Category Archives: Ask Real Astrologers

Ask Real Astrologers: How Do Progressed Charts Work?

Our first question in the new year comes from Rossa in Great Britain:

My 50th birthday is coming up soon and I’d like to know if you could tell me anything about progressed charts and how they work. Are they similar to synastry in terms of how you compare aspects and transits? I was thinking of doing one for my solar return in February, but I’m not sure what data to use. Do I use where I live currently or use my place of birth? Also I’ve read that a day is a year in a progressed chart so I assume from that that my progressed chart would be 50 days from my date of birth. Any help would be very welcome. Thanks.

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Libra PondersNeith’s response:

Rossa, you are correct about the progressed chart moving one year for one day. In general, the most important transitions by progression are when a planet moves from one sign to another. For example, your Sun progressed into Aries in early April 2005 after spending roughly 30 years in Pisces. If after that time you started to find it easier to assert yourself and put your interests first for a change, you can attribute that to your progressed Sun. The shift from Pisces to Aries is often one of the more dramatic ones because the signs involved are so different.

Since the Moon travels the fastest, changing signs by progression every two and half years or so, it is useful to look at the house and sign to gain understanding into how this affects you. It has been my experience that all progressions add to the expression of our natal charts but subtly in most instances. Your Moon progressed into Libra in June of last year but it remains in your eighth house. Perhaps being more equitable and even-handed in the way you are handling extreme circumstances is possible.

My suggestion is to keep it simple and look for the repeating themes and patterns, Rossa. Astrology is a wonderful tool to gain insight and understanding about ourselves and what’s important in our lives. Good luck with your studies!

 

Aquarius reflectsPat’s response:

Rossa, I used the progressed chart as a supplement to transits in the birth chart, although I know that some astrologers consider the progressed chart to be a more accurate reflection of where an individual is now in life versus their condition at birth. I also tend to use the progressed chart as a standalone, rather than looking at current planetary transits to the progressed chart. The exception is when a long-term outer planetary influence is hitting an angle or key planet in your progressed chart. Like Neith, I prefer to keep things as simple as possible. Too much information ends up being too confusing, unless you have a good ability to hone in on what transit or progression is the dominant influence in any given situation.

For the progressed chart, I use your place of birth, and there’s no particular magic about doing a progressed chart on your birthday, as it continues to evolve throughout the year, unlike a Solar Return chart, which remains static for the year from one birthday to the next. Incidentally, for birthdays, I prefer Solar Return charts, which also are standalone tools for reading a specific time period. For the Solar Return chart, we generally use the current place of residence, but astrologers disagree on this, too.

In addition to what Neith says about planets changing signs in the progressed chart, I look for changes in houses, especially for the Sun and Moon. The Sun changing houses is particularly important. You and I share many chart similarities, including a change in our progressed Sun from the first to the twelfth house. When this happened to me, I suddenly went from wanting to be famous to preferring to stay in the background, and this was also right about the time that I had a powerful spiritual awakening and began getting involved in metaphysical studies. Your progressed Sun slipped back into the twelfth house in 1993.

I hope that helps! Thanks for writing, and many blessings in the New Year.

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Ask Real Astrologers: I’m New to This, What’s It All Mean?

This week’s question comes from Susan in Ontario, Canada:

I had my birth chart done and am totally new at this. I was reading that Uranus is opposed to Saturn until 2010. What does it mean, that serious decisions I have coming up could/will affect me for years? My Moon is in Pisces. I knew long before that something was going to happen in 2012. I specifically married on the Winter Solstice, 2003, to a man I believe I knew from my Egyptian past life. His Moon is in Aquarius.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Well, Susan, that’s a load! We don’t have enough space here for me to answer all your questions thoroughly, but I’ll try to give you a brief big picture.

First of all, “getting your chart done” for a lot of people means having an astrologer interpret their birth chart. I don’t find this particularly useful. In my readings, I do transit charts — in other words, I look at where the planets are today in relation to their positions in your birth chart, and that way I can determine what forces are most influencing your life. Your first question, about how the Saturn-Uranus opposition will affect you, is a transit question.

In September 2009, Saturn and Uranus will form an exact opposition at 25 degrees Virgo and Pisces, which forms a conflicting square to your Ascendant at 25 degrees Sagittarius and your Descendant at 25 degrees Gemini. I believe you will see some big changes in your life at this time, and they could extend to your marriage, although this is not necessarily a bad thing. Neith has some things to add to this in her response, so I won’t go into more detail here.

