Category Archives: Birth chart

Ask Real Astrologers: What’s Ahead for Us Cardinal People?

I’m addressing two questions together this week, since they essentially are asking the same thing.

Libra is in my ninth and tenth house, and my first house is Capricorn. Over the past 15 months I have fallen on hard times and in the past few weeks things have picked up. What I don’t understand is this T “zone” and what it means. I was hoping that you could explain a little. — Kaye, Las Vegas, Nev.

I read about all the T-squares and cardinal stuff occurring. I am concerned and confused about my whole life — relationship, business, etc., because I am primarily cardinal. How does this affect individuals like me with all this square stuff during this timing? — “Henry,” Cotopaxi, Colo.

Kaye and Henry, before I answer your questions, let me clear up some of the confusion by explaining what a cardinal T-square is.

The 12 signs of the zodiac are divided into three qualities: cardinal, fixed, and mutable. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. A T-square occurs when planets occupy three signs within one quality. If all four signs are occupied, then it’s called a grand cross.

Since Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008, there has been a build-up of planets in the cardinal signs. We are approaching a powerful T-square in 2010 and 2011, with Pluto at the apex. Uranus and Jupiter are about to enter Aries, and they will oppose Saturn in Libra this summer (Saturn is currently retrograde back in Virgo). There will be some periods this year and next when the early degrees of Cancer also are activated, and so the T-square then becomes a grand cross.

As I wrote in a recent article on the cardinal build-up of 2010 and 2011, such alignments are rare, and when they occur, dramatic events unfold here on Earth. The nature of cardinal energy is dynamic and very active, which is why astrologers are warning of sweeping change ahead.

Anyone with personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars) or chart angles (Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven, and IC) in the early degrees of the cardinal signs will be particularly touched by this planetary pattern in the sky. And that may be just as well, because cardinal people need action, and you haven’t been getting nearly enough in the past several years. To the contrary, many of you have been feeling very stuck.

Kaye and Henry, you are among the many “cardinal people” who will be heavily affected by this configuration. Some of what develops for you will be surprisingly positive, even though the breadth of the changes may cause you a lot of stress.

Kaye, as you correctly stated, your Ascendant is not Capricorn, but as a late Rising Sagittarius, you have a first house that is almost entirely Capricorn. That means your seventh house is Cancer. As you noted, you have Libra on the Midheaven. The apex of the T-square, Pluto, currently is moving through your first house. I’m guessing that things started to break down in your life when Pluto crossed your Ascendant in late 2006. You are going through a sweeping transformation.

A big factor in this year’s cardinal buildup is the eclipse series in Capricorn and Cancer. When they fall in our first and seventh houses, as they do for you, Kaye, it may suddenly feel as though something or someone else has taken control of our lives and is pushing us in a particular direction. While this may seem like too much disruption all at once, it gets you to a new place a lot faster. You just have to grit your teeth and withstand the G-force.

Believe it or not, you are approaching a career peak, which will happen toward the end of this year or the middle of 2011.

Henry, as a late-degree Rising Cancer, you won’t feel the deep personal impact that Kaye is experiencing. Rather, you will notice this buildup most in your career and home life. With Uranus and Jupiter about to cross your Midheaven, there is the potential for a sudden professional opportunity.

However, at the same time, you may face restrictions in your home life, or a situation with your home and family may come into direct conflict with your career. These constraints will continue for a couple of years, so you may have to put up with less-than-desirable living arrangements in order to advance your professional standing. Try to keep in mind during these challenges that you are working toward building a more-solid foundation under your life.

Thanks you both for writing. Have courage, and let us know how it goes.

I’d like to add that just about everyone is going to feel the effects of this T-square, even if it’s not as disruptive as the changes that people like Kaye and Henry are going through. While I am able to answer some of your questions in this column, it can’t be a substitute for a complete reading. If you are facing serious challenges that affect all areas of your life and need guidance, please contact me for a private consultation. Others have taken the leap and were very happy they did.

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: Am I Doomed To Be Alone Forever?

