Harrison Ford and Callista Flockhart, Married at Last

Blame it on the cardinal T-square.

On June 15, Harrison Ford married Callista Flockhart, his girlfriend of eight years. Why now? It’s the same question I asked earlier this month, when Al Gore, former vice president of the United States, announced that he and his wife, Tipper, were separating after 40 years of marriage.

I always start by looking at the synastry chart, a technique astrologers use to determine compatibility between two or more people. For both couples, the charts show clear indications of long-term commitment. Still, that doesn’t explain the timing.

In the case of the Gores, Pluto is on Al’s Moon, in the “hot spot” at the apex of the T-square. There are other aspects as well, but the heavy pressure on Al’s Moon, the seat of the emotions, suggests a deep-seated urge to move in another direction for spiritual and personal growth.

For Harrison and Callista, the timing can be explained by the T-square’s position in his chart. Indeed, it is quite dramatic, as all four of his chart angles are in the early degrees of the cardinal signs. As I’ve noted previously on my blog, the T-square is having a particularly powerful influence on people with personal planets or chart angles in the early cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn).

Harrison has 2 degrees Libra Rising, with Saturn approaching a third and final conjunction to his Ascendant. This is a significant milestone in life and a time when we often change our relationship status and take on more duties and responsibilities.

At the same time, Jupiter and Uranus are dead on his Descendant. Transiting Jupiter on the Descendant and in the seventh house traditionally is associated with marriage and long-term commitment. Uranus, meanwhile, has helped Harrison move out of his fear of entering a third union after two failed marriages.

Pluto is crossing his IC, or fourth-house cusp, representing dramatic changes in his home and family life. According to reports in the media, Harrison is a wonderful father to Callista’s adopted son, Liam. With their marriage, this relationship is official. Pluto in the fourth house also tends to help us grow out of early childhood programming.

The coming solar eclipse on July 11 will be within a degree of Harrison’s Sun at 20 degrees Cancer and not far from his natal Moon at 22 degrees Cancer. This nicely illustrates the point that eclipses are often felt months before or afterward, especially when they are in such a prominent position in the chart.

While I was at the supermarket the other day, I flipped through a copy of People magazine, in which friends of the couple were quoted as saying their relationship was based on an honest approach to life and to each other, and on equality. It took eight years for them to get to this point, which is a wonderful reminder that true love requires constant tending and nurturing.

Even soul mates have to work at it.

Pat

Interested in how the T-square is influencing your life and relationships? Explore a personal consultation with Pat.

Weekly Forecast June 28: Inter-Eclipse Period, Uranus Stations

Jumping in feet-first. Photo by Oswaldo Rivas for REUTERS.

We’re still in the wake of Saturday’s lunar eclipse, and eclipse-related events will unfold throughout this week and into next week.

That’s really the biggest news of this week, which otherwise is blessedly free of major planetary aspects. Of course, the cardinal T-square is still activated, and Uranus is stationing in preparation to go retrograde on July 5. But, astrologically at least, the wheels have been set in motion, and now we’re waiting to see what turns up.

On Monday, the Moon glides through the final degrees of Capricorn, sign of Saturday’s eclipse, and trines Saturn, Capricorn’s ruler. Earth signs tend to bring material results, so this could be a big day to watch for your gift. I’ll be waiting by my cosmic mailbox. And who better to deliver than Mercury himself, who later in the day conjoins the Sun at 7 degrees Cancer.

On Thursday, Mercury sextiles Mars in Virgo, an aspect associated with being busy and focusing on details that matter. It will be a high communications day, too, and some very productive discussions should be the result. If you need to make a pitch or present an argument, this is a good day for it.

On Saturday, the Moon enters Aries, amplifying the T-square. Within just a few hours, she conjoins Uranus and Jupiter and squares Pluto. This is another day to watch for new developments. Most of you should know by now what areas of your life are being most affected by the T-square, but the presence of Uranus is an almost sure guarantee that our expectations will be way off. Some of them may be comically so. Indeed, keeping a sense of humor may be our best response.

Sunday is Independence Day in the United States, marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. There was a cardinal T-square that year involving Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Libra, and Pluto in Capricorn. It was wider and didn’t include as many planets as this year’s lineup — yet another reason to conclude that we may witness dramatic events this summer.

The Moon’s square with the Sun on Sunday marks the halfway point between last week’s lunar eclipse and a total eclipse of the Sun on July 11. Eclipses always come in pairs like this (on rare occasions, there are three in a row), and I’ve observed that the two-week period between them can be quite turbulent.

