Tag Archives: Saturn in Libra

Weekly Forecast October 1: Saturn Enters Scorpio

Washington Crossing the Delaware, by Emanuel Leutze, 1851.

Several shifts take place this week, with four planets changing signs and one stationing retrograde.

By far the biggest shift is Saturn’s entry into Scorpio, where he’ll remain until September 2015. He got within half a degree in February but then turned retrograde and spent another eight months in Libra. Now, after revisiting difficult relationship issues and feeling like we’ve gotten as far as we can, the floodgates of transformation are about to open. Life is going to look a lot different around this time next week.

Just before Saturn enters Scorpio on Friday, Mercury and Saturn conjoin in the final degree of Libra. I have a feeling something will click for a lot of us at that point – like, “Oh, OK, now I get it.” What was all the waiting, returning, and soul-searching for? Since Libra is the sign of diplomacy, this may also apply to international relations, although we likely won’t be privy to whatever “enlightenment” our governments may gain. With both Mercury and Saturn in Scorpio, the likelihood increases that wheeling and dealing will go on behind closed doors. For now. I expect the cover will be blown eventually. I also think that whatever comes to light is going to spark public outrage, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Saturn and Pluto will be in mutual reception for the duration of Saturn in Scorpio. Mutual reception occurs when each of two planets is in the sign ruled by the other. The last time Saturn and Pluto were in mutual reception was at the end of 1776. The colonies already had declared their independence from the British Empire and were at war. Within a few weeks of Saturn’s entry into Scorpio, Washington crossed the Delaware, and Thomas Paine wrote the famous words, “These are the times that try men’s souls … Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.”

Like the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware (stupidly standing in an overloaded boat), history is romanticized, and anyone today who takes up arms against tyranny is a “terrorist.” Well, then, I guess we’re going to see a lot more terrorism in the next three years, perhaps with renewed support for the Second Amendment. Combined with the Uranus-Pluto square, we can count on there being more bloodshed. Further, the combination of Scorpio and Capricorn strongly suggests economic conflict and scarcity of resources. Regardless of who’s elected in November, the 99 percent is going to see more belt-tightening.

It’s interesting to note the current fascination with the 1960s, which is when this Uranus-Pluto cycle began. The energy definitely is seeping into the collective. An article in the The Guardian today contemplates when the 1960s “officially” began and cites the revolution in music started by the Beatles. And whether or not they’re aware of the astrological correlations, writers in the media are making the connection between the turbulent 60s and the new wave of turmoil. You don’t need to be an astrologer to see that more upheaval is imminent.

Ray Merriman has an interesting prediction in his column this week about how these volatile astrological energies could affect the presidential elections in the United States. He mentions the possibility of a war in the Middle East, too.

As this week begins, we’re still in the wake of the Full Moon in Aries. I’ve been watching the news headlines, and so far the only story that really jumps out at me as a possible correlation to the Full Moon involves the austerity riots in Spain. Riots in bankrupt European countries have been going on for some time, but what’s particularly disturbing about this situation is the violent manner in which the police responded. We’re not out of the woods yet with this Full Moon. I normally don’t get too freaked out by astrological predictions, but I will admit that I’m on edge this week. I’m hoping it’s just a false alarm.

On Wednesday, Venus enters Virgo, the sign of her fall, and immediately opposes Neptune. Please let’s try to keep in mind the service-oriented side of Virgo, the friend who listens and offers help, not criticism about what you could have/should have done and how you brought it all on yourself. Fantasies can run both ways: putting someone on a pedestal is as deluded as believing they’re Satan. Be especially kind on Sunday, when Venus opposes Chiron. If you truly want to help someone, try to put yourself in his or her shoes before you open your mouth.

Jupiter turns retrograde on Thursday at 16 degrees Gemini. He’ll return to 6 degrees Gemini before returning direct in late January. Retrogrades of Jupiter on the whole aren’t too troublesome; it’s just that we don’t get the benefit of his expansiveness. The exception may be while Mercury is retrograde next month. Even retrograde, Jupiter in Gemini could amplify glitches related to retrograde Mercury. Also, if you’ve got Jupiter transiting a personal planet or chart angle, you may experience a reversal of luck or, at least, a delay in the payoff. If you don’t know where Jupiter is transiting your chart, there’s still time to order your StarGuide Fall forecast.

On Friday, Mercury and Saturn conjoin, then both enter Scorpio and form a grand trine with Neptune in Pisces and Ceres in Cancer. Dreams can come true, but it won’t happen by sitting in a lotus position and visualizing world peace. You have to get out there, roll up your sleeves, and get dirt under your fingernails. You might have to do other things you consider beneath you, too. Just keep your eye on the prize.

Mars leaves Scorpio on Saturday and enters adventurous Sagittarius, where his first order of business is to square Neptune. For an idea of how this might manifest, we may need to think all the way back to the first week of November 2011, when Mars opposed Neptune. Because of his retrograde cycle earlier this year, it took Mars all this time to arrive at the final square. This is not an optimistic transit, and we may feel a certain sense of hopelessness. Goddess knows, we’d be justified, but Sagittarius is the can-do pioneer that carries on in the face of adversity. Seek a reality check, and if you know you’re headed in the right direction, then push through the doubt. The bigger danger with Mars-Neptune is some form of deceit – in this case, likely due to a huge exaggeration. The presidential debates will be over by then, but there’s no time limit on the whoppers. My advice is to take care what you believe and in whom you put your trust.

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

Weekly Forecast September 10: New Moon in Virgo, Mercury Enters Libra

The pathway up. © Pat Paquette, 2012.

