Tag Archives: cardinal T-square

Weekly Forecast January 9: Full Moon in Cancer, Venus Enters Pisces

Venus in Pisces: dancer Anabel Veloso in a promotional photo for the 2009 Deje Flamenco production Nacidos del Mar. More info below.

We’re in an enchanted period in which all the planets are direct. It doesn’t happen very often and it won’t last, so make it your mission this week to move full-speed ahead toward what you most want in life.

I’m not saying that what you want is going to fall out of the sky into your lap, just because the planets are aligned. A good metaphor is having a strong tailwind on a long and perilous journey. We can cover a lot of ground in a short time, with minimal complications. Even if you have a serious affliction in your chart right now – for example, if Saturn is conjunct your natal Pluto – you will be surprised by how little resistance you meet.

Chances are, something important happened for you around the New Moon on Christmas Eve. Whatever it was, the Full Moon on Monday will bring resolution. Again, this doesn’t mean that everything is going to work out exactly as you want … or, to be more precise, the way you have been visualizing. A new element has been introduced into the situation, possibly a game-changer.

What does appear to be happening for my clients and just about everyone I know is that circumstances in their lives are linked to something that was going on in the summer of 2010, during the height of the cardinal T-square. The New Moon on Christmas Eve revisited critical degrees of that configuration. The difference now is Saturn and Jupiter no longer are squaring Pluto. Indeed, Jupiter is in a favorable sextile and will remain so for the rest of the winter season (summer for our friends Down Under). That’s another reason I’m so keen on these next couple of weeks.

The Full Moon also makes a favorable angle to Mars in Virgo. Mars is slowing down in preparation for turning retrograde on January 23. The closer we get to that date, the harder it’s going to be move forward with plans and projects, so it’s even more important that you not waste any time this week doing what needs to be done. A little effort will go a long way.

Click on image to enlarge

Events related to the Full Moon continue to unfold throughout the week. On Thursday, the Sun forms an exact trine with Mars. This is not an impulsive combination, but a signal to make detailed plans in an organization manner. Once you do that, following through with action will be much easier. It’s sort of like writing a term paper. If you just start writing with no idea where you want to go, you end up with an overwhelming mess. However, if you make an outline and start filling in the details, the process is much easier and more effective.

The following day is Friday the 13th, which is not to be feared but celebrated. Far from being unlucky, 13 is a special number. Among other things, it’s the number of cycles in a lunar year. Friday is named for Freya, the Norse equivalent of Venus. As it turns out, planet Venus is busy on her day, making contacts with Saturn and Neptune before entering mystic Pisces, the sign of her exaltation – anything but unlucky!

The Venus-Saturn trine is perfect for making and renewing commitments, be they to another person, a career choice, lifelong goal, or a commitment to do something for yourself. Later in the day, Venus conjoins Neptune. Astrologers normally caution with this pair that we can lose a grip on reality. However, with Saturn in the picture, I think it’s far less likely. To the contrary, whatever commitments we enter into, we should be able to enter with eyes wide open. The conjunction with Neptune is the last aspect Venus makes before gliding into Neptune-ruled Pisces. This is Venus at her best, highest love. Compassion and understanding take the place of selfish needs and demands.

Once she’s in Pisces, the first contact Venus makes is a sextile with Jupiter in Taurus, the sign she rules. Love with no strings attached can move mountains.

In addition to all the activity centered on Venus, Mercury forms a conjunction with Pluto on Friday. Deep insights come to the surface. In world affairs, look for headlines about skeletons in the closet of government leaders and powerful corporations. Or maybe the remains of a body under the deep, blue sea …

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

P.S. If, like me, you’re curious about how this incredible photo of Anabel Veloso was shot, watch this video on YouTube.

Weekly Forecast January 2: Mercury Enters Capricorn

Astrologically speaking, this is a quiet week – perfect for easing back into your daily routine, be it work, school, or life in general. Still, something seems to have changed, perhaps due to a collective expectation that, somehow, 2012 is different.

It’s true that the past two years have been exceptional, and the astrological configuration that corresponded to dramatic events in 2010 and 2011 has dissolved. I’m talking about the cardinal T-square, of course, which reached its peak in July and August of 2010 and then repeated on and off through last spring. Many of us completely changed direction in our lives, and we’re still rocking in the wake of these events passing through.

Top news stories of 2011 ranged from toppled governments in the Middle East and a record earthquake that caused a nuclear meltdown, to courtroom drama, a gala royal wedding, and death of an entrepreneurial icon – all while unemployment scaled new heights and a popular protest movement was born. The unifying factor in all of these events was that everything that happened, happened big. It was not a year of incremental steps toward change, but wholesale revolution.

In looking forward to 2012, it’s helpful to examine two time periods in recent history with similar planetary alignments. First, there was a cardinal build-up in the early 1930s, the beginning of the Great Depression. The configuration began dissipating in 1932, but just like our current planetary alignment, one aspect of the T-square remained: the square between Uranus and Pluto.

The second period is the turbulent mid-60s, when Uranus and Pluto and were conjunct in Virgo. Although the conjunction was exact in 1965 and 1966, it wasn’t until 1968 that the revolution changed civilization as we know it. No aspect of society was untouched. The square that that occurs from 2012-2015 is the first major milestone and test of that conjunction.

