Tag Archives: Mars retrograde

Weekly Forecast November 14: Mars Trine Jupiter

Despite the lingering yawns and sleepiness, this is a great week for getting work done. Indeed, you might give yourself a Friday deadline for accomplishing everything on your to-do list in preparation for next week’s unpredictability.

Mars is in diligent Virgo, where he’ll stay until next July. That’s right, we’ll have Mars in Virgo for nearly eight months, due to his retrograde phase starting in January. Normally, Mars remains in a sign for about six weeks. Check your natal chart to see what houses contain Virgo, and that’s where you’ll feel the active, dynamic energy of Mars in practical, helpful Virgo.

This week, Mars trines Jupiter in Taurus, with both at a close angle to Pluto in Capricorn. This lovely earth trine lends itself to manifesting your thoughts into reality. You’ll fare best if you visualize what you want as specifically as possible and place it in a supporting structure. For example, if you want a new job with a great salary, don’t just visualize a paycheck, but imagine yourself in the job environment with your co-workers, customers and clients (if applicable). Also get specific about how you feel doing the work you anticipate. Does it excite you? Stimulate your creativity? Fulfill your desire to help others solve problems?

Lastly, think of what you could do to make this scenario happen. Then do it! At least take a concrete step. Action is a keyword for Mars, and it also sends out a vibration that sets into motion the energy that eventually will coalesce into what you want. This is also just plain Virgo logic. If you want a new relationship, for example, you’re not going to get it by sitting on the couch watching reruns of The Love Boat.

Speaking of re-runs, Mercury turns retrograde next Thursday (November 24), and since Mercury rules Virgo, Mars is likely to behave badly, as though he, too, is retrograde. Be mindful of how you criticize others, as this is a perfect setup for being so insensitive and cutting that you could alienate someone to the point of destroying a relationship. It will be hard to patch up this type of falling out later. Driving also is going to be more of a challenge, with lots of minor fender-benders. This likely won’t be an overwhelming concern this week, but it can’t hurt to start thinking about your survival strategy for the three weeks while Mercury is in reverse.

On the positive side, you could have some wonderful opportunities for repairs and remodels, depending on what house in your chart Mars is transiting. Remember, Virgo is an earth sign, so this will pertain primarily to material projects, including helping others with a physical, material problem.

Back to this week, the Moon enters Virgo on Friday, conjoins Mars, and trines Jupiter and Pluto. Normally, I’d be wary of the Moon-Mars conjunction, as it can be associated with unchecked emotions. However, in this case, I think the Moon’s energy will act as an amplifier, so keep up that visualization work.

The only other major aspect this week is the Sun-Neptune square on Sunday. This energy can be a bit of a downer, and with Neptune still moving slowly, you may want to plan for a lazy Sunday in bed watching your favorite movies. If you tend to be psychic to start with, you may get a flash or two of otherworldly images. Also be forewarned that if you use alcohol or mind-altering substances, go easy. It won’t take much to get into place in your mind that could leave you feeling troubled or disturbed.

If you don’t get your to-do list done by Friday, you’ll still have three days next week to wrap up, but the closer we get to Mercury’s station, the more frustration you’re likely to encounter. Also, here’s another reminder to back up your computer data. Just do it, and save yourself a lot of grief later. (This has been a public service announcement by your friendly Internet astrologer.)

Before I go, I’d like to announce that the December/January issue of The Mountain Astrologer is out, with my article on Ophiuchus. If you don’t already subscribe, you can buy the individual magazine online for $7. Readers of RealAstrologers will recognize some of the material from a post I wrote back in January, but you’ll also find lots of new information, based on extensive research.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Saturday Extra! Almost Two

RealAstrologers is coming up on its second anniversary — a bittersweet moment, since I’ll be blowing out the candles alone.

On the bright side, the site had one of its best days ever with my first Full Moon post on Monday. It was a nice reward for all the late nights rewriting pages and shouldering a double load of posts.

Since RealAstrologers is an Aries, and we just had a Full Moon in Libra, I thought it would be interesting to look at our birth chart and see if there was any correlation. For our “birth,” I used the time of our inaugural post, which was published at 4:01 a.m. on April 6, 2008. That gives us both Sun and Moon in Aries, with 5 degrees Aquarius on the Ascendant. Aquarius, incidentally, is the sign of astrology. Mercury and Venus are also in Aries, with Mars in Cancer and Jupiter in Capricorn.

