Tag Archives: mercury in virgo

Weekly Forecast August 3: Venus and Jupiter Square Saturn, Mars Enters Leo

Hiroshima Dome in October 1945. Photo by Shigeo Hayashi.

The past week has been an intense emotional roller coaster, and I’ve definitely felt the fangs of retrograde Venus.

Last Wednesday, I was packed into a dining room with 100 people. It was one of 3,500 similar gatherings around the country, with an estimated 100,000 supporters of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders all tuned in to a live-streaming broadcast over the Internet of his message for those who want to help him get elected.

Before the broadcast began, there was a chance for participants to share their stories – why they’re supporting Bernie, their history of political activism, their hopes for a true revolution, and why this time it feels different from previous campaigns in which candidates made promises they had no intention of keeping Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast August 25: New Moon in Virgo, Mars Conjunct Saturn

Late Summer Sun. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2014.

This week starts right out with the New Moon in Virgo, establishing a new cycle of diligence and discernment.

It couldn’t come at a better time. The brazenness of the propaganda coming out of Washington and its European allies these days is truly astounding, although not any more shocking than the depths to which mainstream journalism has sunk. Finding an objective source of news is nearly impossible, and thoughtful readers are hungry for Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast September 2: New Moon in Virgo

Woman gleaning in the Alawite territory of Syria, 1938. From the John D. Whiting papers, Library of Congress.

Something extraordinary appears to have happened. People are waking up.

There was a point last week that I almost started throwing up thinking about the news that the Obama administration was going to go guns blazing into Syria, on questionable evidence of unspeakable weapons used by a loathsome dictator who butchers his own people. It worked once, right? Why shouldn’t it work again?

Well, it seems that a miracle has happened. People on all side of the political spectrum see through the lies, smoke, and mirrors. I spent hours poring through comments on CNN, HuffPo, The Guardian, Fox News, and several others. The opinion was overwhelmingly against further U.S. involvement in Syria, and a good number of people knew it was “further.” We’re paying attention. We know that the United States has been arming rebels fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, some of them far more frightening than the totalitarian regime they seek to topple. And we know our government has been telling blatant lies in an attempt to hide its covert operations in a proxy war. The epiphany hasn’t been confined to the United States.

For a few days, it seemed that public opinion wasn’t going to deter the White House. The idea that the government would ignore the will of the people was even more depressing. As I write, news from Washington is that President Obama will consult Congress before going ahead with plans for military action. The cynic in me doesn’t think his reversal has much to do with the polls, but is more likely the result of hardball back-room negotiating. There is no doubt in my mind that some serious horse-trading took place. As a reporter in Washington, I saw how these guys work. One can only imagine what House Speaker John Boehner may have promised Obama in return for delivering a vote in favor of bombing Syria.

In any case, with Venus in Libra, action was delayed long enough to allow additional facts to surface. And as long as Mercury is in fact-obsessed Virgo, it’s likelier that people will stay grounded in reason and not let themselves be persuaded by a clever new PR blitz. I imagine the spin-doctors were shocked when horrific images of dying children failed to whip up public support to bomb the evil-doer. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Democracy depends on a well-informed public. While it’s true that 24/7 news coverage has made it more possible than ever to saturate the Internet with the official version of the truth, the Internet also has provided a vehicle for the real truth to surface. The danger, of course, is that one needs to be very prudent in discerning the reliability of a source. But it does appear that vast numbers of people are doing just that – again, judging by the comments on the various news sites.

So, three cheers for Venus in Libra and Mercury in Virgo.

In the coming week, the dominant astrological aspects are the New Moon in Virgo on Thursday and the sextile from the Sun to Jupiter on Saturday (September 7). Virgo is incisive, analytical, and practical. Indeed, despite the rhetoric coming from the White House and 10 Downing, practicality won in the end, and cooler heads prevailed. It’s reasonable to expect that this mood will continue at least through Thursday and perhaps for the following three days. However, toward the end of the week, Mars edges closer to an exact square with Saturn, and the drums of war will get louder.

