Tag Archives: Mars

Weekly Forecast October 14: Mars Enters Virgo, Full Moon Eclipse in Aries

Detail of Newton, by William Blake, 1795-1805.

Detail of Newton, by William Blake, 1795-1805.

I just heard the term “apocalypse fatigue.” Apparently, it has been around for a couple of years. I’ve been so busy analyzing charts for future crises that I didn’t notice.

The term is attributed to columnist George Will, who coined it to describe the scare tactics used by the media to boost ratings. Every crisis is positioned as the end of the world as we know it, from global warming and nuclear radiation leaks to the shutdown of the U.S. government and failure to raise the debt ceiling. According to the Urban Dictionary, “Eventually, even the dimmer bulbs on the marquee sense that they are being taken for a ride.”

Nonetheless, this constant state of fear is indeed exhausting. People are close to the edge as it is, struggling to keep their lives together in the face of policy decisions that benefit the wealthiest at the expense of the poor and middle class. When you’re this stressed out, it’s not a stretch to believe that doomsday is right around the corner. Screaming headlines make it worse, and I have to believe this is deliberate. Keeping people constantly off-balance makes it less likely they will band together to confront those who are stealing all the wealth. Of course, it helps to keep them fighting against each other, too, and nothing divides the U.S. population more than entitlement programs, the current focus of talks to end the U.S. government shutdown.

On some level, this is all just history repeating itself. It’s how tyrants have attempted to control the masses for thousands of years. However, there is no denying that these are extraordinary times.

As an astrologer, I attempt to put current events in the context of planetary cycles. Since we’re in the midst of a highly disruptive square of Uranus and Pluto, that’s my main focus. We’re about to have another exact alignment on November 1, the fourth of seven passes between 2012 and 2015. In the meantime, we have a lunar eclipse this week, and Mercury turns retrograde a few days later. There’s also a solar eclipse on November 3. Astrologically, we’re entering the most volatile period of 2013.

I don’t want to add to the stress load with dire predictions, and anyway, it’s not as though we don’t have a clue at this point what some of those scenarios might be. Instead, I’ve been looking at previous Uranus-Pluto cycles for clues about how the present cycle might unfold. Before I get into that, I need to explain another unusual event this week.

On Tuesday, Mars enters Virgo and immediately conjoins fixed star Regulus – which actually is at the heart of the constellation Leo, but due to precession is calculated at 0 degrees Virgo in the tropical zodiac. Astrologers have used Regulus for thousands of years to predict the fate of kings and kingdoms. As of this weekend, Mars and Regulus are quite close and easily visible in the predawn sky. What you won’t see is the triple conjunction of Mars, Regulus, and Comet ISON, because ISON is visible only with a telescope. Even though we can’t see it yet, and it may not be as spectacular as astronomers earlier predicted, I still have to think this rare alignment is significant – all the more so, as it occurs just four days before a lunar eclipse in Mars-ruled Aries.

In making predictions about ISON, astronomers have cited the Great Comet of 1680, called “great” due to its exceptional brightness and extraordinarily long tail. When it was discovered, the Great Comet was in Virgo, close to conjunction with Mars, and it wasn’t yet visible (it was the first comet discovered by telescope). And here’s the kicker: Uranus and Pluto were just past a square in Aries and Cancer.

The entire 17th century was pretty much one Uranus-Pluto cycle, which began with a conjunction in 1597 at 9 degrees Aries (the exact degree of Uranus in the upcoming square with Pluto) and ended with the next conjunction in 1710. During that cycle, Galileo and Kepler were making waves with new astronomical discoveries, both using the controversial theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Isaac Newton used Kepler’s laws of planetary motion to formulate his theories of gravity and its effect on planetary orbits, and he verified his calculations by observing the Great Comet of 1680. Thus it became known as “Newton’s Comet.”

The more research I do, one thing becoming clear is that the most significant events related to the Uranus-Pluto square will take many years to play out. Think about the discoveries of the 17th century and how the Scientific Revolution in turn led to the Industrial Revolution. Who at the time could have predicted such a future?

I took special note this past week of the award of the Nobel Prize in physics to Peter Higgs, the scientist who discovered a subatomic particle that binds matter together. The particle was named the Higgs boson in his honor but is popularly known as the “God particle.” Scientists hate that name, and yet I think it’s fitting and prescient. I believe the discovery could lead to new techniques to intentionally manifest matter from energy, something we already can do with our thoughts, but not consistently, and often with unwanted side effects (I call them gremlins). If you think this is too far out there, think about how far out the theories of Galileo and Kepler were in their day. Galileo spent time in jail for heresy.

What I find even more intriguing is the idea that current discoveries in physics might reunite our concept of spirit and matter. As a result of the scientific discoveries of the 17th century, Western academia stopped thinking of them as one. A new scientific arrogance took over as the universe was seen as a soulless machine. It was the beginning of a materialist worldview that one could argue is the underlying source of many of the crises confronting us today.

