is that every defense mechanism is triggered. And this occurs because Pluto AMPLIFIES the defense mechanism or resistances we’ve created and work so hard to defend. In other words, Pluto often makes things worse so that we are forced to acknowledge that which we wish we could avoid seeing.

The worst thing one can do during this kind of transit is blame another. That doesn’t mean one doesn’t have to deal with something that is dark, fearsome or violent. But how we approach it is what this transit is all about. The breaking down of resistances, while difficult in the short run, leads us to an easy flow in the area that has been hidden. It is what this transit is going to be about for us. We will do well to be willing to face things truthfully and to INCLUDE THE OTHER when we do. It is necessary to understand one’s opponent. That will tell us the best way to approach dealing with them, including looking to see if they are, indeed, a real opponent.

What we see today in this country with the far-right gleefully enjoying every Obama failure, even if it harms the nation, is likely to continue to grow and hopefully be confronted for what it is. Is it not strange to see far-right conservatives who were the pillars of patriotism when Bush was President, now exude enthusiastic passion when Obama fails to deliver the 2016 Olympics to the U.S.? By not acknowledging Obama as a valid democratically elected President, is that not the height of being anti-United States? What is going on here? The answer is seen only when we are willing to go deeper and look through Pluto’s lens and see what is actually ruling the psyches of the people involved and more broadly, within the psyche of the nation as a whole.

If this is not made conscious, the polarization will grow exponentially. It is fair to debate issues and to disagree on policy, but when the OTHER is demonized, we have stepped into the worst of Pluto’s territory. Why? Because we then have to confront the very demons we have created. Yes, we have created. We may have opponents, but they don’t become demons unless we create them. One of the first things I read a long time ago that helped me understand this was the section of a book by General Patton. This incredible soldier respected his opposing General. He didn’t hate him. Sure he wanted to whip his ass, but that didn’t mean he had to hate his enemy. In fact, as many wise people have said, to hate one’s enemy is to become unable to deal with them successfully.

In the world arena, we need to understand Iran and what they want and need. It is then that we will be able to formulate an intelligent policy and execute it. The same thing is true as we approach very delicate and challenging issues in our personal life. Those who are the closest to us may suddenly do something that infuriates and upsets us greatly. We may even feel painfully betrayed. How we respond to such things is what matters. There’s a reason why the wise advise us to take the high road. It is only that action that prevents us from taking ourselves down into the filth of hate, blame and fury.

Saturn square Pluto will ask us to recognize what we can truly control and what we cannot. If we find that we cannot control another person or situation, then all we may be able to control in the end is OUR reaction.

The Dance of Venus and Mars – Venus turning Direct

The six-week long Venus retrograde is about to end as Venus will turn direct on Friday, April 17 at 12:24pm PDST. It has already slowed to a crawl indicating that the issues we’ve been deeply looking into have, for the most part, been presented. Many of us are now working through what has been revealed and just beginning to either implement whatever changes we feel are needed or deal with the changes that have already been made.

The square to Pluto is still a very big part of what is still in play, though. In fact, Mars is about to join Venus and both will square Pluto from around April 19- May 4. This is a strange period. That’s exactly the words I am often hearing lately and will continue to be true for awhile longer. So, I ask people what do they mean by ’strange.’ I hear different things of course, but the flavor of what is being said is consistent with the feeling that something important is changing within oneself about their self-image, how they relate to others including romantic encounters, and the strong emergence of the priority we must give to being authentic and real in all we do.

To me, Pluto presents and can destroy those aspects within us that block us from being able to simply present ourselves to others as we are. I have heard so many people express feelings of being vulnerable in the past few weeks. But this vulnerability is stripping away the need to be ‘invulnerable’, whatever that is. Of course, it is a façade, a societally-created pretense that sometimes we need to succeed in the world, but which also makes our lives feel awful. When we allow ourselves to live with and fully feel that state of vulnerability, something magical can happen. We can begin to feel good about ourselves as we truly are and by living with that vulnerability, fear gradually gives way to feeling stronger than ever and able to deal with whatever life presents to us.

This is often how Pluto works. By intensifying negative feelings and considerations, we find that we are able to directly examine them and resolve to let them go and move toward more healthy expressions of our fundamental needs. The present transits are giving us a unique opportunity to engage in this process. It isn’t over yet, but is finally moving us towards a greater clarity of the importance of engaging fully in this process.

The Unusually Long Dance Between Venus and Mars

Usually, Venus moves much faster than Mars, but right now Venus is moving very slowly while Mars is chugging along at its usual pace. This results in these two sexy planets moving together from now until the end of June. In other words, we will have these two lovers dancing together for 10 weeks instead of just a few days. Yes, this is a great time for all kinds of romantic relationships as well as other types as well. Specifically, Mars will exactly conjunct Venus on April 21st and it will then take until June 21st for Venus to catch up and align with Mars again.

I believe the timing of this couldn’t be better. Venus retrograde is helping us discover what we truly enjoy, even love. Now, with Mars, the archetypal force of going after what we want, joining Venus, we are able to realize those very things we are now seeing as real needs. And it’s giving us time to begin going after these deeply held motivations and needs over the next 10 weeks. It’s like getting to the nub of something, having clarity and certainty, and then immediately having a chance to DO something about those things we have discovered that we really want and need. We are even being given the time to do get them started.