Uranus is the planet of rebellion and sudden change, and in the impulsive sign of Aries, you can expect a lot of fire bombs being thrown by individuals fighting for freedom. Conversely, Pluto is the planet of ultimate power and control. In Capricorn, he represents the ruthless power of the empire – the Darth Vader of the zodiac. You don’t need to be an astrologer to do the math. The harder the protesters fight, the greater the backlash will be. And we haven’t even experienced the peak of the Uranus-Pluto square yet. That will start this year, on June 24, and continue through 2015.

Two other major astrological events occur in 2012, both of which we’ve already had a taste. First, Neptune re-enters Pisces after briefly dipping his foot in his own sign for a few months in 2011. Then he turned retrograde and went back into Aquarius. Once Neptune enters Pisces on February 3, he’ll remain there through 2026. If you’d like to know, I highly recommend an article in the current issue of The Mountain Astrologer. You can order a single copy for $7.

The second defining astrological event of 2012 is the Venus transit on June 5, the day after a lunar eclipse. I’ll write a lot more on this subject as the date approaches. Both Neptune in Pisces and the Venus transit hold the promise of a vibrational shift in human consciousness.

Not coincidentally, the biggest story for astrology in 2011 was the “revelation” of a 13th sign. I wrote a long piece about it for TMA, which is in the same edition with the article on Neptune in Pisces (so it’s a great buy). Although the story that flew around the world via social networks turned out to be flat-out wrong, there is strong symbolism in the collective desire to change the cosmic order. Our ancient ancestors saw sea changes in civilization as a clash between the gods themselves. Just as the old gods overthrew cosmic forces – bringing order out of chaos – their children challenged them. Now they, too, have become corrupt and rotten, and the next generation has sounded the cry for revolution.

As for this week, there are no major planetary aspects until Saturday, when Mercury in the final degrees of Sagittarius sextiles Saturn and Neptune. Now, this could end up producing a revolution of sorts, in that Mercury will be just past conjunction with the Galactic Center. We know little about this mysterious point in space, except that there appears to be a black hole there, and it emits powerful radio waves. Pay attention to unusual thoughts on Friday and Saturday. They may contain flashes of genius. Changing your thoughts can change your whole life.

On Sunday (late Saturday on the West Coast of the United States), Mercury enters studious Capricorn and makes contacts with Jupiter and Uranus, briefly reminding us of the changes we have been making and the work we have yet to do. The following day, January 9, is the Full Moon in Cancer. So for the rest of this week, we’re still processing the energy of the New Moon on Christmas Eve as we approach culmination and resolution. Good things are coming in, but you may have to change your perspective to see them as blessings.

Wishing you all much love, joy, and prosperity in 2012,
Pat

P.S. I return to classes this week, so please keep in mind when you order reports and forecasts that it may take me 4-7 days to complete your order. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Weekly Forecast December 26: Sun Conjunct Pluto, Moon in Aries

As the Sun stands still, life has slowed down and is starting to return to some semblance of balance. At the same time, a shift is occurring, and that means constantly shifting our response to stay in balance – kind of like walking on a tight rope.

The New Moon on Christmas Eve was a milestone for many, especially for those of you with emphasis in your natal chart on the early cardinal signs. The degrees from 0 to 4 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn were activated for most of 2010 and 2011, thanks to the cardinal T-square that reached its height in July and August of 2010. Although that configuration has long since broken up, Uranus is still at 0 Aries, indicating that the changes that began happening back then continue to unfold.

For some, the unfolding happened at breakneck speed, disrupting your entire life. For others, the changes have been painfully slow, causing you to wonder whether you’re ever going to reach your new destination. Well, take heart, because the next four weeks look especially promising for some of the goodies to show up on your doorstep. With Jupiter’s return direct today (December 25), all ten planets now are moving forward. That’s right, no one is retrograde, not until Mars shifts into reverse on January 23! This is a magical time, when we can cover a lot of ground and accomplish much.

This week, the Sun aligns with Pluto, who’s now at 7 degrees Capricorn. If you have Sun, Moon, or Ascendant at 5-9 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn, this week may be pivotal. Even for those who don’t have planets or key chart points in these degrees, you probably know what natal house Pluto is transiting and where your life is being transformed.

In describing Pluto’s cycle, I like to tell the story of the dead raccoon on the side of the road I used to walk along when I first came to Vashon in December of 2004. Our winters are mild here, but the weather is chilly and wet – perfect for rotting. I walked by that raccoon for weeks and was amazed that he remained intact – or so I thought. After seeing no outward change all that time, one day I walked by, and his entire structure had collapsed. Within a couple of days, there was nothing but a dark, soupy blob to indicate that he’d ever been there.

That is how Pluto works. You may not see the changes on the outside, but one day you wake up to find the entire structure of something in your life – a relationship, a job, a cause – disintegrated. It’s depressing at first, because you feel powerless. I encourage my clients to think of it as the rotting and composting cycle. The energy that is released through the death of someone or something is now free to manifest into something new, to be reborn. In the cycle of nature, that typically happens in the spring, at the Aries point. And, as it so happens, that’s where Uranus, the Awakener, currently is positioned.

The Sun crosses Pluto on Thursday. On Saturday, the Moon enters Aries, immediately conjoins Uranus, and then moves through the degrees of the cardinal T-square until she, too, makes contact with Pluto. In doing so, she carries forward the energy of Uranus to Pluto. In 2012, there will be two exact squares between these outer planets, one of which symbolizes change through slow transformation and the other of which represents sudden change through revolution. The global rebellion that already has begun to occur in reflection of this powerful aspect will become even stronger, as a new order seeks to displace the old, corrupt (rotten) system.

