Weekly Forecast April 26: Saturn Opposite Uranus, Full Moon in Scorpio

A volcano erupts under Eyjafjallajökull glacier in Iceland on April 14, 2010. Photo by Ingolfur Juliusson for REUTERS.

Question: What’s the difference between a Saturn-Uranus opposition in Virgo and Pisces and the same opposition in Libra and Aries?

Answer: I don’t know. But we’re about to find out.

It’s not often that we get this great opportunity to get out of the lab and into the field. I’ve been studying charts, and theoretically, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between a Saturn-Uranus opposition in mutable signs, cardinal signs, earth and water, or air and fire. It’s all explosive, and it’s disruptive on a global scale, as we’ve seen in the past two weeks.

Saturn and Uranus have been in opposition since late 2008. Actually, they’ve been in opposition since forever — their astrolological attributes are as different as two planets can get. Saturn is about structure, stability, established hierarchy, limitations, and constraints. Wild and unpredictable, Uranus rules rebellion, freedom, human rights, space travel, technological breakthroughs, electricity, and sparks of creative genius.

Simply put, Saturn is order and Uranus is chaos.

So what happens when they oppose one another in the sky? Well, their first exact contact of this cycle was on November 4, 2008 — Election Day in the United States, and we all know how that turned out. After the initial euphoria, many hoped-for changes failed to materialized, and the Obama administration is under heavy fire from both sides of the aisle as his popularity rating continues to plummet. He’s taking heat in particular for his healthcare plan, which even has led to violence against lawmakers who approved it. A new grassroots rebellion is rising among political conservatives.

Wait — rebellious conservatives? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Not when Saturn is opposed to Uranus!

This conflict will intensify as Saturn and Uranus continue their opposition into late July and early August, by which time they both will have changed signs and will be part of the explosive cardinal T-square with Pluto at the apex. In the meantime, they form an exact alignment today (Monday) at 28 degrees Virgo and Pisces. There will be one more exact contact on July 26, at 0 degrees Libra and Aries.

In other news this week, we have the Full Moon in Scorpio on Wednesday. I’ve already written about this event, so there’s not much more to say. Later in the day, Ceres turns retrograde. She never quite made it to an exact conjunction with Pluto. That will take place later this year and will bear watching. I’m still not ready to make pronouncements about what Ceres transits mean, but I know that a conjunction with Pluto is significant.

On Sunday, the Moon in Sagittarius squares Saturn and Uranus, briefly forming a mutable T-square, and then carries that energy forward to Pluto in Capricorn later in the day. If you’re having your own personal crisis with Saturn and Uranus, you could go into meltdown phase. The Moon in Sagittarius generally is optimistic, but it’s hard to think positive when you’re dodging falling debris.

Wishing us all an abundance of love and courage,
Pat

Full Moon in Scorpio, April 28

The Full Moon in Scorpio normally is a magical time of regeneration and rebirth.

That’s all the more true for the Scorpio Full Moon on April 28, thanks to a smooth, flowing connection between the Sun, Moon, and Pluto, Scorpio’s ruler. Moreover, the Sun is in tight conjunction with retrograde Mercury, and Pluto is retrograde, too. Retrograde periods are good for activities starting with “re.” So why not regeneration and rebirth?

As we go through the great cosmic shift of 2010-2012, much in our lives is dying in order to be reborn. We are healing and regenerating, according to ancient cycles of the stars, gods, and humans.

In the Buddhist tradition, the Full Moon in Scorpio is Wesak, celebrated as the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Now, technically, Wesak isn’t until May 27, because Buddhists use sidereal astrology, which is a sign “off” from our Western tropical system. Still, we can use the symbolism of Wesak to help us understand the significance of the Full Moon with Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio.

Ruled by lovely Venus, Taurus is the “earthiest” of the earth signs, while Scorpio is the sign of death, regeneration and rebirth. Seeing how the unmanifest comes into existence in the physical world and then disappears back into the unmanifest is key to enlightened consciousness. It liberates us from errors in our thinking that lead to needless stress and suffering.

The Sun at 8°07′ Taurus tightly conjoins Mercury at 8°24′ Taurus, opposite the Moon at 8°07′ Scorpio. Mercury is just under halfway through his retrograde phase, which is often right about the time we really start feeling the effects.