All of this a very long way of saying that while the crises we’re facing in the wake of the current Uranus-Pluto square may be serious, other events happening in the background probably will be of more consequence in the future. Politics in the 17th century were every bit as incendiary as they are now, if not more so. Europe was split between Catholic and Protestant, and extremely destructive wars were fought over religion. Alliances changed, and international boundaries were radically redrawn. But none of those events had anywhere near the impact on humanity as the work of Newton.

The probability of a global financial meltdown and a shift in the geopolitical balance is high, given the dramatic celestial events concurrent with the approaching Uranus-Pluto square. And yet, if the past is any indication, discoveries are being made right under our noses that have vastly more significant implications for humanity. We can’t possibly know how these developments will change the world, but we know that this is the time to look for them. I gave the Higgs boson as an example. What else can you think of?

There is my antidote to apocalypse fatigue.

Since this post has gotten so long, I will write a separate post in a day or two on Friday’s eclipse. Right now I have to catch up on reports. For those of you who have been waiting patiently for more than two weeks, my apologies. I received an unexpected flood of orders for my revised StarGuide fall forecast when I still wasn’t up to speed, and then on top of that, the keyboard on my laptop died. I had a new external keyboard within a couple of days, but until my fingers are retrained, I’m typing the same word over three times. Apcalyse apocalupe apocaluyse. AARGH!

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

© Pat Paquette, RealAstrologers.com, 2013.

Pluto, Mars and the Inner Journey of Scorpio, Part II

Detail from Hercules, by John Singer Sargent, 1921.

In Part I, we discussed how material desires, fear, cruelty and other destructive emotions are distractions that keep us from fulfilling our life’s purpose.

We can see how such obsessions keep us from our spiritual path, and how evident they are as dominating factors in our current world age. It is a misuse of our divine energy. While we are lost in the pursuit of these activities, we remain unaware of our spiritual nature.

In The Labours of Hercules, by Alice Bailey, the ninth labor, in which Hercules enters a stagnant swamp to battle a nine-headed Hydra, is symbolic of this battle in Scorpio. Whenever Hercules cut off one of the heads of the Hydra, another would grow in its place. The only way Hercules triumphed was by lifting the Hydra above ground, into the light, whereupon it withered and died. This symbolizes our struggle with the desires of the personality which have control over us for as long as they remain in the dark, unseen.

The relentless activity of Mars magnifies these desires to the degree we can no longer ignore them, and then the activity of Pluto brings them into the light of our awareness. We cannot change what we cannot see. Once we see and fully understand the nature of desire, and the source of the struggle, it is transformed. The struggle itself lies in our trying to hold onto something which needs to change.

This is similar to the symbolism of the lotus. A lotus usually grows in a filthy, stagnant swamp. The symbology is that, just like the battle of Hercules with the hydra, our own spiritual essence blossoms as a result of our inner struggles. Interestingly, in addition to being known as the lord of the underworld, the mythological figure of Pluto was also known in some traditions as a lord of abundance, riches, or wealth. The symbolism here is the spiritual wealth that arises when we emerge victorious from our struggle with our own underworld (our lower nature).

Soft conquers hard,

weak conquers strong.

The flexible is always superior to the immovable.

This is the principle of controlling things

By bringing oneself into tune with them,

The principle of mastery through harmony.

~ Lao Tzu

Once Pluto and Mars have done their work at personality level, by revealing this darkness to not be our true nature but a result of the misdirection of our mind and energy, we are now receptive to a higher octave of Mars which transforms passion into spiritual energy through awareness, thus revealing our true divine nature. When Mars has conditioned the passions at personality level and Pluto has brought illumination, Mars at soul level reveals knowledge through awareness.

At soul level, Mars brings the higher consciousness that is pure awareness beyond the five senses. From this perspective, it becomes clear that all our darkness is the result of our misinterpretation of energetic influences as perceived by our five senses and misinterpreted through our ignorant, fearful and confused lower mind. With the illumination of Pluto, we are then able to use this higher wisdom of Mars to perceive through our senses our own divine energy and that of others. Once this happens, we naturally correct any excesses and misapplications of our energy, and use the power of our mind to direct our energy to the highest good.

The sage avoids excesses, extremes, and complacency.

~ Lao Tzu

In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan refers to Scorpio as a sign of discipleship. The word disciple and discipline come from the same root, which means learning or knowledge. With the knowledge gained through these tests in Scorpio, we acquire deep wisdom and understanding of our role as a spiritual being. We are ready to renounce worldly pursuits, those activities that misuse our spiritual energy, and dedicate our lives to our spiritual path and purpose. As the soul develops through the 12 zodiac signs, the first four signs are signs of preparation, the middle four are signs of crisis and challenge (for the purpose of growth and learning), and the final four signs are the signs of service to humanity. Scorpio is the last of the signs of challenge.

The self-indulgence which was initiated in Taurus gives way in Scorpio to the selfless attitude of the disciple; ambition gives place to the executive quality of the soul, whilst attachment to personality desires, likes and dislikes is transmuted into the tenacity of soul purpose. The hidden powers of the soul nature – misused because misunderstood and misapplied and, therefore, misdirected – are superseded by … the practical understanding of the energies.

