Full Moon in Sagittarius, May 27

Full Moon over Medicine Bow, Wyoming. © R.L. Wolverton/Dreamstime.com

The changes begun at the New Moon on May 13 come full circle at the Full Moon in Sagittarius on May 27.

All four mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces — are activated at this Full Moon, suggesting rapid, unpredictable, and irreversible change. There is no going back. Some of us may be in radically different circumstances than we were in a month ago.

Fortunately, the mutable signs are flexible and adapt readily to change. As unnerved as you may be initially, you should find it fairly easy to settle into your new surroundings.

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.

The Sun at 6°33′ Gemini opposite the Moon at 6°33′ Sagittarius make a wide, out-of-sign trine and sextile with Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus, all in the final degrees of mutable signs. As of this lunation, the cosmic shakeup begins in earnest, with Uranus leaving Pisces less than three hours later and streaming headlong into cardinal Aries. Watch the news headlines for signs of sudden events, possibly shocking. Jupiter, ruler of this Full Moon, isn’t far behind. He’ll enter Aries on June 5, and I doubt he’ll do so quietly.

Venus, meanwhile, is at 9°27′ Cancer, in a separating opposition with Pluto at 4°48′ Capricorn. That makes a wide, out-of-sign grand cross, but I wouldn’t rate it as very powerful. At best, Venus in Cancer can help us nurture the relationships with those we love. At worst, some of us will feel emotionally overwhelmed for a few days. Cry if you must, but don’t expect a lot of sympathy.

The Sun and Moon also make a wide square with Neptune and Chiron. The danger here is that many people will choose to remain in denial, oblivious to the shift that is happening and therefore unprepared for events to come. None of us can predict exactly what will happen or when, but these powerful transits will manifest in the material world. The question remains how and when.

The mayhem following the eruption of the Eyafjallajökull volcano should serve as a warning. I don’t mean to be pessimistic or to spread gloom and doom, but we only need to look at how people clamored over one another for airline seats to imagine what would happen if, for example, our food supply were disrupted or we couldn’t access our ATM. People in the developing world have long experience with such conditions, but we in the privileged West do not. And, as we’ve seen, we aren’t likely to get much help from our governments.

The key to our survival in the coming months will be cooperating, sharing, and helping each other, which will be a real test of our sense of security. I urge you now, while we have some breathing space, to think about what you absolutely need and to plan for the immediate future. Also take note of who you’re aligned with.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun at 6°33′ Gemini is an old-fashioned well, with the keyword RECOMPENSE. The essence of who we are comes from a deep source that remains pure, despite actions and associations that run contrary to our true spirit. It is never too late to get in touch with our true selves or to starting living with absolute integrity. When we do so, we align ourselves with our higher consciousness and our purpose in this life.

For the Moon at 6°33′ Sagittarius, the Sabian Symbol is cupid knocking at the door, with the keyword ALLUREMENT. Close partnerships test our boundaries and sense of self. Ironically, changing for the benefit of a relationship is sometimes how we find out who we really are. Perhaps that’s why some of us are so driven to remain in difficult romantic relationships. It’s often the most effective way to learn the karmic lessons necessary for healing and wholeness.

As I noted in a previous post, this is Wesak, commemorating the enlightenment of the Buddha. The festival is held annually at the Full Moon in sidereal Scorpio. According to sidereal astrology, the Full Moon on May 27 falls at 11°39′ Scorpio.

In honor of Wesak, I leave you with a link to a wonderful essay on the Buddhist Channel, called “Buddha Wasn’t a Buddhist.” I found it very enlightening, and it dovetails beautifully with the message of our tropical Full Moon in Sagittarius.

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: What’s Ahead for Us Cardinal People?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pat

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

Weekly Forecast May 17: Sun in Gemini, Jupiter Opposite Saturn

As above, so below. Detail of Fall of the Titans, by Dutch painter Cornelis van Haarlem, 1588.

There will be plenty of action this week, although it may seem somewhat chaotic and directionless much of the time.

The week begins on solid ground, with the Sun in the last degrees of Taurus making positive contacts with Jupiter in Pisces on Monday and Saturn in Virgo on Tuesday. These aspects favor material results. While the building opposition between Jupiter and Saturn will be felt as conflict between expanding our options and playing it safe, the tension between these two finds a creative outlet in the Sun. Wherever the last degrees of Taurus are in your chart is where you will find your biggest inspiration.