Relationships are in the transformation stage, no doubt about it. We’ve seen it coming, as Saturn approaches the final degree of Libra and is finally ready to move on.

Many of us are going to be finally ready to move on, too. Like, final finally. We’ve been ready. We’ve tried. But something has held us back for one more lesson, one more bit of convincing, and one last hope that maybe we were missing something, the golden bit of light that will wake us up to what’s really going so that we can remain more comfortably in an uncomfortable place. After all, we’re told that we can’t change others, only ourselves. So many of us have been busily working at changing ourselves, like burning the candle at both ends into the wee hours preparing for the final exam.

Four stories came to me last week about difficult relationships, how they’d been ended once or twice already only to be resurrected for another go. Until the Full Moon in Pisces on August 31, they were all doing pretty well, in a place that was more compassionate, accepting, and serene. And all four people, within a few days last week, experienced an unexpected event with their partners that threw them for a loop. One of them, a woman who after a year of struggling finally came to grips with her partner’s Asperger’s, was on her way home from work and saw him going out to dinner with another woman.

I wrote in last week’s forecast that the Full Moon would continue to unfold right up to Friday. Did it ever, and how. Last Tuesday, I came across Michael Lutin’s article on the Full Moon in Pisces, and it suddenly all made sense. We’re heading into the final three degrees of Saturn in Libra. Right. Mikey commented that something drastic will take place. I assume he’s talking about Saturn’s entry in Scorpio, which will place him in mutual reception with Pluto. Those of us who have been up all night studying will go through the final exam and emerge ready to transform. I say “ready to transform” rather than “transformed,” because I believe the process will continue. Evolution doesn’t stop.

I know, it sounds kind of scary, but we’ve known for some time that this wasn’t going to be a period of snuggling into our comfort zones. We’re out of the nest, learning to fly. This is what it feels like.

I’m going to spend the rest of the forecast looking at Saturday’s New Moon in Virgo, which begins unfolding on Monday and will continue to be felt through the weekend. The bigger event, of course, is the Uranus-Pluto square, which will be exact on September 18, the same day Pluto turns direct. Uranus says, “Evolution isn’t fast enough. Mutate!”

New Moon in Virgo

Click on image to enlarge

This New Moon is ruled by Mercury, who conjoins the Sun on Monday and then swiftly moves through the end of Virgo to enter Libra on Sunday. In my world, Virgo is co-ruled by Ceres, who is moving through the end of Gemini – in a near perfect square with Mercury and the New Moon and a perfect trine with Saturn.

Mercury in his own sign of Virgo wants to pay attention to the details – who did what to whom, when, who owes whom money, and so forth. This is fine for professional relationships, and directly addressing details may be just the solution for moving through issues with co-workers and supervisors. If this is your situation, make sure you have all your ducks in a row and that your arguments are based on sound logic. There’s still room for compromise (especially the following week, with Mercury in Libra), but concessions will be made on logic, not feelings.

Ceres has a different agenda. Feelings count, and so does the physical and emotional well-being of everyone involved. There may be a pecking order, but if someone lower down the food chain has the goods, they stand on equal footing with the higher-ups. Her method of compromise is more like Libra: you get half, I get half. If your relationship is ending, this may be a practical matter, and it’s where I see the possibility of a split that, while not necessarily amicable, at least will be civil. I think this is also where we may be able to release some karma, especially if you’ve got ties with someone over several incarnations.

Interestingly, in the New Moon chart, Juno is on the lunar North Node at 29 degrees Scorpio. In Roman mythology, Juno was the wife of Jupiter, the king of the gods. The Greek equivalents are Zeus and Hera. Greek mythology unfortunately stripped Hera of her power by making her the angry and vengeful wife of a philanderer. Her actual history is much older (like Nemesis, about whom I wrote last week). The evolution of the goddess might as well be a story about how male and female energies became imbalanced in the world. We’re on the threshold of righting the balance. In the last degree of Scorpio, Juno is drawing upon all of her power before entering Sagittarius, the sign ruled by Jupiter.

Lastly, Venus trines Uranus (the aspect is exact on Thursday). Here’s the big surprise, an event that causes a mutation of thought that leads to a transformation in your external world. This event may concern love or money, two domains ruled by Venus. Because the trine is harmonious, I’m hopeful that this will be a happy surprise. Goddess knows we’ve had enough of the other kind.

Mikey suggested reading the Robert Frost poem, commonly referred to as “The Road Less Travelled.” The actual title is “The Road Not Taken.” Think about that for a minute. Frost was writing about one road, but the collective perception was the opposite. There’s a lot to contemplate in the few weeks left of Saturn in Libra. Come to think of it, this is a perfect poem for Libra. Who else could stand so long at a fork in the road, trying to decide which way to go?

Regardless of which road you take, it’s going to be bumpy for the next several weeks. To help you on your way, I just set up the StarGuide Fall forecast, which is now available. I’ve taken some pre-orders already, so if you order now, expect it to take 3-4 days for delivery. I also highly recommend that if you want your report by the first day of fall (September 22) that you order this week. This is my most popular report, and I’m always swamped at the beginning of the new season.

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

When You Can’t Do It Anymore … Repost of Michael Lutin’s Where’s the Moon

© Snizhanna, Dreamstime.com

It’s not often that I send you to another site for a forecast (with the exception of Ray Merriman, whose financial updates are priceless) but I just had to repost this insight from Michael Lutin! I’ve sensed the energy of Saturn in the final degrees of Libra, but Mikey has it summed up better than I ever could. I know that many of you will be able to relate. For me, it was one of those “OMFG” moments.

