New Moon at 24:34 Scorpio this Monday, November 16 at 2:13 pm (EST). The Sabian Symbol for 25 degrees Scorpio (we always round up to the next degree) is “An X-Ray Photograph”.
With Scorpio we want to see to the heart of things, what’s at the deeper levels, we want to know why. With Scorpio we take risks and face our fears so that any blocks can be released and transform our consciousness. Perhaps this past week or two has brought situations and opportunities to do just this. New beginnings, intentions, ways of being and living have a strong and powerful opportunity with this New Moon in Scorpio. A New Moon meditation might include taking an X-ray look at the structures of your life on all levels including your patterns of thought. Just as Autumn leaves have fallen and decay as the bare branches are exposed, so through a willingness to see what is left on a skeletal basis when things leave or die can also give us a vision or perspective into the new way of being. Personal transformation and deep changes within relationships are powerful this coming lunar month.
On Wednesday November 18, Venus at 13 degrees Scorpio is square Mars at 13 degrees Leo, and this is the last day of the first Saturn square Pluto pass at 1 degree Libra. This may be the day that unresolved tensions and/or breakthroughs occur within the arena of relationships. On Thursday the 19th we continue to have a Venus square Mars at 14 degrees with the Moon and Pluto conjunct at 1 degree Capricorn. The energy is strong and Mercury in Sagittarius can be self-righteous, so perhaps hold off any discussions until Friday the 20th.
October 24, 2009 PASADENA, Calif. — The Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered the biggest but never-before-seen ring around the planet Saturn, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced late Tuesday. The thin array of ice and dust particles lies at the far reaches of the Saturnian system and its orbit is tilted 27 degrees from the planet's main ring plane, the laboratory said.
Saturn has been at 29 degrees Virgo, since October 21 and will continue to be at this crucial point until Friday, October 30 when it moves into the sign of Libra for 5 months. Saturn will retrograde back into Virgo April 9 – July 21 2010, at which point it will be move fully into Libra until October 2012.
29 degrees of any sign is also called the Anaretic degree. This is the last point from which to culminate or come to resolution before shifting into a new energetic perspective or paradigm, and so is known to have the quality of crisis, which comes in part from the urgency that is felt to wrap things up. It is considered a karmic degree in the sense of almost completing a cycle, but whatever is yet unfinished may have consequences that are stronger than usual. An archetypal phase is concluding and fundamental issues must be resolved. In traditional astrology this placement is known as the degree of fate. Deep issues can bring significant trials in life.
What may come up this week are more clues as to the meaning of Saturn in opposition to Uranus, a time period spanning from February 5, 2009 to July 26, 2010 and Saturn square Pluto form November 8, 2009 to August 2010. This is an intense time of karmic clearing and maturation, especially as Saturn is in the last degrees of the Virgo, the last sign on the bottom half of the chart with an emphasis on purification and analysis of where we need to improve before we can effectively work with others. Crisis is a common Virgo way of bringing things to a head. With that in mind, be prepared for the possibility of an interesting week, and remember that to be in the present moment can keep us grounded as the universal forces are at work.
On a personal level, giving serious attention to any adjustments needed on the work that has been up for you since Saturn moved into Virgo in September 2007 may be fruitful and enlightening. Noticing where the late degrees of Virgo fall in your chart will also highlight the area of your life that will feel this the most.
October 17, 2009
This New Moon Cycle we have: New Moon at 24:59 Libra Sunday, October 18 at 0:33 am (EDT)- bringing in a lot of Cardinal energy. Venus moves into Libra on October 15, for the next three weeks. Mars waning inconjunct to Pluto on October 18 - 20, 2009. The Sun moves into Scorpio on October 23. There is a Moon / Pluto conjunction on that day, sextile the Sun. Saturn moves into Libra on October 30 for 5 months before it retrogrades back into Virgo for four months before returning to Libra. We are upon our Saturn - Pluto Square: - at one degree on November 8 - 18, 2009. - at four degrees January 24 - February 9, 2010. - at two degrees on August 16 - 21, 2010.
Check back frequently for more information and updates added to these transits.
September 29, 2009
This week we have: Mercury goes direct September 29. A Yod with Mercury, Mars and Neptune. A Full Moon at 11:10 Aries on Sunday, October 4 at 1:10 am (EDT).
