Yearly Archives: 2011

Weekly Forecast October 3: Venus Enters Scorpio

October is here, and we’re already at the first quarter Moon. Did someone hit the fast-forward button?

Fortunately, this week should be calmer on most fronts.

Last week was a wild ride indeed, culminating with mass arrests in the anti-Wall Street protest in New York. There is no question that the protests reflect the building Uranus-Pluto square, which was part of a strong cardinal T-square with last Tuesday’s New Moon in Libra. It’s no surprise that greedy financial corporations are the target of the unrest, nor was the swift police response unanticipated. It’s exactly what we’d expect from Pluto in Capricorn.

The chart for the march tells an interesting story. According to news reports, the march began around 3:30 p.m. in downtown Manhattan, near the former World Trade Center. In addition to the Uranus-Pluto square, the chart (see below) shows a tight Yod with the Sun and Moon at the base and retrograde Jupiter in Taurus at the apex – the planet at the apex bears the pressure. In mundane astrology, both Jupiter and Taurus are associated with the nation’s wealth and financial institutions. Taurus rules the stock exchange, money markets, and trade. Note that Jupiter is in the third house, which rules communications and traffic flow. Protesters were arrested when they blocked traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.

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As for how the protest ties into the bigger picture of social upheaval and crackdown by authorities, note the trine (blue line) from Pluto at the apex of the T-square to Jupiter. Normally, we’d consider this trine past its prime, but Jupiter is retrograde and on its way toward two exact alignments with Pluto next month and again in March 2012. As much unrest as there has been in the world in the past year, we’re barely seeing the tip of iceberg.

Back to this week, we start out with the first-quarter Moon in Capricorn, skimming through all the critical T-square degrees of last week’s New Moon. Watch for an event or situation that moves your forward another step or two along your path. If you’re still looking for a new direction, you may get closer to finding it. Next week’s Full Moon brings an ending, resolution, or culmination to new endeavors or projects you started last week. If you want to know more about how this lunar cycle is affecting you personally, look at where 4 degrees Libra and 18 degrees Aries fall in your chart. Or, you can order your StarGuide October forecast, which will tell you what’s happening in your chart.

Otherwise, this week’s transits are fairly tame. Mercury conjoins Saturn on Thursday, making it a great day for tasks requiring intense focus and concentration. You can be detached, objective, and balanced in your outlook, which lends itself to certain kinds of communications and written projects.

On Friday, Venus in Libra trines Neptune. Venus-Neptune aspects often are described in terms of “rose-colored glasses,” and there may be some of that here, with Neptune in idealistic Aquarius. But the collective longing for fairness, justice and equality for everyone is not a pipedream. We can begin effecting the change we desire by making sure we are fair in our own dealings with others and by understanding how we are all connected.

On Sunday, Venus enters Scorpio and trades her robe of justice for a sexy black dress. There is nothing balanced or detached about Venus in Scorpio. Depending on where she is transiting your chart, you may need to be mindful of obsessive thoughts and a desire to possess. Then, these traits sure make a better Hollywood film …

Later Sunday, Venus trines Chiron in Pisces, reflecting the healing qualities of physical intimacy. Sex as a vehicle to higher consciousness is a technique that has been practiced for many millennia. It can be a way to access deeply buried memories and even past lives. If this is something you’re interested in, just take note of what comes up for you Sunday night.

For me, it’s back to the books. However, I do have a limited amount of time for reports and consultations, so don’t be shy about contacting me if you’re in need of some guidance.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 26: New Moon in Libra

Wildfire smoke sets the sunset ablaze. © James A. Weythman, 2011.

If you tried to access RealAstrologers earlier today, you got a scary black screen with a message that my server had been hacked.

Welcome to this week!

With the Sun and Mercury in early Libra, we’ve got an approximation of last summer’s cardinal T-square. Fortunately, there are some major differences this time, but we’re in for a wild ride nonetheless.

If the approach to Tuesday’s New Moon in Libra feels like Mercury retrograde, there’s a reason. Monday starts out with Mercury opposite Uranus, which sometimes is described of as a “higher octave” of Mercury. You might think of him as Mercury on steroids. Actually, in ancient mythology, Uranus represented primal air, a sort of “Father Sky.” In Greek mythology, he was the great-great-grandfather of Hermes, the equivalent of Roman Mercury. When these two get together, there’s no end to the mischief they can make.

As sky god, Uranus rules winds and electrical storms. And wouldn’t you just know it – as soon as I was able to get back into my admin page this morning (thanks to the swift and talented staff at my hosting service, InMotion), the wind started howling, briefly knocking out the power to my modem. Yeehaw!

The big event this week is the New Moon in Libra on Tuesday. You can easily see the T-square, with the Sun, Moon and Mercury opposite Uranus, all square Pluto. Although you never know what you’re going to get when Uranus is in the picture, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see storms of all kinds, whether political, social, economic, meteorological or any other category you can think of. Libra is the relationship sign, so don’t be surprised by a flare-up or two in your personal dealings. It’s the next step in a long process we’ve been going through for more than two years.

Now, if you ordered your StarGuide 2011 Fall Forecast, you’ve already read that I foresee progress at this New Moon despite the difficult planetary lineup. The difference between this alignment and last summer’s T-square has to do mainly with who’s not in this picture – namely, Saturn. He remains in Libra and in fact is conjoined by Venus later in the week (more about that in a minute), but he has advanced well beyond the T-square degrees. His stand-ins, the Sun and Mercury, aren’t nearly as heavy and restrictive.

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Moreover, we have a couple of outs here. First and foremost, the Sun, Moon, and Mercury are in an applying sextile with Mars, which will be exact on Thursday. Mars is the action planet, and in Leo he’s free to express himself. For you, that means channeling excess energy into creative projects and anything that fulfills your life’s purpose. This juice is too good to waste, so think now about how you can get maximum mileage out of it.

Second, there’s a trine to Pluto from Jupiter in Taurus. It’s fairly wide, and Jupiter is retrograde. Nevertheless, this is a tangible outlet, at least for setting the stage for future rewards.

Of course, this means that Mars is in conflict with Jupiter and sharp discord with Pluto (inconjunct with Pluto on Monday, square Jupiter on Sunday). My read on this is that you can take advantage of one of the outs I describe above, but not both. If you try to do too much, you’ll lose ground on all fronts. If you can’t decide where to expend your efforts, see where these planets are in your chart by house and what aspects they make with your natal planets.

In terms of mundane astrology, it likely will manifest as world leaders going head-to-head and creating nothing but a lot of static and hot air. On second thought, that’s not news.

The Sun and Mercury officially conjoin on Wednesday. In air sign Libra, this is good for mental work, especially creative writing and anything to do with words. Keep a notebook handy should you get a sudden flash of inspiration.

On Thursday, Venus conjoins Saturn. This typically is a sober combination, but Venus rules Libra, and Saturn is exalted in her sign. It’s a perfect setup for making commitments to your friends and loved ones. No one said love – or, for that matter, friendship – is easy. It requires work, mostly because you have to be brutally honest with yourself about your motives. It’s a constant balancing act – balance being the keyword for Libra. Giving too much and resenting it later isn’t any better than taking more than your share. Compromise – another Libra keyword – is a lot harder than it sounds. Sometimes you have to overlook certain things in your loved ones, but if you do it all the time just to keep the peace, you both lose opportunities to grow. Like riding a bicycle, the point is to stay balanced while in forward motion.

Before I go, I want to remind you that I start classes this week. I went ahead and posted the notice for the StarGuide forecast for October, but please bear in mind that it could take me a bit longer to respond to your requests for reports and consultations.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 19: Sun Enters Libra, Fall Equinox

Weighing the Harvest. © Mafoto for Dreamstime.com

The biggest news this week is the equinox – fall in the Northern Hemisphere, spring for those of you in the Land of Oz and other parts south.

The Sun enters Libra on Friday, followed by Mercury on Sunday, just as the Sun opposes Uranus. This is the halfway point of the astrological year, the balance between light and dark, represented by the scales. The scales, or balance, also are symbolic of the harvest, traditionally a time when crops were weighed and accounts settled. For our ancestors, it was the culmination of the agricultural year. If they didn’t plant enough, or if their crop was damaged by weather or pests, they had to do the math for how they would ration to get through the winter.

For us, it’s a time to consider our progress since the Sun entered Aries on March 20. As you may recall, that was a particularly volatile period, with a new cardinal buildup that mirrored last summer’s T-square. Well, we get that again starting this week, as the Sun and Mercury form a T-square with Uranus and Pluto.

That may sound dire, and yet I’m optimistic about the possible manifestations of this configuration, primarily because of the dynamic position of Mars. The testosterone planet has been frustrated in Cancer since the beginning of August. You only needed to drive a few miles down the highway to see it. I lost count of how many times some guy in a monster pickup screamed up behind me, rode my tail, then blew around me at twice the speed limit, cutting off the guy behind him.

As of this evening (Sept. 18), Mars will be in Leo, where he is much happier. His energy can flow, and that means it can be channeled into creative projects and other productive activities. In this position, he’ll provide an “out” to the cardinal T-square, as he’ll be at a positive angle with Uranus in Aries, the sign he rules, and the Sun in Libra. At its best, this translates to creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. It also shows where you can be a leader and a pioneer.

The downside is that Mars will be at a jarring inconjunct with Pluto in Capricorn. Mars in Leo has megalomaniacal tendencies as it is. In discord with the ultimate authoritarian, we’ve got the metaphorical irresistible force colliding with an immovable object. Watch the news headlines for intransigent world leaders up against forces beyond their control (e.g., debt and finances). In your personal life, take care not to let your ego get the better of you in situations involving authority.

This week is a great time to order your StarGuide 2011 Fall Forecast! I’ve added some new features, including expanded notes on Mercury retrograde and the lunations – two of which are eclipses. I’ve also added 1-2 pages with interpretations of the house positions of the outer planets. You won’t find these in a typical transit forecast, which provides this information only when a planet changes houses. With the outer planets, this can be anywhere from two years for Saturn to 15 years or more for Pluto. It takes me significantly longer to include this data, as I create these reports individually, but I’ve kept the price at $36. If you’d like to see a sample, I created a new one for one of my favorite Leo personalities, Martha Stewart.

Next week’s New Moon is at 4 degrees Libra, which forms a tight T-square with Uranus and Pluto. I’ll cover it in next week’s forecast, but in the meantime, you can get an idea of how it will affect you by ordering your StarGuide Forecast. Remember, I’m going back to school on September 26, so if you wait, I can’t guarantee delivery of your report within 48 hours. Even if you order this week, it may take longer than 24 hours (my usual turnaround) to get your report, as my schedule is close to booked.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 12: Full Moon in Pisces, Pluto Direct

It seems like just yesterday that we were in “eclipse month,” with three eclipses in a row from June 1 to July 1. This week’s Full Moon marks the halfway point between those eclipses and the next pair, in November and December.

What direction are you heading in? What progress have you made since last December, when the new series of eclipses in Sagittarius and Gemini began? What challenges are still before you? Are you limiting your potential for success by clinging to erroneous beliefs?

These questions may have some very interesting answers this week, which is about deep insights – the kind that can change your beliefs and thus your whole world. Even if you don’t go looking for evidence of the “spiritual,” it may come looking for you.

We start the week with Mercury in a trine with Pluto. In classical mythology, Mercury (Greek Hermes) was the only god who could come and go in the underworld at will – the underworld being Pluto’s domain. Mercury, with his winged sandals, is a symbol of intellect and thought, while Pluto represents our unconscious, primal instincts and urges. These subconscious tendencies show up in mythological stories as demons and scary monsters. When the hero descends to the underworld, he usually finds some precious treasure, but not before killing a hideous beast or two and fighting his way back out.

Pluto is at a dead stop, preparing to return direct on Friday, so this is an incredibly powerful moment to peer into those dark corners. A smooth-flowing trine from Mercury allows us to get a glimpse beneath the surface – not just of ourselves, but of the material world – without feeling as though we’ve been to hell and back.

The peak of the Mercury-Pluto trine occurs just four hours before the Full Moon in Pisces, which also represents the subconscious. However, Pisces is more about deeply buried memories, be they from childhood, our spiritual past, or the collective unconscious. This is where “everything’s connected.”

As human consciousness expands, more people are meeting soul mates from “past lives,” remembering past-life experiences, and encountering disincarnate beings. I put quotation marks around “past lives” because these contacts and experiences are just outside time as perceived by the human brain. Indeed, what appears to be happening is that we’re seeing the true nature of time. Those who have experienced this phenomenon have found it disorienting. Whether mildly or extremely depends on the nature of the experience. Some question their sanity, which certainly is a logical response!

The tricky thing here is discerning whether what you’re seeing and feeling is real or an illusion. Pisces has an active imagination, and Neptune is known for fog and confusion. We have an advantage this is week in that Mercury and the Sun are both in Virgo, sign of discernment. As I’m so fond of telling clients, just because you “channeled” something doesn’t mean it’s true. You need to run it through the Virgo fact-checker. If it still holds up, then you’re onto something.

Mercury trines Jupiter on Wednesday, Jupiter being about growth and expansion. Here is yet another opportunity for expanding your mind and breaking out of self-limiting beliefs.

Also on Wednesday, Venus glides into her own sign of Libra. In general, relationships should be more balanced and free of demoralizing nitpicking. However, her first order of business is to oppose Uranus on Saturday, a wildly unpredictable aspect that could result in a breakthrough or a total meltdown. To get an idea which it might be, check to see where these two are in your chart.

Speaking of which, I want to give you another gentle reminder that the StarGuide Fall 2011 Forecast is ready. Fall is less than two weeks away! I’ll be going back to school on the 26th, so if you think you’d like a report or consultation, I encourage you to order soon! Once classes start, there will be a longer turnaround time for reports and limited availability for consultations overall.

Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

Virgo-Pisces: Returning (Part II)

The Virgo personality is very much concerned with work and may even have workaholic tendencies. However, this is a misapplication of the highest vibration of Virgo.

The higher purpose of Virgo is concerned with vocation rather than just “work.” It is important to have a spiritual motivation and purpose, rather than merely a mundane or ego-serving purpose. The word “vocation” comes from the Latin verb “vocare,” meaning “to call.” The Virgo Soul hears her spiritual calling and is ready, able, and willing to serve. She knows her spiritual power and purpose and is willing to pour forth her energy in the service of the Light. However, in order to hear your spiritual calling, you have to be able to listen to your true inner guidance, and that is where the higher vibration of Pisces is needed.

The highest octave of Pisces resonates with Universal Mind, Christ Consciousness and Oneness. Virgo needs to lift her head above the parapet and reconnect with her Spiritual origin. Then she can align with her true purpose and power, and flow that energy into her everyday life. This is how the lower personality-focused Virgo vibration becomes transformed through her opposite sign Pisces, and reaches the peaks of the higher octave of Virgo who knows how to flow “Love in Action.”

Yet there is even more to this mysterious sign of Virgo. The Soul keynote for Virgo is:

I am the Mother and the child. I, God, I, matter am.¹

This speaks to Virgo’s vital role in the reintegration of the Divine Feminine into the planet at this time. Yet, one could be forgiven for thinking Virgo is a masculine sign. This is because, at the personality level, Virgo’s urge to serve can become distorted if her energy is inappropriately channelled into enterprises that serve the collective ego and support mundane structures that no longer serve humanity’s highest good, rather than her highest octave of bringing sacred energy down to Earth. Bringing the sacred into the everyday is Virgo’s real work.

The Mother and the Child refers to our dualistic nature: the Mother being our highest Divine Wisdom and the Child being our lower self, or ego. The challenge is to integrate these two, bringing Divine Wisdom to bear on the affairs of the mundane world. Imagine a world where our politicians and corporate leaders were required to have spiritual intelligence on their person specification, and to demonstrate practical skill in emotional intelligence and the ways of peace. What a different world that would be!

The Virgo Soul brings the spiritual into the physical through Higher Mind. Mercury is the personality ruler of Virgo, but also plays a key role in the development of Higher Mind. This is another clue to Virgo’s higher role. Like a lightening conductor, the Virgo Soul brings higher mind down to earth in very practical ways, imbuing all physical matter with enlightened wisdom, compassion and power.

If you have Sun, Moon and/or Rising Sign (Ascendant) in Virgo, your challenge is to still your busy mind enough to hear the soft voice that arises in the stillness. Herein lies your own inner wisdom; indeed it is the Wisdom of The Ages. Will you hear your spiritual calling in the stillness, “return” to your true vocation and devote your energy to the creation of Heaven on Earth? Or will you worry yourself (and possibly your friends!) into an early grave? The potential, and the choice, is all yours.

Ruth

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Footnotes:

1. In “Esoteric Astrology” the wisdom of the Master Djwahl Khul channelled through Alice A. Bailey, a soul keynote was given for each zodiac sign. Meditating upon the keynote for your Soul Sign (Rising Sign, or Ascendant), supports you in aligning with your Soul vibration.

[All of Ruth’s soul astrology articles are now archived in her Tea Room, the newest addition to the RealAstrologers home. ~Pat]

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Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Weekly Forecast September 5: Mercury Enters Virgo, Venus Sextile Mars

This week, we continue to encounter circumstances that allow us to put our new skills to the test as we move deeper into new territory.

With the Moon in Capricorn on Tuesday and Wednesday, there are small reminders of situations we’ve been in over the past two years. Most of you are moving on, but some ties remain. Because the Moon moves through the signs quickly, her influence is fleeting and sometimes not felt at all. Still, I’m betting you’ll get twinges of fear and worry – maybe worse – as memories surface. This is natural, so just allow the feelings to flow. As long as they don’t stick, you’re fine. If they do, that’s your clue that something still isn’t resolved.

On Sunday, Mars moves over the degree of the Jan. 15, 2010, solar eclipse in Capricorn. At 25 degrees, the eclipse was well out of the range of the cardinal T-square and grand cross, but it probably corresponds to your major challenge or challenges in the past two years. Think back to what was going on for you around the middle of January (plus or minus a week), and then think about what has changed. Chances are, you’re in a much different place. Several times in the past month or so, people have told me that they aren’t bothered by things that upset them before.

Among other things, we’re learning to see people and situations in a different light, and that changes how we respond. Right before Mars passes over that critical degree, he makes a dynamic sextile with Venus in Virgo. It’s interesting to note that both planets are in their fall, and yet relationships can still benefit. It’s when we’re at our weakest that we’re most likely to drop our defenses and be real with each other.

On Thursday, Mercury opposes Neptune for the third and final time in this cycle, and then he re-enters Virgo on Friday. When Mercury turned retrograde in early August, he was in close opposition with Neptune. The level of confusion was beyond what we usually feel when Mercury shifts motion, and many people told me they were “just so sleepy.” We’ll likely get that effect again late this week. Mercury and Neptune are both associated with sleep and dreams, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to pay attention to your dreams. They can contain important messages.

These messages can be an important source of healing, and that’s likely to be the case on Saturday, when Mercury opposes Chiron. Healing messages aren’t always comfortable; indeed, they may be mildly upsetting. It’s never easy when the deep psyche is stirred up. This is especially true for past-life memories, which are surfacing more often for many of you. The first memories to come back typically involve close relationships – that’s why so many of you are meeting soul mates. After that, we begin to remember traumatic experiences. The collective conscious contains many such memories, along with lifetimes of wounds. We began addressing these in earnest a few years back, when Neptune and Chiron conjoined in Aquarius. We can go deeper with Chiron in Pisces.

Back in Virgo, Mercury will be in his own sign – although I’ve been lobbying for joint rulership with Ceres ever since she gained the same “dwarf planet” status as Pluto. Little did I know at the time that there was an ancient precedent for this association. Manilius, writing in the 1st century CE, associated each of the astrological signs with a patron deity. A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a translation of his Astronomica from Amazon and was astonished to find that he, too, paired Ceres with Virgo. “The Virgin with her sheaf belongs to Ceres,” he wrote. He also paired Pisces with Neptune, long before planet Neptune was discovered. He assigned Vesta to Capricorn. You just have to love the synchronicity.

Virgo certainly has two distinct sides, symbolized beautifully by Mercury and Ceres. One side of Virgo – perhaps we should call it the left-brained Virgo – is into details, perfection, mechanical function, and logic. Have you ever noticed how many accountants, engineers and computer programmers have strong Virgo in their charts? The right-brained Virgo is the health-conscious, helpful friend in need. I always laugh when I come across a vegetarian Virgo. It’s so typical. Many of my clients with Moon in Virgo are in an alternative healing profession.

Next week is the Full Moon in mystical Pisces, the sign opposite Virgo. If you haven’t checked out Ruth’s latest article on Virgo and Pisces, you can find it here.

Also, don’t forget your StarGuide forecasts for September and Fall 2011. It has been a hellaciously busy week, but I managed to finish my sample for Martha Stewart. You’ll see that I’ve expanded my personal notes on the New and Full Moon and Mercury retrograde, and I’ve also added information on the outer planets, since they don’t show up in a transit printout unless they’re changing houses. All of this in an effort to provide a service you can’t get anywhere else …

Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

If you’d like to check out Astronomica, you can find it in my bookstore, under “In-depth & Specialized.” Every order helps support RealAstrologers. Thank you!

Virgo-Pisces: Returning (Part I)

As we head deeper into Virgo territory, Ruth continues her soul astrology series with Virgo and its opposite sign, Pisces. (In case you missed her take on Pisces from the other perspective, you can find it here). ~Pat

As the sixth sign, the Soul in Virgo has reached the mid-point of its journey through the developmental stages of the Zodiac. This is the point where the journey home, the returning, begins. The essence of the Virgo Soul is the Divine Feminine, Mother Earth, purity, one’s vocation, spiritual calling, and Divine Purpose.

From its starting point as a “point of light in the mind of God” in Aries,¹ the Soul has now reached the farthest point of its journey – the deepest level of immersion in the material world. This is evident in the characteristics and concerns of the personality oriented Virgo: work, discernment, precision, perfection, health, the physical body.

Yet the true purpose of the Soul in Virgo is not to become overly concerned with mundane affairs but rather to bring spiritual energy into physical matter, to imbue our mundane world with spiritual energy through sacred action. To the Virgo Soul, work is sacred action, and its purpose is to elevate our world – to literally bring heaven to Earth by making the world sacred.

So does this mean that all Virgos embody the qualities of an earth goddess? Well, not exactly. Earth signs are concerned with mastery of the physical, and as the mutable Earth sign, Virgo is concerned with change – changes in the physical. In the case of the Virgo personality, this often means concern with the physical body and physical health. The personality ruler of Virgo is Mercury, which means Virgo has the unenviable task of trying to ground Mercurial energy into a physical body. This relates to the deeper spiritual significance of Virgo. The Virgo Soul is somewhat like a cosmic lightening conductor, here to ground higher spiritual energies into the planetary body.

This Mercurial effect can lead to some of the so-called negative qualities of Virgo. Mercury’s stimulation of the mental or cognitive aspect of mind can lead to restlessness, nervousness, worry, criticism, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, especially in relation to health and/or sickness. It is no accident that Virgo became known as the sign of the stomach ulcer! At the personality level, this can also lead Virgo to nag their friends and family about health and wellness issues.

For any of us, one way to distinguish if we are personality-oriented or Soul-oriented is to check whether we are internally or externally focused. When we are internally focused, we align with our Soul path and have an inner focus. We are conscious of our thoughts, words, and actions, our inner motivations and drives, and we follow our inner wisdom. When we are externally focused, we are like a leaf blowing in the wind. We are driven by external motivators, seek external validation and externally-conferred status, and are motivated by acquiring wealth and position in external society.

This external focus keeps the Virgo personality entangled in the outer world – in the world of work, the affairs of others, the health and well being of others – and this can lead to criticism of others’ choices and behavior, especially with regard to health, wellness, nutrition and fitness. This also leads Virgo down the fruitless path of seeking perfection in the outer world. Virgo’s Soul journey is to discover spiritual perfection by becoming internally focused, and for this, Virgo needs to experience the oneness of her opposite sign, Pisces.

In Part Two, we will explore how the higher octave of Virgo’s opposite sign, Pisces, opens Virgo to her true vocation, or spiritual purpose.

Ruth

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Footnotes:

1. Esoteric Astrology, The Wisdom of the Tibetan (Master DK or Djwahl Khul), as channelled by Alice Bailey.

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Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Weekly Forecast August 29: Venus Trine Jupiter, Jupiter Retrograde

Taranis the Thunderer, Celtic equivalent of Roman Jupiter.

Where does the time go? We’re already into September, with fall right around the corner.

Fortunately, September’s energies are much better overall than what we faced in August. There will be new opportunities – or, more precisely, the pieces finally will start falling into place to set us firmly on the path we’ve seen opening up but that has been a moving target.

This week is mostly positive, although we’ve still got Mars moving steadily over the degrees of the eclipses in the Capricorn-Cancer series, and Mercury is at a crawl, recently out of retrograde. Communications, traffic, and mail are all slow, and getting to work on Monday could be frustrating – especially if you live in New York.

Nevertheless, Monday’s trine from Venus to Jupiter in earth signs Virgo and Capricorn is great for visible, tangible results. They could be quite big, too, with Jupiter at a particularly powerful point, about to go retrograde on Tuesday.

It’s no coincidence that Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets in the sky, are associated with luck, wealth, and abundance. Wherever Jupiter is transiting your natal chart is where you stand to get a big pay-off. Then you’ll reach a plateau for awhile, until the Big Guy returns direct on Christmas Day. In the meantime, you’ll have a chance to assimilate new information or circumstances.

It’s also possible that you’ll get a hint on Tuesday of the goodies coming your way at the New Moon in Libra on September 27. Pay attention to events – even if they seem minor – that relate to that Big Opportunity that’s been perpetually “right around the corner.” Really, it is.

In the meantime, you may get another uncomfortable reminder of a situation you’ve been dealing with over the past two years – you know the one; it’s related to the cardinal T-square. This will happen around Friday, plus or minus a day, as Mars triggers the degree of the total eclipse of the Sun on July 11, 2010. As I’ve written before, there has been a big energy shift between then and now, so you can respond in a different manner this time and get a much different result. It’s even possible that you’ll realize (if you haven’t already) how those circumstances led you onto a new path.

Also on Friday, the Sun trines Jupiter, mirroring Monday’s trine from Venus. Because Jupiter is retrograde now, I don’t think you’ll experience anything new. It’s a good day for processing what you’ve already got, though. For example, if you received a check earlier in the week, this could be when it clears the bank.

Jupiter isn’t just the planet of luck and abundance, but also rules personal and spiritual growth. In the Tarot, Jupiter is associated with the Wheel of Fortune. Fortunes come, and fortunes go. What never disappears is your ability to use the power of your mind to create your life. Our ancient ancestors knew this. I love the image of the Celtic god Taranis, the equivalent of the Roman Jupiter, who is depicted with a thunderbolt and a wheel. Symbols endure in the collective, and they are powerful tools for us to use in our manifestation work. On the Wheel of Fortune card, the power of the mind is symbolized by the sphinx with the sword.

I’m definitely of the practical school of spiritual development. I have zero interest in meditating for hours just to have inner peace and calm. That seems a bit narcissistic. As I’ve written many times, my idea of “spiritual” is understanding how the underlying energies of the cosmos manifest on the physical plane. My entire approach to astrology is understanding the forces shaping our current reality and, more importantly, learning to participate – what sometimes is referred to as being a co-creator with God.

My weekly forecasts provide an overview of these energies. To find out how they’re affecting you personally, a transit forecast is helpful. That’s why I created StarGuide, which combines a computer-generated list of transits with my notes on the New and Full Moon. For the September report, I’ve added the interpretation for transiting Pluto in your chart – important, because Pluto turns direct on September 16, between the New and Full Moon. I’ve posted a new sample, using Steve Jobs.

