Category Archives: Forecasts

Weekly Forecast August 23: Sun Enters Virgo, Full Moon in Pisces

Finding the Path. © Pat Paquette, 2010

It happens every year here in the northern latitudes. The Sun enters Virgo, and suddenly the air feels different, even though it’s “officially” not fall yet.

It’s a nice way to begin the week, with the Sun in a new sign. That feeling in the air is exhilarating, filled with anticipation of the fall harvest, baking, and preserving the bounty.

But the air also carries a whiff of the dark days ahead and a reminder that nothing lasts. It’s a good message to keep in mind as the cardinal T-square continues to push us into new and unfamiliar territory and strips our lives of anything that doesn’t feed growth and change.

The theme of letting go is reinforced by Tuesday’s Full Moon in Pisces (I posted a detailed interpretation on Saturday, in case you missed it). As the last sign of the zodiac, Pisces represents dissolution and endings. Sometimes we have to sit in those endings for awhile until the new cycle begins. It’s a hard place to be and painful, but letting go is necessary before we can make the radical changes that we’re being called to make in this time of awakening.

Those changes will be on hold for at least a few weeks, though, with Mercury retrograde until September 12. Indeed, this could be a very good thing, as it will allow us a break, a chance to slow down, and an opportunity to catch up on unfinished tasks at home and work. Don’t forget all those repairs that have to be done while the weather is still nice.

As I mentioned in my Full Moon post, this lunation holds possibilities for moving through the obstacles we’ve been bumping up against all spring and summer. The way out is via a sextile from Pluto to the Moon, which occurs on Tuesday, and a trine from Pluto to the Sun, which is exact on Thursday. Keep your eyes open for the hidden path to a breakthrough that may seem miraculous, but that has been in the works all along. Often what eludes us is right under our nose.

On Thursday, the Moon conjoins Uranus, newly back in Pisces, before entering Aries and activating the cardinal T-square on Friday. Throughout the day, the Moon aspects Jupiter in Aries, Pluto in Capricorn, and Saturn in Libra. Now that we’ve had our Full Moon breakthrough, we should be able to see some rhyme and reason to the challenges of the T-square.

It’s all about getting what we really want, but so many people don’t realize what deep changes are necessary to achieve those goals. As of Friday, you may be able to see with a whole new set of eyes.

I would be remiss not to mention the sextile between Venus and Ceres on Sunday. As symbol of the divine feminine, Venus represents beauty, desire, and creativity. Ceres, as the earth mother, symbolizes fertility and the bounty of nature, but she also holds the opposite symbolism of harvest, dormancy, death, and rebirth. There is a natural association between Ceres and Virgo. That’s why I advocate establishing her as the modern ruler of Virgo, or, at least, co-ruler with Mercury.

Admittedly, a sextile between Venus and Ceres doesn’t sound like a powerful influence on our daily lives, but it’s a fitting image to contemplate during the brief reprieve that retrograde Mercury is so kindly offering.

Wishing you all much love, courage, and abundance,
Pat

Mercury Retrograde: Slowing Down

Late summer at Point Robinson. © Pat Paquette, 2010.

Mercury turns retrograde on Friday, and I’m unabashedly recommending that the entire world go on vacation.

The cardinal T-square remains in full swing, keeping us on a treadmill but not necessarily going anywhere. Just about everyone I talk to these days senses that a breakthrough is right around the corner, but they’re being held back by something. We’re gritting our teeth, straining, trying to lift that heavy weight. So why not just drop it for a bit?

Here in the United States, we’re nearing the end of summer vacation, and the kids are about to go back to school. It’s a perfect time to get out of town. Most people are taking trips closer to home due to rising gas prices and the uncertain economy. Consider it an opportunity to discover or rediscover the attractions in your own backyard. It’s a nice Mercury retrograde theme.

If you’ve got school-age children, I hope you’ve got all your major purchases long out of the way. Small things like notebooks and writing supplies are fine to buy at the last minute, but keep all of the receipts and make sure you check them for errors. If you have to buy big stuff, definitely keep those receipts, and keep in mind that ordering online could get complicated.