Also on Monday, Venus squares Jupiter, and then over the next two days trines Neptune and squares Saturn and Uranus. This could be a recipe for going overboard with marathon texting, too much junk food (or worse), and unrestrained impulse shopping, which you will regret sorely the next day.

Or, it could bring a totally unexpected opportunity to make an investment in your future. If you’re in the market for something in particular and stick to buying only what’s on your list, you could do very well early in the week.

After all that activity, Venus glides into watery Cancer on Wednesday, and her first order of business will be to oppose Ceres and Pluto this weekend. The Moon will be in Libra, which means we’ll have a cardinal T-square for a few hours.

Normally I wouldn’t rank a T-square with the Moon as much of an influence, but with the bigger configuration looming in the next two months, this one bears watching. The Moon will be at the apex of the T-square, in mutual reception with Venus. Hard aspects between Venus and Pluto typically translate to sexual tension and passion. In Cancer and Capricorn, the desire to possess and control could be overwhelming, and this makes Moon in Libra extremely uncomfortable. Be prepared to get called out on hidden motives. We all have them, but most of us would rather not admit it.

Mercury makes the last of a three-part trine with Pluto on Wednesday, which will help us access the secret recesses of our minds and the deep truths buried there. We may not like what we hear, but self-knowledge is self-empowerment. We all have a shadow side.

On Thursday, the Sun enters Gemini, and then we’ll be in mutable territory for the next two weeks. I started to write “solidly in mutable territory,” but nothing is solid or firm about the mutable signs. Think of trying to pour a bowl of warm Jell-O onto a plate, and you get the idea. Or like a symphony tuning their instruments. There’s no theme or focus. We’re all over the map and mixing our metaphors.

Chiron, which recently entered Pisces, is part of the mutable trend and represents deep spiritual wounds in the collective caused by millennia of man’s inhumanity to man. As we wind up the Age of Pisces and head into the Age of Aquarius, we need to reclaim our interconnectedness, not just with each other but with the invisible forces of the cosmos, which some call “higher realms.”

The Moon enters Virgo on Friday and makes contact on Saturday with Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, all in mutable signs. On Sunday, Jupiter opposes Saturn, the first of three passes of this opposition. Only the first will be in mutable signs. The next two, on Aug. 16, 2010, and March 28, 2011, will be in Libra and Aries and will play a key role in the cardinal T-square we’ve been hearing so much about.

It’s hard to overemphasize the influence of this opposition and its role in intensifying the power of the cardinal T-square. Political and economic unrest is almost certain and, in fact, has started already, well in advance of the peak period of the T-square in July and August. We’re seeing it most prominently in financial markets. The opposition is magnified by the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus, which is taking place concurrently with the Jupiter-Saturn opposition, and by the square of all three to powerful Pluto in Capricorn.

These are extraordinary times, and no matter where this planetary configuration falls in your chart, you will feel the pressure. For some, it will manifest as unbearable tension that forces you to grow and change. For others, it could bring unimaginable opportunities, totally out of the blue, but these will hold their own set of challenges. Sweeping change is, by definition, disruptive, and humans are wired to stick to the safe and familiar. That simply will not be possible in the months to come.

That is the main reason why I sign off my weekly forecasts with a wish for much love and courage. We’re all going to need it.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Double Pluto Transit Brings Intense Urges

This week’s question comes from Karen in Alberta, Canada:

I just turned 45 and am feeling the strongest urges from within (my soul) to get a move on, to change, to evolve, to make use of my time and gifts. Yet, I’m feeling guilty about leaving my husband, who is not interested in anything spiritual or educational. I am happy in the moment but feel the push to go. What is going on?

Karen, you’ve got way too much going on in your chart for me to respond to it all here. Indeed, you could be a poster child for the cardinal T-square, which I will address in more detail in next week’s column. All four of your chart angles are in cardinal signs, with the Midheaven at 4 degrees Capricorn. Your Moon is at 5 degrees Cap.

