Tag Archives: full moon in aries

Weekly Forecast September 24: Venus Square Mars, Full Moon in Aries

Shadows of a fallen empire. © Claudio Balducelli for Dreamstime.com

This week is all about the build-up to the Full Moon on Saturday (Sunday if you’re in Europe). There’s no question that it’s worrisome, if not a little scary.

At 7 degrees Aries, the Moon is in a very close conjunction with Uranus. Yeah, OK, he’s the “Awakener,” and maybe the big surprise is that we’ll all wake up with lotus flowers springing out of our third eye. However, Uranus is still in a close square with Pluto – which means that the Full Moon itself is square Pluto, and that’s why astrologers are looking at this one with some concern. What we have is a cardinal T-square (very easy to see in the chart, below), not too different from the one we experienced over the summer of 2010. And, actually, we might get some idea of what to expect with this Full Moon by looking back to that time.

The correlations of the Uranus-Pluto square are plain to see, and astrologers actually did foresee the coming social upheaval and government backlash. No one was able to predict exactly how or where, but the proverbial handwriting was on the wall for those who could read the language of the sky. My read is that we’ve barely seen the beginning. The protest and rebellion is going to get worse, and that means the backlash will get worse, too.

This past week, police in riot gear were waiting for the Occupy protesters on Wall Street. According to some reports, there were so many cops that they were blocking traffic. Protesters who never left the sidewalk were arrested, handcuffed, and thrown in jail. Their offense? Blocking traffic. The authorities know that people are getting restless, and they’re ready. This is just one manifestation of the Uranus-Pluto square, but it’s definitely one of the most visible.

The Full Moon amplifies these energies. As I mentioned in last week’s forecast, the Uranus-Pluto square is a long-term aspect, and so we don’t necessarily see immediately events on the days when the square is exact, as it was last week. However, outbursts can occur when the movement of another planet acts as a trigger. Often, the trigger is Mars – planet of action – and there will be a Mars-Pluto conjunction on November 27, the day after Mercury returns direct. Astrologers are eyeing the U.S. presidential election, which occurs the day Mercury turns retrograde. We can expect irregularity in polling – possibly something similar to the 2000 race in which former Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote, but George W. Bush won the election. If something like that were to happen in 2012, there could be rioting in the streets or worse.

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In the meantime, we have this Full Moon, which falls on the Uranus side of the Uranus-Pluto square. With Uranus retrograde, we can expect to see a lot of repressed anger released, and explosively. There’s also an urge to be free of oppressive conditions … or just to be free of whatever. If you haven’t noticed, there’s a lot of anger right now, and people are looking to blame anyone they can for it.

Now, despite my concern, I do believe this Full Moon could bring some positive developments, relatively speaking. In the second half of 2010, many of us suddenly switched gears and took a new direction, one more in line with who we are and what we’re here to accomplish. The “right path” nonetheless has been a bumpy road – hardly surprising, since we’re pioneering new territory. We’re making progress, but I don’t know of anyone who’s been having an easy time of it.

I can’t help thinking about the former Kate Middleton, now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. This is someone with predominantly cardinal energy in her chart. Her husband, Prince William, has both Sun and Moon in early Cancer. Their wedding spectacle took place during a cardinal T-square. She married into royalty and may be the queen of England some day, but last week, she had to suffer the indignation of topless photos splashed all over the tabloids. On top of that, many are blaming her for being stupid enough to remove her bikini top outside. Several clients have asked me how the Uranus-Pluto square might affect them personally. There’s an example, albeit with the caveat that we don’t know where Uranus and Pluto are transiting Kate’s chart, because her birth time is unknown. We do know where it’s falling in William’s chart, though. This can’t be easy for him, either.

Another possibility with the Full Moon is an environmental disaster or “earth event,” such as an earthquake, violent electrical storms, volcanic eruption, etc. I’ve never been good at predicting weather events through astrology, but I see the build-up of tectonic pressure as something akin to repressed emotions. The Earth needs her release, too. Interestingly, the “out” for this T-square is the early degrees of Cancer, and Ceres enters Cancer this week. Although her position is wide to the T-square, her presence likely will be felt. Astrologers are still working to understand the role of Ceres in personal and mundane astrology, but there does appear to be a strong correlation between Ceres and the environment, especially as it pertains to the food chain.

Another theme as this Full Moon is the wrap-up of relationship issues and the degree to which we will commit to working through challenges. With Saturn in the final degree of Libra, the relationship sign, we’re finally gaining some clarity. This week, Venus and Mars form a square (exact on Thursday), highlighting issues of sex and control. Issues may come to a head at the Full Moon, although I think it’s more likely that we’ll continue to waffle until after Saturn enters Scorpio on October 5.

