Tag Archives: Pluto

Saturday Archives: Ceres as Ruler of Virgo

Ceres Fresco by Cosimo Tura, 1469-70.

On Monday, Ceres enters Virgo. Just as Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto rule signs in modern astrology, some astrologers believe Ceres should be the modern ruler of Virgo. I am one of them. Here is an article on the topic from my archives (edited for length).

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Astrologers got a little huffy when Pluto was demoted to “dwarf planet,” but otherwise, it’s been business as usual. The technical reclassification hasn’t changed the way we view Pluto.

Not so with Ceres and Eris. In the case of the latter, we’re bending our brains pondering how this newly discovered planet with radically different mythology should fit into our practice. We’ll be grappling with that one for several years, I’m sure.

Of the three, Ceres merits the most immediate attention. Although many astrologers have been using her in chart analysis along with the other asteroid goddesses, she’s now no longer just another asteroid. She has been promoted to Pluto’s equal, and that means she’s about to go mainstream. She’ll likely get a sign to co-rule. Taurus has been suggested as a possibility, but Virgo is emerging as the logical choice.

Ceres was thought to be a planet when she was discovered in 1801 and was later classified as an asteroid, only to be promoted to the new dwarf planet status last year. In addition to being discovered before Neptune and Pluto, she’s also much closer to the Earth. The asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter, meaning that she’s on the boundary between the so-called “personal planets” and the outer planets. This fits nicely with her mythology and with what I believe is the real significance of Ceres in astrology.

To quickly recap the Ceres myth, Ceres was the Roman goddess of the harvest. Her Greek counterpart was Demeter. Ceres had a lovely daughter named Proserpina, the Greek Persephone (so it’s technically incorrect to talk about Ceres and Persephone, although most of us do it).

As you may remember, Demeter and Persephone were out one fine spring day roaming the fields, when the earth split open, and out leapt Hades (the Roman Pluto) in his chariot. Bewitched by Persephone’s beauty, he stole her off to the underworld to be his wife. Demeter searched high and low for her daughter and finally appealed to Zeus, who knew what had happened. Enraged, Demeter demanded her daughter back. Hermes (Mercury), the only god who could come and go freely to the underworld, was dispatched with a message that it was time for Persephone to come home. Hades being Hades, you can guess what his response was.

Grieving for her lost child, Demeter stopped taking care of the plant life, also with predictable results. Zeus was forced to send an edict to Hades, but because Persephone had eaten food in the underworld – Hades had been feeding her pomegranates – she could not return permanently to earth. The compromise was that she’d spend half the year above and half the year below. During the part of the year that Persephone was in Hades, Demeter was so depressed that nothing grew. Ostensibly, this is the mythology of the seasons.

Of all the gods and goddesses, Ceres alone went up against Pluto and won. She didn’t get everything she wanted, but even a compromise with the Lord of the Underworld was a major victory. How symbolic is it, then, that she now gets equal status with him as a special-category planet?

Posted by Pat

Image: Ceres, an allegory for August, from a fresco designed by Cosimo Tura, 1469-1470. The Sun begins its tour through Virgo in late August.

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Am I Feeling So Angry?

This week’s question comes from Elaine in San Francisco:

All summer, I have felt consumed by anger, frustration, and guilt. I feel the earth shaking under me and feel like we are in a deeper movement than just my personal upheavals. Anything to this? Or is it just my neurotic self and shifts that I am doing and not allowing?

Libra ponders . . . Neith’s response:

Elaine, Uranus has been hanging out in your eighth house creating an aspect pattern called a Yod with your Ascendant in Leo conjunct Pluto sextile Neptune in Libra as the base. Of course, any planet activating your Ascendant-Pluto also affects your Sun because of the natal Sun-Pluto opposition.

All the astro-babble can be translated into simpler terms as follows: The eighth house relates to Scorpio and all things Plutonian and Uranus transits are noted for stirring the pot to help us become our most authentic selves. Anger, frustration and guilt are all good Pluto and eighth house issues. Outer planet transits to one point of a natal chart pattern can act like a fly wriggling on the corner of a spider web, shaking the whole thing.