As for what might happen in 2012, I don’t see anything unusual in your chart. Pluto will be well into your first house, suggesting a slow transformation over time. But that has started already, so this is not news. By then, Neptune will be out of Aquarius (but not yet conjunct your Pisces Moon), and the current emphasis on Aquarius will be long gone, as will the effects of the mutual reception between Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, and Neptune, ruler of Pisces. I’m betting that you two are feeling this, probably by being in unusual psychic link.

If you want to know more, I strongly recommend a transit reading, and you might also want to consider having a compatibility reading for you and your husband. Not only will this tell you more about your relationship’s strengths, weaknesses, and karmic connections, but a skilled astrologer will be able to identify time periods when significant connections between you may be activated.

By the way, I share your Moon in Pisces and can tell you that this is a quite psychic placement of the Moon that puts you in touch with “higher” forces. The only difficulty is that your imagination can get the better of you, but with some training and discipline, this can be a powerful tool to give you an edge in life.

Thanks for writing, Susan, and best wishes for the coming year.

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s response:

Yes, Susan, the Saturn-Uranus opposition definitely will impact your chart next year! The next exact pass on February 5, 2009, will find Saturn exactly conjunct your natal Jupiter in Virgo, likely causing you to slow down and make any necessary changes one step at a time. Since Jupiter rules your Sagittarius Ascendant and is located in the ninth house where Sagittarius rules, this is a significant transit all right.

The other factor with this transit is that, while Saturn is conjoining your Jupiter, it will be moving closer to an exact square with your Ascendant. By the next exact Saturn-Uranus opposition on September 15, 2009, the square to your Ascendant will be much tighter and therefore have more impact. I suggest you prepare to feel frustrated more often than not and to feel like your style will be severely cramped over the coming months. However, in the end if you step up and do what needs doing as gracefully as possible, you will be much further ahead.

Saturn can be very helpful in bringing discipline and determination to aid you on your path, but with Uranus opposing your Jupiter at the same time making you very restless, this is going to be a challenging period for you. What Uranus will bring to the table is many new insights and unconventional ideas and solutions. You may be presented with an opportunity to study in a unique environment. If so, go for it!

Good fortune on your journey, Susan.

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Ask Real Astrologers: Is This a Karmic Relationship?

This week’s question comes from Donna in Columbus, OH:

I have a question about one of the strangest relationships I have ever experienced. This is definitely a relationship where a strong romantic attraction exists, but honestly, it seems there is more to it. I knew the moment I met this man I already knew him, and told him so. Which, shockingly, he did not dispute or think I was completely insane!

Anyway, this man has his South Mode conjunct to both my Sun and Venus. I know there is a lot to look at with relationship charts, but could you just describe a little of what this placement could indicate? We see each other only a few times a year but our relationship seems to deepen even when we are not present in each other’s lives daily.

Libra ponders . . . Neith’s response:

Donna, the feedback I’ve received from others with aspects to the Moon’s Nodes in synastry particularly by conjunction supports what you are saying about what’s happening in this relationship.

Any time the Sun or Venus are active in synastry, the effect is generally on the positive side, because these two planets embody warmth and affection, and since it is your Sun and Venus, you are the person bringing these qualities to the relationship. The South Node represents ways of thinking and being we are most familiar with, and if you believe in reincarnation, then it’s what we bring into this life from past ones. This conjunction is all about pure comfort for both of you, so it is no surprise you enjoy spending time together.

A possible downside here comes about if the South Node person is not particularly conscious and drains the vitality of the Sun-Venus person. In a way it is a good thing you only see each other a few times a year because then you reap the benefits of this aspect bringing about a “no harm, no foul” situation.

Keep in mind if you do decide it’s important to be together more, to have an experienced astrologer give you feedback using both synastry and composite charts, provided you both have good birth times.

Enjoy for now!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Donna, you don’t say how close Venus and the Sun are to your friend’s South Node. In general, planets have to be within a degree or two of a lunar node to have much of an effect, unless there are other things going in the chart that provide more clues about possible karmic connections.

I do agree with Neith that there is something karmic going on here. I don’t believe in past lives, per se, but I believe that the energies we bring into this life do have relationships with energies that other people bring into their lives, and we attract or repel these accordingly. As Neith said, Venus and the Sun attract and in general are positive.