Just as a reminder, my StarGuide Fall forecast is available and can help you determine where these aspects are falling in your chart. I’m happy to say that everyone who ordered before September 22 received their forecast in time for the new season. I’ve still got a backlog of other reports and have a longer-than-usual turnaround time (about a week), so if you order now, I probably won’t be able to get your report to you by September 29. But there’s a lot of other information in the forecast, including my interpretation of the eclipses coming up in November.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast October 10: Full Moon in Aries Opposite Saturn

Poster for Le voyage dan la lune (Trip to the Moon), the first ever sci-fi fantasy film, shot in 1902 by director Georges Méliès.

This week is potentially difficult, with the Full Moon closely opposite Saturn. The good news is that you should be able to correct imbalances in your life, especially in your closest relationships.

The first challenge in correcting imbalances is to recognize them. Perhaps you’ve been in a compromising situation or relationship for so long that you don’t even realize that something is out of whack. Then there’s the challenge of taking appropriate steps to fix whatever’s not working. If you’ve been avoiding action for fear up upsetting the applecart, events around this Full Moon could be distressing, as changes seem to happen outside your control.

Conversely, if you’ve been working consciously toward aligning yourself with your purpose and destiny, events this week, while somewhat troubling, should provide you with more clarity about actions you can take to bring you closer to your goals. Even when you’re on the right path, it’s not one long, easy joy ride. There are times when you have to make a conscious choice to endure some discomfort or confront your fears.

Any adjustments you make this week may require some conflict, whether with others or within yourself. Astrologers often joke about Libra’s inability to make a decision, but we know it’s because she’s weighing the alternatives, and the scales typically aren’t tipped entirely in one direction. Life is filled with gray areas, and still you must choose. If you’re not confident about that choice, or deep inside think you should have made a different choice, you send out a thought vibration that pings back to you as people or circumstances reflecting that conflict.

The thing to remember is that you can use these uncomfortable situations to refine your goals and desires or even to change them entirely, if you’re that seriously out of balance with your true self. Saturn can be a stern teacher, but usually we are grateful for the people or events that help us get to the next level. The Sun forms an exact conjunction with Saturn on Thursday, so we can expect the tough lesson to continue for most of the week.

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Tuesday’s Full Moon is ruled by Mars, the action planet, in the dynamic fire sign Leo. As with the New Moon on September 27, Mars is at a favorable angle to the Sun and Moon, suggesting that action is the way out of a predicament. Hopefully, you’ve already taken the necessary action, and anything required of you this week will be more in the nature of a follow-up.

That said, the trine from Mercury to retrograde Neptune suggests that ideas you’ve previously come up with may be useful again in helping you advance to the next step. The Mercury-Neptune trine is exact on Wednesday, and then Mercury enters Scorpio on Thursday. This combination favors deep insights and even glimpses into the “otherworld,” including visions of lives in other dimensions of space/time (usually referred to as “past lives”). Our notion of reality changes radically with an expanded perception of time.

Venus in Scorpio makes several connections in the Full Moon chart, including an opposition with Jupiter, a trine with Pluto, and an inconjunct with Uranus. These aspects peak throughout the week and likely will be felt within the context of relationships of all kinds and on all levels. In your personal relationships, be attentive to how you may expect others to fulfill your needs and desires. Do you interact with those people in a subtly manipulative way to get what you want from them? If you’re doing something like this and aren’t aware of it, an event early in the week could draw your attention to your behavior.

Still from Le voyage dan la lune.

In broader relationships – for example, between nations or groups of people within a nation – the issues are much the same, just on a larger scale. It goes without saying that society is seriously out of balance. Indeed, much of the upheaval we’re seeing is an attempt to correct the imbalances among humans and between humanity and the natural world.

Whatever transpires this week, do your best to learn from it and move on. Next week will be much better, and there will be rewards at the New Moon later in the month.

Wishing you all limitless love and courage,

Pat

P.S. The StarGuide Fall 2011 forecast tells you where this Full Moon falls in your chart and what kinds of issues might crop up. In addition, you get information about the next New Moon, the two upcoming eclipses, and the volatile Mercury retrograde period that starts at the solar eclipse on November 25. And it’s now 20 percent off!

Weekly Forecast October 18: Full Moon in Aries, Sun Enters Scorpio

Apples, symbol of the underworld. © Pat Paquette, 2010.

If last week’s planetary aspects represented a holding pattern, this week we come in for a landing.

Be prepared to hit the ground running, with Mars in Scorpio making dynamic trines to Jupiter and Uranus, just as the Full Moon takes place in Mars-ruled Aries. And that’s not all.

