Tag Archives: cardinal T-square

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn, June 26

Looking Over the Edge. © Pat Paquette.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Take your pick.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wishing you all strong hearts filled with love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

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

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

Looking for AnswersThis week’s question comes from Stephanie in Springfield, Missouri:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hang in there, everyone!

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

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

© Retrodiva88, Dreamstime

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

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

Looking for AnswersThis week’s question comes from Alison in London, England:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hang in there, everyone!

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

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!

New Moon in Gemini, June 12

© Meg380, Dreamstime

The New Moon in Gemini on June 12 is all about communications, ideas, and bigger bandwidth.

Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communications, intellectual exchange, and business negotiations. Not only does Mercury rule this New Moon, but all of the other planets send their energy to the Messenger. That’s a lot of concentrated focus! So if you’ve got something to talk about, an idea to pitch to the boss (including your request for a raise or promotion), or a contract to sign, this is the time to do it!

We may start seeing developments related to this New Moon as early as Thursday, when Mercury enters his home sign of Gemini. He has been in Taurus since early April, favoring slow, deliberate thinking. Enough of that! It’s time to get those neurons firing and brainstorm new solutions to old problems. In Gemini, Mercury’s first order of business will be to contact Uranus and Jupiter in Aries and give them some ideas for speedy action.

A few hours after Mercury enters Gemini, the Moon follows, creating the setup for the conjunction with the Sun, exact at 7:15 a.m. EDT on Saturday. Whereas Mercury’s aspects to other planets provoke thought and discussion, the Moon puts feeling behind those thoughts.

Unfortunately, both the Moon and Mercury square Mars on Thursday and Friday. Mars in Virgo looks at everything with a critical eye. If honest feedback upsets you, you might want to stay out of the line of fire for a few days. Likewise, if you’re too attached to your ideas, you can assume that the other guy is, too, and one or both of you could end up bruised if you get into a debate.

If you can accept some criticism, though, you’ll be in good stead to start a new venture at the New Moon. Nothing says you have to take all of it to heart. You just have to listen and make an honest attempt to determine whether it has any merit. If it does, take the time to modify your plans accordingly.

Uranus and Jupiter in Aries may have you chomping at the bit to get moving, but an opposition from Saturn wags a finger in your face and tells you to cover all your bases, unless you’ve got so much time and money that you can afford to throw a big chunk of it down the drain.

In any case, we can expect new initiatives to come into our lives in rapid-fire succession, and we may need to burn the candle at both ends for a few days to get everything done. A Mars-Pluto trine supports personal and global transformation. At the very least, we can recognize what needs to change and come up with a viable plan.

As I mentioned in my weekly forecast, we may read about new solutions for some of the sticky problems in the news lately, most notably the gulf oil spew (I didn’t coin that phrase, but I think it describes the situation much better than “spill”). These developments may cause a flurry of excitement, but don’t be surprised or disappointed if the results are just temporary. There are more big changes ahead, and every time you change one element of a situation, something else gets thrown out of balance and needs readjustment.

The New Moon is at a wide trine to Neptune in Aquarius and Chiron in Pisces, both of which went retrograde last week. Healing comes out of the recognition that we’re all connected. Even a seemingly trivial act such as throwing away a plastic bag instead of recycling or reusing it has consequences when millions of other people are doing the same thing.

Venus, nearing the end of her tour through family oriented Cancer, is sextile Saturn, reminding us that committed relationships are hard work and come with duties and responsibilities. It’s also a good idea to take stock of our finances and set some limits. When Venus enters Leo on June 14 and trines Uranus and Jupiter, we may be tempted to run wild, overindulge, and gamble. Knowing your limits will help you decide how much risk you can afford to take, whether it’s with your money, relationships, or something else you hold dear.