~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

Due to the revelatory action of Mars and Pluto, we will all sooner or later undergo these trials and tribulations in Scorpio, as we continue our soul’s journey. The soul’s purpose in Scorpio is to transform darkness into light. The activity of Mars and Pluto elevates and illuminates, lifting our collective “Hydra” to the light so we can see that we are not our darkness, and that we truly are an emanation of divine love and light.

Ruth

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Pluto, Mars and the Inner Journey of Scorpio, Part I

Detail from Hercules, by John Singer Sargent, 1921.

Scorpio season is upon us once again, bringing with it another opportunity to look more deeply into our own psyche than we have ever done before. The enigmatic sign of Scorpio is associated with such intense themes as sex, death, cruelty, rebirth, power, regeneration, money, and the deepest darkest depths of our own minds. Jolly good fun!

Scorpio goes where angels fear to tread and for this reason is also the sign of priests and psychologists. All seven so-called “deadly sins” can be explored in Scorpio, with a couple more thrown in for good measure.

So what is it all about? It is time to take courage, dive deeply, and understand the spiritual significance of this vitally important sign and the deepest mysteries of existence. The following information applies to everyone, not just people with planets in Scorpio. This is an important stage in the evolution of humanity, and it concerns every one of us.

Following the journey of the soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the point of balance between body and soul has been reached in Libra, the final struggle takes place in Scorpio. This is a kind of birthing and, just like the contractions in physical childbirth, this spiritual rebirth happens in waves. As the personality gradually comes under the command of the soul, there are waves of depression where the personality feels as though it is being squashed, followed by waves of rebellion where it fights back. The personality doesn’t give up easily without a fight! The personality isn’t being squashed, however; it is being gradually assimilated, as more spiritual energy is able to enter into the being. The end result of this struggle is total fusion of soul and personality, body and soul. The personality is the interface, the meeting place between the body, with all its animal urges and instinctive impulses, and the finer energies and ethereal vibrations of the soul.

Three planetary rulers, or space-holders, are the guardians of this birthing process, which is vital for the evolution of humanity from an animalistic being into a fully awakened soul-centered being. Both Mars and Pluto are guardians of this process at personality level, while Mars is the guardian at soul level. In Esoteric Astrology, Mars is considered a great beneficent planet, not malefic as is thought in some astrological systems. It is through the activity of Mars that this final struggle between personality and soul is fought and won, with the fully integrated (fused) soul emerging victorious. Triumph and victory are keywords with Scorpio, and it is important to remember this especially when the going gets tough. Mercury is the planetary ruler at hierarchical level, which we won’t explore here except to notice that this again hints at the vital importance of Scorpio for the spiritual evolution of humanity.

It is in Scorpio that the preponderance of the spiritual energy is
imposed upon the lower personal forces
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology.

The combined effect of Mars and Pluto at personality level serve to bring awareness to the potency of desire working through the form nature and that, although we experience desire, it is not fundamental to our nature and can be brought under control through illumination. At this level Mars governs life-force energy: stirs the blood, agitates and activates our animal instinct, and arouses the passions. It is the fuel that feeds the fire of desire.

Pluto, at personality level, brings somatic awareness, the instinctual felt-sense in the body. Otherwise known as the great revealer, Pluto is able to hold our animal urges up to the light for healing and understanding. While in the dark they have control and power over us. Once they are brought to light, the soul has victory. It is this dual effect of Mars and Pluto that brings about both the tests and the triumph in Scorpio.

The tests in Scorpio and the activity of Mars are potent to arouse the entire lower nature and bring about its final rebellion and the last stand, so to speak, of the personality against the soul.
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The tests in Scorpio are the temptations of desire that keep our attention trapped in the cycles of materialistic existence. In Esoteric Astrology they are listed as nine, in three groups. The first test is appetite which relates to sex, physical comfort and money; the second is desire and relates to fear, hatred and ambition; and the third test is of the lower mind and relates to pride, separativeness and cruelty.

When explored deeply with the light of awareness, these tests – which Christian theologians called the seven deadly sins and in Buddhism are known as the destructive emotions, or kleshas – can clearly be seen to be faults of attention, or discipline, and are not inherent in our nature. They are distractions which sway us from our path. We can see that it is not the activities themselves that cause problems, but the tendency within our own psyche to become attached, obsessed and addicted to them. Then we make the mistake of identifying with them and not recognizing our true spiritual nature.

In Part II, we’ll explore the roles of Mars and Pluto in bringing awareness to the unconscious tendencies that divert us from the spiritual path.


Ruth

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Mars, Mercury, and the Inner Journey of Aries, Part II

In Part I of this article, Ruth explained the meaning of Aries in Soul Astrology. In Part II, she elaborates on the concept of Mercury as the esoteric ruler of Aries. ~Pat

My Aries son in flames. © Osk Ingad Alden, 2012.