Monday is still a bit slow, with the Moon in dreamy Pisces and Mercury in a trine to Neptune, Pisces’ ruling planet. Neptune and Chiron are still tracking fairly closely in Aquarius, an energy pattern suggestive healing on the collective level.

One of the ways we heal is by connecting with our tribe, which we sometimes call kindred spirits. I’m seeing a growing trend in this regard, and some individuals even are making connections across time-space boundaries. If you’ve been experiencing this phenomenon, stay open to messages brought to you by Mercury, planet of communications, in synch with Neptune, dissolver of boundaries.

The channel remains open through Tuesday, when Mercury forms an inconjunct (technically, a quincunx) with Uranus. Uranus is back in Pisces until March, meaning that Neptune and Pisces remain in mutual reception. Aspects to one planet feed into the other. Healing on an individual scale affects collective healing and vice versa. You can’t have one without the other, which is why so many of us who have been working on our personal healing for so many years seem to have bumped up against an invisible glass ceiling.

The Sun in late Libra, only a few degrees behind Mercury, repeats these same aspects on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing clarity to what you’re picking up. I often caution against hanging out on the astral plane, as what you see there may be real, or it may be an illusion. If you have any doubts, seek to be enlightened mid-week. Heck, you may not even have to seek it. It may come whether you look for it or not.

Also on Tuesday, Ceres conjoins Pluto. Although they tracked very closely this past spring, the conjunction was never exact. Since the IAU revised its definition of “planet” in 2006, putting Ceres on a par with Pluto, astrologers have been working more closely with her in an attempt to fully understand her role in both personal and mundane astrology. We already know from mythology that Ceres and Pluto are connected, but there also is a theory going around that they came from the same area of the solar system, and Ceres somehow migrated inward. Think about the implications of that!

Ceres is coming into the collective awareness, and I believe this will lead to a global transformation on many levels. Her exact alignment with Pluto this week may well be her breakthrough role.

We’ll feel a shift on Wednesday, when the Moon enters Aries and Mercury enters Scorpio. The Moon in early Aries squares Pluto and triggers the cardinal T-square points, and we’ll likely get a quick review of the last the Full Moon, which fell at 0 degrees Aries. Mercury in Scorpio brings deep insights we may have missed before and that give new meaning to recent events.

You won’t get a lot of time to ruminate, though, as the second half of the week could bring opportunities very quickly and totally out of the blue, thanks to Mars aspecting Jupiter, Neptune, Chiron, and Uranus, all in quick succession. Then there’s the Full Moon, which peaks at 9:37 p.m. Friday on the East Coast of the United States. Everything comes full circle, and we could be in for a very busy weekend!

On Saturday, the Sun enters Scorpio, the sign of going “underground” for death and regeneration. In a way, we’ve been doing that all summer, so it’s anyone’s guess how this Plutonic energy will manifest. Remember, Venus also is in Scorpio, and she’s retrograde. We’re rethinking what we want, at the same time as Mars in Scorpio helps us go get it. To those who wonder whether they really want what they thought they did, I advise doing whatever it takes to get clarity in a real hurry. Otherwise, those opportunities might fly by you at head-spinning speed.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Full Moon in Aries, October 22

Moonrise in Indian Cove, Joshua Tree National Park. © Michael Thompson for Dreamstime.com

The Full Moon on Friday, October 22, is at 29 degrees Aries and is the second in a row in the sign of the Ram. Other than that, they have little in common.

A month ago, on September 23, the the Full Moon at 0 degrees Aries activated the early degrees of the cardinal signs and represented an “early harvest” of changes that began to sweep through our lives during the cardinal T-square. The changes we envisioned were held back, like water behind a dam, as long as Saturn was in tight formation with Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto.

When Saturn began to move on, the obstacles started to clear, and the changes we could only glimpse back then began materializing. This Full Moon brings it all full circle and lights the way for us to move confidently down a new path, perhaps with new goals and a totally new perspective.

This past week, we witnessed the dramatic rescue of 33 Chilean miners who had been trapped half a mile underground since August 5, the peak date of the cardinal T-square. Several astrologers have commented on the undeniable connection between the collapse of the mine and the cardinal T-square, and the symbolism of death and rebirth – literally coming up out of the earth – when Ceres returned to a conjunction with Pluto.

All of the interpretations I read were excellent, but among them one in particular stood out, by Christina Rodenbeck in Oxford, England, who wove astrology into the mythology of the indigenous people. It was short, simple, and to the point.

But why mention all of this after the fact, in a post on the Full Moon?