That said, I do know of one married couple in which the woman’s Venus and North Node are on the man’s Sun and South Node, and while they have a very comfortable and apparently easy relationship, there isn’t a lot of passion, and they appear to have a sort of unspoken contract to keep each other from delving too deeply into who they really are. In other words, they reinforce each other’s laziness about doing the work necessary to wake up and live to their fullest potential.

This strange relationship you are experiencing may simply be a reminder that we all have kindred spirits who come and go out of our lives, and that may be all there is to it. If not — if this is meant to be something more — it will develop when the time is right. Often, that timing happens when a chart point you have in common is triggered by a conjunction from an outer planet.

Good luck!

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Ask Real Astrologers: How Can I Use This Heavy Pluto Transit?

This week’s question comes from Crystal:

Early in 2009, Pluto in the 8th house will oppose my Sun in the 2nd and square my Moon in the 11th. What areas of my life will be affected? And, how what is the best way to use this period positively?

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Crystal, if you gave us the correct birth information, then Pluto already is in your eighth house and opposite your Sun, and you should know at this point how things are playing out. Remember, Pluto entered Capricorn in January 2008 and remained there for a few months until he went retrograde and slipped back into Sagittarius. He re-entered Capricorn on November 27. So you are in the midst of this powerful transit.

A Sun-Moon square often indicates internal conflicts, and with your Cancer Sun and Aries Moon, my guess is that you run into trouble trying to take care of others as a way of getting what you want and need, and then perhaps become resentful when that doesn’t work. You do not need to apologize for your needs or to try to keep them hidden. Being direct is good, and then you need to let others decide how to respond, whether to give you what you want or not. If they don’t, attempting to manipulate them will only backfire and make you feel worse. I’m not saying that you do this; it’s just a tendency I see with this configuration in your chart.

Pluto is “at home” in the eighth house, since this is the area of the chart he rules. I suspect that you already are going through a personal transformation and will continue to do so as Pluto transits your natal Sun and Moon. The square to your Moon may be especially difficult, as emotionally challenging circumstances may arise in order to help you grow and evolve consciousness. Also remember, with Pluto transits, the point is to learn to relinquish control. So I’m not sure there is really a way you can use this transit; just be aware of its effects.

If it’s any consolation, a lot of us are going through trying emotional times right now as humanity moves toward a higher state of consciousness awareness. You are not alone.

Much love and courage to you.

Libra ponders . . . Neith’s response:

Crystal, there is no doubt this is an important transit for you and will teach you more than you want to know about how you really feel about your friends and family over the next few years.

As Pat noted Pluto entered Capricorn for the first time from mid-January to mid-June this year and you may have gotten hints as to what to expect. With your Sun on the cusp of your second house and Pluto transiting the cusp of your eighth house, your values and personal finances will be highlighted and if you have a 401k or other investments those will be up for review. The square to your eleventh house Moon could find the nature of your friendships and relationships with women in particular undergoing deep changes.

Pluto generally plays nice in your natal chart with an exact sextile to your Mercury giving you a willingness to dig a little deeper than most into the “why’s” of life. Having Pluto conjunct the cusp of your fourth house does suggest powerful family bonds or an occasionally contentious relationship with your family, a theme continued by your natal Sun-Moon square. Pluto’s transit will stir all these issues up too and allow you to deal with them for one and for all. Keep in mind Pluto transits last quite awhile and create lasting changes.

If there is one lesson Pluto teaches us by transit, Crystal, it is about learning to detach one’s self from a specific outcome. In fact the more energy we invest in events unfolding according to our wishes, the less likelihood of that happening. Pluto in Capricorn is beginning the process of teaching everyone about how to do more with less and you may be getting a jump start on finding out what that means to you personally.

Best of luck!

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Ask Real Astrologers: What the Heck Is Going On Up There?

This week’s question comes from Deanne in Gresham, OR:

Could you please tell me what the heck is going on in the firmament? I tripped and fell last week and broke my arm. It’s in a bad spot — way up near the shoulder joint — so I’m working closely with a physical therapist for the next six weeks until the bone is healed and real therapy can begin. Three weeks before I fell, my husband slipped on the golf course and ripped the patellar tendon completely from his knee cap. He had surgery a few weeks ago and is looking forward to at least four months of healing. On the bright side, we have to support each other in almost everything and are enjoying this strange relationship of mutual dependency. We get a lot of laughs putting on each other’s socks and tying shoes.

