Ask Real Astrologers: Am I Having My Saturn Return?

This week’s question comes from Lauren in Vermont:

I’m 27 and lately I’ve been feeling kind of nuts and like my life is turning on its head. I’ve been reevaluating everything – career path, relationships, you name it. A friend of mine told me that a person’s Saturn returns (I’m assuming she meant to the same sign as in your natal chart?) around 27-28 years of age and that it can cause upheavals, but I’m wondering what exactly it means when your Saturn returns.

Could that be what’s behind all this existential confusion? How can I navigate it?

Lauren, both you and your friend are almost right. The Saturn return occurs when transiting Saturn makes a complete orbit around the Sun and returns to the same sign and degree as in your birth chart. Normally, this happens at 28 or 29 years old, although occasionally it can happen earlier or later.

Your natal Saturn is at 1 degree Scorpio, so you won’t experience your first Saturn return until the middle of October 2012. The first Saturn return sometimes can be accompanied by existential angst, but only if you’re completely off-course and living your life totally out of synch with who you really are. There’s nothing like a Saturn return to instill a sense of maturity and responsibility, toward others as well as yourself.

The likeliest explanation for your turmoil is Venus retrograde. As a Rising Libra, you have Venus as your chart ruler, so when she’s retrograde, you feel it more than others. However, you’re particularly sensitive to this Venus retrograde, because she’s in your first house, which is about your personality and how you approach life in general.

To complicate matters even further, Venus crosses your natal Saturn three times during her retrograde period. The first pass was on September 10. The next two will be on November 5 and December 3. That alone is enough to make you question every relationship you ever had. Under this influence, we sometimes feel lonely and isolated – that old “nobody loves me” feeling.

Normally, the Venus-Saturn conjunction lasts only a couple of days. But anyone with Saturn in late Libra or the first half of Scorpio unfortunately will have to endure this discomfort for a couple of months, and it may be more intense. If you’re considering breaking off a relationship, you may want to wait until after Venus returns direct on November 18. It’s very possible that the relationship in question isn’t meeting your needs and that it’s time to let go and move on. But it’s also possible, under this transit, that you’re seeing all the negatives and none of the positives. Sorry to have to report that. But I hope you at least feel better knowing what’s going on and that there is an end to it.

By the way, my family is from Vermont, and I have many fond memories of visiting St. Albans as a child and swimming in Lake Champlain.

Hang in there, Lauren, and thanks for writing.

Pat

Libra and Heidi Klum’s New Clothing Line for New Balance

I was about to hit the delete key on the e-mail from Amazon announcing Heidi Klum’s new line of clothing, but when I saw it was for New Balance, I decided to take the bait.

“Balance,” of course, is the keyword for Libra, and the new line was launched on October 7, the day of a very fine New Moon in Libra. Makes you wonder whether Klum has a personal astrologer. Or maybe they do at Amazon, because somebody hit that launch right on the money. Then, it could be just something in the collective, channeling through Amazon and superwoman Klum, who has made millions as a supermodel, businesswoman, television personality, working mom, and goddess knows what else.

These clothes fill a need for women who don’t want to spend a lot of time fussing about their appearance but want to look pulled together and chic while they run back and forth doing daily errands. Is that not what Libra is all about? Balance, balance. I’m not one to fall for advertising gimmicks, but I just love this look. I think it’s great that Heidi Klum has put her stamp on clothing that is modern and functional. It’s like living in your jammies, only more sophisticated … the best thing since Gloria Vanderbilt created designer sweats for air travel in the 1980s.

Now, you’re asking whether Klum has Libra in her chart. We don’t have a birth time for her, so we don’t know her Rising Sign. Libra might be a good guess, but I won’t speculate. Otherwise, she has a stellium in Gemini – Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn, which are being favorably aspected by transiting planets in fellow air sign Libra.

Like everyone born in 1973, she has Pluto in early Libra, which means Saturn recently crossed her natal Pluto, and transiting Pluto is square her natal Pluto. In other words, her chart was hit strongly by the cardinal T-square. The ad campaign on Amazon for her new clothing line features Klum bouncing on a trampoline. Her life no doubt felt like that for most of the summer! As she put it, the trampoline was meant to symbolize “energy and activity.” Again, we could have lifted those two words right out of an astrology text, as they’re significant keywords for the cardinal signs.

