Category Archives: Birth chart

Ask Real Astrologers: The Mother of All Pluto Transits?

This week’s question comes from Ivi in Serbia:

One loss after another … I’m overwhelmed with the intensity of my emotions and thoughts. I truly feel I have lost the sense of faith in life and love and the sense of direction and purpose. I don’t know what to do, how to help myself out of this. Please have a look at all the squares and oppositions Pluto and Saturn are making. Any piece of advice would mean a lot.

Ivi, you’ve been hammered by the cardinal T-square, no question. In your natal chart, you have the Sun, Mercury and Saturn all on your Ascendant in early Cancer, tightly square Pluto in early Libra. Anyone born from late 1973 to mid-1974 may be experiencing similar obstacles, although you’re getting an extra heavy dose.

Your short description of what you’re going through well expresses the anguish of having so much happening in your chart all at once. I could well imagine how you might feel overwhelmed.

If you can find a good astrologer in your area, I highly recommend getting a complete transit reading. I can’t touch on everything here, since there isn’t enough space, and anyway, this column isn’t intended as a substitute for a complete reading. However, I can tell you a couple of things that you and others born around the same time may find helpful.

First, anyone with natal Pluto in early Libra has been experiencing a Saturn-Pluto conjunction. This transit happens about once every 29 years and is a real bear. No one I know has gotten through it without extreme difficulty, mostly in the form of insurmountable obstacles. It can feel like you’re getting slammed from all sides at once, with no mercy.

The good news for you is that this transit is over. Those born in 1975 will get their turn in the next couple of months. So you should at least get some relief from that feeling that nothing is ever going to go your way.

However, Pluto is approaching your Descendant, and that means he is opposing all of the planets on your Ascendant as well, just as Uranus is approaching a square with them. The opposition between Pluto and Saturn is especially difficult, and it often corresponds to losses. These losses can be a maturing event. Further, when losses occur during Pluto and Uranus transits, it’s sometimes a sign that you need to let go of those things. If you’re trying to hang onto relationships, a job, money, or anything else that needs to change, you’ll likely suffer even more.

Ironically, giving up may be exactly what you need to do. If you admit defeat, your life suddenly may take a very different course, because you will be opening yourself up to new possibilities that you may not have thought of. It’s very hard to hang out in that state of uncertainty and not knowing where to go next, but if you can keep your nerve and tough it out, I expect that your life will change in very powerful ways. Only after you get to your new place will you understand why all of these changes needed to happen.

I also want to point out that loss of a loved one can result in an episode of depression. That is outside the scope of astrology, and I would strongly advise you to see a professional therapist to help you work through your grief and pain. Indeed, you may find just such a person when Pluto crosses your Descendant again. He or she may have a lasting impact on your personal growth and spiritual transformation. Ultimately, that is what Pluto represents.

Before I close, I’d like to repeat my request that anyone with a question for this column submit it via the Ask Real Astrologers form. Otherwise I have trouble keeping track of all the questions I get, and I don’t get the information I need to cast an accurate chart for you. Ivi left a comment on a post, but she followed up by submitting her question with the form. Thank you for that, Ivi.

And thank you for writing. You will get through this, and you will be transformed by it.

Pat

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: What Do Empty Houses Mean?

For this week’s question, I’m answering a comment left by Alina on my weekly forecast for September 13:

Could you please explain the effect of empty houses in a chart – for instance, house 2 and house 7.

Alina, this is a great question and one I get often, especially from those just beginning to study astrology.

Since you’re asking about the second house, which rules earned income, and the seventh house, which rules marriage and long-term partnerships, I assume that you’re concerned that an empty second or seventh house could mean that you’ll never have any money and won’t ever find a suitable mate. This is very definitely not the case – at least not because of those empty houses in your chart.

I’ve had several clients ask me about this, especially in terms of relationships. Typically, they’re having trouble getting into a relationship and wonder if they’re doomed to being single forever because there are no planets in their seventh house. The other one I get a lot is whether an empty fifth house means the client will never have children.

Think about this logically. If you have an empty fourth house, does that mean you’ll never have a place to live? If your first house is empty, does it mean you’ll have no personality? If you look at it the other way, does a full seventh house guarantee you’ll get married and live happily ever after? The answers are no, no, and no.