Pluto remains in a tight T-square with Uranus, Jupiter, and Saturn. Technically, it’s not a cardinal T-square yet, because Saturn is in mutable Virgo until July 21. We’ve never been through anything like this in our lifetime or, for that matter, in recorded history. So we don’t know exactly how this is all going to play out. However, I suspect that Saturn in earth-sign Virgo may be acting as an anchor, preventing volatile situations from exploding completely out of control. That could change in another month.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun and Moon at 21°24′ Gemini is a barn dance, with the keyword GREGARIOUSNESS. As the environmental consequences of mindless overconsumption force us to make tough choices, it’s a good time to remember that happiness doesn’t depend on a 4G cell phone. Ultimately, our fulfillment comes not through the quantity of our communications, but through the quality of our interactions with others . We’ve gotten ourselves into a big mess, and the only way out is through organization, cooperation, and sharing. If we step on each other’s toes from time to time, it’s part of the process.

The next lunation will be a Full Moon lunar eclipse conjunct Pluto. I’ll be writing lots more on this as the date approaches.

Until then, wish you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

** 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.

Weekly Forecast June 7: Mars in Virgo, Jupiter Conjunct Uranus

© Albo, Dreamstime.

Mars finally gets the [expletive deleted] out of Leo this week. That alone would indicate a major shift, but as those television commercials for knives always say, “Wait, there’s more!”

So much more.

Knives, incidentally, fall within the domain of Mars, who also rules the blood, muscles, and physical energy, along with testosterone and the male libido. That’s why, in his more extreme expressions, he can get a tad aggressive.

Mars normally moves through a sign in about six weeks, but he’s been in Leo since October 16, more than two months of which he spent retrograde. It’s always interesting to observe what happens in our lives when a planet changes signs, especially one that resonates so strongly in our day-to-day existence.

Unfortunately, the first thing Mars in Virgo will do is to form an edgy inconjunct with Jupiter and Uranus in Aries, just as they’re nearing conjunction, which is exact on Tuesday. Mars rules Aries, so we can’t dismiss the potential for complications in global finances and international tensions. That said, Mars in Virgo favors actively seeking solutions, and perhaps he’ll apply the brakes, however temporarily, to the wild and uncontrollable nature of the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction.

What I can say with absolute certainty is that we will observe major changes this week, and we won’t have to squint and strain to see them. The effects will be abundantly evident in the news headlines and possibly in our own lives.

I should warn you, though, that while the changes happening now are irreversible, the solutions we come up with to address the problems exposed by these events will not be permanent, stable, or reliable. That’s because Jupiter and Uranus will barely dip their toes into Aries before turning retrograde this summer and going back to Pisces, which is where they will meet for a second and third time. Actions taken now — for example, to contain the BP oil spew — may not be effective, for whatever reason.

In my recent post on Uranus in Aries, I discussed the 29th degree of Pisces, also known as the “weeping degree.” Jupiter and Uranus will make two more passes over this degree between now and mid-March, and Mars crosses 29 degrees Pisces the first two days of April before blasting into his own sign. This will be just after the next spring equinox, also called the Aries ingress. Moreover, Mercury will be retrograde, so I suspect that’s when we’ll really experience the full-blown implications of events in play now.

The New Moon in Aries on April 3, 2011, will be especially symbolic of new beginnings. Even though it’s a ways off, I thought it was worth mentioning now, because this may be when we’re forced to leave our old ways behind once and for all.

Although we have no idea what’s in store for us this summer, it’s hard not to think that the BP oil disaster will feed into it somehow. Among the news sites I’ve been visiting daily is The Oil Drum, a newsletter dedicated to serious debate about the impact of declining world oil reserves. Nathan Hagens, an ecology economics research fellow at the University of Vermont, posted an analysis this morning that puts the issue into stark perspective. Rather than demanding a pound of flesh from the purveyors of evil corporate greed, we need to be asking ourselves the questions he raises.

S&@!, all of that, and I’m not even done writing about Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, Mercury trines Saturn, an aspect that can yield very productive discussions. Later in the day, Mars opposes Chiron. I touched on this in my Saturday Extra! post.