I was able to get my new computer system up and running before the Messenger went into reverse, and it has made a world of difference. My last computer was purchased for me through a third party during a Mercury retrograde period and was nothing but headaches. It died last November. I managed to get it repaired, but the same problem happened again a couple of weeks ago (a defect in the motherboard that HP knew about, ignored, and refused to make good on). Mercury retrograde is a great time for repairs, so I might try to have it fixed again and keep it as a backup, although it will never be reliable.

The interesting thing about this Mercury retrograde is that it will have no connection whatsoever to the T-square until Mercury stations direct at 5 degrees Virgo on September 12. At that time, he’ll be in nice earth trine with Pluto, who’s sitting at the apex of the T-square. That will be the time to return to our projects with renewed energy and commitment. A little effort at that time will go a lot farther.

Until then, Mercury will operate as a loner for the most part. The exception will be the first week in September, when he’ll be conjunct the Sun in Virgo. If we’re going to experience any of the usual delays, frustrations, computer crashes, and other Mercury retrograde mischief, these will be the dates to watch.

Happy Mercury retrograde!
Pat

Weekly Forecast August 16: Venus Conjunct Mars, Mercury Retrograde

Escape. © Pat Paquette, 2010

The sand under our feet continues to shift this week, with the cardinal T-square still at peak power and Mercury turning retrograde. There’s also a lovely conjunction of Venus and Mars.

Actually, I consider it all as good news. After this week, the T-square will wind down for the rest of the year, with the exception of a brief period around the Full Moon in Aries on September 23. Venus and Mars conjoin in her home sign, which I see as a step toward restoring the balance between masculine and feminine energies on the planet.

Even Mercury retrograde could have benefits. Life has been moving so fast that a slow-down would be most welcome, with time for revisions, repairs, and catching up on tasks we’ve been putting off for weeks, if not months. It’s also a great time to take a vacation or a short break to escape from the pressure.

Taking the week chronologically, Jupiter opposes Saturn on Monday, the second of three passes and one of the most important components of the T-square. This opposition, along with Uranus in Aries, has been responsible for that feeling of driving with the brakes on. Many of us seem to be on the verge of a breakthrough, but something is holding us back. And maybe there’s some kind of logic in that, as moving forward before we’re ready usually costs us in the long run. Saturn says we have to pass all of our exams before we can graduate.

At the exact moment that Jupiter and Saturn are in opposition, Pluto is on the Ascendant in Washington, D.C. Pluto, remember, is at the apex of the T-square and thus represents a point of extreme pressure. Jupiter represents the nation’s banks and wealth, while Saturn represents government structure and bureaucracy, and Pluto represents big business, as well as overall financial and political power. The position of the United States as the world’s only superpower is being challenged, and that makes the country’s economic decisions critical not just to the national economy, but to its standing in the world. Watch the headlines out of Washington this week for new developments in an ongoing story.

On Thursday, the Moon enters Capricorn and amplifies the cardinal T-square by aspecting Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all within a few hours. The Moon’s influence is fleeting, but it can help us become more aware of what we want and how our current circumstances may be helping or hindering those goals.

On Friday, the Moon squares Venus and Mars, just as the cosmic lovers are conjoining in Libra, the sign of balance and harmony. I know that many of you are trying to find balance in your love relationships and committed partnerships and that you’re having difficulties. It’s not surprising, given all the tension and conflict in the sky right now. This week, look for breakthroughs, and rejoice even in the small victories.

Later in the day, Mercury turns retrograde at 19 degrees Virgo. He’ll return to 5 degrees Virgo before returning direct on September 12. Wherever he’s retrograde in your natal chart is where you can expect to experience the most delays and frustration, but it’s also where you’ll find the best opportunities for slowing down and revising your flight plan. It’s also where you may experience déjà vu moments.

On Saturday, Saturn squares Pluto, the third and last pass of this vital component of the T-square. In our individual lives, this difficult aspect represents where we’re experiencing a battle of conflicting authorities, be they our internal drivers or external people and circumstances. Whether the source of this conflict is internal or external, it’s holding us back from making the changes we’d like. This is the aspect most closely linked to the painful transformations many of us have been experiencing.

