Tag Archives: Mars in Cancer

Weekly Forecast June 22: Mercury Square Neptune, Mars Enters Cancer

Secret Garden. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2015.

When tragedies like last week’s shooting take place, the first instinct of an astrologer is to cast a chart and try to identify the correlating aspects.

I did, but not immediately. My first reaction was to get depressed, or maybe it was a sad sense of resignation. We’ve known all along that it wasn’t a question of whether another shooting spree would take place, but when. That this one took place in a church added to the shock and disbelief. We think of churches as a sanctuary. Then, I don’t suppose it’s any more “sacred” than a school, a sorority house, or a movie theater, and certainly not more than one’s home. We tend not to include the latter in our definition of mass shooting, so they don’t make sensational headlines, even though Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast July 15: Grand Water Trine, Mercury Direct

“Not a morning person” doesn’t even begin to describe me. On a good day, it takes three to four hours to jumpstart my lacertian metabolism.

In other words, waking up is a bitch. Until the sun rises in your brain, memories of past lives, childhood trauma, unforgotten insults, and the awful things you’ve done to others dance in your head like ghosts on a grave at midnight.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that as humanity wakes up, the trauma in the collective unconscious is unleashed in the world and manifests as unspeakable acts of violence. The good news is that increasing numbers of people finally are hearing the alarm clock. The bad news is that the collective metabolism is worse than mine. And there’s no guarantee, actually, that people will get up and get moving. We might just decide to stay in our jammies and lie around watching re-runs of Arrested Development.

It’s hard to remain optimistic with all the grave headlines in the news and the dawning realization that we’re not heading toward a global police state, we’re already there. We know we need to act, but we don’t know what we should do or even can do, without risking everything, including our lives. Several years ago, I read a study showing that workers in oppressive job environments end up depressed. (Needless to say, it wasn’t conducted in this country. If anyone can find it, feel free to leave a link.) Is it any coincidence, then, that we have a serious mental health crisis in the United States? An estimated 11 percent of Americans take antidepressants, the third most commonly prescribed medication. More people die of suicide than gun violence or terrorist attacks.

I truly want to believe that we’re on the threshold of a leap in human consciousness, possibly so significant that we might mutate in to a higher species. But I also know from history that we’ve been in that place before, and the transformation either was aborted or sabotaged. The example that comes immediately to mind is the revolution that was taking place in Occitania in the 12th century. The region was the first to emerge from the Dark Ages, with flourishing music, literature, and a culture that respected women. The Church wasn’t having any of it, and conspired with the king of France to overrun the region, slaughter much of the population, and burn dissenters as heretics. So much for the revolution.

We can’t take it for granted that an evolution in human consciousness will happen all by itself. It faces enormous pressure by those who stand to lose the most. We need to support each other in waking up and staying awake. By “support,” I don’t mean attempting to convince others that they need to “wake up” and think like you. Spiritual awakening is a deep, mysterious internal process. It’s not going to happen by shouting down people who don’t agree with your politics.

Over the past few weeks, as the summer’s grand trine approached, we’ve seen some incredible acts of heroism and inspiration. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on NSA’s data collection, Wendy Davis literally stood up to the good ol’ boys in the Texas legislature, and Malala Yousafzai faced world leaders with a powerful call for equal education.

Click on image to enlarge

The chart to the left shows the grand trine (blue triangle) between Saturn, Neptune, and Jupiter. You also can see the looming cardinal T-square (red triangle). On one hand, we have a favorable configuration, filled with opportunity and hope. On the other, we have a difficult configuration, filled with conflict and dread. One might be tempted to conclude that the opportunities won’t be as great or that they will be extremely short-lived and overshadowed by disaster. The way I see it, it’s precisely through the conflict that the opportunities and breakthroughs will come. Isn’t that usually the case? Only when we face impossible obstacles do we come up with miraculous solutions. Or, as a friend once said to me, people tend not to change until their back is pushed so far against the wall that their asshole is sucking plaster. Sounds like an effective wakeup call to me.

As I write, we’re already feeling the influence of this extraordinary trine. We did have something like it in 1967, complete with Uranus and Pluto in a revolutionary aspect. But that trine wasn’t as close is this one, which is aligned to the exact degree from Monday to Wednesday. There have been other trines between these three planets, too, but not in water. I don’t know how many centuries we’d have to go back to find another like this. In short, it’s exceptional.