This week's yod - giving us all a chance to become more intelligent! (11 minutes)
We have a New Moon at 25:59 Virgo on Friday, September 18, 1:44 pm (EDT). From Dane Rudhyar’s “An Astrological Mandala”, the Sabian Symbol for 26 Virgo is “A boy with a censer serves the priest near the alter”. The keynote is “The first stage of actual participation in the great ritual of planetary evolution.”
Rudhyar goes on to say:
Whether we think of the ancient mysteries, or of a Catholic Mass, or of some still more transcendent ceremony in which great Beings charged with planetary responsibilities are involved, we are dealing with a type of archetypal activity. The ritual is archetypal in that it represents, in however small a field of activity, a portion of the evolving structure of the cosmos, as this structure is understood in its “sacred” sense. Every such activity is performed “in the presence of God.” Menial as it may be, it nevertheless acquires a sacred meaning.
This fits beautifully with Saturn also at 25 Virgo conjunct the Sun and New Moon, all opposite Uranus in Pisces, as well as Saturn inconjunct Neptune in Aquarius. Mercury retrograde also just moved back into the sign of Virgo from Libra at 29 degrees, the powerful last degree of the sign.
With Virgo we can stay present with the idea of wrapping up or completing any loose ends of our personal journey that would prevent us from skillfully bringing the results of our inner work into the outer world. This can be on any level including becoming healthier and fully in our bodies and our hearts, not just our heads. Sometimes this means going to the foundation and just stripping away the old and outworn, replacing with new materials and even new connections and routes. The old isn’t working any longer, but the structure that the foundation is built on may still be valid, useful and beautiful. With some work and careful attention to detail as well as thinking outside the box, beautiful new paradigms and systems, living or otherwise, can continue to survive and evolve.
The tension that can be felt is between our higher understandings and integrity and the old ways of operating and thinking. The consequent choices we are needing to make, individually and collectively, is intensifying. Which way do we go? How do we blend the new with the old? Is there a part of our foundation that may need cleaning, repairing and upgrading? If so, best to get it done so that we can weather any chaos or difficulties with strength, otherwise we may buckle under the stress. Virgo wants us to pay attention, get organized, to stay grounded and uncluttered.
September 4, 2009
Today we have a Full Moon at 12:15 Pisces at 11:02 am (EDT). Tomorrow the Moon is conjunct Uranus at 12:52 pm (EDT) and we are approaching the third of five passes of the Saturn/Uranus Opposition from September 10 - 17, exact on the 14th. Pluto is also stationary September 9 - 13. All of this is happening during Mercury retrograde, September 6 - 29. More in the following 10 min podcast.
Transits for 2009 continued below...but first, what are transits?
Transits occur when two or more planets align to each other in geometric angles from the perspective of the Earth. For example, a conjunction is when two planets are very close together and you will be able to see this in the sky if they are visible. Other important angles are squares (90 degrees), and oppositions (180 degrees). When we observe the right angles with transits, we notice the strongest and most direct correlations in the events and behaviors of humankind on earth and in our individual lives. More information on aspects and angles.
The forecast is like an astrological weather pattern. If we know it is coming or that we are in a certain energy frequency that is liable to be reflective of certain patterns, then we can prepare and make the most of what we experience with conscious choices and awareness.
As we understand more in the new quantum physics, the idea that what is happening in our solar system through the circles, rotations and spinning of the planets and how the force fields are impacted with these movements and their connections, the geometric aspect of astrology stands on ever firmer ground. As we understand the nuances of the holographic universe theory, the idea that we are all reflective of the whole, the Hermetic “as above, so below” concept does not seem far fetched. The more we can look at the astrological charts, maps and symbols as being a reflection of internal processes (and vice versa) the greater power this tool will have in our lives.
Watching the stars at night reconnects us to the wonder of our place in the universe. It heightens our attunement to the holographic nature of reality and the deeper wisdom that comes from natural laws and ancient understandings.
The advantage to being aware of astrological transits is that you can use the knowledge to flow with the currents instead of paddling against. The transits in the sky will be reflective of our collective journey and individual journeys to one degree or another, but if a transiting planet is also directly aspecting something in your natal chart, the effects are very personal, profound and life changing. This is inside information that can help decisions to be made with conscious awareness and clarity. And sometimes the information simply validates our experience, which adds assurance that we are on the right track in the bigger scheme of things even if it may not always feel that way!