The lunar cycle has been an important timing indicator as we’ve moved through the T-square and beyond. The miners were rescued on Wednesday, with the Moon in early Capricorn conjunct Ceres and Pluto. I mentioned in my forecast last week that Wednesday would be a T-square flashback day, and so it was. And not just for los 33.

The ordeal of the Chilean miners was a very literal interpretation of the T-square – going down into the underworld and returning to a new life. Many of us are experiencing a similar pattern on a more subtle, energetic level, but it is every bit as powerful. I’m seeing more and more deep changes, with individuals emerging in a “new, improved” state that will allow them to live more richly and fully and to be who they were meant to be.

The chart for this Full Moon says it all – every planet except Saturn is contained within the axis of the Sun at 29°33′ Libra and the Moon at 29°33′ Aries. The restraining influence, the Lord of Time, is out of the picture. Between the rest, there is a connection and a flow.

The Sun and Moon are in a lovely sextile and trine with Pluto and Ceres, forming an easy path for all of that Plutonian stress that built up over the summer. The easy manner in which the miners ascended to the surface is a fitting metaphor. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had an elevator to bring us up out of our worldly trap? Then … maybe we do. As I’ve written many times, sometimes the way out is up.

The Sun and Moon also make a sextile and trine to Neptune and Chiron, although it’s separating. That suggests to me that the deep healing we needed in order to move past the obstacles has taken place, and now we’re assimilating it into our lives. The more whole we are inside (whole and heal come from the same Latin root), the better we’re able to manifest what we want and need, without the glitches and gremlins that often appear as part of the process.

Mars and Jupiter also are in a separating trine, which will be exact on Wednesday, two days before the Full Moon. Jupiter is retrograde and could use an energy boost from Mars, who’s very powerful in Scorpio, the sign he co-rules with Pluto. Mars will trine Uranus two days after the Full Moon, which could be a big release point for new opportunities that are exciting and perhaps unexpected.

Mars also is in a square with Neptune and Chiron, which seems negative on the face of it. However, Neptune and Uranus are in mutual reception, and so I believe that the healing that’s taking place will feed into the new opportunities and vice versa. Difficult Mars-Neptune combinations can sometimes sap your energy – it depends on where Mars is transiting your chart – and you may be challenged to let go of some preconceived notions of what you need. The ego has a way of defending itself that isn’t always in our best interest, and when it has to be forced into another way of being – even a better one – the result can feel a lot like pain and suffering!

Just remember, there is no growth without change, and change by definition can be very painful, especially when you’ve invested so much in maintaining the status quo.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 29°33′ Aries is, A duck pond and its brood, with the keyword RELIABILITY. As with the previous Full Moon in Aries, this symbol is about self-discovery and finding your place in the cosmic order. Everyone has a special gift, and it’s up to you to discover it and to be true to your highest, best self. Once you do that, you can relax into your groove and just go with the flow.

For the Sun at 29°33′ Libra, the Sabian Symbol is Three mounds of knowledge on a philosopher’s head, with the keyword PRESCIENCE. This symbol is about recognizing how cosmic energies manifest in your own personal life. Once you start seeing the patterns, you start to develop the capability to see how things will turn out.

Amen to that! It pretty much sums up my approach to astrology, and it couldn’t be a more timely message.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in 1925 with the help of Elsie Wheeler, a gifted psychic. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Weekly Forecast September 27: Sun Conjunct Saturn, Venus Conjunct Mars

Statue of Justice, Brazilian Supreme Court. Photo by Roberto Jayme for REUTERS, 2009.

This week holds lots of potential for moving forward with our projects, thanks to a helpful conjunction of the Sun and Saturn.

Although the cardinal T-square has mostly dissipated, we continue to feel its effects. There does seem to be a big difference, though, now that the planets aren’t in such tightly conflicting aspects with one another. It feels like something has released. I felt it very strongly a couple of days after last week’s Full Moon, which stimulated the degrees of the T-square at its peak in early August. Energies that were blocked back then are flowing now.

Monday may get off to a slow start, but by Tuesday we’ll be cranked up and ready to roll. Thursday is a power day, when the Sun catches up with Saturn at 7 degrees Libra. This is just far enough past the early degrees of the cardinal signs, where the T-square peaked, to create an outlet for movement. As I mentioned last week, I don’t think it’s going to be a sudden power surge, but rather a natural, easy flow. You might feel an urge to look around, wondering who or what is going to get in your way this time, surprised to find out that you’re free to go.

The Sun-Saturn conjunction often is interpreted as having negative effects such as run-ins with authorities. If nothing else, it’s seen as the stern parent, saying “no” to whatever it is you want to do. I don’t see it that way. My take on this conjunction – especially since Saturn is exalted in Libra – is that if you work hard toward your goals and don’t give in to fear of failure (even if that’s all you experienced all summer), you can get the results that have eluded you.