Currently, Pluto is transiting these degrees. Pluto on your Moon is extremely disruptive emotionally, and it’s why you are feeling such strong stirrings in your soul. Moreover, with Pluto on the Midheaven, you are questioning the entire direction of your life. This is natural.

Both of these Pluto transits are marked by sweeping changes in a person’s life, including the breakdown of situations that no longer serve you and the end of unfulfilling relationships. Do not try to force any changes, but remain as open as possible to this powerful experience and let it take you to a new place. Also, try to understand the metamorphosis taking place within yourself first, and then address external circumstances.

I normally don’t reveal the questioner’s age, but since you mentioned it, I will comment that you were born during the last Saturn-Uranus opposition, which took place in the mid-1960s amid extreme political and social upheaval. You and others born in this time period are intimately familiar with that feeling of having one foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brakes. Or, put another way, whenever you attempt to spread your wings and fly, there always seems to be something holding you back.

I strongly urge you to get a thorough astrological reading. I do consultations over the phone, but if you’d rather work with someone in person, check your locale for a competent professional who can guide you through this period of intense change.

I realize that this is a stressful time for you. However, you’re standing at an open door to many new opportunities, and that is very exciting. Best of luck to you, and keep us posted.

Pat

Weekly Forecast May 10: Mercury Direct, New Moon in Taurus

Work Interrupted, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1891

Although there aren’t many major planetary aspects this week, what we’ve got promises to bring a flurry of activity.

Mercury has been retrograde since April 18. On Tuesday, the Messenger stations direct at 2°39′ Taurus, in an applying conjunction with the Moon and tight trine with Pluto in Capricorn. The Moon is still in the waning phase, so it would be smart to wait until after Thursday before moving forward with activities put on hold during Mercury’s retrograde phase.

With the Moon and Mercury conjoined in a trine to Pluto, we have an opportunity to get deep insight into the transformational processes that are occurring in our individual lives and for the planet as a whole. This is where we may get a glimpse of what the future holds for us, if only for a fleeting moment. Pay close attention to dreams, psychic flashes, or unusual events that happen on Wednesday.

Your message from the universe could come through another person, too. I call these events angels. Think about it. The image of angels as winged beings goes back millennia, before Christianity and Judaism, even before Greek mythology. The wings symbolize air, and air represents thoughts or ideas.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Athena, goddess of wisdom, appears to Odysseus’s son Telemachus in the form of Mentor, a trusted friend that Odysseus leaves in charge of his household while he’s off fighting in the Trojan War. Athena, you’ll recall from Mythology 101, sprang from the head of her father, Zeus, fully formed. This image gives us more clues about her identity as a thought form or mental energy. The name “Mentor” stems from the Indo-European word for mind or thinking. Minerva, Athena’s Roman counterpart, gets her name from the same root.

So, when someone gives you important information, you are being visited by an angel, and the message is a valuable gift. I unabashedly predict that angels will be flitting all about on Wednesday!

Traffic and communications typically move slowly a day or two on either side of a Mercury station, but events will begin to unfold rapidly after the Mew Moon, which peaks at 9:04 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday. The Moon will carry forward the energy released by Mercury’s return direct, so be prepared to hit the ground running.

After Thursday, we’ll be so busy that we may not have time to breathe, let alone think. Do essential chores early in the week, and clear your schedule, to the extent possible. It wouldn’t hurt, either, to think about what you’d do if the opportunity of a lifetime came through. This will be the reality for many of us. Trouble is, all opportunities that come to us now will have a hitch. It could be quite a big one. So you’ll need to know what you can live with and what would be a deal-breaker.

The Moon in Gemini on Friday and Saturday favors communications and is great for signing contracts, too. Perfect timing, because those were activities that didn’t go so well while Mercury was in reverse mode.

Sunday’s Cancer Moon favors tending to family matters. Enjoy a good, home-cooked meal or at least a cup of your favorite tea. Despite the flurry of activity on Thursday and Friday, you should be able to find some time to wind down. Practice your favorite stress-reduction technique.

Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

New Moon in Taurus, May 13-14

The Nebra Sky Disk, found in 1999 near Leipzig, Germany, has been dated c. 1600 B.C. and depicts the Sun or possibly Full Moon, New Moon, Pleiades (in the constellation Taurus), and solstice points.

The New Moon in Taurus on May 13 is a time to celebrate beauty, abundance, and the cyclical dance of life.

