Tag Archives: Neptune

Weekly Forecast August 4: Mars opposite Uranus

The castration of Uranus by Saturn Push comes to shove this week as Mars, planet of action and aggression, opposes erratic Uranus. This pair can cause explosions, and it’s a sure bet that there will be a spectacular one somewhere in the world.

As the week begins, we’re still in the wake of Friday’s eclipse, which some of you felt very strongly, either as a shift in a real situation or emotionally. Whatever your circumstances, they will remain in flux until the Full Moon lunar eclipse on August 16. At that time, you can expect a culmination of a situation that started in February. The final chapter is still to come, however, as this series of eclipses runs for another year.

Back in mid-June, Mars opposed Neptune right after forming an inconjunct with Uranus. I experienced a few mishaps at the time, including spilling a pot of scalding-hot soup all over myself. With Uranus and Neptune in mutual reception (both planets are in the sign ruled by the other), we can expect some similar events, although they will be more direct and more explosive, as Uranus is not nearly as subtle as Neptune.

The Mars-Uranus opposition peaks on Wednesday, but Mars transits can be felt a week on either side, so we’re already well in the thick of it. Moreover, the Moon conjoins Mars on Monday and opposes Uranus less than three hours later, triggering this aspect’s volatile energy. Pay attention to situations that come up on Monday, as they will provide a clue as to how your personal life will be affected, if at all.

Within three minutes of the Mars-Uranus opposition, Mercury opposes Neptune, so I’m guessing that we’ll get some news fairly quickly, although it may not be immediately clear what’s going on. In your personal life, you may be confused, in part because of information overload. Neptune connects us to our higher consciousness and the collective, whereas Mercury is more literal. In Leo, he thinks in conventional, traditional terms.

In short, you may need time to mentally process any events in your personal life associated with this set of aspects. But, as I mentioned above, it likely will take until the lunar eclipse next week for everything to shake out anyway. This is all the more true since that event will occur in close conjunction with Neptune.

It’s all connected…

Venus changes signs this week, going from showy Leo to the sign of her fall, Virgo. Venus is the planet of love, beauty, and sensuality, and she wilts in practical, analytical Virgo. Venus wants flowers and romance, while Virgo considers these things useless and detrimental to getting the job done.

Mercury trines Pluto on Saturday and then enters Virgo on Sunday. Virgo is one of the two signs Mercury rules (although you all know that if I had my way, Ceres would be the modern ruler of Virgo). If nothing else, we should have some extra ammunition to analyze the tough emotional situations we find ourselves in these days.

I know I could use some.

Love and blessings to all…
Pat

Image: The Defeat of Uranus by Saturn, by Giorgio Vasari and Gherardi Christofano, 16th century, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence. Rather grisly image, but that’s the cosmology of Uranus. And remember, it’s how lovely Venus came into being …

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Do Pisces Women Cheat?

This week’s question comes from Crystal in Portland, OR:

I had a Pisces friend who was cheating with a guy at the office while she was married to a good friend of my husband and me (I don’t speak to her anymore because of it). My sister-in-law is a Pisces, and she was cheating on her husband, too. A couple of years ago, a woman was hitting on my husband. She was a Pisces. Pisces women cheat and lie. What’s up with this?

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Crystal, I have to admit that I laughed when I read your question. One certainly would jump to that conclusion, given your experience. However, an empirical sample of three isn’t enough to brand all Pisces women with a scarlet letter.

What we can say about Pisces in general is that there can be a tendency toward situational ethics that drives other signs nuts, especially those that need firm rules and boundaries, like Capricorn and Leo. Neptune, the modern ruler of Pisces, is the planet of dreams, illusion, and delusion. Yes, there can be a certain amount of deception, but it’s usually not a deliberate intent to mislead or deceive.

Pisces often sees the bigger picture, which means they may have a different value system than society at large. This is not a gender-specific trait, and it can apply to Pisces, Rising Pisces, or anyone with strong Pisces or Neptunian influence in their chart. I recently met a man with Neptune on the Ascendant who told me a flat-out lie and was mortally offended when I called him on it. I truly believe he didn’t think he was lying.

That said, Pisces and people with strong Pisces in their charts can get away with lying like no other sign. They are so charming and sincere that you believe them without question. Anyone with this astrological “gift” who does want to cover up something will do so brilliantly. You probably don’t want that kind within a nautical mile of your husband.

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s response:

I agree with Pat, Crystal. While your experience with Pisces women may suggest they are the sirens of the zodiac, there are plenty of others who say the same thing about Gemini, Scorpio, Leo, etc. It may have more to do with what’s going on in your chart to draw this type of situation to you.