How are old, worn-out structures in your life rotting away so that fresh, new ways of thinking and being can emerge? And what can you do to put that compost where it will do the most good? Where can you use it to fertilize new ideas, new directions?

The only other major aspect this week is a square from Mercury to Mars next Sunday (late Saturday on the West Coast of the United States). This aspect also occurred on December 4 and is repeating, due to Mercury’s retrograde cycle. That it’s occurring again on New Year’s Eve is significant, in that Mercury and Mars will be retrograde in mutual reception in March. In other words, whatever you’re arguing about now likely will remain a contentious issue through the middle of April. Ironically, my Llewellyn’s 2011 Planetary Guide contains a typo, putting Mercury in Aries on New Year’s Eve, even though he’s correctly placed in Sagittarius the day before. It’s almost as if the universe is sending a message to be prepared to keep fighting for the truth, and don’t let anyone try to confuse you by overwhelming you with details.

Hoist your sails, mates, and take advantage of this cosmic fair wind!

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast December 22: New Moon in Capricorn, Jupiter Direct

Whew! That was one bad-ass Mercury retrograde. I’m sure you will join me in gratitude that it’s over.

Unfortunately, life didn’t turn around immediately, as I expected it would. It was almost as if people had a Mercury retrograde hangover. It took me a couple of days to clean up the mess, and then I had to sleep off a grueling academic quarter. I just now am starting to feel like I’m re-entering the real world – although, after two eclipses, it’s not the same world I left.

Reflecting on the past three months and on what comes next, I was able to connect the dots of events over the past two years. Although it’s true in general that we wouldn’t be where we are now if events in our lives hadn’t happened in the specific order that they did, there seems to have been something unique about the period since the cardinal T-square began ramping up in the spring of 2010. The tests and trials we encountered appear to have been precise in their design. For example, one of my classmates was about to get accepted into a prestigious art school in the summer of 2010, and the door suddenly closed, only for another to open in the spring of 2011, when she switched to film school. Incidentally, this young woman has strong early cardinal energy in her chart. Those of you with Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in the early degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn likely have similar stories.

In any case, we crossed a threshold during the eclipses, and now that Mercury is direct, we’re seeing a new reality. Or, perhaps it’s the same reality from a broader perspective. That’s definitely within the scope of Sagittarius, seeker of the Truth. Be prepared to see an even larger piece of the picture when the Sun crosses over the degree of the Galactic Center early Monday morning (2:27 a.m. EST). The portal is open for a giant leap in consciousness. The rest of the week is equally momentous, culminating with a groundbreaking New Moon in Capricorn on Christmas Eve and Jupiter’s return direct on Christmas Day.

While conjunct the GC, the Sun sextiles Saturn in Libra on Monday and Neptune in Aquarius on Tuesday. The key to successfully visualizing what you want and manifesting it into reality is knowing your purpose and following your path. I can’t help but think of the words in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy will be done.” Change the concept of the Christian God to a neutral universe in which we collectively upload and download, and then think about where your individual Will comes from. Incidentally, this is the same Will that Crowley was talking about when he said, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” (I’m not a Crowley fan, but I appreciate the concept.)

Venus enters Aquarius on Tuesday and immediately squares Jupiter and sextiles Uranus. This is great energy for holiday parties at the office and among friends, and while some overindulgence is a given, take care not to go too far overboard. That goes for last-minute shopping, too. I’m a big believer in “less is more” when it comes to holiday gift-giving. Give gifts that are simple and meaningful and that create a heart connection between you and the recipient of your generosity.

Thursday is Solstice, with the Sun’s entrance into Capricorn (late Wednesday on the West Coast of the United States). In itself, it represents a shift, from dark to light. Given the recent eclipses and events leading up to them – including an eclipse last year just hours before Solstice – there’s no doubt that we’re in a magical time of awakening, when the light is “reborn” – light being a symbol of consciousness.

Speaking of which, this seems as good a time as any to mention the so-called 2012 alignment – you know, the one that’s supposed to happen on Dec. 21, 2012. In fact, that alignment happened already. Because the galactic equator isn’t an exact spot in space, the alignment occurs over several years. We’re in it now and will still be in it next year. However, most astronomers agree that it was closest to exact in 1998. For many of us who have been observing the evolution of human consciousness, 1998 was a pivotal year. What we’re experiencing now is clearly an outgrowth of that cosmic shift, and this week’s solstice is another important milestone.

Shortly after entering Capricorn, the Sun trines Jupiter and squares Uranus, both on Thursday. Both aspects are activated by the New Moon, so I’ll turn my attention toward this significant event.

Click on image to enlarge

The New Moon, at 1:06 p.m. EST on Saturday, falls at 2°34′ Capricorn – right about the degree that Pluto occupied during the summer of 2010, when the cardinal T-square was in full force. Meanwhile, Saturn was in early Libra, and Jupiter and Uranus were conjunct in early Aries. In other words, this New Moon is significantly linked to the T-square. The big difference is that Saturn has moved on, and so we don’t have the obstacles and constraints we experienced back then.