After forming an exact trine with Saturn and Neptune on Wednesday, Jupiter advances a degree, but we’ll still be able to ride this incredible wave through the weekend and on into next week. On Saturday, Saturn and Neptune form an exact trine. Mars, meanwhile, has just entered Cancer and traces the path of Jupiter until he finally overtakes him next Monday (July 22). The energy begins to drop after that, but we’ll feel this positive vibe until the end of the month.

Right in the middle of all of this, Uranus turns retrograde on Wednesday, which means he’ll start moving back toward an exact square with Pluto in early November. As Jupiter advances, he’ll turn the square into a T-square. We had a taste of it already a couple of weeks ago, when Mercury passed that degree. It’s not too much of a stretch to imagine that greater numbers of people will suddenly “get it” and that protests against repression, corruption, and injustice will get bigger and louder as the glow of the grand trine wears off and the reality of the T-square sets in.

Speaking of which, for those disappointed by the ruling in the murder trial of George Zimmerman, stayed tuned. The jury has spoken, so it’s not likely the verdict will be overturned. However, at the moment the jury announced its decision, Mercury was retrograde and the Moon was void of course. Typically, this indicates that something is going to change. I just read that the Justice Department is looking into a criminal civil rights violation, and Zimmerman also faces civil penalties. This isn’t the end.

Mercury finally returns direct on Saturday, and not a moment too soon. Maybe it will end the spate of stupidity and ignorance requiring public apologies. It seems like many of them had to do with racist remarks. The trickster has been retrograde in Cancer, which is associated with family and ethnic roots. Then there was the story about the student who absentmindedly dropped an envelope with $400 into a mailbox. The envelope was unsealed, and the only thing written on it was “deposit.” Classic Mercury retrograde. I’m guessing she had a lucky transit or two to compensate, because the Postal Service tracked her down and returned her cash.

Wishing you all a wondrous week filled with love and courage,
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 15: Retrograde Mercury Conjunct Sun and Venus

Way to the top. © Dragoneye for Dreamstime.com

This should be a much quieter week – thank goddess, as we all need a break from last week’s violence.

I can’t add much to the discussion about the riots in England. Astrologers for many years have been predicting violent social upheaval as a function of the Uranus-Pluto square. The aspect isn’t exact until next year, but for most of this month, they track just a degree from each other, with Mars fanning the flames of unrest. As frightening as the riots were, they are an indication of more to come. If you want to know the details, I highly recommend an article by Nick Campion, reigning king of mundane astrology, in the August/September issue of The Mountain Astrologer. Every world leader ought to be reading this right now. Campion notes that France, Germany, China, the UK, the United States, and the EEC all have their Sun in cardinal degrees that will be directly contacted by Uranus and Pluto in conflict.

Mars continues to move through the degrees of the Capricorn-Cancer eclipse series, which began in July 2009 and ended on July 1, 2011. Because it coincided with the cardinal T-square and grand cross, the changes we normally go through during eclipses were all the more upsetting. As Mars goes through these degrees one by one, we may be asked to revisit particular events in the past two years. Below are the dates that Mars crosses eclipse degrees:

August 17 – 9 degrees Cancer, solar eclipse of July 1, 2011 (last in series)
August 18 – 10 degrees Cancer, lunar eclipse of Dec. 31, 2009
August 24 – 13 degrees Capricorn, solar eclipse of Jan. 4, 2011
August 26 – 15 Capricorn, lunar eclipse of July 7, 2009 (first in series)
September 2 – 19 Cancer, solar eclipse of July 11, 2010
September 11 – 25 Capricorn, solar eclipse of Jan. 15, 2010
September 18 – 29 Cancer, solar eclipse of July 22, 2009

This Thursday, just as he’s crossing the degrees of two eclipses, Mars makes a flowing sextile with Jupiter. I want you to pay particular attention mid-week to any events that reflect what was happening in your life around those two eclipse dates … and then note whether you are handling that situation much differently this time around.

I’ve begun noticing this effect, and it’s very interesting. Situations indeed are coming up that correspond to eclipse-related events, but I’m seeing increasing signs that something has shifted, allowing those of us who have been paying attention to choose a different response this time and thus achieve a different outcome. In other words, we’re beginning to understand how what we manifest changes when we align with our true purpose in life. This is where astrology is an indispensible tool.

(Find out more about your purpose and destiny in Soul Journey, my new karma report.)