Click on image to enlarge

In the chart cast for Washington (as always, with apologies to readers outside the United States), we find Virgo on the Ascendant, with Mercury conjunct by exact degree. There is a national discussion going on, and people are having a rational, informed debate. Granted, there may be a few too many details and not enough emphasis on the big picture, but at least the discussion is taking place.

That said, the Sun and Moon are in the twelfth house, suggesting that a significant high-level discussion is going on outside of the public view. This is the opposite of transparency. Harmonious connections to Jupiter and Pluto suggest that the White House is heavily negotiating with Republican leaders and large financial institutions – not that we didn’t already know that. Mercury “receives” from the New Moon, reinforcing the likelihood of an aggressive PR campaign, probably based on select facts. Just like statistics, facts can be manipulated to make any point one wishes.

The G20 leaders’ summit in Saint Petersburg starts on Thursday. It will be interesting to see if Obama relents and agrees to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Obama canceled the meeting in a huff over Russia’s offer of political asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. The two leaders also are at loggerheads over Syria – Obama blaming the chemical weapons attack on Assad and Putin implying it was a false flag operation. Putin has suggested the summit would be a good forum for an international discussion about the crisis in Syria. Astrologically, it’s a terrific time to do just that.

Other aspects in the New Moon chart include the Sun’s opposition to Chiron (exact on Tuesday) and a Ceres-Neptune opposition, which is exact within an hour of the New Moon. Sun in Virgo opposite Chiron in Pisces suggests a collective healing crisis. If you have personal planets from 10 to 14 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces, you could feel an extra twinge of emotional pain, possibly from past memories, whether in this life or other incarnations.

Ceres is in Virgo, which I believe she should co-rule with Mercury, so she’s essentially in her own sign and thus strong. If you remember Mythology 101, Demeter, the Greek counterpart of the Roman Ceres, was the only deity who could challenge Zeus (Jupiter) and Hades (Pluto). In the New Moon chart, Ceres isn’t in close aspect with Jupiter and Pluto but will make contact later this month. Her trine with Pluto on September 17 will be especially powerful. Astrologers are still studying the implications of Ceres in mundane charts, and it could be years before we get enough data to form reliable opinions. In the meantime, we can only speculate. Ceres has been prominent in environmental disaster charts (e.g., the Deepwater Horizon explosion), which makes sense, given her mythology. However, she also was conjunct Jupiter on the Ascendant of the chart for the fall of the Berlin Wall, so there’s something about speaking truth to power, which also is part of her mythology. Neptune rules chemicals, including nerve agents like those used in Syria, as well as oil production. We’ll need to watch the headlines to see how this influence plays out.

In Greek mythology, the identity of Virgo is sometimes given as Demeter or her maiden daughter, Persephone, or as Astraea, the virgin goddess of justice. So the story goes, Astraea lived on Earth during the Golden Age of humanity, but when men became violent and corrupt, she left in disgust, leaving them to fight among themselves.

And Virgo indeed is an antidote. Virgo is the sign of service to humanity. In the Tarot, it’s represented by The Hermit. As I was doing research for this post and reading about Islamic practices of prayer, fasting, alms, and pilgrimage, I immediately thought of The Hermit. Substitute “meditation” for prayer, and helping the less fortunate for “alms,” and you have an age-old, cross-cultural formula for spiritual growth. How often do we talk about “purifying” the spirit? This “virgin” spirit has nothing to do with the religious concept of female virginity, but is about daily renewal through disciplined spiritual practice. Ceres is about the cycles of nature, including the cycle of growth, death, and rebirth. As we move through these turbulent times, I find comfort in the idea that everything is cyclical.