It also is a stark reminder of the realities of living in a material world. For some of us, being “spiritual” means denying the physical body or getting our minds off material things. Although it’s true that many people place too much importance on money and possessions, going to the opposite extreme isn’t to our advantage, either. If we weren’t meant to have a physical body, with all its attendant joys and sorrows, we’d be disembodied beings of light in some other quadrant of the galaxy.

At 23°09′ Taurus, the Sun and Moon are in a wide trine with Saturn in late Virgo and a sextile with Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces. The Saturn-Uranus opposition is still big news. Even though it’s separating, the contact remains close enough to be a major influence, and Jupiter’s impending conjunction with Uranus is acting as an amplifier. I’ve written about the cardinal T-square of summer 2010, but we may not have to wait that long to witness some extraordinary global events.

At the Full Moon in Scorpio on April 28, we had an opportunity to let go of whatever needed releasing in preparation for these new circumstances. For some, the letting go may not have been voluntary. If something was taken from you then, the New Moon is your door to a new beginning.

Venus, ruler of this New Moon, is at 22°47′ Gemini, in a wide mutable T-square with Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter. The mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces — are highly changeable, and swift change is what we can expect. This is a great time to initiate changes, but they may happen with or without any deliberate action on your part.

Pluto also is in a wide square with Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter in this chart, and that gives the appearance of a grand cross. However, with Pluto in the cardinal sign of Capricorn and the others in mutable signs, it’s technically not a cardinal grand cross. It’s a sort of “hybrid grand cross,” and perhaps that’s key to understanding events around this lunation. It’s a setup to events this summer, some quick rearranging before the big move.

One reason I think we’ll see some very fast action in the next week is that Mercury will return direct on Tuesday, two days before the New Moon, and he’s in mutual reception with Venus. Energy that got blocked at the last New Moon may suddenly kick in.

The Sabian Symbol** for this New Moon is a mounted Indian with scalp locks, with the keyword COMMAND. This may seem like a violent image for peace-loving Taurus, but it isn’t about conquest. Rather, it’s about recognizing the genius of our “enemies” and acquiring it for our own benefit — acquisition being a very Taurus trait. Put another way, imagine if we were in Iraq not for the oil but for the ancient wisdom and knowledge of one of the oldest civilizations on Earth. Incidentally, that is where astrology originated.

Inherent in this symbol is the concept of working with nature to fulfill our highest potential. Our physical bodies are our connection with the material world, and our senses can guide us toward our highest goals and aspirations if we use them to their fullest advantage. We can’t be fully present in the moment without them.

Keep those antennae up, and enjoy the ride!

Pat

[Note: The New Moon falls on May 14 in the Eastern Hemisphere.]

Ask Real Astrologers: Am I Doomed To Be Alone Forever?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I hope that helps Nala.

Pat

Weekly Forecast May 3: Sun Square Mars

Most of this week’s aspects are fairly low-key, given what we’ve been dealing with over the past several months. It’s a great time to take a short vacation.

Mercury is still retrograde and making mischief with travel plans, especially if you’re on a business trip. But now that he’s speeding along in reverse, the logjams are clearing. Travelers waylaid by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland are making their way home, and at least one airline that refused to reimburse passengers the cost of meals and lodging was forced to recant.

Still, there are a lot of mix-ups over airline policies to sell tickets to new passengers, while stranded customers are being told they have to wait for an available seat. It may take until the next Mercury retrograde, which begins on August 20, for everyone to get due compensation.

We also are still very much in the shadow of the Saturn-Uranus opposition. I wrote a post some time ago on what you might expect in your personal life during this transit, and that still applies. These themes will continue to play out in your life until this fall.

Otherwise, this week’s aspects are fleeting and won’t last more than a few days. Taking the week chronologically, retrograde Mercury trines Pluto on Monday. Watch for headlines for more news of violations in the banking industry and other embarrassing revelations for global financial institutions. Personal revelations could be humbling, too, particularly if you’ve got skeletons in your closet.

