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Weekly Forecast December 31: Mercury Enters Capricorn, Mars Trine Jupiter

Solstice Treat. © Pat Paquette, 2012.

For some reason, it feels as though we’ve had our New Year’s celebration and 2013 is already here … maybe because we survived the end of the world. Then, the Solstice is my winter holiday, and my annual celebration of this special day typically doesn’t involve champagne and noise-makers.

Of course, this also is my busiest time of year for astrological forecasts, so I’ve worked on New Year’s Day pretty steadily for the past 10 years. More about that later. First, I want to talk about an interesting item in the news this week, even though it’s kind of old news at this point (I guess it takes a while for things like this to make it into the mainstream).

According to astronomers, a new comet is heading our way that could be as bright as the Moon in 2013. We don’t know yet exactly how Comet ISON will behave; like the much-heralded Comet Elenin, it could break up, or it could get so close to the Sun that it has a meltdown. But if it lives up to early expectations, we could see a celestial phenomenon unparalleled in our lifetimes.

To make the event even more exciting, ISON will be conjunct Mars and Regulus in mid-October, right before the first eclipse in the new Libra-Aries series. In November, the comet will be at its closest point to the Sun, right around the time of a powerful Solar Eclipse in Scorpio and the second Uranus-Pluto square of 2013. Right now, ISON is moving very slowly through Cancer and isn’t visible to the naked eye. That won’t happen until September. Still, we have a visitor in our solar system, apparently a messenger from the Oort Cloud. I’ve been poring over charts all morning and afternoon but need more time to connect the dots. When I do, you’ll be the first to know.

Looking at this week, Mercury, our messenger-in-residence, finally leaves Sagittarius and moves on to Capricorn. Although he’s somewhat subdued in the somber sign of the Sea Goat, he’s more stable. More importantly, he’ll no longer be in mutual reception with retrograde Jupiter in Gemini. I thought the mutual reception might help us work through some details while keeping the big picture in mind – and perhaps it has – but I suspect it has been behind the lingering feeling that Mercury is still retrograde, even though he went direct more than a month ago. We’ll see what happens on Monday morning. Heck, maybe Congress will even come to its senses and pass measures to avoid going over the fiscal cliff.

Also on Monday, Mars sextiles Uranus. Occasionally, these two do play nice together, and they’re also in mutual reception, which is even better. As I wrote last week, this is a superb opportunity to manifest thoughts into reality through action. I normally don’t advise acting on impulse, but this is one time when spontaneity could turn out to be beneficial. That said, it couldn’t hurt to think for a split second before you act.

Mercury sextiles Neptune on Tuesday – good for translating dreams and imagination into practical ideas. On Thursday, Mercury squares Uranus, and it’s back to impulsiveness, this time the dread “foot-in-mouth” syndrome. My advice is to avoid wearing stilettos.

Moving right along, the Little Guy sextiles Chiron on Friday, quincunxes Jupiter on Saturday, and conjoins Pluto on Sunday. Neptune and Chiron were conjunct in 2009 and 2010, and while the conjunction has separated, we’re still feeling some of the healing effects of that influence, especially when the fast-moving inner planets aspect Neptune and Chiron within a day or two. We’ve all gone through an enormous of amount of healing in the past two years. Many of you have told me how you look at things differently, how things that used to bother you don’t faze you anymore, you’re much steadier and calmer, and overall feel wiser and more mature. But we still have our moments, don’t we? Some of the core wounds we dealt with were so deep that we know they will always be with us, even though we are more adept at working around them. The thing is, Pisces feels so deeply and intensely that it may prefer to hide emotions, and Capricorn is the long-suffering, work-through-every-crisis sign. If you feel like you have to cry on Friday, then find a quiet, private place and cry. It’s OK.

Mercury’s quincunx with Jupiter isn’t likely to be more than a blip, although sometimes all it takes is a blip to crash your computer. The biggest Mercury aspect of the week is the conjunction with Pluto. This is when we find out where the bodies are buried and who’s got skeletons in their closet. Within yourself, you may have to do an assessment of your self-discipline. Yeah, I know, I hate it, too. We’d all like to banish the negative voices in our heads, but sometimes they’re telling us something we need to know, and it’s a good idea to listen to them. If, after serious consideration, you think they’re a replay of the Mommy Dearest tapes, you can tell them to go back to hell.

Friday is our happiest day of the week, when Mars trines Jupiter. Gee, he’s behaving so nicely this week, but it’s not going to last long. Next Monday, he goes right back to being a bad boy when he squares Saturn. But that’s then and this is now. Mars and Jupiter in air signs put some additional punch behind our ability to manifest big, bold plans into reality. True, Jupiter is still in detriment in Gemini, and he’s retrograde. Scratch “big.” But you can still be bold, and if your ideas are quirky and offbeat, so much the better. Do write down any flashes of brilliance, because they could come and go so fast that they get lost in your information-overloaded brain.

