A Time of Hidden Potency

In previous articles I have written about the nature of the Mercury retrograde cycle that we are in right now. And we are in the exact middle of that phase right now. This phase is called the Inferior conjunction of the Sun and Mercury and occurs on August 16, 2011 at 23° Leo. For those who are interested the exact time is 6:04pm PDT. This is a very important point for those astrologers who watch cycles closely, for this is when a ‘seed idea’ is born into our psyches. Thus it is like a New Moon in the sense that it is a true beginning of a new framework or thought-form that will grow and develop over the next 6 weeks. Any New Moon is also called a ‘dark Moon’ because in a physical sense we can’t see it, and in a symbolic sense, we do not yet know what the nature of that newly born seed is. We are, for the most part, in the dark. So, it is very helpful now to pay close attention to what you are thinking during the next several days. Since Mercury is still retrograde, some of the ideas will quickly fall away, but not all of them. With time, one of the ideas will emerge as an important one to follow up on and take seriously. It will still go through many changes as the idea moves more completely into one’s conscious mind, but engaging in this process will be worth the patience and effort.

Astrology offers an interesting view of the mind. In our modern culture, we usually think we are in charge of our thoughts and believe further that new thoughts come from within us, from our own brain. I’m not sure why this belief is such a rigid one, since I know many scientists who have wondered aloud where such and such a thought came from. Their answer is that they just had an inspiration (breath), which is true. But where did it come from? Astrology suggests that perhaps it comes from outside us. It presents a picture of a dynamic, creative and flowing world that is full of mystery and even magic. All we have to do is allow the new moments to freely enter and take root in us. This is one of those times. We can help ourselves by simply taking time to notice, feel, and sense what might be emerging. Maybe it comes through a dream, a message from a friend or even a casual remark made by someone you overhear in a mall or restaurant that you immediately feel is expressed ‘just for you.’ This is the kind of openness we need to feel the inherent mystery and meaning within each moment.

But there is more going on at the same time. There is another cycle which is coinciding with the Sun/Mercury one. On the same day, August 16th at 5:08am, about 12 hours earlier, there is a Sun/Venus conjunction. This conjunction is called the Superior conjunction, which means that it is occurring while Venus is in its direct motion. The Venus cycle is much longer in duration than the Mercury cycle. It is approximately 19 months long as compared with Mercury’s 4 month cycle. The Superior conjunction is similar to a Full moon in that it brings things to some kind of fulfillment, completion, manifestation and clarity. The cycle actually started on October 28th last year (2010) and occurred at 5°Scorpio. For those of you who can find transits for your chart, if you look and see where that point connects to your chart you will learn a lot about the meaning of today’s set of transits. Perhaps a relationship that began at that time is coming into greater clarity and fulfillment.

Here we are talking about Venus, which rules relationships, attitudes and values toward people, money, investments, beautiful things such as jewelry, etc. Many people who began dating someone are finding out now whether or not they want to move to a new level in the relationship. Others are discovering that the relationship is not what they had hoped for and are ending relationships. It can go either way at times like these. What is certain is that something that is related to Venus is coming to some kind of fruition.

So, what does it mean when these two different cycles occur at the same time? It is a rare phenomenon and represents both beginnings and endings. As I talk to people about how they are doing right now, much more than usual, a silence comes over them as if to say, ‘I’m not sure,” but there might be some big things right around the corner. It is important to remember that the merging of cycles like these are less about the events that happen themselves and more about how we are affected by them internally and where they direct us to move in the near future. One thing we can determine now is that if something is working well, we can assume it will continue to do so and if it isn’t, either something is wrong and needs to be corrected or there is a large misunderstanding that will need to be reassessed.

This is a very potent time as we can get our bearings and discover both where to go as well as what to release. It is a time for creating priorities in the areas where we have greater clarity while being open to taking new directions if this is what is in the offing. In other words, there are conflicting flows and degrees of turbulence and confusion that do typify this unusual cycle. So, if you find yourself in confusion and uncertainty, you may need to wait until thing become clearer when Mercury goes direct on August 26, 2011. This is when the new ‘seed idea’ can begin to emerge and turn us toward the direction we need to go.

It is at crucial times like this that a consultation with an astrologer can be helpful. The art of the astrologer is to apply the archetypal forces of the moment toward a particular individual.

