Monthly Archives: October 2009

New Moon in Libra, October 17-18, 2009

New Moon in Libra
The New Moon offers us an opportunity to renew our understanding of the sign it falls in, and this month’s New Moon, at 24°59′ Libra, is no exception.

Libra is noted for being fair-minded, well-mannered, and loaded with charm, thanks to Venus, Libra’s ruling planet. In general, those with a strong Libra presence in their charts are better than most at concealing their cardinal natures behind a smokescreen of reasonability and sweetness. Don’t be fooled, because once all the options have been carefully weighed and a decision has been made, these natives can implement their decisions with ruthless dispatch. We’re talking cardinal air here – the intellect rules, not emotions. That said, you will usually get your “medicine” served up with a generous dose of Venusian sugar.

The New Moon in Libra is closely trine Neptune in Aquarius. While issues before the collective could be dealt with fairly, equitably and compassionately, this also could mean that our ability to get caught up with potential rather than actual is ratcheted up.

I know I have a somewhat jaundiced view of Neptune and am very wary of all the high-minded attributes often attributed to the nebulous one. Nonetheless, it never hurts to do a reality check any time he’s in the room. There is a very good reason most cultures and belief systems have stories or sayings meant to teach the importance of being grounded in reality before taking a leap of faith. One such saying that comes immediately to mind is, “Trust in Allah, but tether your camel first.”

The inconjunct, or quincunx, between Uranus in Pisces and the New Moon in Libra offers us opportunities to be of service in unique ways, if we can get anything done. Libra and Pisces have a very different dialogue than Virgo and Aquarius. At the very least, they are both polite and prefer a non-confrontational approach. The trick here is getting them to come to any conclusions! It can end up with Libra saying “you first” and Pisces saying, “no, you first” ad infinitum! Add in the exact semi-sextile between Uranus and Neptune, and we can end up totally sidetracked – not the most favorable atmosphere for launching new projects.

No discussion of a Libra lunation is complete without seeing what her ruling planet, Venus, is up to. Venus is overjoyed to be back in her home sign of Libra and is further comforted by a lovely sextile to Mars in party loving Leo. But, and it’s a big one, Venus is just recovering from an exact square to Pluto on October 15 and a conjunction with Saturn on October 13.

Jealousy and obsessive behaviors can crop up whenever Pluto aspects Venus. What Venus sees as being mildly flirtatious and just her normal charming self, Pluto can see as potentially threatening to their relationship. Honest, open dialogue can help head off problems with an emphasis on honest – Pluto is exceeding good at nuance and detecting lies.

While Saturn is great for being responsible and dependable, he doesn’t do romantic worth a darn. Since Venus is pulling away from the dour one quickly, this will soon feel like a bad dream and she can enjoy life for awhile anyway. When Saturn moves into Libra, everyone is going to be reminded about the importance of responsible, dependable behaviors in their relationships. Pat and I will be writing more about this big change soon.

The waxing trine from Mercury in Libra to Jupiter in Aquarius makes it easy to come up with ideas designed to benefit the collective as well as take an upbeat approach to problem-solving. Between now and October 20 is the best time to take advantage of this energy.

Ceres, mistress of cycles and seasons, is now in Scorpio and sextile Pluto in Capricorn. Add in the Sabian symbol for 25 Libra, “The sight of an autumn leaf brings to a pilgrim the sudden revelation of the mystery of life and death,” and we have a potent reminder to pay attention to endings, beginnings and all cycles of death and rebirth. The leaves fall to the earth, rotting over winter to provide nutrients in the spring, when the sap rises for the tree to bloom anew. In our own lives, we need to pay attention and release what we have outgrown, to make way for something new. If we don’t, we take the risk of having Pluto rip it away . . . and don’t think he won’t.

In honor of Libra season, please take a moment to say “please” and “thank you,” the more heartfelt the better. Expressions of appreciation never go out of style, and seeing another’s face light up when receiving those is a reward in and of itself.

posted by Neith . . .

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.

** Neith is still not accepting new clients and is not sure when she will be able to, thanks to Uranus transits. **

Weekly Forecast October 12: Jupiter Direct, Mars Enters Leo

Had enough rest? I hope so, because we’re in for a busy week!

Mercury is back in Libra, picking up speed, and leaves his post-retrograde shadow period on Wednesday. Just as he’s entering new territory, Venus enters Libra. Relationships will benefit enormously from this double dose of Libra, especially after weeks of Venus and Mercury in nitpicky Virgo. If you and a loved one have been getting on each other’s nerves, you can both relax!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s have a look at this week’s lineup, one day at a time.