A natal chart must be viewed as a whole, with an analysis of house rulers and patterns in the chart. There might be indications in a chart of difficulty with close relationships, poor financial judgment, finding a career late in life, and so forth. But these things aren’t determined simply by looking at whether a house is empty.

Even with a pattern in the chart of, say, all the money houses empty, I might conclude that money wasn’t your focus in this lifetime. It doesn’t mean you won’t have any and in fact could be quite the contrary. You might have so much of it that it simply isn’t a burning issue. Again, the chart needs to be read as a whole. This is one reason why a reading with a professional astrology is vastly superior to computer-generated charts … and why a professional reading costs a lot more. It takes time for the astrologer to do an in-depth analysis.

I hope that answers your question and puts your mind at ease.

In closing, I’d like to request that anyone with a question for this column submit it via the Ask Real Astrologers form. It helps me keep track of all the questions I get and also ensures that I have all of the information I need from you in order to give you the best possible answer. I decided to take Alina’s question this week, because it is one that I get so often from clients that I thought it would be helpful for others. But please, if you would, use the form.

Thanks so much. And thank you, Alina, for writing!

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: How Do Pluto Transits Affect Children?

This week’s question comes from “Concerned Mom” in Laguna Niguel, Calif.:

My 11-year-old son has a 5 [degree] Cappy Moon and has been so stressed for some time, very emotional and bad dreams sometimes. I think Pluto is hitting it and all the action this past summer. I don’t know that much about astrology but was wondering a couple things. How long would this tension exist for him – gosh, he’s just a kid, and Pluto moves so slow. And how can I make it easier for him? Watch for transits, or ???

P.S. I love your blog!

Yes, Mom, Pluto has been hitting your boy’s Moon hard, and that has got to be tough for such a young person. Pluto on the Moon is hard enough for adults – just ask Al Gore – so it has to be almost unbearable for a poor kid.

Actually, I’ve already done a post on this transit and usually I don’t repeat a topic. But your question gives me the opportunity to point out that children often feel astrological transits more acutely than adults do, since they tend to be far more sensitive. For children, the cardinal T-square could manifest exactly as you describe. It’s so fortunate that you understand enough about astrology to know that it could be impacting your son’s behavior. I can only imagine how many kids might have been put on Ritalin this summer for their behavioral “problems.”

Because Pluto has been at the apex of the T-square, that means your son also has a square from Saturn to his Moon and from Jupiter and Uranus to his Moon. Difficult transits from Saturn to the Moon can indicate periods of depression, while Uranus-Moon transits often manifest as nervous anxiety. Your son also has cardinal signs on all four chart angles, and his chart ruler is the Moon. He must feel like an electrical wire during a power surge.

Pluto went retrograde on April 6 exactly conjunct your son’s Moon, and then the T-square became more intense, until it reached peak power in early August. It has dissipated for the time being but will back next spring. In the meantime, Pluto has returned direct and will make one last pass over your son’s Moon in early January. You’re right – that’s an awful long time to be going through so much stress. The good news is that he’ll never have to deal with that again in his lifetime.

The Moon represents mother, and Rising Cancer needs the comforts of mother and home. I used to work with someone who had a Cancer daughter about your son’s age, and she had a bed full of stuffed animals that my colleague referred to as her “nest.” Every night at bedtime, she snuggled into her nest. Perhaps something like that would be comforting to your son. Extra attention from you and soothing reassurance would help, too. If he likes to draw or paint, that could help him express some of his feelings.

Keep in mind that the cardinal T-square is pushing us all to grow and evolve, and that applies to children as well as adults. Perhaps children are even more open to expanding their minds, as they are still forming what I call the “thought matrix.”

If the stress gets too much, though, I’d have to recommend professional help. Perhaps you could find a family counselor with some knowledge of astrology or, at least, a Jungian therapist who works with archetypes. Your little guy needs lots of extra support. Mom probably does, too.

Here’s a great big hug to both of you. Thanks for writing. I hope this helps.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: When Will This Pluto Transit End?