Later on Sunday, Venus in Leo trines Ceres Sagittarius. I expect we’ll have a reminder of the importance of women in national politics, possibly related to the environment and cycles of nature. Watch the news headlines for a clue.

Bottom line for this week is that the changes may come fast and furious, and hopefully you’re ready to hit the ground running. If you’re among those who appear to be unaffected, then take this time for some much-needed R&R. Just like having money in the bank during hard economic times, it can’t hurt to stockpile some energy reserves.

Speaking of money, I’ve added a donations button to the sidebar. If you like RealAstrologers and want to help ensure that it continues, please consider making a contribution. Your support will make a world of difference.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Saturday Extra! Brain Chemistry, The ‘God Particle’ and the Space Between the Eclipses

Coming soon to a theater near you. © Pat Paquette

In my consulting practice as well as my continuing study of astrology, my focus is on using astrology as a tool to predict how invisible energies flowing through the cosmos might manifest into material reality.

I’ve taken this approach for years, despite the lack of any evidence whatsoever that these invisible energies exist or that they somehow coalesce into tangible objects and events.

So imagine my surprise when I came across an article in the Guardian the other day quoting a leading particle physicist describing just such a process and encouraging his colleagues to start contemplating the “hidden world” behind our material universe.

It’s what I’ve been saying all along! I just didn’t have the scientific background to be able to describe it. Then, neither do most particle physicists. It is only recently that the idea has gained visibility, thanks to a new high-energy particle accelerator in Switzerland that may help prove the existence of the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle believed to be the bridge between unmanifest potential and manifest reality. For that reason, it has been dubbed the “God particle.”

This is exciting news for astrologers, because it might establish the groundwork for understanding how astrology works. Of course, we then have to make the leap into understanding what the movement of the planets has to do with energy manifesting into matter. That will require another level of discovery, but I believe it will happen, and maybe in my lifetime.

How invisible energies manifest into reality is especially important now, when we have an astrological configuration that is unprecedented in human history. In our lifetime, we’ve witnessed bits and pieces of the cardinal T-square, but never anything like what’s coming up this summer.

We’re also at a crossroads in the evolution of human consciousness. Indeed, the very idea that any physicist would look at hidden worlds rather than taking a narrow view of material reality is quite a leap. On the whole, scientists are solidly in the left-brain camp. I would bet that those proposing these radical new ideas either are particularly brilliant — blessed not just with a high IQ, but with a highly evolved intuitive side — or they’ve recently had a “spiritual” awakening.

And what exactly is a spiritual awakening? First, it’s not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. We continue to evolve, although there definitely are “spikes” along the way. Indeed, we might expect lots of spikes with Uranus in Aries amplified by Jupiter.

Second, there’s a brain chemistry factor. Within the human brain, a chemical reaction must take place to bridge the gap between the transmitting and receiving terminals of the neurons. The bridging mechanism is called the synapse, derived from the Greek “clasping together.” When something goes wrong in that process, the result can be depression, which is a sort of separation sickness — two poles in the neuron without a bridge to connect them.

Interestingly enough, the function of synapses in the nervous system was discovered in the 1800s. During those same years, Neptune was discovered, and toward the end of the century, the term “New Age” was coined to describe the upsurge in spirituality.

I have a vague sense that spiritual awakening involves brain chemistry and that impaired brain chemistry even may explain the polarization of humanity and the separation between the divine masculine and divine feminine. What if the source of this story from the beginning of time is literally in our mind? What if the separation is in our own brain chemistry, perhaps a necessary step in the evolution of the human mind and body?

I see parallels between this separation of logic and intuition, male and female, and the separation of unmanifest energy and physical matter. And, in both cases, they need some kind of a bridge across the gap between them in order to re-connect, be it a “God particle,” a chemical, or an electrical impulse.

Eclipses are windows on time. This morning’s lunar eclipse will be followed in by a solar eclipse in Cancer on July 11 (Cancer is the sign of birth and the urge to manifest into form). What will bridge this two-week gap? What will connect us? What thought forms will fill this empty space and perhaps give birth to a new reality?

These are all questions I’m asking myself. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Pat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love and blessings to all,
Pat

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact me, or I won’t get your question. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” You can also use the drop-down menu above under “About Us” to get to the question form. THANKS!