Mercury leaves Virgo on September 9, which happens to be the day Congress returns from summer recess and Mars forms an exact square with Saturn. Boehner said the House likely would take up the debate on Syria that week, just when the war drums will be beating the loudest. I think we also need to entertain the possibility of a staged event designed to swing public opinion through fear and panic, hallmarks of Mars. That’s why it’s all the more urgent that we do what we can this week to search for the truth and spread it around. I’ve been doing my part by painstakingly researching news articles and bookmarking those I deem to be based on credible sources and sound reporting. Here are a couple of links from my growing collection. Some of them are old news but noteworthy for their accurate foresight. Please feel free to share your own.

Witnesses of Gas Attacks Say Saudis Supplied Rebels with Chemical Weapons
U.S. Offers Syrian Rebels Military Support, Alleges Assad Used Chemical Weapons (June 14, 2013)
Syria: An Energy-Based Proxy War in the Making?

Before I end this long piece (thus the late posting), I’d like to thank everyone who sent supportive comments and personal e-mails regarding my copyright issue. I’ve weighed the input and decided to keep my feed truncated for the time being. I hope no one minds the extra click to keep reading.

Much love and courage to you all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast August 26: Venus Opposes Uranus, Mars Enters Leo

Rocky Path. © Osk Ingad Alden, 2013.

As I was researching the news headlines to write this post, I was reminded of the tagline for the television series, The X-Files: “Trust No One.”

It used to be that you could always trust The New York Times to deliver the facts, but those days came to an abrupt halt after it came out that its reports about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq were completely untrue. Based on unnamed government sources, the articles bolstered the case for the Bush administration to invade Iraq.

Democracy is based on an informed citizenry, but where are we to get reliable information? I barely believe a word I read anymore. The corporate media can’t be trusted. Media watchers blame the failure to investigate and report government wrongdoing on post-9/11 hysteria, but that was 12 years ago. As I see it, Pluto’s entry into Capricorn in 2008 is the bigger indicator – even more so since Saturn entered Scorpio last October, putting Saturn and Pluto in mutual reception (each in the sign ruled by the other). This is Big Brother on steroids. It’s no surprise that as governments become increasingly authoritarian, they set all scruples aside and spare no expense in going after the whistleblowers. Add Uranus into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for deadly suppression of rebellion. And then along comes Jupiter and inflames situations even more.

Several events in the past week can be traced back to late 2010 and early 2011, when Uranus was moving toward the square with Pluto, and Jupiter in Aries conjoined Uranus and then “carried forward” his energy to a square with Pluto. In February and March 2011, with the square between Jupiter and Pluto close to exact, Mubarak resigned in Egypt, protests broke out in Syria, and a powerful earthquake caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. As Jupiter approached opposition to Pluto earlier this month, Egypt experienced the worst political violence in recent history. A massive underground reservoir of radioactive water began leaking from the Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean. In Syria, chemical weapons killed at least 350 and injured thousands more. It appears that the government is responsible, but it has officially denied it and blames the attack on anti-government rebel “terrorists.” As I type, the United States is moving an additional Navy destroyer to within target range of Syria, and the Obama administration is considering its “options.” There’s hardly a mention anywhere of the Israeli government, even though it defies credulity to think they aren’t involved big-time.

In addition to those breaking stories, Bradley Manning, who has asked to be called Chelsea from now on, received a 35-year sentence for blowing the whistle on military abuses in Iraq. The British police – apparently with the approval of the Obama administration – detained the partner of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald and confiscated his laptop and other electronic devices. A few days later, sensitive intelligence information was mysteriously leaked to another British paper, which quoted an unnamed source and said the material was contained in the files copied by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. It looks an awful lot like a government plant.

There’s so much lying going on that we don’t know what to believe. So most people believe what makes the most sense to them, given their experience, political beliefs, mental filters, and other biases. You have to wonder whether Homo sapiens has devolved into Homo dementis.

I do think we may get some clarity this week, and I also think it’s possible that political crises can be defused, at least temporarily.