Michael Lutin’s Where’s the Moon

Just what are you supposed to do when you know you just can’t do it anymore? When you’ve run out steam. You’ve done your level best. You’ve given all you’ve got. You did the commitment as far as any human being should be asked to do. You know it’s got to change. It’s just got to. It’s just got to. But it seems like it’s taking forever. Don’t be in such a hurry. This one will be drastic. Doesn’t it seem like everything is going in slow motion?

The Full Moon on Chiron has turned a harsh spotlight on all your deepest fantasies. If you can embrace them proudly, you will be free of anxiety. The problem with Chiron, however, is that if you feel shame for the feelings and fantasies you have, it’s the shame that causes you to push people away, feel alone and alienated and shrink away from intimacy. That is when relationships suffer.

So much soul-searching going on right now. All relationships, business and personal, are being put under the microscope and evaluated. In order to deepen and grow stronger and not shrivel up wither away, you have to surrender your innocence, and be completely and totally honest about what you want and need on the most primitive level. You have to reveal yourself, but even scarier,
you have to hear what the other person is really into. Relationships survive when both parties can surrender up the truth of their most primitive desires, and not freak out to hear somebody else’s.

Nobody knows what the next step is. They just know there has to be one.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH DISAPPOINTMENT YOU CAN TAKE

Gee! IT’S GETTING LATE … The last three degrees of this transit of Saturn will give you a a chance to finish what you started and accept the consequences of the commitments you made …

READ THE REST at www.michaellutin.com. Read it NOW!

Weekly Forecast July 30: Full Moon in Aquarius

© Dreaming in rose. Pat Paquette 2012

This certainly is turning out to be a classic Mercury retrograde. I’ve lost more than half of the past week addressing corrupted files, lost data, and long waits getting through to tech support – just when I’m under a huge deadline for a film project. Of course.

It’s particularly ironic that my astrology software got corrupted. The good news is that I had my client data backed up, so for anyone who has ordered a report, I still have you in my database. The bad news is that, in reinstalling the program, I lost all of my custom settings, including weeks’ worth of programming charts and the cool graphs that are included in my StarGuide forecasts. In backing up my system, I never thought to back up all of the program files. It’s a painful lesson. It also means that it will be a week or so before I can fulfill new report orders. As I said … classic Mercury retrograde.

Then, I’ve been extremely unhappy with this program, so perhaps this is a “hint” that it’s time to upgrade to Solar Fire, the gold standard in astrology software. I chose another brand on the advice of a consultant and have put hundreds of dollars into add-ons, but I’ve been tearing my hair out over the unfriendly user interface and even unfriendlier customer support. I’ve been putting off switching to a different program, not only because of the expense, but because once I buy new software, I’ll likely have to revise my report offerings – typical excuses for avoiding making changes that ultimately will improve our lives. Mercury retrograde is so good at planting these pies in our faces, with extra whipped cream.

In the meantime, I’m madly pushing to edit a pitch piece to get funding for a documentary about professional astrologers. It’s actually a reconstruction, since I lost the final cut in a hard drive accident in mid-June (Mercury wasn’t even retrograde, go figure). Recreating the work has been the one thing that has gone relatively well during this retrograde cycle, as I expected it would. The challenge is dealing with all of the other problems, which has eaten up precious time that I could have spent in the editing room.

Everywhere I go, I’ve been hearing similar stories, and I’m sure you all have plenty of your own. It seems like no matter how much you try to be prepared, something unexpected goes wrong. It’s living proof that there are “bad” transits. I’m not one of the New Age-y astrologers who believe there’s no such thing as a bad transit, that it’s what you make of it, blahblah. Shit happens, and it tends to happen more during certain planetary configurations. Sure, we can use Mercury retrograde to our advantage (as with my film reconstruction), but we also need to be aware that delays, obstacles, and extremely inconvenient situations are likely to happen more frequently and without warning. The one thing we do have control over is how we communicate. Although we can’t help it if someone misunderstands us, we can give them some leeway and not blame them for the miscommunication.

We’ve got another week and half to go before Mercury returns direct, so just hang in there and do the best you can. In the meantime, Wednesday’s Full Moon in Aquarius promises to throw some good energy into the mix, further building on the positive vibe of the recent sextile from Jupiter to Uranus. At its peak, the Full Moon makes positive connections to both Uranus and Jupiter. Together, these giants make big sparks. This could be literal – as in more giant thunderstorms – or it could be symbolic, bringing sparks of excitement into your life. As surprising as events have been lately, it looks like there’s more in store for us.

I don’t know about you, but my life has been fast and furious with opportunities over the past couple of weeks – so many that I’m overstretched, exhausted, and stressed out by the possibility that passing on an invitation could cost me connections and work down the road. Normally, I’d gauge which opportunities to take based on the potential material returns, but this time I also considered which ones were the most fun and most in line with what I want to do, whether or not it’s financially sound. It seems like more and more people are making decisions based on what’s in their heart and not on what they think they should do or what others think they should do.

The Sun forms an exact trine with Uranus on Tuesday and an exact sextile with Jupiter on Thursday, so the excitement should last for much of the week.

Chart for Full Moon in Aquarius

Click on image to enlarge

Of course, the Uranus-Pluto square is also active in this Full Moon chart. It almost feels like old news by now, but with Uranus, surprises happen. As the ruler of Aquarius, Uranus rules this Full Moon, so it’s quite possible that we’ll get a Uranus-Pluto “jolt” out of the blue.