On Thursday (Wednesday in some parts of the world), Mercury enters his home sign of Gemini, where he’ll sextile Jupiter and Uranus right away and then square Mars on Friday. The Moon also enters Gemini on Thursday, adding an exclamation point to all of Mercury’s declarations. We’ll be in the world of ideas for the next couple of weeks, and that’s a good thing, in my book. Of course, the square between Mercury and Mars suggests a war of words, but that’s hardly surprising. The problems we face seem insurmountable. You don’t need an astrologer to tell you that there will be acrimonious disagreements over proposed solutions.

In your personal affairs, you may want to tread a little more gently and take care not to be overly critical, lest you end up in needless conflicts with your loved ones. Know where to draw the line.

Saturday is the New Moon in Gemini. I’ll have a separate post on Tuesday or Wednesday. For now, let me just point out that we’ll be heading toward eclipse territory after the New Moon. The next lunation, at the end of this month, will be a lunar eclipse in tight conjunction with Pluto.

We’re wandering deeper into cardinal T-square territory, and whenever we step into a new world, it’s exhilarating and dangerous at the same time.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Extra! Love in the Time of the T-Square

Breakthrough. © James A. Weythman.

I’ve spent so much time lately writing about this summer’s cardinal T-square that I’ve barely given much thought to Neptune and Chiron, both of which turned retrograde this past week.

Those of you who followed me over from The Pisces Chronicles may recall my posts about the Neptune-Chiron conjunction of the past few years and the opportunity for healing deep wounds, both collective and individual. In my observation, that window is a bit wider during times when one or both planets are changing directions.

In November 2008, I wrote:

Culturally, we are taught that giving up is a bad thing, that it shows we are weak. Don’t go down without a fight, we’re told. But sometimes, giving up and giving in is exactly what we need to do, and there’s nothing like extreme pain to force us to let go of everything we are, everything we believe, and to open ourselves up to something else.

Neptune dissolves the ego and allows us to open up to that “something else.” We’ve got some extra help from Mars, the surgeon. Mars is opposite Neptune and will oppose Chiron on Tuesday. Re-opening old wounds can hurt like hell, but sometimes it’s necessary before true healing can take place.

Most of us have some idea of our individual wounds, but we’re at the point at which we have to address our collective dis-ease. This wound is millennia old, and I believe its origins lie in the separation of male and female energies. Many of my old PiChron posts were devoted to the coming planetary shift and what it means for healing the imbalance between feminine and masculine energies — yin and yang, if you will.

Given the building intensity of the cardinal T-square, it may seem like Neptune is a minor influence at this point. And besides, now that Uranus is in Aries, they’re no longer are in mutual reception. But Neptune is still a player in this lineup, albeit in a more subtle, Neptunian way.

Within the cardinal T-square is polarization and extreme tension. Polarization is at the root of every conflict on the planet right now, and it all goes back to the separation of the fundamental masculine-feminine energies. We’re stuck, and the only way out of it is going to be a major breakthrough in consciousness — if we don’t kill each other first. Breakthroughs are not possible without first having a breakdown, and that happens when the ego gives up and stops fighting.

The ego is invested in hanging on tightly to old wounds. Experienced for long enough, our fears, insecurities and paranoia become so much a part of us that we may take them for granted and not even realize how much they’re affecting us. If we do manage to release them, we feel an odd emptiness, like something is missing.

I believe that an increase in consciousness will come simultaneously with the opening of our hearts, individually and collectively. We have to open our hearts and keep them open despite repeated hurt, and we have to work to clear out the energies that prevent love from taking root. Love makes us whole, but it can’t descend on us and bestow its light unless we clear a space for it in our hearts.

For those of you who are working on making the world safe for love, I want to encourage you to keep going. I am optimistic that we’re about to turn a corner, even though it seems like we’re in the darkest hour, and the in the outside world, it’s feeling a lot like war and the seven plagues.