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Wow! Talk about examples of how the Saturn-Uranus opposition can affect one’s life. Deanne, the trigger in your chart was most likely Saturn (skeletal structure) opposing Uranus (accidents) forming a T-square with your progressed Mars in Gemini in your first house.

This particular opposition represents the conflict between the urge to move quickly and the need for cautious action, and I’m sure there are lots of other people out there who are being thrown off balance and having accidents. Progressed Mars in Gemini is very much given to dashing about, and the Saturn-Uranus opposition put paid to that.

In your husband’s case, Saturn is transiting his first house, Uranus his seventh, and the pair of them is forming a T-square with his natal Uranus in his tenth house. Yup, Saturn really curtailed his ability to move about normally in the world at large and in his career. Uranus transiting his seventh can represent your unexpected injury and the need for the two of you to cooperate to do simple tasks.

One possible way to handle this opposition is creative (Uranus) restructuring (Saturn) of the way we manage those areas of our lives where this ongoing opposition falls, because we’ve got two more years of this opposition to work with. Good Luck!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Well, there is certainly more than one way to look at a chart, which is the whole point behind this column!

While I agree with Neith that the Saturn-Uranus opposition is wreaking havoc with many of us, I see the Scorpio-Taurus lunar cycle written all over this one, as well as the eclipse cycle in Aquarius and Leo.

Although the New Moon in Scorpio on October 28 and the Full Moon in Taurus-Scorpio on November 13 do not exactly correspond to the dates of your injuries, they are close enough, and these lunations were the midway point between important eclipses in August 2008 and January/February 2009. The reason I feel that these are driving factors in your situation is that you and your husband represent all four of the fixed signs. You are Taurus with Taurus Rising and Moon in Scorpio, while he is Aquarius with Leo Rising. This is a strongly fixed-sign relationship, and sometimes it takes crises to knock fixed-sign people out of old habits and into healthier ways of living and being.

You are so good-humored to see the absurdity and irony in the situation, but this is right-on astrologically. I have written a lot here and on my personal blog about this eclipse cycle and its unique opportunity for healing, including deep wounds stemming from an ancient separation between male and female. And here you are, joining together through remarkably similar injuries! I’m not sure I’d recommend this as the best means for healing a relationship, but whatever works!

Much love and courage to both of you, and keep us posted on your progress.

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Ask Real Astrologers: Can Astrology Help Me Sell My Home?

This week’s question comes from Kim in Valparaiso, Indiana:

I am fascinated with astrology and look at my chart from time to time. What I would like to know, how does a house move show up in a person’s chart? My husband and I have had our home on the market for over a year. There are close to 50 homes for sale in our area alone. Still, I remain hopeful and positive and pray a lot. Any insight would be appreciated.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Kim, you are not alone in worrying about the economy and real estate. This is a growing concern for many people.

I’ve worked with several clients who wanted to know when the time would be right to sell their homes. Generally, we look for significant transits to the fourth and eighth houses, and sometimes the ninth. The fourth house concerns your physical home, while the eighth house is associated with real estate and financial issues such as mortgage loans, profit and loss from real estate transactions, and so forth. The ninth house is often involved for long-distance moves, such as relocating to a foreign country.

Astrology can be very precise, but I do believe there are other forces at work, too. In the case of one client, I did accurately predict a favorable selling period, and she had a lot of potential buyers come through during that time. However, she also was looking for a home to buy, and she had something very specific in mind. It wasn’t until she found that home (and only because she knew the agent, who told her about it before it went on the market), that everything else magically fell into place, and she got an acceptable offer on her house. There was no astrological correspondence to this event that I could tell.

As always, astrology is one of many tools we can use to help make better decisions.

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Kim, I agree with Pat about the fourth and eighth houses being significant when selling a home for the same reasons; however transits to the Moon, ruler of the fourth, can also reflect the emotional stress of dealing the burdens of relocating one’s home base.

Speaking of rulers, the planets ruling the signs on your fourth and eighth house cusps as well as the Moon can be useful indicators. For instance, if Sagittarius is on the cusp of your fourth house then you may see some movement when Jupiter moves into Aquarius after the first of the year. Or transits to your natal Jupiter could signal change. Uranus transits in particular usually mark precipitous action of some kind.