This week’s question comes from Elise in Kansas City, Missouri:

I’m a third degree Capricorn … Yes, thank you, for your sympathy. I’m actually enjoying the travels through the underworld, and I’m very thankful for my background in Western ceremonial magick, which helps me understand. Sometimes the ride gets to be a bit much, though. Since Pluto will go direct soon, I’m wondering when I can expect things to be not SO intense for me.

P.S. Thanks very much for all your time devoted to the blog!

Yes, Elise, you certainly have my sympathy – you and everyone else who has personal planets or chart points in the early degrees of the cardinal signs.

It’s not just Pluto on your Sun that’s been making life intense, although that would be plenty rough enough. With Pluto at the apex of the cardinal T-square, you’ve been getting the full force of the T-square at the very core of who you are. I imagine you are much changed from a year ago.

At the same time that you’ve had Pluto on your Sun, you’ve had a Saturn-Sun square, which made your Pluto transit all the more challenging. The good news is that Saturn has now moved on, but then he’ll briefly conjoin your natal Mars from mid-October to mid-November, and that isn’t going to be fun. At the very least, you’ll likely be very irritable and agitated.

In the meantime, Pluto turns direct next Tuesday at 2°47′ Capricorn. For all practical purposes, that is conjunct your Sun, and the transformational power of Pluto is all the more intense when he’s stationed. Using your alchemical knowledge, you can channel this energy into making deep and lasting changes in your life, but it will backfire big-time if you try to manipulate situations or people for your own selfish purposes. If you keep the common good in mind – which shouldn’t be too hard for a Rising Aquarius – then I wouldn’t be surprised if you manage to work miracles.

As to when this will be over, I’d give it until the end of November. After that, I would concentrate on testing and verifying that the changes you’ve made truly are setting you on the right course. Next spring, when Uranus re-enters Aries, he’ll be square your Sun. If you’re not heading in the right direction, you can bet that more unexpected events will happen in order to keep you on the straight and narrow.

It sounds to me like you’ve got a good understanding of what’s going on, and I think you’ll do just fine. Thanks for writing … and thanks for the kind words about my blog (I do work hard!).

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Will I Be a Famous Musician?

This week’s question comes from Chris in Vancouver, British Columbia:

Am I destined to be a famous musician or should I stick to being a nurse? Healthcare pays good, but I want more in life. What is your expert opinion? What career should I focus on and strive for? Literature, music, film, art, or just a conventional RN? Help!

P.S. I went to an astrologer and he told me I should not have a career because it will get in the way of my sex life!

Chris, you didn’t say whether you are male or female, but it’s hard to imagine an astrologer – or anyone, for that matter – telling a man that a career would get in the way of his sex life, especially a career as a musician! Everyone knows that musicians are chick magnets (you’re too young to remember that Dire Straits song, “Money for Nothing”).

All kidding aside, you definitely need to follow your heart. You have what’s known as a locomotive chart, with the Moon in your first house as the driver. You are drawn to the arts, music, and literature, no doubt about it. Combined with Sun, Mercury, and Mars all in Aquarius, your Gemini Moon needs lot of mental stimulation, action, and variety.

At the same time, you have Saturn conjunct your lunar North Node in Virgo in the fourth house, which strongly suggests that nursing or some other service-oriented career isn’t a bad choice for you. So you do have a dilemma.

The good news is that Moon in Gemini is well-adapted to more than one career, and that would be good for you. Why not stick with nursing for awhile and write a novel in your free time or moonlight as a musician? Almost no one gets to be famous overnight. Even the artists we think of as “overnight sensations” had to pay their dues. Many did gigs while working other jobs. You can, too.

Rather than striving to be famous, for now just work at being an accomplished artist and networking with others. And, by the way, I don’t think an empty eleventh house means that you won’t find others to work with.

As for the other astrologer’s prediction, he probably was looking at Venus in Capricorn in your seventh house. I don’t know how he arrived at that conclusion, if that’s indeed what he meant. Truly, it’s hard to imagine anyone making such a statement, so I’m wondering if perhaps you misunderstood. Astrologers sometimes forget to speak in lay terms, and all that astro-speak can get very confusing.

Best of luck to you, Chris, and thanks for writing.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Will I Ever Have an Intimate Relationship?