As always, we would love to hear from our readers as to how they are being affected by the present transits. Please let us know what you think.

Best wishes,

Jim Sher

Is Our Economy Recovering and Where are We Going?

 

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

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

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

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

The group of CEO’s made four general recommendations:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Venus Retrograde Intensifying

 

In any retrograde cycle, there are phases within that cycle that determine what and how we are likely to be experiencing that particular period. As the planet begins its retrograde movement, its velocity is very slow. This results in a focusing of our attention on the matters of that planet, but we are not yet able to provide any clarity on what exactly needs to be addressed or how one needs to approach it. Then, the retrograding planet gradually speeds up which is what is happening now with Venus. This is when things really get going. The issues come forth more clearly now and it is also when events are most likely to occur. The nature of the events themselves cannot be known specifically but they will evoke a hard look at something connected to our relationships, finances or values. Here are some of the events I’ve been told about from students and friends:

1. A home break in that resulted in a person having to deal with fears of insecurity and safety.

2. A relationship break up that had been coming for quite a while.

3. Friends suddenly leaving a person that, in fact, were not actually good for that person.

4. Addressing a need to fundamentally alter one’s financial strategies.

5. The decision to cut back spending and work hard to get out of debt.

6. A resurgence of depression that had afflicted a person so that they could now start to really work with the deep issues they have not yet faced or handled.

It is also important to mention that Venus retrograde does not require that we examine anything. Many people will not be willing to do that. But when it doesn’t occur, that person is missing an opportunity to move in a positive direction that could allow them to move beyond certain internal issues that have been holding them back. As you can see from the above list, Venus rules many things. In general terms it rules the principle of attraction and repulsion. It is what we desire and want to bring near us or what we want to push away. Thus Venus retrograde clarifies our real desires, helps us get into touch with what we truly want in our life, etc. It rules relationships, finances and values most of all. This means that separations from others can happen now as each of us figures out whom we want and do not want in our lives.

Right now, the Sun is moving towards a conjunction with Venus retrograde, which is the exact mid-point of the retrograde cycle. It is called the ‘Inferior conjunction’ and occurs on Thursday, October 28, 2010, at 6:10pm PDT. This is the day of maximum velocity of Venus during its retrograde cycle and marks a shift or turning point. It represents the beginning of the end of one thing and simultaneously the beginning of something else. This means that we are beginning to become clearer about whatever issues the retrograde period has brought forward. But perhaps more importantly it is also bringing in something new for us to consider and take seriously.

I’ve been asked about how the retrograde Venus might affect the coming elections. I’m not going to say much about this, except to mention that since economics are in part related to Venus (it also is influenced by Jupiter and Saturn), there is often a desire for a return to simpler times, which includes traditional values where we pay with money we have rather than put everything on a credit card. This favors Republicans in one sense, especially their argument that we must reduce government spending, but although passions are running high right now in the public debate, the present mood may not be as highly charged for the overall electorate as anticipated, so it is possible that the Democrats will not do as badly as is being predicted by many pundits. Either way, the national mood continues to be one of ‘contraction’ and budgetary care.

Finally, the Venus retrograde is occurring in the sign of Scorpio. One of the key phrases for this sign that I often use is that it tends to cut through the false or the B.S. and get to the bottom of things. It can focus on getting to the core of what really matters, the question of what are the most important things and moving back to basics. In the negative, it can also bring out the negative emotions of the desire for revenge, jealousy, greed and selfishness. With Scorpio you can count on intensity of whatever a person is feeling. So, taking the high road right now is important, since we will have to live with the results of our actions long after the cycle is over and our passions have subsided. Also, Scorpio is a fixed sign and can ‘crystallize’ around a particular set of emotions or thought patterns. For some, Venus retrograde creates a brief opportunity for a new look at these patterns. This could be one of the most important effects of the retrograde cycle. Rigid positions, especially about others, can move during this time, but only if one is open to the advantages of doing so. The resistance to doing this is due to the fact that to question old patterns is to also admit that one has either been wrong in some way, or at least that holding on to old ways of being with others, prevents real growth. At least it might be worth a look.

As always, I hope that many of you will choose to offer responses to what is written and tell us how you have been experiencing the Venus retrograde as well.

