Tag Archives: new moon in libra

Weekly Forecast September 22: Pluto Direct, New Moon in Libra

Weighing the Harvest. © Mafoto for Dreamstime.com

Accounting. © Mafoto for Dreamstime.com

There are a few major shifts this week that should produce a more balanced perspective and acceptance of things as they are, which can help reduce anxiety.

In world affairs, there’s a renewed emphasis on negotiations for peace, although the most important developments will take place out of the public eye and may bear little resemblance to what’s being reported in the media. Military operations will be covert or, at the very least, called something other than what they are. More about that in a minute.

On Monday, Pluto comes out of retrograde less than two hours before the Sun enters Libra – in astrological terms, the Libra ingress. Then on Wednesday (late Tuesday in western time zones), we have the New Moon at 1 degree Libra. Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast October 7: Venus Enters Sagittarius, Sun Square Jupiter

Aerial artist Ginger Ana Griep-Ruiz performs for Cirque du Soleil. More info and links below.

As of last week’s New Moon in Libra, we’re heading into the eclipse zone, with a Full Moon lunar eclipse on October 18 and a powerful total eclipse of the Sun on November 3.

Libra is the sign of compromise, harmony, and balance, but the mood the world over is anything but harmonious. House Speaker John Boehner reportedly told fellow Republicans in a private meeting that they were “locked in an epic battle.” It’s interesting that he uses the language of war. Wars sometimes are fought for ideology, but usually it’s about who gets more land, more wealth, and more power. And in epic battles throughout history, the kings and generals cared about the people only insofar as there were enough troops to die for “their country.”

One thing emerging from this whole mess is that increasing numbers of people aren’t willing to sacrifice themselves for this corrupt and power-hungry bunch. People are starting to question long-held beliefs about their government. Many of our assumptions are long-outdated, ideas we learned in civics class that we continued to parrot without critical examination. And despite the polarization in Congress and heated debates on news forums, I see more and more people breaking out of party dogma. Many Democrats are disappointed in President Obama for not making good on his promise of change, for giving in to criminal financial interests, and for expanding the surveillance state. On the Republican side, many are embarrassed by the right-wing nut jobs who have hijacked their party. It seems that the epidemic of insanity is shocking some people into reason. If there’s common ground to be found, this may be where it is.

Although we’re heading into another band of turbulence, there is one bright spot this week. On Monday, Venus leaves Scorpio, the sign of her detriment, and enters sporty Sagittarius. Sagittarius still isn’t the best sign for Venus, and she makes an edgy square with Neptune on Thursday that could further mess with our grasp of reality for a couple of days. In general, though, she should help smooth out ideological debates, and some of the heaviness we’ve been feeling might lighten a little. Make time for some fun and games. If you’re into sports, get together with some friends and watch a game. I know that some people are very serious about their favorite teams, but for the most part, competition in sports is fun and friendly.

On Tuesday, the Moon and Venus conjoin in Sagittarius, which could help make the Mercury-Saturn conjunction on the same day more productive. Mercury and Saturn conjunct in Scorpio could be extremely effective in snapping people back to reality. That might even include enough members of Congress to get the government up and running again. However, stark reality can be too much, especially when we realize how bad we’ve allowed circumstances to get by stubbornly hanging onto political ideology. The same applies for any other beliefs that have prevented us from moving forward. Looking in the mirror can be hard. Venus and the Moon in truth-seeking Sagittarius can help bring optimism. After all, you can’t solve a problem when you refuse to admit it exists or don’t understand its source. If you’re in any circumstances that fit this description, try to get some insight on Tuesday, because it will be harder to see the reality by the middle of Wednesday.

On Saturday (October 12), the Sun squares Jupiter. I’m somewhat concerned about this jarring aspect. The T-square between Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto in August corresponded to tragic turmoil, including the chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus. Even though Jupiter has moved well out of range of that configuration, the Sun “carries forward” energy from the Uranus-Pluto square to Jupiter. This is another pressure-cooker transit, although I’m hopeful that some of the issues that erupted in August can be addressed productively, perhaps because facts come to light.

While browsing the news headlines this morning, I found an interesting analysis about Arab Spring, which correlates perfectly to the Uranus-Pluto square and T-square with Jupiter. It included a quote by political scientist Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center. Speaking about the Middle East, he said, “Democracy is not a matter of principle or faith for most people. It is something they believe in to the extent that it brings good results. … If democracy does not bring those things, then people lose faith in the democratic process.”

“That’s part of the story in the past three years,” he said. “When push comes to shove, many say, democracy is fine in theory, but is not actually improving our lives. If the generals can promise us a greater degree of security and stability, we prefer that instead.”

Food for thought.

