Category Archives: Love & Relationships

Libra Rising: The Libra Soul

White Buffalo Calf Woman, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

As we continue our journey through the twelve signs of the zodiac, exploring the fear-based reactions and highest love-based expressions of each sign, we arrive at the beautiful sign of Libra. Symbolized by the scales, Libra is associated with balance, harmony, justice, ethics and the law.

Esoterically, Libra is associated with the Law of Harmonics, and the whole of nature is governed by harmonics. Perfect balance. Ecosystems depend upon it.

Taking the twelve zodiac signs as symbols of developmental stages on our soul’s journey, after the soul has found love in Virgo, Libra now realizes the power of choosing the highest expression for that divine love. If you have Libra Rising, you can consider yourself to be a Libra Soul, and your purpose is to bring greater degrees of harmony and balance into the world through right relationship. The Libra Soul resonates with harmonics, and Libra’s innate sense of harmony comes from deep inner knowing of this universal law. This is an important key to understanding both the lower fear-based expression of Libra and the highest love-based expression, so we will take a moment to explore harmonics and how it relates to the sign of Libra.
[quote cite=”~ Pythagoras, Astrologer and Mathematician, 570-495 BCE”]There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.[/quote]
The universe is made of consciousness, which expresses itself through various frequencies. We can think of a human being as an instrument of perception created for detecting some of those frequencies within a specific range. We do this through our five senses. We feel vibration at a physical level and then once this vibration speeds up, we experience it as a sound. When it becomes even faster again, we experience it as light. In this way, consciousness experiences itself through a human being, and in turn we are aware of the conscious universe through our five senses.

By fine-tuning our instrument and increasing our sensitivity (our ability to perceive through our senses), we become aware of subtler and subtler levels of awareness. We are on a journey of experiencing conscious awareness through our senses and then recognizing that conscious awareness as ourselves. We call this our spiritual journey.

[quote cite=”~ Kate Chopin”]I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have,
to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth,
subtleties of major and minor chord
that the wind strikes upon the tree branches.
Have you ever heard the earth breathe?[/quote]

Experienced meditators tell us that once we are able to sense subtle frequencies beyond thought and mental activity, we enter a different state of consciousness where there is a natural state of peace and joy, and even more subtle vibrations can be detected. The pathway to this innate natural peace and joy requires navigating the energetic scale from the lower frequencies such as strong painful emotions to the higher frequencies of love and light. We do this in much the same way as climbing the musical scale from the lower octaves to the higher octaves. Before we can navigate any scale, we first need to understand the relationship between the different levels, and this is where harmony enters the picture.

Harmony exists where there is “right relationship.” For example, in music there can be consonant (congruent) sounds and dissonant (incongruent) sounds. Contrary to popular belief, harmony doesn’t happen only when there are consonant sounds, but where there is a balance between consonant and dissonant sounds. So when our Libra friends focus only on having pleasant (congruent) experiences to the exclusion of what might be causing discomfort (incongruence), they actually move farther away from the very harmony that they so deeply desire. Harmonizing means bringing both the consonant and dissonant notes in our lives into right relationship with one another. This is an ever-unfolding process whereby we open ourselves to greater degrees of harmony and congruence.

[quote cite=”~ Mahatma Gandhi”]Happiness is when what you think, what you say,
and what you do are in harmony.[/quote]

We can now see why the themes of harmony, peace, higher thought, natural law, and right relationship are important for the soul’s journey through Libra. In order for humanity to make music together rather than just noise, there needs to be right relationship between our consonant and dissonant notes! The true inner peace that Libra seeks is the result of harmonizing all our experiences, both pleasant and unpleasant, into one cohesive whole so we experience right relationship with ourselves, others, and the whole of nature.

The purest essence of Libra is higher love, peace, beauty, and harmony. Anyone with personal planets in Libra innately resonates at this frequency and therefore not only has an innate ability to detect subtle nuances of disharmony and incongruence, but also has a deep inner knowing of what needs to happen to restore harmony, balance, and congruence. However this spiritual essence is filtered through the lens of a fear-based human mind, which colors its expression. When our Libra friends experience fear, they may try manipulating the people and environment around them in a misguided attempt to “keep the peace” by avoiding incongruent experiences. The motivation beneath this behavior is their desire for peace, but this will only happen when they embrace that which is incongruent, thereby bringing it into harmony, balance, and congruence.

This is why a major theme for Libra is balancing relationships, especially the relationship between self and other. One of the skillful ways in which Libra “hides” to avoid dealing with uncomfortable issues is by keeping their attention on others and on meeting other people’s needs. While this seems to work for a short time, it isn’t really a firm foundation for a healthy relationship, because in itself it is incongruent and ultimately leads to resentment. For there to be balance in any relationship, our Libra friends have to bite the bullet and look at the causes of discomfort and incongruence. This involves going within, looking closely at themselves and the role they are playing in other people’s lives. Then our Libra friends will have a precious opportunity to fine-tune their skills of harmonizing through right relationship. Right relationship means being at peace within ourselves first, and then we will always be in right relationship with others.
[quote cite=”~ Marcus Aurelius”]He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.[/quote]Libra is a cardinal sign after all, and cardinal signs are pioneering signs of leadership. If you have Libra Rising, your soul’s purpose is pioneering in the field of right relationship, bringing innovative solutions that contribute to world peace and harmony. When you become fearful, you have a tendency to avoid discomfort and seek only pleasant experiences, but this cannot bring the true harmony you so deeply desire. By having the courage to look directly at the causes of discomfort and then takinng inspired action to harmonize them, you can access the power of higher love and express your soul’s purpose in the real world through effective relating skills.