This 10-week period is likely to be a special time. And during the midst of it, Saturn will also help us out as it will go direct on May 16. This can become a very powerful time for us and is one of those rare periods where we are being urged to go after what we want and are able to trust that we’re not being fooled by blind, ill-considered urges that are controlling us. Act with what you know in your heart is needed and take the risk to go for it. That’s my suggestion. And it becomes especially true after the next New Moon, which is in slow and methodical Taurus, beginning on April 24th.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The new Westside class is not quite ready to start. There remains one open slot for anyone interested in attending the new Beginning Astrology class that will be held on Thursday evenings on the Westside. The first class begins on a Sunday, April 26th and on Thursday’s after that. If you think you might want to attend, please contact me as soon as possible.

know the economy is difficult so I am continuing the reduced price of $110 for a 60- 80 minute consultation. I welcome people who have never had an astrological consultation to give it a try as well as those of you who have.

If you haven’t already, please check out the website for Sher School of Wisdom at www.sherschoolofwisdom.org.

All the best,
Jim Sher

The Square Between Venus & Pluto – The Intensity of Desire

Hi Everyone,

Ordinarily, Venus is a fast moving planet which results in its effects being short-lived. They may last for only a few days at most. But that’s not the case right now at all. Venus is slowing down in the latter part of its retrograde cycle and will only be moving two degrees over the next month. This means that the transit it is making with Pluto is not going to last just a few days, but until the first week of May. In my classes right now, the main topic is on this subject. Why? Because firstly, whenever a planet slows, its effects are amplified and intensified. When a planet is moving slowly or is stationary, its going to feel similar to shining a light on just one spot. That spot is getting all the heat, attention and focus.

But secondly, it will be squaring Pluto during this entire slowdown and reversal. In fact, Venus will be making a square to Pluto for a month as it doesn’t complete the square until May 3rd. Pluto intensifies whatever it touches, so the two together form a tense aspect that demands we look deeply at our feelings, what we want, and any relationships we are in or are considering. Pluto’s intensity is best understood as an ‘All-or-Nothing’ attitude or approach. The reason for this is that right now we want a real, authentic, deep form of relating or nothing at all. “Why bother?” could be our attitude.

Although there is great focus on relationships, it isn’t just that. It’s finding out what we want and like. We are asking what makes us truly happy. This is the paramount question and we can even be obsessed about this at this time. I have been honored to receive a great many emails in the past several weeks from readers who are going through their personal adventure. The deep probing is not mental by any means. People are going into their depths (and sometimes their dark bedrooms), needing to go internal in ways that can be shocking and for some, alarming as they are so focused on love and relationships that it’s scaring them. Fear itself is an important aspect of this transit and can be explored to great advantage. We can begin to examine the nature of fear itself, that it is closely connected to fear of the unknown, to the fear of admitting to oneself all the things we don’t know and cannot control. We can feel very vulnerable, which when accepted, can be a very helpful thing.

URGENCY – I want to talk about this one by itself. When Venus is in Aries, one wants to move quickly and being stationary and square to Pluto right now, this sense is intensely more prominent than ever. “I have to decide now”, “I have to get out of this painful feeling now”, “I must solve the problem immediately”, etc., are just some of the things people are saying to me. This urgency is best dealt with by simply acknowledging that we are feeling things so much more strongly than we are accustomed, that we are afraid, worried, or just want it to be over. We can even feel consumed by these feelings. Learning to sit in what we are feeling rather than try to change or do something (or anything) is the best way to deal with this transit. No, this does not mean that we should not act when we know what we must do. We should act once we are clear. But the urgency itself is a red-flag telling us that we may not have fully processed what we need to in order to make a decision we can feel good about later.

Pluto asks us to deeply process and this takes time. We are being pulled into our own unconscious right now and if we make decisions or act from this unconscious place, we may not like the results. Processing the new and emerging feelings, motivations, etc. are what we are being asked to do. And if relationships do end, the process that matters most to us is one of getting to the core of why that relationship didn’t work. What was missing? Were we able to be ourselves or were we faking it with that person and trying to fit into the image of what the other person wanted us to be?

Also, we are advised not to take the first person who shows up. The urgency I speak of can result in our wanting to find something, anything, just so the pain and/or uncertainty is reduced. Also, what we attract or are attracted to may be a reflection of our unconscious and hidden motives and desires, and not what we really want or need. When the contents of the unconscious emerge from our depths, it is a vital and important time for us where much growth can occur, but until we have integrated the material into our consciousness, any act can be premature.

FINANCIAL – Just a tidbit to those of you who are watching the market. The market went up when Venus went retrograde, though it has been slipping the last several days. The next reversal point is when Venus turns direct on April 17. That will be the time to watch and see if the stock market continues to grow or begins a reversal of fortune. My guess is that since Pluto rules debt, that not all of the banks have revealed how much bad debt they are still holding. As that comes out, it will constantly exert downward pressure on our confidence. We won’t think that the financial problems have hit bottom or that our leaders have a handle on what to do.

NEW WESTSIDE ASTROLOGY CLASS

There are only a few spots remaining for the new Thursday evening astrology class, so if you are interested in learning astrology in a supportive and fun environment, please email or call as soon as possible.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

I know the economy is difficult so I am continuing the reduced price of $110 for a 60- 80 minute consultation. I welcome people who have never had an astrological consultation to give it a try as well as those of you who have.

If you haven’t already, please check out the website for Sher School of Wisdom at www.sherschoolofwisdom.org.

All the best,
Jim Sher