This week’s question comes from Nala in Melbourne, Australia:

I seem to make the same mistakes over and over again in relationships. Am I somehow astrologically engineered to do so? I met the man of my dreams, and after a short but very intensive relationship, we have broken up. I just feel as though I will never find anyone. Am I doomed to be alone for the rest of my life?

Nala, no one is ever “doomed” to be alone. We humans do seem to have a bad habit of repeating mistakes, though, and astrology can help identify those patterns.

Unfortunately, you didn’t provide me with a birth time, and that means we don’t have an exact degree for your Moon in Leo, and we don’t know what houses any of your planets are in. This is a handicap. If you know your birth time, I would suggest getting a full reading by a professional astrologer. Of course, I always suggest that, as this column isn’t a substitute for a thorough reading.

That said, a couple of things jump out at me right away. First, you have a tight Yod with Pluto and Neptune at the base and Venus and Mars conjunct at the apex. The planets at the base of a Yod work well with each other but are totally out of synch with the planet or planets at the apex. Venus and Mars are the love planets, and they are taking a lot of heat in your chart.

The inconjunct from Neptune to Mars and Venus tells me that you may not always be realistic in your choice of partners. It may be hard for you to take off the rose-colored glasses and see your partner for what he really is. With Pluto in this configuration, you get smacked hard when you overlook those vital signs and clues. And to top it off, you may feel a heavy burden of guilt, like you did something wrong to deserve it.

Second, your Venus and Mars are opposite Uranus in Scorpio, all square Saturn in Leo. Your Moon may be in this configuration, too, but without a birth time, there’s no way to know. This does suggest some difficulty in breaking out of habits that don’t serve you, but all that means is that you have to work a little harder. The fact that you’re asking questions is a good start.

The lunar North Node in a birth chart can tell us what will make us the most happy and give us fulfillment. In your case, the North Node is in Libra, sign of relationships. So it’s clear that you want and need to be in a partnership. However, the Universe is asking you to do a lot of work to make this happen. This is no accident, and it even may be your life’s purpose.

Put another way, relationships aren’t supposed to be easy for you, and that’s the point. The most important lessons you’ll learn in this life will be those you master through your romantic partnerships. Once you key into this, you will experience personal transformation and a powerful awakening of consciousness.

By the way, Mars has been in Leo since last October, and he was retrograde for several months. This no doubt complicated your relationship, as Mars transits tend to stir up trouble. Looking at your charts, I wouldn’t say it was the cause of the breakup, but it likely provided the trigger or “last straw.”

All worthwhile endeavors require a lot of trial and error before we get it right. Love is no different. Try to remain positive and keep an open heart, despite the pain of loss when things don’t turn out the way you think you want them to.

I hope that helps Nala.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Should I Build a Bunker?

This week’s question comes from Svetie in Coffs Harbour, Australia:

After three harrowing years of Saturn in Virgo, I’m dreading this retrograde transit. If I’m not mistaken, it was my second Saturn return. Will it treat me a bit gentler during this retrograde, or should I build a bunker now?

Svetie, we all may need a bunker here shortly!

Seriously, you are indeed in a challenging period, but not due to a Saturn return. That happened quite some time ago and is long past. What’s happening now is the conjunction of transiting Saturn and your natal Sun at 26 Virgo.

And that’s not all. Your natal Saturn is at 26 Gemini, so you’re also experiencing a Saturn square. To complicate matters still further, transiting Saturn and Uranus are opposite one another and formed an exact contact at 28 degrees Virgo on April 26. It was the fourth pass of this opposition, and we’ll get a fifth one later this year in Libra and Aries.

Of the five passes of Saturn and Uranus, the one that touched your chart most directly was on Sept. 15, 2009. That was a whopper, no doubt about it. Although some of the same elements are present now, including Mercury retrograde, Saturn has moved past your Sun. On his retrograde path, he will return to 27 degrees Virgo but no further. Sure, that’s way too close for comfort, but you got through the direct hit and lived to tell about it, so you’ll survive the next one.

Uranus is another story. He’ll return to 26 Pisces and will hover around that degree until January 2011. What’s more, he’ll have Jupiter in tow to amplify his disruptive nature. However, all disruption isn’t bad. Wildly exciting developments and growth opportunities can be just as destabilizing as exploding relationships and detonating careers, and they are every bit as possible … make that “likely.”