In the world at large, it’s a marker for economic difficulties as well as conflict between government regulators and big business.

The Sun enters Virgo on Sunday. It’s time to clean up after the party and to get serious about our diets, fitness, housekeeping, and studies. This is especially true with Mercury retrograde in Virgo.

I’m reminded of the old maxim, “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” No matter how you cut it, we’re chopping and carrying. Practicing mindfulness while we’re engaged in seemingly mindless activities is an excellent way to expand your consciousness.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Caption: Escape. © Pat Paquette, 2010.

Saturday Extra! Global Warming or T-Square, You Be the Judge

Ride of the Valkyries. Illustration by Arthur Rackham, 1910.

It occurred to me recently that scientists can’t have failed to notice the extraordinary lineup of planets in the sky this summer, and they certainly have read the same headlines I’ve been reading about fires, floods, and other earth events. That begs the question, when will they start putting two and two together?

Apparently, not until hell freezes over.

In my rounds of the news headlines on Thursday, I found this gem, by veteran Associated Press writer Charles J. Hanley:

Floods, fires, melting ice and feverish heat: From smoke-choked Moscow to water-soaked Iowa and the High Arctic, the planet seems to be having a midsummer breakdown. It’s not just a portent of things to come, scientists say, but a sign of troubling climate change already under way.

So much for the cardinal T-square. Turns out it’s all due to global warming. Dang.

But wait, there’s more:

The weather-related cataclysms of July and August fit patterns predicted by climate scientists, the Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization says — although those scientists always shy from tying individual disasters directly to global warming.

Hmmm. Overall, the natural disasters of the summer are a sign of climate change, but we can’t blame it for any particular one. If we can’t link any of them individually to climate change, how can they collectively add up?

They don’t, of course. That’s not to say that climate change isn’t happening and that it isn’t a serious threat to all life on the planet. Nor are climate change and the cardinal T-square mutually exclusive. It’s just that this is an extraordinary summer, as reflected in the astrological pattern, and that’s why we’re seeing these unusual events, along with others that clearly aren’t related to climate change, such as mega-earthquakes in Haiti and Chili and the BP oil gusher. The world economy also is taking a hit.

It wouldn’t matter if God himself descended from Heaven on a beaming ray of sunshine and explained the connection. These guys have themselves so convinced that astrology is “superstitious pseudo-science” that they’d submit to waterboarding before conceding there might be something to it.

Then, they need to justify their own existence so they can keep feeding at the public trough, a benefit astrologers aren’t likely to enjoy in my lifetime. As the AP article explains:

The experts now see an urgent need for better ways to forecast extreme events like Russia’s heat wave and wildfires and the record deluge devastating Pakistan. They’ll discuss such tools in meetings this month and next in Europe and America, under United Nations, U.S. and British government sponsorship.

We know for a fact what they won’t be discussing.

Pat

Weekly Forecast August 9: New Moon in Leo, Uranus Enters Pisces

Steps to Enchantment. © Pat Paquette, 2010.

Does it feel to you like we’re laying the groundwork for big changes ahead? It sure feels that way to me.

The cardinal T-square is still up and running at full power, although this week we lose one of the major players as retrograde Uranus backtracks into Pisces. Events won’t be quite so explosive for awhile. Still, I wouldn’t drop my guard just yet. There’s plenty of activity to keep us busy and even a bit overwhelmed.

Other than Uranus returning to Pisces — on Friday the 13th, no less — the biggest news this week is Monday’s New Moon in Leo (Tuesday in the Eastern Hemisphere). As I noted in Saturday’s New Moon post, we can give ourselves a welcome break by doing something completely different, if only for an hour or two. Try to stay fully present in those moments, because there’s a real opportunity to manifest them in multiples.

Working to create a new way of being and doing is especially important if you’ve been trying the same thing over and over again, without success. Sometimes we don’t realize that we keep repeating patterns, or we may think that we’re doing something differently when it’s really just the same old behavior in updated clothing. Like dating a new guy and thinking, “This one is so different,” only to find out several months or years later that he’s just like the last guy and the one before him.

Worse still, he’s just like your father.

