This week’s question comes from Rossa in the UK:

I’m in the process of doing market research for a new business and product. It is early days but so far the feedback I’ve had has been positive. However, I have been out of work for over two years and have tried out various ideas and explored other employment avenues without success. I am a little wary that this may be yet another dead end and I’m going to end up disappointed again. Is there anything astrologically that would signify a change in my working life that you could share with me?

Diane’s response:

Rossa, it really is no surprise you are thinking about business ventures and working to improve your financial situation in general with all those transiting planets in your second house of “accounts receivable.” I would encourage you to continue doing your homework and making sure you understand exactly what you are getting into.

Natally, Jupiter is in your tenth house opposite Mars in your fourth, and transiting Neptune forms a T-square with those from your second house. This raises a red flag in my opinion, because it is so easy to overlook important details under this influence. Keep that old adage about “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is” firmly in mind.

Jupiter in Pisces will be squaring your Moon in Sagittarius very soon. Since Jupiter rules Sagittarius, your emotions are probably all over the place, going from one extreme to the other. One day you are over the top when you think about your plans, and the next you could find yourself feeling way in over your head.

Saturn in Libra is transiting your eighth house and squared your natal Saturn last December. If you have felt like you have been walking through deep mud every time you spoke with your bank or other lending institutions about borrowing money, Saturn transiting the eighth is likely the cause. However, when Saturn moves back into Virgo and forms a sextile with your natal Jupiter in April and May, you may have a window of opportunity to exploit.

Best of luck with your new venture, Rossa! Just check and double-check all those pesky details before signing the dotted line.

Pat’s response:

Rossa, you are in a favorable period for money and business, no doubt, and recent planetary transits have triggered your mental processes, so it’s no surprise that you have been getting a rush of ideas.

With so many planets transiting your second house, this is a great time to increase your income. However, transiting Saturn is retrograde in your eighth house of “other people’s money” and moving toward opposition with Uranus in late April, creating an ongoing tug-of-war between working for an employer versus striking out on your own. This process has yet to play out, and I believe you will experience major developments this summer, when Jupiter enters Aries and when we have another pair of eclipses. The solar eclipse on July 11 will be closely conjunct your Descendant, suggesting a sudden, radical shift.

As you point out, this is a cardinal year, and big changes are on the way for all of us. It’s too early to tell how things will pan out, so any moves we make right now are exploratory and subject to change on a dime.

I would not discourage you from researching your idea and exploring how you can make it happen, but I do think you should remain as detached as possible from the idea itself. It is quite possible that, given upcoming planetary activity, this idea itself is not the answer, but that pursuing it will lead to a series of events that will put you in the right place at the right time.

Also keep in mind that before launching your new business, it’s a good idea to get a professional astrological reading to guide you with timing and other factors, such as who you will be working with.

Thank you for writing, and do keep us posted!

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