On Monday, Mars sextiles Saturn, just as both are about to enter a new sign. The Mars force is suppressed in watery Cancer, but even though our physical energy hasn’t been the most vibrant, it should pick up early this week so that we can finish up projects that have been on our plate for awhile. If those projects involve paperwork and mental concentration, so much the better.

On Tuesday, Jupiter returns direct at 17 degrees Aquarius. He’ll need a few days to yawn and stretch, but once he does, many of us are going to see major movement. How much depends on where he’s currently transiting your chart, but with the New Moon this weekend favorably angled to Jupiter, you should see at least a small obstacle clearing. The Big Guy is in my first house, so I’m expecting significant news. I’ll keep you posted.

Also on Tuesday, Venus conjoins Saturn in Virgo and sextiles Mars. Venus-Saturn aspects aren’t the happiest, especially for romantic relationships. Talk about a bucket of cold water. The inclusion of Mars in this configuration should mitigate that effect somewhat, though, and hopefully the outcome will be embers that glow for a long time rather than a flame that flares up but dies out just as quickly. I’ll be interested to get feedback on how you experience this three-way energy.

Even if you do suffer a little setback or temporary disconnect, all that should change when Venus enters Libra on Wednesday. This is her territory, and with Mercury and the Sun also in the sign of harmonious relations, people everywhere should be feeling more courteous and conciliatory. While Venus is in Libra, it’s also a great time for haircuts, manicures, and beauty treatments of all time. Goddess knows, I should have waited. I had my haircut last week during Venus in Virgo and I’m not at all happy with it. Yes, as an astrologer, I should have known better!

On Thursday, Venus squares Pluto. One of the problems with this aspect is that the heat can be too intense and judgment can fly out the window. This also is one of those energy combinations that can feed into manipulation. Venus uses sex and charm to get what she wants, while Pluto uses money and power. Age-old story, isn’t it? But whatever works between consenting adults…

Friday could be a hot date night, as the Moon enters Libra and amplifies the Venus-Pluto square. The real news, though, is the entry of Mars in fiery Leo. We’ll have more on this planet-sign combination in the weeks and months ahead, as Mars will be retrograde in Leo from December 20 to March 10. I’m already on the edge of my seat for this one. In the meantime, we should all feel a bit more energetic.

The weekend will be dominated by Sunday’s New Moon at 25 degrees Libra, in a close trine with Neptune and Chiron and a wider trine with newly direct Jupiter. The energy of the New Moon still will be very active early next week, so next week could be even busier!

I’m looking forward to some lovely new beginnings and wish the same for you.

Much love to all,
Pat

Image: The Bulgarian theatre group Temp performs their show ‘Wings in the Fire’ in Skopje earlier this year. What could better express the energy of Mars in Leo than a live performance with fire? Photo by Robert Atanasovski for Agence France-Presse.

From the Archives: How Life Should Be

I posted this article last summer on my personal blog, The Pisces Chronicles. The situation I was writing about is behind me now, but I was struck by how strongly it connects to current circumstances. The messiness of the past year and a half has all been feeding into a healing process. If my life is any indication, then we’ve been in a flow. Sometimes we can only see it when we look back and realize how far we’ve come. If you keep a journal, go back a year or so, and let me know whether you feel this phenomenon, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’ve just had a life-changing experience that has had me more than a little distracted. This is not something I can write about on my blog, as it’s far too personal, but I already have learned some lessons and gained some valuable insight, and this much I’ll share with you. It definitely ties in with the themes of enlightenment and other issues we’ve been discussing here.

The experience initially was one of intense joy, a taste of how life should be, followed by implosion and a few days of intense pain. A body that isn’t used to so much positive emotion would react like that! And, as I’ve said so many times here, sometimes you have to grit your teeth and bear the pain of reopening an old wound in order to heal. Put another way, you may have to blow yourself apart in order to put yourself back together in better order.

My acupuncturist in California many years ago introduced me to the concept of receiving a taste of something. An event happens, or someone comes into your life, and it seems like a miracle. But it’s fleeting or gets ripped away. Initially, you curse the cruel twist of fate and wonder what you did to deserve this. But as Beth put it, it’s a glimpse of the reward you’ll get for meeting a challenge and passing the test. This almost always requires change. The few times it has happened to me, a new degree of enlightenment was part of the process.

An anonymous reader left a comment on my previous post to the effect that there’s no such thing as enlightenment, “unless we mean just absence of thought altogether or some big but probably useless psychedelic blowout.”