This week’s question comes from Dee in Maryland:

Since my Sun is in Libra, I understand that a major focus in my life is on relationships. However, intimate and romantic relationships seem to be the most difficult thing for me. I have only had about two boyfriends ever and they were pretty much incompatible, thus short-lived.

So, being a pretty much independent (solitary) person for most of my life, I’ve been recently feeling a yearning to become more partnership orientated. I’m sure that some other aspects in my chart have something to do with this paradox. Do you see anything there that could shed some light? I feel that maybe I’ve been too idealistic in my search for partners and am a little guarded in general to the possibilities.

Beautifully stated, Dee – and so perfectly Libra. Incidentally, you not only have Sun in Libra, but it’s in the seventh house, traditionally associated with Libra, in conjunction with Mercury. That’s a lot of Libra!

Your chart is not so horribly relationship-challenged that you are destined to be alone forever, but I do see a couple of difficult aspects. Fortunately, you can overcome these challenges with a bit of work.

The first issue I see is that you have Saturn in your fifth house, which rules romance and pleasure. Saturn is a limiting influence, and his position in the birth chart indicates where we are the most insecure and fearful. Moreover, he’s in Cancer, which is the sign of his detriment. Cancer is emotionally sensitive and thus tends to be cautious and protective. All of this tells me that you may feel very vulnerable in love and afraid of being hurt.

Your Saturn also is “afflicted” by a square to Uranus, which is where you get that independent streak. Taken to the extreme, you may go to great lengths to let others know how much you don’t need them in an attempt to hide just how vulnerable you feel. In your mind, showing your soft underbelly would be akin to giving them the gun and ammo and showing them exactly where to shoot. And yet, to form deep, intimate relationships, we must let others see our most vulnerable places. If you could work on this area, I think you’d see some favorable results.

The second potential difficulty I see in your chart is that Mercury, ruler of your seventh house, is retrograde. Lots of people have Mercury retrograde in their birth chart, and this alone doesn’t mean you have difficulty with relationships. But when he’s retrograde in Libra and rules your seventh house, then there’s a potential stumbling block.

In addition to doing some work to overcome your fears regarding intimacy, you might also work on understanding where others are coming from. This would help you realize that they feel vulnerable, too. We all have a dual capacity for hurting others and being hurt. The need for balance in that regard should be easy to grasp for someone with all of your Libra!

As for why you’re delving into these issues now, I’d “blame” Saturn again. He’s currently transiting your seventh house, and so your attention is being focused on relationships and the fact that you’re not finding fulfillment in this area of life, which indeed is critical for Libra.

Since you’ve started studying astrology, you might use it as a tool to help you with these issues. I’d also recommend a complete reading to help you understand more about your birth charts and current transits. I do telephone consultations, but if you’d rather see someone in person, do a search to find out who’s available in your area.

I know you will find true love, Dee. Thanks for writing.

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.

Ask Real Astrologers: How Can I Create My Own Transit Chart?

This week’s question comes from Dan in North Carolina:

Although I’m a fairly recent subscriber, I was drawn to a number of your interpretations. I do have a question for you. I can’t quite understand how to do “overlays” of recent events on my natal chart, such as Uranus in Aries or the more recent solar eclipse. Any quick way I can reach my own understanding of how I interpret various astrological events based on my natal chart would be appreciated. Perhaps this is a complicated question…?

Dan, this is a great question, and I’m sure many readers would like to know how they, too, can do some of their own chart interpretation. It is a bit complicated, but it’s well worth making the effort, so I’ll walk you through the steps to create your own transit chart.

First, I should explain to those not familiar with the term what a “transit” is. At the moment you were born, the planets were in a specific pattern in the heavens. This “freeze-frame” of planetary motion is your birth chart. As the planets continue to move over time, they form mathematical relationships to the planets in your birth chart. By overlaying the transiting planets onto your birth chart, we create a transit chart, which we can use to tell us how cosmic forces are playing out in your life.

By far the best site on the Internet for getting your chart is Astrodienst. You’ll need to register and create an account, but it’s free. They also offer a limited amount of interpretation (with a paid subscription, you get a bit more), from some of the world’s best astrologers.