Mercury’s retrograde phase is adding to the chaos and confusion, but it’s also helping us think back to these previous dates and, if necessary, revise our beliefs. This is a good week for it, with Mercury, Venus, and the Sun all conjunct on Tuesday. It’s an especially good time for soul-searching regarding relationships. So many of you have come to me with gut-wrenching partnership challenges. The next few weeks could bring you some stunning insights, not the least of which is how you’ve grown as a result of the trials of the past two years.

On Sunday, Venus makes an opposition with Neptune, one of the classic “rose-colored glasses” aspects. With Venus in Leo and Neptune retrograde in Aquarius, there could be issues with society’s idea of what constitutes beauty and sex appeal versus what we’re really here for. You can spend all the money you want on cars, clothes, makeup, and the right “toys,” but as the old song goes, it won’t buy you love. In fact, it’s hard for true love to survive in such a materialistic climate.

Venus gets more practical when she moves into Virgo later on Sunday, but she’s not really happy there, either. Nitpicking isn’t conducive for love, and I have yet to see a fashion ad featuring a model in sweats, no makeup, and unwashed hair cleaning up cat vomit. This is the woman who will be there for you when you’re sick and overloaded at work. She’s not into all the bling, but is genuine and sincere. Ironically, two of the sexiest women of all time, Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot, both have Venus in Virgo (they were born within a week of each other in 1934). Although the sixties images of them with the big hair and heavy eyeliner don’t match our idea of Venus in Virgo, earlier photos of them reveal women who were down-to-earth and real.

Speaking of goddesses, I’m hoping to post an article this week on Vesta . Like some of you, I’m fascinated, if not a bit obsessed. Maybe it’s because I’m about to have my Vesta return?

Wishing you a week of insight, courage, and lots of love,
Pat

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.

Peter Finch is 'mad as hell' in Network. © MGM.

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

Weekly Forecast August 1: Mercury Retrograde, Mars Enters Cancer

Waiting in line. © Pat Paquette, 2011.

As if the dog days of August aren’t hot enough, astrological aspects in the first three weeks of the month add to the frustration and irritation.

Mercury turns retrograde on Tuesday and will stay in “reverse” until August 26. If you’ve got a teaching position or some other job that allows you take this month off, I strongly encourage you to get out of town and go on a nice, long vacation. That is one of the things Mercury retrograde is good for, especially in fun-loving Leo, where he’ll spend most of his retrograde phase.

If you have to stay at your desk or shop and slog away, be prepared for tasks to take longer and possibly require revision. The exception is editing, which is another activity that can be more efficient during Mercury retrograde. Transiting Mercury’s position in your chart indicates what areas of your life will be most affected this time around. If you’d like more information, I recommend my StarGuide Monthly Forecast for August. Not only will it tell you where Mercury is retrograde in your chart, but you’ll get an idea of how the Full Moon and New Moon will affect you.

You’ll also know where Mars is transiting your chart, which may turn out to be even more significant, as he’ll trigger cardinal T-square and grand cross points. You may know what those are already, since they’ve been active for more than a year.

Mars is cranky enough in Cancer without the conflicting aspects to Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn. I suspect we’re going to see a lot of events in the headlines based on anger, paranoia, and an excessive need to protect loved ones and personal property, although that’s more likely to occur next week and the week after.

Other aspects this week reinforce conflict, but there are a couple of mitigating influences that hopefully will help keep the peace, at least for now. Taking the week chronologically:

Venus forms a trine with Uranus on Monday (late Sunday night on the West Coast of the United States). Unexpected opportunities come up for love, money, and a good time – again, depending on where these two are transiting your chart. Just keep in mind that sudden developments may be temporary. The Sun’s square with Jupiter could lead to inflated expectations about how big the opportunities are or what they mean in the long run – in other words, don’t start planning your wedding just because the cute guy down the hall asked you out. The Moon is in Virgo on Monday and conjoins stationed Mercury, so I think we can avoid getting carried away, and we might even come up with some good ideas for how to take advantage of new opportunities toward the end of the month.

Mercury turns retrograde on Tuesday, but we’ve been experiencing the effects since late last week. I woke up on Thursday to news reports that I-5 South out of Seattle was completely blocked due to an overturned semi-truck that spilled its load of fuel all over the roadway. The driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel. Mercury was in an applying opposition to Neptune, which rules petroleum. Both Mercury and Neptune play a role in sleep.

On Wednesday, Mars enters Cancer, with the Moon entering Libra less than an hour later and immediately forming a square with Mars and crossing the cardinal T-square points. Minor irritations throughout the day provide hints about what’s to come, so keep your antennae up. Mars also trines Neptune, who retrogrades back into Aquarius on Thursday. More extreme weather may occur, although it would be hard to pin it to astrological phenomenon.