Uranus encourages us to look out for ourselves and Pluto demands we deal with our darker aspects with detachment and acceptance. Yes, it’s a major pain the rear but the rewards can be equally great if we do the work.

Pluto also moved back into Sagittarius for a final visit in June about a week before Uranus turned Rx taking the collective into a period of review and potential catharsis. Perhaps you are more sensitive and aware of what’s going on in a broader sense because your personal planets are aspected natally by the outer planets. Both Pat and I are outer planet people too and consequently pay more attention to their movements.

As always, my suggestion is to practice forgiveness and treat one’s self with kindness and forbearance. Good luck!

Pat’s answer:

Elaine, you are a powerfully “Plutonian” person, with natal Pluto poised on your Ascendant at 21 degrees Leo. My guess is that you are extremely psychic (possibly a hereditary trait), and that you are indeed picking up some universal energy.

I’ve written quite a bit on my blog, The Pisces Chronicles, and to a lesser extent here on the Real Astrologers blog, about the current series of eclipses in Leo and Aquarius, with a window on healing provided by Neptune and Chiron on the lunar North Node around 19-22 degrees Aquarius, which means that they are sitting opposite your Ascendant and natal Pluto. This has opened a powerful window of opportunity for you to do some deep healing work, possibly related to wounds you brought into this incarnation with you. Some of these may have been considerable — deep and dark, and very much in the realm of Pluto, who, as you may recall from Mythology 101, was the dark lord of the underworld.

I do believe that the current eclipse series is corresponding to a groundswell shift, and you are no doubt feeling it. As an Aquarius with Aquarius Rising, I most certainly am!

As I’ve also noted on my blog, there is another, simultaneous energy pattern happening right now, related to the imminent opposition of transiting Saturn and Uranus. Saturn currently is transiting your first house, but he’ll move to the second shortly, and so the opposition will happen in your second and eighth houses. Neith already has described one of the effects of Uranus in the eighth house, so you can see how this relates further to Plutonian themes.

Anger is a natural part of the healing process, but it is one of the scariest and most uncomfortable emotions for us, especially women. Just allow yourself the space to process it, and don’t judge it as “bad” or “negative.” Anger is a powerfully motivating force, or can be, when used properly. Just use it with care, don’t point it at anyone (at least not anyone who doesn’t deserve it!).

I also would note that since mid-June — the time you said this anger began — Mars was crossing your Ascendant, so of course he conjoined natal Pluto. This can be a period of blind rage, so it’s hardly surprising that you felt a lot of anger. Then Mars crossed Saturn in your first house and went on to oppose Uranus in your eighth house. Many people I know, myself included, either felt anger during this time or were the targets of anger.

Thank you for raising this very important question, Elaine. Much love and courage to you.

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Weekly Forecast August 11: Full Moon Eclipse in Aquarius

King Neptune, by Walter Crane
We’re still in the period between eclipses, and with Mars just past an opposition to Uranus and coming up on a square with Pluto, this likely will be a tumultuous week.

Let’s look at Mars first. The opposition to Uranus has separated enough that the dust is settling, but the effects lasted right up until yesterday — at least, I found this to be the case. And be forewarned that whatever came up for you last week is likely to be an ongoing issue for the next year, as Saturn is moving toward opposition to Uranus in early November and will make two more passes until finally separating in September 2009. We’ll have more on this, of course, as the dates get closer.

This week, Mars squares Pluto. Whereas Mars-Uranus aspects can indicate explosions, Mars-Pluto combinations suggest implosions or, at the very least, intense discomfort. There is an element of subversion, underhanded manipulation, and struggles for power and control. As always, you’ll feel this aspect the most if either of these planets falls on key planets or angles in your natal chart. The aspect is exact late Saturday on the West Coast of the United States.

Venus, unfortunately, isn’t going to be able to do much to intervene. She’s unhappily placed in Virgo and meets up with Saturn on Wednesday, which puts a chilling effect on her ability to soothe and bring conciliatory love. Those of you who are going through relationship difficulties may find this to be a lonely week. Try not to despair. Even if you’re in a tough situation, the pain will subside in a week or two, and you’ll be able to move forward with a plan.

