Aquarius-Leo: Why Your Ego Matters in the New Age

I am very pleased to introduce you to Ruth Hadikin, my colleague in the UK who specializes in Soul Astrology. In the first part of this two-part article, Ruth introduces us to the origins and fundamentals of this esoteric branch of astrology. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (You can read more about Ruth on my new Associates page.) ~Pat

Soul Astrology draws upon Psychological Astrology, Transpersonal Astrology and Esoteric Astrology. Soul Astrology is a bridge to get us from ‘here’ to ‘there’. Where is here? Our current psychological state in which our sense of identity stems from our egoic mind, and self-concepts based on personality traits. Where is ‘there’? An evolved post-egoic state in which our sense of identity comes from a true ‘realization’ of ourselves as spiritual beings: based on our own inner experience.

With Alice Bailey as his ‘channel’*, the Tibetan wrote the work known as ‘Esoteric Astrology’. It was said at the time of publishing that we really wouldn’t have the consciousness to understand most of it, and that it would take Astrologers of the future to interpret it. Esoteric Astrology concerns itself largely with ray energies, the destiny of humankind, and nations. It is a science of energies and triangles, that are used to create energetic fields which, in turn, support creation and sacred geometry. In comparison with the personality-based Astrology of the day, the role of personality was minimised.

The Astrology of Rays and the Science of Triangles will become increasingly relevant, once we have collectively transcended ego, but we are a long way from that Aquarian utopia. If we try to run before we can walk there is a danger here of great delusion. We can believe ourselves to have surpassed (transcended) ego when indeed we are still in the pre-egoic state. In order to transcend our ego, we must first pass through this important stage in our spiritual development.

The challenge for the Aquarian age is to separate beliefs, man-made ideas and delusion from spiritual truth. The German philosopher Friedrich Neitzche spoke of three stages of consciousness: the Camel, the Lion and the Child. The Camel represents tribal consciousness, where we follow the herd, follow the masses, and go along with the collective consciousness. The Camels are sleeping – no great awakening here! This is the pre-egoic state.

The Lion represents individualisation – the ability and the willingness to stand alone. Separate. Apart from the herd. In terms of our personal spiritual development this is the development of, and identification with, our ego. The Lions (represented by Leo) are waking up. This is our currently emerging egoic state.

The Child represents the ‘free spirit’ once we are liberated from our egoic challenges and delusions. This is the post-egoic state. Our spirit is ‘free’. The Child is our fully awakened, or enlightened, Self.

[headline h=”5″]Why Your Ego Matters![/headline]

What is our ego? The word ego is misused so much in so-called ‘new age’ and spiritual circles, and often in a derogatory way. (Indeed it is often used in such a way as to try and suppress the newly-emerging ego). A simple definition of ego is ‘when the mind is thinking about itself’. If you are thinking you are (or are not) something, that is ego. Who you really are cannot be thought about.

We spend a lot of time and money trying to get rid of our ego, thinking we have transcended it, only to trip over it and realize – oops! There ‘it’ is again! Yet our ‘ego’ is very important, and without it we could not experience our own, personal, individualised, Soul.

Without individuals experiencing their own inner spiritual journey, there would be no ‘new age’. There would be no spiritual age of awakening for who would be awakening? It is individuals who awaken, not ‘collectives’.

To be continued …

Ruth

* I use the word channel, but it is often thought that the Tibetan (who later became known as the Master DK) was alive and well and the Abbot of a monastery in Tibet at the time. So this could have been an example of telepathic transmission between their two minds.

[hr]

This article is an extract from “Evolving Consciousness, Soul Astrology and the Aquarian Age,” an ongoing series in the “Living Soul Astrology” section of Life Coaching Magazine.

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Ask Real Astrologers: Will I Ever Find a Partner?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pat

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!

Full Moon in Taurus, November 21, 2010

The Lost Pleiad, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1884.

Sunday’s Full Moon in Taurus is so potent that I half expect we’ll go through a black hole and come out somewhere else. Or we’ll be contacted by an alien race telling us it was all a big joke.