I do believe that good will come out of the global turmoil in that pressure transforms. I wrote a lot about that last week. If we look back at the transformational periods in world history, we see that the changes didn’t happen overnight but took many years. And I don’t know of any major shifts that occurred without violence and upheaval. In Earth time, three or five years or even a hundred years is insignificant. The human mind can’t grasp that reality, even if we understand it intellectually. However, we at least can ponder it in our attempt to understand how everything is connected, which is where we have to go, not just to resolve our differences, but to gain a greater awareness of dimensions beyond normal human perception.

Looking ahead, on October 18, we have an eclipse, the first in a new series in Aries and Libra. On October 14, we also have an alignment of Mars, Regulus, and comet ISON. You won’t be able to see the latter without a telescope, but I still think this is a major astrological event that could signal a change in leadership or political alignments, perhaps both.

We’ll know soon . . .

Much love and courage to you all,
Pat

About the image: Venus in Sagittarius is more about outdoor sports, but I still love this shot. I think of it as “adventurous balance.” Here’s how the show describes her act:
Descending gracefully from the heavens, her effortless beauty is part mortal, part Goddess; connecting the earth and sky.

Cirque du Soleil Mystère
Watch a breathtaking performance on YouTube.

Weekly Forecast September 30: New Moon in Libra, Sun Square Pluto

Weighing the Harvest. © Mafoto for Dreamstime.com

Astrologers have known for a long time that we were in for a difficult stretch between 2012 and 2015, so in some ways, the enormous pressure weighing on the world isn’t a big surprise.

We’ve also said that the pressure would force many positive changes on humanity, and that is indeed turning out to be the case. It’s hard to see the good when we’re being tossed about and struggling to survive (some more than others). Likewise, it can be hard to appreciate positive developments when they come at such an exorbitant price. But that is the nature of transformation, and it’s a very Plutonic concept. Suffering produces an alchemical reaction, and that is really what transformation is all about. It’s true for individuals, and it’s true for the collective.

Amidst the mass shootings, wars, and other tragedies, we are witnessing some stunning breakthroughs. In the past week, the international community managed to agree on a plan for the Syrian government to destroy its chemical arsenal. Syria earlier this month asked to join the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Its membership officially begins on October 14, four days before a lunar eclipse in Aries, the sign of war, with the Sun in Libra, the sign of peace.

Equally as remarkable, the leaders of the United States and Iran spoke for the first time since 1979. Although President Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani didn’t agree to a much-anticipated meeting at the United Nations on Tuesday, they spoke by telephone for about 15 minutes on Friday. Following the conversation, hopeful messages appeared in English on the Iranian president’s Twitter feed (the effusive tweets later were replaced with blander messages). Rouhani has a website in seven languages and a Facebook page, too. Talk about a “charm offensive.”

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned Putin’s 13-degree Libra Sun and its relation to the planetary signature underlying this summer’s extreme events. As it turns out, Rouhani has Venus at 13 degrees Libra. Libra is skilled in the art of compromise, and Venus in Libra disarms through charm. Rouhani’s Sun is at 19 degrees Scorpio, squaring natal Pluto. It’s a safe bet that the charm is serving the power agenda of a shrewd, calculating politician. Incidentally, Venus was at 19 degrees Scorpio during the telephone call between Rouhani and Obama. You gotta love astrology.

Comparing the charts, it appears that Rouhani and Putin genuinely like each other. Rouhani may even admire Putin, and they will find it easy to remain committed to one other. Obama and Putin also have an understanding, both with Moon in Gemini less than a degree apart (provided we have the right birth time for Putin). One might say they even come from the same “soul tribe,” and Putin’s lunar nodes on Obama’s Ascendant/Descendant further suggests that these two have been around the karmic block together a few times. Conversely, the relationship between Rouhani and Obama appears to be a flirtation, and Rouhani may end up becoming a thorn in Obama’s side. Looking at these three charts, along with when official meetings took place, I think it’s possible that Russia might have done some serious behind-the-scenes negotiating to patch up relations between the United States and Iran. I’d also bet my bottom dollar that major geopolitical shifts in the Middle East will come out of all of this, and it could be soon, given the coming eclipses and the rare conjunction of Mars the Warrior, Regulus the King, and comet ISON, discovered by a couple of Russians. Perhaps there’s even something symbolic in its invisibility to the naked eye. Talk about power-brokering behind the scenes…

There was another big breakthrough on Friday at the U.N, which announced that a new report shows that human impact on global climate change is “unequivocal.” If they’d only make a similar statement about Fukushima and get the international community involved in the cleanup. . .

As for Congress, it’s hard to say. Libra is the sign of compromise, and Venus, the ruler of this week’s New Moon, is in the seventh house of partnership in the chart cast for Washington, D.C. However, the New Moon forms a tight cardinal T-square with Uranus and Pluto, which turns compromise on its head. That said, there’s an “out” in the supportive sextile from Pluto at the apex of the T-square to Mercury, Saturn, and the North Node. Jupiter in the third house, while not closely involved in this formation, also could be a mitigating factor. The third house rules the media, Internet, and public information in general. It’s always helpful to remember that what politicians say for public consumption may have little to do with the horse-trading that goes on behind closed doors. It’s public posturing and political theater, and some of it (some people would argue most of it) is intended to distract the populace.

