Astrology Poll: How was your Mercury Retrograde?

Happy Mercury direct! The Messenger resumes his forward course today at 1:06 p.m. on the West Coast of the United States, just 24 hours after the Full Moon in Aries. What’s happening for you this week? Feel free to leave us detailed comments, especially as the week progresses.

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Neith says:

This particular Mercury retrograde all took place in my eleventh house and was surprisingly mild at least when it came to tech problems and miscommunications. However it did seem like I spent lots of time rehashing old issues with friends and family. In the larger picture it felt like I was hearing the same old tired messages over and over and over. We’ll see what the next few days bring as the little biter starts moving forward and opening communication channels again!

 How did yours go? 

Synastry of Joe and Jill Biden

Joe & Jill Biden Scorpio Joe Biden has been married to his Gemini wife, Jill, for 31 years as of last June, so for a couple with inconjunct Sun signs, they obviously have a lot going for them.

Fortunately, with good complete birth data for Joe, we have a chart wheel to work with. He has Sagittarius Rising, placing Gemini on the cusp of his seventh house, which rules marriage and committed relationships. Jill’s Sun, Mars, and Moon are located there. Planets in the seventh house in synastry, particularly the luminaries, show excellent compatibility in one-on-one relationships. Joe has Saturn conjunct Uranus conjunct his Descendant natally, describing the type of person he is attracted to. In his case, it’s a bright, lively Gemini who is also dependable.

Jill’s Sun-Mars conjunction is sextile Jupiter in Aries, giving her a more assertive edge and an optimistic spirit – both qualities she shares with her Scorpio Sun-Sagittarius Rising husband. Mercury is Gemini’s ruling planet, and her Mercury is in methodical Taurus and complements Joe’s Mercury in intense Scorpio. Another parallel between their charts is his Sun-Mercury conjunction, which resonates with her Gemini Sun.

They have a lovely Mercury-Venus intra-aspect, underlining their ability to communicate with thoughtfulness and sensitivity to the other’s feelings (intra-aspect in synastry is where the same two planets from each chart form aspects. For example, A’s Sun is conjunct B’s Moon and B’s Moon is square A’s Sun). This is a very loving and powerful synastry aspect. The close trine between her Venus in Cancer and his in Scorpio adds another layer of shared warmth and affection.

This couple also has what can be considered a classic synastry aspect for creating enduring bonds, and that is a Sun-Saturn intra-aspect with his Saturn conjunct her Sun and her Saturn sextile his Sun. With the Saturn-Sun conjunction located in his seventh house, their choosing to marry was a natural progression for the relationship.

Mars and Pluto, co-rulers of Joe’s four planets in Scorpio, form an intra-aspect between their charts, too.  His Pluto in Leo is sextile her Mars in Gemini, and her Pluto in Leo squares his Scorpio Mars. Passion and commitment go hand in hand with this set of aspects.

They do have reversed lunar nodes, with his North Node in Virgo and her in Pisces. This can be a rather irritating aspect to live with day to day, but since they have been together for many years, I’m inclined to believe the other excellent synastry aspects offset the effects of this one.

As with the other political couples I’ve reviewed, this is yet another instance when it would be wonderful to have a full set of birth data for both people. However, working with what’s available shows us the underlying structure for the enduring and loving relationship we see before us. Seeing Joe and Jill Biden together says it all.

Libra loves synastryposted by Neith . . .

Verified Birth Data: Joe Biden 20 November 1942, 08:30 AM EWT Scranton, PA; Jill Biden 05 June 1951, Hammonton, NJ

Weekly Forecast October 13: Full Moon in Aries, Mercury Direct

Mercury and Psyche, by Adriaan de Vries I won’t be so bold as to proclaim that all hell is going to break loose this week, but do be prepared for major movement.

With the Full Moon in dynamic Aries just as Mercury is stationing direct, much of the activity that has been stalled over the past three weeks could take place all at once. To get an idea of how you may be impacted personally, look at where Libra and Aries fall in your natal chart.