Esoteric Astrology speaks of three stages of spiritual development known as the mutable, fixed, and cardinal cross.1

Those on the mutable cross are personality centered and have little or no awareness of Soul. Those on the fixed cross have some experience of Soul. They have begun awakening, but there is still duality: separation between personality and Soul. The individual on the cardinal cross has fully integrated Soul and personality. There is no separation. Such an individual would be a highly realized spiritual being like Christ or Buddha. Most of us on the planet at this time will be on the mutable cross, while a fast-growing minority are beginning to awaken on the fixed cross.

The majority of people on the mutable cross will still relate and be receptive to Mars as the ruler of Aries. Those on the fixed cross who are awakening and becoming aware of their Soul presence will begin perceiving the qualities of Mercury and its influence in Aries. When the Being is sensitive, and receptive enough to receive Mercurial energy, then Mercury takes over from Mars and begins the process of awakening, ripening, conditioning and developing the intuitive body.

Mercury is responsible for the development of the antahkarana, or Rainbow Bridge, by which we connect lower and higher mind.2 Aries is very much a sign of the mind, and it is through this ripening and conditioning effect of Mercury that Aries arises from his lower nature to reach his full spiritual potential. The effect of Uranus in Aries lies beyond the individual and is known only at the hierarchical level. As we awaken spiritually, developing our senses and deepening our perceptive capacity, we become aware of the more subtle influences of these energies. In Aries it is the effects of both Mars and Mercury that are creating the perfect conditions for spiritual development.

During the early stages of our spiritual journey, like tender vulnerable seedlings, we are very susceptible to the energies that condition our growth, but there is a reciprocal effect that comes later. Just like a fully mature forest gives back and sustains the environment which nurtured the individual trees, so we too as fully flowering mature spiritual beings will have the capacity to emanate beneficial energies, such as compassion, to nurture and sustain all sentient beings.

I cannot too strongly reiterate the constant necessity for you to think
in terms of energies and forces, of lines of force,
and energy relationships…
The whole story of astrology is, in reality,
one of magnetic and magical interplay
for the production or externalization of the inner reality…3
~ Alice Bailey

Soul Astrology is astrology of our inner world: our energy field, of all five “bodies.” The natal chart is our own personal mandala, showing us the energetic patterns and dynamics that were present at the precise moment that we came into incarnation and the planets that are co-creating the conditions for our growth. How much we grow spiritually and increase our capacity to receive and perceive the potential influences depends very much on us — on our motives, intention, motivation, and the choices we make. We must strive to expand our perception if we are to be aware of more subtle influences.

Will we recognize Mars as the benevolent father of life on earth, driving us steadily towards Mercury and the revelation of our Higher Self? Or will we continue to cast him down as a god of war? The choice is ours.

Next Month we will explore Venus, Vulcan and the Inner Journey of Taurus.


Ruth

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Footnotes:

1. This is not the same as having a grand square or cosmic cross in one’s own natal chart.
2. Esoteric Astrology, the wisdom of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.
3. Ibid.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Mars, Mercury, and the Inner Journey of Aries

As the new astrological year begins, Ruth starts a new series on the planetary rulers of the signs according to Soul Astrology. Isn’t it ironic that both Mars and Mercury currently are retrograde, and Uranus is in the sign of Mars? The synchronicities just keep on comin.’ ~Pat

My Aries son in flames. © Osk Ingad Alden, 2012.

Aries season is upon us once again, heralding the spring and marking the beginning of another zodiac year. At the Soul level, Aries also marks the beginning of a fantastic journey: the journey of life.

In Esoteric Astrology, the twelve signs of the zodiac tell a story – the magical story of consciousness incarnating into matter, in the form of a human being.1 Irrespective of different faiths and known by many names, all scriptures tell of Holy Beings that are here to help, guiding the human soul on its journey and ensuring we don’t stray too far from the path.

Every blade of grass has an Angel
that bends over it and whispers Grow! Grow!
~ The Talmud

Esoteric Astrology tells us that the twelve signs of the zodiac are Divine Intelligences, or Angelic Beings, who oversee the different stages of our Soul’s development. In this fantastic journey, the Soul begins in Aries as “a point of light in the mind of God.” 2 In Aries we see the initial spark of inspiration: the first impulse to exist, a divine idea that eventually translates into the pulse of life, an original concept.3

The Soul in Aries is carrying the blueprint and the potential, just as the seeds of spring have the potential to become trees, under the right conditions. They are not yet trees, and the seed is very different from the tree. It is similar with our Soul’s journey. We are in the process of growth and, under the right conditions, we will realize our spiritual potential. Just as the seed needs the right mix of sunlight, warmth, water, earth, and nutrients in order to grow, so a human soul is also conditioned by a number of factors, not least of which are the planets.

The planets play a vital role in this conditioning of our Soul, and three planets have an important relationship with Aries: Mars, Mercury, and Uranus. At the personality level, Mars is the primary energy providing the motivating, driving force. Mars is related to the vital body and brings life force energy into physical existence.

As we navigate our inner journey, we become more familiar with our inner world. The dedicated master yogis and saints who have trodden this inner path before us have described their experiences in scriptures, leaving a kind of map, so we can know what to expect on our own journey. Although each journey is unique, there is some common ground that we can all expect to experience.