Now, some people told me they had no problem at all getting “results” over the summer. To the contrary, they felt as though they were on a treadmill, forced to run faster and faster just to keep up with everything that was happening in their lives. If that sounds like you, then this week still should hold positive developments, possibly because you finally see the finish line and some rewards for hanging in there.

Just before the Sun and Saturn meet, the Moon moves through the early degrees of cardinal Cancer and forms a brief T-square. It’s not as powerful as the configuration at last week’s Full Moon, but nevertheless, it’s another potential time marker for seeing the seeds planted during the summer start to materialize and grow.

On Friday and Saturday, Mercury in the last degrees of Virgo opposes Jupiter and Uranus and squares Ceres. Although Jupiter and Uranus are retrograde, their close conjunction continues to suggest sudden opportunities and innovative solutions. Mercury is the “thought planet,” so keep a notebook handy to write down any great ideas that come to you toward the end of the week. One word of caution, though: All of the ideas you come up with may not be viable. Don’t act on impulse. Take note of what comes up for careful consideration in a day or two. The T-square between Mercury, Jupiter, and Ceres also could manifest as negotiating with powerful forces to get back something that belongs to you.

Mercury enters Libra on Sunday and, once again, we’ll have a passage over the degrees of the T-square. Since Mercury is mostly about thought and not action, this will be a time for looking at the new reality and figuring out how to keep up your momentum. If you began a new project or initiative, you may need to make some changes, but you can count on that for awhile. Whatever is new in your life is a work in progress.

Also on Sunday, Venus aligns with Mars at just under 13 degrees Scorpio. Venus-Mars aspects are supposed to be great for love and sex, but because of the conditions of this conjunction, I have a feeling it’s going to be about something else entirely. Not only is Venus in her detriment in Scorpio, but she’s stationing to turn retrograde in less than a week. That means she’s moving very slowly (from our perspective here on Earth), and Mars is the faster of the two, which usually is not the case.

Venus represents the divine feminine and what we most desire, and she’s at a serious disadvantage here. Last time they met, on August 20, it was in Libra – in other words, on her terms. This time, it’s on his, and male and female energies are going to be in a temporary state of imbalance. Passion and desire run high, and without some sense of fairness and equanimity, there’s a risk that some people may go after what they want without any consideration for how it might harm others or even involve consequences for themselves.

On another level, masculine aggression (which occurs in people of both genders) may be so raw and exposed that we finally have to deal with it. Mars in Scorpio holds tremendous power to create and transform, but without the love and wisdom represented by Venus, his power can become cold, calculating, and self-serving. Perhaps in some kind of logical pattern of the universe, Venus has decided to stand still for a bit and let Mars catch up with her.

Wishing you all much love, courage, and joy,
Pat

Light and Darkness in Balance

Sleeping Beauty, by Maxfield Parrish, 1912.

The Sun’s entry into Libra this evening marks the fall equinox, when light and darkness are in perfect balance.

In our high-tech society, we tend to take these cycles of nature for granted, but our ancestors were acutely aware of the disappearance and return of the light. Many of our best-loved myths, legends, and fairy tales grew out of this planetary phenomenon, although it may not be readily apparent.

One that comes immediately to mind is the Descent of Inanna, who ventures into the underworld to visit her sister, a goddess deprived of sunlight who is depressed, miserable, and in constant pain. If you or anyone you love suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, you might well imagine how this myth came about. In fact, ancient Sumerian texts mention light deprivation and its affect on the libido. Pretty astonishing, don’t you think?

Another tale that comes to mind is the Sleeping Beauty. There are many interpretations of the meaning of this tale. Some see sexual symbolism in the virgin who pricks her finger on a spindle and goes to sleep for 100 years. According to some traditions, the tale represents spirit “sleeping” inside of matter. That spirit, or love, is awakened by a kiss from the prince. In esoteric terms, spirit is light, matter is darkness, and the quest for reunifying them is eternal.

For cultures where seasonal changes aren’t so extreme, the cycle of light and darkness is more easily seen in the phases of the Moon. As it so happens, this year we have both the equinox and the Full Moon with just a few hours of one another.

As I mentioned in my weekly forecast, the Sun in Libra and Moon in Aries will retrace the degrees of the cardinal T-square, which peaked in August. This, too, will lead us to a better understanding of time and our place in the universe.

Just some food for thought as we head into a new season.

Happy Equinox!
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 20: Sun in Libra, Full Moon in Aries

This year’s cardinal T-square is mostly done, thank goddess, but I’ve been keeping my eye on this week as one exception.