Weekly Forecast June 21: Sun Enters Cancer, Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn

Stars being born in the Orion Nebula. Composite of images from the Hubble Space Telescope, by C.R. O'Dell of Rice University and NASA/ESA.

I’ve been writing a lot about the cardinal T-square of this summer. Well, as of Monday, June 21, summer is here, and the T-square kicks in immediately.

The Sun’s entry into Cancer officially marks the beginning of summer (winter in the Southern Hemisphere). As the Sun moves through the early degrees of the Crab, it will form conflicting aspects with Uranus and Jupiter in early Aries and Pluto in early Capricorn, forming three legs of a triangle pattern, or T-square, made up of cardinal signs. The cardinal signs are characterized by impulsiveness, action, and change. That is why astrologers have been predicting sweeping worldwide changes in 2010 and 2011, when the cardinal T-square and cross will be active.

The 2010 Cancer ingress is all the more dramatic, because it occurs just five days before a lunar eclipse in the same degree as Pluto. Is the world going to end? Of course not. And, chances are, the sky is not going to fall on our heads. As I mentioned in my post on the eclipse, there could be positive developments and breakthroughs for many of us. If you’ve been stuck and in need of a good push, get ready to start moving again.

But I believe it’s safe to say that the next two months are going to bring shocking developments that we cannot imagine now and that thus will be impossible to prepare for. The likeliest time for these events would be at the peak of the cardinal build-up in late July and early August.

However, with the Sun’s entry into Cancer this week, we may start to get some clues. It is no coincidence that most of us identify primarily with our Sun sign. The Sun represents our center, our heart, our core energy. Events in the next couple of weeks will take root in our hearts, and who knows where that could lead?

Shortly after the Cancer ingress, the Sun squares Uranus in Aries. The fires and explosions in the headlines over the past couple of days are possible expressions of this aspect, but Uranus is a wild card and unpredictable. It is safe to bet that whatever happens will be big. That’s because Jupiter, the amplifier, is just a couple of degrees from Uranus. The Sun forms an exact square to Jupiter on Wednesday.

Even without the involvement of Uranus, Sun-Jupiter contacts tend to involve extremes, over-the-top behavior, and recklessness, although they can be very lucky, too. And, while Saturn is still in mutable Virgo, he’s close enough to opposition with Uranus and Jupiter that I am hopeful this will be a stabilizing influence.

You should know by now what areas of your life are being most heavily impacted by this complex configuration. Still, there’s a strong possibility of surprise developments this week.

Mercury, meanwhile, is about to enter Cancer on Friday. As he moves through the last degrees of Gemini on Wednesday and Thursday, he opposes Ceres in Sagittarius, squares Saturn in Virgo, and trines Neptune in Aquarius. More environmental bad news may be on the way, and the dialog intensifies about what it all means and what we can do about it.

After entering Cancer, Mercury squares Uranus and Jupiter, repeating the Sun’s contacts of a few days earlier. If we didn’t get the message the first time around, we’ll have another chance. Events may come in pairs this week.

Both the Sun and Mercury also trine Chiron in early Pisces. The Healer is separating from his conjunction with Neptune but still close enough for the two to signify collective healing on a deep level. I am encouraged by this aspect and believe it is a continuing factor in the cardinal build-up. It’s more of a side issue at this point, but we shouldn’t ignore this influence or let the opportunity pass for healing deep wounds from our past.

Tension will build during the week as we approach the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Capricorn on Saturday. We’re moving into the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon, and we’re also pulled in several directions at once by an extreme configuration of planets that, as far as we know, has not occurred in recorded human history (if anyone out there can find a date, please drop me an e-mail!).

I wrote a long post on Saturday about this eclipse and won’t repeat myself here, except to say that we’re approaching the rapids and need to hang on tight. Think about who and what constitutes your safety net or personal flotation device.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn, June 26

Looking Over the Edge. © Pat Paquette.

Most of you know by now that there will be a lunar eclipse at the Full Moon on June 26.

As we approach the eclipse, the Earth, Sun, and Moon are steadily moving into alignment, exerting a powerful gravitational force on our planet. This is just a partial eclipse, but it will be followed two weeks later, on July 11, by a total eclipse of the Sun.

This alignment overlaps with an astrological alignment of several planets in a T-square, which is exerting a different kind of force — one that scientists dismiss as superstition and that astrologers admittedly don’t understand completely. Based on many centuries of observations, we know that certain events on Earth correlate with planetary cycles, but we aren’t able to explain exactly how or why this happens.