Venus remains in a trine with Saturn. Although it’s waning, it’s still close enough to use its energy for improving communications and commitment in relationships, be they personal or professional. And with Saturn heading into the final degrees of Libra, we’re finally wrapping up the lesson we thought we learned earlier this year. For me, personally, it has been painful, but there have been very noticeable improvements, mostly in my understanding and acceptance.

On Friday, Mercury and Neptune are inconjunct (technically, quincunx, but I hate that word because it’s too hard to say). Dreams could be jarring or totally incomprehensible. If you can’t figure out a particularly bizarre or disturbing dream, don’t worry about it. It’s possible that it has nothing to do with you.

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

Weekly Forecast June 25: Venus and Saturn Direct, Sun Opposite Pluto

© Verners Verzbilovskis for Dreamstime.com

We’ve passed the first Uranus-Pluto square, which was exact early Sunday morning in the United States. I’ve been paying special attention to the news headlines, but as I noted last week, this outer planetary cycle has long-term effects and tends not to manifest as a discrete event.

One thing I did notice last week, though, was blood on the sidewalks. I have a rolling backpack on wheels, and twice last Wednesday had to swerve to avoid going through blood. As I was pondering this weird coincidence, a man came limping up the hill toward me with one pant leg soaked in blood from the knee down. Seattle isn’t an especially violent place, as cities go, and I was walking in relatively safe areas. The real kicker was on Friday, when I ducked into Macy’s downtown to use the lady’s room. The first open stall had a blood-soaked tissue and red smears on the counter. It definitely wasn’t lipstick. By then, I was totally freaked out. Whether this is a peculiar manifestation of the Uranus-Pluto square or some other broad trend, I don’t know.

If I had to pick one event this past week that I feel confident correlating to the Uranus-Pluto cycle, it would be the elections in Egypt. What came to be known as “Arab Spring” began in December 2010, a few months after the peak of a cardinal T-square. Uranus and Pluto were within three degrees of a square at that time. They came within a degree of one another in August 2011. So this cycle is already well underway, and we’re already seeing it manifesting in world political, social, and financial trends. Again, I call your attention to events that rocked the world in the mid-1960s to get an idea of what we can expect over the next few years.

This summer could be especially turbulent, with exact alignments of Uranus and Pluto on June 24 and again on September 19. The second one occurs just as Pluto is coming out of a retrograde cycle – a very powerful moment. We may get more hints of things to come this Friday, when the Sun opposes Pluto and squares Uranus, forming a cardinal T-square. Remember, cardinal T-squares are all about change, and with Uranus involved, the changes could come rapidly and out of left field.

It’s interesting to note that when this T-square is closest to exact, Venus makes a close sextile to Uranus. Venus in Gemini and Saturn in Venus-ruled Libra both come out of retrograde this week, making it an especially powerful time for relationships and finances, with communications being key to success. Unless Uranus and Pluto are hitting personal planets or key points in your natal chart, you’re probably not feeling this square too much in your individual life, except perhaps as part of a broader trend. Not so for Venus and Saturn. If you want to know where these two are in your chart and how they’re manifesting, I recommend ordering the StarGuide Summer Forecast. (Keep in mind that it could take 3-4 days to get your report, depending on when you order.) July reports are available, as well.

Looking at other particulars this week, Jupiter squares Neptune on Monday, with Neptune and the Sun in a water trine. This aspect could correlate to Tropical Storm Debby. I just read that national hurricane forecasters are somewhat perplexed, as the meteorological programs they use to track storms show conflicting results. “We must be ready to make a change of the forecast track at any time,” this morning’s 10 a.m. report out of Miami said. That pretty much sums up this week’s astrological forecast and, indeed, the outlook for the rest of the summer.

Also on Monday, Mercury enters Leo and then will begin to slow down (relative to Earth’s orbit) in preparation for turning retrograde on July 14. We’ll be in the pre-retrograde shadow as of this Thursday, so start thinking about wrapping up your business, backing up your computer data, and getting major purchases out of the way.

The Messenger’s first order of business is a sextile with Ceres, who just entered Gemini. Perhaps this will provide us with a bit more information about the functions of Ceres in individual and mundane charts. The jury’s still out for me regarding her significance, although we can get some clues from her mythology. There does seem to be a correlation between Ceres and the environment, particularly the food chain. Watch for headlines to that effect and let me know if you find anything unusual.

On Friday, the day of the T-square activity, Mercury forms a sextile with Jupiter. Normally, this is a fun aspect, and it is Friday. Still, with the Sun and Pluto in opposition, take care who you party with, and definitely make sure you have a ride home if you’ve had too much to drink. A night in the clink doesn’t sound very fun to me, and there likely would be blood involved.

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

Weekly Forecast June 18: New Moon in Gemini, Uranus Square Pluto

In honor of the Solstice, at a time when you can't count on tradition anymore. © R.G. Ojéda

It would be tempting to predict that all hell is going to break loose this week, but outer planetary aspects don’t work that way.

I’m referring, of course, to the Uranus-Pluto square, which is exact on Sunday, June 24 – the first of seven exact alignments between now and 2015. You may recall that we came very close to an exact square in July 2011. The fact is, we’ve been feeling this alignment for more than a year now, and we’ll be feeling it for the next few years. It is the defining aspect of our time.

To get an idea of what this aspect signifies, we need only look back to the beginning of the cycle, the Uranus-Pluto conjunction in the mid-1960s. The aspect peaked in 1965 and 1966, and yet the year we remember as the most volatile from that decade was 1968. If you were too young to remember that year or weren’t born yet, I highly recommend a documentary film called 1968 with Tom Brokaw. You can find it in segments on YouTube. The first part alone will give you the general idea.