Before I go, I’d just like to remind you again that if you’re thinking of ordering your StarGuide 2013 Forecast, do it as soon as possible. I’m running a backlog of several days, so order now if you want it near the beginning of the year. Also, if you haven’t joined RealAstrologers on Facebook, please take a moment to “like” my new page. For those who have, don’t be shy about posting. Lastly, I’d like to ask that you also please take a minute to “like” my 2013 video on YouTube. It’s my advertising, and, admittedly, it’s a hard sell when I don’t do psychic love readings, messages from angels, or Sun sign horoscopes – what the majority of people seem to be looking for at this time of year. I hope to have some influence on that state of affairs in 2013, but that’s another story for another time. In the meantime, I need to stay afloat, and I sure could use your help getting the word out. Please feel free to share the video on your own pages.

Thank you all for making 2012 a rewarding year. See you next year.

Wishing you a New Year filled with love, joy, and prosperity,
Pat

Weekly Forecast January 10:Mercury Enters Capricorn, Mars Sextile Jupiter

Causeway blocks disappearing into the distance. © Scott Liddell/Dreamstime.com

If it seems like you’re still going back over old ground this week, it’s probably because you are.

Last month, Mercury went retrograde in Capricorn right after crossing the critical degrees of the summer’s cardinal T-square. Mercury and Mars were in close conjunction, too. For many of us, that meant revisiting pressing matters that arose over the summer. Then Mars moved on, and Mercury went back into Sagittarius.

The Messenger returns to Capricorn on Thursday, January 13, and makes a third and final pass over those critical T-square degrees. This is usually when we find resolution. Since Mercury also rules commerce and business negotiations, you may have a chance to renegotiate a contract or verbal agreement that didn’t quite work out for you in early December.

Mercury is a busy little guy this week. Before returning to business-like Capricorn, he makes contact with Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Chiron, who have been tracking so closely over the past several months that I’ve started thinking of them as “the usual suspects.” A contact to one means a contact to all, and the only reliable interpretation I can make at this point is that whatever happened to you over the summer (and what happened in the world at large) becomes a dominant theme again this week.

[callout]Whosoever tells the truth shall be chased out of nine villages. ~Turkish proverb[/callout]

Taken as a whole, this week’s Mercury aspects allow us to see circumstances more clearly, which in turn helps us form a better strategy for moving forward. The Mercury-Uranus square on Monday may be disruptive, but sometimes we need a little disruption to light a fire under us and knock us out of a familiar but unsatisfying and unproductive rut. Doing things the way they’ve always been done is not an option now.

I recently started reading The Discoverers, by Daniel Boorstin, who writes that the obstacles to discovery are “the illusions of knowledge.” The whole book is based on this theme, that beliefs ingrained in human consciousness can prevent the acceptance of truth. The discoverers of these new truths often are vilified and persecuted.

A client recently sent me the following quote, ostensibly an old Turkish proverb: Whosoever tells the truth shall be chased out of nine villages.

Mercury in Sagittarius often results in inconvenient truths, and with a square to Uranus in Pisces, those truths indeed could upset the collective perception. The situation that springs immediately to mind is WikiLeaks and attempts by the U.S. Government to find grounds to prosecute WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his colleagues.

Mercury in Sagittarius square Chiron in Pisces says that the truth can be painful, but it also will set us free.

Mars sextiles Uranus on Wednesday and Jupiter on Thursday, suggesting that action will follow thought. Since a sextile is a favorable aspect, we can assume that the action should be positive. If you have a chance to act on a situation, these are excellent days to do so. Uranus often introduces an element of surprise, so be prepared to move quickly and decisively.

On Saturday, Mars enters Aquarius, where action benefits the collective, humanitarian causes, technology, and perhaps even astrology. In any event, it’s time to try something new and experimental.

By the way, Boorstin’s book talks about how astrology paved the way for science, a fact often overlooked by scientists and academics. I do believe that we’re on the cutting edge of bringing astrology back in the mainstream, albeit with a new approach that gives it more credibility.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Amazon.com Widgets

Saturday Extra: Libra and Leo – No Problems, Right?

For a change of pace I decided to do a short post on synastry in response to a reader’s question. She is Libra Sun and her boyfriend is a Leo – very fitting, with Venus having just returned to her home sign and Mars arriving in Leo yesterday.

Ms. Libra asks why her Leo boyfriend has her so baffled all the time when their synastry seems quite good at first glance. Fiery Leo is usually very appreciate of charming Libra.

This is a good example of why it’s important to move past Sun signs for understanding how we relate to others. For those with either Libra Sun or Ascendant, the placement of Venus is particularly important. In Ms. Libra’s chart, Venus is in Scorpio square Saturn in Leo, where both planets are in their detriment. What this means is neither are at their best and brightest. Venus can be obsessive and possessive in Scorpio while, dour Saturn greatly diminishes Leo’s sense of fun.

Mr. Leo’s Sun is conjunct his Venus in Leo, increasing his warmth and charm, but both are square his Jupiter in Scorpio. This has me wondering if perhaps he likes to spread all the charm around a little too much for Ms. Libra’s comfort?