My own sense is that we as a collective are holding our breath, waiting to see what Pluto in Capricorn will start to manifest as well as what Uranus moving forward brings. When the Sun moves into Aquarius along with Jupiter in January and the new administration takes office, then we stand a better chance of seeing home sales start to pick up again.

I wish you the best of luck with finding a buyer for your home. In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season.

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Ask Real Astrologers: Saturn-Uranus Opposition Aspecting Natal Jupiter

 This week’s question comes from Elizabeth in Minnesota:

I’m wondering what to expect from the Saturn/Uranus opposition in my 8th and 2nd houses, when Uranus is conjunct my natal Jupiter in the second. How might it all play out?

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Elizabeth, you are wise to start focusing on this process now, because you are moving into a period of intense adjustment and reevaluation. As the Saturn-Uranus opposition continues to unfold until July 2010, it will trigger your nodal axis, with your Sun conjunct your North Node in Gemini and your Moon-North Node conjunction.

The interplay between your sixth house Sun and twelfth house Moon is underscored by Saturn in Virgo, ruler of the sixth house, and Uranus in Pisces, ruler of the twelfth house. Your routines, both health and job related, will affect your self esteem and your willingness to be open to frequent revision of plans is key to the process. It is also important to allow your natural optimism to lead the way and avoid as much as possible getting caught up in paying too much attention to the tiniest details.

When Uranus turns direct on November 27 it will square your Nodal axis exactly in late December and for most of January 2009 for the final time. This transit can bring people and situations into our lives to jump start our awareness. Thankfully your Gemini Sun and Sagittarius Moon both enjoy new ideas and concepts and embrace change with more enthusiasm than others.

If there is any particular theme to hold in your mind and heart it is to always go for the big picture, the inclusive philosophies that embrace many different ways of thinking and being. By the time 2010 rolls around you may have come up with a whole new way of generating income for yourself most likely through service to others in some capacity.

Hey, at least Pluto is done turning you inside out emotionally and you will not be bored – Gemini’s least favorite thing. Good luck and do your best to be kind to yourself and all those who cross your path.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Well, as usual, when I let Neith go first, she makes all the salient points! What I can add, though, is that I, too, have the Saturn-Uranus opposition in my second and eighth houses, and so I’ve thought a lot about what this might mean.

With the U.S. economy in dire straits, we all want some security. I was a freelance writer, editor, and consultant for years, but being without health insurance and facing the feast-or-famine aspect of self-employment is wearing on me. This past May, I decided to take a day job, and this could turn into an opportunity for job security with great benefits, too. This is the Saturn side of the equation, and especially Saturn in Virgo, which is thinking about all the practical necessities. To get even more Virgo about it, I’m in a service career for the first time in my life rather than an intellectual desk job.

However, I expect the Uranus side to rebel sooner or later — likely sooner, as he comes out of retrograde next week, and then I think we’re going to see some rapid change. Uranus doesn’t like being put in a box, and in Pisces he wants to exercise creativity. In your second this house, this means earning a living through your creative, innovative side (as Neith noted, you likely will find a new way to generate income).

So you can see how these energies are opposed: one wants security, while the other wants freedom to create. I am hoping to find a way to integrate the two, and I wish the same for you, Elizabeth.

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Ask Real Astrologers: Will Pluto Help My Career?

This week’s question comes from Deirdre in Dublin, Ireland:

Pluto will trine my Ascendant early next year and the question I would like to ask you is, what can I expect and how can I prepare for this? Saturn’s transit on my Ascendant right now is hemming me in on all sides. Will I ever get a chance to shine in a career again? I was wondering if perhaps next year’s trine might help me to do just that.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Deirdre, Pluto’s trine to your Ascendant certainly couldn’t hurt, but I wouldn’t count on it to override other, more compelling transits that are in fact quite challenging.

The biggest issue I see for you is that transiting Saturn is conjoining your natal Pluto. Everyone born in the mid-1960s will experience this difficult transit over the next year or so, although it will be different for everyone depending on the location of Pluto in their natal chart and aspects to other planets. What you all have in common, however, is the complication of going through this transit during the opposition of Saturn and Uranus.

Typically, Saturn transiting natal Pluto feels like being stuck and getting slammed from all sides. I’m sorry to have to report this, and I don’t mean to scare you. But just know that it’s hard to make progress during this period, and trying to swim against the current likely will tire you out with no visible results. It’s almost better to do nothing, or at the very least save your energy for one or two priorities and put everything else on the back burner.