OK, I’m kidding. Sort of. It’s apparently what we’re supposed to do at this Full Moon, according to the Sabian symbol (see below).

Seriously, though, this is going to be a big one. I feel as though I’m being squeezed through some kind of cosmic tunnel and will pop out the other side in a few days.

Venus and Jupiter, which return direct within a few hours of each other on Thursday, both play major roles in this Full Moon – Venus by rulership and Jupiter by aspect.

Venus has had plenty of bad hair days during her retrograde in Scorpio, which began on October 8. She pulled out her claws and teeth, too. I know several people who felt the sting, mostly in relationships. She has calmed down since returning to Libra, one of the two signs she rules. Taurus is the other.

I’m reminded of the difference between the Sumerian goddess Inanna, goddess of love and light, and her sister, Ereshkigal, goddess of the underworld. As you may recall, Ereshkigal’s husband was the “Bull of Heaven.” Presumably, this is a reference to the constellation Taurus. It’s also evident that Ereshkigal represents the shadow side of Inanna and, indeed, the shadow in all of us. Scorpio – the sign opposite Taurus on the zodiac wheel – symbolizes that shadow. It’s everything that we deny, repress, and run away from. In Greek and Roman mythology, the underworld is ruled by Pluto, which of course is the modern ruler of Scorpio.

It’s as though Venus was playing the role of Ereshkigal during her retrograde phase, and many of us had to go through some sort of “underworld” experience in order to evolve to the next level. In the sign of Libra, with the Full Moon in Taurus, Venus returns to her role as radiant goddess of love, light, beauty and abundance.

It’s interesting to note that Venus went retrograde at 13 degrees Scorpio, which was the degree of the New Moon on November 6. The cycle completes itself at the Full Moon, which falls at 29 degrees Scorpio/Taurus.

The Sun and Moon form a fixed T-square with Neptune and Chiron – both just out of retrograde – at the apex. This might suggest trouble, and perhaps for some people, there will be some healing pain as old wounds flare up. However, this is one instance in which I believe love will conquer all. Not only is Neptune a higher vibration of Venus and symbol of a higher love, but at the Full Moon he’ll be in a very close trine to Venus. In other words, the T-square is not a tightly closed box, but it has a clear path out, and that path is Love.

The closest aspect made by the Sun and Moon is a trine to Uranus, planet of surprises and sudden change. Uranus isn’t direct yet but will be in a couple of weeks, and he’s in conjunction with Jupiter – close enough that their combined energies create a path for sudden breakthroughs. The potential for advances in spirituality is of galactic proportions. And remember, my definition of “spirituality” has to do with our ability to sense the invisible energies that course through the universe and to use those energies to our advantage and the advantage of our fellow humans. Part of that vision is seeing through the illusion of time.

Mercury, Mars, Ceres, Saturn, and Pluto make no aspects to the Full Moon, but they interact with each other. People seem to drive crazier at the Full Moon, and this certainly will be the case with Mercury and Mars in speed-demon Sagittarius. Hopefully, the sextile with Saturn in balance-minded Libra will help keep drivers focused on arriving at their destination in one piece. I already discussed the Ceres-Saturn square in my weekly forecast.

Although I usually don’t write about fixed stars, it’s worth mentioning that this Full Moon is conjunct the Pleiades. The 29th degree of Taurus sometimes is called the “weeping degree” because of its connection to this star cluster (which due to precession is now at 0 degrees Gemini). In traditional astrology, this is a very unfortunate star, associated with blindness, accidents, bereavement, loss, and other tragedies.

The weepy factor ostensibly is derived from the mythology of the seven sisters, who were turned into stars by Zeus to avoid pursuit and rape by Orion. However, each of the seven also was loved by the gods of Olympus, and some were credited with giving birth to royal lines of humans. The origin of the name “Pleiades” is debated, but one theory is that it stems from the same root as “full” or “plenty.”