Fortunately, you’ve got a lot of mutable energy in your natal chart (mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces), and that means you are adaptable and open to change. Still, I don’t doubt that you’re under heavy stress and would like some stability. That probably isn’t going to happen for awhile. You may not need a bunker so much as an RV with all the amenties.

Best of luck to you, Svetie, and thanks so much for writing. Let us know how it goes.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: What’s In Store for Taurus Sun?

This week’s question comes from Jezi in Princeton, N.J.:

Taurus is my Sun sign, and I have Venus in Gemini, so I’m trying to understand what both Venus and Mercury entering Taurus this week means for me and I confess to getting a bit confused trying to sort it out!

This is a great question, Jezi, as it allows me to explain a bit about Sun sign astrology and why it can be useful in some applications but limited in others.

When you say you’re a Taurus, that means the Sun was moving through the sign of Taurus when you were born. This occurs roughly from April 20 to May 20, but the exact dates can change from one year to the next. For those who are born near the date change, or “cusp,” it’s important to get an accurate birth chart, which you can do online (more info below) or with a professional astrologer.

The horoscopes you read in the newspaper and online are written with Sun signs in mind. This technique of forecasting is called Sun sign astrology. There are a few astrologers who do it well, and more and more astrologers are adding the caveat that you also should read for your Rising sign, or Ascendant. In many ways, the Ascendant provides more information about you than your Sun sign, and it’s critically important in forecasting, as it determines the layout of your chart. To know your Rising sign, you have to have an accurate birth time. You also need to know the place of birth.

The birth time you gave me, Jezi, makes you a Rising Cancer. You may find that you get a more accurate horoscope online if you read for Cancer. At the end of this post, I’ll give you some URLs for my favorite Sun sign forecasts.

Back to your original question, when Venus and Mercury enter Taurus, you won’t necessarily notice any effects until they actually align with your Sun. In the case of Venus, you may experience a day or two of good feelings, affection, and creativity, and you may feel like having a party or celebrating with friends. Flowers and beautiful objects will appeal to you even more than usual. Mercury on your Sun generally brings lots of communications.

Because Venus and Mercury move quickly relative to the Earth, these effects will be fleeting. However, when we look at where Venus and Mercury are moving through your chart, we can predict some longer-term trends. This is especially important right now, since Mercury is about to go retrograde in Taurus. Where you have Taurus in your chart tells us what area of your life is likely to be disrupted by Mercury’s retrograde effects.

In your case, Jezi, that’s the eleventh house, which rules friends, involvement with groups, humanitarian causes, and your hopes and wishes for the future. I’ve had some terrible misunderstandings with friends during periods when Mercury was retrograde in my eleventh house. Once or twice, the arguments were severe enough to end the friendship. You also may have an urge to examine your aspirations for the future and revise where necessary.

Venus transits to the eleventh house typically are very pleasant times when your friends assume more importance in your life. Getting together is tons of fun right now, especially if it involves good food and other indulgences, which Taurus is known for.

I hope that doesn’t confuse you more, Jezi! But there is really no way to simplify it. Astrology is a complex art and science, and attempts to make it simpler can strip it of its accuracy and power.

For a free copy of your birth chart, I highly recommend Astrodienst, the Swiss astrology site. Once you get more proficient in astrology, there are all kinds of ways you can manipulate charts for personal information. Still, be advised that this is never a substitute for a reading with a professional astrologer.

Sun sign astrology on the Web:
Soulgarden.tv. Daily horoscopes delivered in fabulous high-tech format by Christopher Witecki, an inspired and inspiring astrologer in Los Angeles.
AstrologyZone. Detailed monthly horoscopes by Susan Miller, one of the best-loved astrologers on the Web. She can be frighteningly accurate, provided that you read the best sign for you.

Pat

Saturday Extra! Almost Two

RealAstrologers is coming up on its second anniversary — a bittersweet moment, since I’ll be blowing out the candles alone.

On the bright side, the site had one of its best days ever with my first Full Moon post on Monday. It was a nice reward for all the late nights rewriting pages and shouldering a double load of posts.