It is the Sun and Moon, however, that aspect Mars and Jupiter to form a cardinal T-square, which favors action and change. The planet or planets at the apex of the T-square take on special significance in the birth chart. We launched the site few hours after the New Moon in Aries, which is a great time for starting a new venture. That said, three planets are in their detriment fall in this chart, which isn’t so good, and the T-square is potentially challenging, as it isn’t the most stable of chart configurations.

And now here we are, in a build-up toward an intense cardinal T-square (which will become a grand cross at times over the next year), with a pivotal Full Moon in Libra. Remember, the Full Moon often signifies endings. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the original partnership dissolved at this time. Mars, meanwhile, had been retrograde since December in the seventh house, which rules relationships, and he’s been hovering around the Descendant since early February. Mars in the seventh house can wreak havoc with partnerships.

At some point, companies take on a life of their own and starting “living” their charts. I think it’s a good bet that a new partnership may come into existence. If so, it would be a big relief. Keeping the site going is almost a full-time job, with no pay. This never was intended to be a one-woman show, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep it running without some kind of divine intervention. That said, I’ve got some ideas to take the site into the future, and I’m hoping that they will make the venture more viable in the long run.

As they say, there’s only one way to find out…

Pat

Image: The RealAstrologers logo was created by StarBlue for Dreamstime.com. We’ve used several of her designs in the past two years. Do check out her inspired and magical astrology portfolio.

Ask Real Astrologers: Is There a Chance for Us?

This week’s question comes from Elena in Romania:

I broke up with my friend last autumn. I am trying so hard to be with him again but he is so cold and distant. Please, just tell me, is there a chance for us?

Elena, your words could have been written by any one of millions of women around the world. I have been among you, and my heart breaks for us all.

I have been writing about this topic for years and see this situation as an indication of a fundamental wound on our planet. Many of us are trying to heal now, just when planetary energies are shifting to bring everything and everyone back into alignment. That is the good news. The bad news is that we have to go through this painful situation and suffer as a perquisite to healing. So many people I know are going through exactly what you describe.

To put it another way, our individual suffering is mirrored in the collective and vice versa.

As to your particular situation, you’ve been affected very heavily by Mars in Leo. He has been in your first house for an extended stay, and he has crossed over your natal Sun and Mars twice already — once forward and once retrograde — and now he’s about to cross them for a third and final time. In last week’s column, I addressed some of the effects of Mars retrograde on the Sun. There’s a major difference, however, in that you’ve got Mars going through your first house, and he’s also opposite your seventh-house Moon, which can make you more emotional than usual.

Moreover, both you and your friend have a lot of fixed energy in your chart (the fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius). In fact, it’s quite interesting to note that you both were born near a Full Moon — you, with Sun in Leo and Moon in Aquarius, and your friend with Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio.

Although you may have generated a lot of passion and heat in the beginning, you need to know that a long-term relationship with this person would entail ongoing conflict. It’s not impossible to make it work, but you would have to be very committed to each other, to your own personal growth, and to learning how to communicate without hurting each other. That may be the karmic lesson you need to learn, but I believe that you would eventually be happier with a relationship that isn’t so taxing and that allows your Leo personality to shine.

Thank you for writing, Elena. I really do feel your pain and hope that you soon will find peace for your troubled heart and soul.

For anyone who is interested, I do synastry readings, with a special gift for finding your karmic connections. I should warn you, though, that karmic connections aren’t always easy, nor do they necessarily mean that you were made for each other for all time. Many people I know are working through karmic relationships right now and are enduring a lot of pain in the process. What I can do for you is to help you identify the issue you are working on so that you can focus on that and get through your lesson as efficiently as possible.

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

Weekly Forecast March 8: Mars Direct

Judith and Holofernes, by Franz von Stuck, 1927. This biblical story has been painted by many artists over the centuries. What could more perfectly depict Venus in Aries? Mars is even sleeping, which is how astrologers often describe retrograde planets.

Finally, Mars turns direct this week. It feels like he has been retrograde forever.

Actually, it’s only been since Dec. 20, but when the planet of anger and aggression is out of sorts, time has a way of dragging. I’ve had him in my seventh house all this time, and he returns direct just a degree shy of my Descendant. Needless to say, I’ve had some challenges in the relationship department.