At the Full Moon in sensual Taurus, that theory gets my vote, and I don’t buy all the handwringing. My dear friend Tseka, a gifted interpreter of myths, believes that this location in space is a portal. I would add that it’s a portal to true love.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 29°18′ Taurus is, A peacock parading on an ancient lawn, with the keyword ALOOFNESS. This is a perfect symbol for the common saying, “Fake it ’til you make it.” We’re on a journey and not there yet, but there’s something to be gained by visualizing ourselves there and at least looking the part. There’s nothing wrong with it, as long as we know we’ve still got work to do. If I had my druthers, I’d change the keyword aloofness to DETACHMENT.

For the Sun at 29°18′ Scorpio, the Sabian Symbol is The Halloween jester, with the keyword SPONTANEOUSNESS. This symbol is about not taking life too seriously. Sure, we’re on an evolutionary course, doing important work. But if we can’t laugh at ourselves, we’re taking it all way too seriously, and we’re missing the point. Take a moment to lighten up and have a good belly laugh at life’s absurdities.

If nothing else, it will keep you from weeping.

Pat

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmund Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in 1925 with the help of Elsie Wheeler, a gifted psychic. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Weekly Forecast November 15: Venus and Jupiter Direct

Big trees. Old growth in Wenatchee National Forest. © Pat Paquette, 2010

We’re in a weird space as this week begins, with three planets stationed.

Neptune went direct more than a week ago but has moved forward by only one arc minute, so for all practical purposes, he’s standing still. Jupiter stations on Tuesday and will remain at a dead stop for the rest of the week. Venus has a smaller orbit and so doesn’t remain at a standstill for long, but she’s moving real slow. Then there’s Uranus, moving at just two arc minutes a day.

I had vivid dreams the past few nights about being in Russia and India. Was I channeling Obama or Jonathan Cainer? Or just picking up psychic noise? It was so very strange.

If it feels like you’re in a freeze-frame, enjoy the moment and use this energy … because you can use it. This is a powerful time to visualize the creative changes you want to make in your life – sort of like sending your Christmas wish list to Santa.

On Monday, Mars sextiles Saturn and the Sun trines Jupiter. Mars-Saturn combinations usually aren’t very much fun, but this one creates a favorable environment for detailed planning for the future. Visualize that wish list and then do your back-of-the-envelope calculations for how you’ll get what you want. Ask yourself whether your goals are realistic and whether you have the resources to accomplish them. You can cross off your list anything that doesn’t pass the reality check or contribute to a balanced life.

The Sun-Jupiter trine is even better and should help boost our optimism about what’s possible. We can be realistic and practical, without feeling like we have to stay inside the lines and think inside the box. Indeed, the Sun also will trine Uranus on Friday, and that’s where our creativity and innovative spirit gets a big shot in the arm.

But I’m getting ahead of myself …

On Wednesday, Mercury sextiles Saturn, adding mental acuity and big thinking to the muscle of Mars. If you can imagine it, it’s possible.

Thursday is the big day this week, when both Jupiter and Venus return direct within a few hours of one another. Jupiter and Venus traditional were considered the benefics – the lucky planets. When Jupiter is retrograde, it’s not so bad. He’s just asleep at the wheel and isn’t all that helpful. Once he wakes up, yawns, and stretches, I expect that we’ll all be experiencing some major breakthroughs, whether material, emotional, spiritual, or all three.

Venus is another matter. She can be quite vicious in retrograde mode, although thank goddess she returned to Libra for her station. A lot of you contacted me with serious issues during this retrograde, mostly regarding romantic relationships, but there were financial setbacks, too. If you ended a relationship during this retrograde, don’t try to force a repair. Just observe for a bit and take time to reflect on what you really want. It’s quite possible that your goals and desires have changed.

Earlier on Thursday, the Sun squares Neptune and Chiron, which will be at the apex of a brief fixed T-square at this Sunday’s Full Moon. Some of you might feel tired and discouraged, and others might have momentary delusions of grandeur. However, I don’t see this as the dominant energy, and if it rains on your parade it all, you should only feel a drop or two. If you’re tired or coming down with the seasonal crud that’s going around, use this time to rest.

On Saturday, Saturn squares Ceres. This is the third and final pass of a three-part square that began on March 24 and repeated on June 16. The cardinal T-square was ramping up back then. What we saw was a conflict between infrastructure, energy production, and the environment. So, I would expect another incident that brings this message full circle.