Two words you often hear to describe that era – “revolution” and “transformation” – are spoken by people with no interest in or knowledge of astrology, and yet these are the keywords for Uranus and Pluto. Funny how that works. According to astrological theory, the crises and conflicts we’re experiencing now have their roots in the sweeping changes that occurred back then. Much has been written about how the 60s drug culture contributed to the awakening of the collecting consciousness. And we can bet that law enforcement authorities, faced with the Occupy Movement and other mass protests, learned a lot from the riots in the 1960s. With Pluto in Capricorn, expect crackdowns against unrest to be faster, heavier, and more brutal. Governments learned from experiences in the 1960s that media control is vital. If you watch 1968, you may be startled by the raw footage that came out of the Vietnam War. Those shocking images motivated large numbers of people to protest in the streets. We don’t have anything like that coming from Iraq or Afghanistan. You need only look at what happened to Julian Assange to foresee what will happen to anyone who tries to expose the truth independently.

In any case, major events that marked the 1960s – the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, the growing civil rights and women’s movements – occurred over time and not on or near an exact date that Uranus and Pluto aligned. Incidentally, pardon me for taking an American view of things. There were sweeping changes around the world in the 60s. France had its own version of 1968. I don’t mean to suggest that the changes here were any more important than elsewhere or that the United States is the world center of revolution and transformation. If anything, the world is a much smaller place than ever, thanks to instant communications over the Internet.

So, with that long introduction, let’s have a look at this week. There are several other planetary aspects to suggest that changes will come fast and furious in the short term.

New Moon in Gemini

Click on image to enlarge

On Tuesday, we have another New Moon in Gemini. This is the second in a row. The first one occurred with a solar eclipse on May 20. At first glance, the Uranus-Pluto square dominates the New Moon chart. However, what draws my eye is the sextile from Uranus to Venus, exact by degree (technically called “partile” in astro-speak). Venus still has another week in retrograde phase before turning direct on June 27. Saturn, meanwhile, turns direct in Libra on June 24. In the final degrees of Gemini, the New Moon has a “looking back” flavor to it, not unlike a retrograde. We’re still in critique mode, especially regarding our closest relationships, as we review what we didn’t do so well and what we might do better in the future to get more of what we want and less of what we don’t want. As I’ve mentioned before, the review may include experiences in other dimensions of time or space – more commonly called “past lives.” Awareness of these parallel relationships is helping us clean up some difficult karma so that we can move on, either by entering a new phase in a current relationship or getting closure in some other way.

The Venus-Uranus sextile typically brings a surprise element into the picture. It may not be pleasant, given that Venus is retrograde and inconjunct Pluto. However, if you can keep your nerve through the discomfort, you may come out in a pleasantly surprising place in another week or two. For some of you, the discomfort may simply be the waiting and uncertainty. It’s hard not knowing how things ultimately will shake out. The Venus-Uranus sextile is exact on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, Mercury squares Saturn and the Sun enters Cancer. Saturn is moving very slowly right now (what it looks like from down here anyway) as he gets close to changing direction. The square from Mercury likely will bring all the worst flaws into sharp focus, be they personal weaknesses, relationship issues, the need for improvement in your work, or other problems. It will be hard to see the bright side, so try as best you can to balance out all the negatives with something positive. Make a list if you have to, even if it seems like an exercise in futility. Mercury’s waxing sextile with Mars (exact on Thursday) will help. Overall, Wednesday could be quite an emotional day.

The Sun’s entry into Cancer marks the summer solstice and longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Normally, this would be the highlight of the week, but there are too many other major aspects happening that overshadow the seasonal landmark. For me, it’s an outward sign that the academic year is over after a hair-raising final quarter in which I lost not one but two (and almost three) hard drives with all my work on them. That means no rest this summer. I start an internship next week, and will have to spend the next several weeks reconstructing my final project, which, ironically, is about astrology.

Incidentally, I’m working on the StarGuide Summer Forecast this week and will have it up soon. The July monthlies also will be available, for those of you who have pre-ordered. I’ll post an announcement when they’re ready. And, while my consultation hours will continue to be limited, I will have greater availability in the next few months.

Last but not least, the Sun and Neptune form a dreamy water trine on Saturday. It’s a great day for a picnic at the beach or poolside. If you don’t have access to a beach or pool, set up the sprinkler in your backyard. Keep your dream journal handy, as intuition is high and open for major downloads.

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

Weekly Forecast May 21: Mercury Enters Gemini

Mercury Appearing to Aeneas, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1757. In Virgil's Aeneid, Jupiter sends Mercury to Trojan warrior Aeneas, who must choose between his destiny to found the city of Rome and his love for Queen Dido. The story recounts the mythological events of a changing era and the dawn of a new empire.

Whew, I definitely felt that eclipse. What about you? It was overcast and foggy here, so I didn’t get to see anything, but around 3:30, I essentially passed out and was in a deep sleep for two hours.

It was a good thing I got some extra rest, because this week promises to be insanely busy. We’ll be in the wake of the eclipse through Tuesday, while Mercury straps on his winged sandals and gets ready to fly into his home sign of Gemini on Thursday. Fortunately, our brains will be quick enough to keep up when life shifts into high gear.

Indeed, this week is all about Mercury. As of Friday, all the planets will deposit to him until June 7, except Neptune and, for a few days, the Moon. This means that all areas of life ruled by Mercury will command our attention and take on additional urgency – the most important among them being all forms of communication. With Venus retrograde in Gemini, we may notice an upswing in contact from people we haven’t heard from in some time. I’ve already had one of those experiences and am waiting for the second, as they typically come in pairs. Gemini is, after all, the Twins.