Neith already has written a complete report for Tuesday’s Full Moon, and I will add only that growth and change, even when positive, can be unsettling. When we seek to fulfill our heart’s deepest desires, we typically have to go through a period of testing and challenge, and we need to do the work. Rarely do we value what is handed to us on a silver platter.

On Wednesday, barely 24 hours after the Full Moon, Mercury stations at 7 degrees Libra. The Messenger passed this degree on September 3. Think back to what was happening around that time for you and what has (or hasn’t) transpired since then. This will give you a clue about what to expect this week. It may take a few days for Mercury to gather speed before you see any results. I’d give it until Friday.

As I was searching for an appropriate image for this week’s forecast, I found reference to Mercury in the story of Cupid and Psyche. Quick and dirty plot summary:

Venus, jealous of Psyche’s beauty, sends her son Cupid to foul up the young woman’s love life. He botches the job and falls in love with her, but he attempts to keep his identity secret by coming to her only at night, in the dark. Through trickery encouraged by her sisters, she discovers who he is, and he flees. She is so desolate that she wants to kill herself and eventually appeals to Venus, who makes her perform a series of tasks until she is deemed worthy of true love.

The sculpture in the photo depicts Mercury, transporter of souls, carrying Psyche to Mount Olympus, where she is granted immortality and allowed to marry her beloved.

In classical mythology, Mercury is the only god who has free passage to and from the underworld. Symbolically, this speaks to our thought processes and how our thoughts impact our lives. Libra not only is an intellectual air sign, but it is the ruler of relationships. For women especially (but not exclusively), the trials and tribulations of love are among the most painful in our lives, and they are often what causes us to grow, evolve, and attain higher consciousness.

Speaking of Venus, the planet of love leaves jealous Scorpio on Saturday and enters merry Sagittarius, where she is more light-hearted. Her downfall here is only that she may party a little too hard and overindulge herself and her friends. She also can be competitive, but as long as you keep it fun and friendly, there’s no harm in a good contest.

Love and blessings,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: Mercury and Psyche, by Adriaan de Vries, 1593. The Louvre, Paris. Mercury bears Psyche aloft to Olympus where, after forced to undergo many trials by a jealous Venus, she attains immortality and is reunited with Cupid, her beloved.

Saturday Archives: Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto in CapAs Pluto moves through the final degrees of Sagittarius, not to return to the sign of the Archer for more than 230 years, many of our readers have started searching for information on Pluto in Capricorn. Neith and I will have more to say about this timely topic in future posts. Meanwhile, here is an article I wrote for The Pisces Chronicles back in January.

I was going to edit out the information on the Washington State Ferry system, since it doesn’t affect most of you, but our situation here really does sum up the essence of Pluto in Cap.

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Well, it’s finally here, the big event that astrologers have been writing about for two years (some even longer).

I’ve held off writing about Pluto’s entry into Capricorn, because I felt that it was too early to start attributing certain events to an astrological phenomenon that hadn’t happened yet. It has been only in the past few weeks that I’ve started seeing signs that this momentous shift is occurring. And I’m not sure that we’ll see the real effects of this transit in 2008. First, we’ve got to wrap up Pluto in Sagittarius.

Pluto, named for the mythological god of the underworld, is associated with death, rebirth, and transformation. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of limits, boundaries, and material structure. There’s a trend in modern astrology toward putting a more positive spin on challenging planets and aspects. I think this is mostly a good thing, but please don’t kid yourself that Pluto and Saturn are going to bring the pizza and beer so that we can watch back-to-back episodes of Star Trek while the Bushes and Waltons get zapped by gamma rays from deep space.

Of all the interpretations I’ve read of Pluto in Capricorn, the one word that struck me was “accountability.” I can’t remember who wrote that. If it was you, please let us know! Yes, there’s going to be accountability, and it’s going to shake up government and corporate structures worldwide. But who exactly are they going to be accountable to, and how is that going to happen?

