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.

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 New Moon & the Inferior Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury

Within a short two day period we will have two significant transits each of which mark an ending of one cycle in preparation for something new to be born. There are differences between the ways these two will operate, but there’s a reason why many of you may be feeling like something is coming to an end, so let’s get to it.

The New Moon

At 11:44am PDST on Friday September 18 we are having the New Moon at 25 degrees of Virgo. It is in a very tight conjunction with Saturn which makes this cycle a focused and potentially very serious one. Saturn can be so exacting and demand that we approach every matter with so much realism that it feels cold, impersonal and severe. Yet, I used the word ‘demand’ for a reason. Saturn does not ask or request. We can interpret it that way if we want to, but the fact is that when Saturn is in charge, it will control the situation and demand that we show up fully, balance our accounts and if necessary pay for our mistakes. If a person has Saturn in significant aspect in their chart, they are going to be the responsible serious ones who make the sacrifices knowing that the day will come when everything balances out. They know that one must earn the reward in order to keep it. Saturn is exalted in Libra, the Scales, and so rules an impersonal justice that we may not ‘like’ but which we must handle. The coming month will have this theme as an underlying tone and since it is occurring when Mercury is retrograde it will ask us to take a look at any areas of our life where something that hasn’t been completed. In other words, it is an ending phase of a broader cycle. Endings are the phase prior to new beginnings and that’s exactly where we are cosmically.

The key principle whenever we are in an ending stage is ‘letting go.’ It’s all we can actually do, but it is human nature to try to hang on as long as we can and resist surrendering to the inevitable. The conscious and aware use of this time period then is to consciously let go of what you already know in your heart is dying or ending. This is rarely done at once, but is a process. How easy or difficult that will be depends, of course, on what it is that might be ending, bit it is important to realize that it is not a trivial process. Often we hear people saying to a ‘friend’ that they should just get over it. As if they didn’t know that. The truth is that it is helpful to remember that one is a process and that it will work its way out organically, if we let it.

Mercury Retrograde and the Inferior Conjunction

With Mercury retrograde nearing its conjunction with the Sun we are also in the middle of a cycle where we need to complete something which will take us to the emergence of the new. On Sunday September 20th at 3:05am PDST retrograde Mercury will align with the Sun. This phase of the cycle is an important one but is often difficult to see. It is like a New Moon, often called the Dark Moon because one cannot see it. The Moon is so close to the Sun that its image is washed out. We cannot see the Moon until a day or two have passed when we can see the tiny crescent in the early evening sky. It is also considered a dark period because it contains the seed of a new idea. In fact, the nature of the Inferior Conjunction is that a new ‘seed idea’ is born into us. But like a seed that is planted in the earth, we may not know its nature until enough time has passed. It will need time before it can emerge.

Ten days have passed since Mercury went retrograde and we have had to review areas of our life where decisions must be made or reviewed. We have gone over and over our options and may now have to make decisions. This is when we may do this. And when we do, something new is also born. One business owner has to decide whether he must close his doors. The decision has been in the air for months, but now the time has come when waiting is no longer an option. When the decision is made, it will begin a new cycle for him with many more decisions to be made, but the critical moment has now arrived. This is the type of thing that may be occurring for many people. Others who have been able to see the trends coming their way are prepared to act and move forward in a new direction. Depending on where this occurs is one’s chart, the shift may be big or small, but no matter how subtle, it is helpful to notice what is happening in one’s thoughts right now. What you are thinking the most about this weekend is apt to inform you of something that will be emerging in the near future.

On September 22nd Mercury retrograde will conjunct Saturn bringing more reality into any situation one is facing. After this one will know pretty clearly with what one is dealing. Planning can then begin. Yes, Mercury will still be retrograde meaning that a bit more will have to be reviewed, but the new cycle will have begun and we will feel clearer than we may be feeling now.

Mercury goes direct on September 29th which will be when things are likely to be fully clarified, but we’ll deal with that then.

I have written quite a few articles on Saturn. Why? Because it is often regarded as forcing us to deal with something we wish we could avoid. But Saturn is also the archetype of subtlety. It asks us to master something. So the question to ask right now is this. What am I being asked to master? Know that when you face whatever is happening, one’s life will improve. Perhaps slowly, for the processes of Saturn do work slowly. But inevitably and inexorably. There is a wild and crazy truism about Saturn. The more we deal with it openly and truthfully, the less we feel its oppressive side. When we deal with it head-on, somehow it goes away and life move forward again with amazing ease. Dealing with Saturn is in fact the line of least resistance and the way to bring peace into our lives. I love and hate this irony.