Through the middle of the week, Venus transforms the cardinal T-square of Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto into a cardinal grand cross. Although this sounds kind of scary, it could turn out to be beneficial. Venus in Libra is the diplomat of the zodiac, and while a square to Pluto suggests power struggles, diplomacy may win out … this time. That won’t always be the case. Reason and clarity prevail with Mercury in his home sign of Virgo. The Sun also is in Virgo, which may help tone down some of the rhetoric and posturing. Virgo is analytical and wants “just the facts.”

Both the Sun and Mercury sextile Saturn and Jupiter this week, and they also trine Pluto – Mercury on Wednesday and the Sun on Sunday (September 1). The trine is a favorable aspect, and when it connects to a planet in a tense formation like a square or opposition – in this case, Pluto – it provides a pressure valve to release pent-up energy. Mercury is the communications planet, so I’m hopeful that the release will be in the form of the factual news and information we’ve been waiting for. Maybe there still is a news organization on the planet with the integrity to report the real news. For that matter, The New York Times might even redeem itself by working with the Guardian on the NSA story. That’s not to say it’s all going to be good news, but at this point, we just want to know what’s really going on. People are tired of the secrets and lies.

Now, before that happens, we have an opposition from the Sun and Mercury to Neptune. It will be over by Tuesday, clearing the way for the truth to come out. Matters could be somewhat obscured on Sunday and Monday, though. Or, perhaps some facts will be revealed that are so seriously disturbing that many people will prefer to remain in denial – more than usual, anyway. This is all the more likely with Venus opposing Uranus on Monday. The truth could be downright shocking.

I also need to mention that Mars enters Leo on Tuesday. Mars hasn’t been a happy camper in Cancer, and when he changes to a compatible fire sign, his entry could be dramatic. There’s also the possibility of some saber-rattling here, although, taken together, all the other aspects this week suggest that the pissing contests will be toned down for now. Next week, different story.

What I’ve written above also can apply to our personal lives. Perhaps a frank discussion about a relationship will result in information that helps you make an objective, rational decision. Or you could defuse a tense situation at work through an honest dialog that sticks to the facts. A level playing field can be restored upon the revelation of secrets intentionally kept in order to tip the balance of power. Depending on where they fall in your chart, Venus and Uranus could signal love at first sight, a sudden financial opportunity, or an unexpected social invitation.

Before I go, I want to tell you about a disturbing experience I had earlier this week and to ask for suggestions. I was doing a Google search and came across some text that looked an awful lot like my writing. Imagine my shock when I clicked on the link and found a blog displaying all of my posts since last October, in their entirety, without any attribution, and with only one faint, unidentified link back to RealAstrologers. There were posts by a couple of other astrologers as well, and the site was plastered with obnoxious Google ads. After spending more than an hour trying to find out who owned the blog and how to contact him, I wrote a terse e-mail giving him 48 hours to remove all of my content from his site. He replied that it was “completely legal” to repost RSS feeds! He did, however, comply with my request.

It is most certainly not legal to post someone else’s work and make it look like original content. However, as I investigated my options, I discovered that web scraping, as this is called, is not uncommon, and the only way to prevent it is to truncate my RSS feed.

When the Creative Commons license first came out, I supported it and attached it to all my work. The idea behind it is that sharing information enriches everyone and creates a more informed community. I also believe that the way to cope with the enormous stress we’re all facing is to band together. But when I come across people like this who feel entitled to take whatever they want, I’m not inclined to want to share freely. Moreover, Creative Commons licenses just encourage stealing. The whole thing was all the more infuriating in that I spent more than two days researching the applicable law rather than catching up my work.

Truncating my RSS feed means that all of you who have been receiving my forecasts via e-mail would get only a short paragraph and would have to visit my blog for the rest of the article. That would be my best protection, but it would be an inconvenience for my subscribers. A Facebook reader suggested adding a copyright notice to each article, so I thought I’d try that for a while and see how it goes. Meanwhile, if anyone has any other suggestions, please contact me or leave a comment. And if you come across any violations, please let me know right away.