As I wrote in a previous post, we’re having a crisis here on our little island of Vashon, 37 square miles with a population of 10,300. On January 11, Washington State Ferries gave us less than three day’s notice that it was taking two boats out of service for repairs. This was after unexpectedly retiring four aging boats last November.

Most of us are too shell-shocked right now to be mad. For many people, reduced ferry service has meant getting up an hour earlier, getting home an hour or two later, and going through the day in a haze of exhaustion. But already the inevitable questions are being asked. Why has WSF not properly maintained its boats? Why hasn’t it ordered new boats and increased capacity? Who is responsible?

Complaints to the agency are met with a phenomenal lack of accountability. “Don’t blame us, it’s not our fault.” To some extent, they may be right. It may turn out the governor herself is responsible, since budgeting decisions go straight to the top.
WSF is the largest ferry system in the nation, carrying more commuters to work daily than the Staten Island ferry. The ferries are considered part of our highway system — in other words, part of our transportation infrastructure. This is clearly within the realm of Saturn, and Pluto in Capricorn is literally exposing the cracks in the hull. Do I believe this is a microcosm of broader crises to come? Absolutely.

Back when the bridge collapsed in Minneapolis, it didn’t take long for people to start doing the math. We’re spending billions of dollars a day to bomb Iraq back into the Stone Age and ignoring our own pressing needs at home. A similar situation existed in the American colonies under England. We were being taxed without getting equivalent benefits in return, and we had no say in the matter. That’s when people tend to take up arms and rebel. It’s not a question of “if,” only of “when.”

Pluto in Capricorn is not, however, going to rid the world of hierarchies, as some have suggested. Hierarchies exist in nature. Otherwise, there would be no order. If you think that anarchy sounds romantic, talk to survivors of Hurricane Katrina or current residents of Baghdad. What many of us hope is that the current hierarchical structure will be replaced with one that is more just and equitable. It probably will be … but it’s not going to be installed by extraterrestrials with superhuman intelligence.

Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it, though. Pluto enters the sign of the Sea Goat tomorrow at 6:37 p.m. on the West Coast. He’ll get barely 1 degree into Capricorn before turning retrograde on April 2 and heading back into Sagittarius in mid-June. We’ll have a little more than five months to process the message of Pluto in Sagittarius before he returns to Capricorn and remains there for the next 16 years.

What might those messages be? I wrote about this as part of my series about Pluto on the Galactic Core. Pluto in Sagittarius is about breaking down beliefs, especially religious dogma. Obviously, it hasn’t entirely happened yet, but I believe we are going to see the results this year of collapsed religious systems.

Pluto in Sagittarius has not been just about breaking down our religious beliefs, but also our scientific ones. The past 15 years have brought us tremendous breakthroughs in our understanding of the universe as advances in technology have allowed us to explore the furthest reaches of space. I’m working my way through Gevin Giorbran’s book, which, among other things, questions the validity of the second law of thermodynamics, one of the cornerstones of our understanding of the material universe.

Gevin’s book is fundamentally changing my view of time, and that means my understanding of astrology is going through a metamorphosis as well. Saturn rules time and the material world, and it might take the entire transit of Pluto in Capricorn before these new perspectives take hold in the mainstream and we apply them in our daily lives. Adjusting to these new concepts is another reason why I haven’t wanted to jump headfirst into Pluto in Capricorn. We’ve got some important prerequisites to complete before we move on.

Since 2008 is an election year, we’re also going to take a hard look at our political beliefs to assess whether they are serving us well. Back to our ferry example, what if it turns out that the Democratic governor we elected was responsible for leaving us stranded? What if legitimate studies showed that we’d be better off if the ferry system were privatized? We will all have to reconsider and entertain the “unthinkable.”

Happy Pluto ingress!

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPosted by Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Is It Safe To Walk Out the Front Door?

This week’s question comes from Moonlock in London, UK:

Hi, I’m new to this site (found it quite by accident). I like the way it fills the gap between sites that do astrological sound bites and long lengthy overviews … Right now I am experiencing the Mars into Scorpio transit as it crosses my Descendant, and as Mars is also semi-squaring transiting Saturn right now, which in turn is sesquiquadrate my Ascendant, I’m feeling a little concerned to even step out the front door! Any comment, please?