So if we don’t want to keep repeating the same patterns, we need to consciously intervene and do something radically different, something we’ve never tried and perhaps even have been afraid to try.

In matters of the heart, we’ll have opportunities galore this week to reverse behaviors that have gotten us nothing but heartache. Venus, fresh from conjoining hardworking Saturn on Sunday, opposes Jupiter on Monday and squares Pluto on Tuesday. Normally, I’d issue warnings not to overindulge or get carried away with lust, but Saturn’s influence here allows us to take a hard look at what we’re doing and why so that we can change what hasn’t been working for us. Awareness is sometimes all it takes to point us in a new direction.

On Thursday and Friday, the Moon in Libra aspects Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Pluto, Venus, and Mars in rapid succession. I expect we might get a “summary” of our T-square experience to date, which could help us see the continuum that we’re on, as opposed to looking at our lives as a series of seemingly unrelated events.

Sunday’s Moon in Scorpio is for quiet contemplation and plotting your next move. Or, you might just want to sleep off the T-square hangover and rest up for the next round. It’s not over yet, and we’ve got another Mercury retrograde coming up, too.

Speaking of which, the T-square calendar I posted two weeks ago had a couple of dates wrong. I’ve updated that post with the correct information.

Love and courage to all,
Pat

Holy T-Square, Batman!

The cardinal T-square is at its peak, and right on cue, springs are sproinging all over.

My computer went belly up on Sunday night. It was nice enough to wait until I’d posted the weekly forecast, and then, ka-boom. I had a bit of a warning last week and should have followed my own advice to back up my files right away, especially since this has happened to my computer before (the one that was purchased during Mercury retrograde). I mistakenly thought I had more time. We always think there will be more time.

We’re out of time. This is it.

This morning I was talking about the T-square to a friend, who said that her husband’s computer blew up the same night as mine. It has been diagnosed as officially dead, and the repair shop is working to retrieve the data on his hard drive. My machine will be next in line. This was after losing the power steering on their car the week before. I suspect that one of them, at least, has a T-square transit to the second house, which rules our valuable possessions.

If it seems as though your life is going to hell in a hand basket, look for the out across from Pluto. That would be wherever you have three degrees Cancer in your chart. If you have a planet or chart angle there, it will further describe your path, which may be quite narrow, and you may not have a lot of choices available. If there’s an empty space there, you’ll have more options.

Now, there’s another possible escape hatch, but the window will be very short – from approximately noon to 7:30 p.m. EDT today (Wednesday), while the Moon is in early Gemini, at an easy angle to Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. The Moon in Gemini favors talking through emotional difficulties in order to make sense of what’s going on. Just don’t get lost in words or mistake talking about feelings for actually feeling. If you can speak from the heart openly and honestly, it can help increase your awareness and release pent-up frustration.

If you’re presented with a possible short-cut route today, take it! Normally, I advise carrying the load and doing the work, but during this short window today, you may get a lucky break. To determine where it might come from, look at your natal chart to see where the early degrees of Gemini fall.

If no break is offered, you may be faced with a situation in which the only way out is through. That is happening to many people I know, and it’s a tough position to be in. It will last for another month, at least, too. So you’ll need to just hang in there and keep your nerve.

It will be interesting, by the way, to see how well BP fares with its attempt to shut off the Gulf of Mexico oil gusher for good. If it works, it will work spectacularly. If it fails, it will be even more spectacular.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast August 2: Jupiter and Mars Square Pluto

Sometimes the way out is up. © Judy Ben Joud/Dreamstime

This is it, kids. It’s peak week for the cardinal T-square — the astrological “week from hell” we’ve been anticipating — with a one-day grand cross thrown in for an additional increase in blood pressure.

I’ve written a lot over the past few months about possible manifestations of the T-square, based on events associated with similar configurations in history, notably in 1989 and, even more prominently, in the early 1930s. The events in 1989 for the most part were well-defined, one-time occurrences, even though some had far-reaching consequences that are still in play.

Conversely, in the early 30s, developments unfolded over several years. In many ways, it was the worst of the two. It almost makes me wish the economy would collapse with an eardrum-shattering sonic boom so we could get it over with, rather than being dragged deeper and deeper into economic depression and worldwide totalitarianism.