Some of us may feel a bit lazy. If you’re going to succumb to being a couch potato, this is the time to do it! While it may seem like “unenlightened behavior,” I don’t see it that way. To the contrary, it’s often helpful to get your mind completely off a problem so that the deep psyche can work unimpeded. The trine from Mercury to retrograde Pluto will help gain deeper insight, if you just step out of the way and let the process happen. When you return your attention to the issue at hand, you may experience sudden new insight and inspiration. I especially recommend this for intellectual types who live a lot of the time in their heads.

On the downside, it may be hard for some people to open up to new ideas under this influence. If someone is giving you a hard time for being too entrenched in ideas or habits, listen! They may or may not be right, but the fact that they’re bringing it up is your cue for self-examination. Consider the message as a gift.

Also, Venus is at 4° Gemini, inconjunct Pluto and in mutual reception with Mercury. Venus in Gemini loves to talk, talk, talk, but that may get you in trouble when Mercury is retrograde. Words can be misconstrued. It might be better to let our actions speak for themselves, but that could lead to problems, too, with action planet Mars squaring the Sun and Moon. It will be hard for everyone to shrug off perceived slights.

Saturn and Uranus are approaching opposition, which may end up being the real news at this Full Moon. I wrote about this in my weekly forecast and will have more in tomorrow’s post.

Lastly, Ceres is stationed near Pluto, set to turn retrograde later in the day. According to classical mythology, Ceres dared to confront Jupiter and Pluto over the disappearance of her daughter and held them accountable for their actions. I think we’ll see this mostly in societal terms, as the powers that be are forced to take responsibility for bad public policy, especially concerning the economy and environment.

However, we may see some effects in our private lives, too. At the very least, we may need to reflect on how past decisions or behavior are affecting us in the present. It’s never too late to change!

For the Moon at 8°07′ Scorpio, the Sabian Symbol** is dental work, with the keyword PRACTICALITY. Most of us don’t pay nearly the attention to our spiritual health as we do to our physical bodies, and yet this is what’s needed in order to maintain a “healthy soul” that can connect with others in our soul community.

The Sabian Symbol for the Sun at 8°07′ Taurus is a Christmas tree decorated, with the keyword SYMBOLIZATION. An image of the winter holidays might seem out of place at this time of year, but its message is of spiritual renewal through sharing with friends and family. One of the most important things we can share with others is our unique gift to the world, and often we must go through a spiritual “death” and regeneration to find it.

It’s the classic tale of the hero’s journey, which takes us to hell and back.

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: Can Astrology Explain the Mayhem of the Volcano in Iceland?

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

Any ideas what is going on astrologically that is causing the volcanic eruption in Iceland that is creating mayhem across the air space in Europe at the moment? Presumably something to do with the cardinal T-square?

Good question, Geraldine! I’ve addressed some of this in my weekly forecast and other posts, but this is a good opportunity to look at some of our assumptions.

First of all, I’m making an assumption that there is an astrological connection. That’s natural, since I’m an astrologer. If I were an Islamic fundamentalist cleric, I’d blame it on loose morals caused by women who wear suggestive clothing in public. If I were a geologist, I’d talk about the formation of magma, pressure build up, plate tectonics, and so forth.

The first point I’d like to make is that astrological aspects don’t cause anything to happen. That would be like saying that electricity causes light. Light is created by directing a current of electrons through a device that converts that energy into light. We are just beginning to discover how to direct astrological energies into consistent and reliable end results, but it’s going to take us another decade or two to figure it out.

In the meantime, these energies are converted into material reality without any intentional, direct intervention from humans, with the possible exception of Deepak Chopra.

Astrology is a symbolic language. We talk about the transformational power of Pluto, the revolutionary energy of Uranus, the structure-building nature of Saturn. If you combine these different energies, you get different end results. A T-square is formed of two squares and an opposition — a very tense combination. By looking at the charts of historical events, we can begin to form some correlations, although, unfortunately, the evidence isn’t consistent enough for us to make reliable predictions.

That said, I’ve looked at a lot of charts for volcanic eruptions, and several of them have either Saturn and Uranus in opposition or a cardinal T-square. Both of these configurations will be active this summer, so I think it’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll have more ash to contend with. I also expect there to be some serious political upheaval.