Mars also rules physical energy, so many of you may be feeling tired and beaten down. The effects for you individually depend on where Mars is transiting your natal chart, which house he rules, and whether he’s making aspects to natal planets.

With Venus newly arrived in Mars-ruled Aries, we can expect some fireworks in our close relationships, especially romantic partnerships. Venus is in her detriment in Aries, but fortunately she’s in a lovely trine with Mars, and both make contact with stabilizing Saturn. This gives me hope that any arguments and temper tantrums that may erupt will lead to productive discussions about what we can do to improve relationships with our partners. After all, conflict is often just an indication of an imbalance that needs to be corrected, and Saturn in Libra, even retrograde, is good for this.

If you find yourself in these circumstances, the first half of the week will be the most active. Venus opposes Saturn on Tuesday, with the Moon in Saturn-ruled Capricorn throwing more cold water on feelings of love and affection. You may be able to see through to the source of the problem, but try not to be overwhelmed to the point that you want to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Mars turns direct on Wednesday. For a couple of days on either side, you may get absolutely nowhere. This could apply literally to your travels, or it could manifest as a conversation that keeps going ’round and ’round in a frustrating endless feedback loop. Should that happen to you, drop it and come back to the subject in a few days or, better still, a week. By that time, Mars will be creeping forward, and your discussion will be much more productive.

In the case of romantic partnerships, sexual fireworks will enter the picture, with Venus squaring Pluto on Thursday. This could complicate matters, or it could help resolve them. Many couples find their “solution” in the bedroom, and while Venus-Pluto aspects have a reputation for lust, they also carry the potential for a deep soul connection. Many times when we’re unhappy in a partnership, it’s because we lack the feeling of a strong connection. When it is restored, the relationship can move forward.

On Sunday, the Sun conjoins Mercury in Pisces, with the Moon in Pisces conjunct Jupiter. This is wonderful for sleeping in, resting, and connecting on deeper levels as we head into the New Moon in Pisces on Monday, March 15. For some, it will be a chance to find some much-needed quiet time and solitude. If you live in the United States, don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour!

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast March 1: Venus Trine Mars

This week is all about Venus … well, mostly about Venus. And that means love, desire, and what makes us happy will be major themes.

As the week begins, we’re still in the wake of Sunday’s Full Moon at 9 degrees Virgo, and the Moon has advanced into late Virgo, opposite Venus and Uranus in Pisces. Moon transits tend to be fleeting, and many of us may not notice them at all. Monday’s lunar transits may be an exception, however, thanks to the impending Venus-Uranus conjunction on Wednesday. Take note of developments in your love and social life on Monday, as you may get some advance news of what will happen when the love planet pairs up with the planet of surprises and sudden change.

Also on Monday, Mercury enters Pisces — great for creative work and leaps of the imagination, not so good for clear thinking and concise communications. On Monday and Tuesday, Mercury is at the apex of a Yod with Mars and Saturn, a position recently held by Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun. The difference this time is that Mars is stationing to return direct on March 10, and that makes him a more powerful influence. If your thinking is confused, if you don’t know where you’re headed or how to get there, you’re not alone. You may be forced this week to think out of the box in order to resolve a dispute or to find the solution to a problem that seems not to have one. Sometimes, all it takes is asking the right question.

Speaking of Mars, I’d like to point out that he is out of bounds until March 15. Planets are out of bounds when they travel north or south of the celestial latitude of the Sun at the solstices, and they tend to “misbehave,” just as the term suggests. The last time Mars was retrograde and out-of-bounds, a tiger leapt out of her cage at the San Francisco Zoo and mauled a young visitor to death before being shot and killed by zoo officials.

Obviously, conditions are different this time, but an out-of-bounds, stationing Mars should be handled with extreme care, especially in the sign of the Lion! Avoid provoking anyone, and stay out of harm’s way to the extent possible. Err on the side of caution and consideration.

On Wednesday, Venus meets up with Uranus, which for the most part should bring pleasant surprises. Any unpleasant fallout may be from our own failure to stay in touch with reality. Should a bit of luck come your way, jump on the opportunity, but spend the next week or so doing the math. Admittedly, this will be harder with Mercury in Pisces and Mars slowing down to a halt. Fortunately, we’ve got calculators.