To get a transit chart on Astrodienst, click on the “Free Horoscopes” tab at the top of the page, and then scroll down to “Extended Chart Selection” on the right. A page will come up with chart selection options. Under “Methods,” you get to choose a group. The default is “Circular Charts,” which is the style most people are familiar with. I prefer Pullen, because it’s easier to read. But for the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll stay with Circular Charts.

Right under “Circular Charts,” you’ll see a drop-down menu. The default chart is “Natal Chart Wheel.” If you click on the arrow to the right, you’ll see lots of other options. Under the heading “Prognostic Methods,” you’ll see “transits.” Click on “Natal chart and transits*”. The asterisk on some of the options means that you have to select a date. To select a date, keep going down the Extended Chart Selection page to “Options.” You can enter any date you wish there.

This is where it gets a bit complicated. All of the dates used on this site give the transits for midnight, Universal Time. The East Coast of the United States is five hours behind UT, so you have to take this into account. Usually, if you want transits for a certain date, entering the following day for the transit chart works. For example, to get your transits for the solar eclipse on July 11, you would type in July 12. Then click on “show chart.” You’ll see the transits on the outside of the wheel, in green.

The process is similar for Pullen; there are just fewer options to choose from (less confusing!). On the Pullen chart, your natal planets are toward the inside of the wheel, and the transits are toward the outside.

When I write my weekly forecasts, I often recommend that you check your natal chart to see which houses the aspects I’m writing about fall in. Many of you have written specifically to ask how the cardinal T-square will affect you. Well, now you can do a little of your own astrological analysis!

I would like to issue one word of caution, though, about using the interpretations on Astrodienst. Although I rate them the best on the Internet, they take each aspect and transit by itself. What you end up with is a cookbook approach that doesn’t give you a whole picture and in some cases even gives you conflicting information. The only way to get an accurate big picture is by consulting a professional astrologer. If anyone is having this issue, please contact me for a personal reading. I offer half-hour consultations by phone, which should be plenty enough to help you clear up any confusion you might encounter when you use these online resources.

You also could study astrology, as many of you already are doing. Of course, you have my wholehearted support there!

Speaking of support, I’d like to thank you again, Dan, for sending a generous donation to RealAstrologers, especially since you only recently found the site. To everyone else who sent contributions, I also remain grateful. To those who haven’t donated yet, would you please consider taking a moment to click on the “Donate” button to the right? It will take you to a PayPal page where you can make a secure payment. With your contributions, I’ll be able to make some changes to the site that will make it even more interesting and useful. I’m working on a couple of ideas and hope to have news for you soon.

Thanks for writing, Dan, and best wishes for a wonderful, abundant future.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: What Is My Best Choice of Career?

This week’s question comes from Christoper in Louisville, Kentucky:

Excluding social work (which would require a Master’s Degree – I don’t want to go back to school now), what career would give me the most social status and satisfaction, as indicated by my natal astrology and current transits? My first college degree is in Liberal Arts and my second is in Accounting.

I am getting a lot of career questions these days, and this is a great one, Christopher. Astrology is a useful tool to help determine a suitable career, both in terms of personal satisfaction and material rewards. You obviously know this, or you wouldn’t have asked.

Unfortunately, you didn’t provide a birth time, which is absolutely necessary for an accurate, in-depth career report. But that’s quite alright, because you unintentionally helped me make a point, which is that this type of analysis is a major undertaking with many factors to take into consideration. For example, we’d want to look at the house, sign, and aspects to your natal Saturn, the house and aspects of your Sun, and the sign and position of your tenth house ruler, to name a few.

If you don’t know your birth time, we still can make some observations, but the conclusions will be less reliable.

There is a lot of information out there about career choices by Sun sign. This does work some of the time. I know several Virgo accountants, a few Aries policemen, a couple of Taurus musicians, and a Sagittarius travel agent. But just as you can’t determine astrological compatibility by Sun sign alone, your best career choices are far more complex, too.

So, with all these caveats out of the way, there are a few things I can tell you, Christopher.

First, you have a tight sextile between your Sun and Saturn, indicating that you will find success through sustained effort and hard work. You are responsible and orderly, which might suggest some type of management position, depending on the house positions of your Sun and Saturn. I would also note that Venus in Pisces conjunct Chiron does suggest some type of social work or work in women’s health. This might not be financially lucrative, but it would give you a great deal of satisfaction. The timing for going back to school is something we could determine through house transits — which, again, requires a birth time.