Ruth

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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.”

Karen MacKenzie is working on a series of astrology inspired paintings using goddesses from different cultures. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art.

True Love, the Complete Compatibility Report

This Mercury retrograde period is allowing me to slow down and catch up on some unfinished work on my website.

First on my list was writing a sample for my new romantic compatibility report, True Love. It took me a while to find a good celebrity couple – we’ve all had enough of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. After some research, I decided on Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, who truly are soul mates.

As with all of my new reports, True Love includes a brief, information-packed analysis by me, a custom chart, and several pages of computer-generated aspects. To my knowledge, there is nothing like this report anywhere else. You can find computer-generated compatibility reports on the Internet, of course – some of them are even free – but you don’t get the personal look by a professional astrologer to tie it all together. The other option is a personal reading, which costs far more and may not be in writing, which many of you prefer. I’m offering True Love at just $49.

Karmic connections are what almost everyone wants to know about these days, and you usually don’t find this information in computer-generated reports. Identifying karmic ties is one of my specialties. If this is your particular interest, you can let me know, and I’ll focus on that angle of your relationship. Here is an excerpt from my sample for Johnny and Vanessa:

Johnny, you and Vanessa clearly have a strong karmic connection and an unbreakable bond. There is no doubt in my mind that you are soul mates and that your relationship exists in other dimensions of time and space (commonly referred to as “past lives”).

The thing that immediately jumps out at me in your synastry chart is your double Moon-North Node conjunction; that is, your Moon is within a few degrees of Vanessa’s North Node in Capricorn, and her Moon is near your North Node in Cancer. This explains why, when you met, you felt instant recognition and a sense of knowing that this was The One.

If you’d like to know more about this interesting (not to mention gorgeous) couple, check out my sample report. The computer-generated part of the report is written by Gina Ronco and is one of the best compatibility reports out there. It’s unique in that it includes both your synastry and composite aspects.

I’m also offering a compatibility report for relationships that aren’t romantic. I’ll have that sample up in the next day or two, so check back, if that’s something you’re interested in. In addition, I’m tweaking the StarGuide report format to allow more space for my comments on where the New and Full Moon and current transits fall in your chart – “tweaking” being a good activity to do while Mercury is retrograde. I have a couple of other surprises in store, too.

I have noted that not everyone is experiencing the positive potentials in this Mercury retrograde period, especially given the transit of Mars over the T-square and eclipse degrees of the past two years. I don’t know about you, but I have that “life flashing before my eyes” feeling … and yet, it’s not entirely bad. Our lives really have changed, which is becoming more apparent as Mars moves through these critical degrees.

I’ll give you more of my thoughts on this in the upcoming weekly forecast.

In the meantime, wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

Gemini-Sagittarius: The Sacred Marriage of Love and Wisdom, Part II

Gemini, from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, c. 1410. Although the "twins" in the constellation of Gemini represent two brothers in classical mythology, other traditions depict them as twin flames, male and female.

At Soul level, Gemini is ruled by Venus, a sacred planet (according to Esoteric Astrology).

Venus’ higher octave awakens us to truth, beauty, harmony and the highest unconditional love. The Gemini Soul is here to unite the head and the heart, creating a bridge to Higher Mind and Higher Love.¹

The fully integrated Gemini resolves polarity at every level.² All opposites merge in Gemini: self-others, personality-soul; Higher Self-lower self; mind-heart, etc. This happens through a deep understanding of energetic relationships. Through Mercurial connection to Higher Mind, consciousness, and Venus, Gemini governs the Breath of Life, the movement of Spirit in Form. This awakens us to conscious relationship on all levels.

The Gemini personality, lacking the wisdom to comprehend the complexity of these relationships, has a tendency to become scattered, distracted by an array of duality. The deep, truth-seeking focus of Sagittarius is needed for Gemini to find (and stay on) the path leading to its higher Soul purpose:

To teach Right Human Relations, between
self and others, personality and soul, anima and animus,
higher mind and lower mind.³

In its exploration of energetic relationships, Esoteric Astrology discusses the subject of the Seven Rays.³ Earth is on the evolutionary path of the second ray of Love-Wisdom, otherwise known as the “path of love. In Buddhism, the ultimate wisdom is the “wisdom realizing emptiness” and is written in a text called “The Heart Sutra.” The ultimate wisdom is therefore considered to be “heart” wisdom or “Love-Wisdom.” Thus the spiritual path of Gemini-Sagittarius is inherently linked to the spiritual evolution of the Earth and of human consciousness.⁴

The spiritual path of Gemini-Sagittarius is the path of heart-wisdom leading to the realization of ultimate truth. It is the spiritual path of realizing Love-Wisdom through the revelation of truth. However, where Sagittarius is seeking truth, Gemini is asking, “What is truth?” To fully understand Gemini’s Soul Path, we need to understand the concept of “two truths.”