Better still, Jupiter is now in early Taurus, in a harmonious earth trine with Pluto. What’s more, he’s coming out of his annual four-month retrograde. Planetary energies are most powerful when planets are stationed to shift direction, and earth signs are about manifestation on the material plane. I interpret this configuration as a free flow of the rewards we felt so close to attaining in the second half of 2010 but that continued to elude us, no matter how hard we tried or how much we suffered and sacrificed.

That’s not to say there won’t be disruption. As you can see in the chart, the New Moon is at a jarring square to Uranus, in the same degrees of early Aries he occupied in the summer of 2010. As I’m so fond of saying, change by definition is disorienting, even when it’s overwhelmingly positive. The more sweeping it is, the more disrupted your life will be.

The New Moon also makes a favorable sextile to Chiron, conjunct Vesta in early Pisces. In Pisces, Chiron reflects wounds from our individual and collective past. It’s no accident that so many people are beginning to have an awareness of other lifetimes (often called “past lives”). Manilius, an astrologer writing in the 1st century CE, considered Vesta as the patron deity of Capricorn. Virgin goddess of the home and hearth, Vesta occupied a special place in Roman society and was called upon whenever new communities formed. What is happening if not the formation of a new global collective without geopolitical, racial, ethnic, or religious boundaries? Vesta conjunct Chiron in Pisces also reminds us of our “spiritual home.” We are active on the material plane, but there is a deeper, unseen reality – that bigger picture that more and more of us are beginning to see and feel.

Not to neglect Mars, the warrior currently is moving on his own, with no major aspects at this New Moon. However, he is in his pre-retrograde shadow, making rumbling noises through Mercury, planet of communications. If you find yourself overly critical, perhaps even starting an argument when you believe someone to be lacking in some way, stop and think about whether you could get your message across without being so blunt. Directness does have its place, and it can save a lot of time and wasted energy. However, sometimes a little sugar can get you what you want faster. It’s your call.

Wishing you all abundance, joy, and hearts full of love during this magical season,
Pat

P.S. StarGuide Winter 2012 forecasts are now available. If you want to reserve a place on the list, don’t wait to order! I’ve got an increasing backlog of reports, and right now there’s an estimated wait time of 5-7 days. To those of you waiting for reports and consultation follow-up notes, I am grateful for your patience and understanding. I’m slowly making my way through the backlog while nursing a persistent cold and catching up on much-needed sleep.

Weekly Forecast October 3: Venus Enters Scorpio

October is here, and we’re already at the first quarter Moon. Did someone hit the fast-forward button?

Fortunately, this week should be calmer on most fronts.

Last week was a wild ride indeed, culminating with mass arrests in the anti-Wall Street protest in New York. There is no question that the protests reflect the building Uranus-Pluto square, which was part of a strong cardinal T-square with last Tuesday’s New Moon in Libra. It’s no surprise that greedy financial corporations are the target of the unrest, nor was the swift police response unanticipated. It’s exactly what we’d expect from Pluto in Capricorn.

The chart for the march tells an interesting story. According to news reports, the march began around 3:30 p.m. in downtown Manhattan, near the former World Trade Center. In addition to the Uranus-Pluto square, the chart (see below) shows a tight Yod with the Sun and Moon at the base and retrograde Jupiter in Taurus at the apex – the planet at the apex bears the pressure. In mundane astrology, both Jupiter and Taurus are associated with the nation’s wealth and financial institutions. Taurus rules the stock exchange, money markets, and trade. Note that Jupiter is in the third house, which rules communications and traffic flow. Protesters were arrested when they blocked traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Click on image to enlarge

As for how the protest ties into the bigger picture of social upheaval and crackdown by authorities, note the trine (blue line) from Pluto at the apex of the T-square to Jupiter. Normally, we’d consider this trine past its prime, but Jupiter is retrograde and on its way toward two exact alignments with Pluto next month and again in March 2012. As much unrest as there has been in the world in the past year, we’re barely seeing the tip of iceberg.

Back to this week, we start out with the first-quarter Moon in Capricorn, skimming through all the critical T-square degrees of last week’s New Moon. Watch for an event or situation that moves your forward another step or two along your path. If you’re still looking for a new direction, you may get closer to finding it. Next week’s Full Moon brings an ending, resolution, or culmination to new endeavors or projects you started last week. If you want to know more about how this lunar cycle is affecting you personally, look at where 4 degrees Libra and 18 degrees Aries fall in your chart. Or, you can order your StarGuide October forecast, which will tell you what’s happening in your chart.

Otherwise, this week’s transits are fairly tame. Mercury conjoins Saturn on Thursday, making it a great day for tasks requiring intense focus and concentration. You can be detached, objective, and balanced in your outlook, which lends itself to certain kinds of communications and written projects.

On Friday, Venus in Libra trines Neptune. Venus-Neptune aspects often are described in terms of “rose-colored glasses,” and there may be some of that here, with Neptune in idealistic Aquarius. But the collective longing for fairness, justice and equality for everyone is not a pipedream. We can begin effecting the change we desire by making sure we are fair in our own dealings with others and by understanding how we are all connected.

On Sunday, Venus enters Scorpio and trades her robe of justice for a sexy black dress. There is nothing balanced or detached about Venus in Scorpio. Depending on where she is transiting your chart, you may need to be mindful of obsessive thoughts and a desire to possess. Then, these traits sure make a better Hollywood film …

Later Sunday, Venus trines Chiron in Pisces, reflecting the healing qualities of physical intimacy. Sex as a vehicle to higher consciousness is a technique that has been practiced for many millennia. It can be a way to access deeply buried memories and even past lives. If this is something you’re interested in, just take note of what comes up for you Sunday night.