Given the high-stakes conflict indicated in this chart, it’s quite possible that failure to reach an agreement will cause a government shutdown. It has happened. If you’re up for some wonky reading, check out the Congressional Research Service report on what a government shutdown would mean. But it’s also possible that information could come to light that stabilizes the situation and prevents damage to an already limping economy. One can always hope.

There was a terrific article in The Guardian on Friday about Seymour Hersh, a Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter who broke the story about the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War. Hersh was my hero in journalism school, and he’s still my hero for saying that 90 percent of editors in publishing should be fired. On Saturday, there was an article by Glenn Greenwald noting how the television networks distort the news. It bears repeating that the range of news sources available to anyone with an Internet connection broadens our ability to piece together what’s really going on. Of course, there’s also a lot of bad information out there. One needs to know how to judge the reliability of sources. That’s a task that will be made easier by Tuesday’s trine from Mercury in Scorpio to Neptune in Pisces. Watch the headlines for revelations of deep, dark secrets, possibly by a writer with a nose for sniffing out that sort of thing.

Click on image to enlarge

Otherwise, the entire week is pretty much a lead-in to the New Moon, which is exact at 8:34 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday. On Tuesday, the Sun forms an exact square with Pluto. This is so not about compromise, even with the Sun in Libra. Depending on where the Sun and Pluto are in your chart, you may want to forego sensitive discussions, especially regarding work. In personal relationships, don’t push your point of view. It’s not like your bank account will shut down if you and your partner can’t agree on how to spend your money. Don’t let ego get in the way of compromise. Do you want to be “right,” or do you want to get the best deal possible?

On Thursday, the Sun opposes Uranus. Events may force a breakthrough of some kind, and new information could be part of the equation. If the Sun and Uranus make favorable angles to personal planets in your chart, sudden events a few days on either side of Thursday could be to your advantage.

The sextile between Mercury and Pluto is exact on Sunday, October 6. This is a good day all around for resolving conflicts through communications. Mercury is just a degree from the lunar North Node, which can indicate an event that is destined or that serves a significant purpose. This can apply to you personally as well as to the collective. The North Node currently is in Scorpio, sign of death, transformation, and rebirth.

Just over a month from now, there is a total eclipse of the Sun in Scorpio, conjunct Saturn, and with Mercury retrograde in Scorpio. This is intense, although I realize it’s hard to imagine how much more pressure we can bear. During a recent visit to my doctor, she told me that people are coming into her office in tears, at the end of their rope. That eclipse will square my Sun, with Saturn in a square by exact degree, so I’m feeling the pressure in a big way. In fact, I turned on my laptop yesterday only to discover that the keyboard died. I can get an external keyboard, but it was a reminder that my computer is reaching the end of its useful life, when I can least afford to buy a new one and when I suddenly have a flood of report orders. I’ve got a temporary solution rigged up, but it’s costing me time and energy.

For those of you who would like to order the StarGuide Fall 2013 forecast, my current turnaround time is about two weeks. To make up for the delay, I’m providing an extra couple of weeks of transits.

We’ve all got to hang in there. If we can make it through to mid-November, the pressure will lighten up — not entirely, but at least we’ll be able to breathe normally.

Much love and courage to you all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast October 15: New Moon in Libra

New Moon Over the Sea. © Algol for Dreamstime.com

Generally speaking, this week should be more serene, with plenty of opportunities to get new and existing projects off the ground.

Monday starts right out with the New Moon at 22 degrees Libra, the sign of balance and harmony. For many of us, finding balance has been a struggle for the better part of the past two years as our lives took unexpected new directions. For me and for many clients, it has felt like being carried along on a current that’s way too fast and too turbulent for comfort. All we’ve been able to do is to hang on and do our best to remain open to new possibilities. It has been exhausting.

This New Moon is a reminder to try to restore some semblance of balance, even if it’s brief. If you allow yourself a little time for rest, relaxation, or fun activities, your body/mind will suck it right up and nourish the parts of you most in need of care. With Saturn and the lunar North Node in Scorpio, we’re heavy into the transformation process, where breakdowns are accelerating to provide energy for new growth. I’ve been through this process several times in my life, including the breakdown that had to occur to transform me from a reporter into an astrologer. If you’ve never been through this before, it can be a terrifying process. But I’m here to tell you that the cycle is just that – a cycle. And it has been written about ever since writing was first invented. The difference now is that we’re going through it together as a collective.