I also found it very interesting that Klum’s new line, called HKNB, is being sold exclusively on Amazon.com. The company was incorporated on May 28, 1996. At noon on that day (the time we use as a default when we don’t have an exact time), the Moon was at 13 degrees Libra – a degree shy of last Thursday’s New Moon.

Coincidence? You be the judge…

Meanwhile, check out some of HKNB’s styles, even if you’re only “Windows shopping.” I normally don’t feature anything but books in on my site, but I went ahead and created a slideshow with a few of my favorite looks. Just ignore the silly high-heeled boots. They must have confused Libra with Venus retrograde in Scorpio.

Pat

UPDATE October 31: Well, apparently launching at the New Moon in Libra couldn’t overcome launching during Venus retrograde. Reviews are coming in, and for the most part the feedback is negative. Judging from the comments, the fabric is nice, but the workmanship is shoddy, the fit is poor, and the clothes are way overpriced. I should have predicted this…

Amazon.com Widgets

Weekly Forecast October 11: Sun Conjunct Mercury

Fresh crop of pears in Leavenworth, Washington.
© Pat Paquette, 2010.

You know it’s a fairly slow week when the only major aspect is a conjunction of the Sun and Mercury, which happens often enough (several times a year) that it’s not a big deal.

But it’s not likely to be a boring week. With Venus newly retrograde in Scorpio, there’s drama simmering under the surface. At the same time, the waxing Moon and three planets in cardinal Libra ensure that we continue to move forward, despite Libra’s ruler being in retreat, and there’s a chance of a brief T-square flashback mid-week.

Other than your own personal fallout from retrograde Venus, if you are indeed experiencing any effects, things should be pretty quiet until Wednesday, when the Moon enters Capricorn. Within a few hours, she’ll conjoin Ceres and Pluto and square Saturn. By now you should know where Pluto is transiting your chart, and you probably have a good idea of how the cardinal T-square is shaking out for you.

Keep your antennae up on Wednesday and Thursday for signs that reinforce the theme that has dominated your life over the past several months. Watch for some subtle shifting, too. I’ve sensed some movement lately, and while opportunities may have to wait until Venus and Jupiter return direct on November 18, the handwriting on the wall is becoming more clear.

On Saturday, the Sun conjoins Mercury at 23 degrees Libra. This is a great day for communicating rationally and fairly, with a good amount of give and take. A lot can be accomplished when both parties express their thoughts and feelings with clarity and then listen to what the other person has to say. This is not about positioning, manipulating, or otherwise trying to talk your way into what you want without any regard for others.

Since Venus is retrograde, this also would be a great time to address unresolved issues that have been bothering you and perhaps getting in the way of a close, satisfying relationship. Before you talk it out, though, I suggest that you have a very clear idea of what’s in your own heart. What do you really want from that other person? If it’s a fair and equal relationship, then any attempt to get a certain outcome because it’s what you want will backfire.

And guess what? It’s OK to admit that, if only to yourself. We all do it. It’s just a question of being mindful. There’s nothing like a Sun-Mercury conjunction in Libra to help you do just that.

Ultimately, this week is great for catching up and doing a little planning. Next week, things could start moving very fast. You’ll be able to respond to upcoming events better if you clear your plate … and your mind.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Saturday Extra! Reflecting on Venus Retrograde

Retro look created by Indian designer Shantanu Goenka. Photo by Manan Vatsyayana for Agence France-Presse.

Venus went retrograde yesterday, and everyone is waiting to see what it will mean.

When Venus is retrograde, relationships can suffer, and that includes international relations, since Venus is, among other things, the planet of diplomacy. In terms of our personal relationships, though, I think this Venus retrograde period is going to give us a big chance to work through some serious issues and come out better in the end.

Scorpio is often seen as the sign of obsession, and Venus retrograde in Scorpio certainly could bring about a lot of that, especially if she’s hitting a sensitive part of your chart. Obsessions can be extremely uncomfortable and cause us to doubt our sanity.

As I noted in my weekly forecast, Venus is in an interesting three-way reception with Pluto, ruler of Scorpio, and Saturn, ruler of Capricorn. Pluto in Capricorn is about destroying underlying structures that are rotten and outdated, while Saturn in Libra brings balance, fairness, and equity. That obsession that’s driving you crazy could well be a sign that something is out of balance in your life and needs to be addressed.