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Transit and Forecast Headlines cont'd
2009
2009 is going to be one of those years that go down in the history books as seminal. I can feel it and the transits reflect the seeds of possibility. The primary long-term transits for this year are:
Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune are in very close conjunction throughout 2009, with a conjunction at 26 degrees Aquarius from May 21 - June 21, and at 25 degrees from July 12 - 20.
Pluto is retrograde in the early degrees of Capricorn April 5 - September 10.
Pluto is at the Aries point of 0 Capricorn August 5 – October 17.
The Lunar Nodes move from Leo/Aquarius to Cancer/Capricorn onAugust 22.
Saturn is square Pluto November 8 – 19 at 1 degree Libra / Capricorn, at 2 degrees November 24 – December 1, and 4 degrees January 20 – February 2010.
The third pass of Saturn at 24 Virgo opposite Uranus at 24 Pisces is September 10 – 17.
Saturn is square the Nodes at 25 - 27 degrees September 25 – October 11, 2010.
Pluto is conjunct the North Node at 3 degrees Capricorn November 5 – 21.
We have two different themes at work. The first is the Jupiter, Chiron. Neptune conjunction in Aquarius which will generally have to do with both the wounds and the healing that will come with both higher spiritual awareness for some and paradigm shifts that will be more or less shocking to many. This will not be separate from the second theme which is Capricorn / Saturn death of the old as we bring in the new. This is an intense time of maturation and karmic clearing as well as new karma coming in that plants the seeds of tomorrow’s growth.
When we go through personal transits involving the transpersonal (Pluto, Neptune Uranus and Chiron) “planets”, major developments and changes can be expected that transition us to another cycle and hopefully to a higher way of operating. As we have all experienced, this usually involves difficult periods, but the end result is also usually a new awareness and understanding which when fully integrated over the period of a few years makes us more mature and wise.
Theme One: Capricorn and the Underworld
Collectively we are in a very intense transition time that will have very difficult times but will also bring us new understandings and maturity. 2012 is already here and the next two years are likely to be much more memorable than 2012 itself. The theme of this time is Capricorn. Pluto is in Capricorn, The North Node will move in Capricorn and conjunct Pluto, Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn is square Pluto, opposite Uranus and square the Nodes.
The archetype of Capricorn correlates to maturation, time and space and how humans organize themselves with cultures societies, man made laws, customs and social taboos. It is very much about our lives in third dimensional reality as we deal with the ideas of group consciousness, psychological and emotional maturity, aging, death, and ideas that get crystallized which then need to “grow up and move forward”. This is a sobering time where our “karma” may be undeniable. Saturn rules karma as our actions create the consequences.
Saturn is called Father Time…here shown in front of the cave, a gateway, where all son gods are born, and rays break through the darker firmament. The light brings new life (children coming out of the rocks) and to the right is Apollo crushing the snake Apep, an Egyptian symbol of darkness. As Jim Morrison said, "No one here gets out alive."
Both Saturn and Pluto transits bring endings and therefore new beginnings. Both are often associated with death, both metaphoric and real. Death ends a cycle and birth begins a new one. To say that we will not get through this year without major and transformational changes that reflect in systems, ideas and visions dying, birthing or just taken to the next level is an understatement. We are just beginning.
Theme two: Aquarian Enlightenment or Insanity
Jupiter / Chiron / Neptune conjunction in Aquarius will be felt throughout the year, but we have all three essentially at 26 degrees from May 21 – June 21 and almost exact on May 27 (my birthday!) These three are also conjunct again at 25 degrees Aquarius July 12 – 20. They will also be within a degree of each other during the first week of August as Pluto moves retrograde to 0 degree Capricorn and Saturn moves in to its opposition with Uranus. August may well be climactic of events between now and then. We may also see the beginnings of another flu outbreak which may be the second wave of the Spring Swine Flu pandemic. An interesting correlation to the 1918 pandemic beyond the similar virus components is that when the first 1918 Spring (and less severe) outbreak happened, Pluto was at 3 degrees Cancer retrograde, nearly exactly opposite to the position of the first Spring outbreak in 2009. This is a very significant correlation. Earthquakes and/or Tsunamis are also very possible.