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Hi, Moonlock. First, thank you for your kind words about Real Astrologers! As someone with lots of Libra and Scorpio myself, I can relate to your discomfort with this particular Mars transit. That said, Mars transits have the virtue of moving on fairly quickly, unlike some of the trans-personal planets.

With both your Sun sign and your Ascendant ruled by Venus, you probably prefer harmony and usually are pretty good at keeping things on a more or less even keel. You do have a Moon-Venus conjunction in Scorpio, so it’s true you are drawn to emotionally intense relationships. However, a trine between the rulers of your Sun and Moon (Venus and Mars) keeps the peace there.

This transit of Mars over your Descendant and your Moon-Venus, may cause you to feel emotionally sensitive and raw, especially in your one-on-one relationships, but once Mars moves past your Moon in the second week in November, things will smooth out once more. You have had Mars transit over your Sun and Mercury here recently and that’s always aggravating too.

Another more difficult transit for you, completed in August this year, was Saturn passing over your natal Pluto. Your Sun is semi-sextile Pluto natally, so this transit triggered that increasing awareness of security and identity issues. This is now in the past thankfully.

Moonlock, the longer I work with astrology the more I appreciate Bernadette Brady’s approach of keeping it simple. We can be our own worst enemies and create more stress for ourselves by not doing that. I know this from personal experience and that’s why I prefer to look at the broad strokes rather than every detail.

For now I recommend choosing your favorite form of stress reduction, perhaps a luxurious massage with scented oil and soft music playing in the background and allow the transit to slide into the background.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Happy birthday, Moonlock — albeit, a week belated.

There is no reason, astrologically speaking, that you should fear stepping out the front door! In fact, everything looks pretty good for you right now. As Neith noted, you recently experienced your Saturn-Pluto conjunction, which is happening right now for everyone born in the mid-1960s. For those like yourself born in the early ’60s, this troublesome transit is done, and you’re no longer being slammed from all sides.

I wouldn’t worry about Mars in your seventh house. This happens once every year and a half or so, and you’ve managed to live through it so far. That’s not to say that it’s easy or pleasant, but this isn’t a “sky’s falling on your head” transit.

If I had to guess what might be causing the irritation, I’d place my money on the square by transiting Mars to your natal Saturn. You would have started feeling this about a week ago, and it will be over in another week. Typically, a Mars-Saturn square can bring brushes with authority or just irritating circumstances with others. This is all the more true with Mars moving through your house of close relationships. Fear and anxiety can be part of this transit, too.

But, as Neith pointed out, Mars transits are over fairly quickly, and unless the transit itself is afflicted or there are complications in your chart, there’s rarely any lasting damage.

The last thing I might add is that Mercury is retrograde in Libra, sign of your natal Sun and Mercury, and this could be making you feel jumpy. That said, your natal Mercury is retrograde, and many of my clients with natal Mercury retrograde tell me that they actually fare better during retrograde periods.

In any case, I think you can relax!

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Full Moon in Aries, October 14, 2008

Full Moon in AriesFire sign inspiration and dynamic energy has been in short supply for quite awhile now, so the Full Moon at 21° 51′ Aries  on October 14 will inject some much-needed leavening into the atmosphere, if only temporarily.

To help us understand the tone this Full Moon will bring, I am going to lead off with the Sabian symbols for both the Moon and Sun, because they hold the key to how best to position ourselves during this lunation.