For me, it’s back to the books. However, I do have a limited amount of time for reports and consultations, so don’t be shy about contacting me if you’re in need of some guidance.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 26: New Moon in Libra

Wildfire smoke sets the sunset ablaze. © James A. Weythman, 2011.

If you tried to access RealAstrologers earlier today, you got a scary black screen with a message that my server had been hacked.

Welcome to this week!

With the Sun and Mercury in early Libra, we’ve got an approximation of last summer’s cardinal T-square. Fortunately, there are some major differences this time, but we’re in for a wild ride nonetheless.

If the approach to Tuesday’s New Moon in Libra feels like Mercury retrograde, there’s a reason. Monday starts out with Mercury opposite Uranus, which sometimes is described of as a “higher octave” of Mercury. You might think of him as Mercury on steroids. Actually, in ancient mythology, Uranus represented primal air, a sort of “Father Sky.” In Greek mythology, he was the great-great-grandfather of Hermes, the equivalent of Roman Mercury. When these two get together, there’s no end to the mischief they can make.

As sky god, Uranus rules winds and electrical storms. And wouldn’t you just know it – as soon as I was able to get back into my admin page this morning (thanks to the swift and talented staff at my hosting service, InMotion), the wind started howling, briefly knocking out the power to my modem. Yeehaw!

The big event this week is the New Moon in Libra on Tuesday. You can easily see the T-square, with the Sun, Moon and Mercury opposite Uranus, all square Pluto. Although you never know what you’re going to get when Uranus is in the picture, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see storms of all kinds, whether political, social, economic, meteorological or any other category you can think of. Libra is the relationship sign, so don’t be surprised by a flare-up or two in your personal dealings. It’s the next step in a long process we’ve been going through for more than two years.

Now, if you ordered your StarGuide 2011 Fall Forecast, you’ve already read that I foresee progress at this New Moon despite the difficult planetary lineup. The difference between this alignment and last summer’s T-square has to do mainly with who’s not in this picture – namely, Saturn. He remains in Libra and in fact is conjoined by Venus later in the week (more about that in a minute), but he has advanced well beyond the T-square degrees. His stand-ins, the Sun and Mercury, aren’t nearly as heavy and restrictive.

Click on image to enlarge

Moreover, we have a couple of outs here. First and foremost, the Sun, Moon, and Mercury are in an applying sextile with Mars, which will be exact on Thursday. Mars is the action planet, and in Leo he’s free to express himself. For you, that means channeling excess energy into creative projects and anything that fulfills your life’s purpose. This juice is too good to waste, so think now about how you can get maximum mileage out of it.

Second, there’s a trine to Pluto from Jupiter in Taurus. It’s fairly wide, and Jupiter is retrograde. Nevertheless, this is a tangible outlet, at least for setting the stage for future rewards.

Of course, this means that Mars is in conflict with Jupiter and sharp discord with Pluto (inconjunct with Pluto on Monday, square Jupiter on Sunday). My read on this is that you can take advantage of one of the outs I describe above, but not both. If you try to do too much, you’ll lose ground on all fronts. If you can’t decide where to expend your efforts, see where these planets are in your chart by house and what aspects they make with your natal planets.

In terms of mundane astrology, it likely will manifest as world leaders going head-to-head and creating nothing but a lot of static and hot air. On second thought, that’s not news.

The Sun and Mercury officially conjoin on Wednesday. In air sign Libra, this is good for mental work, especially creative writing and anything to do with words. Keep a notebook handy should you get a sudden flash of inspiration.

On Thursday, Venus conjoins Saturn. This typically is a sober combination, but Venus rules Libra, and Saturn is exalted in her sign. It’s a perfect setup for making commitments to your friends and loved ones. No one said love – or, for that matter, friendship – is easy. It requires work, mostly because you have to be brutally honest with yourself about your motives. It’s a constant balancing act – balance being the keyword for Libra. Giving too much and resenting it later isn’t any better than taking more than your share. Compromise – another Libra keyword – is a lot harder than it sounds. Sometimes you have to overlook certain things in your loved ones, but if you do it all the time just to keep the peace, you both lose opportunities to grow. Like riding a bicycle, the point is to stay balanced while in forward motion.

Before I go, I want to remind you that I start classes this week. I went ahead and posted the notice for the StarGuide forecast for October, but please bear in mind that it could take me a bit longer to respond to your requests for reports and consultations.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 19: Sun Enters Libra, Fall Equinox

Weighing the Harvest. © Mafoto for Dreamstime.com

The biggest news this week is the equinox – fall in the Northern Hemisphere, spring for those of you in the Land of Oz and other parts south.

The Sun enters Libra on Friday, followed by Mercury on Sunday, just as the Sun opposes Uranus. This is the halfway point of the astrological year, the balance between light and dark, represented by the scales. The scales, or balance, also are symbolic of the harvest, traditionally a time when crops were weighed and accounts settled. For our ancestors, it was the culmination of the agricultural year. If they didn’t plant enough, or if their crop was damaged by weather or pests, they had to do the math for how they would ration to get through the winter.