Talking about the situation may be difficult, too, as Mercury also conjoins Saturn. The aspect is exact on Friday, but we’ll feel it for a couple of days on either side. Resist the temptation to be overly critical and to blame others for the difficulties in your life. At the same time, don’t get stuck in blaming yourself, as this isn’t particularly helpful or productive, either. The best strategy this week, if you can swing it, is to reserve judgment and wait until next week to see the picture more clearly.

The Full Moon lunar eclipse on Saturday brings ongoing issues to a head. There shouldn’t be any surprises to this one. Chances are, you’ve seen the handwriting on the wall in big, bold letters, although perhaps you’ve been wishing that it weren’t true. The eclipse falls at 24°21′ Aquarius, in close conjunction with Neptune, the planet of dreams and delusions. If you can strip away the wishful thinking, you may find that the reality, while stark, is something you can deal with. You just need to confront it, and then deep healing can take place.

As always, Neith will have more on the Full Moon later this week.

I should also mention that Mercury and Venus both trine Jupiter late this week, although I’m not counting on them to be very helpful. Venus and Jupiter both are in their fall, and Jupiter is retrograde. At best, we may get a few moments of relief, and yet even that may come through less-than-ideal methods such as having a beer too many or downing a pint of ice cream. Or maybe you’ll just want to talk someone’s ear off.

Do what you have to do to stay steady.

Love and blessings,
Pat

Image: King Neptune, by illustrator Walter Crane, born August 15, 1845.

Summer Solstice June 20, 2008

mid-summer evening light

The summer solstice is the moment when the Sun enters Cancer. It’s the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere; the longest night in the Southern Hemisphere.

A chart cast for this moment gives us a sense of the tone for the next six months. Because Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the aspects to the Moon in the solstice chart are important. Here, we find the Moon in late Capricorn widely conjunct Jupiter. The Moon is also part of a Yod with Mars in Leo at the apex. Uranus in Pisces is sextile the Moon and is the other planet forming the base of the Yod. The base planets combine to give us innovation and optimism, somewhat at odds with the energetic element in flamboyant Leo. Pursuing creative projects is encouraged, but at the same time, waiting for definitive results before going public is also recommended.

Mars also opposes Neptune, and this aspect underlines the possibility that we will be less than clear about our goals and desires. Neptune can be very high-minded while at the same time being a little weak in the facts department. With Pluto back in Sagittarius and widely trine Mars, the urge to push ahead will be great. Be very careful to double-check all pertinent information before moving ahead with plans.

On the positive side, we have a lovely sextile between Venus, Ceres, and the Sun in Cancer and Saturn in Virgo. Healing, nurturing, and promoting healthy lifestyle changes are all favored and well worth putting energy behind now. Thankfully that rascal Mercury is direct in Gemini, giving mental clarity a boost.

Overall, the path most likely to bring good fortune is to stay with a modest approach rather then trumpeting one’s virtues to all and sundry. There is support for thoughtful, creative ventures benefiting the group as a whole rather than the individual. Being kind is always a good practice and usually generates goodwill. Remember to take time to nurture yourself, too.

posted by Neith . . .

Our poll will appear next week . . .

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.

Slogging Through the Obstacles

This is an exciting week, with major astrological shifts that should leave everyone feeling a lot better. I’m more than ready to get out of this stuck space, and I know you all are, too.

The week begins with several planets in their detriment or fall, including Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. As I noted in last week’s SkyWatch post, when planets are in their detriment or fall, the energies they embody are somehow “off,” and we feel it. Venus has been demanding and selfish in Aries, while Mars is paranoid, moody, and passive-aggressive in Cancer. In Capricorn, Jupiter turns into a workaholic, when he’s so much more jovial as master of ceremonies.

Although Mercury isn’t technically in detriment or fall in Taurus, this isn’t his best sign, and this will be doubly true when he squares Neptune on Tuesday. Slow, foggy, and confused thinking will be the order of the day. Have you ever been on the phone and momentarily forgotten who you were talking to? It’s like that…

On Wednesday, Venus enters Taurus, which is one of the signs she rules. We should start seeing signs of beauty, grace, and a general return of yumminess, with fewer selfish demands, especially among couples.