For the Full Moon it is, the gate to the garden of all fulfilled desires, with the keyword COSMIC OPTIMISM. Both luminaries are harmoniously aspected by Neptune in Aquarius, bringing a message of cooperation and inspiring the collective with a sense of community. With economic unrest making headlines around the globe, this is the best time to reach out to our fellow travelers with the recognition that we are all in this together and that it is through cooperation and understanding we can reduce the stress in our lives.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun at 21° 51′ Libra 51′ is, a child giving birds a drink at a fountain, with the keyword SOLICITUDE. The theme of finding anew a sense of childlike wonder or beginner’s mind is common in many cultures and belief systems as a key component for resolving difficulties from a fresh perspective. Often the secret is letting go of preconceived notions and ideas and cultivating a sense of innocent joy. Here again we can draw on Neptune’s gift of understanding that we are all part of the greater whole to ignite Libra’s desire for compromise and elegant equitable solutions.

On the Full Moon, Mercury in Libra is virtually at a standstill, preparing to go direct almost exactly 24 hours after the Full Moon. We gradually will see the unleashing of all that has been on hold for the past three weeks while Mercury was retrograde. Mercury is closely semi-sextile Mars in Scorpio, and this rather irritating aspect asks us to think before we speak to avoid causing hurt feelings when remaining silent will better serve us in the long run.

Another fly in the ointment is a square between Venus in Scorpio, Libra’s ruling planet, and Neptune in Aquarius. Here we can get caught up in unrealistic expectations, especially where our loved ones are concerned. Scorpio’s need to rehash all the details, important or not, could really spoil the mood too. Venus will move into Sagittarius on October 18, just four days after the Full Moon, and lighten things up considerably. Keep in mind the Libra principal of catching more flies with honey instead of vinegar to avoid sabotaging your relationships inadvertently.

There are two grand trines with asteroids in play:  one in air with the Sun, Neptune, and Pallas; and one in fire with the Moon, Juno, and Ceres. Pallas/Athena brings a clear sighted organizational ability to the table, and in Gemini she shines brightly. Pallas will happily discuss options for conflict resolution with wise Neptune and equitable Libra, and we could all use a dose of this in our lives. The fire sign trio brings together the enthusiastic innocence of the Aries Moon and the desire of Juno in Sagittarius to find a common belief system, while Ceres in Leo adds nurturance through creativity and joy. Both of these grand trines contribute to the dynamic of complements represented by the Full Moon, and if we consciously draw on the energies they represent, we can go far toward improving our relationships with others.

Yes, Saturn in Virgo is still trine Jupiter in Capricorn and moving to exactly oppose Uranus in Pisces on November 4. These two very different aspects present challenges to all of us, but if we keep in mind that earth and water are compatible elements, the path to resolution is possible. An attitude of acceptance and a willingness to do the work are needed here.

This Full Moon provides us with tools and concepts we can draw on in the days and weeks ahead to work with the challenges the Saturn-Uranus opposition heralds. We are definitely experiencing the final throes of Pluto’s march through Sagittarius now and getting some idea what his move into Capricorn will bring. As the Sabian symbols suggest, we can find our way to abundance through togetherness and cooperation while holding within ourselves the joy of solicitude for others. As always, practice kindness and forgiveness, starting with yourself and then extending it to others.

Libra is about balanceposted by Neith . . .

Weekly Forecast October 6: Mercury Retrograde, Venus and Mars in Scorpio

The Hallucenogenic Toreador, by Salvador DaliWe’re in a holding pattern this week, with Mercury moving through the final stage of his retrograde phase, Mars well-established in his own sign of Scorpio, and no highly challenging aspects.

As the week begins, Mercury has a week and a half left to go in his three-week retrograde period. Some of you have written to say that you haven’t noticed any major effects of this Mercury retrograde, and I have to agree with you. I’ve seen a few minor glitches here and there, but no major mix-ups. I’ve even heard a couple of good stories, and my own experience has been mostly positive. A relationship with a co-worker began getting back on track after several weeks of discord.

Because Mercury is in Libra, the sign of relationships, I do believe it’s possible that this retrograde period has been good for revisiting old wounds and unresolved issues, especially as Mercury forms harmonious trines with Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius.