Speaking of weather and stars, did you know that the term “dog days” has its roots in the night sky? In ancient times, the hottest days of the summer coincided with the rising and setting of Sirius with the Sun. Sirius, also called the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the night sky and one of the stars forming the constellation Canis Major (Big Dog). The Romans believed that the earth received heat from Sirius, which appeared even brighter in those times due to lack of city lights and air pollution. (Thanks to James Weythman for the link on Wilstar.com.)

Continuing with our week, Venus squares Jupiter on Friday, fueling a tendency toward pie-in-the-sky dreams and overindulgence. Then, I’m not against going overboard with food, drink, sex, or the substance of your choice once in a while, especially if it relieves unbearable tension. Invite your co-workers to happy hour after work on Friday and have some fun. Just be sure to agree in advance who’s going to pay, and make sure you have a calculator.

Friday through Sunday, the Sun and Venus form a happy sextile to Saturn in Libra. Love and commitment can progress, despite Mercury’s retrograde motion. Again, just be clear in your communications. If you have to, repeat your words back to each other three or four times so that you’re sure you understand. Otherwise, intentions could be badly misinterpreted, leading to embarrassment or worse.

Next week is tough, so have fun while you can and take time to make some backup plans, to the extent possible.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast July 18: Sun Enters Leo, Mars Conjunct South Node

Grand finale. The Strawberry Festival parade ends with performers from dance and drumming classes taught by Rhythm Joy of Vashon. © Pat Paquette, 2011.

We should all get a breather this week, with the Sun moving into light-hearted Leo and, more importantly, no heavy outer planet transits to deal with. But that “other shoe about to drop” feeling just won’t go away.

Actually, I’d say there are quite a few shoes dangling in the power lines overhead, and a good wind could blow one of them down at any moment. Action planet Mars likely will supply the gust, so I jotted down a few dates to watch.

The Mars force often is the trigger to activate degrees that have been sensitized by a recent eclipse or major aspect. If you’ve already experienced a big change or significant event tied to these aspects, then it’s not likely you’ll get a sudden surprise when Mars crosses these degrees. The Mars trigger is more important for those who haven’t yet had the closure or “grand finale” of the Capricorn-Cancer eclipse series.

In Gemini, Mars is cruising through the territory of the new series of eclipses that began on the solstice in December 2010. The eclipses on June 1 and June 15 were in this series, which is marking a departure for many people, a new path to follow. Mars activated the June 1 eclipse a couple of weeks ago and crosses the lunar eclipse point on July 26.

This week, he conjoins the lunar South Node, which will be direct at the time of conjunction. The lunar nodes normally move retrograde. The periods when they are direct seem to provide access to dimensions beyond the human perception of time. For some, this can manifest as glimpses of the future or distant past, or meetings with people from other incarnations.

The bigger impact will occur August 2-3, when Mercury turns retrograde and Mars enters Cancer. The first three weeks of August are potentially explosive, individually and collectively. That’s why I suggest resting and having fun now, while things “up there” are processing in the background. The Sun enters Leo on Friday, just in time for an enjoyable weekend.

Even before he enters Cancer, Mars will start activating last summer’s T-square and at the same time form a grand cross with Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn. Although Saturn is in a fairly wide square at this point, Mars will “carry forward” the energies of the other planets, and in the famous words of baseball great Yogi Berra, it will be “déjà vu all over again.”

I do know some people who have completed a cycle and are starting a new one. For me, the new path is that I’m now officially registered to go back to school this fall for film and video production. It’s a rigorous two-year program, so I won’t have as much time and energy to devote to RealAstrologers or individual consultations. If you’ve been thinking about a reading, I strongly encourage you to schedule it in the next two months. Once classes start, I’ll keep you updated about my availability.

However, as I’ve pointed out in previous posts, many of us (myself included) have faced multiple issues over the past two years, and not all of them are wrapped up. This is partly due to the nature of the T-square and grand cross; they affect several houses in your chart. Moreover, others you’re involved with have their own transits, and what’s happening between you may be part of their big picture rather than yours. If they haven’t completed the cycle, then it’s not complete for you, either. Mars crosses the degree of the July 1 eclipse – the last in the Capricorn-Cancer series – on August 17, which is another potential “wrap-up” date.