Since RealAstrologers is an Aries, and we just had a Full Moon in Libra, I thought it would be interesting to look at our birth chart and see if there was any correlation. For our “birth,” I used the time of our inaugural post, which was published at 4:01 a.m. on April 6, 2008. That gives us both Sun and Moon in Aries, with 5 degrees Aquarius on the Ascendant. Aquarius, incidentally, is the sign of astrology. Mercury and Venus are also in Aries, with Mars in Cancer and Jupiter in Capricorn.

It is the Sun and Moon, however, that aspect Mars and Jupiter to form a cardinal T-square, which favors action and change. The planet or planets at the apex of the T-square take on special significance in the birth chart. We launched the site few hours after the New Moon in Aries, which is a great time for starting a new venture. That said, three planets are in their detriment fall in this chart, which isn’t so good, and the T-square is potentially challenging, as it isn’t the most stable of chart configurations.

And now here we are, in a build-up toward an intense cardinal T-square (which will become a grand cross at times over the next year), with a pivotal Full Moon in Libra. Remember, the Full Moon often signifies endings. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the original partnership dissolved at this time. Mars, meanwhile, had been retrograde since December in the seventh house, which rules relationships, and he’s been hovering around the Descendant since early February. Mars in the seventh house can wreak havoc with partnerships.

At some point, companies take on a life of their own and starting “living” their charts. I think it’s a good bet that a new partnership may come into existence. If so, it would be a big relief. Keeping the site going is almost a full-time job, with no pay. This never was intended to be a one-woman show, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep it running without some kind of divine intervention. That said, I’ve got some ideas to take the site into the future, and I’m hoping that they will make the venture more viable in the long run.

As they say, there’s only one way to find out…

Pat

Image: The RealAstrologers logo was created by StarBlue for Dreamstime.com. We’ve used several of her designs in the past two years. Do check out her inspired and magical astrology portfolio.

Neptune and Chiron Transiting Chart Angles

My childhood home in Unadilla Forks, N.Y.

About a month ago, I had a sudden urge to check out my childhood home in upstate New York on Google maps. With the new “on-the-ground” feature, it was as though I were standing right in front of the house!

Two days later, I discovered a new online history of the village. The author had been in the 4-H Club chapter started by my father, whose name was mentioned in the registry of previous inhabitants. There was a link to some old photos, two of which showed my former home. This photo was taken before my parents moved to the farm in the 1950s. The other, which I posted last week, showed what was left of the barn after a tragic fire.

As an astrologer, I tend to look at everything through the lens of astrology, so of course I wanted to know why I suddenly got all of this information about my early childhood. I lived on the farm for less than seven years. Then, upon reflection, I realized how important these formative years are for us … and how wounding it was when my family was forced to leave this idyllic location. What’s more, all of my photos from my childhood have been lost or destroyed. Seeing these images was a shock, but it also opened a window for some deep healing to take place.

And therein lies the answer to my question.

I’ve written a lot here and on my former blog about the healing potential of the Neptune-Chiron conjunction. For the past couple of months, it has been in an exact square to my Midheaven and IC (fourth house cusp). Transits to the Midheaven typically show up as obvious events or situations, while transits to the IC may be felt internally and often relate to our early childhood experience or our genetic and spiritual roots — what some call “past lives.”

With Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius, much of the healing is taking place in the collective mind, but the collective is composed of individuals. Where this conjunction falls in your natal chart can tell you where you are doing the deepest healing work now. If it falls on a chart angle or conjoins personal planets, the healing potential is extremely powerful. A dear friend has 27 degrees Aquarius on the Ascendant, and you can bet that she is feeling this transit intensely. Her self-image is undergoing a radical change. It is a portrait of a healer being healed.

Hard aspects of Neptune to the Moon or IC are especially likely to bring up memories of the distant past. And to those memories, I now return…

We left the farm in 1963. Four years went by, and then two weeks before my birthday, my mother died of Hodgkin’s disease. A couple of months later, near what would have been her 45th birthday, the barn burned to the ground. I learned later that the entire herd of dairy cows perished in the blaze. I was fond of those cows and spent a lot of time in the barn “talking” to them. In the years following my mother’s death, I used to have recurring nightmares of her burning up in a fire, calling for help. Could there be a connection?