For us, it’s a time to consider our progress since the Sun entered Aries on March 20. As you may recall, that was a particularly volatile period, with a new cardinal buildup that mirrored last summer’s T-square. Well, we get that again starting this week, as the Sun and Mercury form a T-square with Uranus and Pluto.

That may sound dire, and yet I’m optimistic about the possible manifestations of this configuration, primarily because of the dynamic position of Mars. The testosterone planet has been frustrated in Cancer since the beginning of August. You only needed to drive a few miles down the highway to see it. I lost count of how many times some guy in a monster pickup screamed up behind me, rode my tail, then blew around me at twice the speed limit, cutting off the guy behind him.

As of this evening (Sept. 18), Mars will be in Leo, where he is much happier. His energy can flow, and that means it can be channeled into creative projects and other productive activities. In this position, he’ll provide an “out” to the cardinal T-square, as he’ll be at a positive angle with Uranus in Aries, the sign he rules, and the Sun in Libra. At its best, this translates to creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. It also shows where you can be a leader and a pioneer.

The downside is that Mars will be at a jarring inconjunct with Pluto in Capricorn. Mars in Leo has megalomaniacal tendencies as it is. In discord with the ultimate authoritarian, we’ve got the metaphorical irresistible force colliding with an immovable object. Watch the news headlines for intransigent world leaders up against forces beyond their control (e.g., debt and finances). In your personal life, take care not to let your ego get the better of you in situations involving authority.

This week is a great time to order your StarGuide 2011 Fall Forecast! I’ve added some new features, including expanded notes on Mercury retrograde and the lunations – two of which are eclipses. I’ve also added 1-2 pages with interpretations of the house positions of the outer planets. You won’t find these in a typical transit forecast, which provides this information only when a planet changes houses. With the outer planets, this can be anywhere from two years for Saturn to 15 years or more for Pluto. It takes me significantly longer to include this data, as I create these reports individually, but I’ve kept the price at $36. If you’d like to see a sample, I created a new one for one of my favorite Leo personalities, Martha Stewart.

Next week’s New Moon is at 4 degrees Libra, which forms a tight T-square with Uranus and Pluto. I’ll cover it in next week’s forecast, but in the meantime, you can get an idea of how it will affect you by ordering your StarGuide Forecast. Remember, I’m going back to school on September 26, so if you wait, I can’t guarantee delivery of your report within 48 hours. Even if you order this week, it may take longer than 24 hours (my usual turnaround) to get your report, as my schedule is close to booked.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 5: Mercury Enters Virgo, Venus Sextile Mars

This week, we continue to encounter circumstances that allow us to put our new skills to the test as we move deeper into new territory.

With the Moon in Capricorn on Tuesday and Wednesday, there are small reminders of situations we’ve been in over the past two years. Most of you are moving on, but some ties remain. Because the Moon moves through the signs quickly, her influence is fleeting and sometimes not felt at all. Still, I’m betting you’ll get twinges of fear and worry – maybe worse – as memories surface. This is natural, so just allow the feelings to flow. As long as they don’t stick, you’re fine. If they do, that’s your clue that something still isn’t resolved.

On Sunday, Mars moves over the degree of the Jan. 15, 2010, solar eclipse in Capricorn. At 25 degrees, the eclipse was well out of the range of the cardinal T-square and grand cross, but it probably corresponds to your major challenge or challenges in the past two years. Think back to what was going on for you around the middle of January (plus or minus a week), and then think about what has changed. Chances are, you’re in a much different place. Several times in the past month or so, people have told me that they aren’t bothered by things that upset them before.

Among other things, we’re learning to see people and situations in a different light, and that changes how we respond. Right before Mars passes over that critical degree, he makes a dynamic sextile with Venus in Virgo. It’s interesting to note that both planets are in their fall, and yet relationships can still benefit. It’s when we’re at our weakest that we’re most likely to drop our defenses and be real with each other.

On Thursday, Mercury opposes Neptune for the third and final time in this cycle, and then he re-enters Virgo on Friday. When Mercury turned retrograde in early August, he was in close opposition with Neptune. The level of confusion was beyond what we usually feel when Mercury shifts motion, and many people told me they were “just so sleepy.” We’ll likely get that effect again late this week. Mercury and Neptune are both associated with sleep and dreams, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to pay attention to your dreams. They can contain important messages.

These messages can be an important source of healing, and that’s likely to be the case on Saturday, when Mercury opposes Chiron. Healing messages aren’t always comfortable; indeed, they may be mildly upsetting. It’s never easy when the deep psyche is stirred up. This is especially true for past-life memories, which are surfacing more often for many of you. The first memories to come back typically involve close relationships – that’s why so many of you are meeting soul mates. After that, we begin to remember traumatic experiences. The collective conscious contains many such memories, along with lifetimes of wounds. We began addressing these in earnest a few years back, when Neptune and Chiron conjoined in Aquarius. We can go deeper with Chiron in Pisces.

Back in Virgo, Mercury will be in his own sign – although I’ve been lobbying for joint rulership with Ceres ever since she gained the same “dwarf planet” status as Pluto. Little did I know at the time that there was an ancient precedent for this association. Manilius, writing in the 1st century CE, associated each of the astrological signs with a patron deity. A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a translation of his Astronomica from Amazon and was astonished to find that he, too, paired Ceres with Virgo. “The Virgin with her sheaf belongs to Ceres,” he wrote. He also paired Pisces with Neptune, long before planet Neptune was discovered. He assigned Vesta to Capricorn. You just have to love the synchronicity.