Explosions, by the way, are a hallmark of Uranus. Whenever there’s a big one, the first thing I look for in the chart is what Uranus was doing. In the chart for the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull on March 20, Saturn and Uranus were approaching opposition (exact on April 26), and there was a tight cardinal T-square with Pluto at 5 degrees Capricorn at the apex and the Sun at 0 degrees Aries opposite Saturn at 1 degree Libra. A second, more violent eruption occurred at the New Moon in Aries on April 14, with Saturn and Uranus in close opposition.

As for the mayhem in airports around the world, we also need to include Mercury retrograde in the picture. Obviously, he didn’t “cause” the problem, and retrograde Mercury typically isn’t a big player in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions — good thing, because he goes retrograde at least three times a year. It would be a real bummer if this happened every time! But it’s well known that travel delays are prevalent during Mercury retrograde periods. Let’s hope all stranded passengers will be safe at home by the time Mercury returns direct on May 11.

Thanks again for writing, Geraldine.

Pat

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The Cardinal T-Square of 2010 and 2011, Part II

A peaceful day at the foot of Mount Rainier, an active volcano on the Pacific Rim of Fire. © Pat Paquette.

With the coming astrological shift into the cardinal signs, we can expect dramatic developments in the world. But what, exactly, is going to happen? Is there any way to know in advance or at least to make some educated guesses?

In Part I of this article, I explained what a cardinal T-square is and gave some examples of world events in years when cardinal energy was activated. In this post, we’ll explore the cardinal alignment in 2011 and how it differs from this year’s configuration.

This summer, the action takes place primarily in the earliest degrees of the cardinal signs, which are the most volatile, and we’ll be in the midst of an eclipse pair in cardinal signs Capricorn and Cancer. This is the highest-risk period for extreme disruption, be it natural or manmade.

By summer of 2011, Jupiter will have advanced to Taurus, Saturn will be out of range of a square with Pluto, and the eclipses will start shifting into Sagittarius and Gemini. The last eclipse of the Capricorn-Cancer series is a partial solar eclipse at 9 degrees Cancer on July 1, 2011. With Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto in a T-square, the addition of the eclipse forms a grand cross. This configuration is more like a dog chasing its own tail — a lot of activity, but it may tire itself out before any real damage is done.

After that eclipse, Saturn moves past the mid degrees of Libra. While technically still in a cardinal sign, he’s at too wide an angle from Uranus and Pluto to bring heated conflict.

However, Pluto will remain in a tight square with Uranus in Aries, and this is where we’ll see continued upheaval. The square between Uranus and Pluto won’t be exact until 2012, but it will be close enough next year for us to feel its effects.

The last time Pluto and Uranus met was a conjunction at 16-17 degrees Virgo in 1965 and 1966. In September 1965, toward the Full Moon with the Sun, Pluto, and Uranus in a tight conjunction opposite Saturn in Pisces, Hurricane Betsy made landfall twice on the southern coast of the United States and was the first tropical storm to cause more than a billion dollars in damage.

Other developments around that time were the racially motivated Watts riots in Los Angeles, the eruption of the Taal volcano near Manila, a sweeping regime change in Indonesia, and the escalation of demonstrations against the Vietnam War. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan were at war, with China stepping in on the side of Pakistan.

As I wrote in my last article, past events linked to the cardinal T-square and to Uranus-Pluto aspects are so broad that it’s hard to know whether the coming alignment signifies natural catastrophes, war, social upheaval, environmental disasters, or other crises. Further, whenever Uranus is involved in an aspect, the outcome is wildly unpredictable. Still, I think it’s a safe bet that “all of the above” will happen again in the next two years.

One of the biggest threats, in my opinion, is war between India and China as they compete for resources to fuel their rapid growth and development. The entire region is already destabilized, a powder keg just waiting for a cosmic spark to ignite a third world war. The Pacific Rim of Fire also appears to be vulnerable. If history is any indication, hot spots will intensify during these astrologically volatile periods.

I’ll keep you informed in my weekly forecasts and other posts along the way. Meanwhile, if you see news stories that indicate which way the cosmic wind is blowing, please leave a comment with a URL.

Pat

Weekly Forecast April 19: Sun Enters Taurus, Venus Enters Gemini

The Bull from the Sea. Monotype by Vashon artist Brian Fisher, 2009. Images of bulls were prevalent during the Age of Taurus, which was roughly 4525-1875 B.C.

The Saturn-Uranus opposition isn’t exact until next week, but its effects are strong enough now that they’re overpowering everything else.

First, let’s have a look at this week’s lineup …

We start out on Monday with Mercury newly retrograde in Taurus. Traffic and communications will be all snarled up, so do whatever you must to maintain your blood pressure. The Messenger squares Mars in Leo on Sunday (April 25), but the mood could be icky all week, with a higher-than-average risk of arguments. With both planets in fixed signs, neither side will want to back down. Mercury in Taurus will win by saying as little as possible to avoid fueling the temper of Mars in feisty Leo.

On Tuesday (Monday on the West Coast of the United States), the Sun enters Taurus. Do I hear a collective sigh of relief? Taurus may have a reputation as stubborn, but the Bull also is placid and steady. We’ll welcome this new energy after the nonstop activity of Sun in Aries.

In honor of the Sun in Taurus, I’ve chosen this beautiful image by Brian Fisher, one of Vashon Island’s best-loved artists. Brian’s inspiration was the famous fresco of the bull leapers from the Palace of Knossos on Crete. He has a fascinating history of artwork from this era on his blog. Check out his online gallery, too. After all, art appreciation is a very Taurus thing to do!

Also on Tuesday, Chiron enters Pisces, where he’ll stay until August. We’re not likely to notice any immediate effects of this transit, so I’ll deal with it in a future post.

Thursday could be especially difficult, when the Moon in Leo conjoins Mars and squares Mercury. Despite what I wrote about saying as little as possible, you may not be able to contain yourself. There will be meltdowns and temper tantrums everywhere. Try to maintain your decorum.

On Friday and Saturday, Venus squares Neptune, sextiles Uranus, and trines Saturn within a 12-hour period. If you lose grip on reality, especially in romantic situations, you’ll come back to your senses before doing any real damage. You might even find that reality isn’t so bad, after all. It could end up including a very nice surprise — one that doesn’t disappear when you wake up out of a dream.

On Sunday, the planet of love skips into chatty Gemini, and then she’s in mutual reception with Mercury. The danger here is that communications will come fast and furious, but the risk of misunderstandings is high. Be prepared to set records in the number of volleys of phone tag before you finally make your connection.

Also on Sunday, the Sun trines Pluto. Normally, trines are pleasant and easy, but Pluto has been in the hot seat lately at the apex of a T-square, and he needs somewhere to vent his pent-up energy. It’s always a dicey prospect to predict earthquakes, but I won’t be surprised if there’s another big one this weekend.

The cardinal T-square is still several weeks away, but Saturn and Uranus have been going through an opposition in the mutable signs of Virgo and Pisces since late 2008. When outer planets are in aspect, we don’t need to wait until the exact date to feel the effects, but begin to notice developments a few weeks and sometimes months in advance. This opposition is all the more powerful given that Saturn is “receiving” from Pluto in Capricorn, the sign that Saturn rules.

On April 14, a volcano erupted under Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland. The plume sent ash over northern Europe and delayed air travel on six continents. I stumbled on an article in The Guardian by Greg Neale, who noted that a similar event in 1783 disrupted weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere, leading to crop failures and famine. Many historians believe this was a major factor in the French Revolution, he wrote.

Uranus was discovered between the American and French revolutions, which is how he became associated with rebellion. As it so happens, when the Laki volcano erupted in June 1783, Saturn and Uranus were in opposition in Capricorn and Cancer, both square Neptune in Libra — in other words, a cardinal T-square.

These are perfect examples of how astrological energies manifest into reality. It’s safe to predict that we’re going to get lots more reality between now and the end of the summer. In the meantime, watch the news headlines now for signs of change bumping up against the status quo.

Next week is the Full Moon in Scorpio. I’ll have more later this week, so check back.

Much love and courage to all,

Pat

Saturday Extra! The Cardinal T-Square of 2010 and 2011

For years, astrologers have been predicting sweeping global change in 2010 and 2011, based on a shift in planetary alignment into the cardinal signs.

The signs of the zodiac are divided into three qualities, or “quadrulplicites.” The cardinal signs — Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn — are dynamic and initiate action. The fixed signs — Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius — are persistent and, just as the name suggests, solid and unmoving. The mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces — are adaptable, flexible, and open to change.

A T-square occurs when planets occupy three signs within one quality. Put another way, it is comprised of two squares (90 degrees) and an opposition (180 degrees), which denotes extreme tension and conflict. The planet or planets at the point, or apex, take on great significance. If all four signs are occupied, then it’s called a grand cross, which is comprised of four squares and two oppositions.

Such alignments are rare, and when they happen, dramatic events take place on the world stage. That will be all the more true in 2010, because the eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer are part of the picture. Eclipses are often enough on their own to herald life-changing events.

The shift into cardinal influences began slowly, with Pluto’s entry into Capricorn in early 2008. He slipped back into Sagittarius on his retrograde path over the summer and then re-entered Capricorn in December that year. When Saturn entered Libra last October, he formed a conflicting square with Pluto. The resulting tension is similar to pressure that builds up at the juncture of two tectonic plates. When the pressure releases, we get an earthquake.

It starts getting a little complicated here, because Saturn currently is retrograde and back in the final degrees of Virgo for a few months. That means he’s no longer part of the cardinal T-square, although he is going to form an opposition to Uranus at the end of this month, and we’ll briefly experience a mutable T-square. I’ll have more on that in my weekly forecast.

The big news comes in late May and early June, when Uranus and Jupiter enter Aries, followed by a pair of eclipses in Cancer and Capricorn on June 26 and July 11. On July 21, Saturn returns to Libra, where he’ll stay until October 2012. From late July to mid-August of 2010, there will be a tight T-square involving Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. We’ll have a few days in there when the Moon in Cancer transforms the configuration into a grand cross.

The last time we had this kind of powerful buildup in the cardinal signs was in 1989. The Berlin Wall fell when Uranus, Venus, Saturn, and Neptune were all closely aligned in Capricorn, opposite Jupiter in Cancer (Ceres and Chiron were close by, too). At the moment the announcement was made, the alignment was on the Ascendant and Descendant. This was one of the defining moments of the 20th century, and the T-square we’re about to experience is in many ways an extension of that event.

Other startling events happened in 1989, including the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, the Loma Prieta earthquake, and the protests in Tiananmen Square.

The most extreme example of a cardinal T-square I’ve been able to find is the chart for the Tunguska explosion in 1908. It’s a mindblower, with all but two planets aligned in Cancer, Capricorn, and Aries. The blast felled trees and knocked residents several miles away off their feet. Researchers still don’t know what caused it, but the prevailing opinion is that a meteor exploded several miles above the earth’s surface.

Other events that year, while not outstanding in and of themselves, fueled tensions leading up to World War I.

Unfortunately, there is no clearly identifiable pattern to provide us clues for what could happen in the next couple of years. Natural disasters, environmental crises, and political upheaval are all possible — and, I would add, likely. But some of the changes, while disruptive, may ultimately be beneficial. After all, the fall of the Berlin Wall was an amazing breakthrough.

Jupiter and Uranus slip back into Pisces this fall, and then we’ll have another reprieve until late spring of 2011. We’ll explore these developments in depth in Part II of this article.

Related post: T-Squares Past and Present

Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: How Do I Know if Taurus is Cheating?

This week’s question comes from Yolanda in Clark, N.J.:

I have been having problems with my Taurus partner, whose Venus is in Pisces. I am a Pisces with Venus in Aquarius. I’m having crazy dreams about him cheating and I would like to know how I should approach the discussion. I believe he may not be truthful, as he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings.

I feel that we do have a future, but both need to be honest about our insecurities and let go. But this may be the end of the road. Help!

Yolanda, I am so glad you asked this question. It’s one that astrologers get all of the time, and I happen to feel very strongly about it.

There simply is no way to know by looking at someone’s chart whether they are cheating. Period. Any astrologer who even attempts to answer this question has no ethics, and that makes anything else they tell you suspect. Now, technically you didn’t ask whether your Taurus partner was cheating, but thanks for letting me get that off my chest. As I said, I have very strong feelings about “right use” of astrology.

What we can do is to have a look at why you believe your partner is cheating and, more to the point, what you can do about it.

People with strong Pisces in their charts do have a “nose” for finding information that eludes everyone else, and sometimes we get handed these messages in dreams. However, we have to be extremely careful in using this information.

Neptune, the modern ruler of Pisces, has two sides. One side is highly intuitive, psychic, creative, and visionary, while the other side is subject to delusion and has an over-active imagination that can come up with some pretty wild worst-case scenarios. No matter what you’re dreaming, you need to validate it with facts before presenting it to others, especially if you’re accusing them of something.

It’s very common to be attracted to someone besides our partner. We can’t help that, and it’s not cheating as long as we don’t act on it. However, this can be trouble for Pisces, because we’re strong empaths and pick up on the thoughts and feelings of those around us. So, for example, if your partner was attracted to another woman or having thoughts about someone else, you might pick up on that and then dream of him cheating. I’m not saying that’s what’s happening; only that it is a strange phenomenon we see often with Pisces people.

When a partner is seeking sex outside of the relationship, there usually are signs. Does he stay out late with no explanation? Do you smell someone else’s perfume on his clothes? Does the phone ring, and when you pick it up, the caller hangs up? If so, it’s fair to ask about those anomalies. But if you have no real evidence, then there is not any “right” way to present your fears to a Taurus or to any other sign. Until you have something concrete to go on, your fear that he may be cheating is just that.

It would be entirely appropriate to initiate a general discussion about fidelity, what it means to you, and why you believe it’s important in a relationship. Be sure to listen closely to his views. If he doesn’t share your feelings about fidelity, then you need to get that straightened out immediately. You might also want to discuss your feelings about honesty. Of course, this means you need to be prepared to hear some uncomfortable truth.

One obstacle I suspect you may be facing is that neither of you likes conflict and would rather not initiate discussions that might lead to an argument. Moreover, your boyfriend has Mercury in Taurus, which prefers a direct, matter-of-fact approach to issues but doesn’t like being pushed to agree with you. The more you try to convince him of your way of doing things, the more he’ll dig in his heels and resist you.

As for those “insecurities, I’d like to point out that transiting Saturn is moving back toward your Moon at 27 degrees Virgo. He aligned with your Moon in early October 2009, and he will stop at the same degree as he’s coming out of retrograde in late May. Fortunately, this only happens once every 28 years or so, because during this time we can feel terribly isolated, lonely, abandoned … and, yes, emotionally insecure.

I wish you lots of courage, Yolanda. Let us know how it goes.

Pat

Help for the Mercury Retrograde Challenged

Detail of Farnese Gallery ceiling in Rome, by Annibale Carracci

Detail of Mercury, from Loves of the Gods, a series of frescoes by Italian painter Annibale Carracci, 1597. Palazzo Farnese (currently the French Embassy), Rome, Italy.

You’re late for your date, stuck in the mother of all traffic jams, and forgot your iPhone. After driving around for what seems like forever, you finally find a phone booth and make your call, only to discover you had the wrong day.

It’s classic Mercury retrograde!

Named after the mythological messenger of the gods, Mercury rules communications, contracts, traffic flow, business negotiations, partnerships, and small electronics. Three times a year, he goes retrograde — an astronomical term used to describe the optical illusion of planets moving backward in the sky from one day to the next. His next retrograde starts this Sunday, April 18.

Mercury was known as a trickster, and when he’s retrograde, his “practical jokes” are anything but amusing. We get our wires crossed, don’t say what we think we’re saying, and don’t hear what the other person intended. These snafus can be irritating at best and at worst can break up relationships.

Here are a couple of true stories from my past, honest to goddess, no embellishing!

During Mercury retrograde in April 2004, I was living in a small village in the south of France. Road construction on the main thoroughfare left a narrow, one-way street as the only route in and out of the village center. If two cars ended up there at the same time, one had to back all the way out and let the other pass. Now, even in the best of times, country Frenchmen will not yield to each other, probably due to some malfunction of testosterone, of which they always had too much, in my opinion. It doesn’t take much of a leap to figure out what happened with Mercury retrograde in hot-headed Aries.

I watched from my second-floor window as two cars met on the street below. Instead of the usual stand-off, one driver got out of his car and started screaming obscenities (I understood most of it!). Without a word, the other guy got out of his car, locked it, and went straight to the nearest pub for a drink. The first guy got so angry that he grabbed a nearby dumpster and hurled it at the parked car, then proceeded to back out of town via a frighteningly narrow alleyway.

Here’s another car story, this one from Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius later in the same year, just after I arrived on Vashon:

The people whose house I was renting had left their car in a neighbor’s parking space while they were away. A friend of theirs e-mailed and asked to borrow the car, which they agreed to, and they contacted the neighbor with whom they’d left the car to let him know that their friend would be picking it up. Normally somewhat absent-minded, he totally blanked out during Mercury retrograde. When he discovered that the car was missing, he called the cops, who tracked it down. The friend had some fast explaining to do, but managed to work it out with the police. When she returned the car to the forgetful neighbor, they got in a big fight, and she ended up in tears.