I’ll never know, but I do know that revisiting my childhood home via the Internet has been a powerfully healing experience, and that, too, fits with Neptune in Aquarius, sign of technology.

You see, there are many ways to heal.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Hammered by Mars in Leo

In my most recent weekly forecast, I wrote about Mars in Leo and the need for asserting your ego. To know how to go about it, I advised looking at where 1 degree Leo falls in your natal chart. That prompted a question from Renick in Tokyo, who writes:

For me, that’s dead-on conjunct my natal Sun, along with my Saturn and Mercury and opposed my Moon. This kind of complex arrangement is beyond my interpretive skills. What does it mean when a big-deal conjunction occurs on top of a natal chart pattern like that? More broadly, I never really know how to interpret that chart pattern: a stellium opposing one planet. I’d like to hear your thoughts. Thanks for writing your blog! It’s always enlightening.

Renick, if it makes you feel any better, Mars has been sitting exactly on my Descendant, with predictable results for my close partnerships!

Yes, having Mars on your Sun can be a challenge, but it’s actually one of the more positive Mars conjunctions. Mars and the Sun are both “ego” planets, and so their energies work quite nicely together. This is all the more true when the conjunction occurs in Leo, since the Sun is Leo’s ruler.

Normally, you would be bubbling over with energy under this transit, but with Mars stationed and just sitting there like a heavy lump, I’ll bet you’ve been dragging. That makes it hard for you to put this energy to its best use, which would be some good, hard physical work. If you’re feeling the need for strenuous activity but can’t get moving, the resulting frustration could make you very irritable. I also wouldn’t be surprised to hear that you got some kind of nasty infection or hurt yourself. That can sometimes happen under this transit, and Mars is in your sixth house, which rules health.

If you don’t have the energy to throw yourself into late nights at the gym, then late nights at the office might work, too. The only problem there is that sitting in a chair all day might make you fidgety and irritable, and it’s back to being in a fighting mood.

As for Saturn and Mercury, I wouldn’t worry too much about Mars affecting them, as they are far enough away and not in the same sign. I’d be more concerned about the eclipses in July if I were you, but that’s another question for another time.

In general, though, you are right that it’s much harder to interpret a chart when a planet hits a natal stellium or, conversely, when a transiting stellium falls near a natal planet. It definitely complicates things, and I’ve admitted a few times in the past year that I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. When there’s that much going on, there are just too many variables.

That said, the house position gives us major clues. In your case, you have a lot going on in the sixth house, which is associated with health, the workplace, and your daily routine. It also can indicate issues with small pets.

I hope that puts you at ease. Thanks for writing, and thank you for the kind words!

Ask Real Astrologers: Is This a Good Time to Launch a Business?

This week’s question comes from Rossa in the UK:

I’m in the process of doing market research for a new business and product. It is early days but so far the feedback I’ve had has been positive. However, I have been out of work for over two years and have tried out various ideas and explored other employment avenues without success. I am a little wary that this may be yet another dead end and I’m going to end up disappointed again. Is there anything astrologically that would signify a change in my working life that you could share with me?

Diane’s response:

Rossa, it really is no surprise you are thinking about business ventures and working to improve your financial situation in general with all those transiting planets in your second house of “accounts receivable.” I would encourage you to continue doing your homework and making sure you understand exactly what you are getting into.

Natally, Jupiter is in your tenth house opposite Mars in your fourth, and transiting Neptune forms a T-square with those from your second house. This raises a red flag in my opinion, because it is so easy to overlook important details under this influence. Keep that old adage about “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is” firmly in mind.

Jupiter in Pisces will be squaring your Moon in Sagittarius very soon. Since Jupiter rules Sagittarius, your emotions are probably all over the place, going from one extreme to the other. One day you are over the top when you think about your plans, and the next you could find yourself feeling way in over your head.