This is the myth of enlightenment. It is not some blissed-out state you reach, and suddenly that’s it, you’re “enlightened.” It happens in successive stages, and it never ends. You can slip backwards and have to repeat some of the steps. Evolutionary astrologers would say that you even may have to reincarnate to go through “skipped steps.”

It’s also a myth that once you’re enlightened, pain and suffering cease. The pain is even more intense. Why? Because you no longer try to avoid it by deliberating numbing yourself with drugs, alcohol, or other means of escape. The difference between “enlightened” pain and the other kind is that it runs a natural course. You don’t stay in it. It flows through you, it transforms you, and then it’s gone.

Now, you might rightly ask, “If enlightenment is going to bring me even worse pain, why would I want to be enlightened?” I don’t know that there’s a good answer to that, except that, like true love, there is no reason for it. You can’t say “I love John because he’s tall, handsome, smart, and kind.” You love him because there is an irrepressible bond between you that defies all attempts to explain or control. Like love, enlightenment finds you, and not the other way around.

As for the astrology, Pluto’s fingerprints are all over the scene. My natal Pluto is retrograde at 29 degrees Leo, and transiting Pluto currently is retrograde at 29 degrees Sagittarius, in a perfect trine. In my natal chart, Pluto is square my nodal axis. Noted evolutionary astrologer Kim Marie told me a couple of years ago that this was a powerful indicator of a “skipped step.” Kim says that Pluto represents the soul, both individually and collectively, and that his passage through Sagittarius “shakes our foundations, crumbles them in order to create larger, more natural foundations, both physically and spiritually and everything else in between. Evolution takes place one way or another.”

It’s still too early to tell, but it feels to me like my recent experience has connected me with my Plutonian power and that my challenge, in order for that taste of joy to become an all-you-can-eat buffet, is to use it and use it wisely. I’m working on it.

Much love and many blessings,
Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: New Career Path Possible?

This week’s question comes from Lise in Melbourne, Australia:

I have a blind spot big time with my career. I know what I love doing, no problem with that, but putting things into context with my career, nada. I’ve been mostly in administration for years, medical mostly though some law in earlier days. It really does nothing for me, but comfort level keeps me here. Ideas/comments much appreciated!

Pat’s response:

Lise, it’s no surprise that you’ve done administrative work, and in law and medicine. In your birth chart, the ruler of your tenth house (career) is Jupiter, and he’s in the tenth house, too. Jupiter and the sign he rules, Sagittarius, are associated with medicine, law, and higher learning. Further, your Jupiter is in Capricorn, the sign of administration and keeping order. I’ll bet you’re one of the best, most reliable admins on the planet! Not only are you comfortable in that line of work, but your supervisors no doubt love you, too.

That indeed would be hard to give up, and I’m guessing that your career really does satisfy you in some deeply important way. Based solely on your chart, I’d say it probably had to do with material comfort. This is nothing to sneeze at, especially in this economy.

That said, there is a trend in industrialized countries toward giving up lucrative careers and downsizing households in order to follow one’s heart. That’s what I hear in your question, and it’s also no surprise that you’re asking it now. As I mentioned above, Jupiter is a key career indicator in your chart, and since late December 2008, you’ve had Pluto transiting your Jupiter. Pluto transforms everything he touches, and he also demands that we dig deeply to determine whether we’re being true to ourselves.

If you feel a need to get out of admin, why not establish your own business? Your chart suggests that you would be extremely successful on your own. If you’re not ready to do that yet, you could start doing what you love on the side until you feel comfortable enough to make the switch. Or, you might just see what this Pluto transit does. Often, he takes care of the problem for us — not in a way that’s easy or comfortable, but just like you, we can rely on him to get the job done.

Best of luck to you!

Neith’s response:

Yes, Lise, it is easy to see why you choose to work within the medical system with Pisces rising and your Scorpio Sun-Neptune conjunction. Helping others in some capacity is part of who you are.

Over the past year, transiting Uranus in your first house has been inconjunct your natal Uranus in Leo in your sixth house. It is this element I suspect of agitating for a change of vocations and the need to be doing something more personally fulfilling. Uranus transits to the first house make us antsy and eager to do something new and different almost without exception.

Your sixth house Uranus in Leo is trine to Venus in Sagittarius in your tenth, connecting two of the houses relating to our career or vocational path. Because trines work so smoothly we often overlook their benefits. There is tremendous creative potential with any Venus-Uranus aspect as well as the ability to come up with new and exciting ideas on the spur of the moment. Do you have a creative hobby or interest of some type? Have you ever given thought to turning it into something more?

Ideally you can come up with a way to combine your creative abilities with your natural inclination to be of service to others. Uranus will continue to prod you to make changes through March 2010, helping overcome the natural reluctance of your fixed sign Sun to try something new.