Virgo certainly has two distinct sides, symbolized beautifully by Mercury and Ceres. One side of Virgo – perhaps we should call it the left-brained Virgo – is into details, perfection, mechanical function, and logic. Have you ever noticed how many accountants, engineers and computer programmers have strong Virgo in their charts? The right-brained Virgo is the health-conscious, helpful friend in need. I always laugh when I come across a vegetarian Virgo. It’s so typical. Many of my clients with Moon in Virgo are in an alternative healing profession.

Next week is the Full Moon in mystical Pisces, the sign opposite Virgo. If you haven’t checked out Ruth’s latest article on Virgo and Pisces, you can find it here.

Also, don’t forget your StarGuide forecasts for September and Fall 2011. It has been a hellaciously busy week, but I managed to finish my sample for Martha Stewart. You’ll see that I’ve expanded my personal notes on the New and Full Moon and Mercury retrograde, and I’ve also added information on the outer planets, since they don’t show up in a transit printout unless they’re changing houses. All of this in an effort to provide a service you can’t get anywhere else …

Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

If you’d like to check out Astronomica, you can find it in my bookstore, under “In-depth & Specialized.” Every order helps support RealAstrologers. Thank you!

Weekly Forecast August 22: Mercury Direct, New Moon in Virgo

Mercury returns direct this week, but it’s going to be a nail-biter of a finish.

Many of you have written to me with reports of how difficult this Mercury retrograde period has been. I predicted that this month would be among the most challenging of the year, not only because of Mercury’s retrograde phase, but also the position of Mars and the very close square from Uranus to Pluto. Although we’re through the worst of this stormy astrological weather, the coming week is potentially rough, so we can’t let our guard down just yet.

You may be in a bit of a fog as the week begins, with the Sun opposing Neptune on Monday before entering Virgo on Tuesday. Normally, the Sun in Virgo favors precision and attention to detail. However, Virgo’s ruler, Mercury, is retrograde, so the risk of miscommunications and errors is even higher from Tuesday on. If you’re in a situation at work where someone (maybe you) overlooks details or has a misunderstanding with a boss or colleague, don’t freak out. Next week will be much better, and you’ll have ample opportunity for correction and resolution.

Wednesday and Thursday are potentially the most difficult days this week, with the Moon in Cancer mirroring the eclipses of the past two years in rapid succession, just as Mars is crossing the degrees of eclipses of Jan. 4, 2011, and July 7, 2009. The eclipse in July 2009 was the first in the Capricorn-Cancer series. Most of you can time sweeping changes in your life with that eclipse, and it’s likely that you’re still adjusting. Mars often acts as a trigger for eclipses and outer planetary transits. Be prepared for a major reminder midweek of difficult circumstances that began around summer 2009. At the same time, pay attention to how things are different now – starting with yourself and your response.

Complicating matters, the Moon conjoins Mars on Thursday just as both form an exact square to Saturn in Libra. This is where personal growth and self-discipline are the most evident. Astrology helps us understand energies over which we have no control, but it also indicates where we do have choices and how making a different choice can manifest as a different outcome. Keeping that in mind this week can lead to a big breakthrough, perhaps even a leap in consciousness. You might also ask yourself whether the changes you’ve gone through since July 2009, no matter how challenging, have restored balance to some aspect of your life.

Also on Thursday, Venus trines Pluto. This earthy combination is a classic aspect for physical love, but it also can be good for your bank account, depending on where these two are transiting your natal chart.

I also should mention that both Venus and the Sun oppose Chiron this week – Venus on Wednesday and the Sun on Friday. If nothing else, we may get a strong reminder about how physical and mental health are inseparable.

Click on image to enlarge

At last, on Friday, Mercury returns direct, and then we have a lovely New Moon in Virgo on Sunday in conjunction with Venus and trine both Pluto and Jupiter, just as the Big Guy is poised to turn retrograde. It’s a whole new world next week, with new opportunities and doors opening in several directions. Because the previous New Moonoccurred right before Mercury went retrograde, the goodies had to wait. Now we get them all at once! I’m betting that you’ll think it was worth the wait.

So, although this week is difficult, there’s a bright, white light at the end of the tunnel. We just need to hang in there a bit longer.

Wishing you extra love and courage,
Pat

P.S. In last week’s forecast, I mentioned an article in the August/September issue of The Mountain Astrologer and failed to mention that you have to buy the magazine to read it. Sorry about that … but I also want to tell you that the article is well worth the $7 price of one issue, which you can order from the TMA site.

Weekly Forecast August 8: Mars Square Uranus, Opposite Pluto

I sure have felt the angriness floating around this past week. Have you?

With Mercury retrograde and Mars moving through the T-square degrees, rush hour traffic on Friday was hell. People were doing crazy things, cutting in front of each other without signaling, flipping each other off, and yelling obscenities out the window. A pedestrian who witnessed one of these maneuvers yelled out, “Idiots!” Seattle isn’t particularly known for road rage, so I can only imagine how it was in other locales, especially since many of you also are still suffering under intense heat waves.

The dreams are weird, too. Friends who normally don’t even remember their dreams are commenting on it. Mine have been schizophrenic, to say the least. For that, we can look to Mercury’s continuing opposition to Neptune, planet of sleep and dreams. The two make another exact contact on Monday, right after Mercury re-enters Leo on his retrograde path. If you can steal away for a vacation, do it now!