With Uranus in opposition, you will have the added factor of upsets and surprises, all designed to get you to make sweeping changes in your life. If Saturn weren’t in the picture, you’d be able to adjust fairly well, and you’d probably see the opportunities opening up to you, unless you’re the kind of person who fights change and needs to be forced to let go of people and situations. However, Saturn is a limiting presence, and no matter how much you may welcome change, something or someone may hold you back.

In your case, this probably will have to do with money, since Saturn and Uranus are opposing on your second and eighth house cusps. There will be changes, though, and some of them may come in surprising ways, totally out of left field. My best advice to you is to conserve your energy, hang in there, and don’t give up! It’s just a matter of waiting out the storm.

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Having Pluto trine your Ascendant-Jupiter will very likely be more helpful than not, Deirdre, but the second Saturn-Uranus opposition at 20° is the transit with the most potential for affecting the way the world at large sees you. Saturn will exactly conjoin your natal Pluto in Virgo on February 2, 2009, with Uranus opposing it from your seventh house.

The first pass from Saturn takes place the latter half of November 2008 and will introduce you to issues of import for you. Yes, you may feel hemmed in and weighed down, but the beauty of Saturn is that if you step up and take responsibility for your actions and continue to do the work, the rewards will come. I am willing to go so far as to say it is critical for you to address issues arising from the first pass of Saturn over your Pluto, because the second pass brings Uranus into the picture, and Uranus demands change.

Another important factor is that this transit will trigger your natal Yod with your Moon at the apex and your Sun sextile Pluto as the base. A Yod is comprised of two inconjuncts and a sextile and is also called the “finger of God.” This transit may bring into sharp focus the contrasts between your home and family oriented Sun in Cancer and your Moon in emotionally detached Aquarius. The other point of this pattern is, of course, your Pluto in detail-oriented, earthy Virgo, the sign traditionally associated with the sixth house.

All of these elements bring first-house, sixth-house, and eleventh-house matters into play. In other words, your presentation of yourself, especially in the workplace, is connected to your hopes and dreams and becoming your most authentic self. It may seem simplistic, but if you pay attention to how you feel (the Moon) on the job and observe how others respond to you (first house), you will gain insights into who you really are and your place within the big picture (Sun in the eleventh house).

Good luck on your journey!

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Ask Real Astrologers: Pisces Feels Like a Fish out of Water

This week’s question comes from Stephanie in Minneapolis:

I have Sun, Moon, and Mercury in Pisces, with the rest of the planets in Capricorn and Taurus. Is there anything interesting off the bat about this combination and could the three planets in Pisces be why I feel so awkward and out of place most of the time?

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Stephanie, there is nothing unusual about having three planets in Pisces, especially not when those three include the Sun and Mercury, which often are in the same sign. The Sun and Moon in the same sign indicates that you were born near a New Moon, which also is not uncommon.

However, you do have a very unusual chart, and it is easy to see why you feel “different” and out of place.

First of all, you were born during an exceptional period in 1988 and 1989, when Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were conjunct in Capricorn. Events happened in these years that literally were earth-shaking. So you are part of a generation born into rapid change. Young people your age are starting to come into their own now, and I’m seeing an increasing interest in astrology as you seek to understand your special place and the gifts you bring to the world. In some regard, you are all “different.”

Still, that doesn’t account for your specific feelings, which I would attribute to two things in your chart. First, you have Uranus near your Ascendant. Uranus is the “oddball” of our solar system, and those with strong Uranus in their charts tend not to fit into anyone’s mold. This is also true of Aquarius, the sign ruled by Uranus in modern astrology.

Second, your Ascendant is at 27 degrees Sagittarius, which is the Galactic Core, the center of our galaxy. I’ve written quite a bit on my blog, The Pisces Chronicles, about Pluto’s recent conjunction with the GC, which will provide you with some information about the signficance of this point in space. People with Sun, Ascendant, or other key planets on the GC often have uncommon psychic abilities. These can take many forms, and they can make you feel apart from others who don’t have these capabilities.

We don’t have the space in this forum to go into any depth. I strongly suggest that you get a complete reading with an astrologer you feel comfortable with, as astrology is one of the best tools there is to get to know yourself.

Thanks for writing, and many blessings to you.

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Steph, what struck me when I looked at your chart was while all your planets are in either earth or water signs, your Ascendant and Midheaven are in fire and air, respectively. What this can mean is the way others see you in the world has little in common with your private persona and may contribute to your sense of feeling awkward.

