There’s a whole lotta shiftin’ going on in the sky this week, with Jupiter entering a new sign and two outer planets stationed, one turning direct and the other about to go retrograde.

On Wednesday, Jupiter leaves tender, cautious Cancer and heads into dramatic, exuberant Leo. In principle, that sounds good, and I think it will be. We could use a good dose of optimism. At the same time, Saturn is stationed at 16 degrees Scorpio, in preparation to return direct on Sunday (July 20), while Uranus is stationed at 16 degrees Aries and will turn retrograde the following day.

Maybe I’ll feel different once Jupiter changes signs mid-week, but right now it feels like being in a sort of no-man’s land, stuck due to uncertainty in how to best move forward. There is no doubt that we will move forward, especially with Jupiter in spirited Leo. Still, it may be best to lie low this week, and in fact we may not have much of a choice.

Here in the Seattle area, we’re experiencing a heat wave that makes it physically hard to do a lot, anyway. I know. Go ahead and laugh, those of you who live in areas where summer temperatures routinely soar into the triple digits. It’s all in what you’re used to.

A good meteorological comparison for this week’s astrology is the drop in barometric pressure that can occur when the wind is shifting direction. It’s not uncommon to get migraines and joint pain or to feel grumpy and just plain slow. Under certain planetary transits, we also can feel out of sorts, tired, and unmotivated. Then, I have good reason to be slow and tired after an exhausting move, and many of you may be experiencing a similar delayed reaction to the fast-paced and disorienting events of the past few months.

Typically, though, we feel these changes through external events. I still remember the time in early 1997 when Mars stationed retrograde, with Saturn in Aries in my fourth house. Pluto was also about to turn retrograde. In just over a week, four appliances broke. Three of them simply stopped working, but the motor in the blender broke with such force that it blew off the top and splattered smoothie all over the walls and ceiling.

This past week has been similar. First my reading glasses broke. The vacuum cleaner broke while I was giving a once-over to a rug to put on Craigslist – yes, that rug. After all the hassle and drama, it was too big. My bad for measuring wrong.

Worst of all, I nearly poisoned my kitten. I didn’t realize that my lovely house plants – big and lush after years of loving care – were toxic to cats. Fortunately, the kitty was fine with some hydration and an anti-nausea shot, and the vet bill was reasonable. But I spent nearly two days repotting plants and finding them good homes, putting me almost hopelessly behind in my work.

I attribute this feeling of being in a no man’s land to the strange combination of Saturn turning direct in Scorpio and Uranus turning retrograde in Aries, both at 16 degrees. This means that they are sitting “inconjunct” at a 150-degree angle, more correctly called a quincunx, by exact degree for six weeks. The difficulty in a quincunx isn’t like that of an opposition or square, which is a more obvious, direct conflict, but in that there is nothing in common. They are not related in any way. It’s nearly impossible to resolve a conflict when the parties are so wholly different from one another. Major adjustments are required, and that doesn’t happen overnight.

Moreover, we’re talking about Saturn and Uranus, which are very different to start with. Saturn is about forming structures, following natural law, respecting manmade rules and hierarchies, advancing through steady discipline and diligence, and being responsible. Uranus respects rules only if they have a purpose, and that doesn’t include elevating one set of people, values, religious beliefs, etc., over another. In that case, it rebels and seeks to blast the structures and hierarchies apart. Uranus is unpredictable and unreliable. Planet Uranus doesn’t even conform to the axial tilt of the other planets in our Solar System, but rotates on its side, which makes its seasons totally different. Saturn adheres to the rules, while Uranus lives to break them. Saturn in Scorpio tolerates no dissent and deals ruthlessly with insurrection. Uranus in Aries is quick to rebel, without taking the time to devise a long-term strategy.

When the metaphor of a no man’s land came to me, I looked it up and found the image above. I immediately thought of the growing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, which is becoming quite dangerous. Not that it ever wasn’t, but at least there was some international effort to seek a peaceful resolution, however unrealistic. It’s becoming more and more apparent that the differences are too great to resolve. You can’t even really call it an “opposition,” as that term supposes some parity in the military strength of the adversaries, which there clearly is not. Ironically, there is common ground, but that’s precisely the problem.