The second thing that jumps out at me is that your natal Jupiter is at 1 degree Aries. This means that your Jupiter is being activated by the cardinal T-square and especially by Saturn in Libra. When we’re going through a Saturn-Jupiter opposition, which happens every 29 years or so, we may find that our opportunities for career advancement are limited. Patience is required, but that’s often what’s most lacking. It’s usually not a good time to start down a new path, but often it’s when life hands us a big course correction. You may find that by fall, a new pathway is lighted for you.

Thanks for writing, Christopher, and best of luck to you.

I’d like to encourage you all to keep sending your questions. I’m sorry I can’t answer them all, but I do read every one of them. If you’re in need of immediate guidance and in-depth advice, please consider contacting me for a private consultation. I do individual forecasts as well as relationship counseling. For career consulations, I offer a few different options, depending on your budget and how much information you want. For clients outside the United States who would like a live reading, I have Skype and Gmail video chat. If you would like more information or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Love and blessings to all,
Pat

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. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” You can also use the drop-down menu above under “About Us” to get to the question form. THANKS!

Ask Real Astrologers: Terrified by the Cardinal T-Square, Help!

This week’s question comes from Alison in London, England:

I’ve had my chart done by an astrologer for this summer and I’m now terrified. The exact words were, “Imagine the worst and then more!” So, as you can imagine, I’m really concerned and am wondering if it’s just me this is all going to affect and if there is anything I can do to avoid it. I am a real optimist normally and love change and action, but somehow this is all giving me a real sinking feeling. Help!

Alison, first let me say that I’m sorry you had this experience with astrology. The point of having your chart done shouldn’t be to scare the s%!# out of you. When we see difficult transits coming up — and you do have them — we need to stop, take a deep breath, and ask how we can prepare.

Before I comment on that, though, I’d like to reassure you that the events of this summer are affecting the entire world, not just you. The cardinal T-square, which at times will be a grand cross, is something we haven’t witnessed on this planet since history began. It’s big, and already it’s translating into sweeping events such as the BP oil spew, the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano, escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, and global financial crises, to name a few. And we’re just getting started…

As for avoiding the effects, that won’t be possible or even desirable. I believe that many of the challenges and conflicts we’ll find ourselves in this summer will help us grow and evolve. We’re on the threshold of bumping up to the next level of human consciousness. The stresses on the planet and on humanity demand that we stop doing business as usual and find new ways of thinking and being. This is our challenge collectively and as individuals.

As for your personal chart, I’m guessing the reason your astrologer made such a dire prediction is that you have a Sun-Mars conjunction in the early degrees of Capricorn, with Mercury and Venus not far away. Pluto currently is moving through the early degrees of Capricorn, and when the planets shift into position this summer, he’ll be at the apex of the cardinal T-square, with Uranus, Jupiter, and Saturn in a square. In early August, Venus and Mars will join this powerful alignment.

Simply put, you’re in the thick of the action. However, this isn’t really news. You’ve had Pluto transiting your natal Mars for more than a year already, and we’ve even had two rounds of the Saturn-Pluto square, which occurred in mid-November 2009 and early February of this year. So you’ve already taken a few hits and survived.

Now, there is no doubt that this summer’s aspects are going to be even more intense, and there could be bigger challenges in your life, possibly related to your health or job. However, it’s not a given that something “bad” is going to happen. It may simply be a case of your being forced to make some very big changes in your life, and change by definition can cause us distress, as humans tend to fear the unknown.

Keep in mind that Pluto transits are the worst when we attempt to hang onto people and situations that no longer serve our best interests. Things can really backfire if you try to control others to do your bidding when they would rather not.

I wish you lots of courage, Alison. Please stay in touch and let us know how it goes, OK?

Before I go, I’d like to note once again that I’m getting many questions these days, no doubt because you all are worried about how astrological events this summer will play out for you. It is a difficult time for everyone. I can answer some of your questions here, but if you’re in need of immediate guidance and detailed advice, please contact me for a private consultation. I do individual forecasts as well as relationship counseling. If you’re outside the United States and would like a live reading, I have Skype and Gmail video chat.

Hang in there, everyone!

Pat