Good luck! Remember to stay open to the offbeat and unusual ideas that pop up, Lise. You’ll break out yet.

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact us, or we don’t get your question. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” Thanks!

Real Astrologer’s Poll: Any Hopes For Jupiter Going Direct?

Jupiter is creeping to a halt this week in preparation for returning direct next Tuesday. Jupiter’s retrograde periods typically aren’t traumatic, but since he went retrograde on June 15, many of us haven’t been able to move forward in certain areas of our lives.

In this week’s poll, we’d like to explore the dreams and wishes you may have in connection with the planet that ancients called the Greater Benefic.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Pat

Weekly Forecast October 5: Mercury Enters Libra

This should be a slow week, not without a surprise or two, but mostly we will have a chance to assimilate new information from the Full Moon and other recent events.

In terms of planetary transits, there isn’t a whole lot going on. As this week begins, we’re still in the wake of Saturday’s Full Moon in Aries. For some of us, this Full Moon may have been the culmination of a shift that has been evolving since July, when we began a new series of eclipses. If that happened to you, then the next two weeks will be an adjustment phase.

Mercury begins in earnest this week to retrace the steps of his retrograde path. On Thursday (late Wednesday in western time zones) he conjoins Saturn in Virgo, the third of three passes, and on Saturday, he makes a third and final square to Pluto.

You may have a chance to resolve a particular issue that came up in mid-August. Mercury-Saturn aspects can increase our ability to think critically, and this is especially true when the two are conjunct in Virgo. The downside is that there could be a tendency to find fault in small details, both in ourselves and others, that may not matter much. If you’re stuck in a cycle of negative thinking, just be aware of it for now.

Mercury re-enters Libra on Friday, and at that point, your point of view will balance itself out. Sometimes it’s our perception of the world and not actual events that cause us grief. If this has the case for you, you should feel a weight lifting later this week. That said, you may have to get over a bit of a hump first, as Mercury and Pluto make contact and expose an uncomfortable truth.

Friday could also be a day of surprises, when Venus opposes Uranus. This is not a heavy duty Uranus aspect. Although there is a small possibility of upsets in relationships or finances, you may just get an opportunity to get out of your normal routine and do something different, probably in the context of a close relationship.

The dominant energy of this week likely will be Jupiter’s station in preparation for returning direct on October 13. He’s in my first house, and I’ve been feeling a drag on my energy. Depending where he is in your chart, you might feel slow and heavy, too.

On Saturday, Jupiter gets a positive trine from the Sun. This is a highly optimistic combination, and you might get a clue about what’s to come when Jupiter returns direct next week. There’s a sense of excitement and anticipation in this aspect, and while we don’t want to succumb to wishful thinking, we need positive reinforcement from time to time to remind us that dreams can and do come true.

Love and blessings to all,
Pat

Saturday Archives: Pluto Transit Through The Twelfth House

Black-eyed Susans and Stargazer Lilies Donna Cunningham has written several posts recently on the twelfth house and reading those reminded me of this post from the archives.

Since most of my personal planets are found in the twelfth house, when planets transit through that neighborhood I know it!

There seems to be a lot of interest in what happens as a result of Pluto transiting through the twelfth House and since I’ve had that pleasure, I thought I would relate some of my experiences and resulting revelations.

First, it’s important to know Scorpio is the sign on the cusp of my twelfth House. And I have my Sun conjunct that cusp at 29°54′ Libra along with Jupiter, Part of Fortune, Mars and Mercury. To say this was a major transit for me is an understatement. Additionally Uranus was transiting my first House, conjoining my Venus and moving on to oppose my natal Uranus. Yes, life was interesting.

At the time Pluto was starting into the twelfth House conjoining my Sun, I moved 1,800 hundred miles courtesy of the Uranus transit to my Venus in Sagittarius. My motive was to be with a man who was considered a spiritual leader of the local Sufi community. I really didn’t know any of the people in this new community well at all, making this classic Uranus transit stuff – full speed ahead, eyes firmly shut.

This man I got involved with was 11 yrs older than I, a triple Leo with Mars in Scorpio and Uranus in Taurus squaring his Leo. He also remembered NOTHING of his childhood before about age 10! This is often a very good indicator of a really awful childhood.

In essence, the lessons I learned were not from what this man said, but from who he was. He misused kundalini energy during sex to enhance orgasms without first informing me among other things (Pluto/Scorpio/eighth House stuff). I only stayed with him for three months and was furiously angry with him most of the time. He never did understand why I was so angry either. My explanations made no sense to him at all. After I moved out, I saw him at other gatherings of the spiritual community and could not stand for him to touch me – a gut level reaction.