On Sunday, Venus enters Aries, and it’s a whole different game. No longer warm, fuzzy, voluptuous, and chocolate-loving, the love goddess is demanding, hard-bodied, and very active. Right away, she forms a trine with Mars, just as he’s waking up out of a sound sleep. It’s kind of a reverse Sleeping Beauty story. Instead of the prince gently kissing the princess awake, the sleepy guy gets a whack on the head and an order to get his sorry ass out of bed.

I’m hoping this energy will propel couples everywhere to wake up and smell the coffee. Love doesn’t just “happen” all by itself. You have to work at it, and it takes two. Apologies and promises go only so far. At some point, words have to lead to action.

Speaking of all words and no action, Mercury conjoins Jupiter later in the day. If ever there was an aspect for solving all the world’s problems over a bottle of wine, this is it! If you do come up with some great ideas, write them down and come back to them later, after the glitter has settled. In the meantime, just enjoy the feeling.

Wishing you all much love,
Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: What Happens With Mars Opposite Natal Chiron?

This week’s question comes from Mary in Pennsylvania:

I’ve read that this Mars retrograde will station direct at 1 degree Leo, a point opposite my natal Chiron. Any thoughts on that particular aspect?

Diane’s response:

Mary, this transit may prove quite helpful to you, because your natal Chiron lies hidden away in your twelfth house and forms no aspects to your personal planets or chart angles. This means you aren’t often able to access those places within where you feel wounded.

From about March 7 to 10, not only will Mars station opposite your Chiron, your Chiron will be trine Saturn in Libra and sextile Venus in Aries (Saturn will oppose Venus), forming a Mystic Rectangle. This dynamic pattern has the potential for triggering insights in a firm but gentle way, promoting healing of old wounds you may not have been previously aware of.

I’m wondering if the recent Chiron-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius right on your Sun was responsible for prompting you to look at your natal Chiron. By the time Mars stations in March, both Chiron and Neptune will have moved past your Sun, allowing for more clarity in general. In my experience, Neptune transits in particular are best understood in retrospect.

Between now and early March, as Mars slows to a standstill in your sixth house, you have a window of opportunity to review your daily routines, how you interact with your co-workers, your health and exercise program, and the details of your daily life in general. Are any of these areas a source of frustration for you? If so, perhaps you can figure out why now.

Good luck on your road to a better place within and without, Mary.

Pat’s response:

Mary, by the time a transiting planet stations direct in aspect to a natal planet, you already have gone through the transit once and sometimes twice, so you should have an idea already of how this transit is affecting you.

Mars opposed your natal Chiron in mid-October, 2009. As he continues on his retrograde path, he will oppose natal Chiron on February 25. After he returns direct, he will make a third pass on March 24. When a transiting planet moves over a natal planet and then turns retrograde, you have an opportunity for review and possible revision. Since the twelfth house is one of the houses concerning the past, you may have gone through a period of revisiting unresolved wounds from early childhood or some other trauma buried in your deep psyche. Mars might have performed a little “surgery” to help find the source of the wound and perhaps even cut it out — figuratively speaking, of course. Re-opening wounds is painful, so if this process happened for you, it likely wasn’t very pleasant.

When Mars returns direct, it’s like sewing the wound back up, minus the “poison” (whatever that symbolizes to you), and that means the wound can heal cleanly.

Because your natal Chiron is in Aquarius in the twelfth house, your particular wound may be something that is deeply ingrained in the collective. In other words, it’s something bigger than just you. If you are able to heal, you put healing energy into the collective unconscious, and that is very powerful.

Wishing you much courage, and thanks for writing.

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

Weekly Forecast February 8: New Moon in Aquarius, Venus Enters Pisces

All of the ingredients for a romantic Valentine's Day. Photo by Pat Paquette.

It’s Valentine’s Day next Sunday, and what a show the cosmos has in store for us. This week could be positively transformational.

However, it’s clear that we’re going to have to work for it, and there will be challenges and tests. Romantic partnerships in particular will be affected, and if you’ve been waiting to move up to the next level or to heal deep-seated issues between you and your partner, this promises to be a memorable week for love.