Mercury himself is not just the speedy messenger, associated with rational thinking and a quick wit. Remember, in mythology, he was the only one of the gods who could move freely between the world of the living and the world of the dead. That’s why, when Ceres demanded that Pluto return her kidnapped daughter or else, she had to send Mercury as the intermediary.

The phenomenon symbolized by Mercury is at work when thoughts bubble up from our subconscious, or when images flash into our mind in the space between sleeping and waking. If you’re a creative-minded person, you may get many of your ideas in that space. If so, then you’ve experienced the essence of Mercury. If effect, you’ve received a “message from the gods” via the Messenger.

The reason I bring this up is that we normally think of Mercury as the planet of communications and quick thinking, and while this is true, there’s more to the Little Guy. And we’re going to experience his dual role this week as he aspects Jupiter (the Big Guy) on Tuesday, Neptune on Friday, and the Sun and Uranus on Sunday. Keep a notebook handy and write down your ideas. They may come and go so fast that if you don’t record them, you’ll forget … which would be a shame, because truly, we’re receiving major “downloads” right now, some of them as fleeting ideas and others as major revelations. The synchronicities continue, as well.

One of the things that always has fascinated me as I contemplate Gemini is the concept of communications between the two hemispheres of the brain. Where do these intuitive thoughts come from, how do they enter our conscious awareness, and how do we process them? As a writer, I depend on this process for inspiration. Once I come up with an idea – and who knows, really, where it comes from – I make a note of it and then wait for my subconscious to do the “research.” Invariably, ideas pop to the surface as I’m waking up or while I’m commuting on the ferry, staring at the water and thinking about nothing in particular. Sometimes, something will happen during the day that literally brings the information I need to my fingertips.

Some people are disturbed by these strange ideas out of “nowhere” and quickly suppress them. This is all the more likely to happen to those who are entrenched in belief systems that would collapse with the insurgence of one radical truth. I suspect there’s going to be a lot of that going on in the next few weeks, individually and collectively.

Communicating within relationships is going to be very important this week, too. Venus is now retrograde but moving very slowly, while Saturn also is retrograde. While they never form an exact trine, they’ve been tracking within a degree of each other and will remain within a couple of degrees of a trine all week. Saturn is in Venus-ruled Libra, the sign of relationships, reminding us that commitment comes with responsibilities. The first responsibility is to communicate. In romantic relationships, honesty is paramount. We often tell little lies, thinking that we’re sparing the other person’s feelings, when the real motivation may be elsewhere. If you’re not being truthful with your partner, you might want to have a little discussion with yourself and try to figure out why not. What’s at stake? What is served by hiding the truth? You may have legitimate reasons, but more often than not, information is withheld as a means of control.

On Saturday, Mercury also conjoins the lunar South Node. I’ve been hearing a lot from friends and clients about past-life memories, often triggered by meeting someone from another lifetime. I expect we’re going to get a lot more of this in the next few weeks, too. The Sun crosses the South Node the day before, which also may trigger some synchronicities or events that feel “destined.”

However, it’s Mercury I’m watching this week. Whether the communications come from within or without, they’re likely to come fast and to be worth our attention. Keep those antennae up! And for those of you who are getting slammed, this is just another admonition to keep your eye on the goal and don’t lose your nerve. When you’re surfing a giant wave and driving on a high-speed freeway, you can’t afford to allow your attention to lapse for even a second.

Much love and courage to all,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

P.S. For photos of the eclipse as well as good information about solar activity, check out Space Weather.

Weekly Forecast April 30: Full Moon in Scorpio

This week is the Scorpio Full Moon, which means it’s the festival of Wesak, honoring the birth, death, and enlightenment of the Buddha.

Wesak is a major “download” time, when a portal opens to higher consciousness. I don’t know how many more open portals I can stand. As it is, we’re marching toward an extraordinary alignment of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and Venus on June 4 and 5, which I believe will trigger a giant leap forward in the evolution of human consciousness. Then there are the solar flares and corresponding disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field.

I have no idea whether this phenomenon is affecting our consciousness, but I’m fairly sure it’s having some effect. Several people I know are experiencing extreme fatigue, elevated heart rate, and hot flashes. Is it related to solar activity? In astrology, the Sun is associated with the heart, so it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that there’s a real correlation here. I just don’t know how we’d prove it to the satisfaction of medical science.

Dancing on the boundaries of parallel universes is disorienting and possibly dangerous. No one would entertain the idea of surfing the big waves before learning the basics of the sport, and yet we may be doing the spiritual equivalent. What I don’t know is whether everyone is experiencing this shift at some level, or whether those who are sensitive to these energies feel it, while those who aren’t remain blissfully ignorant. I pass no judgment on which is better. Someone has to hold down the fort while a percentage of the population stumbles around in a daze.

I strongly encourage you to keep a journal and record any strange dreams, visions, synchronicities, or other unusual events in your life. At the same time, try to stay grounded. Fortunately, the Sun and Jupiter in Taurus are helping in that regard. If you find yourself mysteriously craving meat and fattening foods, don’t fight it for now. You can take off the excess weight as soon as the cosmic dust settles. I’m definitely of a mind that we have to trust our bodies and higher minds at this point to know what’s right for us and not try to overpower them by force of intellectual beliefs. It’s a leap of faith, really.