Speaking of environmental consequences, there is a tragic outbreak of cholera in Haiti as a result of the cramped, makeshift living conditions since the country was devastated by an earthquake in January. Mount Merapi in Indonesia also continues to erupt, and the death toll is rising. These situations are two examples of how the cardinal T-square has unfolded, both before and after its peak in July and August. Ceres was a substantial influence in the planetary alignment.

On Sunday, there will be a Full Moon at 29 degrees Taurus, and it will form a fixed T-square with Neptune and Chiron at the apex. I’ll have a full analysis in a day or two (I didn’t post yesterday, because the Full Moon is still a week away). In the meantime, keep your eye on the prize.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Am I Feeling So Weird Around People?

This week’s question comes from Michelle in Southampton, UK:

I’ve been feeling really confused lately about being around other people. Normally I know who I am and that naturally directs how I should act and I get along with people well enough if they are compatible with me. Lately it seems as if I am confused about “who to be” around others, as if I don’t really know which part of myself to share with them … or something. I have had difficulties with a Libra that I was briefly dating and people I am obliged to be around every day, with whom there is no hostility but frequent awkwardness. What is going on???

Well, Michelle, I don’t suppose transiting Neptune exactly on your Ascendant at 25 degrees Aquarius would have a thing to do with it.

Neptune has been straddling your Ascendant since the beginning of the year, and that alone would explain the weirdness you feel. And your description of not having a good idea who you are anymore? Those words could have been lifted right out of the astrology textbook. Confusion, fog, being in a daze … that’s Neptune for you.

The Ascendant is the face you wear when you’re out in the world. It makes sense that how you come across to others and how you sense others’ perception of you would be very confused with the planet of fog, illusion, delusion, and confusion on your Ascendant.

Neptune went retrograde in late May and just turned direct last week. He stationed – stopped while shifting phases – dead on your Ascendant, and he’ll be there pretty much for the rest of the month.

Since Neptune is on your Ascendant, that means he’s opposite your Descendant, which marks the beginning of the sector of your chart that rules close personal relationships. So it also makes sense that your closest relationships are thrown into confusion. Dating while Neptune is on your Ascendant can be a tricky business, indeed. You are very susceptible to seeing with rose-colored glasses at this time, and you may fooled into thinking you’ve found The One, when later you’ll look back and wonder what on earth you were thinking.

To complicate things further, Neptune isn’t alone on your Ascendant right now, but he’s in conjunction with Chiron. That likely accounts for the awkwardness you describe.

Once Neptune crosses over solidly into your first house, some of the weirdness will die down. However, this is the beginning of a period of several years in which you will go through changes in your personality that may totally alter your idea of who you are. It is very possible that you won’t know yourself as well as you used to, because you will be very different than the You you used to know.

The standard advice I give while Neptune is in your first house is to check in periodically for a reality check with a friend or family member you trust. Listen to them, and take their advice seriously, even if your first reaction is to dismiss it out of hand.

I hope that helps!

Pat

Horary Astrology

In an effort to broaden the knowledge you find here on RealAstrologers, I’m inviting a select group of professionals with different approaches and other areas of expertise to become RealAstrologers Associates. Today I’m happy to introduce you to Helene Schnitzer, an exceptional astrologer in Glastonbury, England, who presents an introduction to Horary Astrology. ~ Pat

Horary Astrology is a divinatory technique that finds the answers for simple questions in the moment they were asked. The thought behind it is that question and answer are made up of the same ingredients, like the two sides of a coin. The same energies that are needed to formulate the questions make it possible to find the answer.

The origins of this technique are nebulous, but many of the rules for interpretation were preserved by Medieval Arab astrologers, whose writings often referred to ancient Greek and even Egyptian sources. It is quite possible that Horary was developed in ancient times for clients who didn’t know their date of birth but had their questions like everybody else.

In Europe, Horary Astrology became increasingly popular from the 15th – 18th centuries. But with the advent of the so-called Age of Enlightenment, astrology fell into disrepute altogether and only made a comeback during the last century.