Rather than try to ignore those obsessions or control them (how Plutonian is it to try to control our Plutonian urges?), I usually advise throwing yourself into those thoughts in order to understand what’s beneath them. They’re there for a reason, and if you try to ignore them, the obsessions will just get worse. This retrograde Venus period could be a great time to go into counseling to get to the bottom of what’s eating at you.

Another possibility to consider is that more of us may connect with relationships from past lives, or what I prefer to call “other lives,” since time isn’t linear. Several of my recent clients have asked me about past lives and karmic relationships. I’m definitely seeing a trend, and it makes sense that we might start to remember loves from previous incarnations with Venus retrograde in Scorpio, in a three-way reception with Pluto and Saturn.

Today (Saturday), the Moon in Scorpio conjoins Venus and Mars, and this connection could provide us with some early hints of what the next six weeks will bring. Keep your antennae up for those messages from beyond, and if you’re obsessing about someone or something, you may be able to detach – perhaps the true message of Venus retrograde in Scorpio – through a willingness to confront yourself and stay open to whatever that message is trying to tell you.

I can almost guarantee you that it won’t be as bad as you fear.

Pat

Related article: Pluto and Obsession in Relationships

Ask Real Astrologers: Where Is Pluto Transiting My Chart?

This week’s question comes from Jackie in Brooklyn, New York:

Every month, I visit the blogs, websites, and online forums of several astrologers who say that Rising Leos should have Pluto in their sixth house now. In fact, all of these astrologers say that my work life is being “transformed,” and it is in a way. I just started a new job that I love and I feel the pains and pleasures of fulfilling, challenging work.

However, when I pull my transit chart, it clearly shows that Pluto, now out of retrograde, is retracing his steps in the earliest degrees of Capricorn. This means that Pluto is still in my fifth house (and causing me a lot of romantic relationship drama for the past year and half!). My fifth and sixth houses were both partially in Capricorn at my birth. How should I read this current Pluto transit?

I just love getting this kind of question, Jackie, because it allows me to explain, once again, why generic horoscopes are of limited value. Since you know your Rising sign, you’re getting more out of them than people who read only for their Sun sign, but you very clearly understand the problem you’re bumping up against, and it can be frustrating.

While most Sun sign astrologers advise reading for your Sun sign as well as your Rising sign, that still doesn’t address the degree of your Ascendant. Reading for your Rising sign generally is more accurate, but you have to know the degree of your Ascendant and adjust accordingly. For example, if you were a late degree Rising Leo, it might be better to read the horoscope for Virgo.

If your Rising Sign is in the middle of a degree, as yours is, that makes it even harder to know which sign to read for. You ought to do pretty well if you read for both Leo and Virgo. According to Sun sign horoscope “rules,” Virgos now have Capricorn in their solar fifth house. But then it gets so confusing – all the more so when the astrologer writing the horoscope refers to you as a Virgo and talks about traits of that sign that don’t apply to you.

One of my favorite monthlies is written by Susan Miller, who is amazingly accurate provided you read for the right sign – and that could change throughout the year or even from one aspect she’s writing about to another. I sometimes end up reading pieces of four different signs to get a complete picture. You almost have to be an astrologer to figure it out.

Now, as to your specific Pluto problem … Pluto will not enter your sixth house until February 2013. So it looks like your romantic relationship drama is going to continue for awhile. Sorry.

I’ve been contemplating teaching a class about how to use online horoscopes to their best advantage. I also have a new means of writing horoscopes on the drawing board in an attempt to solve this problem for everyone. Watch this space in the weeks ahead for news.

In the meantime, there’s no substitute for a reading with a professional astrologer. It costs more, but it saves you a ton of time and guesswork.

Pat

Weekly Forecast October 4: New Moon in Libra, Venus Retrograde

October sun reflected in the Wenatchee River on Stevens Pass. © Pat Paquette, 2010.

In our fast-paced world, time is the one thing we don’t seem to have enough of. So when we have to go back and rethink our plans or re-do something, we often think of it as wasting time.

Likewise, we tend to think that going back means we’re losing ground and not moving forward.

This week’s aspects will dispel those notions and may even help us perceive a different concept of time itself.