Patanjali, one of the founders of modern Yoga, described five bodies we can experience on our inner journey.4 He related these to five elements of earth, fire, water, air, and ether. These he called the physical or “earth” body (annamay kosh), the energy “fire” body (pranamay kosh – this is also known as the vital body in other traditions), the mental “water” body (manomay kosh), intuitive “air” body (vigyanamay kosh), and the bliss “ether” body (anandmay kosh). Our journey is one of awareness and movement through each of these inner bodies. Once all five have been transcended, we attain Universal Mind.

Mars brings drive, motive, and motivation.5 It is the driving force that pushes life-force energy into the physical world. It is the energy of creation, conception, and new life (think sperm!). It enlivens and vitalises, brings life and vitality, and is closely related to Patanjali’s energy body. The driving force of Mars motivates us into action. This universal force is present throughout nature.

Animals live and are driven primarily by their vital, or energy, bodies. Only in humans did Mars fall out of favor as its influence historically became associated with war and aggression. This is because of man’s misinterpretation through his lower consciousness. The message of Mars is, “Take action,” or “Move.” When this pure life-giving energy is distorted through the filter of a human mind, it all too often becomes, “Let’s fight,” or “Go to war.”

This is partly due to the consciousness of humanity at this current time and the effect of Mars vitalising our lower nature. In time, as we expand our consciousness, we will experience and respond to Mars differently and perceive its influence as largely beneficial.

The effect of Mars is, therefore, largely mass effect and group results, producing great struggles but eventually leading to great revelation. In Aries, it is the final revelation of the nature of knowledge and the purpose of incarnation.
~ Alice Bailey

Mars moves us into action. Ultimately it is up to us to choose the action we take: conscious action or unconscious reaction. The outcome of our actions depends on our own motivation. It is important for anyone with planets in Aries, especially Mars, to continuously check their motives. Are your actions motivated by the needs of your head (ego) or the call of your heart and Soul?

Mars rules the lower octave of Aries, the personality, and empowers Aries with motive – the need to move the Self forward into life and light.6 For the Soul-centered individual, who has fully integrated personality and Soul, the ruler of Aries is Mercury. The hierarchical ruler of Aries is Uranus.2

As we evolve in consciousness, our spiritual eyes are opened, and we are suddenly able to perceive that which we could not before. More subtle energies and influences become apparent to us. At this point in our evolution, the Hierarchical level is beyond our perception, so we will focus on the personality and Soul rulers: Mars and Mercury.

Next: From Mars to Mercury in the three stages of spiritual development.


Ruth

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Footnotes:

1. Incarnate: From Ecclesiastical Latin incarnates, past participle of incarnari (“be made flesh”), from in- + caro (“flesh”). All definitions from Wiktonary.
2. Esoteric Astrology, the wisdom of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.
3. Concept: From Latin conceptus (“a thought, purpose, also a conceiving, etc.”), from concipere, present active infinitive of concipi? (“to take in, conceive”).
4. Mastery Over The Five Elements, by OSHO.
5. Motive: From Medieval Latin motivus, “serving to move, motive.” From Latin motus, past participle of movere, “to move.”
6. For more about the lower and higher octaves of Aries, see my previous article on Aries.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Weekly Forecast July 4: Mars at Eclipse Degree, Uranus Retrograde

© Sheli Spring Saldana for Dreamstime

The eclipses of June and July continue to reverberate into our lives this week as we find closure to old issues and move farther into exciting new territory. The fireworks midweek could be better than the Fourth of July.

Getting right into the week … On Monday, Venus enters Cancer and immediately begins another round of the cardinal grand cross. But first, she forms a sweet, romantic trine to Neptune, just as Mercury in light-hearted Leo trines Uranus. Magic happens when our hearts and minds are open. If you want love, abundance, inspiration, creative genius and just plain fun, you have to be open to receive. With Uranus stationed to go retrograde on Saturday, you could surprise even yourself by what flies into your world.

A square from Mercury to Jupiter makes Tuesday a great day for coming up with a plan to make your vision a reality. Everything starts with a dream, but without action, the dream stays in your head and never sees the light of day. Figuring out how you’re going to get from point A to point B requires seeing the big picture but not overlooking details, which can happen when we rush into action without thinking things through first.

Wednesday gets my vote for the biggest day of the week, when Mars crosses the degree of the June 1 eclipse at 11 degrees Gemini. As I wrote in my post on that eclipse, it was for the most part positive and productive, but eclipses don’t always play out right away. Eclipse energy can take 30, 60, or 90 days to manifest – or, it can release when another planet crosses the degree of the eclipse and acts as a trigger. Mars, the action planet, is the most powerful trigger there is. So, if you didn’t notice any new developments at the beginning of the June or at the lunar eclipse on June 15, you could get the “news” this week.

As it so happens, Mars also makes a productive trine to Saturn on Wednesday. You’ll recall that Saturn’s favorable angle to the Sun and Moon was one of the main reasons astrologers predicted happy results for the June 1 eclipse. Saturn in Libra is especially beneficial for committed relationships, but the Mars-Saturn trine is positive overall for talking the talk and walking the walk.