Appropriately, Berra also is credited with the saying, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

Wishing you all the love and courage of Leo,

Pat

Weekly Forecast August 24: Mercury, Venus, Mars Change Signs

Mercury, Venus, and Mars all change signs this week, and with the Sun newly arrived in Virgo, it’s as though the sands are shifting under our feet as we walk … just as we have to start walking a lot faster.

Overall, we’re in a period of shifting and swift change, and this can mean temporary disorientation and discomfort. Those of us with a lot of fixed signs in our charts will have a more difficult time, whereas the cardinal signs should be quite happy for things to get moving finally!

Mars enters Cancer on Tuesday, with Mercury entering Libra just a few hours later. This means they are square one another, and they both engage Pluto in challenging aspects on Wednesday — Mars by opposition and Mercury by square. Most of you know enough about astrology to know that when Mars and Pluto face off, we end up in power struggles. These can be with another person, or groups can oppose one another. Or, we may face internal conflicts. Perhaps we struggle with an addiction.

Normally, Mercury in Libra would be a good antidote, as Libra is the sign of peace, harmony, and conciliation. However, attempts to intervene between opposing parties could backfire this week, even with the best of intentions. If you find yourself in the middle of an argument or conflict of any kind, step back and think about what’s at the root of the problem. Unfortunately, since Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn are all cardinal signs, there’s going to be a whole lot of talking and action without thinking first.

Complicating matters is that Mercury is in pre-retrograde shadow. He’ll be retrograde September 7-29, during which he’ll return to Virgo for three weeks. During that time, we’ll get to reflect on any issues that come up this week and perhaps revise how we want to handle them. But there may be breakdowns in communications first. As always, when life is moving this fast, the best approach is to stay in the moment and not think too far ahead. There is a potential for rapid change now, and we’re going to have to stay in the flow.

As I mentioned in my Saturday Extra! post, the Saturn-Uranus opposition is creeping up on us. It’s within four degrees, which is enough for us to start feeling the effects. Most of you probably know by now where these two are transiting your chart. If not, look at the houses in which they’re opposed in your natal chart for clues. For example, if they’re located in the fourth and tenth houses, situations at home or with your family may be interfering with your effort to get a new job. An opposition in the fifth and eleventh houses could bring conflicts between caring for children and your social responsibilities, or perhaps you’re in a situation in which someone is transgressing boundaries between friends and lovers.

The good news is that Venus enters Leo on Wednesday, which brings some festivity into our lives. She’s out of synch with Mars, but she’ll be in a bright sextile with Mercury on Friday, and since Mercury is in her sign, this will be a good night for patching up disputes. Go out and have a good time together, and enjoy the moment.

Just don’t let it interfere with your obligations and responsibilities, because there’s no forgiveness this week for not meeting your commitments. I don’t mean to be a party pooper, but I need to let you know that failing to keep promises and commitments will be met with a swift reminder on Saturday, when the Moon in Capricorn triggers the Mars-Pluto opposition.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: Venus in Leo is the party girl! Here, she’s wearing a beautiful beaded mask as she gets ready for a samba parade at Carnival in Sao Paulo earlier this year. Photo by Mauricio Lima for Agence France-Presse.

Not a Moment Too Soon

Caravaggio's Saturnus, 16th century The past six months have been a long, rocky road, but we finally are feeling some positive shifts this week.

The week begins with the New Moon in Taurus, which Neith explored in the previous post. As she noted, it’s not so much about new beginnings, but about evaluating. Taurus traditionally is associated with the second house, which rules income, possessions, and personal values. Evaluating means just that: determining what you value. Are your actions in line with your needs and desires? Or are you working at cross purposes?

Saturn has just returned direct after being retrograde since mid-December. Saturn builds structure in our lives, which is why he is by definition limiting. Once a particular energy is manifested on the physical plane, it is temporarily tied up and unavailable for all other uses. If you don’t like what manifested, then you need to put energy into changing it. Right now is a great time to do so. Saturn in Virgo favors practical, tangible results.

As I noted in a new post on The Pisces Chronicles, if you were born in the late 1950s, Saturn is stationed on or near your natal Pluto. The obstacles are crushing, I know, and the mere thought of manifesting anything positive seems so far away that it almost has no meaning. If you’re like me, you’ve gone into survival mode. Saturn will start picking up speed (relative to the Earth, of course) in mid-May, and you should start seeing some relief, depending on the degree of your natal Pluto and what else is happening in your chart.