In the chart for the New Moon, Saturn is still in a close trine with Neptune, which I see as a positive sign that we can turn dreams to reality. The key here is to find the balance between these very different energies. Neptunian dreams can be empty fantasy, but they also can be so creative and imaginative that they only seem impossible to people with no vision. Saturn’s influence helps supply the discipline to turn the vision into a solid plan to make it happen. Filmmaking is an excellent example, and there couldn’t be a better sign of the times than Cloud Atlas, the new Wachowski blockbuster about to hit theaters. This was a film the industry said could never be made. Not only did they make it happen, but the film got a ten-minute standing ovation last month at the Toronto Film Festival … and Larry Wachowski is now Lana.

As with filmmaking, millions of people have great ideas, but making them happen takes planning, hard work, skill, and collaboration (a nice Libra word). Saturn and Neptune are great for combining vision with discipline, and the New Moon in Libra is a good time to start.

Yet another reason I feel so optimistic about this week is the trine on Monday from Uranus to Mars in Sagittarius, which provides an outlet from the stress of the Uranus-Pluto square. This is an action-oriented aspect, an energetic combination favoring taking risks and doing something unconventional. This can apply (and likely will) to revolutionary movements and to individuals, as well, and the definition of “revolutionary” is broad. One bold move can produce a radical change in your life. Thursday is a particularly good day for action, when the Moon conjoins Mars.

Click on image to enlarge

Libra’s ruler is Venus, who is in aspect with Mercury and Jupiter in the New Moon chart, with Mercury and Jupiter in an edgy quincunx. Venus is in Virgo so not quite “herself,” and Jupiter is in his detriment as well. This combination is sort of like going into a big housecleaning job and suddenly becoming obsessed with polishing the silver. There’s no harm in it, and details do matter. But if a job needs to be done, you might have to keep kicking yourself in the behind to stay focused on the big picture and take care of the details in order of priority.

Mercury, meanwhile, is in deeply intuitive Scorpio, where he turns up small details like where the bodies are buried. Mercury and Venus in soft aspect suggest that criticism can be useful and should be encouraged. Put another way, identifying flaws and weaknesses in a project or relationship can save you headaches and heartaches further down the road. If you need a competent critique to help strengthen your work, ask for it this week from someone you can trust. You might need a double-rum punch or a brownie sundae afterwards, but go ahead. Then get to work.

If you’d like to know where all the action is happening in your chart, check out the StarGuide Fall 2012 forecast, now 20 percent off.

Next week, life gets even more intense with the Sun’s entry into Scorpio – all the more reason to enjoy this week, count your blessings, and take advantage of new opportunities, however great or small, that come your way.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 26: New Moon in Libra

Wildfire smoke sets the sunset ablaze. © James A. Weythman, 2011.

If you tried to access RealAstrologers earlier today, you got a scary black screen with a message that my server had been hacked.

Welcome to this week!

With the Sun and Mercury in early Libra, we’ve got an approximation of last summer’s cardinal T-square. Fortunately, there are some major differences this time, but we’re in for a wild ride nonetheless.

If the approach to Tuesday’s New Moon in Libra feels like Mercury retrograde, there’s a reason. Monday starts out with Mercury opposite Uranus, which sometimes is described of as a “higher octave” of Mercury. You might think of him as Mercury on steroids. Actually, in ancient mythology, Uranus represented primal air, a sort of “Father Sky.” In Greek mythology, he was the great-great-grandfather of Hermes, the equivalent of Roman Mercury. When these two get together, there’s no end to the mischief they can make.

As sky god, Uranus rules winds and electrical storms. And wouldn’t you just know it – as soon as I was able to get back into my admin page this morning (thanks to the swift and talented staff at my hosting service, InMotion), the wind started howling, briefly knocking out the power to my modem. Yeehaw!

The big event this week is the New Moon in Libra on Tuesday. You can easily see the T-square, with the Sun, Moon and Mercury opposite Uranus, all square Pluto. Although you never know what you’re going to get when Uranus is in the picture, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see storms of all kinds, whether political, social, economic, meteorological or any other category you can think of. Libra is the relationship sign, so don’t be surprised by a flare-up or two in your personal dealings. It’s the next step in a long process we’ve been going through for more than two years.

Now, if you ordered your StarGuide 2011 Fall Forecast, you’ve already read that I foresee progress at this New Moon despite the difficult planetary lineup. The difference between this alignment and last summer’s T-square has to do mainly with who’s not in this picture – namely, Saturn. He remains in Libra and in fact is conjoined by Venus later in the week (more about that in a minute), but he has advanced well beyond the T-square degrees. His stand-ins, the Sun and Mercury, aren’t nearly as heavy and restrictive.

Click on image to enlarge

Moreover, we have a couple of outs here. First and foremost, the Sun, Moon, and Mercury are in an applying sextile with Mars, which will be exact on Thursday. Mars is the action planet, and in Leo he’s free to express himself. For you, that means channeling excess energy into creative projects and anything that fulfills your life’s purpose. This juice is too good to waste, so think now about how you can get maximum mileage out of it.

Second, there’s a trine to Pluto from Jupiter in Taurus. It’s fairly wide, and Jupiter is retrograde. Nevertheless, this is a tangible outlet, at least for setting the stage for future rewards.