The “two truths” refer to conventional truth, as we experience it in our everyday, and the ultimate truth of reality. This can be explained by a paradox, I’m sitting on a chair. The chair does not exist. Both statements are “true.” Conventionally, the chair exists. We can see it. Yet on the atomic level, there is nothing. There is certainly no chair and indeed there is more space than there is solidness at that level. So it is also completely true to say that the chair really does not exist.

Because of a deep realization of the relationship between energies and an ability to experience many dimensions of Being, the Gemini Soul realizes that all “conventional” truth is relative and depends upon both our perspective and our capacity for perception.

The integrated Gemini teaches others through the creation of wonderful “stories,” weaving thought, information and ideas into magnificent concepts – “mental structures” that point towards ultimate truth – and by creating new systems of thought, or sciences.⁵

Our problems arise when we confuse those mental concepts with ultimate truth. As soon as we put truth into words, it is no longer truth, but merely one expression of it – which reduces it to the level of conventional truth. It is not, in ultimate reality, a chair just because we label it as such.

[quote cite=”Lin Yutang”]He who talks about truth injures it thereby;
He who tries to prove it thereby maims and distorts it;
He who gives it a label and a school of thought kills it;
And He who declares himself a believer buries it.[/quote]

When we start believing our own stories, it confines us to a narrow and limited experience of Spiritual Truth. This is the ego-trap of Gemini: over-identification with thinking, and the mistaken belief that we are what we think. If we believe the philosopher Descartes who said, “I think, therefore I am,” then who are you when you are not thinking? The integrated Gemini is aware of many multi-dimensional aspects of our Selves as Spiritual Beings, way beyond thinking.

If you have Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in Gemini, the challenge for you is to experience your Self beyond your thoughts. There is literally more to you than what you think! This world is very distracting for a Gemini, and it is all too easy for you to get lost in trivia, missing the magnificence of your inner being. With the sustained focus of Sagittarius, you are capable of travelling beyond your thoughts into multiple inner dimensions to the very depths of your Soul.

During Gemini season (May 21-June 21), the energy of Gemini is available to all of us. It is our annual opportunity to connect with the wisdom of our hearts. Will you use the extensive power of Gemini to divide or unite? To build walls or bridges? Will you scratch beneath the surface, discover worlds within worlds, and realize the deepest truths of your Soul and the ultimate relationship of Love-Wisdom? It all depends upon your ability to choose where you place your attention and maintain your focus.

Ruth

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Footnotes:
1. Read more about the unique Gemini-Venus relationship and its vital significance for 2012 in Ruth’s article, Venus 2012: The Apocalypse and the Power of Love.
2. A fully integrated Gemini would be a future human who already has full Soul/personality fusion.
3. Esoteric Astrology. The teachings of Djwhal Khul (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.
4. In Esoteric Astrology, the Earth is the Soul Ruler of Sagittarius and the Hierarchical ruler of Gemini. This shows the importance of the Earth for individuals under these signs and the importance of the Divine Intelligence of Gemini-Sagittarius, in the evolutionary process on Earth.
5. Alice Bailey, author of Esoteric Astrology, had Sun in Gemini, as does this author!

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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.”

Cinderella and the Solstice King, Part III

William and Kate will be married at Westminster Abbey, which has a history of royal weddings dating back to 1100.

The wedding ceremony for the royal couple at Westminster Cathedral is set to start at 11 a.m. on April 29. (Click here to view the chart.)

I have heard colleagues wax lyrical over this chart. They were delighted at how the tenth-house Sun in stable Taurus and stabilising Saturn in sextile to the Ascendant in royal Leo indicate a lasting marriage and the couple’s eventual ascension to the throne. They were delirious about Jupiter and Mars on the Midheaven, almost a guarantee of fame and fortune for Will and Kate, including numerous offspring. Well, with all due respect, I beg to differ.

To start with, the Sun is at a challenging angle to the Ascendant, indicating tensions and difficulties. It is telling that the Ascendant should be conjunct the Arabic Part of Discord! The background of fixed stars provides hints as to what the difficulties might be. There is Hamal (following one’s own path), Schedir (the Queen, female power) and Denebola (to go against society).

Additionally, the Sun forms a flowing aspect with Pluto, the underminer, in the fifth house of children … and of royalty. If you have read the first two parts of this series, you may be able to imagine several scenarios at this point, ranging from divorce out of boredom or claustrophobia to abdication of the throne. Since Pluto describes collective influences beyond personal control, a democratically induced end to the monarchy is not unthinkable either. The English have done it before…

But back to the wedding: Certainly, the array of planets in the ninth house and around the Midheaven suggests great public interest from around the globe and a great party at that. It aptly describes the moment as well, since the ninth house is the area of religious ceremonies. Also, Jupiter on the Midheaven is ruler of the fifth house of children, suggesting a whole bunch of kids. After all, this is the whole point of the exercise, as the North Node in the fifth house of children shows.

However, there is a down-side: Aries planets tend to be rash and to act without really thinking things through. They often lack the stamina necessary to see a quickly started project through to the end. Jupiter in Aries often turns out to be a bag full of hot air, while an over-enthusiast Mars/Jupiter conjunction tends to bite off more than it can chew. Mars and Jupiter on the Midheaven may just as well describe a couple famous for its enormous rows.

The clearest indications that Cinderella and her Solstice King might not live happily ever after are given by Saturn and the Moon. In the wedding horoscope, Saturn represents the “contract” the couple is entering into, as well as their shared resources and motivations. With Saturn being retrograde, the contract won’t last in its original form, and shared resources may start dwindling, while the current, shared motivation to enter into this marriage may turn out to be hollow.

Meanwhile the Moon, giver of form and symbol of caring and motherhood, is void of course. After only the shortest glance at this horoscope, any horary astrologer would advise to forget about the matter at hand, as nothing will come of it. Translated into this wedding chart, it is just another indication that we’ll likely be looking at no more than a grand opera being performed.

After Will and Kate had seen the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss their wedding arrangements, he was asked about his impression of the couple. Apparently, he described them as shallow and superficial, and didn’t give the marriage a chance to last beyond its seventh year. If you ask me, he might actually be right, but for the sake of the currently happy couple and of the British monarchy, I hope that I am wrong.

Cinderella and the Solstice King, Part II

Let us refresh our memory and look at the “relating tools” William and Kate have at their disposal. How will they cooperate in building their married life?

The resemblance between these two charts is striking (Click here to view the synastry chart.) Their respective Sun and Moon in aspect by sign is a combination that is often found with married couples. Conscious will and instinctive emotional reaction are cooperating; there is a basic understanding of each other’s needs and a readiness to act accordingly. Also, the male (Sun) and the female (Moon) principles are acting in unison, which is paramount for the production of healthy progeniture – and producing royal heirs is the main point of this exercise, at least as far as the royal family are concerned.

However, William’s Sun and Moon are in the early degrees of Cancer, while the Lights in Kate’s chart occupy the middle degrees of Cancer/Capricorn. Although there is therefore no direct aspect connection, this may support the stability of the marriage, because the couple will never experience difficult transits affecting their individual inner cores at the same time.

A special sheet of stamps has been issued in the U.K. to commemorate the royal wedding.

Interestingly, Kate’s Moon is exactly conjunct William’s lunar South Node, another hint in the direction of offspring and a possible “practice round” in a previous life – in other words, a karmic connection.

The couple’s communication appears to run smoothly and without any obstacles. Both Mercuries are in logical and intellectual air-signs and connected by an easy-flowing trine aspect, meaning Will and Kate do understand each other very well. Both Mercuries are in easy communication with Mars and Saturn in Libra, and both relate to electric Uranus. All this could create an atmosphere of lively banter and friendly competition, as well as unusual interests, adventurous pursuits and travel companionship. In the best case scenario, we see two very like-minded people joining forces in an “us against the rest of the world” kind of pact, and acting in unison, if under restrictive conditions. But oy vey, if one of them goes through a change of mind without the other and coldly calculated hurts start flying in both directions! Meanwhile, however, Kate and Will do enjoy having a good laugh about their private jokes, which may be none too flattering for the subjects of their jests.

The things we like are described by Venus. Will’s and Kate’s Venus positions are connected through a square by sign, indicating action on the romance front. While Kate admires mental acrobatics, inventive logic and classic design with a twist, Will likes the hands-on feel of beauty and sensuality, material comfort and what is commonly called “the good things in life.”
Both Venus positions are related to unpredictable Uranus, indicating an electrically charged attraction between the two lovebirds, but also a certain fickleness in their mutual affections. Kate’s chart features a Venus/Uranus sextile, indicating that she knows to pick her moments and get away with it, whereas Will may encounter real opposition whenever he sticks to his individual tastes or follows his impulses regarding people, places and activities. Someone somewhere may feel shocked or affronted by his choices, and sometimes, this someone could be Kate.

We have already seen one example of the on-off quality this relationship can carry. In 2007, Kate couldn’t cope with the intense media attention and the couple split up, only to reunite a few months later. Let’s hope that they have in the meantime learned to make use of the determination and endurance their Mars/Saturn combinations can provide. If they keep following their Uranian impulsiveness, they may end up repeatedly throwing the babe out with the bathwater.