The Saturn Opposition to Uranus #3- More Polarization

The coming week of September 14th – to the 20th is a very busy one astrologically. With Pluto turning direct last Friday, September 11th, we will have three major transits occurring this week each of which us significant by itself. By ‘significant’ I am referring to several key ideas. It is at times like these when new ideas are introduced into one’s life that can indicate a new path for a person. For example, each New Moon introduces something new for a person which will develop as the phases of the Moon progress. When there are three signatures of change in just one week, however, it indicates that the week could have a great deal of promise as well as bring about major revelations. I believe that is what is happening right now.

Let’s get into the details which are as follows:

1. On Tuesday, September 15th at 5:50am PDST Saturn will oppose Uranus for the 3rd time.
2. Friday, September 18th at 11:44am marks a very significant New Moon at 25 degrees of Virgo.
3. Finally, on September 20th at 3:05am we reach the mid-point of the Mercury retrograde cycle which is called the Inferior Conjunction.

Today’s newsletter article will focus primarily on the Saturn opposition to Uranus which has been strongly affecting our lives during the past year. Let me also mention to new readers that I often use political and current events occurring in this nation and the world to show how astrology is affecting us in a ‘macro’ way. Part of the reason for this is that some readers really do want to hear more about the way astrology affects mundane events in our world. Others, who are not particularly interested in outer events, can also benefit from this since it gives an archetypal look at the general nature of the astrological transits. Maybe we can apply the themes in our personal life in a more constructive way than nations can. A newsletter cannot show how a transit is likely to affect an individual, so perhaps readers can extrapolate from the general description as to how they are being affected personally.

I do have an idea I’m working on that may solve some of this problem and hope to announce it when Mercury goes direct in late September.

When an outer planet affects Saturn, some structure (Saturn) will need to change or be reformed. Saturn rules both sides of a difficult to understand dichotomy. On one hand, it reveals the structure that may need to change and does so in a very concrete and realistic way, while it also simultaneously evokes resistance to that change. This is an inevitable process and is a part of the way change takes place. It would certainly help if the agents of change and those who resist it could understand this fundamental fact. For if both sides did understand, the crazy emotions and fears that are being engendered in our political system, might be either reduced or handled in a more constructive way. Unfortunately this is not occurring in the U.S. right now, which brings us to what I believe the present Saturn opposition to Uranus is revealing.

The Culture Conflict Threatening the U.S.

The present transit is an opposition and like a Full Moon it reveals where we are as a people about some issue. Keywords for such transits are culmination and fulfillment. What was born at the time of the conjunction (like the New Moon) can now be seen in a stark and clear manner. Thus, an opposition goes way beyond politics or any political process. It also goes beyond the so-called health care debate, which in my view is not a debate in any manner whatsoever. The Obama speech on health care this week was overshadowed by the well publicized scene of Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina calling Obama a liar. He yelled out for all to hear- “You lie!” This is hardly by itself important. But that’s exactly what astrology can help us understand. At this time, that small scene tells us that something far bigger is being revealed. What he did is something not done in our political system. In England, it would not be a big deal. But here, it is a clear indication of tremendous disdain for Obama. It says that neither Obama nor the office of the President is worthy of respect. Yes, he apologized, but that’s not the point. Rep. Joe Wilson is not the point. This breach of Congressional etiquette shows us that behind his shocking words are tremendous fear, anger, resentment and a passion about something that is being cloaked in a political context.

Wilson, like many of the conservative base of the Republican Party is afraid that they are losing ‘their’ country. What could bring about such intense reactions? It is too simplistic to blame the media (Fox News and Rupert Murdoch in particular) for to do so is to avoid confronting the real depth of the fears that do exist in this country. This has been brewing, in my view, for 50 years. Ever since the revolutionary 60’s, there has been a portion of this country who have been scared and who further are also easily scared to heights unimaginable to me years ago. They are ready to be scared and watch TV hoping to be scared even more. Luckily for them, but not for the country, there are plenty of means at their disposal. When a person operates from or out of fear, ordinary logic does not work. No logic will appeal to their better sense. Wilson even admitted that he didn’t know what came over him. More importantly however, his words arose from the millions of people who are afraid just as he is. They are on the lookout. He, for a moment, was their speaker.