If you had a choice, which would you choose? What about in your personal life? Would you rather bite the bullet, suffer acute pain, be done with it, and move on into new territory? Or would you rather suffer low-level background pain continuously over several years, perhaps with an option to numb it until things turned around?

Not that I think we have much choice right now. Under the cardinal T-square, our options are limited. We’re pretty much being forced down a certain path, the only one that’s not blocked. Still, I’m a big believer that there’s always another way out that we just don’t see. When you’ve got four walls closing in on you, sometimes you forget to look up for the escape hatch.

Hopefully you took my advice last week and began confronting the major issues that are standing in the way of your growth and progress. Sometimes all it takes is a new awareness, especially regarding the source of the blockage. Until we identify the source of a problem, we can only treat symptoms and not the root cause.

Getting to the source is this week’s theme, thanks to a high-tension square between Mars and Pluto. Be forewarned that you may have to sit with some discomfort, but if you can stick with it, your chances of getting out of a rut and moving forward are much better.

We’re already hot in the middle of the action as the week begins, with Mars still in close conjunction with Saturn in Libra. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we’ll have a tight T-square with Mars opposed to Jupiter and both square Pluto. If I had to pick the most difficult day during the 2010 T-square, this would be it … although this past weekend was a close second.

The truth can be uncomfortable, which is why many people choose to wear rose-colored glasses or keep their heads buried in the sand. Put another way, waking up can be a painful experience. In my observation, most people wake up to pain first, and then they experience joy and happiness. It’s seldom the other way around.

On Friday, the Moon enters Cancer and closes the open end of the T-square, so that it becomes a grand cross. Emotions could be so intense that some of us might think we’re losing our minds. Some may experience a continuous feedback loop of thoughts going ’round and ’round in their heads. If this happens to you, try to wait out the storm. It will last for several hours, and then it will be gone. Speaking of storms, this also is a prime period for high winds and tropical cyclones.

Later on Friday (Saturday in the Eastern Hemisphere), Venus enters Libra and adds her voice to the cardinal T-square. Venus rules Libra, so she is a very strong voice for beauty, peace, and harmony. We’re in need of these gifts now more than ever, not just in our personal partnerships, but also in the collective and in international relations.

Alas, we may have to fight for them, as the first aspect Venus makes is a testy opposition with “got to be me” Uranus in Aries. You can stand up all you want for your freedom, but you may want to ask yourself, “freedom from what?” The Marlboro man is free as a bird … and alone.

That message will become abundantly clear on Sunday, when Venus conjoins Saturn. For a committed partnership to work, there has to be bona fide give and take. That said, there are imbalances in most relationships I’m observing these days, with one person carrying more than their share of the load. This may be necessary, as we can only carry according to our ability.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are glad to let others carry their load for them, and they always seem to find those who believe it’s their duty. Hopefully Venus and Saturn in Libra will put a stop to that. The willing pack animals among you may need to drop your load in order for your lazy loved ones to step up to the plate. Trust me, you’ll be doing them a favor.

I leave you with this quote by R. Buckminster Fuller, author, inventor of the geodesic dome:

Don’t fight forces, use them.

That’s our mission this week, if we choose to accept it.

Wishing you all the love and courage under the Sun,
Pat

Elements of the Cardinal T-Square: Finding the Way Out

Air Signs. © Pat Paquette

What does it tell you when you keep hitting the same obstacle over and over again?

Some people complain and blame their lack of success on others or on external circumstances. Some think they haven’t worked hard enough, so they grit their teeth and redouble their efforts, using the same tools and techniques. Some will make a superficial change here and there. Others will give up entirely.

There are times when giving up is the best thing to do. I say that not to encourage anyone to be lazy, but because in that moment of giving up, we open our hearts and minds to the new information necessary for growth and advancement.

When the same old ways of thinking, being, and doing aren’t working, it’s time to make radical changes. If we won’t voluntarily make those changes, either because we aren’t aware enough to make them or because we’re actively resisting change, external circumstances will force us to take in new information and move in a different direction.

This is a lesson that many of us are learning during the cardinal T-square.