With so much fluctuation indicated, good old Saturn becomes especially important as the provider of stability. With Will’s Venus in aspect to the Lord of Time, there doesn’t seem to be much danger of him wanting to break out of a relationship once he has opened his heart. Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have this tool in her box and we can only hope that her common sense will override her impulsiveness, if this union is to last. I believe the first test will come a few months after the wedding:

Although Kate was born a few months before Will, her Saturn occupies a later degree than Will’s. Since the wedding announcement, he has gone through the second phase of his prolonged Saturn return, which will go into the third and last phase in August/September 2011. It is the right time for him to formalise his love relationship and give it legal status. Kate, however, will go through the honeymoon phase and then experience a rather quick, one-hit Saturn return in October 2011. I reckon this will be the time when she first realises just how formal her life has become and she may not like it very much. By the same token, however, a sense of “having arrived” may prevail. I wonder whether we’ll ever know…

The Composite Chart

Since we don’t have a time of birth for Kate, we have to ignore the house positions in the composite, but even so, the planet positions are quite revealing, with regards to the potential of this relationship. (Click here to view the composite chart.)

The Sun in spontaneous and hot-headed Aries is accompanied by Mercury and Venus in the same sign. There certainly are true loving feelings between Will and Kate, but the companionship factor appears to be just that little bit stronger. This could even be a stabilising factor in the long term. If Will and Kate develop a mutual sense of comradeship through thick and thin they may be able to weather the storms that seem inevitable with this chart.

A weak Mars and the sensitive Cancerian Moon both afflict the Sun. The Aries planets suggest childish ego struggles between the couple, while combative Mars and habit-forming Moon indicate a possibly endless cycle of arguments, during which caring feelings first get hurt and then shut off. On the other hand, it looks like Will and Kate are certainly going to do their best to produce new heirs to the throne, as the T-square is calling for action. Besides, the Moon is conjunct the fixed star Alhena, which Bernadette Brady interprets as “to be on a mission.”

However, Venus in Aries is thrilled by the hunt, which will be over by the time they’re married. Additionally, the connection from Venus to Uranus could make the couple feel bored with each other quite quickly and lead them to seek new thrills, either in their own bedroom or – heaven forbid – in someone else’s.

Again, stabilising Saturn would be needed to provide the stability the rest of the planets don’t seem to provide. Unfortunately, composite Saturn is unaspected, i.e. it can’t exert its influence on any of the other planets. An unaspected planet tends to manifest itself in extremes, either not at all or completely over the top. In Saturn terms, this means the relationship may have no staying power or stability at all, or it may become super-restrictive for the two people involved. In either case, I somehow doubt we’re going to see a fairy tale with a happy ending unfold.

In the third and final part, we’ll look at the chart for the wedding.

Helene

Helene Schnitzer is an astrologer living in Glastonbury, England. Her specialities include Traditional, Horary and Hellenistic Astrology, and Astro*Carto*Graphy. Click HERE to read her full bio.

You can also find more information on her website, Trans-It! AstroLogistics.

Cinderella and the Solstice King

The invitations are out, gold-embossed and signed by Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of England.

On April 29th, 2011, her grandson William, Prince of Wales, and Miss Kate Middleton will embark on their journey on the sea of matrimony. Glossy magazines, national and international news, are full of the Royal Couple. Paper cut-outs, flags, memorial plates and mugs are being mass-produced in China. And in a national soap opera, a local beauty compares her engagement ring, tongue-in-cheek, to that of “Kate Minkerton.” It’s been several hundred years since a commoner became part of the royal family, time to have a good look at the astrological implications.

Part I: The Birth Charts

Kate Middleton was born on January 9, 1982, in Reading, UK, time apparently unknown. I always wonder how a mother can forget giving birth, but okay, after the third time things may get a bit hazy. What a pity we don’t have Kate’s correct chart angles. No worries, though, we can find out a lot just by looking at the planets, can’t we? (Click here to view chart, set for noon.)

With Sun in Capricorn and Moon in Cancer, we see someone who understands the principle of hierarchies, who knows about duty and discipline, about stability and security. Through the opposition, Kate is likely to experience frequent conflicts between her instinctual reactions and the demands of material or organisational necessity. See here Cinderella who can’t go to the ball and a future queen who will put duty before fun. Or will she? It looks like the self-made millionaire’s daughter is going to the big dance after all.

Both lights (Sun and Moon) are in a tense relation with Mars and Saturn in Libra, which is not exactly a remedy, but rather exacerbates Kate’s inner tension. This could trigger fears, guilt and inertia, or, vice versa, decisive and goal-orientated action cutting to the chase. I think we have a very ambitious, motivated and energetic young lady on our hands.

Anecdotally, Kate already “knew” at a very young age that she would one day marry a prince. Talk about a go-getter!

Malicious rumours even have it that she hunted for Prince William in pursuit of her life’s ambition. Well, admittedly, with this combination and in a worst-case scenario, this kind of determined action would not be entirely unthinkable. In the best case scenario, however, this is exactly the kind of woman needed for the job of representing and presiding over a whole nation and more when the day comes.

Venus in cool Aquarius is combined with a very logically minded Mercury. Kate has a musical or artistic talent here, which she has, so far, poured into a study of art history. No wonder, her Venus (beauty, art) is in mutual reception with natal Saturn, the ruler of time and all things old! She must truly feel blessed to become part of a family so richly steeped in history and tradition!