This one incident is the tip of a huge iceberg that the present transit is demonstrating for all to see. Unfortunately neither logic, debate nor rational discourse can touch this growing national emotional force that is beginning to culminate now. It is serious and in my view does threaten the ability for this nation to be able to come together for a single purpose. The transits coming soon (especially the transit of Uranus squaring Pluto) could literally bring about an increased desire on the part of some citizens to secede from the U.S. It is not inconceivable that this country could divide itself in the coming decade. That is itself an very shocking thought.

This speaks of a cultural phenomenon that is an underlying force ruling the political process today. If it continues, where can it lead? What is the natural outcome if nothing changes? Putting it even more bluntly, can the red states and blue states get along? Can the rural and urban areas see that they need each other? Can the religious right allow others to exist in “their” nation? This is what I am referring to when I speak of cultural polarization.

Saturn will oppose Uranus two more times before completing its cycle. It will oppose on April 26th 2010 at 28 degrees of Virgo and Pisces and finally on July 26th, 2010 at 0 degrees of Aries and Libra. This last opposition is highly volatile as the 0 degree of any cardinal sign marks the beginning of a new cycle and creates an influx of a tremendous amount of new energy. What we see emerging strongly now is going to continue to increase.

This Is No Way To End a Newsletter Article

It is never wise to end an article on a somber note. Also, it is true that oppositions occur all the time in life and can be handled in very creative and healing ways. In fact, it often takes a crisis of one sort or another to see the necessity of healing and the need for compromise or better yet as a close friend urged – collaboration. Oppositions ask us to see the other side and perhaps, to even respect it. That is the way we can not only temper our own arrogance and the belief that we are the ones who are right, but appreciate the viewpoint of another as an aspect of something whole and complete into itself. A viewpoint, no matter what it is, is incomplete. When will we as a nation understand this? There can be no liberal without a conservative and vice versa. Every dualistic thought is actually a set where the two sides obscure an underlying unity. When this is realized, something can transform. This is what oppositions can bring about. This is also how we, as individuals, can take advantage of an opposition. Whether a nation can handle such things in very stressful times, cannot be known. But it is certainly true that we as individuals can find creative ways to solve seemingly impossible conflicts and stresses.

Duality is something than may be transcended. But it has no chance of happening if one side denigrates and invalidates its brother or sister. Yes, its brother or sister. The relationship between two sides of one set is the same as a brother or sister. The moment a person realizes its dependence on the existence of two sides of one set, we are freed from the demand that the war between each side be enacted and re-enacted, over and over again. Am I being too idealistic?

Well, yes, maybe so. But with Jupiter conjuncting Neptune, I do have the right! This is a great time to envision a brighter future, even if it does seem unlikely. And perhaps most importantly- This is the way to end a newsletter article.

Mercury Retrograde of September 2009

Hello Everybody,

Happy Labor Day to everyone. This newsletter will be shorter than most, but more will be coming soon. I want to make a few comments about Mercury retrograde now that it is fully in its retrograde cycle.

We have passed the period when Mercury is stationary, a time that can be noticeable to us in that our minds can operate slowly and when we can even be stuck in a rut. That phase is ending now and we are now going to be needing to take care of things that have either been avoided or which we simply didn’t have the time to handle. Now we will need to focus on these things. if you haven’t backed up your computer lately, this is a good time to take care of this just to be safe.

To clarify, this period is not a good time to begin a new cycle of any kind. It’s a time for review rather than for new starts. What often happens instead is that this can be a very busy time period if there are a lot of loose ends or cycles that need to be completed. This is what we will need to focus on doing and also taking time to look over any issues that need attention. If something new does arise, however, it doesn’t at all mean that it’s bad idea. In fact, you may be getting a glimpse of a newly emerging thought-form that will grow in the next few months. It’s just that before it can even begin to manifest, a lot more thinking will have to go into the process before one will know what will need to be done. More information gathering and planning will be necessary.

This Mercury retrograde is splitting time between two signs – Libra and Virgo. This suggests we will need to adopt an interesting way of being as Libra asks us to be fair and to seek ways to create harmony, but we also must take a practical and somewhat detailed look at whatever issues we are facing. This is especially true as Saturn is involved throughout the retrograde period. Saturn demands realism and a willingness to do whatever we must do in order to be able to successfully move forward after the retrograde period ends. There are important details to attend to and whether we like what we discover or not, we will be happier with future outcomes if we do whatever is necessary.