Thanks to Thursday’s Full Moon, for a brief period, we’ll revisit the cardinal T-square, which peaked in early August. I wrote a complete interpretation in my Saturday post, reviewing how this Full Moon mirrors the T-square but also holds the potential to take us beyond the limitations we faced over the summer.

In addition to the Full Moon, the big news this week is the Sun’s entry into Libra, marking the official beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun will cross the degrees of the T-square, but one of the biggest obstacles in that earlier configuration, Saturn, has moved far enough away to be less of a constraint. Sun in Libra suggests moderation, so I don’t think we’ll get a power surge but rather the easy movement forward that occurs when you let your foot off the brake.

The Sun’s Libra ingress occurs Wednesday at 11:09 p.m. on the East Coast of the United States. Of course, it will be Thursday already in the Eastern Hemisphere, where many of RealAstrologers’ faithful readers live.

Before entering Libra, the Sun in the final degrees of Virgo opposes Jupiter and Uranus, both of which are retrograde and back in Pisces for the rest of the year. Although they aren’t part of the cardinal T-square, they do form a tight T-square with the Sun and Moon on Thursday, and so their energies can’t be discounted. Also, I expect that the Sun will carry some of their loud, boisterous energy forward into the Full Moon, so we can expect to hear from these two. Wild storms – meteorological, political and emotional – are among the potential manifestations from Tuesday through Friday.

On Saturday, the Sun squares Pluto, newly direct in Capricorn and ready to flex his muscle. This is the most contentious aspect of the week and where I expect we’ll have to revisit old obstacles. There’s nothing to do during Pluto transits except to give up resistance. If you’re trying to hang onto something – a situation, a relationship, a belief – you may need to let it go. At the very least, you’ll need to change your approach. You probably already know where the problem area lies, as this really is just a repeat of issues you faced over the summer. This time, though, you may really need to give up and try something different.

Difficult Sun-Pluto transits also correspond to mechanical breakdowns. If you’ve been avoiding repairs, you may not be able to do so any longer.

Sunday could be emotionally charged, with the Moon in Taurus opposite Venus and Mars in Scorpio. It sounds great for certain indoor activities, but the resulting fireworks may be a little more intense than you bargained for. If you manage to access a deep place in your psyche where difficult emotions have been hidden or repressed, let them come up. The release may leave you feeling like a dishrag, but you’ll feel a lot better when Monday morning rolls around.

Wishing you all much love, courage, and the abundance of the season,
Pat

Full Moon in Aries, September 23

The Full Moon in Aries on September 23 revisits the cardinal T-square of 2010 and expresses its powerful potential to set sweeping changes in motion.

Normally, we look to the Full Moon as an outgrowth of whatever was begun at the New Moon, but I don’t see a lot of association here. This Full Moon, which traditionally is called the “Harvest Moon,” appears to be a sort of “early harvest” of the seeds planted during the cardinal T-square, or at least an indication of what the future harvest will look like.

Although the outer planets no longer are in a tight cardinal T-square, this Full Moon fills in the blanks, so to speak. So many people told me over the summer that they felt like they were on the verge of a breakthrough, but they kept bumping up against obstacles. This Full Moon on the dynamic first degree of Aries may be just what it takes to blast through those invisible walls.

The breakthroughs we sensed over the summer were real, but with the T-square blocking the energies symbolized by each of the other planets, we were stuck. Some of us, but not all, were able to find a way out via a personal planet or chart point opposite Pluto or during one of the soft transits (sextiles or trines) from the planets in the T-square. I alerted you to these windows in my weekly forecasts.

The Moon at 0°15′ Aries opposite the Sun at 0°15′ Libra repeats the degrees of the T-square at its peak in early August, both square Pluto. This Full Moon also is square the very powerful lunar eclipse in Capricorn on June 26, which was closely conjunct Pluto. The difference is that Pluto was retrograde back then, and he’s now in a powerful position of waking and returning direct.

The Full Moon on the Aries point reinforces the theme of new growth and emerging from darkness into light. However, since this is a Full Moon, and it’s the day after the equinox, this isn’t a time of birth, but of bringing what already has been born into full realization. It is a time of blooming into fullness, and that includes awakening consciousness on an individual and also broad, collective scale.

Jupiter and Uranus, which were in the first few degrees of Aries during the height of the T-square, are now retrograde and back in Pisces for the rest of the year. But they are still conjunct the Moon by just a few degrees and so are very active participants in this Full Moon. Even retrograde in Pisces, these two are big, loud, and rebellious, especially with Jupiter at his closest approach to the Earth in nearly 50 years. From Tea Party gains to powerful storms in the Atlantic, these two are making themselves felt (maybe all the hot air in Washington is keeping those storms offshore).