Although astrologers don’t agree on the mechanism, most of us are in agreement that an eclipse conjunct Pluto at the apex of a cardinal T-square will correlate to extreme events in our material world. It’s possible that some of these developments will be positive. Perhaps BP suddenly will find a way to staunch the gaping wound they opened in the Earth’s surface and make all of the oil slicks vanish. Maybe manna from heaven will fall on all of the unemployed, displaced, and dispossessed. Perhaps the Israelis and Palestinians will line up, hold hands, and start singing, “We Are the World.”

I wish I could remain optimistic, but as of this writing, I’m exhausted, weary, and unnerved. As dramatic as events have been over the past three months, it appears that they’ve been only the tip of the iceberg, and we’re going to have to rally our spirits and resources to get through the weeks and months ahead.

Events related to this lunar eclipse may occur earlier in the week, which is why I’m posting this analysis a bit earlier than usual. The Sun’s ingress into Cancer on June 21 activates a tight cardinal T-square, with the Sun square Uranus and Jupiter in early Aries and opposite Pluto. I’ll have more in my weekly forecast, which I’m hoping to publish on Sunday evening.

The Full Moon peaks at 7:30 a.m. EDT (11:30 UT), at 4°46 Capricorn opposite the Sun at 4°46 Cancer. The Moon will be in the same degree as Pluto, with Sun, Moon, Pluto, and Mercury in a tight square with Uranus at 0°33 Aries and Jupiter at 2°14 Aries.

That’s a lot of pressure on the Earth. I do not feel qualified to use astrology as a predictive tool for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms at sea, and so forth, so I will leave that up to others. All I will say is that I wouldn’t be surprised by such an event. Continued financial collapse and political unrest I take as a given, whether at this eclipse or later in the summer.

Now, I have to say that there is some question in my mind about the role of Saturn. As ruler of Capricorn, Saturn is lord of this Full Moon, so he definitely is a key to our interpretation. Further, he is closely square the Sun and Moon, but technically, he’s not part of a cardinal configuration, as he is in the final degrees of Virgo, a mutable sign.

Saturn can be a stabilizing influence that keeps all hell from breaking loose. This is important. Using the example of BP, it could make the difference between a successfully drilled relief well that decreases the flow of oil into the gulf and a miscalculation that causes the whole well to collapse.

However, in a mutable earth sign, Saturn literally could signify moving earth. I don’t like the sound of that.

Further complicating matters, if I were a sidereal astrologer, I would consider this eclipse to be a tight mutable grand cross. That would still create a lot of change, although a cross is more stable than a T-square, and Saturn’s influence would most definitely be stabilizing. Isn’t this a nice little dilemma? Either we have a cardinal T-square, in which case Saturn is the “release” point across from the apex, or we have a mutable grand cross — two different interpretations, with different sets of implications.

Take your pick.

Regardless of which astrological system we use, there are two possible release paths in this eclipse, represented by the soft aspects that allow energy to flow.

The first is Mars, which at 10°23 Virgo is at a wide sextile to the Sun and Mercury and a wide trine to Pluto and the Moon. Mars is the planet of war and aggression, but he’s also the sign of action. Virgo is analytical and results-oriented, and it’s also the sign of detail-oriented work such as engineering and financial accounting. Geniuses in either of those fields would be most welcome on the planet right now.

The second soft aspect is to Neptune and Chiron, conjunct in the last degrees of Aquarius and first degree of Pisces. This places them in a wide trine to the Sun and a wide sextile to the Moon and Pluto. I’ve written a lot about the healing potential in these two outer bodies. As individuals work on our personal healing, we are contributing to a collective that is healthier in mind, body, and spirit. Many of us are horrified by recent events, all the more so when we realize the small ways we have been contributing unconsciously to environmental degradation, war, and human rights violations.

If I can’t predict anything else, I can say with certainty that events this summer will be a wake-up call for those who have been half asleep. As I commented in the last Full Moon post, We often forget, as we plod along in our daily grind, that it takes only one extraordinary moment to change our lives forever. This is true for individuals and for society as a whole. In these tumultuous times, we can’t take anything for granted.

Unfortunately, those who are in sound slumber aren’t likely to wake up at this point. I’m sorry to have to say this, but let’s face the reality.