Fortunately, that story ended happily with apologies all around — after Mercury returned direct, of course.

Situations like these can be avoided if you just remain aware of the pitfalls of Mercury retrograde. Several years ago, I devised some tips for “safe handling,” and I repeat them here for you:

• BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER FILES early and often. I can’t say this enough.

• Avoid all major purchases, especially computers or anything to do with communications and transportation. If you don’t end up returning them, they’ll give you headaches for the rest of their lifetime.

• If you can avoid it, don’t travel. If you can’t avoid it, then be obsessive about confirming all reservations. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, and keep a very low profile going through security. No joking with the security guards. I don’t have to tell you how that could end up.

• Signing contracts is a big no-no. Renegotiating existing contracts to get better terms is OK, but be sure to read and re-read the fine print.

• Speak clearly and watch your words. Although we can never tell how another person will take what we say, it’s more likely during Mercury retrograde that someone will take offense where none was intended. If you need something, state it simply and directly.

• Likewise, if someone says something insensitive, stop and think before taking offense. They probably didn’t mean it. And even if they did, this isn’t the time to get into it.

• If a misunderstanding occurs, don’t automatically blame the other person. You might think you were being perfectly clear, and you may be even more sure that the other person said what you think they did, but you wouldn’t believe how many times, in hindsight, I’ve found that both sides were technically “right” during Mercury retrograde. This is one of the biggest unexplained mysteries of the Mercury retrograde phenomenon.

• We all make mistakes, and they’re even more likely while Mercury is retrograde. My best advice is forgive and forget. As I’m so fond of saying, otherwise intelligent people say and do stupid things during Mercury retrograde.

• Laugh! When you think about some of these situations, they’re funnier than any Hollywood script.

Have a safe and happy Mercury retrograde!
Pat

Weekly Forecast April 12: New Moon in Aries, Mercury Retrograde

It might seem a little strange this week, with New Moon beginnings pushing us forward, while Mercury retrograde urges us to go back and revise or reconsider.

When you think about it, though, these aren’t mutually exclusive activities. Sometimes making a fresh start requires going back over what we’ve done to see what worked and what didn’t. You can bet that I’m doing plenty of that here at RealAstrologers. Or, we might liken it to buying a house that was neglected by the previous owners. The first order of business is taking stock of what needs to be done and cleaning up the mess.

And so it goes. It’s not altogether unpleasant, provided we remain patient and do things in the right order. Trying to push ahead too soon will cost us even more time and energy later.

On Monday morning, the Moon in Pisces makes contact with the Saturn-Uranus opposition, reinforcing the message that we’ve got some old business to take care of before we can get on with our new venture. Even after entering Aries, the Moon is in her final waning phase for nearly two full days before Wednesday’s New Moon. This is a great time to clean up what’s on your plate. Just do it! You won’t want any of this stuff hanging over your head when you get your new marching orders.

As I wrote in my New Moon post on Saturday, there’s going to be a lot of activity, and change may come suddenly and without warning. Saturn’s return to Virgo will provide some stability, but it also reminds us of important details we overlooked in a previous undertaking. In a way, Mercury’s turn retrograde on Sunday (Saturday on the West Coast of the United States) may prove to be a blessing, as long as you abide by the Mercury retrograde “rules.”

They are, briefly: Don’t sign any contracts. Don’t make any major purchases, especially electronics or anything to do with transportation. If a critical piece of equipment breaks down and you have to replace it urgently, keep all of your receipts, because you may have to return it. If you’re traveling, be sure to confirm flights and hotel reservations, and allow yourself plenty of time to make connections. Expect delays. Missed phone calls and misunderstandings are typical. Usually, no one is to “blame,” and even if someone else does drop the ball, give them the benefit of the doubt.

Mercury turns retrograde at 12°37′ Taurus just after midnight EDT on Sunday, April 18. He stations direct at 2°39 Taurus on May 11.