Of course, this means that Mars is in conflict with Jupiter and sharp discord with Pluto (inconjunct with Pluto on Monday, square Jupiter on Sunday). My read on this is that you can take advantage of one of the outs I describe above, but not both. If you try to do too much, you’ll lose ground on all fronts. If you can’t decide where to expend your efforts, see where these planets are in your chart by house and what aspects they make with your natal planets.

In terms of mundane astrology, it likely will manifest as world leaders going head-to-head and creating nothing but a lot of static and hot air. On second thought, that’s not news.

The Sun and Mercury officially conjoin on Wednesday. In air sign Libra, this is good for mental work, especially creative writing and anything to do with words. Keep a notebook handy should you get a sudden flash of inspiration.

On Thursday, Venus conjoins Saturn. This typically is a sober combination, but Venus rules Libra, and Saturn is exalted in her sign. It’s a perfect setup for making commitments to your friends and loved ones. No one said love – or, for that matter, friendship – is easy. It requires work, mostly because you have to be brutally honest with yourself about your motives. It’s a constant balancing act – balance being the keyword for Libra. Giving too much and resenting it later isn’t any better than taking more than your share. Compromise – another Libra keyword – is a lot harder than it sounds. Sometimes you have to overlook certain things in your loved ones, but if you do it all the time just to keep the peace, you both lose opportunities to grow. Like riding a bicycle, the point is to stay balanced while in forward motion.

Before I go, I want to remind you that I start classes this week. I went ahead and posted the notice for the StarGuide forecast for October, but please bear in mind that it could take me a bit longer to respond to your requests for reports and consultations.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Libra and Heidi Klum’s New Clothing Line for New Balance

I was about to hit the delete key on the e-mail from Amazon announcing Heidi Klum’s new line of clothing, but when I saw it was for New Balance, I decided to take the bait.

“Balance,” of course, is the keyword for Libra, and the new line was launched on October 7, the day of a very fine New Moon in Libra. Makes you wonder whether Klum has a personal astrologer. Or maybe they do at Amazon, because somebody hit that launch right on the money. Then, it could be just something in the collective, channeling through Amazon and superwoman Klum, who has made millions as a supermodel, businesswoman, television personality, working mom, and goddess knows what else.

These clothes fill a need for women who don’t want to spend a lot of time fussing about their appearance but want to look pulled together and chic while they run back and forth doing daily errands. Is that not what Libra is all about? Balance, balance. I’m not one to fall for advertising gimmicks, but I just love this look. I think it’s great that Heidi Klum has put her stamp on clothing that is modern and functional. It’s like living in your jammies, only more sophisticated … the best thing since Gloria Vanderbilt created designer sweats for air travel in the 1980s.

Now, you’re asking whether Klum has Libra in her chart. We don’t have a birth time for her, so we don’t know her Rising Sign. Libra might be a good guess, but I won’t speculate. Otherwise, she has a stellium in Gemini – Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn, which are being favorably aspected by transiting planets in fellow air sign Libra.

Like everyone born in 1973, she has Pluto in early Libra, which means Saturn recently crossed her natal Pluto, and transiting Pluto is square her natal Pluto. In other words, her chart was hit strongly by the cardinal T-square. The ad campaign on Amazon for her new clothing line features Klum bouncing on a trampoline. Her life no doubt felt like that for most of the summer! As she put it, the trampoline was meant to symbolize “energy and activity.” Again, we could have lifted those two words right out of an astrology text, as they’re significant keywords for the cardinal signs.

I also found it very interesting that Klum’s new line, called HKNB, is being sold exclusively on Amazon.com. The company was incorporated on May 28, 1996. At noon on that day (the time we use as a default when we don’t have an exact time), the Moon was at 13 degrees Libra – a degree shy of last Thursday’s New Moon.

Coincidence? You be the judge…

Meanwhile, check out some of HKNB’s styles, even if you’re only “Windows shopping.” I normally don’t feature anything but books in on my site, but I went ahead and created a slideshow with a few of my favorite looks. Just ignore the silly high-heeled boots. They must have confused Libra with Venus retrograde in Scorpio.

Pat

UPDATE October 31: Well, apparently launching at the New Moon in Libra couldn’t overcome launching during Venus retrograde. Reviews are coming in, and for the most part the feedback is negative. Judging from the comments, the fabric is nice, but the workmanship is shoddy, the fit is poor, and the clothes are way overpriced. I should have predicted this…

Amazon.com Widgets

Weekly Forecast October 4: New Moon in Libra, Venus Retrograde

October sun reflected in the Wenatchee River on Stevens Pass. © Pat Paquette, 2010.

In our fast-paced world, time is the one thing we don’t seem to have enough of. So when we have to go back and rethink our plans or re-do something, we often think of it as wasting time.

Likewise, we tend to think that going back means we’re losing ground and not moving forward.