On Tuesday, the Moon enters Gemini and conjoins Mercury later in the day. Yes, Saturn is still putting a bit of a damper on life, but we should see lots of movement, especially in activities involving communications. I can’t wait to see what happens on Astro-Twitter. It should be a fun day, so sign up now!

On Friday, Jupiter goes retrograde, and he’ll stay in “reverse” until September 8 – the same day Pluto goes direct, so that will be an interesting double effect, especially since Pluto will be back in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius. Neith or I will have more later this week about the significance of Jupiter’s turn retrograde.

As exciting as all of that is, the biggest news of the week is the entry of Mars into Leo on Friday. Mars has been in Cancer for much of the past seven months, and this has not been a good energy for most of us. We are ready for some action! Just be careful, because the sudden burst of Mars firepower will be so strong that it literally could knock you over. Again, it depends on where he is in your chart and whether he’s aspecting any natal planets or chart points.

The Moon enters Leo early on Saturday on the West Coast of the United States and conjoins Mars less than an hour later. This will amplify the emotional intensity of the Mars force – great for certain activities, but the risk of overreaction is high.

The week ends with a delightful sextile between the Sun and Uranus. This aspect favors making positive changes with minimal effort. So if you’re still fine-tuning a new structure in your life, this is the frosting on the cake.

If you’d like more information about how these aspects are impacting your life, consider ordering one of our exclusive forecasts. Neith and I both do them, and we write them from scratch, exclusively for you. You will be amazed by what a difference it makes when you know what’s going on in your chart. And if you’ve ever ordered a computer-generated report, you will be doubly amazed by the difference between those products and a Real Astrologers report.

Have a productive week!
Pat

Slogging Through the Obstacles

This is an exciting week, with major astrological shifts that should leave everyone feeling a lot better. I’m more than ready to get out of this stuck space, and I know you all are, too.

The week begins with several planets in their detriment or fall, including Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. As I noted in last week’s SkyWatch post, when planets are in their detriment or fall, the energies they embody are somehow “off,” and we feel it. Venus has been demanding and selfish in Aries, while Mars is paranoid, moody, and passive-aggressive in Cancer. In Capricorn, Jupiter turns into a workaholic, when he’s so much more jovial as master of ceremonies.

Although Mercury isn’t technically in detriment or fall in Taurus, this isn’t his best sign, and this will be doubly true when he squares Neptune on Tuesday. Slow, foggy, and confused thinking will be the order of the day. Have you ever been on the phone and momentarily forgotten who you were talking to? It’s like that…

On Wednesday, Venus enters Taurus, which is one of the signs she rules. We should start seeing signs of beauty, grace, and a general return of yumminess, with fewer selfish demands, especially among couples.

Thursday is May 1, celebrated as May Day and known to the ancient Celts as Beltaine, when virgins were deflowered, and it was OK to mate with someone other than your spouse. Venus trines Pluto, which is sure to create some irresistible temptation. And if you’re looking to make it more permanent, her trine with Saturn later in the day could bring just what you’re looking for. Saturn is about to turn direct, too, so this will be a powerful day for romantic commitment.

Saturn turns direct on Friday at 8:07 p.m. on the West Coast of the United States. He’ll take a week or two to start moving forward, but we all are going to start seeing some real progress in areas that have had us stuck for months. As I noted in a new post today on The Pisces Chronicles, the simultaneous station of Jupiter in Capricorn and Saturn coincided with an interesting experience over the weekend that seems to have bumped me up a notch on the consciousness spiral. Among other things, I made some progress in a couple of areas where I’ve been desperately stuck. Could the chant to Ganesha (pictured above) have had anything to do with it? He’s apparently an expert on dealing with Saturn issues.

Earlier on Friday, Mercury enters Gemini. Seeing as how we’re interacting primarily in cyberspace, we’re going to feel this, and I’m betting it will be almost instant. Look for lots of communications activity this weekend.

Sunday will be deliciously lazy and sensual, with the Moon exalted in Taurus trining Pluto and Saturn, then conjoining Venus – all in preparation for Monday’s New Moon. Effects of the New Moon can be felt within three days before or after peak fullness, so we should start seeing the results of all the painful breaking down we’ve been going through since the Full Moon in Scorpio.

So hang in there, and keep in touch. One of the ways we learn about how astrology works is through the stories you leave here. And don’t be shy, even if English is not your native language. RealAstrologers.com is a truly international website, and it’s always exciting for us to hear from the four corners of the planet.

Much love and manifold blessings,
Pat