On Thursday, Jupiter trines Pluto in earth signs Taurus and Capricorn, supporting growth, expansion and positive change, particularly in finances or material assets. Later in the day, Venus squares Uranus, who’s sitting at a near standstill – a powerful moment. Romance, money, or a lavish gift could appear out of the blue.

Friday is “Venus day,” and she’s the star of the show, making contacts with Chiron, Pluto and Jupiter (Saturday in some parts of the world). Because Venus also is associated with wealth, this is another possible “lucky” day for material gain. However, the Venus-Pluto opposition may be challenging for some – again, depending on where these two are transiting your chart.* If you’re normally prone to obsessing, you may get an intense twinge of it toward the end of the week. This pair is sexually charged as well.

Mercury sextiles Saturn on Saturday, another aspect supporting planning, good mental concentration and the ability to see a project through. Marketing, PR, and any form of communications are favored. If you work weekends (like yours truly), spend some extra time applying butt to chair.

To my readers in the United States, have a safe and happy Fourth of July – no blowing any fingers off, OK?

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

* Your StarGuide Monthly Forecast for July will tell you whether Jupiter and Venus also are making contacts to your natal planets, which would give this aspect a further boost.

Weekly Forecast April 18: Sun Enters Taurus, Mercury Direct

© Pat Paquette 2011

The cardinal T-square continues to make itself felt this week as Mercury and Mars oppose Saturn.

I don’t expect many of us will face new issues at this point. More than likely, it will be more of the same old stuff. However, we may have to make a few difficult decisions in order to get out of circumstances that have been weighing us down. That includes difficult relationships.

I alerted you last week to this Monday’s Mars-Saturn opposition. Although it isn’t as vicious as the Mars-Pluto square we just went through, it’s the day after the Full Moon in Libra, sign of partnership and balance. If you’ve been in an unbalanced relationship, and especially if either of you have been sitting on a lot of anger, this may be the day you finally decide that enough is enough.

If you’re concerned that you may change your mind after Mercury returns direct on Saturday, then by all means hold off making a decision until after the weekend. I’d also advise taking a big step back on Tuesday, when Mercury conjoins Mars in Aries. The risk of saying something you can’t take back is too high. You might want to plan on being unavailable for the day.

In some cases, yelling and screaming might not be inappropriate. Sometimes it’s the only way to release pent-up anger and restore the peace. Fights – even the unfair ones – don’t necessarily break up relationships and can even move them forward, whereas not expressing anger or expressing it passive-aggressively can damage a relationship beyond repair.

Throughout the week, Mercury will be at a near standstill and in close opposition with Saturn in Libra. Normally, this isn’t an overly challenging aspect, as it favors critical thinking. As I always say, you can’t solve a problem if you don’t know what it is. Under this influence, you can pinpoint the problem and source, which will go a long way toward helping you resolve matters. The danger here is that you may think things are much worse than they are, and with Mars in close aspect, the frustration factor is high and tempers are short.

We’ll have Venus to help smooth things over until Thursday. After that, she’ll be in Aries, sign of her detriment, until May 15. In Mars-ruled Aries, Venus is less patient, kind and compassionate. It also means that we have a few more weeks of Mars dominating the sky. All of the planets will deposit to Mars except Neptune in his own sign of Pisces and the Moon when in Pisces or her own sign of Cancer.

The good news this week – yes, there is some – is the Sun’s entry into placid Taurus on Wednesday. Although we’ll still be under the aggressive Aries influence, we’ll get to catch our breath, and the frenetic pace will slow down a bit. The Sun’s first contact is an easy sextile to Neptune in Pisces. The pathway is open for inter-dimensional communications. Fleeting thoughts and visions may contain important messages. Pay attention to your dreams on Wednesday night.

On Friday, Venus conjoins Uranus. This one could go either way. It may bring you a pleasant surprise in love, money, or some other area of life, depending on where they’re transiting your chart. Conversely, there could be disruptive developments in relationships or finances. Whichever it is for you, I suspect that it will be related to events during last summer’s T-square in the early degrees of the cardinal signs. The Moon enters Capricorn earlier on Friday and moves through those degrees as well. I’m tired of all this heavy stuff and am going to remain positive that a happy surprise is on the way.

Mercury goes direct on Saturday, making for easy Easter egg hunting on Sunday. Just take it easy on the chocolate. We’ve got enough of a buzz from all this cosmic caffeine.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Weekly Forecast August 10: Mars Transits

Bridge repair, photo by WSDOTThe eclipses are over, but they will continue to have a ripple effect for weeks and, in some cases, months.

But at least we’re out of the inter-eclipse period, and the dust will start to settle. It may not feel like it early this week, though, as Mars in Gemini squares Saturn in Virgo. If you’re grumpy and slow, or if you encounter others who aren’t being very kind, chalk it up to these two, who in traditional astrology are the Big Meanies of the solar system. Actually, they called them malefics. They definitely put a crimp in my writing this weekend (Mars is transiting my fifth house).