Nowadays, only a certain number of astrologers have mastered this technique, which is quite different from natal astrology. But if your astrologer knows how to interpret a horary chart, you can hand her or him your question and possibly the date and time of the moment it arose. However, most Horary practitioners stick to the rule that the moment the astrologer hears and understands the question is crucial.

Your astrologer will first establish whether the chart is “valid.” Sometimes you may be told that it is too early or too late for your question, or that the chart is unreadable. This is not a cop-out on the astrologer’s part; there are interpretation rules for such cases. For example, some astrologers refuse to read Horary charts that feature Saturn in the seventh house. This chart area signifies, among other things, the astrologer, and Saturn in this place indicates that he or she might make a mistake.

But if the chart is “valid” – and most of them are – the astrologer will then look for the significators (representatives) of your question in the chart, to analyse their individual strength and their relationship with each other.

Let’s assume the question is, “Will I find my lost car keys?” The astrologer will identify the planet signifying you and the one representing your keys. If they make no connection in the chart, you may be advised to call the locksmith. But if they do, and the aspect between them is favourable, you may have to wait a while but you will get your keys back. In some cases the astrologer will even be able to tell you exactly where to go and look for them!

One question people ask very often is, “Will my lover (husband, wife) return to me?” Again, if the two significators make a connection in the foreseeable future, the answer is yes. But beware! If the connection between those two planets is tense, the querent may just be confronted with the same old arguments and yet another break-up. Or, if the planet signifying the querent is in a weak position, the return of the partner may not be in the querent’s best interest.

If you are about to give Horary a try, please remember to keep your question simple. Some people try to cover every eventuality by formulating complicated sentences, packing three questions into one. Maybe they think that this way, they will definitely get their money’s worth. But it doesn’t work like that. The simpler you formulate your question, the clearer the answer will be.

Right now, I am wondering whether this piece of writing will be published. Let’s see. The Sun signifies the article and is in the third house of communication and writing, so yes, the chart is valid. The Moon, another significator of the article, is in the fifth house of creativity and entertainment. OK, that shows how much fun I have writing. However, the Moon in Capricorn is not at its best and this is not high literature, sorry. Luna is also very close to the North Node, a point of destiny – these words had to be written! The next connection the Moon will make is a favourable partile aspect to Mars. Mars represents the ninth house of foreign countries and of publications. So yes, this piece will be published, and on a website in another country than where it was written.

I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Helene

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

Weekly Forecast November 8: Mercury Enters Sagittarius, North Node Conjunct Pluto

Waning light of autumn. © Pat Paquette, 2010

The cardinal T-square is over, right? So why does it feel like the gift that keeps on giving?

There are a few different ways to answer that.

First, it’s not officially over yet. It has dissipated for a time, but it will be back in the spring, after Jupiter and Uranus are back in Aries, and then it will be activated on and off throughout 2011.

Second, a configuration like this doesn’t just happen and then “go away.” When the planets were aligned in a similar fashion in the early 1930s, a decade of economic depression followed, even though the planets were no longer aligned in a cardinal T-square. Something was initiated, which is what happens when planets are in cardinal signs. As they progress through the zodiac, the seed that was planted takes root and grows.

We are in that phase now. It’s interesting to note that economic writers who don’t follow astrology are talking about similarities between conditions in the early 1930s and current global economics.

Third – and here’s where I segue into this week’s forecast – the lunar North Node gradually has been moving toward the early degrees of Capricorn and conjunction with Pluto, who was the focus of the T-square in 2010.

As I noted in a post last week, there’s a dramatic conjunction on Tuesday of Pluto and the North Node, which at that hour (1:12 p.m. EST) is still retrograde. It turns direct two hours later, just two minutes before the Moon conjoins Pluto. The node remains direct for four days, until 11:31 a.m. EST on November 13. During these four days, the North Node will remain within three arc minutes of Pluto. For all practical purposes, that’s an exact conjunction.