On Tuesday, the Sun in Taurus squares Mars in Leo. With the “ego” planets in conflict, there’s a risk that what starts as a simple disagreement will end in a defensive standoff. Some of us will express ourselves loudly and angrily, while others will make their feelings known in a passive-aggressive manner. The silent treatment is every bit as loud and angry as yelling obscenities at someone, and it can provoke serious backlash. The Moon adds more fuel to the fire when she enters Aquarius on Wednesday.

Things calm down after the middle of the week, and we can relax for a bit. Venus forms an easygoing sextile to Mars on Friday. Too bad this influence doesn’t last longer, because it converts to more-harmonious relationships of all kinds. If you’re feeling more creative than usual, do something with your ideas. At the very least, write them out in detail. Likewise, if you find a good financial opportunity, do some research. With Mercury retrograde, now isn’t the time to act, but you could stumble on some extremely valuable information that will be your ace in the hole next week.

The Moon is in gentle Pisces from Friday to Sunday, making this a weekend to rest, recuperate, and reflect. The Moon conjoins Jupiter and Uranus and then a few hours later opposes Saturn, so if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day, breakfast or brunch are the best alternatives for fun and surprises.

I’m taking my own advice and going out of town this week. I’ve left several posts scheduled, so you won’t miss me.

Wishing you a joyful week of love and abundance,
Pat

Saturday Extra: The Cardinal T-Square and Immigration Law

Riot police at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix. Photo by Ross D. Franklin for The Associated Press.

Arizona’s new illegal-immigration law and the protests it unleashed stand out as an early indicator of how events will unfold during the cardinal T-square of 2010 and 2011.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law on April 23, just as Saturn and Uranus were approaching exact opposition in Virgo and Pisces, the fourth contact since November 2008. It is scheduled to go into effect in late July or early August, right around the fifth and last opposition of Saturn and Uranus on July 26.

By that time, both planets will be in early cardinal signs, in a tight square with Pluto. We can expect more protests, possibly more violent, and the federal government likely will intervene as well.

Of course, Mercury also was retrograde at the signing, and that makes it more likely that there will be changes, if the law isn’t repealed altogether. But even if it is, powerful forces have been set in motion that will continue to play out until 2012 and beyond.

The new law makes it a punishable crime to be in the United States illegally and gives police in Arizona the power to stop and question people they suspect of being illegal immigrants. The backlash was swift and severe. According to news reports, protestors stormed the state capitol and drew comparisons with Nazi Germany.

Gov. Brewer, a Republican in a historically conservative state, said the law was needed because the federal government wasn’t doing enough to fight illegal immigration and lawlessness along the border with Mexico. Other states are considering similar measures.

The Obama administration reportedly is considering a legal challenge. Many civil rights groups also are threatening to sue, saying that the law will lead to racial profiling and harassment of Hispanics and anyone who looks like one. From there, it’s only one step to legal authority to stop anyone, for any reason or no reason at all. If it seems like we’re on a slippery slope toward a police state (many people argue that we’re already there), it’s not just paranoia.

Once Saturn and Uranus move into action-oriented cardinal signs this summer and form a close square with Pluto, the playing field will expand. It’s likely that the federal government will intervene at that time. In a T-square, the planet at the apex takes the “heat.” Pluto will be squared not just by Saturn and Uranus, but simultaneously by Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Immigration and legal issues fall under the provenance of Jupiter, which was approaching conjunction with Uranus when the law was signed.

But what does Pluto in Capricorn represent? The “conventional” interpretation is that it’s about Big Government and Big Business. If so, the situation in Arizona — as well as other protests breaking out around the world — may be an early test of this power.

That said, we must take care in connecting the various astrological players in this unfolding celestial drama to earthly counterparts. For example, it’s tempting to assign Uranus to the Democrats and Saturn to the Republicans, but that would be an error in our thinking. The planets in signs represent forces of nature, which express themselves through humans and through the Earth herself.

Here’s something else to think about: As long as Pluto is checked by Saturn in Libra and Uranus in Aries, we may be under surveillance but not under totalitarian control. That could well change in 2012, when Saturn enters Scorpio and begins to “cooperate” with Pluto, through both a friendly sextile and mutual reception.

At that point, the people may be on their own to battle the combined forces of business and government, and our definitions of “conservative” and “liberal” may become totally meaningless.

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Should I Build a Bunker?

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

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

Svetie, we all may need a bunker here shortly!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pat

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