The New Moon in Libra just as its ruler, Venus, is going retrograde seems like a mixed message. On one hand, we begin a new cycle, while on the other, we have to go back for something we missed. I don’t see these two paths as contradictory at all. Retracing our steps is part of the process of growth and moving forward – if we view the process as a whole, as part of a cycle. As we progress along this time-space continuum, alternative routes open to us.

Moving through the summer’s cardinal T-square – or trying to, anyway – many of us were able to see where we needed to go, but we just couldn’t get there. Rather than stopping and waiting for the opening to appear, we kept moving, but without a vital piece of information or a critical event that needed to happen before everything else could fall into place.

Before I take the week chronologically, let’s have a look at the interplay between Venus, Pluto, and Saturn, who are in a powerful three-way reception. Venus, planet of love and desire, is in the sign ruled by Pluto, planet of transformation. Pluto, meanwhile, is in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, lord of time. Saturn is in Libra, ruled by Venus. And so we have the “circular path” that is the Sabian symbol for Thursday’s New Moon.

Saturn and Pluto are both karma planets. Pluto represents the “underworld,” or what I prefer to call the “otherworld.” This is where the underpinnings of our physical universe live, and it’s where we can work to transform. As lord of time, Saturn represents manifestation on the physical plane. Once we transform our energy underpinnings, what manifests in our physical world changes, too. With Venus in Scorpio, we need to be especially mindful of what we’re attempting to manifest. If we try to control the results for gratification of our immediate physical desires, we remain stuck in fear and attachment.

Venus retrograde in Scorpio is asking us to release ourselves from those attachments. You know you’re attached when you’re obsessing about someone or something.

So, that’s a rather long introduction, but it’s important to keep these concepts in mind this week as we take advantage of this exceptional New Moon to put all the pieces together and move into the new territory we’ve been exploring for most of this year.

On Tuesday (late Monday in far western time zones), Mercury squares Pluto, which may bring those obsessive thoughts to the surface. If this happens, don’t fight it. Those thoughts that keep spinning ’round and ’round in your head are trying to get your attention. Work on figuring out the message, which will contain invaluable information about what you need to work on to achieve your goals.

The Moon enters Libra on Wednesday and begins its monthly journey over the degrees of the cardinal T-square. On Thursday, she conjoins Mercury and Saturn and then carries that energy forward to the New Moon, which occurs at 2:45 p.m. on the East Coast of the United States.

Venus turns retrograde on Friday morning, but you’ll likely start feeling the effects early in the week, if you haven’t already. With Mercury in Venus-ruled Libra, you might even be experiencing some low-level effects of Mercury retrograde.

Mercury conjoins Saturn on Friday as well, which can help us get a grip on reality. Reality can be depressing sometimes, but it’s a lot easier if you work toward aligning your goals with your true purpose in life. If you don’t know what that is, I strongly recommend an astrology reading or some other method, such as Tarot.

Also on Friday, Ceres re-enters Capricorn. She was part of the cardinal T-square back in April when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, and then she went retrograde and returned to Sagittarius for four months. As I noted in my New Moon post on Saturday, Ceres is now moving toward conjunction with Pluto (exact on October 19). This reinforces the theme of venturing into your deep psyche to reclaim something you need in order to advance. Be attentive for the next few weeks to fleeting memories of your past. In some cases, they may not be so brief but could be right in your face.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

New Moon in Libra, October 7

Evening Mood, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1882.

I have high hopes for this New Moon. In many ways, it starts a new cycle and builds on the foundation of the cardinal T-square.

If you’ve been confused about how the T-square was redirecting your life – or if you didn’t see it at all – the message will be readily apparent now. All of those blocked energies, the frustration, the obstacles … Libra is the sign of balance and harmony, and with this New Moon, you can arrive at a new understanding of how crisis after crisis pushed you into a new direction or a different way of seeing the world.

With that understanding, it’s easier to relax and let go of trying to control events, people, and situations. Your life has been on track all along, even if it didn’t seem like it.

I see this trend in the kinds of clients who are contacting me now and in the nature of their questions. Many are beginning to realize their special healing gifts, while others need guidance or confirmation as their lives take off in new directions that are more in harmony with their inner being. A surprising number are asking about past lives and karmic relationships. This is all evidence of a brilliant awakening in human consciousness. I’ve seen this coming for several years. It’s amazing to see it actually manifesting!