But Venus and Mercury are also aspected by quirky and unpredictable Uranus. Kate likes to be different and original and is likely to have a very special sense of humour and style. Her designer-friendly appearance has already found ample admiration, at some point much to her own annoyance. The temporary separation between her and the man she now intends to spend the rest of her life with fits this pattern as perfectly as the subsequent reunion. Let’s hope that she will have ample opportunity to express her independence within her married life!

Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, at 21:03 BST in London, UK. (Click here to view chart.) As the eldest son of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, he is second in line to the English throne.

Astrologically, he is very much his famous mother’s son. They shared the Sun sign Cancer, the late Sagittarius Ascendant and, almost to the degree, the same position of Venus in Taurus, in the house of creation, re-creation and procreation.

But whereas Lady Diana was never to be queen, Prince William so far walks steadily towards the throne. He was born with the Sun at 0 degress Cancer, at sunset on Solstice Day, a powerful degree. According to the ancient legends, this is the time when the Holly King takes over the rule of the land for the coming half year. This is the moment of the Sun being at its highest, its most direct and powerful. With his birth linked to this potent place, ancient legends would make William into a king with special powers regarding the land and its people, shining like the sun at midday, a good and well-loved leader. With Jupiter on the Midheaven supporting the Sun by Trine, he seems to be born for both his positions, as Prince Charming and as future king of England.

In addition, collective lover Neptune on the ascendant gives William the power to appear all things to all people, who will likely shower him with sympathy and goodwill in return. Once again, that’s a best case scenario. Since Jupiter is also the ruler of William’s twelfth house of self-undoing, it is not unthinkable that he might refuse the crown or abdicate eventually.

How his shy Cancerian soul deals with the divide between private and public persona is a completely different matter. With so much emphasis on the seventh house of partnerships and the “other-orientated” sign of Libra, William will likely turn to his partner and try to make the best of it. He will need overall sharing, intellectual feedback and emotional nurturing. In the next part, we shall see how this might work between him and his future bride.

Helene

Helene Schnitzer is an astrologer living in Glastonbury, England. Her specialities include Traditional, Horary and Hellenistic Astrology, and Astro*Carto*Graphy. Click HERE to read her full bio.

You can also find more information on her website, Trans-It! AstroLogistics.

Ask Real Astrologers: Did He Ever Love Me?

For this week’s column, I am taking a follow-up question from Carolina in Bilbao, Spain:

I’m just wondering about one comment in your answer, that you think that the strong psychic connection I felt was only one-way. Does it mean that, according to the charts, the love was only from me to him? He didn’t feel love?

From time to time, a reader whose question I’ve answered in this column will e-mail me and ask a follow-up question. Usually, I write back and suggest they schedule a consultation for more information. I’ve never used a follow-up question in this column, and yet I feel compelled to take Carolina’s question, because, once again, I believe she represents many readers (mostly women) who are or have been in similar circumstances.

Carolina, first of all, I realize that my answer to you in last week’s column was not easy for you to hear and wasn’t the answer you wanted. My intent was not to cause you pain but to help you find peace in your heart by resolving your feelings with this man and moving on.

Many women get hung up on this notion of whether the man they were in love with loved them back. I understand the need to have an answer, but astrology can’t provide it. Compatibility charts can tell us whether two people have physical chemistry, whether they can easily share their emotions with each other, how they demonstrate affection, whether the relationship will last, and whether it will be relatively smooth or laden with conflict. We can even tell whether a relationship has endured over many lifetimes.

But you can’t add up all of those components and say “Yes, it’s love,” or “No, it’s not love.” Whether someone is even capable of love depends on their level of personal development. The charts can show us tendencies, that’s all.

We might be tempted to conclude that a man or woman who plays the field isn’t capable of love, but that would be a wrong conclusion. They could feel intense love in that moment and just not wish to commit to a long-term relationship. Put another way, love alone doesn’t determine whether a relationship will last. I’m sure every one of you knows people who loved each other and yet couldn’t make a relationship work.

So, in my mind, the question of whether he ever loved you really isn’t that important. Even if he did, he decided, for whatever reason, that he didn’t want to be in a long-term relationship with you.

And there is where the trouble lies. When someone we love leaves, we want a reason and will make up all kinds of scenarios in our head to avoid the conclusion that we did something wrong or weren’t good enough.

This is why I believe “love gone wrong” is the first step for many people of both genders to start down a path of spiritual awakening. It requires that we look within ourselves, take inventory, and clear out all the baggage and outdated beliefs that hold us back from who we really are and what we want. There is a huge resistance internally to this process, and a broken heart can break down that resistance. There is no doubt that it’s a painful and difficult process, and no one with a heart would wish it on anyone. It just seems to be how we humans are wired.

So, Carolina, please try not to dwell on this question of whether he loved you or not. There’s no answer, and even if there was, it wouldn’t matter. What matters is how you’re going to heal from this experience and awaken to the true nature of who you really are and to the love in your own heart.