As Saturn returns direct and Uranus goes retrograde, the gap in military strength may widen. I find it interesting that both Saturn and Uranus have a relationship to Pluto, who represents wealth, absolute power, and political influence, but these relationships are quite dissimilar. Saturn and Pluto are in mutual reception; that is, Saturn is in Scorpio, which is ruled by Pluto in modern Western astrology, and Pluto is in Capricorn, which is ruled by Saturn. In other words, they reinforce one another. Ruthless authoritarianism is the rule of the day.

Uranus, meanwhile, has been in a square with Pluto for the past four years, with another year to go and then a few years of ripple effect. I believe this is why we’re seeing so many revolutions around the world being brutally suppressed. This could change starting later this year, when Saturn dips into Sagittarius. He’ll return to Scorpio from mid-June to mid-September of 2015, but then will remain in Sagittarius until the end of 2017. Saturn will be in Sagittarius next March at the seventh and final square of Uranus and Pluto, and by that time, Jupiter in Leo will be in a close trine with Uranus. For now, rebellions are making only small dents in the power structure favoring the privileged few. The trine from Jupiter to Uranus could be the game changer than starts leveling the playing field.

In our personal lives, I’m not sure that we’ll see a whole lot of difference this week just because Jupiter enters Leo. If you have personal planets or a house cusp in early Leo, then you could notice some correlation. You could experience some renewed optimism and drive, despite the weirdness of Saturn and Uranus. As we get closer to the New Moon in Leo on July 26, everyone should feel a lift, although it’s not going to be a party with a bottomless keg of beer. For the foreseeable future, progress comes with hurdles, tension, and anxiety. As I’m so fond of saying, all change is stressful. Even when it’s positive and desirable, the initial glow wears off, and we enter a period of adaptation. That can be much more difficult for some than for others.

On a completely different note, we have a lovely Mercury-Neptune trine this week that favors creative thinking, writing, dreaming, and visioning. The aspect is exact on Saturday (late Friday in Western time zones), but it will be active starting early in the week, thanks to the Moon in Pisces from Monday night through Wednesday morning. Tuesday morning is especially favorable for dreaming. Dream work can lead to stunning breakthroughs. Be sure to keep your dream journal by the bed. Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, pay attention to flashes of intuition that help solve a mystery. There’s a potential for real, concrete results, including healing lingering psychic wounds.

On Friday, Venus leaves charming but superficial Gemini and enters sensitive Cancer. Venus in Cancer is nurturing and supportive, but she also can be possessive and needy. “Eat your chicken soup” may be in the interest of your health, but it as easily could be that the cook needs validation. Put another way, concern for your welfare could disguise a need for control, largely for fear of being left alone.

On Saturday, just shy of an hour after Mercury’s trine with Neptune, the Sun in late Cancer squares Mars in Libra, with the Moon forming a tight cardinal T-square. Jupiter in early Leo also is part of the formation, albeit no longer in a cardinal sign. The Moon’s involvement is fleeting, but watch for small breakdowns that clear a path for exciting new developments at the New Moon. Difficult Sun-Mars aspects can signal aggression. In this case, I think it will be out of a need – whether real or imagined – for protection and self-preservation.

Since I’m now a cat mommy, I have to show off photos of my growing boy. Yes, that’s right. I discovered that Juno is a boy. It takes a while for male kitty parts to develop, so his first mommy can be forgiven for the mistake, which was perpetuated during Mercury’s retrograde. Juno is now Jinn, named for the pre-Islamic spirits born of “fire without smoke.” I take that to mean elemental fire. The English word “genie” is derived from jinn, sometimes spelled djinn. Making the story even funnier, I received Jinn through a friend in a transgender household. What a trickster, that Mercury.

Wishing you all much love and courage,

Pat

© Pat Paquette, RealAstrologers.com, 2014.