Much love and courage to you all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast August 27: Full Moon in Pisces, North Node Enters Scorpio

Crossing the drylands. © Osk Ingad Alden, 2012.

Where did August go? I’m reminded of the bumper sticker I saw long ago (or maybe it wasn’t): Time flies, whether you’re having fun or not.

I find myself wondering how children are experiencing time right now. I have a feeling it may be different than the adult concept of time. For us, opening up to an expanded view of time and space is harder. Not only have we been conditioned to view time a certain way, but we have to grow new neural pathways in our brains.

There are lots of theories out there on how to do this. Personally, my experience is that certain activities promote the growth of new neural pathways, including learning a musical instrument and studying the Tarot. During my interview with Laura Nalbandian for The New Astrologers, she told me that she believes learning astrology is another way to do it. I have to agree. Maybe that’s why readers of RealAstrologers are such a smart bunch.

Speaking of The New Astrologers, I worked with three different templates this week to create a new website. The first was a free WordPress theme, just to get something online. But you really have to have the bells and whistles these days to make an impression, so I bought a theme I thought would work, only to discover that basic functions were supposed to have been built in required additional programming. Maybe if I’d waited until Mercury goes into Virgo this week, I wouldn’t have blinked. But he’s been in Leo, so I was a little more demanding and bought a lovely new theme with a flashy full-screen video homepage. The site is still a work in progress, but let me know what you think and whether you like it better than last week’s version.

In other news this week, I finally got time to see my doctor, who says I’m suffering from adrenal fatigue – hardly a surprise, she said, given that I’ve been doing the work of three people with almost no rest. Moreover, she told me that everyone who comes to see her right now is completely stressed out. It’s not an easy time for the human species, and the stress isn’t going to be alleviated anytime soon, not with Uranus and Pluto in a conflicting square through 2015. The doctor’s advice was to prop myself up the best I can and get through this period, keeping in mind that the more I try to do in a depleted state, the longer it’s going to take to recover. I mention this not for sympathy, but because I suspect many of you are in a similar state.

Click on image to enlarge

Looking at this week, Friday is the Full Moon in Pisces, with the Sun and Moon in close positive aspect with Pluto. This also means the Sun and Uranus are inconjunct. This is a classic “breakdown to breakthrough” configuration. If you’re frustrated with a particular situation, person, or relationship, rather than trying to force your own will on everyone and make things go the way you think they should, step back and see how a change might actually be to your advantage. With a better grasp of the underlying source of the issue, you will have more power to advance your own cause – although with the usual caveat that when Pluto is involved in an aspect, attempts at power and control for selfish reasons will backfire big-time. Before you can take full advantage of Pluto’s power, you need to know the difference between selfishness and enlightened self-interest, and you need to be honest about your motivation.

The Sun and Moon also are in positive aspect to Mars in Scorpio. Before Pluto was discovered in 1930, Mars was considered the ruler of Scorpio, so there is reinforcement here not only for a breakdown and breakthrough, but the means for you to take action. The trick with Mars, of course, is that he’s the ego planet. When you put ego and power together, you have to be quite careful to make sure you’re acting for the “highest good” and not just to further your own selfish goals. I would add (as I often do) that you may need to stretch beyond your current beliefs, including your political and religious beliefs. This is going to be an increasing theme over the next three years.

The Moon also conjoins Chiron, which recently completed a conjunction of several years with Neptune. It’s becoming more evident to me that for some people, healing requires delving into what I call “other lives.” That’s why it’s so important that we learn to see into other dimensions. Many of the wounds we carry in our energy fields extend beyond this incarnation, and before we can heal, we need to understand what’s going on outside what we deem to be “reality.” This is the watery realm of Neptune and Pisces, along with the shadow world of Pluto and Scorpio. It can be scary territory, to be sure; it’s also what the age-old story of the journey to the underworld is all about.