As far as I know, there is no astrological record of what happens when the North Node goes direct in conjunction with the Moon and Pluto, so I am speculating here. What I think may happen is that many of us will have a fleeting glimpse of the true nature of time, and that could mean a lot of premonitions, as well as past-life recognition or feelings of being in another time and place. It may happen in your dreams or while you’re awake. If it’s the latter, you could feel disoriented. I strongly recommend keeping a notebook with you this week.

I’d like to compare notes with others to see whether we can identify a pattern. Perhaps there’s something in the collective waiting to be discovered, and we’ll all get a glimpse of it together.

Otherwise, there isn’t a whole lot going on this week, astrologically speaking. On Monday, Mercury enters Sagittarius. It’s the sign of his detriment, and yet our mental processes tend to speed up. So does traffic, commerce, and other Mercury-ruled activities – to the extent that circuits can get overloaded and break down. At the very least, our sense of humor should improve, and we should feel a bit more optimistic.

Before I conclude, I want to share with you an e-mail I received from a client last week. He described his experience over the past several months like this:

[callout][It’s] like I am at the plate, bat in hand, and God is a stud pitcher throwing all his best stuff at me – curve balls (Uranus), sliders, breaking balls, fast balls … I keep swinging, it’s what I am supposed to do. If I crowd the plate or get too aggressive or expect too much (Mars), I get creamed with an inside pitch to the side of the head (Saturn). I guess I have to accept and wait for my pitch. They say that when the big league players are on their game, the ball coming at them is huge (like Jupiter). They see it almost in slow motion, swing, and wham, it’s outa there.

I keep thinking of Kirk Gibson. In the 1988 World Series he had a stomach virus and could barely walk because of knee injuries sustained in the series before (he was literally beat to shit). He could not play his regular position. The coach put him in to pinch hit and after battling through six pitches, he connects and the ball is out of the park. I will never forget that.

Here’s to seeing the pitches.[/callout]

Sports metaphors aren’t my forte, but I know a home run when I see it.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Saturday Extra!The Fogs of Neptune

Neptune returns direct today, and it’s fitting that I’m literally surrounded by fog. It sure feels that way internally, with all the late nights catching up on my backlog of consultations.

We’d love to love Neptune, who at his best symbolizes love unlimited by space or time. He (some call him “she”) is said to be a higher vibration of Venus, whose love can be selfish and demanding. However, there is no denying the other side of Neptune, the one that can trick us into seeing something that’s not there … or, as is more often the case, not seeing something that is.

As he’s at a standstill today, we may see both sides, especially with Venus retrograde and about to go from Scorpio, the sign of her detriment, back into Libra, one of the two signs she rules. It’s not so easy to love someone with all their flaws, idiosyncrasies and ways they differ from us. When we do, magic happens, and that’s the beautiful side of Neptune.

The alternative is to put them on a pedestal – the infamous “rose colored glasses” aspect of Neptune – but of course they inevitably come tumbling down, and we feel deceived.

Neptune also is the planet of dreams and visions, but we need to take great care here, too. As I’ve said before, channeling is a tricky business. You can’t believe everything you hear on the astral plane.

Time for another cup of coffee…

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: How Often Do We Get a Saturn Return?

This week’s question comes from Chiara in Alghero, Italy:

How often does Saturn return in a person’s chart? I’m pretty sure my Saturn returned around 2000 and would like to know if it is planning on returning again anytime soon. It caused some major damage the last time it came around.

Chiara, Saturn takes about 29 years to orbit the Sun, so that’s how long it takes to return to the exact degree it occupied in your natal chart. That means everyone has a Saturn return at about 28-29 years old and again around 58 and then in their late 80s.

The first Saturn return typically is the most disruptive, unless you’re one of the fortunate few who got your act together very early in life. If you’re not on the right path, or if you’re frittering away your gifts and talents and acting irresponsibly in general, your first Saturn return may bring crises that force you to grow up. Even if you’re pretty well on track, other things can happen around your Saturn return to take you to a new stage in life. Sometimes people get married or have their first child at this time.