To understand the connection between Taurus, Buddha, and Wesak, I suggest going back to an article Ruth wrote last year. The third eye, located between your eyebrows, is our portal to higher consciousness, the ability to “see” into the energetic realms. When this center is activated, we’re said to be enlightened. Ruth also notes the connection between Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus, and the third eye. One of the four Royal Stars of Persia, Aldebaran is known as the “eye of the bull.”

Chart for Full Moon in Scorpio

Click on image to enlarge

In this year’s Wesak Full Moon chart, the Sun is widely conjunct Jupiter, planet of luck and abundance. Otherwise, the chart contains several oppositions and squares (the red lines), which normally represent challenges. If you look more closely, though, you’ll see that these challenges each have a readily accessible escape route.

The most exact opposition (other than the Sun and Moon) is between Mercury and Saturn. Although a Mercury-Saturn opposition might normally be seen as somewhat negative in that it implies limited thinking, I like this aspect for two reasons. First, Mercury in Aries needs to have the brakes applied, or it flies off in a certain direction without any thought or purpose. Spontaneity doesn’t necessarily equate with creativity, but with retrograde Saturn imposing some discipline and thoughtful reflection, this pair could produce astounding creative work, especially if you’re a writer or work in some line of communications. Better still if you started your project at the New Moon on April 21, as you’ve now got something solid to show for your effort.

Likewise, if you made contact with someone in an attempt to communicate an important message, you should see some results around Saturday’s Full Moon. Attempts to repair broken relationships especially should benefit, as both Mercury and Saturn are at positive angles to Venus. Moreover, Venus is Mercury’s sign of Gemini, while Saturn is in Venus-ruled Libra. There is going to be plenty of opportunity over the next couple of months to go back over trouble spots in relationships to heal, whether it brings you closer or helps you close a chapter so that you can move on with a sense of closure. We’ll probably find that “going back” refers not just to this lifetime, but to other incarnations as well. It’s all part of the opening of the inter-dimensional window.

The second set of challenges is indicated by the opposition from Mars to Neptune and the quincunx (sometimes called inconjunct) from Mars to Uranus. Neptune is in his own sign of Pisces, so in a way this is an unfair contest. The petty ego that finds fault with everyone and everything will finally become tired of itself and either find escape through substance abuse or give in to merging into oneness with all being – a scary prospect for the ego, which fights to hold its ground. There may be a rude awakening of sorts involved, too. But, once again, there is an “out” via a positive aspect – this time a flowing trine from Mars to Pluto. There is tremendous will to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goals. Yes, you can suffer the idiots around you, if you know that putting up with them in the short term will pay off in the end. And it will.

Pluto rules this Full Moon by virtue of being the modern ruler of Scorpio, sign of death, rebirth and transformation. In the Full Moon chart, Pluto is within 3 degrees of a square with Uranus. The aspect will be exact on June 2. Uranus is sometimes called “the Awakener.” As more and more people awaken, society is in an increasing state of disarray. Systems are breaking down, and those in power are attempting to keep their positions at all costs. This is a long-term trend that will play out over the next three years.

Overall, the chart for this Full Moon indicates a tremendous force for transformation. With Mars gathering speed, we’re making up for lost time since January. I don’t know about you, but the activity is making my head spin. “Leap of faith” doesn’t even begin to describe life these days.

Much love and courage to all,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Weekly Forecast February 6: Saturn Retrograde, Full Moon in Leo

Studying with Mercury in Aquarius. © Pat Paquette, 2012.

There was a lot of weirdness going on last week, and then the energy suddenly shifted on Friday. Did you notice? I attribute the shift to Neptune’s entry into Pisces and hope that life will return to some semblance of sanity, despite the craziness of Mars retrograde.

Neptune’s shift occurred at 2:03 p.m. EST on Friday. The final two days of Neptune in Aquarius were totally out of control – at least for me. My computer crashed again, and then my backup machine failed. I was without a computer for two critical days in my class work and am now nearly three weeks behind in my assignments. I had to post a notice on my order page that I’m not accepting new report orders or consultations until I’m caught up at school. From an astrologer’s point of view, all of these events are a perfect manifestation of Mars retrograde in Virgo in the tenth house: computer failure, work overload, behind in deadlines, etc.

It also seemed that people were bumping into each other more than usual, and there certainly was a spike on the anger/frustration scale. That said, I got a good reminder on Friday about the beneficial side of Mars anger. When you vent your anger properly, it’s like having a good cry. The explosion clears a lot of blockages and gets your energy flowing again – yet another great manifestation of Mars retrograde in Virgo.

By Saturday, the energy had totally changed. My take on this is that outer planets in the last degree of a sign, poised to enter a new one, send out an intense vibe that contains all the lessons of that planet/sign pair. And since Neptune was in Aquarius, which is ruled by Uranus, and Uranus is in Aries, which is ruled by Mars, the intensity of Neptune in the last degree of Aquarius was channeled through Mars, the planet of anger, action, and conflict.

What was even more interesting, though, is that once Neptune moved into Pisces, the release of anger and frustration cleared the way for a tremendous creative flow. Real magic can happen in rare moments like these. On Saturday, I had an 18-hour film shoot. First of all, I was surprised that I was able to work from 6 a.m. to midnight with few breaks. Secondly, I was amazed by how smoothly the project went. Disagreements were easily managed, and the discussions that arose over artistic differences improved the project. That is Mars energy at its best! Of course, Neptune rules film, so we might also have gotten the first sip of “pure” Neptune in Pisces.