Any person with a preponderance of earth and water will be at home with their feminine side and will need to consciously learn to cultivate “masculine” qualities such as being assertive and direct. For you, learning more about your Sagittarius Rising and how this forthright fire sign operates will help you. I realize Pluto in Sagittarius transiting your Ascendant in 2006 and 2007 may have been a crash course, but sometimes Pluto transits are so overwhelming that it takes time to process them.

When Pluto entered Capricorn in January of this year, it conjoined your natal Uranus in Capricorn in your first house. This transit repeats at the end of November. This is an excellent transit to claim your unique appearance and manner and tell the rest of the world to go hang! Pluto transits to the first house teach us lessons in becoming aware of our personal power and of our authentic selves.

Good luck and always keep in mind the power of earth and water . . . think volcanoes and tidal waves!

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Ask Real Astrologers: Am I at Risk on These Dates?

This week’s question comes from Maggie in Christchurch, New Zealand:

I have recently felt drawn to “watch where I am walking,” so I started looking into transits, in particular my transits. I have yet to decide if this is a good thing or not. … My concern is this: There have been a few dates that have stood out as being “risky” in that I see the potential for an accident or illness. Being a single mother of five, I believe being forewarned is being forearmed. On December 22, there will be Sun conjunct Mars and Pluto, Mercury trine Saturn, Venus conjunct Neptune and Chiron, and Saturn conjunct Uranus. … Other dates of concern are December 10, 11, and 15. Am I reading too much into these transits, or am I being prudent? Your advice is deeply appreciated.

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Hi Maggie, first I’d like to thank you for your kind words about Real Astrologers and what Pat and I are doing here. It’s always a pleasure to get great feedback from our readers.

What I see as an issue for you is how all your Aries planets are being contained, as it were, by other planets and signs. With your ruling planet Mars in “steady as she goes” Taurus semi-sextile to Saturn in Aries, you are less assertive than most Aries people. However with your North Node in Aries conjunct your Sun and Mercury, being assertive and a self-starter are right and proper for you. Having your Venus conjunct Saturn in the first house and Pisces Rising can present an image to the world at large of a rather subdued personality and lead people you meet to underestimate your naturally spirited self.

The first transit of Saturn conjunct your natal Pluto in Virgo is likely weighing on you now, and when it is exact in the last half of November, you will get an idea of issues you will be dealing with over the next year. However, natal Pluto is part of a grand trine with Mars and the Moon, so you may find this Saturn transit will open new doors relating to your career goals. Keep in mind that Saturn always demands we work for his rewards and you will be fine.

Honestly, I believe all Mars transits for you are more in the nature of a wake-up call to be true to your Aries self. Yes, Mars can make us irritable and feisty, but for Aries people that is a challenge not a threat! My suggestion would be to start celebrating your Aries and surprise a few people.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Maggie, I can understand why you might be concerned by the transits you are about to experience, but I also can tell you that one of the hazards of being an astrologer is that we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to looking at our own charts!

You will learn as you advance your studies in astrology that the biggest question we face is how a particular energy will manifest. There are nearly unlimited possibilities. This is especially true for complex transits with more than one planet involved.

Like you, I have Uranus in the seventh house close to the Descendant, and what often happens with transits to my natal Uranus is that my relationships are disrupted in some way. That said, there is no reason not to exercise some extra caution around that time. A few years back, during a “risky” Mars transit, I ran across the highway in high-heeled boots, fell, and sprained my ankle. You can hardly blame Mars for that, can you? As an astrologer, I should have been the first to stop myself from doing such a stupid thing, which would have been imprudent at any time.

The good thing about Mars transits is that they don’t last long. The bigger issue I see for you is that you are having your Uranus half-return with transiting Saturn and Uranus in opposition. Normally during the Uranus half-return — also known as the midlife crisis — we break out of routines and situations that have prevented us from being our authentic selves. It’s common to shock our friends and family with our behavior during this transit, as they don’t understand why we’re doing such radical things. But for you, it’s a necessary part of your personal growth.

With Saturn inhibiting this energy, you may encounter more pressure than usual by people who want you to stay where you are because it’s in their best interest. When we suppress our growth to please others, that energy sometimes does spill over as an accident or illness in order to get our attention. I would definitely take Neith’s advice to heart and let your Aries out to play.

Best of luck to you!

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