This week’s aspects will dispel those notions and may even help us perceive a different concept of time itself.

The New Moon in Libra just as its ruler, Venus, is going retrograde seems like a mixed message. On one hand, we begin a new cycle, while on the other, we have to go back for something we missed. I don’t see these two paths as contradictory at all. Retracing our steps is part of the process of growth and moving forward – if we view the process as a whole, as part of a cycle. As we progress along this time-space continuum, alternative routes open to us.

Moving through the summer’s cardinal T-square – or trying to, anyway – many of us were able to see where we needed to go, but we just couldn’t get there. Rather than stopping and waiting for the opening to appear, we kept moving, but without a vital piece of information or a critical event that needed to happen before everything else could fall into place.

Before I take the week chronologically, let’s have a look at the interplay between Venus, Pluto, and Saturn, who are in a powerful three-way reception. Venus, planet of love and desire, is in the sign ruled by Pluto, planet of transformation. Pluto, meanwhile, is in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, lord of time. Saturn is in Libra, ruled by Venus. And so we have the “circular path” that is the Sabian symbol for Thursday’s New Moon.

Saturn and Pluto are both karma planets. Pluto represents the “underworld,” or what I prefer to call the “otherworld.” This is where the underpinnings of our physical universe live, and it’s where we can work to transform. As lord of time, Saturn represents manifestation on the physical plane. Once we transform our energy underpinnings, what manifests in our physical world changes, too. With Venus in Scorpio, we need to be especially mindful of what we’re attempting to manifest. If we try to control the results for gratification of our immediate physical desires, we remain stuck in fear and attachment.

Venus retrograde in Scorpio is asking us to release ourselves from those attachments. You know you’re attached when you’re obsessing about someone or something.

So, that’s a rather long introduction, but it’s important to keep these concepts in mind this week as we take advantage of this exceptional New Moon to put all the pieces together and move into the new territory we’ve been exploring for most of this year.

On Tuesday (late Monday in far western time zones), Mercury squares Pluto, which may bring those obsessive thoughts to the surface. If this happens, don’t fight it. Those thoughts that keep spinning ’round and ’round in your head are trying to get your attention. Work on figuring out the message, which will contain invaluable information about what you need to work on to achieve your goals.

The Moon enters Libra on Wednesday and begins its monthly journey over the degrees of the cardinal T-square. On Thursday, she conjoins Mercury and Saturn and then carries that energy forward to the New Moon, which occurs at 2:45 p.m. on the East Coast of the United States.

Venus turns retrograde on Friday morning, but you’ll likely start feeling the effects early in the week, if you haven’t already. With Mercury in Venus-ruled Libra, you might even be experiencing some low-level effects of Mercury retrograde.

Mercury conjoins Saturn on Friday as well, which can help us get a grip on reality. Reality can be depressing sometimes, but it’s a lot easier if you work toward aligning your goals with your true purpose in life. If you don’t know what that is, I strongly recommend an astrology reading or some other method, such as Tarot.

Also on Friday, Ceres re-enters Capricorn. She was part of the cardinal T-square back in April when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, and then she went retrograde and returned to Sagittarius for four months. As I noted in my New Moon post on Saturday, Ceres is now moving toward conjunction with Pluto (exact on October 19). This reinforces the theme of venturing into your deep psyche to reclaim something you need in order to advance. Be attentive for the next few weeks to fleeting memories of your past. In some cases, they may not be so brief but could be right in your face.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

New Moon in Libra, October 7

Evening Mood, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1882.

I have high hopes for this New Moon. In many ways, it starts a new cycle and builds on the foundation of the cardinal T-square.

If you’ve been confused about how the T-square was redirecting your life – or if you didn’t see it at all – the message will be readily apparent now. All of those blocked energies, the frustration, the obstacles … Libra is the sign of balance and harmony, and with this New Moon, you can arrive at a new understanding of how crisis after crisis pushed you into a new direction or a different way of seeing the world.

With that understanding, it’s easier to relax and let go of trying to control events, people, and situations. Your life has been on track all along, even if it didn’t seem like it.

I see this trend in the kinds of clients who are contacting me now and in the nature of their questions. Many are beginning to realize their special healing gifts, while others need guidance or confirmation as their lives take off in new directions that are more in harmony with their inner being. A surprising number are asking about past lives and karmic relationships. This is all evidence of a brilliant awakening in human consciousness. I’ve seen this coming for several years. It’s amazing to see it actually manifesting!

Right after this New Moon, all of the inner planets will be contained within the boundaries of the T-square. The Moon will venture beyond for half of every month, but as of this lunation, it’s on the inside. This tells me that we’re going deep into T-square territory, living the changes that took place within us over the summer, both individually and collectively.

The Sun and Moon at 14 degrees Libra make no close aspects to other planets, although they are in a wide conjunction with Saturn at 8 degrees Libra and Mercury at 7 degrees Libra. The Mercury-Saturn conjunction allows clarity of thought, which in turn leads to realistic planning and a balanced approach to achieving your goals.