Right after this New Moon, all of the inner planets will be contained within the boundaries of the T-square. The Moon will venture beyond for half of every month, but as of this lunation, it’s on the inside. This tells me that we’re going deep into T-square territory, living the changes that took place within us over the summer, both individually and collectively.

The Sun and Moon at 14 degrees Libra make no close aspects to other planets, although they are in a wide conjunction with Saturn at 8 degrees Libra and Mercury at 7 degrees Libra. The Mercury-Saturn conjunction allows clarity of thought, which in turn leads to realistic planning and a balanced approach to achieving your goals.

With four planets in Libra, there’s also an emphasis on relationships. If you’ve been paying attention to how material circumstances manifest in your life, chances are, you understand that your biggest manifestation “successes” have come through positive relationships with others. We can manifest through troubled relationships, too, but those are the ones that tend to come with all the unwanted “side effects” and gremlins.

The relationship theme is reinforced by Venus, the ruler of this New Moon, who is at a dead stop in preparation for returning retrograde the next day. Further, she’s still in close conjunction with Mars, her lover. Venus in Scorpio craves deep intimacy and merging with her soul mate, but he’s starting to move away. This could lead to widespread feelings of abandonment and isolation. It won’t last, but it could be difficult while we’re in it. Another thing to watch for is past-life experiences. More of us may have dreams or fleeting visions of life in other time spaces, with glimpses of a soul mate.

Jupiter and Uranus remain closely conjunct in Pisces, with Uranus and Neptune in mutual reception and Jupiter in a near-exact semi-sextile with Neptune and Chiron. Throughout the cardinal T-square period, there has been an inherent message of healing. It may be so subtle that you don’t realize it’s happening, but if you stop to think about it, you’ll see where the deep healing is taking place in your life.

Healing, remember, comes from the same Latin root as “wholeness.” Connecting with our essential core brings us into awareness of limitless time and space and how we fit within the whole. With that awareness, we more easily see where our path lies and what our purpose is in this particular incarnation. With this awareness, a lot of things start making sense.

Ceres is edging closer to conjunction with Pluto, which I’ve previously written about as symbolic of an underworld journey to reclaim something we’ve lost. If Pluto represents other lives (the term I prefer to “past lives”), then connecting with this broader energy is another path to becoming whole. Put another way, seeing events, relationships, and even ourselves as part of a broader cycle is incredibly healing.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun and Moon at 14°24′ Libra is circular paths, with the keyword CONGRUITY. “Man and his world may seem completely at variance with each other at some point of crisis, but inevitably everything falls into place,” writes Marc Edmond Jones, who channeled the symbols in the early 1920s.

Again, I couldn’t imagine a more fitting symbol for these extraordinary times.

Pat

P.S. Don’t forget to write your abundance check!

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond 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.

Ask Real Astrologers: The Mother of All Pluto Transits?

This week’s question comes from Ivi in Serbia:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pat

Half a Million and Counting!

Young stellar object in Carina, a constellation in the southern sky. Image courtesy NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team.

My Wednesday post has evolved into a sort of random, free-for-all article on any topic that happens to be on my mind. What’s on my mind today is that RealAstrologers has just surpassed 500,000 page views.

Half a million page views … wow. It’s an honor, and yet it’s also humbling. Although I don’t have a boss standing over me cracking the whip to meet deadlines, I know you all are out there, waiting for the next post. With this many readers, I feel a responsibility, and it’s one I take very seriously. I promise, though, never to start referring to you as my “Little Monsters.”

The steadily growing readership means I can expand the site and offer new features – an appropriate activity with Jupiter and Uranus conjunct. Stay tuned for some exciting changes, including a complete site redesign. Thanks to your generous donations, I’ve been able to start working with a web designer to upgrade the look and functionality of RealAstrologers. So don’t be startled if some weird stuff pops onto your screen in the next few weeks while the site is under reconstruction. We’re going to try to do it with a minimum of downtime, but it means you may see an occasional mess.

By the way, if you haven’t made a donation yet, won’t you please take a minute to click on the button in the sidebar to your right? It doesn’t have to be a lot. All of your donations make it possible to keep RealAstrologers fresh and growing. And, once again, I wish to acknowledge those who already have made donations. I have felt truly blessed by your generosity.