The week begins with a romantic conjunction of Venus and Neptune. Astrologers usually describe this as the “rose-colored glasses” aspect, and there is some risk of idealizing your partner. Well, why not? We delude ourselves about so many things when it comes to our loved ones, what’s wrong with a brief fantasy of perfection? Still, the point here is to love your partner, human failings and all. I’ll come back to this in a minute.

On Wednesday, Mercury enters Aquarius, the sign of his exaltation. If you’ve felt like life is moving too fast, hang onto your seat, because it’s going to get even faster now. Inspiration and new ideas come streaming in at the speed of light.

Also on Wednesday, Mars forms an inconjunct with Jupiter, activating a Yod with Mars and Saturn at the base and Venus and Jupiter at the apex. This is an extremely rare formation and very interesting, because Mars and Saturn are the malefics — the bad guys in astrology — while Venus and Jupiter are considered the benefics. Moreover, both Mars and Saturn are retrograde, the only two planets currently in reverse.

The conjunction of Venus and Jupiter is said to be the luckiest combination in astrology, and this is even more true in Pisces, as Venus is exalted in the sign of the Fishes, and Jupiter is its co-ruler. This is our call to higher love and opening our hearts to receive wealth and abundance. However, the Yod formation suggests a block of some kind, a “hump” to get over before all those good things flow to us.

Mars sextile Saturn is good for setting immediate ego gratification aside to accomplish difficult tasks. Since both planets are retrograde, we can’t expect to move mountains, but to make steady progress, a little at a time, until the job is done. It’s also likely that projects we undertake at this time have something to do with the past — clearing accumulated clutter, eliminating toxins from our bodies, and confronting tasks we’ve put off for months, if not years.

That sounds all well and good, but when we concentrate too much on work, what needs to be done, and “reality,” we shut the magic out of our lives. This isn’t intentional; indeed, I’d say it’s a negative side effect of modern industrialized societies. In order to go to work day after day and to live in crowded cities, we have to shut our sensitive, intuitive side down. After years of doing so, many people become desensitized, and it’s as though their minds have gone to sleep. Higher love can’t exist in such conditions.

There’s another inconjunct this week, between Mars in Leo and Pluto in Capricorn. This is a heavy handed combination that subjects the ego’s need for creative expression to oppressive authority. This suggests censorship to me and may be at the root of Google’s problem in China. The aspect peaks on Friday, and there will be a third and final round of it on April 10. Also on Friday, Mercury trines Saturn, a great aspect for finding a practical use for all those outlandish Aquarian ideas.

Mercury opposes Mars the following day, fueling arguments and creating breakdowns in communications. This seems like a small thing, but we need to be very careful with this one, given everything else that’s going on. Events this weekend could be overwhelming, and it won’t take much to get irritated with others. If you do get in an argument, hopefully it will be short-lived, as the New Moon is just a few hours later, and it holds much healing power.

At 25 degrees Aquarius, the New Moon will be tightly conjunct Neptune and Chiron. This is our cue to start anew by embracing our wounds. Earlier in the week, with Venus conjunct Neptune, we’re called upon to accept others, as they are. Now, we’re being called to accept and love ourselves. That’s more than just 80s Me-Decade psychobabble. Opening our hearts to love depends on it, and what better time is there to walk through the portal of love and healing than on Valentine’s Day?

Sunday’s aspect list is long, and I’ve covered most of it already. The one wildcard is Pluto. I just wrote of his inconjunct with Mars, but that means he’ll be sextile Venus and Jupiter, and that suggests an “out” of some kind. Maybe it’s about our true power as human beings, not just the illusion of power we get by sitting in the executive’s chair.

Wishing you nothing but true love,
Pat

Full Moon in Leo, January 29-30, 2010

After the intensity of the past two eclipses, the Full Moon at 10°14′ Leo on January 29 will be much easier to live with (January 30 in the Eastern Hemisphere).

The chart for this lunation has three main conversations – one between the Moon conjunct Mars in Leo opposing the Sun conjunct Venus in Aquarius, Jupiter in Pisces sextile Pluto in Capricorn, and Saturn in Libra exactly squaring Pluto. Mercury in Capricorn, Neptune in Aquarius, and Uranus in Pisces form only minor aspects and are content to mutter quietly in the background.

I find it amusing the way Venus and Mars are aligned with the Sun and Moon. Ultimately, they balance each other out nicely. Traditionally, Venus and the Moon have more in common, as both are more receptive in nature, while Mars and the Sun are both more assertive and outgoing.