There are some activities that actually go better during Mercury retrograde periods. Remember, Mercury rules communications and business negotiations, so editing, rewriting, and revising written work is often more efficient at this time. Renegotiating an existing contract for better terms would be fine, as would going back to work for a previous employer. Some clients also have told me that taking a vacation while Mercury is retrograde works well. Business trips tend not to go very smoothly.

Those are the major trends for this week, but we also have a couple of soft aspects on the weekend that should provide some comfort and relaxation.

On Saturday, Venus in Taurus sextiles Jupiter in Pisces, a lovely aspect for entertaining at home or celebrating with close friends. If you’re in a romantic partnership, make special plans just for the two of you. This is the quintessential “candlelight dinner for two” aspect, so make it count!

On Sunday, the Sun in Aries sextiles Neptune in Aquarius, fueling our desire to take an active part in helping others, protecting the environment, or doing something good for our local community. If nothing else, lend a hand to your next-door neighbor.

Wishing you all much love and courage —
Pat

New Moon in Aries, April 14, 2010

Although the astrological year officially begins with the Sun’s entrance into Aries, the New Moon in Aries on April 14 is in many ways a much more powerful new beginning.

Just as the Full Moon on March 29 marked the midpoint between lunar eclipses, this New Moon marks the halfway point between the solar eclipse in Capricorn on January 14 and the upcoming solar eclipse in Cancer on July 11. What’s more, we’re now halfway through the Capricorn-Cancer eclipse series, and that means we’re beginning to see real signs of change in one or more areas of our lives. If you’re in doubt how these eclipses are playing out for you, you’ll know for sure as of this New Moon.

At 24°27″ Aries, the Sun and Moon are at the base of a Yod with Saturn at the apex. Neptune and Chiron conjunct in Aquarius form the other leg of the base. Saturn is retrograde and recently returned to Virgo. One possible effect of this configuration that comes immediately to mind is that the new healthcare program in the United States will be under intense scrutiny as the country struggles to make the required changes. There will be more political fallout for the Obama administration and the Democrats, too.

In our individual lives, healing processes that we’ve been going through for the past couple of years with Neptune conjunct Chiron finally are producing some practical results. For many of us, the healing has been internal, and this has had a significant, long-term impact on our external reality. It’s not just thoughts that become things. Feelings do, too. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a completely new reality within the next couple of weeks.

The base of the Yod is bisected by Jupiter and Uranus, which are approaching conjunction just as the planet of surprises and rebellion is about to make another opposition to Saturn. Jupiter does everything big, so you can pretty much count on a change that is sudden, totally out of the blue, and huge. It likely will be a big wham rather than arriving gradually, in a series of smaller developments. If there is political rebellion in this country or, for that matter, anywhere in the world, it will be explosive.

Mars, ruler of this New Moon, is in a wide, out-of-sign trine with Uranus, fueling rebellion and individual freedom. However, he’s inconjunct Pluto, suggesting an eventual backlash against any populist or rebel movements that crop up now.

Pluto also is at the apex of a T-square with Saturn and Uranus, but it’s no longer the cardinal T-square we’ve been reading so much about, and Pluto is retrograde for the next several months. For the moment, competing world powers are stepping apart from direct conflict and thinking about how to plan their next move. In our personal lives, we should get some temporary relief from any pressures corresponding to the Saturn-Pluto square. Again, what those are depends on your individual birth chart.

Ceres, meanwhile, is moving toward conjunction with Pluto, which I think is going to turn out to be a big deal. Remember, in mythology, Demeter (the Greek version of Roman Ceres) was one of the only gods who was able to change the rules of the underworld. She did this by using her own power, which was the capacity to destroy the planet if Hades and Zeus didn’t do her bidding. They had to take her seriously, or they wouldn’t have had a kingdom to rule. Something may happen very soon that sends a clear message that our economic structure will have to change, or we risk completely destroying our planetary ecosystems.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun and Moon at 24°27′ Aries is a double promise, with the keyword SENSIBILITY. I love this symbol, because it embodies what I’ve been writing all along about what it means to be spiritual. We are gaining conscious awareness of how the unseen energies in our universe flow through us. Our lives are the expression of these higher forces. We are their “works of art.”

The next step will be learning how to use these energies appropriately, for the benefit of all of humanity and the planet itself. The “double promise” is expanded consciousness plus the new ways of being that will be possible as a result.

These are wildly changing times. Do your best to keep your nerve.

Pat

UPDATE: You can read more about the New Moon in this week’s forecast.