This retrograde cycle is apt to affect the health care debate significantly. Obama’s scheduled speech is interesting in that he will be presenting a new approach. Typical of Libra and Virgo he will be attempting to dance between the idealism of what he wants with the practical necessity that he get a bill that he can sign. Since he has made this such a high priority, his administration could be in jeopardy if no bill was passed. This issue is defining him. Tough spot to be in but that’s where he is.

As always I love to hear your stories about how the Mercury retrogade period is affecting you or those you know.

I also want to clarify something that I may not have expressed clearly in the last newsletter. If anyone desires to share their thoughts or opinions privately, you are welcome to do so. No private emails to me will be posted.

I would like to announce that a new Beginning Astrology class will be starting on the Westside. It will be on Thursday nights. Anyone interested in enrolling may call me at 818-501-7114.

Mercury retrograde periods are often a great time to get a consultation as many of you will be reviewing important areas of your life. Astrology can be a helpful tool at a time like this, so you may want to see how it can assist you.

All the best,

Jim Sher

Saturn – My Secret Crush on the Bad Boy

Remember that gorgeous bad boy in high school? The one in the Ramones t-shirt from somewhere exotic like California or (gasp) New Jersey who rarely spoke except to offer some deep insight into an English lesson on Thoreau or challenge the physics teacher on some theory about particles or light or the origin of life? The guys all hated him and the girls were all secretly in love with him. Of course he cared little for any of us. He never went to football games or dances, never hung out, and made us all feel a little stupid for doing it, ourselves. I had a crush on a guy like this. He thought I was shallow at first. When he got to know me he told me that I could be so much more than I was. He used to run cross country practice with me and plug me into the second jack on his Walkman. A committed Duran Duran and Flock of Seagulls fan, myself, I wasn’t surprised to find that he listened to classical music when he ran. He used to do things like take off for random cities and stay through the weekend – by himself – with no money. I was in awe of him – and totally intimidated by him. I never would go out with him even though he finally asked. He was just too intense and didn’t fit into the rest of my life. I was grateful for him, though, even then, because he challenged me. Obviously I still think about him after 20 years. He’s my Saturn.

About seven years ago I realized that Saturn was about to enter my Sun sign. I knew it could be really bad, so being the eternal (blind?) optimistic Leo and natural blonde I thought to myself, “If I head this off at the pass, maybe I can turn this Saturn Return in something good!” (I hear the sniffs and see the eye rolling out there….. and, yes, I was almost completely wrong in many ways…..). So I bought Liz Green’s book “Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil” and set forth to educate myself on this planet and find a way (gosh darn it) to make lemonade from lemons.

The Saturn Return was the just the beginning. It started in my 9th house with my Sun/Venus conjunction and has continued to move over nearly every other single one of my planets all clustered in the 4th quadrant of my chart. I’ve endured its pass over my MC, Mercury, the Moon (thank God for anti-depressants), and now (joy of joys – this very month) Pluto. Once (notice I say “once” and not “if”) it releases me from this latest misery it will move to Uranus in my 12th and finally my ASC two years from now. Needless to say, with all these Saturn transits I had to choose early on to either embrace this time or jump off a cliff. Since Alabama has rather small mountains, I was afraid a jump would result in a debilitating (or worse for a Leo, disfiguring) injury rather than a clean death. I chose to embrace Saturn. I still have occasional doubts about this choice……….

But it is true what they say about Saturn transits – they aren’t fun but they definitely get you on track. I can say that I have come through the other side much more confident, utterly non-needy, and more directed and focused than I ever thought I could be. It’s true I’ve also become a little less tolerant of people and attitudes (not always helpful), but the relationships that survived and the ones I’ve made since this process began are closer and more real than I’ve ever experienced before.

I still feel that Saturn, like the bad boy from high school, doesn’t really like me that much. I think he sees my potential but also worries that I could drop back into my previous silly ways. In some ways he’s right – it’s no fun being perfect and smart and above-it-all all the time. I’ve thought long and hard about pulling an Olivia Newton-John and trading in my letterman jacket for a pair of tight leather pants and some red stilettos – but I don’t think Saturn would ever really accept me for forever, anyway. Sure, I’m smart –have a couple of liberal arts degrees –study astrology in the Deep South – I could get dark and meaningful. But my pre-Saturn-nightmare-transit side won’t completely die. I still have dreams of one day finding a mind-numbing sit-com to look forward to every week – wearing the occasional pink sundress –drinking expensive fruity drinks until I tip over – saying stupid things – not acting my age. I may have learned the lessons of Saturn – straightened up in many ways – but I’m still a Leo to my core. I’m not ready to drop all the fun out of my life. But at least I’ll know better – maybe feel a bit guilty about it…..