On one hand, pairing Venus with the Sun in cool, cerebral Aquarius tones down the exuberance of Sol, ruler of Leo, and gives Venus a decidedly independent streak. On the other, Mars in Leo is still retrograde, reducing his normal force and bluster to a whisper for now, making it much easier for him to find common ground with the Moon, whose normal fluidity is firmed up in fixed, fiery Leo.

What this gives us is better-than-normal opportunities to sit down with partners of all types and work out any issues creating problems. Our differences will be easier to define under the brilliant light of the Full Moon, and since the atmosphere is less divisive than usual, we stand a better chance of finding points of compromise.

Be warned, though, it is essential to be as honest and equitable as possible, because the second of three squares between Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn is exact on Sunday, January 31. I know I sound like a broken record on the subject, but right now unscrupulous behavior will bring us to grief in the end. Pluto does not take prisoners ever, and Saturn in Libra is backing him up on this. Consider what has and is happening to Capricorn Tiger Woods and his Capricorn wife, Elin, if you will.

Jupiter is now in Pisces and is making a waxing sextile to Pluto in Capricorn. This aspect softens the edges and introduces a deeper sense of compassion and caring to the collective than we have experienced in awhile. I am still maintaining a “wait and see” approach to Jupiter in Pisces, because Pisces is very good at faking us out – it is a much more powerful sign than it is often given credit for. Think oceans and tsunamis . . .

Mercury in Capricorn is semi-sextile the Sun and Venus in Aquarius and seems very intent on catching up on the backlog left from the days it was retrograde. Mercury ruled types like Virgos and Geminis are very busy right now from what I’m hearing. Even after Mercury moves into Aquarius, the first thing it will do is trine Saturn in Libra – taking care of business will still be in order.

As for the ongoing mutual reception between Neptune in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces, it does provide an excellent backdrop for the Sabian symbol of 11 Aquarius, “During a silent hour, a man receives a new inspiration which may change his life.” If we take time to quiet our minds each day, we can tap into the rich world of the imagination to renew our creativity.

For the Moon, the Sabian symbol is 11 Leo, “Children play on a swing hanging from the branches of a huge oak tree.” What a wonderful image to inspire us to take time to play and renew our acquaintance with what it means to be joyous. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m ready for a break from the intensity of the past month or so.

Take time to laugh and play with family and friends on this Full Moon, if you can. Sharing joy heals places within ourselves that we often didn’t even realize needed it.

posted by Diane . . .

Weekly Forecast January 11: Solar Eclipse in Capricorn, Mercury Direct

Janus, the Roman god of gates, doors, beginnings, and endings for whom our first month of January is named. We're not only in a new year, but a new decade and a new energy pattern. Expect lots of endings and beginnings now.

This is a landmark week, with enough activity in the sky for a Hollywood thriller.

Not only do we have a solar eclipse, but Saturn turns retrograde, Mercury returns direct, and Jupiter enters Pisces. Whew! Each of these events is significant in itself, but together, they make for some powerful new beginnings with a willingness to experiment.

Taking events in order, Monday the Sun conjoins Venus. Normally this happy combination would translate to fun-filled social gatherings and easy expressions of love and affection. However, both Sun and Venus are still at an irritating inconjunct with Mars, so don’t be surprised if your date or lunch with a friend is marred by a misunderstanding or some other kind of disruption. If that happens, my advice is to try to let it go for now, or you’ll only get yourself deeper in the hole.

Saturn turns retrograde on Wednesday. Many of us noticed a decided change in atmosphere when Saturn entered Libra in late October. Relationships came more in focus, with an emphasis on fairness and equity rather than the perfection demanded by Saturn in Virgo. Alas, we return to that fastidiousness briefly when Saturn returns to Virgo from April 7 to July 21.

In the meantime, we can use Saturn’s retrograde energy to identify relationship issues that may need work over time. And some problems do require constant work and vigilance.

Friday is the eclipse (Thursday on the West Coast of the United States), the second in a pair of New Year eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer. This series began six months ago and feeds heavily into the shift to cardinal energy. Diane wrote a very fine post on New Year’s Day on this trend and will have a full report on Tuesday on the upcoming eclipse, so check back.