Jim

More on Venus Retrograde

 

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

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

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

Jupiter conjuncting Uranus Revisited

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for reading.

The Coming Venus Retrograde

 

Some readers have asked me if there is ever a time when all the planets are direct. I can’t blame them for wishing that there weren’t any retrograde planets to ‘worry’ about, so to speak. But before stating my usual view that there is an important value to each and every retrograde period (I hope you won’t get too bored with that), I actually want to say that it really is somewhat rare for there to not be any planets in retrograde motion. There is an average of two planets being retrograde ay any one time. I don’t know what the exact percentage is, but most of the time we are under one or more retrograde planets. By the way, if someone does know the percentage, please let us know.

So, let’s begin with a look at the coming Venus retrograde cycle. We are not quite there yet. Venus turns direct on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 12:06am PDT at 13°Scorpio and when it does so, it will be conjunct Mars. I’ll speak to that later in the article. It remains retrograde for almost 6 weeks when at will turn direct at 27° Libra on November 18, 2010. What is interesting is that although the velocity of Venus is almost as fast as Mercury, it does not go retrograde nearly as often. In fact, while Mercury retrogrades every four months or so, the Venus retrograde cycle takes about 19 months, a big difference by comparison. Because of its infrequency, therefore, the Venus cycle is quite important. By the way, this particular cycle is in the same territory as the one that occurred 8 years ago in the fall of 2002, so there may be a connection to that cycle as well. You can try to recall what was occurring then and see if there might be a kind of repeat of the theme of that one.

Right now, Venus is almost stationary so its effect is strengthening daily since a slower moving planet will amplify the nature of that archetypal energy. As we all know, Venus rules love, romance and relationships. It will also tell us a lot about our aesthetic nature, i.e., what we find beautiful or pleasing. This is because this archetype rules the principle of attraction and repulsion, what we feel moved toward and from what we desire to move away. And finally Venus rules our values, what matters to us most. As all retrograde periods do, it is a time for review, going within to discover what truly is important to us and to then allow for a shift in those values. As we examine our priorities, we may discover that we are either not in touch with what matters or that we have ‘gotten a bit lost’ and need to return to the more basic and essential values of our core being. This is how this time period can be really good for us.

There are sub-cycles with the 6-week cycle and the most intense part is in the middle, which is called the Inferior conjunction between the Sun and Venus. It occurs on October 28, 2010. It can be helpful to note what occurs or what is in one’s heart at that time, because this is the time when things can come to a head in one’s consciousness.

One of the important aspects of the Venus retrograde period is the theme of letting go. A cycle is ending or has ended and we have to accept this in order to be able to fully move ahead in a new way. During most of this period Venus will be in the sign of Scorpio. Our feelings are apt to be very intense during this cycle and we may want to spend time revisiting old wounds as well as old friends. In fact, often people from our past suddenly contact us during Venus retrograde periods. Usually it’s a check-in to see how we are doing, sort of another stage of the letting go or cutting of the chord aspect of this cycle. Sometimes we need this, and we may not even know why we feel the need to connect with someone from our past.  Whatever the specifics are, it is time to make room for the new and that requires a true confronting of the parts of us that are still clinging to the past.

The most important part of this cycle though may be connected to dealing with aspects of relationships we have now. This is a great time to get in touch with our true feelings about our partner (business partners included as Venus also rules money) and to then decide if we want to work on the issues the two of you have together. Couples may enter therapy at this time or, on the other hand, decide to end the relationship. If this is the outcome, though it suggests that the relationship has been struggling for quite a while and we are just finally coming to the conclusion that the problems cannot improve or change. In other words, when it comes to relationships this is a time to either deal with things or let go. By the time the cycle has ended chances are good that we will have decided on where we really are when it comes to a person, relationship or monetary issue.

I am often asked if new relationships can begin at this time and the answer is yes. It will depend on our readiness however. If we have truly completed the old relationships and by that I also mean the patterns that were the dominant themes for that relationship, then a new one can start. This can also describe the transformation of a present relationship such that it seems totally different in some way than the way it used to be.