The rough sailing has already started, but the waves get higher on Tuesday, when Mars squares Uranus in Aries. This is an extremely volatile combination that calls to mind the scene from the 1976 film Network in which masses of people shout out their windows, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” If you don’t know what I’m referring to, check out the clip on YouTube. It’s eerily relevant for our current economic crisis and especially relevant this week.

The Mars-Uranus square is amplified by the Moon in early Capricorn, which squares Uranus, opposes Mars, conjoins Pluto and squares Saturn – all in less than 24 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Although the Moon is a fleeting influence, her journey through these degrees and contacts with the T-square planets provide a strong reminder of where we’ve been since last summer and how our lives changed as a result. It may not be all bad, but most of us likely will be unsettled in some way.

On Wednesday and Thursday, depending on where you are, Mars opposes Pluto in the big standoff. Staying out of the crossfire may not be possible, but at least don’t go looking for trouble. It’s one thing to protest corruption and injustice, quite another to do so in an area where security forces are armed and waiting for any excuse to fire into the crowd.

The Moon enters Aquarius on Friday, and then we have the Full Moon on Saturday. The Full Moon typically brings results to projects or situations that began at the New Moon, but we’ll probably experience delays and possibly setbacks due to Mercury’s retrograde phase and the challenges represented by Mars in conflicting aspect. If you feel like you’re losing ground, hang in there and try not to get too discouraged. The New Moon on August 28 is brilliant, and the new territory indicated by the New Moon in Leo on July 30 will come into view as well. If you want to know where these lunations fall in your chart, you’ll find it your Starguide Monthly Forecast for August.

Now, there is something really exciting happening this week. NASA’s Dawn mission is scheduled to go into orbit around Vesta, one of the so-called “asteroid goddesses.” Photos already are streaming back of Vesta’s pockmarked surface.

What can we read into a spacecraft called Dawn orbiting an asteroid named after a Roman goddess? It’s no accident that Vesta, like Ceres before her, has entered the collective consciousness – or, I should say, re-entered, as both goddesses were revered in various forms in ancient times and then forgotten, swallowed by time. As usual, we can turn to mythology for possible clues about the greater significance in this event.

The planets are named after Roman deities, most of which were adapted from the Greeks. Vesta, goddess of hearth and home, was highly revered. Her symbol was an eternal flame, which was kept burning in the holiest ground of ancient Rome and in every home. Among other things, it was a reminder that community is extended family. As it turns out, Vesta currently is in Aquarius, the sign of community and the “family of man.” If nothing else, the global debt crisis is hammering home the reality that we’re all connected, and in the most personal way.

Vesta’s Greek counterpart, Hestia, was one of the 12 Olympians, the most important of the gods and goddesses in ancient Greece. She was the first child of Cronus (Roman Saturn) and Rhea, who were Titans – the elder gods. Cronus, who himself had led the overthrow of the first generation of Titans, ate his children to prevent them from doing the same to him. However, Rhea plotted to save Zeus, who in turn instigated the overthrow of the Titans and forced Cronus to spit out his older siblings. As the eldest, Hestia was the first to be swallowed and the last to be disgorged; thus, she was said to be both the oldest and the youngest of the new race of gods that replaced the old cosmic order.

The War of the Titans lasted 10 years and ended the Golden Age, a period of peace and abundance, when manmade law was unnecessary because everyone lived in their integrity. This notion of a celestial war didn’t originate with the Greeks but also can be found in older cultures. There’s even a version in the Christian Bible. Likewise, the story of an earthly paradise is found in many ancient traditions.

I’ve often mentioned a planetary energy shift, which is just another way of describing this war. It’s common to believe that our ancient ancestors were superstitious, because they believed in gods, demons, and other human-like entities. However, I see their belief system as an ingenious way of putting a human face on disembodied energies, taking them out of the abstract so they could be understood by the human mind.

In that vein, Hestia represents initiating fire or spirit, an attribute astrologers assign to Aries, the first of the four cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn). The cardinal T-square, which at times has formed into a grand cross, was the astrological configuration that led to predictions that great change would occur from 2010 to 2012, with political upheaval continuing into 2015, as indicated by the long-term square between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. It’s no accident, then, that we’re visiting Vesta in the midst of this cardinal buildup.

Dawn will spend a year observing Vesta and then will head toward Ceres, with a scheduled arrival date of 2015. The Greek counterpart of Ceres was Demeter, Hestia’s sister, who also was among the Olympians. I’ve written a lot about Ceres, who came back into the collective awareness when she was “promoted” to dwarf planet in 2006.

At the very least, the mission to find out more about celestial objects named after goddesses tells us that the planetary energy shift is restoring the balance between masculine and feminine energies. Of course, this isn’t news, but just confirms what many of us have felt intuitively for several years.

As an addendum, I’d like to mention Juno, NASA’s new mission to Jupiter. Juno was launched into space last Friday, August 5, and is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in July 2016. In Roman mythology, Juno was Jupiter’s wife and queen of the gods. Asteroid Juno currently is at 4 degrees Libra, directly opposite Uranus, which means that she is intimately involved in this week’s cardinal configuration.

How’s that for synchronicity?

I leave you with this awe-inspiring full rotation of Vesta, courtesy NASA/JPL.

Wishing you all an abundance of love and courage,
Pat