On Monday, the Sun conjoins retrograde Mercury, and both bodies square Jupiter in Capricorn. If you don’t like the way a certain relationship is going, this is a great opportunity to make some real changes. Depending on where Mercury is transiting your chart, you may also have a window of opportunity to change some other part of your life. With Mercury and the Sun in an intellectual air sign and Jupiter in a practical earth sign, thinking through how you’d like things to be different is a good start. Visualization exercises and affirmations will work well with this planetary configuration.

The effects of this triple aspect will continue into Tuesday as the Moon in Capricorn squares Mercury and the Sun and conjoins Jupiter. We manifest much more effectively when we back our thoughts with emotion. Put another way, when there’s a real need, the energy we send out into the Universe is much more powerful.

Matters also start getting complicated, though, with Venus in Scorpio squaring Chiron on Tuesday and Neptune on Saturday. We can’t be truly intimate with another person if we don’t express our hurts and fears. Often we’re afraid to do this, either because it exposes our vulnerability or makes us appear less desirable. Or we may be afraid that the other person will be angry, perhaps even angry enough to leave us. Withholding information from an intimate partner or someone else close to you is a means of manipulation and control, and while you may get what you want in the short term, this will harm your relationship over time. If nothing else, be ruthlessly honest with yourself about your motives.

As she makes these difficult aspects with Chiron and Neptune, Venus also sextiles Saturn early in the week. This is good energy for solidifying your committed relationships, provided you are willing to do the work. In financial matters, this positive Venus-Saturn contact can help you make progress, even with Mercury retrograde.

The Moon in Aquarius conjoins Chiron on Thursday and Neptune on Friday, triggering the Mercury-Sun aspect earlier in the week. Also on Thursday and Friday, Venus forms a happy trine to unpredictable Uranus. Typically the surprises that arrive under this aspect are happy ones. I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready for some of that!

Overall, we’ll get a bit of a breather this week, so take advantage while you can. Next week is the Full Moon in Aries, the day before Mercury turns direct, and I’m betting that a lot of pent-up energy will be released at that time. Neith will have more on this in a day or two.

Love and blessings,

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image:  The Hallucinogenic Toreador, by Salvador Dalí, 1968-1970. Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida. I chose this image because it so nicely represents the confused, complicated energies of Venus this week. However, on a deeper level, this painting contains symbolism for suddenly seeing the whole, a psychological phenomenon called “emergence” in Gestalt theory.

Saturday Archives: The Natal Chart in Synastry, Part 1 – Pluto

Judgement - Pluto from Celestial DeckIn honor of Mars entering his home sign of Scorpio, I selected this post on how Pluto in our natal charts affects our ability to relate to others.

Because I keep referring to our natal charts as the starting point of what to consider first when looking at compatibility with others, I thought I would do some posts looking at how the outer planets impact how we relate to others. So I’m going to start with the furthest out, Pluto, and work in towards the Sun . . .

I have touched on Pluto in synastry but there is always more where he is concerned. Pluto is all about the depths of our beings and it can take a lifetime to explore all his mysteries. When looking at a natal chart to get a sense of how the individual will react/respond in relationships, Pluto aspects can offer significant clues. In fact, the two books I read and reviewed here this past year, “The Hades Moon” and “Healing Pluto Problems”, contain a lot of very sound information on the Pluto effect in natal charts. So I will hit some of the high points in this post and suggest both books as resources for further exploration.

Pluto aspecting the Sun, especially by conjunction, square and opposition, points to a tendency to obsess when it comes to relationships. This is an individual who often draws other Plutonians or Scorpios to themselves, and just as often scares the holy crap out of those who are not interested in wading through the darker side of their natures. Often a Pluto transit to the Sun will help this person work their way down to the reasons behind their obsessive behaviors. This is a painful process but can do wonders for freeing us from the worst of our obsessions, making it a lot easier to form good relationships with others.

When the Moon is in aspect to Pluto, the emotional issues are often a source of angst. I suggest reading “The Hades Moon” as a primer on dealing with issues stemming from Moon/Pluto aspects. One of the difficulties with Moon/Pluto aspects is the nature of the Moon herself. She describes our intuitive, unconscious behaviors and feeling nature; and often forgiveness of self and acceptance of what we may view as “bad” is imperative to begin the healing process. The rewards for taking the plunge and healing our emotional wounds can be finding a way to self-respect and better relationships.