So when Saturn jumps onto his big bad motorcycle and gorgeously tears out of my life I’ll miss him in some ways. I’ll miss how tough he is – how he doesn’t put up with crap from anyone – how he never ever lets anyone influence him or distract him from his goals. I’ll remember him fondly and fantasize about what it could have been like to run off with him. I’ll wonder if I missed an opportunity to be “something more.” After a minute or two of this, though, I’ll pull myself together. Then I’ll call a friend to meet me out for a glass of wine, grab my new handbag, coif my hair and touch up my lipstick, and go out into the world to mix with all the others out there just smiling, looking good, and enjoying life! …..Sigh…… I can’t wait………

Mars – Just Causing a Ruckus

One of the key themes we often talk about in astrology class is Mars, and more specifically, what happens when a transit of Mars comes around and aspects a lot of other planets. By itself, Mars doesn’t do much, but when it contacts other planets, everything changes as Mars acts as a major trigger for the activation of those planetary forces to which it is connected. Sure, sometimes it can bring about something that is somewhat out of the blue, but what happens far more often is that areas about which we’ve been thinking or feeling for quite some time will suddenly be acted upon. Something we didn’t feel the need to act upon suddenly changes and we are certain we must take action.

Well, this past week on into the next one demonstrate dramatic examples of this. To be specific, Mars is squaring three planets – Mercury, Saturn and Uranus at 25 degrees of Gemini, Virgo and Pisces. Squares bring about tension, conflict and the need for action. Something that was merely irritating can suddenly (Uranus) emerge and we think (Mercury) that we must act. The best example of this in current affairs has been the vocal and sometimes disruptive town hall meetings about health care. Mercury and Saturn urge us to consider things logically, focus on details, get our facts straight and then move forward when we’re ready. Uranus in opposition brings about the need for reform. But Mars squaring all three, adds spice and even anger/rage if someone feels threatened. Mars rules war and tells us to fight to protect what we hold dear, so the T-square we are in right now is inflaming the passions in an increasingly tense way.

So, what is Mars really triggering and is it doing so in a significant way? In September we will have the 3^rd transit of Saturn opposing Uranus. The first one was on Election Day last November. This is a very significant transit and will be in play for another year. What it signifies is that the opposing forces of holding to the present structure (Saturn) are opposing the forces of change and transformation (Uranus). It is again playing out in the national consciousness. No doubt it is also playing out for many of you in your personal lives as well. It is often characterized as a struggle between the past and the future. By the way, Saturn often resists change. But that isn’t necessarily bad. Saturn simply wants to have our facts right. But when it automatically blocks change, then the constructive purpose of Saturn becomes a problem. That is when Uranus urges us to break free from all those restrictions and resistances to an outworn past and set upon a new course. Uranus is a complete restructuring or overturning of something. This is what Mars is triggering right now and it will continue for a week or more, so we’ll see what happens next.

The New Moon

Tomorrow, August 20^th we will have a New Moon at 3:02am at 27 degrees of Leo. This New Moon is not only activating the planets mentioned in this article, but will also oppose the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction I’ve written about along with Pluto. With all that is happening, it is likely to be a very volatile month, HOWEVER….. this is not a great time for major action. The intense forces of action are meeting what is called the period that preceded Mercury going retrograde, which is called the Mercury shadow (Kyle will be writing on this in his next installment). Mercury will go retrograde at 6 degrees of Libra on September 6-7 and return to where it is now. This means that everything going on right now is subject to review. Modifications are likely to be made at that time which means if we try to rush to make a decision now, it isn’t likely to turn out the way we thought it would. So, why rush? If we’re in the process of completing something, that is a different story. This is when we need to go ahead and finish and there should be enough time to do that in the next two weeks. Take the time you need and avoid missing steps is the best idea at this time, even if one feels a strong desire to push forward anyway.

I know our readers would enjoy hearing your comments on how you are experiencing these transits during the next two weeks, so if yu’d like to share, please leave your comments here.