Aquarius can provide a common goal, humanitarian ideals, improved and advanced perceptions and understandings, the need for change while also being fairly fixed and rooted in the ideals one may “fight” for. Neptune in Aquarius is a 12 year transit which can bring humanity together on even yet higher levels of idealism. The last time that Neptune was in Aquarius was during the 1800’s when the Manifest Destiny principle was adopted in America, for example. Freedom, and even the willingness to die for (Neptune martyrdom) the ideals is strong. This is going to be exaggerated even more with Jupiter in Aquarius. Revolutionary thinking compounds the humanitarian ideas. But again, fixed ideas are also exaggerated with Jupitarian dogmatism and religious / righteous indignation. Great harm and damage can come as the beliefs and ideals provoke bombing and killing with the idea that the end goal is all important. Deep and core wounds are reflected by Chiron in Aquarius.
The higher potential of this transit is the ability to have leaps in consciousness, new awareness and paradigm shifts that heal core wounds. As Uranus is contacting Mercury during the end of May, great and unexpected insights are possible.
At the same time, new information that also brings paradigm shifts will not be easily absorbed or integrated by everyone and it can be a period of feeling very scattered, confused and some will feel like they are literally going insane, especially as the summer progresses.
Big shifts in consciousness or realizing that things are very different than what one has been conditioned to believe is not going to be easy for many. Neptune also brings the element of deception and illusion. We don’t know what to believe, what is true, what is not true, and are easily deceived.
A wise teacher once told me that those who wish to deceive or manipulate do so by telling mostly the truth and then slipping in the small lie that makes a huge difference. This transit has that feel. So while it will bring new levels of spiritual awareness to many, The highest manifestation may be the ability to wisely, compassionately and with a certain detached unconditionality, be ready to hold the space of faith for more enlightened times to come as we unravel to rebuild.
Saturn inconjunct Neptune: These planets have been within a degree of this inconjunct aspect since mid-November. Saturn at 21 Virgo is separating from Neptune at 22 Aquarius until mid-January, when they move further apart until September of 2009.
There is a lot of pressure in this tension that demands some resolution, and these two planetary energies are essentially vying for either a more unconditional acceptance of current structures and thought patterns or a dissolving of those same areas that no longer fit the paradigm we are evolving into. This alignment reflects our challenge to upgrade our understanding of our place in the cosmos and do what is necessary to perfect our habits and routines towards that end. This will mean something different for each of us individually but can best be seen in the houses and planets in the area of 20 – 25 Aquarius and Virgo in your natal chart. Whatever is going on, the general theme is to truly let go of old habits and step into a new model of you.
Uranus – Saturn opposition The first exact pass of the Uranus – Saturn opposition was on November 4. The world as we know it is changing in virtually all areas. How are you seeing the old order passing away for the new in your personal life and how can you facilitate those changes to be both graceful and swift?
There will be five direct “hits” beginning with the first one on November 4, 2008 with Saturn at 18 Virgo opposite Uranus at 18 Pisces. This is the beginning of revolutionary, new, upgraded changes within the structure of society on all levels, but particularly as we are seeing, in the financial arena moving towards probable world currency.
This period spans through 2010 with four more exact oppositions:February 5, 2009 at 20 degrees Virgo / Pisces September 15, 2009 at 24 Virgo /Pisces April 26, 2010 at 28 Virgo / Pisces July 26, 2010 with Saturn at 0 degrees Libra, Uranus at 0 Aries.
Longterm Transits and Forecasts
Astrological forecasts and transits are related to sacred geometry and the relationship created by the angles between two or more planets or other points in space. The angle creates a resonance between the energies of these two points.
Forecasts describe the general “cosmic weather” that we all experience with the different resonances. As we stand under and within these energies, some of us are more influenced by them than others if they also happen to connect up to points in our natal birth charts, forming an angle and thus also forming a particular energetic resonance.
These energetic resonances are neither good nor bad, but can be used and experienced in higher or lower ways. The knowledge that astrology gives us is the power to choose how we “work the energies” and so determine the flavor of our lives.
November 14, 2009