In short, the shift to cardinal energy means more action, and that means change. Whereas the fixed signs take their time in deliberating — often to the point of inertia — cardinal signs are quick to react, but this also can mean change just for the sake of change that isn’t well thought-out and doesn’t take the needs of the collective into account. Although we all think we want change, I do caution you to take care what you wish for. There is no doubt that we are in for some big changes, but I don’t see them as entirely positive.

In the short-term, though, Friday’s eclipse should produce some positive changes, some of which might be surprisingly so, as this eclipse not only is conjunct Venus but positively angled to Uranus. Even though it rules a fixed sign, Uranus is associated with innovation and change.

The big wild card in this eclipse is Saturn retrograde. Because Saturn rules this eclipse and turned retrograde just a day before, it could act as a giant braking system. In my fixed-sign mind, that would be a good thing!

Shortly after the eclipse, Mercury returns direct. Keep in mind that when Mercury stations, communications, traffic, and other Mercury ruled activities tend to come to a complete standstill. It would be best to wait a couple more days to sign contracts or make major purchases. That includes exchanging big-ticket holiday gifts. Make Sunday your day to go shopping. By then, the January sales will be in full swing, so you’ll probably get a better deal, too!

Sunday also is the day when Jupiter enters Pisces. With the Moon also entering the sign of the Fishes, we’ll have a lovely Moon-Jupiter conjunction to start off the week —or, if you’re on the West Coast of the United States, to end it. Let’s hope that the seed of this highly spiritual combination will be planted in the collective mind so that all may experience the oneness of all being, even if it’s only in our dreams.

Wishing you all much love and courage in these changing times,

Pat

Weekly Forecast January 4: Sun, Mercury, and Venus Conjunct in Capricorn

This week we’re in the tumultuous zone between eclipses. It’s a fitting way to start a new year of radical shifts leading into a decade of upheaval.

If you feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall to communicate with someone, you’ve got lots of company. Difficult communications are among the major themes this week, and at times it could be heartbreaking. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get through. What the heck is up with that?

In terms of specific planetary aspects, there’s not a whole lot going on this week, other than a close conjunction of the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Capricorn. But that isn’t unusual, as these three are never far apart from each other.

More importantly, Mars is tightly inconjunct all three. The inconjunct (more accurately called a quincunx) between Mercury and Mars was exact on New Year’s Eve, but it remains active throughout this week. The Sun forms this irritating aspect with Mars on Thursday, with Venus following on Friday. The friction is especially bad in romantic relationships.

Saturn’s impending station adds to the frustration. We’re really going to feel next week’s retrograde, as Saturn is a powerful influence in the sky right now. Not only is he in the sign of his exaltation, but he’s receiving energy from four planets in Capricorn, the sign Saturn rules. The lunar North Node also is in Capricorn.

Since Saturn entered Libra, I’ve seen a greater awareness of equal partnerships and compromising within relationships. However, wherever Saturn exerts an influence, we often find fear and insecurity. Issues that we may have ignored before as trivial and not worth making a fuss over are now a source of major disagreement. Dissecting every conversation and action gets tiring, and yet we find ourselves doing it over and over.

Of course, this effect is aggravated by Mercury retrograde, to the point that it’s crazy making.

The Moon enters Libra on Tuesday and conjoins Saturn on Wednesday, which may help reduce the noise level long enough for us to hear what the other is saying. Then, what you hear might be depressing. Try to keep the faith. As serious as this all feels, it really is going to pass.

On Thursday, the Moon reaches the halfway point between the lunar eclipse on New Year’s Eve and the upcoming solar eclipse on January 14. We’re sailing through rough seas emotionally.

My advice is to take extra time to try to understand why you feel as you do. If you’re upset with someone, did he or she really do anything to merit your anger, and was it intentional? Difficult as it is to talk things through this week, it’s all we can do.

Once we’ve come through these turbulent aspects, you may find that your relationships not only survived but became stronger. If you’re not in a relationship but struggling with issues of fairness and balance in your own life, you may discover that serious imbalances get your attention to the point that you make a commitment to positive change.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: Sunset on the lagoon. A friend took this photo recently on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It’s a perfect reflection of the dictum, “As above, so below,” which is good to remember in these tumultuous times. Photo by James A. Weythman, all rights reserved.