The StarGuide Fall 2011 Forecast also is ready, and I’ve added two pages of house interpretations for the outer planets, since they don’t show up in a transit report until the planet changes houses. It takes extra time to insert this information in your forecast, but I’m still offering it at the same reasonable price of $36. I’ll have a new sample up shortly and will update this post with a link.

Wishing you much love and courage, with an extra big hug for my East Coast readers,
Pat

Weekly Forecast August 22: Mercury Direct, New Moon in Virgo

Mercury returns direct this week, but it’s going to be a nail-biter of a finish.

Many of you have written to me with reports of how difficult this Mercury retrograde period has been. I predicted that this month would be among the most challenging of the year, not only because of Mercury’s retrograde phase, but also the position of Mars and the very close square from Uranus to Pluto. Although we’re through the worst of this stormy astrological weather, the coming week is potentially rough, so we can’t let our guard down just yet.

You may be in a bit of a fog as the week begins, with the Sun opposing Neptune on Monday before entering Virgo on Tuesday. Normally, the Sun in Virgo favors precision and attention to detail. However, Virgo’s ruler, Mercury, is retrograde, so the risk of miscommunications and errors is even higher from Tuesday on. If you’re in a situation at work where someone (maybe you) overlooks details or has a misunderstanding with a boss or colleague, don’t freak out. Next week will be much better, and you’ll have ample opportunity for correction and resolution.

Wednesday and Thursday are potentially the most difficult days this week, with the Moon in Cancer mirroring the eclipses of the past two years in rapid succession, just as Mars is crossing the degrees of eclipses of Jan. 4, 2011, and July 7, 2009. The eclipse in July 2009 was the first in the Capricorn-Cancer series. Most of you can time sweeping changes in your life with that eclipse, and it’s likely that you’re still adjusting. Mars often acts as a trigger for eclipses and outer planetary transits. Be prepared for a major reminder midweek of difficult circumstances that began around summer 2009. At the same time, pay attention to how things are different now – starting with yourself and your response.

Complicating matters, the Moon conjoins Mars on Thursday just as both form an exact square to Saturn in Libra. This is where personal growth and self-discipline are the most evident. Astrology helps us understand energies over which we have no control, but it also indicates where we do have choices and how making a different choice can manifest as a different outcome. Keeping that in mind this week can lead to a big breakthrough, perhaps even a leap in consciousness. You might also ask yourself whether the changes you’ve gone through since July 2009, no matter how challenging, have restored balance to some aspect of your life.

Also on Thursday, Venus trines Pluto. This earthy combination is a classic aspect for physical love, but it also can be good for your bank account, depending on where these two are transiting your natal chart.

I also should mention that both Venus and the Sun oppose Chiron this week – Venus on Wednesday and the Sun on Friday. If nothing else, we may get a strong reminder about how physical and mental health are inseparable.

Click on image to enlarge

At last, on Friday, Mercury returns direct, and then we have a lovely New Moon in Virgo on Sunday in conjunction with Venus and trine both Pluto and Jupiter, just as the Big Guy is poised to turn retrograde. It’s a whole new world next week, with new opportunities and doors opening in several directions. Because the previous New Moonoccurred right before Mercury went retrograde, the goodies had to wait. Now we get them all at once! I’m betting that you’ll think it was worth the wait.

So, although this week is difficult, there’s a bright, white light at the end of the tunnel. We just need to hang in there a bit longer.

Wishing you extra love and courage,
Pat

P.S. In last week’s forecast, I mentioned an article in the August/September issue of The Mountain Astrologer and failed to mention that you have to buy the magazine to read it. Sorry about that … but I also want to tell you that the article is well worth the $7 price of one issue, which you can order from the TMA site.

Three Years Ago Today

I was going through some back files (a good Mercury retrograde activity) and found this hilarious video from Michael Lutin at the National Press Club.

His talk was in January 2008, but he posted this video, with highlights from that presentation as well as an appearance on the Today Show, on Aug. 19, 2008 – three years ago to the day. This is as good a time as any to review it and also to have a look at his predictions in the December 2006 issue of Vanity Fair magazine, a groundbreaking article that I’ve referenced several times on my blog.