With four planets in Libra, there’s also an emphasis on relationships. If you’ve been paying attention to how material circumstances manifest in your life, chances are, you understand that your biggest manifestation “successes” have come through positive relationships with others. We can manifest through troubled relationships, too, but those are the ones that tend to come with all the unwanted “side effects” and gremlins.

The relationship theme is reinforced by Venus, the ruler of this New Moon, who is at a dead stop in preparation for returning retrograde the next day. Further, she’s still in close conjunction with Mars, her lover. Venus in Scorpio craves deep intimacy and merging with her soul mate, but he’s starting to move away. This could lead to widespread feelings of abandonment and isolation. It won’t last, but it could be difficult while we’re in it. Another thing to watch for is past-life experiences. More of us may have dreams or fleeting visions of life in other time spaces, with glimpses of a soul mate.

Jupiter and Uranus remain closely conjunct in Pisces, with Uranus and Neptune in mutual reception and Jupiter in a near-exact semi-sextile with Neptune and Chiron. Throughout the cardinal T-square period, there has been an inherent message of healing. It may be so subtle that you don’t realize it’s happening, but if you stop to think about it, you’ll see where the deep healing is taking place in your life.

Healing, remember, comes from the same Latin root as “wholeness.” Connecting with our essential core brings us into awareness of limitless time and space and how we fit within the whole. With that awareness, we more easily see where our path lies and what our purpose is in this particular incarnation. With this awareness, a lot of things start making sense.

Ceres is edging closer to conjunction with Pluto, which I’ve previously written about as symbolic of an underworld journey to reclaim something we’ve lost. If Pluto represents other lives (the term I prefer to “past lives”), then connecting with this broader energy is another path to becoming whole. Put another way, seeing events, relationships, and even ourselves as part of a broader cycle is incredibly healing.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun and Moon at 14°24′ Libra is circular paths, with the keyword CONGRUITY. “Man and his world may seem completely at variance with each other at some point of crisis, but inevitably everything falls into place,” writes Marc Edmond Jones, who channeled the symbols in the early 1920s.

Again, I couldn’t imagine a more fitting symbol for these extraordinary times.

Pat

P.S. Don’t forget to write your abundance check!

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in 1925 with the help of Elsie Wheeler, a gifted psychic. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

New Moon in Libra, October 17-18, 2009

New Moon in Libra
The New Moon offers us an opportunity to renew our understanding of the sign it falls in, and this month’s New Moon, at 24°59′ Libra, is no exception.

Libra is noted for being fair-minded, well-mannered, and loaded with charm, thanks to Venus, Libra’s ruling planet. In general, those with a strong Libra presence in their charts are better than most at concealing their cardinal natures behind a smokescreen of reasonability and sweetness. Don’t be fooled, because once all the options have been carefully weighed and a decision has been made, these natives can implement their decisions with ruthless dispatch. We’re talking cardinal air here – the intellect rules, not emotions. That said, you will usually get your “medicine” served up with a generous dose of Venusian sugar.

The New Moon in Libra is closely trine Neptune in Aquarius. While issues before the collective could be dealt with fairly, equitably and compassionately, this also could mean that our ability to get caught up with potential rather than actual is ratcheted up.

I know I have a somewhat jaundiced view of Neptune and am very wary of all the high-minded attributes often attributed to the nebulous one. Nonetheless, it never hurts to do a reality check any time he’s in the room. There is a very good reason most cultures and belief systems have stories or sayings meant to teach the importance of being grounded in reality before taking a leap of faith. One such saying that comes immediately to mind is, “Trust in Allah, but tether your camel first.”

The inconjunct, or quincunx, between Uranus in Pisces and the New Moon in Libra offers us opportunities to be of service in unique ways, if we can get anything done. Libra and Pisces have a very different dialogue than Virgo and Aquarius. At the very least, they are both polite and prefer a non-confrontational approach. The trick here is getting them to come to any conclusions! It can end up with Libra saying “you first” and Pisces saying, “no, you first” ad infinitum! Add in the exact semi-sextile between Uranus and Neptune, and we can end up totally sidetracked – not the most favorable atmosphere for launching new projects.

No discussion of a Libra lunation is complete without seeing what her ruling planet, Venus, is up to. Venus is overjoyed to be back in her home sign of Libra and is further comforted by a lovely sextile to Mars in party loving Leo. But, and it’s a big one, Venus is just recovering from an exact square to Pluto on October 15 and a conjunction with Saturn on October 13.

Jealousy and obsessive behaviors can crop up whenever Pluto aspects Venus. What Venus sees as being mildly flirtatious and just her normal charming self, Pluto can see as potentially threatening to their relationship. Honest, open dialogue can help head off problems with an emphasis on honest – Pluto is exceeding good at nuance and detecting lies.