At the top I mentioned that Mars is conjunct Venus at the beginning of the Venus retrograde. Although Mars will move quickly past Venus, it suggests that this phase will include how we go after what we want. It may also have to with an examining a how we approach sexuality, its importance to us and even what its priority in our life it needs to be. Obviously, where the retrograde occurs on one’s chart is an important indicator of what areas of our life will be examined. This is a good time for a consultation if you desire more specific information on what aspects of your life may be particularly affected.

As always, I invite you to take a moment and reply to this post. I know my readers will appreciate it.

Pure Progress

I’d like to share with you an astrological principle that I have called “Pure Progress.” It is perhaps not totally ‘pure’, but as I have Sagittarius rising, I hope to be forgiven for exaggerating a little bit. There is a phenomenon that occurs for 7 weeks each year that is really worth noticing. The planet involved in this brief cycle is Saturn, which is the primary ruler of the principle of development. Since Saturn is what we look at when we want to find out how things will manifest in the world, it is also where we are not allowed to miss steps. If we do, we will be forced to come back, find the errors and fix them. For example, if a builder makes a mistake when constructing the foundation of a building, any ‘missed step’ could cause the entire building to fall after the project is completed, if it even gets that far.

So, let me describe how Saturn moves, since that will tell you exactly what part of the Saturn cycle we are in now. Saturn spends up to 11 months in territory that it goes over three times. Specifically, Saturn was at 27° Virgo on October 11, 2009 for the first time in this cycle. It then went to 4° Libra on January 13, 2010 when it retrograded back to 27° Virgo on May 30, 2010 and turned direct there and then for the third pass it moved forward again and reached 4° Libra on September 5. 2010. So, from October 11, 2009 until September 5, 2010, it was operating in the territory between 27° of Virgo and 4° of Libra. That’s almost 11 months and Saturn only moved 7 degrees. This means that Saturn demands that we be thorough with our plans and actions or we will have to come back and deal with it at some point in this period.

PURE PROGRESS – However, right now, Saturn is in territory that it will move through only ONCE. It began on September 5, 2010 and will end on October 23, 2010 at 10° Libra. Saturn then repeats the cycle again and spends 11 months in the territory between 10° – 17° of Libra. This part of the Saturn cycle occurs for only 7 weeks, which is just about the average time that “Pure Progress” usually lasts.

I have watched this Saturn movement for over 30 years as frankly it bugs me more than any astrological factor. Yes, it does bug me at times, since my enthusiastic Jupiterian nature tends to want to progress all the time. With maturity, I’ve come to see the value of the slowness of Saturn’s movement and therefore do feel much less frustrated than I used to feel, but still…..

What this suggests is that this is a good time to work on anything you are developing with as much energy and effort as possible. You can take advantage of this period because you can feel confident that the work you have been doing the last 11 months has prepared you for the progress you can make now. We’ve earned it!! We can also be pretty confident that whatever we are working on now will work out in a manner that is close to what we are envisioning as there will not be the need for review of this area. After Saturn reaches 10° Libra on October 23, it will be back into areas where it will be for 11 months, so this is why I have named this brief 7 weeks as the period of Pure Progress.

The reason it isn’t completely pure is that there are two retrograde cycles within it. The first is the Mercury retrograde period that has just completed. On Sunday, September 12, 2010, Mercury turned direct and is now accelerating back to its regular fast motion. So, right now, we are in the period of optimum advancement. What could slow us down a bit later is the fact that Venus goes retrograde on October 8, 2010. I will go into this in future newsletter articles, but briefly Venus retrograde periods ask us to review our values, which includes our relationships and how we are functioning in them, our finances and approach to money, our spending habits, and more.

Nevertheless, when it comes to progressing with our plans and the development of projects we are in already, this brief period is a time we can really use to our benefit. Many of you are already feeling this. In my own experience, I feel much clearer about where I want to go in the development of my second website which will enable me to go public with a new School I have planned for many years. It is aligned with astrology but will create programs that can assist us to grow spiritually in some very unique ways. What I’ve noticed is that I have been going back and forth about many factors and details of the School and now it has all cleared up. It feels like I know what I want to create and can envision the nature of the School more concisely than ever and can even see where it all can lead. Also, much needed help is coming forth right now that is necessary to help the school develop and grow. This is an example of what Saturn transits are all about as they push us to move ahead or slow us down if we need to clarify things in the attempt to create a structure or manifest something in our personal world or even in the outer one.