Wishing you much love and courage,

Pat

P.S. To all of you who have written to me recently requesting a Soul Mates Karma Report, please accept my apologies for not responding right away. I’m currently not taking new clients but will get back with you individually and ask whether you’d like to be put on my wait list. Thank you so much for your patience.

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact me, or I won’t get your question. I do read all of your questions, although I am sorry that I can’t answer them all. If you need immediate guidance or in-depth advice, please contact me for a private consultation. THANKS!

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Did He Run Away?

This week’s question comes from Carolina in Bilbao, Spain:

I met a man in Bilbao in November 2008. In a few days we both felt attracted. A short time after that he ran away and never came back in what I think has been an attempt to avoid the depth of his feelings (I guess this, as his Pluto is making a quintile to my Venus). The psychic connection has always been very strong, although he denied it. And yes, we have more lives together than this one in which we share a deep love and companionship. I can’t deny my feelings and the fact is that I’m still longing for him and hoping he’s coming back, although this isn’t doing me any good.

Now my question, how do you understand this quintile Venus-Pluto, and is there any hope for my wish to live this love, according to the astrological point of view? Will he come back ready to live this experience with me? Could it be that this Pluto aspect means that I represent all that he is afraid of and so the possibility for this love to be real is zero?

Carolina, your story is so familiar that I doubt there are few women (or men) out there who haven’t experienced a situation like this at least once in their lives. In fact, I’ve received so many versions of this question that I wrote an article some time ago entitled, “Will He Come Back to Me?” And, while I tend not to take a question more than once in my Q&A column, I feel that I need to revisit this one periodically.

It’s obvious that you have a good knowledge of astrology. Most people don’t even know what a quintile or Vertex are, so I commend you for that. This can be a problem, though, because when you learn about these chart features, you tend to overlook the more obvious aspects in favor of these relatively minor things. They can add to our understanding, but rarely are they the determining factors behind events or relationships.

You are correct that Pluto was on your Vertex at the time you met your love interest. However, there were other, more powerful forces at work that I would consider far weighter. Take a good look at your chart again, and you will see a very dramatic T-square, with transiting Saturn and Uranus opposite one another and square your natal Venus. Moreover, Uranus is exactly conjunct your natal Moon. At the same time, the transiting lunar nodes were on your Ascendant and Descendant – very big.

This tells me that a sudden and upsetting relationship came into your life, and yes, it appears to have been some sort of destiny, and the gentleman in question was someone you “knew” from somewhere else. But frankly, Caroline, I don’t think this was meant to last. Given the dramatic aspects in your transit chart and the strong presence of Uranus – which, by the way, is the ruler of your Descendant – I think this relationship was about awakening your consciousness. Indeed, Uranus often is referred to as the Awakener.

Judging from the stories I hear from clients, it also appears that more and more people are experiencing “other-life” encounters, and I’ve written quite a bit over the past few years about how these encounters are catalysts to propel us to a higher level of consciousness. Usually, these relationships are painful, because that’s the only way to get our attention! Also, it’s well-known in occult studies that pain is a transformer. Not coincidentally, this is concept is strongly associated with Pluto.

Looking at your compatibility chart, I attribute the fast attraction to your Mars in Aries opposite his Pluto, combined with your Moon trine his Mars. These aspects are indicators of powerful passion, and your Aries Mars is going to go for what it wants!

Now, there are lots of other things I could say about your compatibility chart, and in fact you do share some positive connections, along with others that are problematic. That’s beyond the scope of this column, though, and anyway, you asked me specifically about why I think he might have dashed away. I am sorry to tell you this, Carolina, but it appears that your love interest is a bit of a playboy. Women often miss the vital information, especially when they are physically attracted to a man, but I’ll bet if you look back and think about it, you’ll realize that he gave you some vital clues about his intentions.

As for his emotional distance, I’d attribute that to his Moon in Capricorn. These folks feel very deeply but do not easily share their feelings. Add that to his secretive Scorpio Sun, and you’ve got someone who needs to be drawn out carefully, over time. It’s quite possible that he felt exposed with you, because your Moon in Pisces is indeed very psychic.

And that brings me to my last point, which is that your strong psychic connection may have been one-way. In other words, you felt it strongly with him, but he didn’t share it. I know lots about this, because, like you, I have Moon in Pisces. We pick up on the thoughts and feelings of those around us – sometimes without even knowing it – and we also have a strong ability to recognize connections from other lives. We tend to assume that just because we feel it, the other person must, too. But that’s often not the case.

I feel your pain, Carolina, and I’m sure many other readers do, too, as so many of us have been through this experience. My advice to you is to try to understand the experience in a broader context and to learn from it, and do put yourself out there to date other men. I have a feeling you will find someone much more appropriate, with whom you can have a stable and equal partnership.

Much love and many blessings to you, and thanks so much for telling your story.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Can a Venus Return Predict Love?