So now let’s turn to this week, which has the potential to be quite dramatic. Tuesday is weighty, with the Full Moon in Leo just as Saturn turns retrograde in the last degree of Libra and Venus moves through the final degree of Pisces. Relationships definitely are a key theme this week, and what transpires may shock and surprise.

Saturn has been in the final degree of Libra since the middle of January, and he’ll remain there until the first week of March. With Saturn in Libra, we’ve been learning lessons about love and commitment, about how to relate to each other fairly and to make compromises that everyone can live with. As Saturn approached the end of Libra, we began closing the books and preparing for finals. What more do we have to learn?

Apparently, a lot …

It’s one thing to learn lessons, but quite another to apply them. And you may find that you end up testing out what you’ve learned with someone other than who you’ve been with up to this point. That’s especially true if you learned your lessons the hard way, through a relationship that was painful but that helped you grow and evolve. Still, I don’t discount the possibility that you will go back for another lesson with the same person.

I can’t help but wonder if one of the big lessons will have to do with anger. I say this, because Venus is about to enter Aries, with Mars retrograde. It is not uncommon for couples to grow apart due to unresolved conflict. There are lots of reasons people prefer to “go along to get along” instead of hashing out the real issues. This strategy may work in a professional environment, but in an intimate relationship, stifled anger not only can destroy the relationship, but it can make the partners physically sick.

On Thursday, Venus conjoins Uranus in Aries, a pair favoring surprises in love and finances. I expect there will be a lot of impulsiveness, which could backfire – either that, or you may have to wait several weeks to see the results of an “instant” attraction. One thing is for sure, though: whatever occurs will be unusual and possibly groundbreaking.

I have more I’d like to write, but I’m depleted from too much work and not enough sleep, and I’m coming down with a cold, so I’ll stop here and hope it’s enough food for thought for you until next week.

Until then, wishing you much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Weekly Forecast October 10: Full Moon in Aries Opposite Saturn

Poster for Le voyage dan la lune (Trip to the Moon), the first ever sci-fi fantasy film, shot in 1902 by director Georges Méliès.

This week is potentially difficult, with the Full Moon closely opposite Saturn. The good news is that you should be able to correct imbalances in your life, especially in your closest relationships.

The first challenge in correcting imbalances is to recognize them. Perhaps you’ve been in a compromising situation or relationship for so long that you don’t even realize that something is out of whack. Then there’s the challenge of taking appropriate steps to fix whatever’s not working. If you’ve been avoiding action for fear up upsetting the applecart, events around this Full Moon could be distressing, as changes seem to happen outside your control.

Conversely, if you’ve been working consciously toward aligning yourself with your purpose and destiny, events this week, while somewhat troubling, should provide you with more clarity about actions you can take to bring you closer to your goals. Even when you’re on the right path, it’s not one long, easy joy ride. There are times when you have to make a conscious choice to endure some discomfort or confront your fears.

Any adjustments you make this week may require some conflict, whether with others or within yourself. Astrologers often joke about Libra’s inability to make a decision, but we know it’s because she’s weighing the alternatives, and the scales typically aren’t tipped entirely in one direction. Life is filled with gray areas, and still you must choose. If you’re not confident about that choice, or deep inside think you should have made a different choice, you send out a thought vibration that pings back to you as people or circumstances reflecting that conflict.

The thing to remember is that you can use these uncomfortable situations to refine your goals and desires or even to change them entirely, if you’re that seriously out of balance with your true self. Saturn can be a stern teacher, but usually we are grateful for the people or events that help us get to the next level. The Sun forms an exact conjunction with Saturn on Thursday, so we can expect the tough lesson to continue for most of the week.

Chart for Full Moon in Aries

Click on image to enlarge

Tuesday’s Full Moon is ruled by Mars, the action planet, in the dynamic fire sign Leo. As with the New Moon on September 27, Mars is at a favorable angle to the Sun and Moon, suggesting that action is the way out of a predicament. Hopefully, you’ve already taken the necessary action, and anything required of you this week will be more in the nature of a follow-up.

That said, the trine from Mercury to retrograde Neptune suggests that ideas you’ve previously come up with may be useful again in helping you advance to the next step. The Mercury-Neptune trine is exact on Wednesday, and then Mercury enters Scorpio on Thursday. This combination favors deep insights and even glimpses into the “otherworld,” including visions of lives in other dimensions of space/time (usually referred to as “past lives”). Our notion of reality changes radically with an expanded perception of time.

Venus in Scorpio makes several connections in the Full Moon chart, including an opposition with Jupiter, a trine with Pluto, and an inconjunct with Uranus. These aspects peak throughout the week and likely will be felt within the context of relationships of all kinds and on all levels. In your personal relationships, be attentive to how you may expect others to fulfill your needs and desires. Do you interact with those people in a subtly manipulative way to get what you want from them? If you’re doing something like this and aren’t aware of it, an event early in the week could draw your attention to your behavior.

Still from Le voyage dan la lune.

In broader relationships – for example, between nations or groups of people within a nation – the issues are much the same, just on a larger scale. It goes without saying that society is seriously out of balance. Indeed, much of the upheaval we’re seeing is an attempt to correct the imbalances among humans and between humanity and the natural world.

Whatever transpires this week, do your best to learn from it and move on. Next week will be much better, and there will be rewards at the New Moon later in the month.

Wishing you all limitless love and courage,

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

P.S. The StarGuide Fall 2011 forecast tells you where this Full Moon falls in your chart and what kinds of issues might crop up. In addition, you get information about the next New Moon, the two upcoming eclipses, and the volatile Mercury retrograde period that starts at the solar eclipse on November 25. And it’s now 20 percent off!