Saturn in Libra is transiting your eighth house and squared your natal Saturn last December. If you have felt like you have been walking through deep mud every time you spoke with your bank or other lending institutions about borrowing money, Saturn transiting the eighth is likely the cause. However, when Saturn moves back into Virgo and forms a sextile with your natal Jupiter in April and May, you may have a window of opportunity to exploit.

Best of luck with your new venture, Rossa! Just check and double-check all those pesky details before signing the dotted line.

Pat’s response:

Rossa, you are in a favorable period for money and business, no doubt, and recent planetary transits have triggered your mental processes, so it’s no surprise that you have been getting a rush of ideas.

With so many planets transiting your second house, this is a great time to increase your income. However, transiting Saturn is retrograde in your eighth house of “other people’s money” and moving toward opposition with Uranus in late April, creating an ongoing tug-of-war between working for an employer versus striking out on your own. This process has yet to play out, and I believe you will experience major developments this summer, when Jupiter enters Aries and when we have another pair of eclipses. The solar eclipse on July 11 will be closely conjunct your Descendant, suggesting a sudden, radical shift.

As you point out, this is a cardinal year, and big changes are on the way for all of us. It’s too early to tell how things will pan out, so any moves we make right now are exploratory and subject to change on a dime.

I would not discourage you from researching your idea and exploring how you can make it happen, but I do think you should remain as detached as possible from the idea itself. It is quite possible that, given upcoming planetary activity, this idea itself is not the answer, but that pursuing it will lead to a series of events that will put you in the right place at the right time.

Also keep in mind that before launching your new business, it’s a good idea to get a professional astrological reading to guide you with timing and other factors, such as who you will be working with.

Thank you for writing, and do keep us posted!

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact us, or we don’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.” NEW: You can also use the drop-down menu above under “About Us” to get to the question form. THANKS!

Ask Real Astrologers: What Is My True Purpose in Life?

This week’s question comes from Helena in Florida:

I currently work in insurance, and the job is stable but dreadfully boring. I’m trying to figure out what my purpose is. Do I need to go back to school? I’d really love to study astrology, but the few astrologers I’ve spoken to say you can’t make a career out of it. I thought about psychology, but spending the next three years or longer in school seems daunting. I feel so impatient. Any advice?

Pat’s response:

Helena, as you noted, transiting Pluto is sitting on your Ascendant, and Saturn is transiting your ninth house. You also have a very lovely trine from transiting Neptune and Chiron to your Midheaven, which is the cusp of the tenth house of career.

I love this combination for you and feel very positive that you will find the right career move very soon. Saturn transiting the ninth house is especially wonderful news. It means that you are moving toward a new career high. The next couple of years are ideal for going back to school, and while it might seem daunting to you now, there’s nothing like Saturn in the ninth house to bring you the discipline you need to get through.

That said, the square between transiting Pluto and Saturn does suggest challenges in finding the right career move, so it’s no surprise to hear that you are experiencing some uncertainty and confusion. Also, you are going to be heavily impacted by the cardinal energy that’s building over the next couple of years. At some point, the changes in your life may start snowballing out of control, taking you toward your new career faster than you may be prepared for.

In the meantime, my advice is to go with your heart, and the rest will follow. Your “boring” job may be just the ticket to allow you to pursue a career that, admittedly, is not going to rake in the bucks. You might want to check out Kepler College (www.kepler.edu), which is mostly an online program. There are other online astrology courses as well. If you view your day job as supporting your eventual move to a more fulfilling vocation, you may find it less of a drag.

Best of luck to you, and let us know how it goes.

Diane’s response:

Helena, with Jupiter in Scorpio natally in your tenth house, it is no surprise to see you working in the insurance business and doing very well, but all of us need to make a change once in awhile. Your natal stellium in Taurus is going to make sure if you do set off down a new path, you will have the wherewithal to do it.

I always like to look at the sign on the Midheaven and aspects to the ruler of the Midheaven in helping to determine the best fit for career choices. For you, this is Libra, which is ruled by Venus. Now your Venus is very happily placed in Taurus, closely conjunct your Mercury, Moon and Saturn, but this stellium is about a strong preference for staying with the known.