Venus and Mars in aspect to Pluto can lead to “sticky fingers”. Pluto here makes it very, very hard to keep from holding on to the object of our desire so hard it destroys the relationship. Mars/Pluto aspects often give us hints as to what type of behaviors we sabotage potentially good relationships with, and Venus/Pluto aspects can be likened to a black hole of neediness. Again the solution lies within our selves . . . we need to find our way to reclaiming our power from the dark side and owning it without judgment. This is possible because I’ve done it . . . but only with help from Donna Cunningham’s tools for dealing with Pluto. Yes, I know, good Plutonian that I am, I keep recommending her books over and over. :-)

Pluto conjuncting the Ascendant or Descendant is obviously going to have an impact in how the person reacts/responds when relating to others on a one-to-one basis too. Pluto on the Ascendant (or Scorpio Rising) is the power player and often lays down the rules in a “my way or the highway” manner. Their partners are often the submissive sorts who don’t mind being bossed around. Having Pluto on the Descendant is the reverse of this – the partner drawn to this individual is the controlling type.

All of the above examples are drawn broadly and I would like to note that there are many people out there who use their Pluto aspects natally in a much less drastic fashion. If you are looking at your chart and seeing Pluto aspects, the best course of action is to start the process of acceptance and understanding. Giving our selves the time to allow healing to take place is important too. This all comes from personal experience in case you are wondering . . . I am a Plutonian and Pluto has transited ALL my personal planets and Ascendant by conjunction. And I’m still here to talk about it!

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Ask Real Astrologers: Is There Any Hope for Me?

 This week’s question comes from Michele in Los Angeles:

I was born on [date deleted for privacy]. Is this a significant date of someone who has a certain mission? My life has been filled with roadblocks and I am getting very tired. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Michele, with several planets in Leo, your Ascendant in Scorpio, and Mars in Taurus on the Descendant, you are a strong fixed-sign person. I am, too, and so I can sympathize with where you are right now.

The fixed signs – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius – can be difficult to work with, because they are stubborn and immovable. The flip side is that they are stable, reliable, and durable. We can carry burdens that would break others. Of course, that can mean we get a heavier load in life, too.

Leo and Aquarius are being impacted heavily right now due to a series of eclipses in these two signs that began this past February and will run until August 2009. To a lesser degree, Scorpio and Taurus also are being impacted (along with Scorpio and Taurus Rising). Since you are a Rising Scorpio, you are getting hit doubly hard. I don’t doubt that you are tired. I am, too! But hang in there, because you are being offered an opportunity to transform, grow, and evolve. Unfortunately, this never happens without a certain amount of pain.

Simultaneously with the eclipses, we are experiencing an opposition of Saturn and Uranus. These two patterns don’t seem to be related, but they are linked in an indirect way. I bring this up, because Saturn currently is moving through your tenth house of career and is transiting your lunar North Node in Virgo. The North Node often indicates our “mission” in life, so I feel fairly sure that you are about to find it.

Your challenge, as I see it, is that you have a lot of “self-oriented” Leo energy in your chart, while your North Node in Virgo indicates that your life’s work is about service to others. You will have to find a balance that allows you to fully express who you are while also serving humanity.

Astrology is a great tool for creating a roadmap. I strongly advise you to get a full reading to help you understand how you can channel your talents and creativity to fulfill your life’s purpose.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

Libra ponders . . .
Neith’s response:

Michele, Neptune has a role in both your sense you have a mission and your tiredness and frustration both natally and by transit.

You have Neptune natally in Scorpio in the twelfth house of service square to your bright stellium in Leo of the Sun, Moon and Venus. This is an aspect that can bestow a certain amount of glamour to one and allows for others to project their expectations on you. If you have been unconsciously attempting to live up to those expectations it is no surprise you are weary. By the way, this particular aspect is frequently found in the charts of celebrities who make a living being someone other than themselves.