Adding to the intensity and the theme of transformation, the lunar North Node leaves Sagittarius on Thursday and sits at 29 degrees Scorpio as of the Full Moon. The North Node will be in Scorpio until early 2014, covering much of the period of the Uranus-Pluto square. There’s a scientific theory that stress can cause genetic mutations almost immediately, as opposed to the long-term evolutionary process. When we think of Pluto and Scorpio, we usually think of a lengthy transformation process. But Uranus is all about sudden change. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine that the pressure we’re under now could indeed create genetic mutations. Of course, you never know what you’re going to get.

As of the Full Moon, Mercury is in late Leo, about to enter Virgo. If, like me, you’re working on a project involving programming or detail-oriented computer work of any kind, this is your chance to speed through lines of code. However, Mercury opposes Neptune on Saturday, which according to conventional interpretations is supposed to be a day of confusion and aversion to detailed work. This could go either way. On one hand, you might find that you get into a zone and can write until the wee hours without realizing you’ve been sitting in the chair all that time. On the other, it might be better to go to bed early on Saturday and keep your dream journal handy to see what comes up. For some people, dreams are the way to access those other dimensions I’ve been writing so much about. The trick – and there’s often one when Mercury is involved – to separate the bits of divine inspiration from the space junk. When we’re in unfamiliar territory, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s the product of an overly active imagination.

Wishing you all much love and courage – and some rest, too, if you can get it,
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!

Elements of the Cardinal T-Square: Finding the Way Out

Air Signs. © Pat Paquette

What does it tell you when you keep hitting the same obstacle over and over again?

Some people complain and blame their lack of success on others or on external circumstances. Some think they haven’t worked hard enough, so they grit their teeth and redouble their efforts, using the same tools and techniques. Some will make a superficial change here and there. Others will give up entirely.

There are times when giving up is the best thing to do. I say that not to encourage anyone to be lazy, but because in that moment of giving up, we open our hearts and minds to the new information necessary for growth and advancement.

When the same old ways of thinking, being, and doing aren’t working, it’s time to make radical changes. If we won’t voluntarily make those changes, either because we aren’t aware enough to make them or because we’re actively resisting change, external circumstances will force us to take in new information and move in a different direction.

This is a lesson that many of us are learning during the cardinal T-square.

Change, even when it’s positive, can be disorienting and downright distressing. For many people, it’s so distressing that the temptation to go back to the old, painful way of life is too powerful to resist. The human mind is hard-wired to repeat familiar patterns, and that’s what we’re fighting against now. Getting onto a new path truly feels like an uphill battle.

If there’s anything positive in the cardinal T-square, that’s where I see it. Until forced to change, most human beings won’t do the required work, usually because the initial change is so upsetting that it seems more painful than the situation that was causing them so much suffering. In medical terms, it’s called a “healing crisis.”

Action and discipline … not the most fun combination under the stars, but a very productive one.

I even see some potential good in this week’s conjunction of Mars and Saturn. These two since ancient times have been considered the “malefics,” and there’s a good reason for that. Transits of Mars and Saturn very often do correspond to accidents, tragedy, confrontation, and war. But Mars is the planet associated with action, and Saturn at his best is about discipline and structure. Action and discipline … not the most fun combination under the stars, but a very productive one.

When planets are in square or opposition, we look to sextiles and trines as our “way out.” Last Sunday’s Full Moon provided such an opening. There will be another this Friday when Mercury trines Pluto, who’s at the apex of the T-square and thus under the most pressure.

Mercury is about communications. In Virgo, discussions can be very practical and helpful. Pluto, meanwhile, represents everything hidden, forbidden, and scary. When we face these demons, transformation happens. Talking with someone you trust can help you get in touch with your deepest fears, longings, and desires. Sometimes just owning these things is enough to propel you into a different orbit.