While Saturn is great for being responsible and dependable, he doesn’t do romantic worth a darn. Since Venus is pulling away from the dour one quickly, this will soon feel like a bad dream and she can enjoy life for awhile anyway. When Saturn moves into Libra, everyone is going to be reminded about the importance of responsible, dependable behaviors in their relationships. Pat and I will be writing more about this big change soon.

The waxing trine from Mercury in Libra to Jupiter in Aquarius makes it easy to come up with ideas designed to benefit the collective as well as take an upbeat approach to problem-solving. Between now and October 20 is the best time to take advantage of this energy.

Ceres, mistress of cycles and seasons, is now in Scorpio and sextile Pluto in Capricorn. Add in the Sabian symbol for 25 Libra, “The sight of an autumn leaf brings to a pilgrim the sudden revelation of the mystery of life and death,” and we have a potent reminder to pay attention to endings, beginnings and all cycles of death and rebirth. The leaves fall to the earth, rotting over winter to provide nutrients in the spring, when the sap rises for the tree to bloom anew. In our own lives, we need to pay attention and release what we have outgrown, to make way for something new. If we don’t, we take the risk of having Pluto rip it away . . . and don’t think he won’t.

In honor of Libra season, please take a moment to say “please” and “thank you,” the more heartfelt the better. Expressions of appreciation never go out of style, and seeing another’s face light up when receiving those is a reward in and of itself.

posted by Neith . . .

Of course, today is the day to write your New Moon abundance checks! Here’s how.

** Neith is still not accepting new clients and is not sure when she will be able to, thanks to Uranus transits. **

Weekly Forecast October 12: Jupiter Direct, Mars Enters Leo

Had enough rest? I hope so, because we’re in for a busy week!

Mercury is back in Libra, picking up speed, and leaves his post-retrograde shadow period on Wednesday. Just as he’s entering new territory, Venus enters Libra. Relationships will benefit enormously from this double dose of Libra, especially after weeks of Venus and Mercury in nitpicky Virgo. If you and a loved one have been getting on each other’s nerves, you can both relax!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s have a look at this week’s lineup, one day at a time.

On Monday, Mars sextiles Saturn, just as both are about to enter a new sign. The Mars force is suppressed in watery Cancer, but even though our physical energy hasn’t been the most vibrant, it should pick up early this week so that we can finish up projects that have been on our plate for awhile. If those projects involve paperwork and mental concentration, so much the better.

On Tuesday, Jupiter returns direct at 17 degrees Aquarius. He’ll need a few days to yawn and stretch, but once he does, many of us are going to see major movement. How much depends on where he’s currently transiting your chart, but with the New Moon this weekend favorably angled to Jupiter, you should see at least a small obstacle clearing. The Big Guy is in my first house, so I’m expecting significant news. I’ll keep you posted.

Also on Tuesday, Venus conjoins Saturn in Virgo and sextiles Mars. Venus-Saturn aspects aren’t the happiest, especially for romantic relationships. Talk about a bucket of cold water. The inclusion of Mars in this configuration should mitigate that effect somewhat, though, and hopefully the outcome will be embers that glow for a long time rather than a flame that flares up but dies out just as quickly. I’ll be interested to get feedback on how you experience this three-way energy.

Even if you do suffer a little setback or temporary disconnect, all that should change when Venus enters Libra on Wednesday. This is her territory, and with Mercury and the Sun also in the sign of harmonious relations, people everywhere should be feeling more courteous and conciliatory. While Venus is in Libra, it’s also a great time for haircuts, manicures, and beauty treatments of all time. Goddess knows, I should have waited. I had my haircut last week during Venus in Virgo and I’m not at all happy with it. Yes, as an astrologer, I should have known better!

On Thursday, Venus squares Pluto. One of the problems with this aspect is that the heat can be too intense and judgment can fly out the window. This also is one of those energy combinations that can feed into manipulation. Venus uses sex and charm to get what she wants, while Pluto uses money and power. Age-old story, isn’t it? But whatever works between consenting adults…

Friday could be a hot date night, as the Moon enters Libra and amplifies the Venus-Pluto square. The real news, though, is the entry of Mars in fiery Leo. We’ll have more on this planet-sign combination in the weeks and months ahead, as Mars will be retrograde in Leo from December 20 to March 10. I’m already on the edge of my seat for this one. In the meantime, we should all feel a bit more energetic.

The weekend will be dominated by Sunday’s New Moon at 25 degrees Libra, in a close trine with Neptune and Chiron and a wider trine with newly direct Jupiter. The energy of the New Moon still will be very active early next week, so next week could be even busier!

I’m looking forward to some lovely new beginnings and wish the same for you.

Much love to all,
Pat

Image: The Bulgarian theatre group Temp performs their show ‘Wings in the Fire’ in Skopje earlier this year. What could better express the energy of Mars in Leo than a live performance with fire? Photo by Robert Atanasovski for Agence France-Presse.