This week’s question comes from Amanda in New York City:

I was wondering what your thoughts were on the value of calculating a Venus return chart. Do you feel it can indicate or predict events on the romantic front for the coming year? Also, what happens if your Venus seems to return more than once? I have my Venus in Scorpio which was forward, then retrograded, then returned again!

Before I answer your question, Amanda, I want to briefly explain a “return” for those who may not be familiar with the term. A planet is said to “return” when it makes a complete orbit around the chart and comes back to the exact degree, minute, and second of its position in your birth chart.

The most common planetary returns astrologers interpret are the Solar Return, which happens every year around your birthday, and the Saturn Return, which occurs every 28-29 years. The Lunar Return happens once a month (rarely twice), and these, too, are fairly popular. But in theory, return charts can be cast for any of the planets that orbit the Sun in a human lifetime.

While Solar Returns are taught along with basic chart interpretation and are covered in many astrology books, there’s not a lot out there on Venus returns. So I have to start with the caveat that my experience with Venus Returns is entirely based on my own observations, and in fact it does suggest that this method of prediction can be very insightful.

That said, a lot of my observations have been in hindsight, which is always 20/20. It’s not so easy to predict what will happen and when. Of course, the same can be said for transit charts. We can see that something is in the works, but there are always many potentialities in an energy pattern, and if you know enough about astrology to be asking advanced questions like this, then you already have the power to shape the outcome.

Occasionally, a Venus Return chart is exceptional, and in that case we can predict that the period between now and the next Venus Return will be exceptional. It makes sense intuitively that a three-part Venus Return is in itself unusual, and that does suggest a potentially life-changing event. We typically use Venus in the chart as an indicator of love and romance, but she does have influence over some other areas of life as well.

To determine what area of your life will be most affected, we need to examine all three charts in depth and look for the patterns. This is a detailed study and beyond the scope of this column, but I did take a quick look at your three charts, Amanda, and there are some patterns that emerge right away.

Your Venus returns took place on September 17 and October 28 (retrograde), and the third and final one will occur on December 10. The thing that leaps out at me is the position of Mars and Venus. On the date of your first Venus Return, Venus and Mars were conjunct in your fifth house of love and romance. The conjunction was separating, which isn’t as powerful as an applying conjunction, but it’s still significant. By the last date, on December 10, Mars will have advanced to a very tight, applying sextile with Venus, and he’ll be on your Venus Return Descendant conjunct the lunar North Node. Venus is in the fifth house again.

I would interpret this as a “karmic” signature, with a very strong possibility that you will meet a soul mate before your next Venus Return, which will be in mid-October 2011. You might already have met this person, in which case you’ll become more involved in the coming months.

I hope you’ll write and let us know what happens. And thanks for a great question, Amanda!

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Will I Ever Find a Partner?

This week’s question comes from Amber in Fairport, New York:

My chart has some difficult relationship stuff in it … I’m three times divorced and have been in a very difficult soul mate relationship for almost six years. It will never be what I want it to be because of his circumstances, but neither one of us can let go. I really feel like I’m not destined to be alone, yet finding a life-long partner has eluded me. Do I have any hope of finding a partner? Thanks for your help – I’m pretty good at reading natal charts but the transit stuff is confusing for me to figure out on my own.

First of all, Amber, I agree that you’re not destined to be alone. When I hear clients say they want a partner but have a hard time finding one, the first thing I look for in the chart is a clue about why they fear what they want most.

I edited your question for length, but note that you did mention your Venus-Chiron conjunction in the fifth house, opposite Pluto and Uranus. This is a pretty big hint, especially since Venus is your chart ruler. Uranus, meanwhile, is the ruler of your independent-minded Aquarius Sun.

Venus in Pisces wants to merge completely with a soul mate. But how can you do that when you need to preserve your freedom at all costs? I’m also wondering whether your soft, feminine side feels vulnerable, and perhaps you don’t want to let it show. As women in this era, we’ve been taught that delicate femininity is a sign of weakness and dependence on a man, and there’s nothing more shameful than that!

Moreover, you have a potent conjunction of the Sun and Mars in Aquarius. You value freedom, independence, and self-sufficiency, and heaven forbid that anyone – especially a spouse – should ever try to put you in a box or tell you what to do.

When we have this kind of internal conflict, we tend to choose partners who aren’t the best for us and who aren’t what we want. In your case, you also may have unconsciously chosen someone who isn’t accessible. Under these circumstances, you don’t have to fear suffocation, imprisonment, compromised integrity, and all the other things that make Aquarius hyperventilate.

In an ironic way, your Venus-Pluto opposition may serve your need for freedom. As long as you obsess about someone, you don’t have to face your demons.

Saturn currently is in your twelfth house, and I think this is helping to prepare you for a truly committed relationship. Beliefs and behaviors that don’t serve you anymore are getting dumped overboard. This may leave you feeling empty and depressed when Saturn crosses your Ascendant next fall. However, I think this important transit will mark a shift in your relationship patterns. You likely will break off the unworkable relationship then, too – if not before.

I wish you all the best, Amber, and thanks for writing.

Pat

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