Pisces people and those with a strong Neptune influence in their charts tend to be romantics and often more enamored with the idea of romance than the reality. There is a great deal of truth to them seeing life and love through rose-colored glasses.

Another factor to be considered with the Neptune-ruled is how easy it is to project expectations and illusions onto them. Behaviors they see as just being friendly can be misconstrued as flirting. Most people with a strong Pisces influence in their charts tend to be kind and sympathetic sorts and genuinely caring people. The caveat is this is often a less personal and more general expression of caring. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus and deals with compassion rather than passion, but it’s easy to confuse the two when the lovely Pisces lady you are talking to at a party is apparently hanging on your every word.

My recommendation if you find yourself falling for a Neptune type is to get a second opinion from a dispassionate third party. It’s a whole lot easier to see what’s going on from the outside looking in!

Got a question for Neith and Pat? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

David Cook, Sagittarius Extraordinaire

David Cook, American Idol winner While I was listening to the TV this morning, I caught a performance by David Cook, the latest American Idol winner. I will be the first to admit I know very little about the show and have yet to watch an episode, so there was no special reason for me to walk into the room and watch him sing.

He is good and comes across as genuine, with an appealing personality. Naturally, as an astrologer, I immediately wanted to see his birth chart.

He was born December 20, 1982, in Houston, TX, with Sun in Sagittarius and Moon in Aquarius. The defining aspect in his chart is arguably the close conjunction of his Sun and Neptune sextile Pluto in Libra and semi-sextile Jupiter in Scorpio.

The strong outer planet influence marks him as one who speaks for his generation, and there is no more obvious sign of that than to be voted in as the new American Idol. Neptune, Pluto, and Jupiter combine to give him a quiet charisma and charm as well as the ability to project and be projected on. It does not pay to underestimate the power of Neptune . . . ever. Pluto and Jupiter give him presence and self-confidence.

His Mars in Aquarius is square Saturn in Scorpio, so he has the potential to be his own worst enemy or best friend. Another aspect to his Mars is a sextile to Uranus in Sagittarius, giving him a creative push as well as itchy feet. It will be sometime before this man settles down, if ever. Don’t be surprised if you see his name linked with many lovely women in the months to come!

Venus conjunct Mercury in Capricorn gives him a generous dose of well-grounded charm and the ability to think on his feet and come across as pleasant and kind. David is blessed in many ways and it will be interesting to see if he can use Pluto’s transit over his Venus and Mercury in to make the most of his Idol fame.

Pluto returns to Sagittarius briefly this year and will conjoin David’s Sun one last time. My guess is this transit will complete his transformation as a singer and performer. It is possible that Saturn in Virgo, now sextile his natal Saturn in Scorpio, will help keep him focused, too. He needs this support, because this is not the chart of a driven personality but rather a very blessed one.

posted by Neith . . .

David Cook natal chart (birth time unknown, chart set for noon)

Weekly Forecast June 9: Pluto Back in Sagittarius, Friday the 13th

Twin Geminis Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen I’m feeling all jumbled up, and I’m getting reports that others are, too. It’s hard to maintain our balance when planetary energies are this chaotic.

The week starts out well enough, with Venus conjunct the Sun in Gemini. We feel the love and want to express it, but with Mercury retrograde, our attempts may be clumsy at best. At worst, they backfire, and the person on the receiving end may hear something quite different from what we intended.

The Moon in nitpicky Virgo won’t help. “You could stand to lose a few pounds, but I love you anyway” and similar backhanded compliments obviously aren’t going to go over very well. Resist the urge to be critical, and instead channel that Virgo attention to detail into getting your work week off to an organized start. You’ll be glad you did, especially if you’re on an emotional roller coaster.

Mercury just passed the halfway point through his retrograde cycle and, as Jeff Kishner noted on Astro-Twitter, it’s getting “suckier” by the day. Speaking of which, Twitter appears to have fixed everything but the flash badge, and we can’t get Astro-Twitter back up without it. I can still see your twitters, though, so go ahead and post. Ironically, Neith and I figured out that Twitter was launched during Mercury retrograde. No wonder they’re experiencing so many technical difficulties.

The Chiron/North Node/Neptune conjunction remains active, and this week it will be triggered by planets in Gemini. Self-image and ego both get a boost on Tuesday and Wednesday, when Venus and then the Sun trine Chiron. On Friday and Saturday, Venus and the Sun trine Neptune. Merging with a romantic partner is a powerful experience, and it will be even more positive if we go in with a good sense of who we are.

Friday is the 13th, of course, which is a little eerie, but only because we’re programmed that way. Friday is named for Venus – Freya in the Norse mythology for which our days of the week are named, and the number 13 was sacred in ancient Earth religions. Somehow, we’ve got to retrain ourselves to think of this day as exceptionally lucky!