As for Venus, the lonely planet of love and beauty is unaspected in this eclipse. I suppose I could stretch and put her in a wide semi-sextile with somebody or do a mathematical sleight of hand and make her a midpoint of something, but I like to keep things real simple. Look at the chart, and you will see her alone, hanging out all by herself at 14 degrees Leo. Girls just wanna have fun, and there’s no one to party with.

So here’s what I would advise her to do: Bake treats for your family, take some to your neighbors and co-workers, and do whatever you can to spread as much cheer as possible in the world.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun at 4°46′ Cancer is an automobile wrecked by a train, with the keyword DISPERSION. When we act in a certain way, individually or collectively, we set off a chain of events that reach a logical and even predictable outcome. Yet, at any step of the way, if we recognize that we’re on a destructive path, we can change directions, but we have to have a good idea of where we’re going and how we’re going to get there, or we could end up in even more trouble.

For the Moon at 4°46′ Capricorn, the Sabian Symbol is Indians rowing a canoe and dancing a war dance, with the keyword MOBILIZATION. In keeping with the nature of cardinal signs, this symbol is about action. External circumstances sometimes require us to set aside our ideals and focus on practical necessities. Tough times demand hard decisions and aggressive leadership.

It will be important for us to remember these symbols and their messages in the two weeks ahead. Following this lunar eclipse, we’ll be in a difficult inter-eclipse period that will culminate with a total eclipse of the Sun on July 11. I will have more on these trends in the days ahead, so check back.

Wishing you all strong hearts filled with love and courage,
Pat

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in the early 1920s. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Ask Real Astrologers: Is the Cardinal T-Square All Bad?

This week’s question comes from Stephanie in Springfield, Missouri:

I have read with much interest the predictions being made concerning the state of the world and individuals, with the T-square this summer. I have been expecting my life to become increasingly troubled or stressed, when in fact things are going better than they have for a number of years and keep improving! Am I an odd exception to what’s going on, or are others slated as I seem to be, to not only survive these times but thrive? I hear so much about possible negatives in store and not much about positives. Are there incredible positives coming out of the planetary movements in the coming years?

Great question, Stephanie. As I wrote in a column last month, some people actually may do quite well under this astrological influence, especially people with a lot of cardinal energy in their charts. These folks need action and may have felt stuck during periods over the past several years when we were in fixed energy patterns. They also tend to feel directionless during mutable periods. If you have a lot of cardinal energy in your chart, you likely will welcome the movement that is happening now, even if events are disruptive at times.

Stephanie, note that you do have three cardinal planets, including your Aries Sun, and so you are more than ready to get moving. Fortunately for you, none of these planets is in an early degree of the cardinal signs, nor do you have any chart angles at these degrees. People with personal planets or chart points in early cardinal degrees may have a little more action than they can cope with right now.

A quick look at your chart shows that you don’t even have a hard aspect from any of the T-square planets to personal planets or chart angles. Further, your Scorpio Ascendant also puts transiting Saturn in your tenth house, which is a good place for the career planet. Even in tumultuous times, you’re at the peak of your career, indicated by Saturn’s position at the top of your chart.

You also recently experienced the transit of Jupiter over your natal Moon, which usually is a positive time. Jupiter and Uranus are moving through your fourth house, which may yet provide a few surprises but they could be quite wonderful.

In short, you are out of the line of fire. No doubt, there are others who share your good fortune, so you aren’t alone. It’s quite possible that my perspective is skewed, as most of my clients right now are coming to me because they are experiencing serious challenges, and in most cases, the T-square is complicating matters for them. Also, the majority of questions I’m receiving for this column are from readers whose lives are being impacted in some way by the T-square. If they aren’t being directly challenged, their loved ones are having a hard time.

In any case, you do raise a good point, Stephanie, and I’m glad to be able to pass on your observation to others. I wish you continuing good fortune. Be sure to spread it around!

As I’ve noted before, I’m getting a lot of questions and am not able to answer them all, nor can I answer them fast enough or in the detail that some of you need. If you’re in need of immediate guidance and in-depth advice, please contact me for a private consultation. I do individual forecasts as well as relationship counseling. If you’re outside the United States and would like a live reading, I have Skype and Gmail video chat.

Hang in there, everyone!

Pat

Weekly Forecast June 14: Venus Enters Leo, Sun Square Saturn

We get a brief respite early this week before heading back into difficult territory from mid-week on.