Your Saturn return was not in 2000 but in 1998. Because your natal Saturn is in your first house, close to your Ascendant, transiting Saturn was in your first house, which is often a difficult time even when you’re not going through a Saturn return. In January 2000, he was still in your first house, but Jupiter also was there, and that should have helped alleviate some of the difficulty of a first-house Saturn transit. Moreover, by the middle of the year, Saturn had left your first house entirely.

Whatever “damage” occurred in that year, we can’t attribute it to your Saturn return. There were lots of other things going on, though.

In 2000, Chiron and Pluto were conjunct, and that was a difficult combination. They were in your eighth house, which is associated with death and transformation. If you lost loved ones in that year, it wouldn’t surprise me.

Also in 2000, Saturn was opposite your natal Neptune, and that also can be an extremely challenging transit. Emotionally, you don’t feel like yourself, and you may go through a period of depression.

Transiting Saturn and Pluto weren’t yet in close opposition in 2000, but they were in opposite houses in your chart, so your finances were under intense pressure.

As for your second Saturn return, it’s several years away, and it should be much easier. And in any case, a Saturn return is nothing to fear. It’s an important milestone in life. While it may bring heavier responsibilities, working hard pays off, and you get the rewards, too.

I hope that alleviates some of your concerns, Chiara, and thanks for writing.

Pat

The Dream of Scorpio

The other day I was lying on my back, listening to a recording of keyboards intermixed with ocean waves. It reminded me of my life in California, many years ago.

It might as well have been a past life. I was someone else back then, and I was somewhere else, with an entirely different group of people. As the memory flooded into my mind, I wondered … If we can remember being in a different place and time in this incarnation – and in such vivid detail – why should we not be able to remember lives in other places and times outside of this lifetime? What’s the obstacle?

I believe it’s hard-wired into our brains, a necessary adaptation not unlike a scientific experiment in which the variables are controlled in order to understand cause and effect. Being able to see everywhere at once would impair our ability to function in the moment, and we probably wouldn’t be able to learn much.

Sometimes, though, we pierce that veil and get glimpses of other lives. The original meaning of the word apocalypse is “rending of the veil,” the revealing of something hidden. That’s why the “Revelation of St. John” in the Christian Bible is referred to alternatively as the Apocalypse or, simply, “Revelations.” It is about John’s prophetic vision.

Some people are more adept than others. I’ve also found that some locations lend themselves to it more than others, and there are certain times of the year when we’re more apt to have contact with otherworldly beings. According to tradition, the veil between the worlds is the thinnest around this time of year. Many people I know, myself included, are more psychic while the Sun is in Scorpio, especially in the week or so leading up to Halloween. This year, it may not end there.

On November 9, the lunar North Node conjoins Pluto. The lunar nodes move in a retrograde pattern, but they turn direct now and again for a few hours or sometimes a few days. The Node will be retrograde when it conjoins Pluto, but a couple of hours later, it turns direct, just as the Moon is moving into alignment with both the Node and Pluto. If you feel a little strange around this time – dizzy, disoriented, sleepy, or otherwise “out of it,” it could be the veil in your brain lifting.

I have no idea whether this actually will happen or not, but intuitively, I see this rare alignment as a window on time, so it would makes sense that we might get memories of other lives or glimpses into other times. If nothing else, you might experience astonishing synchronicities.

While I was lying there listening to the ocean music, I suddenly remembered The Dream of Scipio, a novel by English author Iain Pears. The book is set in France during three different time periods, each an era when the old culture is being supplanted. Although there are three different protagonists, you get the feeling they are one soul, incarnated in three different lives, facing the same conflict. Each one resolves his dilemma differently, leading to a different outcome for both the hero and his love interest. Although the author apparently didn’t intend his work to be a commentary on reincarnation, it’s a brilliant portrayal of how past lives work (or, as I call them, “other lives”).

Later the same day, I went to our local thrift shop and found a carved wooden box with a zodiac wheel on top. Now what were the chances of that happening? It was made to lock, but the key was missing. And yet, the box opens perfectly.

Messages come in many forms, and sometimes we need a key to unlock the meaning of our dreams and visions. Astrology often turns out to be that key.

Pat

Amazon.com Widgets