In modern astrology, we make allowances for grumpy old planets and try to find the good in them. If you’ve followed Neith, you know that she attributes lots of good qualities to Saturn. Likewise, Mars has a positive side. He rules muscles and blood, and when he’s behaving, you can get an energy boost and a strong dose of motivation. Just not when he’s square Saturn.

On Thursday, Mars trines Jupiter in Aquarius, and it’s a whole different ballgame. You may feel an energy surge, and depending on where these planets are transiting your chart, you could feel motivated to move mountains.

The Sun and Mars are moving in a close sextile, so the two of them are transiting the same set of planets, Mars by trine and the Sun by opposition. On Friday, the Sun in Leo opposes Jupiter. This is one of the “good” oppositions. It’s energy is cheerful and optimistic. On the downside, you might overestimate you capabilities and do something stupid. Think before you dash across five lanes of traffic to get a latte. Or before you tell your boss that you can get through all that paperwork by 5 p.m. in order to pick up the client at the airport and check out all the catering arrangements for dinner at 8.

Over the weekend, Mars and the Sun both aspect Chiron. Normally, I would issue a cautionary note about this, but since we have to look at the chart as a whole, this is really about a Sun-Mars combination aspecting Neptune & Co. On the whole, I think this is conducive to deep healing that will clear the way for a leap in spiritual growth. But, as with all healing, sometimes you have to reopen a wound first, and Mars trine Chiron could do that. I don’t think it will be extremely painful, though, and the post-op recovery should go very fast.

Looking at the lunar cycle this week, we start out with the Moon in impulsive Aries, adding a bit of impatience to Monday’s Mars-Saturn square. Stifle the urge to do anything rash. By Wednesday, when the Moon enters Taurus, you’ll wonder why you were so irritated. The Moon squares Neptune & Co. all day Thursday, sending us a little reminder that we’re still wounded in some way. Many of us will say to that, “Thank you very much for telling me what I already know.”

On Friday and Saturday, the Moon is in Gemini, where she’ll conjoin Mars and amplify his trine to Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune. Again, I see this is as a healing balm, and since Gemini is an air sign, this combination of planets is conducive to greater understanding of what ails us. If you’re not yet aware of the repeat patterns in your life, spend some time alone this weekend in quiet meditation. For those who are having repeated “failures” in love, think about how each successive relationship contained the same pattern. Likewise, if you’ve had similar experiences every time you get a new job, think about the pattern and see if you can detect its underlying source.

We’re on a fast track of expanded consciousness, and part of the process may be tearing down and reconstructing. That’s actually more Plutonian than anything happening this week, but it all goes into the same pot.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: Bridge repair. Washington State Department of Transportation workers repair a bridge over the Naches River after a collision. I like the symbolism here. Repairing internal structures after a collision. The delays and stops in traffic during repair. Bridges as our means of connection and communication. I’m sure you can think of more metaphors. Photo courtesy WSDOT.

Weekly Forecast March 9: Full Moon in Virgo, Mars Enters Pisces

Photo by Carl de Souza for Agence France-Presse.

I found this photo some time ago in the news headlines and immediately thought, "Mars in Pisces!" I've been saving it, just for you. The man in this photo is walking by a poster in London's financial district — an optical illusion, specialty of Neptune, ruler of Pisces. Photo by Carl de Souza for Agence France-Presse.

Push comes to shove this week as the Full Moon activates the opposition between play-by-the-rules Saturn and freedom-at-all costs Uranus.

We begin the week with Mercury newly in Pisces and Venus retrograde in Aries. Whereas Mercury in Aquarius may have brought flashes of inspiration at lightning speed, Mercury in Pisces connects to the group subconscious and broadcasts information that may not make immediate sense to you. Alternatively, you may tap into a source of knowledge that is so vast that it’s too much to contemplate all at once. Pay attention to your dreams and visions, especially on Tuesday, when Mercury sextiles Pluto and opposes Ceres.

Retrograde Venus is turning up in various forms in my life and the lives of my friends. A check arrived for far less than expected, while a bill arrived for more than expected and earlier than anticipated. One friend got a disheartening letter of rejection but then received a glowing and totally unexpected acceptance letter from a different organization. Still, I think that in the weeks to come, the most noticeable effects will be on our close relationships. Please keep us posted on activities you think may be related to retrograde Venus. (Thanks to our readers who left comments on Neith’s Venus retrograde post on Wednesday.)

The Full Moon is on Tuesday, but if you’re like me, you’re already feeling it. The stage was set on Sunday, when the Sun opposed Saturn. Events will continue to unfold until Thursday, when the Sun conjoins Uranus. If you haven’t read Neith’s Full Moon report, check it out.

Those of us with strong Uranus in our charts bristle at the thought of restrictions and limits, which are the hallmarks of Saturn. We’d love to go off on our eccentric research marathons, investigating the secrets of the universe and searching for the thread that connects all the seemingly unrelated events in our lives.