Friday could be a very trying day for everyone, but if you keep in mind that the challenges you face may be trying to get your attention in order to nudge you in a different direction, you can use these forces to your advantage. As I mentioned in my weekly forecast, planetary aspects are only going to get more difficult in the next few weeks. Talk about it, get it out, and confront the unpleasant truths lurking under the surface. If you do the work now, you can save yourself more grief later.

Pat

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius, August 5-6, 2009

Full Moon in Aquarius The lunar eclipse at 13°43′ Aquarius on August 5 (August 6 in the Eastern Hemisphere) is the last in the Aquarius-Leo series, which began in February 2008. This eclipse promises to bring resolution to matters related to the areas in our charts these eclipses have activated, and one way or another, pleasant or not, this is the final hurrah.

The main feature in this chart is the Full Moon, with the Sun in Leo and the Moon in Aquarius. The only aspect to the luminaries is a benign waning aspect from Mars in Gemini. Because the luminaries are not tied in to the rest of the eclipse chart in a major way, all of the energy of the eclipse is contained and tightly focused for maximum effect. My sense is if either the Sun or Moon conjoins a planet or angle in your chart, you will know it.

Moving outward from the Sun, we find Mercury happily in analytical Virgo, one of the two signs he rules, conjunct Pallas. This combination offers clarity and precision. Pallas is the quintessential organizer, and Virgo is a very comfortable place for this cerebral asteroid. If you need help tackling some long overdue project requiring patience and clarity of thought, these two are there to help, since Virgo is happiest when being of service to others.

Venus in Cancer is recovering from her opposition to Pluto in Capricorn, and a sextile from the Mercury-Pallas conjunction is supporting that recovery. The first thing that popped into my head was that this is a perfect time to get down and seriously reorganize closets and junk drawers! Digging into paperwork related to your home and family also is favored.

The opposition from Venus to Pluto could have pried loose old memories from childhood that need to be released to the higher good. Plus, we are all still reeling from the two eclipses in Cancer and Capricorn and could use the nurturance offered by Venus in Cancer right now.

A note of frustration is brought to the table by Mars in a waxing square to Saturn in Virgo. The upside is that Mars is moves quickly, and this will not be a long-lasting event. The downside is that disagreements could quickly degenerate into slanging matches with the square in mutable Gemini and Virgo, both of whom prefer words as weapons.

Ceres has just found her way into Libra and is exactly square Pluto in Capricorn. Since Ceres is the goddess who forced Pluto to deal with her as an equal, this is an interesting exchange and a prelude to what we can anticipate when Saturn enters Libra in late October. Ceres in Libra is focused on helping us develop a cooperative attitude and a willingness to share in an equitable manner, while Pluto in Capricorn is more interested in the bottom line. I definitely get a sense we will be seeing power struggles along those lines emerging within the collective over the next month or so.

This lunation marks the gradual end of the influence of the stellium of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Aquarius and the reemergence of the next Saturn-Uranus opposition, which will take place on September 15 at 24° Virgo-Pisces. As Jupiter pulls away from Neptune, I am inclined to believe we will start waking up and realizing the extent to which we were basing our decisions on wishful thinking rather than hard facts. Naturally, this will be a painful period for many as reasons returns and the need to make serious adjustments in priorities emerges.

As for Saturn and Uranus, Mars in Gemini will square both of those between now and the New Moon in Leo on August 20. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take note of what issues are front and center during this time.

The Sabian symbols for this lunation offer hope for an opportunity to make a leap forward now. The symbol for the Sun at 14 Leo is, “a human soul seeking opportunities for outward manifestation,” with the keyword INGENUOUSNESS. For the Moon at 14 Aquarius, the symbol is “a train entering a tunnel,” with the keyword COURTESY. Staying present and focusing on behaving with kindness and consideration toward others as well as ourselves appears to be the best option.