Saturn, meanwhile, has advanced to nearly 7 degrees Libra and makes a wide conjunction with the Sun. A lot can be accomplished, particularly in the sphere of relationships. With Saturn separating from the tight square to Pluto, we no longer have powerful forces working against each other, and this is another reason for my optimism that we can start achieving the progress we just couldn’t manage to pull off a couple of months ago.

At 26 degrees Sagittarius, Ceres is in a tight square with Jupiter and Uranus as she moves toward alignment with the Galactic Center and conjunction with Pluto. Ceres, symbol of the cycles in nature, was a major influence in the chart for the BP Horizon disaster. Fittingly, the news headlines talk of the well’s permanent death. But, as with the fateful meeting between Demeter and Hades (Greek counterparts to Ceres and Pluto), the implications will be with us for a very long time.

Ceres also makes a tight trine to Neptune and Chiron, reinforcing the theme of collective healing. Understanding that life experiences come in cycles is one way to feel whole and connected, even when we’re surrounded by darkness, chaos, and confusion.

Mercury, Venus, and Mars are in a wide, separating aspect, and they aren’t major influences in this chart. It’s important to note, though, that Venus is slowing down as she gets closer to retrograde on October 8. She’ll conjoin Mars right before that.

Lastly, I’d like to mention that this is the first of two full moons in Aries this year. After the New Moon in Libra on October 7, we will be back in the cycle of the New Moon in a sign followed by the Full Moon in the opposite sign. The next Full Moon in Aries falls on October 22, the day before the Sun enters Scorpio. It will have a very different feel to it than this one, so stay tuned for a complete report next month.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Moon at 0°15′ Aries is, A woman rises out of water, a seal rises and embraces her. The keyword is REALIZATION. As the first degree of Aries, this is a powerful symbol of the soul emerging from the primordial state of non-existence, or what we might call the “unmanifest.”

According to Marc Edmond Jones, who channeled the Sabian symbols in the early 1920s, this symbol is about “feminine receptivity calling up a more masculine or personal and self-seeking initiative.” Put to positive use, this energy allows us to see life as a field of unlimited experiences we can use to our advantage at any time. Closing yourself to this realization may result in failure to find your true purpose in life, because the ego-self stays stuck in its obsessions.

For the Sun at 0°15′ Libra, the Sabian Symbol is a butterfly made perfect by a dart through it, with the keyword ARTICULATION. Whereas the first degree of Aries is about the soul emerging out of the unmanifest, the first degree of Libra is about emerging consciousness. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate symbol for our time! This symbol is about seeing beyond the material world and living fully, completely, from the heart and soul.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

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

Full Moon in Aries, October 3-4, 2009

The Full Moon in Aries on October 4 (late October 3 in western time zones) likely will have more of an effect on our personal lives rather than impacting the collective, as lunations over the past many months have done.

I, for one, am thankful for that.

The third exact opposition of Saturn and Uranus is behind us, and Mercury is now direct, picking up speed. Hopefully most of us will begin to see a lightening in the atmosphere and make better choices about where we need to go next. Just being able to get on with our daily lives with less drama would be very welcome.

At 11°10′ Libra and Aries, neither the Sun nor Moon forms close aspects to other planets. This will allow us to focus on the classic Venus-Mars relationship of Aries and Libra. It is much easier to see how the dynamic of “do it my own self” Mars-ruled Aries works with Libra, which is ruled by graceful Venus and focuses on the other.

I live with this every day, because I’m a Libra Sun-Moon woman married to an Aries Sun-Moon man. We have learned the fine art of compromise over the years – essential to any good relationship. The key is understanding what is important to us as individuals (Aries) while recognizing when to place the needs of the other first (Libra).

It is through their rulers, Mars and Venus, that the luminaries are connected to the outer planets and the big picture. Mars in Cancer forms an inconjunct (or quincunx) with Neptune in Aquarius, and Venus in Virgo is inconjunct Jupiter in Aquarius. Even though Jupiter is no longer close enough to be considered conjoined with Neptune, this is still a powerful point in the sky.

On one hand, Mars is just not a happy camper in watery, often insular Cancer, and being drawn into dialogue with Aquarius via the inconjunct makes him even unhappier. Cancer and Aquarius need a mediator to find common ground, because their immediate concerns are so different. Cancer is the sign most involved with home and family matters, while Aquarius represents the collective and what is best for the many. We may find ourselves wrangling over these very issues if either or both of these signs are prominent in our charts.