Change, even when it’s positive, can be disorienting and downright distressing. For many people, it’s so distressing that the temptation to go back to the old, painful way of life is too powerful to resist. The human mind is hard-wired to repeat familiar patterns, and that’s what we’re fighting against now. Getting onto a new path truly feels like an uphill battle.

If there’s anything positive in the cardinal T-square, that’s where I see it. Until forced to change, most human beings won’t do the required work, usually because the initial change is so upsetting that it seems more painful than the situation that was causing them so much suffering. In medical terms, it’s called a “healing crisis.”

Action and discipline … not the most fun combination under the stars, but a very productive one.

I even see some potential good in this week’s conjunction of Mars and Saturn. These two since ancient times have been considered the “malefics,” and there’s a good reason for that. Transits of Mars and Saturn very often do correspond to accidents, tragedy, confrontation, and war. But Mars is the planet associated with action, and Saturn at his best is about discipline and structure. Action and discipline … not the most fun combination under the stars, but a very productive one.

When planets are in square or opposition, we look to sextiles and trines as our “way out.” Last Sunday’s Full Moon provided such an opening. There will be another this Friday when Mercury trines Pluto, who’s at the apex of the T-square and thus under the most pressure.

Mercury is about communications. In Virgo, discussions can be very practical and helpful. Pluto, meanwhile, represents everything hidden, forbidden, and scary. When we face these demons, transformation happens. Talking with someone you trust can help you get in touch with your deepest fears, longings, and desires. Sometimes just owning these things is enough to propel you into a different orbit.

Friday could be a very trying day for everyone, but if you keep in mind that the challenges you face may be trying to get your attention in order to nudge you in a different direction, you can use these forces to your advantage. As I mentioned in my weekly forecast, planetary aspects are only going to get more difficult in the next few weeks. Talk about it, get it out, and confront the unpleasant truths lurking under the surface. If you do the work now, you can save yourself more grief later.

Pat

Weekly Forecast July 26: Mars Enters Libra

This is a big, busy week filled with uphill battles and other challenges, but the good news is that we’ll have some energy and discipline to do the work.

As the week begins, we’re still under the influence of Sunday’s Full Moon in Aquarius, which should have helped us find creative ways to surmount the obstacles in our path. With the outer planets at conflicting angles for most of the past year, many of us have felt stuck between a rock and a hard place, with fewer and fewer options for breaking free and moving into new territory.

For most of us, forward movement not only is possible, but likely. Sunday’s Full Moon was a lovely gift in this regard, and I truly hope you all are able to use it to get out of the difficult circumstances you’ve been writing to me about. There’s a further promise of movement this week when Mars joins Jupiter, Uranus, and Saturn in the cardinal T-square, which will dominate the sky for the next several weeks.

Taking the week chronologically, on Monday Saturn opposes Uranus for the fifth and final time in this 45-year cycle. The first opposition was on Nov. 4, 2008 — Election Day in the United States. What will happen to bring this opposition full circle? I’ll be looking for major news from the White House, something totally unexpected (or bigger than expected). Individually, we should be able to resolve a confounding situation that began around November 2008 or, at least, to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

On Tuesday, Mercury enters Virgo, one of the two signs he rules. Virgo is helpful, practical, and down-to-earth, but there also can be a neurotic perfectionism that turns interactions with others into a running critique. This is a good time to reflect on your motivation and to make sure your own house is in order before criticizing others. Note that Mercury will turn retrograde in Virgo in mid-August and as of next week will be in pre-retrograde shadow. To the extent possible, sign contracts and make major purchases now. Otherwise, you may have to wait until the middle of September.

On Thursday, Mars enters Libra, the sign of his detriment. Hopefully, this is going to work to our advantage, as the aggressive side of Mars is tempered in peace-loving Libra. This transit could correspond to diplomatic solutions over more saber-rattling in hot spots of the world. Still, there is cause for concern, as Mars will oppose Uranus on Friday and conjoin Saturn on Saturday. Mars and Uranus make an explosive pair, while a Mars-Saturn conjunction favors military action.

Of all the planets in the T-square, Saturn has the most power right now. He’s in the sign of his exaltation, so he’s extra-receptive to the energy of Mars in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn, which Saturn rules. By contrast, Mars is debilitated, and Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto are all retrograde.