Also on Friday, Pluto returns to Sagittarius, where he’ll stay until November 26. This is the biggest news of the week. Most people won’t feel this transit individually, but we’ll see the effects on a social and political level. Pluto’s entry into Capricorn in January brought some bad news, especially in global financial markets, and so we should get a brief reprieve, just in time for summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Neith and I both will be writing more about this on our blogs, Neith.net and The Pisces Chronicles.

Sunday is Father’s Day, and there is an intense buildup of energy as Mars conjoins the lunar South Node, exactly opposite Chiron and Neptune on the North Node. Mars rules cutting implements and surgery, and he also represents the universal masculine. Individually and collectively, it’s time to open up old wounds that are deeply embedded in our psyches and to allow toxic energy to drain out. Healing “father issues” could be a common theme.

I’ll have an in-depth post about this on PiChron in a few days for anyone who’s interested. Meanwhile, remember to breathe, and give yourself all the space you need to heal. If you need extra rest, take it and don’t agonize over what’s not getting done. It’ll still be there next week.

Love and blessings,
Pat

Remember, if you need help sorting through challenging life events, Neith and I are here to help. Check out our exclusive forecasts and synastry readings.

Image: Happy birthday to Gemini twins Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, who celebrate their 22nd birthday this Friday.

Weekly Forecast June 1: New Moon with Mercury Retrograde

Mercury enters his second week of retrograde motion this week as we head into a new lunar cycle.

The New Moon on Tuesday falls at 13 degrees Gemini, just a degree from the point at which Mercury will return direct on June 19. Since Mercury rules this New Moon, you may have to wait a couple of weeks to see any real effects. By then, the Moon will be full and conjunct the Galactic Core, no less. Unfortunately, knowing that positive changes are on the way may not help you keep your cool, as Gemini isn’t known for patience.

It does, however, like to be entertained, so deal with your frustrations by seeing a good movie. Go for a light and fluffy romantic comedy – better still if you own it and won’t have to stand in line or risk a late fee because something unexpected comes up that prevents you from getting the DVD back to the video store on time.

For more on the New Moon, check out the excellent analysis that Neith posted on Saturday.

Meanwhile, I’m hearing about healing crises of all kinds this week, a manifestation of the triple retrograde of Chiron, Mercury, and Neptune. This is powerful medicine, and it tastes awful. You can read more about it in my new post on The Pisces Chronicles.

Venus, Mercury and Cupid

As for Mercury, the little bugger, he’s wreaking havoc in classic retrograde style. Twitter is overloaded, my replacement ATM card didn’t arrive before the old one expired, the bank’s customer service line wasn’t answering, and my last paycheck from my old job got sent to the wrong place. Paperwork for my new job is stuck in bureaucratic purgatory. The ferry system is down yet another boat, so there will be long lines to get off the south end of Vashon for the next two weeks.

There will be plenty more where that came from, so do keep in mind my usual Mercury retrograde caveats: give yourself extra time to travel and accomplish tasks, be prepared to get put on hold and wait in line, keep a close watch on keys and credit cards, and be clear in all of your communications. If there’s a mix-up, don’t bother trying to figure out who’s to blame. Forgive, forget, and move on.

We’ll get some help with the latter courtesy of Venus. On Friday, she forms a snappy sextile with Mars. Sparks ignite when the universal feminine contacts the universal masculine. Whether you’ve got your eye on someone or are single and looking, check out where these two are in your chart. The Sun sextiles Mars mid-week, giving us an energy boost and getting Mars in the mood for his hot date.

Both the Sun and Mercury will conjoin Venus this weekend, providing small opportunities to clear the static and get a good connection. This also would be an ideal time to say “I’m sorry.” It’s amazing how far those two little words will go, and they don’t cost a thing.

Love and blessings,
Pat

Need help making sense of your life? Check out our exclusive forecasts, or contact me for a telephone reading.

Image: Venus, Mercury and Cupid, by Nicolas Chaperon, 1612-1654 (Musée du Louvre, Paris).

Mercury Enters Shadow Phase (But You Knew That)

The antidote to Mercury Rx Mars in Leo definitely didn’t come in with a roar. Just about everyone I encountered over the weekend was exhausted and irritable.

I did get a boost Sunday from the Sun-Uranus sextile, and my bathroom is now free of hairballs. Thank goddess for small blessings. It’s Monday already in the Eastern Hemisphere, so you all get to start the week out on a positive note (at last count, Real Astrologers had readers in 37 countries on six continents!). The Sun trines Jupiter a few hours later, but the Big Guy just went retrograde, and the trine peaks while the Moon is void of course, so we probably won’t get much more from this aspect than a few hours of good feelings.