Here’s aiming at a million and beyond…

Pat

Weekly Forecast September 27: Sun Conjunct Saturn, Venus Conjunct Mars

Statue of Justice, Brazilian Supreme Court. Photo by Roberto Jayme for REUTERS, 2009.

This week holds lots of potential for moving forward with our projects, thanks to a helpful conjunction of the Sun and Saturn.

Although the cardinal T-square has mostly dissipated, we continue to feel its effects. There does seem to be a big difference, though, now that the planets aren’t in such tightly conflicting aspects with one another. It feels like something has released. I felt it very strongly a couple of days after last week’s Full Moon, which stimulated the degrees of the T-square at its peak in early August. Energies that were blocked back then are flowing now.

Monday may get off to a slow start, but by Tuesday we’ll be cranked up and ready to roll. Thursday is a power day, when the Sun catches up with Saturn at 7 degrees Libra. This is just far enough past the early degrees of the cardinal signs, where the T-square peaked, to create an outlet for movement. As I mentioned last week, I don’t think it’s going to be a sudden power surge, but rather a natural, easy flow. You might feel an urge to look around, wondering who or what is going to get in your way this time, surprised to find out that you’re free to go.

The Sun-Saturn conjunction often is interpreted as having negative effects such as run-ins with authorities. If nothing else, it’s seen as the stern parent, saying “no” to whatever it is you want to do. I don’t see it that way. My take on this conjunction – especially since Saturn is exalted in Libra – is that if you work hard toward your goals and don’t give in to fear of failure (even if that’s all you experienced all summer), you can get the results that have eluded you.

Now, some people told me they had no problem at all getting “results” over the summer. To the contrary, they felt as though they were on a treadmill, forced to run faster and faster just to keep up with everything that was happening in their lives. If that sounds like you, then this week still should hold positive developments, possibly because you finally see the finish line and some rewards for hanging in there.

Just before the Sun and Saturn meet, the Moon moves through the early degrees of cardinal Cancer and forms a brief T-square. It’s not as powerful as the configuration at last week’s Full Moon, but nevertheless, it’s another potential time marker for seeing the seeds planted during the summer start to materialize and grow.

On Friday and Saturday, Mercury in the last degrees of Virgo opposes Jupiter and Uranus and squares Ceres. Although Jupiter and Uranus are retrograde, their close conjunction continues to suggest sudden opportunities and innovative solutions. Mercury is the “thought planet,” so keep a notebook handy to write down any great ideas that come to you toward the end of the week. One word of caution, though: All of the ideas you come up with may not be viable. Don’t act on impulse. Take note of what comes up for careful consideration in a day or two. The T-square between Mercury, Jupiter, and Ceres also could manifest as negotiating with powerful forces to get back something that belongs to you.

Mercury enters Libra on Sunday and, once again, we’ll have a passage over the degrees of the T-square. Since Mercury is mostly about thought and not action, this will be a time for looking at the new reality and figuring out how to keep up your momentum. If you began a new project or initiative, you may need to make some changes, but you can count on that for awhile. Whatever is new in your life is a work in progress.

Also on Sunday, Venus aligns with Mars at just under 13 degrees Scorpio. Venus-Mars aspects are supposed to be great for love and sex, but because of the conditions of this conjunction, I have a feeling it’s going to be about something else entirely. Not only is Venus in her detriment in Scorpio, but she’s stationing to turn retrograde in less than a week. That means she’s moving very slowly (from our perspective here on Earth), and Mars is the faster of the two, which usually is not the case.

Venus represents the divine feminine and what we most desire, and she’s at a serious disadvantage here. Last time they met, on August 20, it was in Libra – in other words, on her terms. This time, it’s on his, and male and female energies are going to be in a temporary state of imbalance. Passion and desire run high, and without some sense of fairness and equanimity, there’s a risk that some people may go after what they want without any consideration for how it might harm others or even involve consequences for themselves.

On another level, masculine aggression (which occurs in people of both genders) may be so raw and exposed that we finally have to deal with it. Mars in Scorpio holds tremendous power to create and transform, but without the love and wisdom represented by Venus, his power can become cold, calculating, and self-serving. Perhaps in some kind of logical pattern of the universe, Venus has decided to stand still for a bit and let Mars catch up with her.

Wishing you all much love, courage, and joy,
Pat