However, at this Full Moon, we’re going to have to think of the collective good first. Most of us would love to be in circumstances that allow us truly to be ourselves and express our creativity to its fullest, but what we would like to contribute to the world may not be what the world wants or needs at this time. Moreover, Saturn in Virgo says we have to think about the bills that are piling up, the car that needs to be taken to the shop, and the project at work we’ve been putting off.

Work diligently, one step at a time, until your obligations are met. The fun will have to come later, but it will come.

Mars, the planet of action, is in Aquarius for this Full Moon, feeding the need for rebellion. However, he moves on into Pisces on Friday, which will help reduce the feeling of having one foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brakes. That said, Mars in Pisces has an icky side, as his ego nature is repressed. Direct confrontation isn’t always the right strategy, but avoiding it out of fear is rarely a solution.

Speaking of Mars, next week is the Spring Equinox, when the Sun enters Aries. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Love and blessings to all …
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Weekly Forecast February 16: Mars conjunct Jupiter, Sun enters Pisces

Jupiter and Juno, by CarracciDoes anyone else feel like the past week contained several weeks compressed into one? Eclipses will do that. I’m still reeling from this latest pair.

Although the dust still hasn’t settled, it does feel like we’re getting a better idea of where events are headed. We still don’t know why or to what ultimate ends, and this could remain a mystery for some time to come. That said, we should get some clues this week, with Mercury back in Aquarius and out of the post-retrograde shadow as of Saturday. But I’m getting ahead of myself — typical Aquarius!

An energetic three-way aspect between Venus, Mars, and Jupiter begins on Monday, with a sextile from Venus in Aries to Jupiter in Aquarius. Mars and Jupiter conjoin on Tuesday, and then Venus forms an exact sextile to Mars on Wednesday. Rather than taking these aspects individually, I’m looking at them as a whole, and I’m going to stick my neck out here and throw the asteroid Juno into the picture, too.

Juno is one of the bodies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Many astrologers use the asteroids in individual chart readings, especially for women. The only one I routinely use is Ceres, who is no longer classified as an asteroid but is in the new category of dwarf planet, along with Pluto. I’m going to make an exception this week, though, because Juno is just a degree from Jupiter (the exact conjunction was last Wednesday, with the lunar North Node at the exact degree and minute as well), and she’ll be crossed by Mars this Friday.

It’s hard enough to make predictions anymore based on one aspect alone, but when you’ve got three or four planets involved, it gets even trickier. In order to make some guesses about how these energies might interact, I decided to go back to the mythology and examine the relationships between these two couples. You have to give the ancients credit for making up stories about gods and goddesses. In our ignorance, we say they were superstitious, but anthropomorphizing hidden energies and then creating stories to describe their interactions was a quite ingenious way of helping us understand how they play out in our lives.

In classical mythology, Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and he had an adulterous affair with Venus. It’s interesting to note that in the Greek version, Ares was hated by his parents because of his blood-thirsty temperament, but his reputation in Roman mythology was much better, probably because the Romans expanded their vast empire through bloody conquest.

So we might imagine Jupiter and Mars as swaggering father and son, off to conquer a neighboring territory. Or maybe they’ve decided to have a little boys’ night out of drinking and philandering. They’re full of themselves and expect that they are invincible, women will swoon at the very sight of them, and they will get anything and anyone they want.

That, in a nutshell, describes the exuberance and exaggerated self-confidence of a Mars-Jupiter conjunction. If you are faced with a seemingly impossible task, this energy is just the extra boost you need. Depending on where this aspect is hitting your chart, it may give your self-confidence a much-needed lift, and that in turn could translate into achieving a goal. The potential downfall in this mix is hubris and a sense of entitlement.

That is where the ladies come in. I expect this testosterone-laden pair to be tempered by the close presence of Venus and Juno. After their little escapade, Mars is going to have to face his mother, and heaven forbid he should be implicated in any of dad’s shenanigans. If, on the other hand, their hunt or conquest was with their women in mind, mom will be mightily pleased. The moral of the story, then, is to contemplate your purpose as you sail on these strong and swift currents. There is no higher calling than love, be it love for a romantic partner, friend, or family member, or for generic love of one’s fellow humans (the collective, a keyword for Aquarius). Remember, too, that there is a difference between selfishness and enlightened self-interest.

After that big bang of Aquarius energy, the Sun enters Pisces on Wednesday, leading up to a new lunar cycle and interaction with Uranus and Saturn. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel more emotional or intuitive, maybe both. In the watery realm of Pisces, a lot of things don’t make sense on an intellectual level, and it’s better not to even try. That won’t prevent me from making up stories about our new cast of characters, though!

Speaking of which, newcomer Comet Lulin is still out there and about to make an appearance, probably next week. I’m working on that article, honest, and will post as soon as I can.

Much love to all…
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

P.S. You might have noticed that my personal blog is down. It may be off-line for several weeks, but I’ll posting here regularly.

Image: Jupiter and Juno, by Annibale Carracci, part of a massive fresco in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome, completed in 1608. Not surprisingly, images of his philandering were much easier to find than this rare depiction of him with his wife.