On the other hand, Venus is not all that comfortable in earthy Virgo, either, compromising her normal enthusiasm for getting together with Jupiter. Practical Virgos everywhere are going to be having long discussions with progressive Aquarians about the bottom line. Jupiter in Aquarius is often the author of the unfunded mandate, both personally and collectively. It can go like this: “Just how do you expect to pay for that??? Yes, I understand it will benefit the majority in the long run . . . but!”

Mercury in Virgo is opposing Uranus in Pisces on the Full Moon while gaining on Saturn for one last meeting before moving back into Libra on October 9. We may get another not-so-gentle reminder to take care of details we’ve been procrastinating about since the beginning of September. We’re not going to get away this time, so buckle down and do it!

Uranus in Pisces is tightly semi-sextile Neptune in Aquarius and for many people around the world, being connected to the Internet in one way or another is part of our daily lives – a clear demonstration of the mutual reception between Neptune and Uranus. Of course, the greatest challenge is often sorting fact from fiction, always an issue when Neptune is present.

Pallas just entered fair-minded Libra and promptly squares Pluto in Capricorn at the Full Moon. Take advantage of this moment of enforced clarity to look around for harbingers of what’s to come in the months and years ahead. The big eye-opener will come with Uranus moving into Aries at the end of May 2010.

I find it curious that the Sabian symbol for 12 Aries is “A flock of wild geese,” with the keyword COSMIC ORDER. I see this more as a reminder of the very Libran idea of everyone taking a turn being the leader. Aries can get so caught up in the notion that if they don’t take charge, nothing will get done. They can forget how different leadership styles can successfully motivate different individuals.

The image of “Miners emerging from a deep coal mine” for 12 Libra is equally powerful. We can use the meaning of the keyword, EXTRACTION, to understand the importance of bringing new realizations from the depths of our inner selves. This Sabian symbol can also mean we have earned a respite from striving.

Sitting down with our significant others, friends and partners of all kinds is a good way to take advantage of this particular Full Moon, because our differences as individuals are highlighted. Sometimes it takes recognition of those differences to see our commonalities in a new way and accept the idea we don’t always have to agree to get along. Here’s to gaining greater understanding of the importance of agreeing to disagree – a very Libra concept.

posted by Neith . . .

Image: Full Moon over Mount Baker, October 2007. Photo by James A. Weythman, reprint by permission only.

Weekly Forecast September 28: Mercury Direct, Full Moon in Aries

Mercury returns direct this week, and while this didn’t seem to be the worst-ever retrograde period, we can all breathe a sigh of relief and get on with life.

Mercury went retrograde on September 7 at 6 degrees Libra, and he slipped back into Virgo, which is where he’ll return direct on Tuesday. As usual, it will take him a few days to get back up to speed, and that means we could experience a lot of delays this week, especially in transportation and anything that has to do with computers.

At the same time, we’re approaching the 90-day mark from the July eclipses, with Mars solidly in eclipse territory. I wrote a special post on this effect on Saturday, intended to be a heads up that this week could be powerful for many of us, especially those who didn’t experience any significant events in July. If you did, then you may get a “booster” this week, or Sunday’s Full Moon could pass without notice.

Mercury remains in a close sextile with Mars this week, with exact contact on Thursday and Sunday. We’ll likely be very busy, and we may have more family obligations than usual. Or we may have a lot of work around the house or home improvement projects. Mercury in Virgo can be hypercritical, so if you’re around family, resist the temptation to nitpick. A little effort will make your visit much more pleasant. Another possibility is that you will resent doing favors for people you think should do it themselves. Remember that your loved ones are special and worth a little aggravation from time to time.

Both Mercury and Mars make aspects to Uranus on Sunday, and this could bring an element of surprise to your plans and projects. It also could speed up events considerably. If you’ve been lamenting a lack of movement, you’ll be pleased with the increase in activity. Otherwise, you may have to concentrate on slowing down.

Speaking of slowing down, the nights are getting longer and colder here in the Northern Hemisphere, and we’re well into the fall harvest season. Sunday’s Full Moon promises to be bold and beautiful. This is the time of year when I switch from cold salads to hot soup — which really is just a cooked salad, right? I also like to bake, since it’s no longer too hot to have the oven on.

Neith will have more about the Full Moon later this week, so check back. Meanwhile, I hope everyone is settling into the shift that is taking place. Some of you have told me that the changes in light and sound vibrations are somewhat disturbing. Hopefully, with the Sun in Libra, the rebalancing will be without a lot of drama and fanfare.

Love and blessings to all,
Pat

Image: Lengthening shadows of fall. I took this photo in my backyard this morning.