Her Venus conjoins his Jupiter, squaring his Sun-Venus. Venus square Venus in synastry shows a disparity between each individual’s ideas of what constitutes a good time. Scorpio prefers to be alone with their lover and Leo wants to show them off at every party in town.

Another potential source of differences is Mars, his in detached Aquarius and hers in passionate Scorpio. This can lead to heated discussions about how to get things done, because the way they get from ‘A’ to ‘B’ is very different. Scorpio is noted for getting an amazing amount accomplished with a minimum amount of discussion, while Aquarius wants to set up a study group before taking one step.

Is there any workaround for them? Possibly, but they need to be honest with themselves and each other first and foremost. If Ms. Libra has questions about her lover’s fidelity, those need to be addressed ASAP, because with as much Scorpio as she has, anything less than total fidelity is not going to work.

When it comes to their differences about what’s enjoyable (Venus square Venus), finding a compromise probably won’t be that difficult, but the square between her Mars and his, both in fixed signs, may be more challenging. It all depends on how attached each of them is to being right. Sometimes the best solution is to take turns instead of attempting to work together!

With Saturn about to move into Libra, we all will be learning the fine art of compromise when seeking to improve our relationships.

posted by Neith . . .

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Leo, February 9, 2009

Lunar Eclipse

Eclipses come in pairs, with the solar eclipse followed by a lunar eclipse, and this Full Moon in Leo is the lunar eclipse of this set opposing another huge stellium in Aquarius. We are being reminded once more of the necessity of looking beyond our immediate circle of family and friends to consider the needs of the many and how we as individuals are connected to humanity as a whole.

At the Full Moon, the Sun is part of a waxing conjunction with both Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius, illuminating the possibility of healing the wounds of alienation created by emphasizing differences rather than commonalities. Neptune and Chiron both promote healing through acceptance and understanding and the necessity of treating ourselves and others with compassion and kindness. We have the choice of opening our hearts and minds to an inclusive vision of humanity, and if we do so, we can add our bit to making our little corner of the world a better place to live.

Jupiter brings his ability to magnify and expand to a conjunction with the North Node in Aquarius, turning up the volume on the North Node’s message to come together and celebrate the paradox of the uniqueness of each individual within the group consciousness of humanity. Is it possible the seeds are being laid at this time for the expansion of a growing collective supporting a genuinely humanitarian effort worldwide? Are there finally enough of us out here who are beyond weary with the greed and corruption around us to stand up for real change?

Pluto, planet of obsession and transformation, sees Venus in Aries moving away from the first of three exact squares. Venus is not at her best in Aries, a sign ruled by Mars, and the square with Pluto is not going to bring out her better nature, either. There may be opportunities to learn about the downside of overdoing narcissistic behaviors, such as all those apologies needed to your friends and family for toes stepped on in the single-minded pursuit of pleasures.

Mars, newly arrived in Aquarius, forms a waxing sextile with Venus in Aries (exact on February 18) to help get us in the mood for Valentine’s Day. Mars is much quicker to fly off the handle in Uranus-ruled Aquarius than in earthy Capricorn, so if you have planets and angles in the early fixed signs, be prepared for sudden bursts of temper or unexpected events.

There is a curious pattern formed by the Sun opposite Moon and Saturn opposing Uranus, with the Sun semi-sextile Uranus and Moon semi-sextile Saturn. This is an uncomfortable mix of air and fire with water and earth (Aquarius, Leo, Pisces, Virgo), creating the type of stress that encourages movement to relieve it. On one side of this rectangle, we have Aquarius urging us to look at the big picture with Uranus in Pisces pushing for compassionate change, while on the other side, Saturn in Virgo is for maintaining the status quo with the Moon in Leo saying go for the creative option. All of these planets are at 20 degrees, and for all who have planets or angles at this degree, this pattern will be a wake-up call! Keep in mind this is a lunar eclipse, funneling more power than the usual Full Moon down to Earth.

The Sabian symbols for the Sun and Moon reflect the discomfort of this awkward rectangle, offering insights into how to best respond.

For the Sun, the symbol for 21 Aquarius is “a woman disappointed and disillusioned, courageously facing a seemingly empty life,” with the keyword RESILIENCE. We can choose to see loss and disappointment as a teacher, recognizing our limitations but doing so with a sense of purpose and hope – or we can wallow in self pity. The edgy atmosphere surrounding this Full Moon supports taking a more active role in finding our path forward.

The symbol for the Moon at 21 Leo is “intoxicated chickens dizzily flap their wings trying to fly,” with the keyword ACCENTUATION. New ideas can be intoxicating, and we can attempt to do too much too soon, setting ourselves up for failure when we sober up. Saturn in Virgo may be a bit of a fuddy duddy, but a solid foundation built to healthy specifications is integral to lasting, positive change.

Between the need to resolve the dissonance in the sky and Mars sextile Venus in air and fire, the potential to get ahead of ourselves is great. A better course of action may be to slow down and really study your options now to avoid setting up situations for regret later. A little kindness and courtesy can come in handy, too.

posted by Neith . . .

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, February 2, too. With the dynamics in the sky right now, additional perspective can only help.