The New Moon – We also have recently had a New Moon. It was on September 8, 2010 at 15° of Virgo. As I’ve written a New Moon is a time for making new starts. But when you combine this with what I’ve just written about Saturn, there can be extra momentum right now as all signs point to progress. Did I just sound like the writing of an 8-ball prophecy? I may have to re-read this post many times before I post it as I’m just one step away from completely getting out of hand.

SUMMARY – so, get crackin people. I don’t often see this level of possible movement, so let’s take advantage of it. If you are still not clear about some aspect of a project or direction you need to take, then this is the time to really make the effort to find out what you need to know in order to get moving.

As always, I love to receive feedback about how you are experiencing the transits I am writing about, I encourage you to write in and share what’s happening. If I’ve been too optimistic, forgive me, but I hope you will write in anyway.

The Inferior Conjunction of Venus Retrograde- Endings And Beginnings

In the middle of the Venus retrograde cycle, there is a very important point when Venus itself aligns with the Sun. This is called the Inferior conjunction and occurs at 7 degrees of Aries this Friday, March 27th. What makes this unusual is that there is a New Moon the day before, March 26 at 9:06am PDST.

Any New Moon establishes a new beginning in some area of our life, but Aries is the archetype of Spring, the ultimate new beginning of the entire year as it sparks us into that wonderful optimism and feeling of renewal that lightens our load in those first moments of Spring. Anything feels possible, not only are the days getting longer, but the energy of life itself is growing. The Aries New Moon each year represents the beginning of the ‘feeling of Spring,” but this year the matter is more complicated. While there is certainly all of the feelings associated with this cycle of birth, Venus retrograde is still asking us to focus our lens on what we personally want and need. We are not yet certain as the discovery process continues, yet the Inferior conjunction marks the beginning of the new Venus cycle. But do we know yet what the nature of that new cycle is? No, it is too early yet. We will need to wait and see what is being birthed in us for if its given a chance, it will emerge organically, without effort on our part.

You can see from this that it is a time of extremes. This is very important to remember. Extremes by definition do not last long. So if we know we are possibly in an extreme state about something, or even our life itself, we will be able to recognize that no major decision should be made in this state, unless life is truly forcing us to act. People in despair should take steps to work on that despair rather than succumb to them and give up.

Let me give some examples. I heard from someone today who has been weighing what relationship she might want to have and was being pressured to decide. She asked for time to work things out for herself, but no one wanted to wait. They were feeling the urgency that often occurs during the Inferior conjunction. But the problem is that Venus is still retrograde. It’s not time to be absolutely certain yet. Wisdom tells us that it is best to not allow that urgency to control us, that it is best to wait and allow the process to continue both in us and in the other. Too much pressure will force a situation and the outcome will usually be that the person who feels the pressure will simply walk away since they know they aren’t ready to decide. Often astrologers urge clients to avoid conflicts at this time if it is at all possible. Arguments can occur and rarely will work out well, unless of course, they are truly unavoidable.

What is happening is that personal feelings are very strong right now, but are still internal and care must be taken before deciding to act.

At the same time I’ve said this, there are exceptions. For example if we are offered an opportunity and it is something we want, this may be the time when we will want to take advantage of that opportunity. This cycle does indicate new beginnings after all. So, what do we learn from this? The best way to handle this is to recognize that there is a ‘flow of life’ for each of us, that we can sense it if we are authentic to our own needs, and that we do know what we should do if faced with an important choice. Venus retrograde is exactly the time to inside and determine what our real needs are and to follow that star. If it leads to a new opportunity or relationship, then take it, and if leads to an ending of the old cycle, then that is what we must do. This next few days is a significant turning point. That’s the key idea on which we can focus.

Financial astrologers call this a ‘reversal point.’ For example the stock market has been climbing significantly ever since Venus went retrograde. It reversed its direction which was downward in the months prior. This reversal has been caused by significant policy changes that have created increased optimism that the government is taking the proper steps to get the economy and the financial system back in shape. The next few days could indicate another reversal, but if that doesn’t happen, it could mean that the trends will continue a little longer. The jury is still out on whether the changes are the best ones, so the radical improvements we are seeing in the stock market may be temporary. The next reversal point will be when Venus goes direct on April 17th. As of this writing of the newsletter, the Dow is up 140 points to 7,800 continuing the trend of the last several weeks. Let’s see if that trend changes after the Inferior conjunction.

To summarize, this is a time to enjoy the new optimism you may be feeling, and remain aware that the internal process of discovering what we truly want and need does continue. I hope you all are able to enjoy the emerging season of spring and whatever the new Venus cycle is bringing. And for those going through a tough time, have faith that you will find a way to work through whatever issues you are facing right now. Remember that the intensity you are feeling will soften and reduce and that things aren’t as bad as they may seem.

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

More on Venus Retrograde – Venus Retrograde Intensifies Whatever it Touches

The above headline is simple, but is the essence of what any Venus retrograde is all about. We are now in the midst of this cycle and are experiencing it fully, so we have an opportunity to understand what this cycle is apt to mean for us. We will get even more information at the New Moon on March 26, but let’s look and see what’s happening so far.

Economics — Before Venus went retrograde the U.S. and most of the international stock markets were dropping like a stone. Suddenly, Venus turns retrograde and we see a rather dramatic turn in the opposite direction. Specifically, on March 6, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 6469, its lowest price in 12 years. Only 10 days later, as of the writing of this article, the same index is at 7350, a nearly 10% increase. It seems that the Obama Administration is successfully making the needed changes to regain confidence in the financial system. Venus retrograde is usually an indicator of sharp reversals and this time is no exception.

It is, in my opinion, significant that right now there are four planets in Pisces, the sign of imagination where we see what we want to see and interpret through a lens that can distort things. There are other forces emerging that will actually intensify this optimism for the next 10 months, but I won’t go into that yet. Let’s just say that there is every likelihood that things are seemingly better than they really are. Having said this, however, it doesn’t mean that the government is not looking very hard at what it needs to do to stabilize a basically insolvent financial system. We know they are reviewing policies at every level, especially the role of the central banks as well as the largest financial institutions. There has been a large public outcry at the announcement of large bonuses paid by AIG, using taxpayer money to do it. The issue of fairness is highlighted now and Obama has today spoken harshly about these bonuses as well as many others in the government.

Also, China, our largest funder of the U.S. debt is openly warning that the dollar must not drop. Were it to do so, China would find itself on the losing end of their investments and would put great pressure on the U.S. to do something to fix it or it would pull out its money. We are in truly unknown territory. No one really knows how to navigate through all this, making the recent stock market increases even more suspect.

Relationships — the Venus retrograde period often brings people back into our lives so we can review that relationship. This can mean going into areas that we weren’t able to look at previously, so that some sort of resolution can take place. Another way we can use this period in a helpful way is to examine relationships that we haven’t resolved for ourselves, where we are stuck and are having difficulties letting go, etc. Sometime relationships break up at this time, but even when they don’t we are apt to find ourselves looking closely at what we want and need. Venus is in Aries during most of the retrograde, so it is about our discerning what we, at core, are wanting in our lives to support our own growth and development. It’s not that we cannot be in relationship, but it is about needing to take time to assess the nature of the ones we do have or may want to have. While new relationships can begin now, there are steps to be made and issues to face before one can know whether the new possible relationship has a real chance or not. This is not the time to finalize anything about a new relationship, but a great time to explore, communicate, and determine what we are feeling.

Personal Finance — Venus retrograde is asking us to assess the condition of our personal finances and to honestly face where we are with regard to this area of our life. If you have a financial advisor, this is a good time to take a close look at one’s portfolio to see what adjustments you would like to consider as we have entered a new financial environment. Also, we may be having to face some very real issues in our work life that are simple but demand our attention. If we are in sales, are we getting paid fairly and on time, is the product we are involved with the one we truly feel is worth our investment in time, etc., are just examples of questions we may be asking.

These are some of the areas that we are having to look at closely, but the main point is that these are likely to be highly charged right now. They will have an intense feeling about them that demands that we pay attention. The intensity is still growing and will continue their present phase until the New Moon when a new shift will be in order.

I want to thank those of you who have been writing about your personal stories of this period and want to continue to encourage others to do the same.

ANNOUNCEMENT

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.

Best to All,
Jim Sher