Thursday is May 1, celebrated as May Day and known to the ancient Celts as Beltaine, when virgins were deflowered, and it was OK to mate with someone other than your spouse. Venus trines Pluto, which is sure to create some irresistible temptation. And if you’re looking to make it more permanent, her trine with Saturn later in the day could bring just what you’re looking for. Saturn is about to turn direct, too, so this will be a powerful day for romantic commitment.

Saturn turns direct on Friday at 8:07 p.m. on the West Coast of the United States. He’ll take a week or two to start moving forward, but we all are going to start seeing some real progress in areas that have had us stuck for months. As I noted in a new post today on The Pisces Chronicles, the simultaneous station of Jupiter in Capricorn and Saturn coincided with an interesting experience over the weekend that seems to have bumped me up a notch on the consciousness spiral. Among other things, I made some progress in a couple of areas where I’ve been desperately stuck. Could the chant to Ganesha (pictured above) have had anything to do with it? He’s apparently an expert on dealing with Saturn issues.

Earlier on Friday, Mercury enters Gemini. Seeing as how we’re interacting primarily in cyberspace, we’re going to feel this, and I’m betting it will be almost instant. Look for lots of communications activity this weekend.

Sunday will be deliciously lazy and sensual, with the Moon exalted in Taurus trining Pluto and Saturn, then conjoining Venus – all in preparation for Monday’s New Moon. Effects of the New Moon can be felt within three days before or after peak fullness, so we should start seeing the results of all the painful breaking down we’ve been going through since the Full Moon in Scorpio.

So hang in there, and keep in touch. One of the ways we learn about how astrology works is through the stories you leave here. And don’t be shy, even if English is not your native language. RealAstrologers.com is a truly international website, and it’s always exciting for us to hear from the four corners of the planet.

Much love and manifold blessings,
Pat

Family Power Plays and Pluto

the view from Pluto

In many ways families are the microcosm for studying the effects of planets at work in synastry, natally and by transit. I’m watching one unfold in my immediate family between my Aries SO and his younger daughter. She is currently in the early stages of transiting Pluto approaching her natal Capricorn Moon and is heading into the second pass of her Saturn Return. She also has Pluto in Libra conjunct her Ascendant and so far her reaction to that natal aspect is to attempt to dominate and control every aspect of her life . . . . [Yeah, like that will work in the long run!]

Her father and I are about the only people in her immediate family who will stand their ground and not allow her to have her way. Both her dad and I have Mars in Scorpio square Pluto in Leo and we both have a definite “don’t mess with me” vibe. Her Mars is in Taurus exactly opposing her father’s and mine, so the operative synastry aspect here is a T-square with Pluto in Leo at the apex! Her Uranus in Scorpio opposes her Mars and conjuncts her father’s Mars exacerbating the situation with the arbitrary quality Uranus brings to the table. Sure does sound like power plays to me.

The latest episode revolves around her civil marriage ceremony. Instead of opening negotiations and discussing the location with her dad, she announced she wanted to have it on the ex-law’s property at the last minute [Uranus in action] knowing full well he had stated in no uncertain terms he would never voluntarily set foot there again. The reason she gave was this is what her financé wished – like her Capricorn financé ever did anything she didn’t ask?!

The upshot is a typical Pluto power play result . . . no one’s happy, there are bad feelings all the way around and almost every one is “stuffing” their feelings. With Pluto, resolution is often only possible through deliberate disengagement and that is not happening in this situation due to other complicating factors.

Plutonians in the depth of control issues tend not to respond well to confrontation and most must hit their personal “wall” hard enough to choose the path to detachment and sanity. This is what my own experience with Pluto has taught . . . the hard way.

A note on helping Plutonians and those in the throes of a Pluto transit to the personal planets and Ascendant in particular – these individuals will not likely respond to offers of help. It’s comparable to dealing with addicts who have not acknowledged their addiction. Until the door is opened a crack by the Plutonian person (they request assistance and feedback), they may not react well to even the kindest, more sincere offer of help.

posted by Neith . . .

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.

posted by Neith . . .