The week begins with Venus entering Leo. Monday and Tuesday promise some fun and surprises, thanks to a happy trine from Venus to Uranus and Jupiter in Aries. The Moon enters Leo right behind Venus, adding some joy to the mix. With so much stress and turmoil in our lives lately, a little fun and joy will be very welcome. This aspect reminds me of a big disco ball, with lots of glitter and flash. But it won’t last long, so take advantage while you can.

Also on Tuesday, Mars trines Pluto, providing an outlet for the brooding planet of death and rebirth. At the apex of the building cardinal T-square, Pluto has been in the hot seat, with nowhere to release his pent-up energy. It’s possible that some kind of earth event may occur, but it’s just as likely that action will be taken to find real solutions to financial and environmental problems — for example, the BP oil spew.

The Sun in Gemini opposes Ceres on Friday and squares Saturn on Saturday, forming a mutable T-square. Saturn represents government regulators, and the Obama administration is putting pressure on BP to move faster cleaning up the spill. Mars in Virgo won’t be fast, but he’ll be efficient and thorough. Whatever they try next is likely to work a little better, at least in the short run.

Ceres, planet of the environment and planetary cycles, is close to the Galactic Core as she continues on her retrograde path back into Sagittarius. We haven’t had much of a chance to study this transit yet, but we can venture a guess that planetary cycles such as global climate change, tectonic plate movement and volcanic activity will play a continuing role in the evolution of human consciousness.

On Saturday, we have a micro version of the cardinal T-square, when the Moon enters Libra, opposes Uranus and Jupiter, and squares Pluto, all within a six-hour period. Keep your antennae up all day for events and situations that may provide further clues about how the T-square will affect you personally.

Later on Saturday, the Sun in Gemini forms a glowing trine with Neptune in Aquarius. Working together, we can come up with ideas to solve our most pressing problems and to make the world a better place to live.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Extra! Love in the Time of the T-Square, Part II

As we approach this summer’s T-square, we’re facing increasing polarization, conflict, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, both within society as a whole and in our individual lives.

For many of us, the conflict is our basic survival — finding a job, paying rent, putting food on the table. For others, relationship issues are coming to a head. And for some, it is both.

I’ve heard several stories over the past week about young couples who are facing crushing marital problems, aggravated by a bad economy and financial stress. Indeed, financial stress is one of the top five reasons people divorce. So it’s hardly surprising (and you don’t need an astrologer to tell you) that a plunging economy is taking a toll on love, especially among couples who are young, inexperienced, and not used to weathering storms.

In last week’s Saturday Extra! column, I addressed one of the deepest core wounds on the planet, which I believe stems from an ancient separation of male and female energies. If you’re stuck in a relationship crisis, then you are experiencing this separation in its purist, basic form. But even if your obstacle is completely unrelated to relationships, I would bet that its underlying cause is a separation of some kind, possibly within yourself.

Regardless of the nature of your particular barrier — and just about everyone has one these days — it feels like there’s no way out. We are in the dark, feeling our way along the wall, looking for any opening, no matter how small. But maybe it’s not where we expect it to be. The opening, as I suggested last week, may be inside of us, in our own hearts and minds.

In our search for that opening, we may first have to reach some kind of closure. Inherent in every new beginning is an ending, and that’s the phase I believe we’re in now. Lots of things are ending, and many of us are in denial about it. That goes for relationships, too. Pluto, at the apex of the T-square, requires us to let go. If we attempt to hang onto what’s falling apart, if we refuse to make necessary changes, the stress and pressure on us will only get worse.

The New Moon symbolizes endings and beginnings. Today’s New Moon in Gemini isn’t closely connected to the cardinal T-square, but it provides an opening into the eclipse period, as the waxing Moon will peak at a lunar eclipse in conjunction with Pluto in cardinal Capricorn. Start feeling for those openings now!

Among those I heard from this past week was a brave young woman who is striking out on her own after a 10-year relationship. She was barely holding back the tears as she told me how scared she was, and yet she’s excited about having the opportunity for the first time in her adult life to explore her own gifts and to do the things that make her happy.

For those of you who are getting out of unhappy relationships, I want to offer encouragement. You are clearing the way for something better, and it can’t happen until you take this important first step. It is hard, but you are not alone.

Even if your relationship is solid, you may be struggling. The entire planet is under stress, and it’s affecting every aspect of our lives. Stay committed to each other, and you will break through to higher ground. With both of you feeling for that opening, you increase the chances of finding it.

Pat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hang in there, everyone!

Pat