However, your Venus is also the apex of a Yod, or Finger of God, with Neptune in Sagittarius sextile Uranus in Libra as the base. This configuration might be the reason you are drawn to astrology, which is associated with Uranus. The conflict inherent in this particular Yod is between Taurus, who always prefers the status quo and its comforts with the outré, adventurous energy of the base planets and signs. Sagittarius is often found pursuing something new and different, especially in aspect to eclectic Uranus in Libra located in Sagittarius’ home base of the ninth house.

While Venus in Taurus enjoys working in the financial world, you may want to consider Libra vocations related to making life more beautiful in some way. Do you enjoy making improvements around your own home? Are you interested in designing gardens or home interiors to make other people’s lives richer through beauty?

Please remember you have a very strong emphasis in your chart on the fixed signs, so change of any kind is not exactly a walk in the park. Not only that, but earth is far and away the dominant element. Take your time and explore all your options carefully before initiating your next move, but once you have chosen your new course, jump right in. Fixed signs do best getting changes over as quickly as possible so they can settle into their new routines.

As Pat noted about your Saturn and Pluto transits, Helena, you are a good place to set your new course. Best of luck to you!

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Can’t I Heal My Back Pain?

This week’s question comes from Wendy in Hobart, Australia:

Why can I not heal my chronic pain in my lower left side back? I have worked on this on all levels, spiritually, mentally and emotionally, for years.

Pat’s response:

I can really sympathize with you, Wendy, as I injured my back a year ago, and I have chronic pain, a lot of it in the lower left side. In my case, however, the pain is directly related to an injury, which is different from chronic pain that persists for years.

Astrology is indeed a useful tool for dealing with this kind of pain, as it informs us of your energetic imprint and helps us detect where you may have built-in weaknesses. You didn’t give us a birth time, so I constructed a sunrise chart for you. This gives us an idea of planetary aspects but not house placements, which are very important in doing this kind of detective work. That said, a couple of things jump out at me in your chart.

First, you have a fixed T-square with Mars and Venus on one side, opposite Jupiter and the Moon, with Saturn and Pluto conjunct at the apex in Leo, which rules the heart and back. There are strong suggestions here of issues with mother and father. I know that sounds kind of Freudian and cliché, but our parents have such a huge impact on us, in ways we’re often unaware of, that many people do end up with lifelong issues as a result of their early childhood experience. Since you’ve already been doing emotional work, you’re probably aware of this.

Second, Mars currently is retrograde, and he’s sitting right on your natal Saturn-Pluto conjunction, which means he’s also activating your fixed T-square. If you’re having a major flare-up right now, it’s no surprise.

It’s beyond the scope of this column to explore all of the details. I strongly suggest that you find a good medical astrologer, who not only will dig more deeply into your chart, but who will help you find the best approach to heal. Bodies are different, and some respond better to certain treatments than others.

I literally feel your pain and wish you the best in finding relief.

Diane’s response:

Wendy, Pat covered the essentials for you, and I concur about consulting a good medical astrologer.

I would like to note a couple of other important aspects in your chart. One is an aspect to Mercury, the planet that rules your Gemini Sun, and the second is an aspect to your Sun itself.

Your Mercury is widely conjunct Uranus, gifting you with an exceptionally quick and agile mind. If you are used to being able to think your way around just about any problem, this is why. Pluto in Sagittarius opposed your Uranus and Mercury from sometime in 2004 until it moved into Capricorn in 2008 – a very important transit for you. Pluto transits have a way of making us review all sorts of uncomfortable issues in ourselves and our lives.

The second aspect is the natal trine between your Gemini Sun and Neptune in Libra. While this aspect is wonderful for any type of creative work, it also gives one a dislike for unpleasantness of any kind. Neptune in Libra is noted for choosing peace at any price . . . I know this, because my Libra Moon conjoins Neptune.

Sometimes hidden stressors are the source of physical aches and pains, and we are reluctant to acknowledge them, knowing how difficult they will be to deal with. As Saturn in Libra closes on your natal Neptune in Libra in September and October 2010, you may have opportunities to explore that possibility.

Best wishes on sorting this out, Wendy. Take advantage of Saturn’s transit through Libra over the year or so trine your Gemini planets and you may solve this yet!