I leave with you with a video called “Soldier of Love,” from the first album in 10 years by Sade. A Capricorn (ruler of the military), she’s back just in time for the cardinal T-square. And what about those Mayan ruins on the album cover? Just a coincidence?

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Weekly Forecast May 31: Jupiter Enters Aries

Devils Tower, Wyo. Native tribes associated this imposing rock formation with the Big Dipper. Its energy, like that of the coming cardinal T-square, is unnerving and extremely powerful. © Pat Paquette.

If you’re asking yourself how much more could possibly happen in the next few months, the answer is, “a lot!”

And it could happen very fast, too, once Jupiter enters Aries on Sunday (June 6). Jupiter is the planet of “big,” and he combines forces next week with erratic, explosive Uranus. I might have thought something like an oil well blowing up and gushing millions of barrels of oil into the sea would occur under such an influence, but I would have been wrong.

We’re still in the early stages of the buildup toward this summer’s cardinal T-square, and that could mean we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Traditionally, Jupiter is considered to be one of the luckiest influences in astrology. He is an indicator of growth, expansion, and abundance. And perhaps that will be true this summer. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that his presence in this complicated and volatile configuration of planets will bring some favorable outcomes to situations that currently look catastrophic and scary. Let’s just hope …

In Aries, Jupiter may help us maintain our optimism despite the challenges that are coming at us faster and harder every day. For some, there may be an element of adventure in these challenges. Others could find ways to turn hardship into opportunities for growth and positive change, while still others may find ways to provide services that many people will need in tough times. In Aries, Jupiter is the “can-do” man.

Conjunct Uranus, Jupiter unfortunately could take his enthusiasm to an extreme, and we may see many instances of speculative and risky behavior, especially in politics and finance. Should this happen, the backlash will be swift and severe. Everyone’s on a short fuse these days, and there is so much anger and polarization everywhere.

I’m waiting, along with everyone else, to see how these unprecedented energies play out. At the same time, I’m trying to stay mindful of how I can work with them rather than waiting around for something to happen to me.

As for the rest of this week, Neptune turns retrograde on Monday and will stay in “reverse” until November 7. Because his orbit is so far from the Sun, Neptune moves through the signs slowly and spends a good part of every year retrograde (as do Uranus and Pluto). We aren’t likely to see sudden events related to this transit, although I’ve often felt very sleepy for a week or so when Neptune stations. This may be very apparent on Thursday and Friday, when Neptune is conjoined by the Moon and opposed by Mars, ruler of physical energy.

Hard aspects between Mars and Neptune also can indicate deception of some kind. Well, does it take an astrologer to tell you that somebody’s lying to us? Mars symbolizes confrontation, so those perpetrating the lies might want to make sure their blowout preventers are working.

Also on Friday, Chiron turns retrograde. Chiron, often referred to as the Wounded Healer, speaks to our individual and collective wounds. He recently entered Pisces, but will return to Aquarius in late July and continue to move close to Neptune for another six months. I’ve been writing about this conjunction for several years, mostly in regard to healing the collective mind.

Sometimes, our wounds are so deeply buried that a part of us needs to break down completely before we can repair the damage and put ourselves back together in a way that is more healthy and whole. Perhaps this is even part of the message of the BP oil “spill,” which we might view as a physical wound deep within the Earth.

On Sunday (Saturday night in some parts of the world), the Moon in Pisces conjoins Jupiter and then moves into Aries, where she immediately conjoins Uranus. Less than ten minutes later, Jupiter enters Aries, and then the Moon carries that energy forward to a square with Pluto.

Still, it’s not a cardinal T-square yet. Saturn is still in Virgo, and while Venus is in Cancer, she has advanced too far to be included in a T-square.

As I wrote above, we’ve got a way to go before we hit the peak power of this cardinal T-square. I truly hope that you are all able to find ways to put these forces to work for you, even though it’s probably too much to expect that each of us won’t be adversely affected in some way, however small.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat