Rising Tensions and Great Transformations

Posted on May 23, 2010
Posted by Jim Sher

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

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

In the Mundane World

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

The Great Oil Spill(?)

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

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

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

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

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

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

What We Can Learn – Building for the Future

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

Rising Anxiety Accompanied by Rising Potentialities

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

Uranus Challenging Saturn’s Power

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

Pluto as the Sower of the Celestial Seed

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

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

Summary

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

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

Thanks so much.


Astrology Jupiter Pluto Saturn Transformation Uranus
Jim Sher

Jim brings over 35 years of experience as a therapist and transformational counselor to his practice of astrology, metaphysics, meditation and philosophy. He operates as a teacher and counselor and specializes in the use of discourse as a part of his teaching approach.

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11 responses to “Rising Tensions and Great Transformations”

  1. jhamilton@visionariesLab.com' J.Hamilton says:

    Jim,

    Thank you for a sensitive and revealing interpretation of the chaos just beyond each our front door steps and for which our toes are just about steeped in ugly petroleum. The world is a wild and wooly place and does not seem to be relenting just yet.

    And, it seems you have hit the nail on the head. No one goes until the collective goes : ). Of course, this is not quite true but truly the collective must shift for real shift to occur. It seems Agent Orange did not generate an outcry (or war in general), or 9/11 or the Twin Towers or the Bush/Cheney era, or Iraq/Afghanistan, but maybe the desecration/destruction of the Gulf of Mexico will get the attention of the collective consciousness. Our planet is increasingly becoming seen as small and touching everybody; better read: fragile.

    You have subtly put your finger on the problem, i.e., the lack of integrity of the masses and until the masses become united, we will see no change. And also, a powerful perspective, identifying the importance of the leadership in Washington as followers. As I have said many times, “in the naïveté of the population does Washington ‘play'” (run amok). Truly, it is “our” responsibility.

    I am curious though. How does New Orleans fit in as the center of the target for the “growth” of humanity? While I see this oil issue may become larger than New Orleans, how does New Orleans become the sacrificial agent in all of this from an astrological perspective?

    Thanking you for a well written article and excellent insights.
    Namasté
    J.Hamilton

  2. liffocus@yahoo.com' Ziya says:

    Astrological writings find their was to my inbox all the time,however, I find them too deep into the ‘depths’ of astrology and I don’t/can’t read them. This is the first writing that I didn’t feel like I was ‘drowning’ in astrological lingo… there was such a wonderFULL balance of heart energy and wider perspective… it felt like it was written for me and those of us who aren’t steeped in astrology. I know astrology is valid, I have just never felt called to study it and therefore have little actual knowledge of it. This writing was such a very nice balance… easy to read and understand. Thank you!!

  3. iam@amazinggracenow.com' Sharon says:

    Great article, Jim, and it really helps to see the Big Picture which you have laid out so articulatly. I also appreciate Chris’ comments, as having mechanisms in place would have prevented this tragic disaster. Obviously some BP employees expressed concern about this and lost their jobs for speaking up ( as seen on 60 Minutes May interview).

    I believe our country would be in far better shape if D.C. wasn’t dominated by lobbyists, who appear to be running the show and influencing our elected officials (to our detriment individually). With the recent Supreme Court decision, who will be representing the American people once the corporations take over and influence elections of whoever they want in office with unlimited dollars being spent to achieve their outcome?

    I do hope an organization surfaces that is more informed and less divisive than the Tea Party. Rand Paul has certainly shot himself in the foot in his victory remarks and subsequent interviews.

    As always, thank you for all that you share.
    Sharon

  4. I can hardly wait until I start my own astrology blog. I am not going to let the “big guys” off the hook as you do, but then again I don’t anticipate that I will have readers or clients from the right wing.

    Large organizations spend a significant amount of time in “planning” for the future. There is no excuse for these resource rich entities to not look at contingencies. Yes, accidents do happen, but surely in the case of BP’s venture in the Gulf, there could have been better mechanisms in place. Both Norway and Brazil have back-up systems that shut down malfunctioning equipment by remote control. BP had no such equipment in place, probably because it is costly. Our government entities (Department of the Interior, Division of Minerals Management) are in bed with the oil companies-very literally! There is no serious review process, nor strict laws that require adherence to safety measures. BP is also an ignorant company to have subcontractors like Halliburton, which has blown many jobs in the past few years. Their cementing work is shoddy. They are truly incompetent.

    Can you tell that my chart reeks with planets in the late degrees of the mutables and early cardinal signs? I don’t feel much relief from the mounting Grand Cross energy except in writing pieces like this. Thanks for this venue (i.e. if you publish it).

  5. iamjoyous@comcast.net' Joyous says:

    Thank you, Jim, for a wonderfully perceptive look at what is going on in this crazy time. As Lilith said, it’s very comforting. I’m so glad you didn’t break the post into two parts — it needed to be read all at once. Blessings….

  6. jenamo@msn.com' jen amo says:

    great article. it’s interesting that pluto is the focal point and outlet for the opposition energy of the t square…deep, under the surface ‘oil’….very plutonian.

  7. dlongshadow@gmail.com' Lilith says:

    Jim,

    Thank you for such a compassionate and comforting newsletter. You help make it possible to manage the anxiety and alarm by reminding what is. Your universal and personal perspective makes it easier to think and act responsibly as an individual.

    Thank you — you leave me hungry for more information exactly like this. It’s exciting to feel the purpose of it all!

  8. Jim Sher says:

    To Donna,

    When there are significant transits like the ones we are experiencing, all of us are affected, but in varying degrees. In fact, the nature of the World economy is such that what happens in Greece affects us here. This interdependency is increasing daily.

  9. donna@donnaaazura.com' Aazura says:

    Thabk you so much for writing from the heart of the matter. Yes the changes are huge and absolutely necessary. It is as if the earth is pleading with us to be in integrity and to have a strong heart connection to the Truth of balance and order. It’s time to make a strong committment not just a passing one that quickly fades away when something that looks a little shinier shows up. As we shift our consciousness into a place of itegrity within ourselves and absolute alignment with the “greater” force of the Divine the rebirth is experienced as the “miraculous”. Sometimes we can get lost in the breakdown and forget to look towards what we are here for…connection, committment and integrity to life…all life. It’s way past time to not only remember but to take action.

    As a channeler of Divine Union, the messages have been extremely powerful about the balance of the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine. Our beautiful planet Earth is bleeding from a main artery just as you stated. It is as if her heart is bleeding. She is pleading for the heart of humanity to come back into balance with hers. We are all connected. We are made of the same elements and come from the same source. What happened to our hunanity? Selfishness and a belief in separation from the Divine and each other. We are each part of that plan of perfection and natural flow. But the distractions greed and disrespect for life overall and EGO based mind seems to have severed our connection to each other and our Earth. That is illusion that plagues this world. It is impossible to be separated as we are all one living organism.

    Consciousness and heart must be in balance for our earth to heal as well as humanity as part of this living organism. The precious heart of our Mother Earth is calling us back to balance. Humanity remember your Divine Union with all life and with each other…let’s see where we land. I trust we are guided enough to do what’s right and necessary…NOW

  10. candyspender@mac.com' Candida says:

    This is such excellent insight into this whole catastrophe, I’m sure we have no idea the far reaching consequences of this oil hemorrhage, and unfortunately I think you are so right about how it seems people only really wake up when there’s a lot of pain. Its a shame a lot of innocents will probably suffer most. My heart aches for the animals and their habitat.

  11. dkbalsz@hotmail.com' Donna Balsz says:

    Jim, With the power and influence of this T-Square…will those who do not have planets closely involved be greatly affected?
    This information in of itself, is transformative… allowing us to become more aware and less resistent! Thanks!

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