The months before I moved back to home base, Pluto was moving over my Jupiter and Part of Fortune. Even though the relationship I was in at the time had many good things going for it, it was damaged at the core for two reasons. One, I had thought this man loved me as I was and it turned out he was just waiting for me to change, and two, as a result of that flawed experience with kundalini energy, I just couldn’t bring myself to make love with this man. An aside: this man had Saturn in Scorpio conjunct my Mars in Scorpio – this could have been a factor too.

When transiting Uranus opposed my natal Uranus, I moved north – zip, zip, zip – and spent most of the next four years essentially living alone. During those years I also did a lot of reading on astrology, looking at charts, and thinking deeply. Liz Greene’s book, “The Astrology of Fate”, opened a door in my mind in regards to Pluto and learning the importance of accepting one’s self as a complete package.

My personal analogy was called “the monster in the garden.” If we view ourselves as a garden, accepting only the pretty side of ourselves while ignoring our darker nature, it will grow like a monster weed among the lovely flowers and shrubs. Conversely, if we acknowledge and accept our dark side without prejudice, it will become fertilizer in our garden and enrich our lives even more. Pluto is more than willing to help us compost our weeds!

posted by Neith . . .

Image: Here are some of the lovely flowers in my garden – black-eyed susans and stargazer lilies.

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Can’t We Communicate?

This week’s question comes from Anita in Maryland:

I am currently in a relationship with a Cancer man who is very special. However, the last three weeks have been awful. We seem to miscommunicate and hurt each other’s feelings so easily. This isn’t the first time this has happened. We were apart for most of January of this year. I really love him and I know that he wants to take some time, but is there any insight you can give us to understand each other better?

Pat’s response:

Anita, there’s a lot going on between the two of you to explain the rough spots, but the immediate problem you’re describing has the marks of Mercury retrograde all over it.

During Mercury retrograde periods, even the best relationships can suffer from miscommunications. Relationships that aren’t on sound footing can fall apart (it has happened to me a few times in my life). This Mercury retrograde was particularly hard on your relationship, because Mercury was sitting on your Descendant, an important chart angle that is the cusp of the seventh house. The seventh house rules marriage and committed partnerships.

Mercury returned direct on September 29, and he’ll cross back over your Descendant a week from today. At that time, you should be able to discuss your most recent problems and get some clarity as to where the breakdown occurred.

Since you indicate that you’ve had ongoing issues, you likely will have to address those, too, and fortunately we’re coming up on a great time for you to do so. Not only will Mercury be in your seventh house, but there’s a New Moon in this area of your chart on October 18 that should help you get a fresh start with your sweetie.

In the meantime, I strongly advise you to get a reading with a qualified astrologer to help you understand the broader aspects between you. I encourage you to ask your partner for his permission to do this and to see whether he’d like to join you for the reading. This is the ethical thing to do, and it will help build trust between you.

I think you’re going to be just fine, but do write and let us know how it goes.

Neith’s response:

Anita, when it comes to relationships, the first thing I always do is look at the natal charts for information on behaviors and habit patterns both people bring with them. Natal aspects to the Moon and Mercury can hold the keys to our habit patterns (Moon) and the way we communicate (Mercury).

On one hand, your Mercury in Aquarius is trine Uranus, blessing you with an innovative, brilliant mind. On the other, it is square Neptune, ruler of your Sun sign, Pisces. I suspect that when emotions enter the picture, you start second guessing yourself, leading to confusion. Be thankful your Moon is generally well-aspected, giving you a high degree of emotional stability.

Your Cancer man has Mercury square Jupiter and Uranus – great for jumping to conclusions before all the facts are in. Since we don’t have a birth time for him, it is not possible to determine whether his Moon is in late Pisces or early Aries. However, in either case Uranus will oppose his Moon, increasing his need for lots of space and feeling emotionally independent.

Pluto in Capricorn conjoining your Moon and squaring his natal Moon-Uranus opposition was the likely culprit triggering the problems you two have been experiencing. Pluto has a way of introducing us to our issues with control and our little obsessions. When it comes to Pluto and Uranus, the tighter Pluto tries to hold on, the faster Uranus will run.

Does any of this sound familiar, Anita? If so, then perhaps an honest discussion about how much space you both need to really appreciate your time together is in order. You both have your Mercury in air signs, enabling you to articulate your feelings, very important for two water sign-Sun people.

Have faith in yourself, Anita, and do your best to keep your hands open, not clenched. Good luck!!

RealAstrologers

The astrology of world affairs, human evolution, the future, and the state of the universe.