Then, that would be a blessing, too, given the way things have been going lately.

Mercury entered the retrograde shadow period at 1:42 p.m. Sunday on the West Coast of the United States, but many of you reported seeing the effects as much as a week earlier. Another blog author I know has been in communications hell. The pre-retrograde shadow phase, which lasts about two weeks, starts at the moment Mercury crosses the degree at which he’ll return direct and lasts until he turns retrograde. There’s also a post-retrograde shadow period. We’ll keep you posted in our Mercury Retrograde Watch feature, a Real Astrologers exclusive!

I’ve also had several reports of bureaucratic delays similar to my own. This no doubt was a reflection of Mercury’s square with Saturn last week, but with the Messenger now in shadow, it hardly matters what “caused” it. Delays are going to be the rule rather than the exception from now until the end of June.

I definitely have been seeing some powerful effects of creeping Mercury retrograde. I’ve had trouble getting through to the right people and missed the delivery of an important piece of mail. On Friday, I found out that I’ll be starting a new job on May 26 – the day Mercury turns retrograde! I tried to talk my way into starting a few days earlier, but no luck. The last job I started on the day Mercury turned retrograde was a total fiasco and ended disastrously.

On Wednesday, the Sun squares Neptune. This is another low-energy aspect and, depending on which houses in your chart these bodies are transiting, you could feel discouraged about a particular area of your life. It’s worth mentioning that the North Node recently crossed over Neptune and Chiron, and the three are still relatively close together. This is not a comfortable configuration, and it may be creating a certain amount of existential angst for many of you. I’ve been more focused on the subject of spiritual enlightenment than usual, and I’ve been questioning myself heavily about how I measure up.

The Libra Moon on Thursday and Friday should help us regain some balance. But then we get thrown off again on Saturday, when Venus squares Chiron. The angst may extend to your sexuality and body image.

She’ll more than make up for it on Sunday, though, with a sextile to Uranus and then a trine to Jupiter. Don’t be surprised if you react to unexpected good news by diving into a vat of caramel turtle ice cream. Some people eat when they’re unhappy, but many of us are just as likely to overindulge in a moment of pure joy. I haven’t quite figured that one out. Maybe it’s because we’re afraid the good feelings will go away, and we want to prolong the pleasure as long as possible. Entirely understandable these days.

So if you go for that triple hot fudge sundae, promise me you’ll enjoy the hell out of it, with no regrets on Monday morning!

Love and blessings with a cherry on top,
Pat

Leo and Gemini couple – What Happened?

This request came from a Gemini woman about a relationship with a Leo man whom she met some time back online. Their initial meeting in person went very well, but things went flat after that.

They have good synastry between their charts, with both Moons in Aries and excellent Sun to Moon exchanges with her Gemini Sun sextile his Aries Moon and his Leo Sun trine her Aries Moon – all comfortable fire and air signs.

In fact, the overall compatibility between the two charts is strong with several intra-aspects (where the same planets aspect each other from both charts). There are Venus/Sun and Venus/Neptune aspects for fun and romance, along with Mars/Uranus and Mars/Pluto aspects for really great chemistry. The Saturn/Mercury intra-aspect is a little more challenging, because on some level, communications feel blocked and there may be a sense of not feeling understood by each other.

Another positive factor is having the harmonious aspect between their Ascendants. She has Pisces rising, and he has Capricorn on the Ascendant. This indicates that they have similar ideas about what a good partnership is all about. His Venus/Saturn/Jupiter stellium in Libra falls in her seventh house conjunct her Saturn/Jupiter – a lot of Saturn for durability, balanced with Jupiter’s optimism.

The difficulties may arise because of issues hinted at in the natal charts. His Sun in Leo is the apex of a T-square with Uranus in Scorpio opposing Chiron in Taurus. Uranus/Sun aspects make for a very independent personality, and whenever I see Chiron aspecting the Sun I suspect self-image problems – an uncomfortable pattern to learn to work with.

Also, his Moon in Aries opposite his Venus/Saturn/Jupiter stellium in Libra indicates a tendency toward emotional ups and downs and difficulty assessing how he feels about his partners. Her Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in Libra squares her Venus in Cancer. This parallel between their charts offers an avenue to understanding, but when Saturn aspects such as these are present, it can take time to develop a level of trust.

They both have Saturn in Libra, so relationships are a serious business and, as I’ve noted before, this inclines a person either to avoid commitments or to embrace them completely. These two have a lot going for them from an astrological perspective. I wish them well.