For the better part of the past year, transiting Neptune in your third house has been either squaring your Ascendant exactly or the ruler of your Ascendant, Mars. Neptune transits are most noticeable when they are exact by degree, other than that they fade into the background. The transit to your natal Mars also exacerbates your natal Uranus-Mars square, usually a source of energy for you but Neptune can act like as a conduit draining the energy away. The first pass of the this transit is over with two more coming next year, one in late January – early February and the final pass in October-November 2009. These will be periods when you need to take extra care of your health and get plenty of rest.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is let go of all preconceived ideas because those often prevent us from moving forward. If you do not already practice yoga, tai chi or some other form of meditative movement for calming the mind and allowing peace to enter, I highly recommend doing so.

Take time for yourself in a nurturing environment and remember to breathe!  Best of luck to you, Michele.

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Synastry of John and Cindy McCain

John & Cindy McCain With Sun signs in Virgo and Taurus, John and Cindy McCain are an earth duo. They share an appreciation for the here-and-now reality of the physical world and a generally conservative approach to life.

Although Sun signs are not necessarily that important in synastry, two people with Sun signs in the same element generally tend to understand one another. Moreover, John’s Moon is in Capricorn, the third earth sign, and Cindy’s Moon may be in Capricorn, too, depending on what time she was born. As with the other political couples I’ve written about, missing birth data makes it tough to achieve a 100-percent precise reading.

The one air element in their synastry, appropriately, is a trine between John’s Mercury in Libra and Cindy’s Mercury in Gemini – invaluable for communications. Since they have a Saturn-Mercury intra-aspect, with John’s Saturn squaring Cindy’s Mercury and her Saturn semi-sextile his Mercury, he can come across as rather authoritarian on occasion, causing her to step back and close down. Without the benefit of the harmonious trine between their Mercury signs, it would be more difficult to open the door to understanding.

They do have good chemistry, with his Leo Mars sextile her Gemini Venus and her Mars in Capricorn trine his Venus in Virgo. John’s natal Mars is square Uranus and trine Jupiter, giving him impulse control issues, so Cindy’s ability to respond to his needs with understanding has no doubt been very good for their relationship.

Because of their 18-year age difference, they both have the North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer. The synastry aspects to the lunar nodes show a deep connection, with her Venus-Jupiter in Gemini forming an out-of-sign conjunction with his South Node in Cancer. This aspect may show how her wealth allows them to live comfortably with several homes around the country. Her Mars conjoins his North Node in Capricorn, providing active support for his need to serve his country and its traditions.

Chiron is another active element in their synastry, with her Venus conjunct his Chiron in Gemini and his Moon conjunct her Chiron in Capricorn. The question here is whether these two sympathetic personal planets have provided a comfort level allowing for the healing of old wounds. Chiron often shows us where we feel most insecure, and John has a square between natal Chiron and Venus, reflecting doubts about being loveable. Cindy’s Chiron is closely trine her Sun, suggesting that she experienced positive reinforcement of her self-esteem growing up, thus making it likely she has been able to help John sort through his issues in this area.

They both have Juno in Leo, with Cindy’s Pluto in Leo closely conjoining them. Their idea of an ideal marriage and household is thus very similar, and this particular aspect has no doubt stood them in good stead with all the entertaining in support of John’s political career over the years. With Pluto adding his two cents, discussions about jealously and possessive behaviors had to have played a role behind the scenes.

With the strong Capricorn element in both charts and their favorable synastry aspects in general, it is easy to understand how they are both drawn to politics and serving their country in very traditional ways. They both share a desire to live within a conventional framework, and it has obviously worked for them as a couple, because John and Cindy were married for 29 years as of April.

Libra, an Air signposted by Neith . . .

Verified Birth Data: John McCain 29 August 1936, Cocosolo, Panama; Cindy McCain 20 May 1954, Chicago, IL