We need to take time to live consciously more than ever now and to avoid acrimonious exchanges where there are no winners. Ralfee Finn offers this advice, and I concur: The antidote is simple – refuse to engage in any mean-spirited, harsh, or brutal behavior. Period. But applying this remedy will take a deep commitment to conscious living.

posted by Neith . . .

**Please read Pat’s weekly forecast for this week, August 3, for her thoughts this week’s lunar eclipse.

Image: I felt this dramatic photo suited this Full Moon on the Leo-Aquarius axis.

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, August 16, 2008

Full Moon in Aquarius reflections
The lunar eclipse at the Full Moon this Saturday is the second of the pair of eclipses this month, with the Sun at 24°21′ Leo and the Moon at 24° 21′ Aquarius.

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth is between the Sun and Moon, and the Earth’s shadow falling on the Moon causes the eclipse. The qualities of the Moon are enhanced, and a lunar eclipse can allow us to get in touch with our subtle emotional motivations without the interference of the Sun’s brilliance.

The Full Moon in Aquarius is conjoined with Neptune, further emphasizing empathy and helping us raise our awareness of spiritual matters, if we so choose. Here is an instance when we are better served by courting Neptune’s higher qualities by finding some form of meditative activity to pursue. This can be as simple as walking in as natural a setting as possible. Walking by a stream, lake or the ocean would be especially healing under this Full Moon, because it would bring the mutual reception of Uranus in Pisces (water sign) semi-sextile Neptune in Aquarius (air sign) into play.

At the New Moon on August 1, the Sun in Leo was accompanied by the Moon, Mercury, and Venus all in Leo. Now only the Sun remains there, and Mercury and Venus have joined Mars and Saturn in Virgo. This is a natural progression from the passion and heat of Leo into the more practical, service-oriented sign of Virgo and a strong indication that we need to start devoting more time to taking care of business and less to playing . . . sigh.

Mercury is still within orb of Saturn but is pulling away quickly. From now until Mercury moves into Libra on August 28, we have a great opportunity to deal with all Mercury related matters, because Mercury shines in detail-oriented Virgo. In fact, if you have tasks that take mental acuity and can schedule them before the end of the month, it would be a good idea, since we have a Mercury retrograde coming in September.

Saturn, Venus, and Mercury in Virgo are trine Jupiter in Capricorn and form a grand trine with Vesta in Taurus – all in all presenting an opportunity to manifest tangible results. Both Vesta and Virgo are concerned with healing and recharging our internal batteries, and Jupiter will be happy to provide the means to enable us to do so. The ongoing Chiron-North Node conjunction in Aquarius is part of this healing theme but more on the societal level, unless that conjunction directly aspects your chart. In that case, you are no doubt already aware of where your wounds are.

If you have planets or chart angles close to 28° in the mutable signs, the waxing square between Mars in Virgo and Pluto in Sagittarius will ignite anger-related issues and make sure you know that it’s past time to let go and move on. Remember, anger is one of the stages of the grieving process. The cycle of death and rebirth is as old as time and still doesn’t get any easier, but Pluto is inexorable in demanding his due, so practice releasing what needs releasing with a modicum of grace.

The Sabian Symbols for the Full Moon add their usual measure of richness to the mix. For the Sun at 25 Leo it is, A large camel crossing a vast and forbidding desert, with the keyword ADEQUACY; and for 25 Aquarius it is, A butterfly with the right wing more perfectly formed. The keyword for 25 Aquarius is UNIQUENESS.

The first symbol suggests we are up to handling the challenges presented by this pair of eclipses, as difficult as they may seem. We have the reserves and the resources inherently, and part of the process is acknowledging that fact. The symbol for the Moon emphasizes the need for transmutation of emotional energies as part of the healing process. It is often our very uniqueness that can be our salvation.

As this eclipse cycle draws to a close, please remember a couple of things. First, we can’t start healing until we recognize that the problem exists and, second, please remember that we are all human and have frailties, so forgiving ourselves as well as others is an essential component for healing. Be well, and practice kindness to all.

posted by Neith . . .