In our daily lives, relationships take precedence, and we’re working through issues such as who does what, how the load is shared, and whether we have balanced, equal partnerships. Achieving balance in relationships starts with our own inner balance. If one partner is “off,” the other needs to compensate. This is fine when both parties agree to it. But usually they don’t, and that’s where we get in trouble. Confronting imbalances without being confrontational is our task this week.

There’s no doubt that Friday is going to be tough all around. The Moon in early Aries is liable to fuel emotional knee-jerk reactions and lots of screaming, “It’s all about me!” If ever there was an aspect for a collective emotional meltdown, this is it.

Fortunately, Saturn in Libra is associated with fairness, justice, equality, and the legal muscle to back it up. With some energetic input from Mars, we can work through thorny issues and step up to challenges with less fear of failure. If we’ve had difficulties making changes, the Mars force can help us blast through the obstacles. Indeed, events in the next two weeks may force us to stretch beyond our limitations, whether self-imposed or external.

Do try to confront difficult issues this week, because next week it will be even harder to get past the power struggles. The work may be hard, but putting it off and making excuses will make it even harder down the road.

If you’d like to take a look in the sky to see this historic alignment, here’s a sky map for Friday, July 30, courtesy of spaceweather.com.

Wishing you infinite love and courage,
Pat

Saturday Extra! T-Square Calendar

Many of you have written to ask when the cardinal T-square takes place, and at what degrees. There’s no definitive answer, because several planets are involved, and the aspects between them occur over several weeks.

Here is a list of the major aspects of the peak cardinal period, which began in earnest when Saturn entered Libra on July 21 and will begin to dissipate when Jupiter leaves Aries on September 9. I’ll write more about each of these transits and also offer some interpretation in future weekly forecasts and mid-week posts, so check back often.

July 21 – Saturn enters Libra, initiating a very tight cardinal T-square. Read more …

July 26 – Saturn opposite Uranus at 0 degrees Aries, fifth and final pass since Nov. 4, 2008. Read more …

July 29 – Mars enters Libra.

July 30 – Mars in Libra opposes Uranus at 0 degrees Aries, the first of Mars aspects to the planets in the T-square. The Moon enters Aries and aspects Uranus, Mars, Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter, all within a six-hour timeframe.

July 31 – Mars conjoins Saturn.

Aug. 2-4 – Jupiter squares Pluto, Mars opposes Jupiter and squares Pluto.

Aug. 6 – Very tight grand cross at 0-3 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), with the Moon in Cancer closing the loop. Within a five-hour period, the Moon aspects Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Pluto. A few hours later, she squares Mars at 5 degrees Libra. Venus enters Libra.

Aug. 7 – Venus opposes Uranus at 0 degrees Libra/Aries.

Aug. 8 – Venus conjoins Saturn at 1 degree Libra.

Aug. 9 – New Moon at 17 degrees Leo, with Venus opposite Jupiter and square Pluto.

Aug. 12 – Moon in Libra aspects Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Pluto within five hours.

Aug. 13 – Friday the 13th. The Moon conjoins Venus and Mars in Libra. Uranus retrogrades back into Pisces. Read more …

Aug. 16 – Jupiter opposes Saturn at 2 degrees Aries-Libra.

Aug. 19 – Moon in Capricorn squares Jupiter and Saturn, conjoins Pluto in less than two hours.

Aug. 20 – Venus conjoins Mars in Libra, Mercury turns retrograde at 19 degrees Virgo.

Aug. 21 – Saturn squares Pluto at 3 degrees Libra-Capricorn.

Aug. 27 – The Moon in Aries amplifies the T-square, aspecting Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn all within a four-hour period.

Sept. 3 – The Moon in Cancer completes a grand cross, and aspects Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn within six hours.

Sept. 9 – Jupiter re-enters Pisces. This means there no longer are outer planets in early Aries until January 2011, when Jupiter will return to Aries. The outer planets will still be in a T-square arrangement, but not all in the cardinal signs. The cardinal T-square dissipates until Part II in 2011. Read more…

Pat

RealAstrologers

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