Tag Archives: Saturn-Pluto square

Weekly Forecast April 19: Sun Enters Taurus, Venus Enters Gemini

Bull from the Sea by Brian Fisher, 2009

The Bull from the Sea. Monotype by Vashon artist Brian Fisher, 2009. Images of bulls were prevalent during the Age of Taurus, which was roughly 4525-1875 B.C.

The Saturn-Uranus opposition isn’t exact until next week, but its effects are strong enough now that they’re overpowering everything else.

First, let’s have a look at this week’s lineup …

We start out on Monday with Mercury newly retrograde in Taurus. Traffic and communications will be all snarled up, so do whatever you must to maintain your blood pressure. The Messenger squares Mars in Leo on Sunday (April 25), but the mood could be icky all week, with a higher-than-average risk of arguments. With both planets in fixed signs, neither side will want to back down. Mercury in Taurus will win by saying as little as possible to avoid fueling the temper of Mars in feisty Leo.

On Tuesday (Monday on the West Coast of the United States), the Sun enters Taurus. Do I hear a collective sigh of relief? Taurus may have a reputation as stubborn, but the Bull also is placid and steady. We’ll welcome this new energy after the nonstop activity of Sun in Aries.

In honor of the Sun in Taurus, I’ve chosen this beautiful image by Brian Fisher, one of Vashon Island’s best-loved artists. Brian’s inspiration was the famous fresco of the bull leapers from the Palace of Knossos on Crete. He has a fascinating history of artwork from this era on his blog. Check out his online gallery, too. After all, art appreciation is a very Taurus thing to do!

Also on Tuesday, Chiron enters Pisces, where he’ll stay until August. We’re not likely to notice any immediate effects of this transit, so I’ll deal with it in a future post.

Thursday could be especially difficult, when the Moon in Leo conjoins Mars and squares Mercury. Despite what I wrote about saying as little as possible, you may not be able to contain yourself. There will be meltdowns and temper tantrums everywhere. Try to maintain your decorum.

On Friday and Saturday, Venus squares Neptune, sextiles Uranus, and trines Saturn within a 12-hour period. If you lose grip on reality, especially in romantic situations, you’ll come back to your senses before doing any real damage. You might even find that reality isn’t so bad, after all. It could end up including a very nice surprise — one that doesn’t disappear when you wake up out of a dream.

On Sunday, the planet of love skips into chatty Gemini, and then she’s in mutual reception with Mercury. The danger here is that communications will come fast and furious, but the risk of misunderstandings is high. Be prepared to set records in the number of volleys of phone tag before you finally make your connection.

Also on Sunday, the Sun trines Pluto. Normally, trines are pleasant and easy, but Pluto has been in the hot seat lately at the apex of a T-square, and he needs somewhere to vent his pent-up energy. It’s always a dicey prospect to predict earthquakes, but I won’t be surprised if there’s another big one this weekend.

The cardinal T-square is still several weeks away, but Saturn and Uranus have been going through an opposition in the mutable signs of Virgo and Pisces since late 2008. When outer planets are in aspect, we don’t need to wait until the exact date to feel the effects, but begin to notice developments a few weeks and sometimes months in advance. This opposition is all the more powerful given that Saturn is “receiving” from Pluto in Capricorn, the sign that Saturn rules.

On April 14, a volcano erupted under Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland. The plume sent ash over northern Europe and delayed air travel on six continents. I stumbled on an article in The Guardian by Greg Neale, who noted that a similar event in 1783 disrupted weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere, leading to crop failures and famine. Many historians believe this was a major factor in the French Revolution, he wrote.

Uranus was discovered between the American and French revolutions, which is how he became associated with rebellion. As it so happens, when the Laki volcano erupted in June 1783, Saturn and Uranus were in opposition in Capricorn and Cancer, both square Neptune in Libra — in other words, a cardinal T-square.

These are perfect examples of how astrological energies manifest into reality. It’s safe to predict that we’re going to get lots more reality between now and the end of the summer. In the meantime, watch the news headlines now for signs of change bumping up against the status quo.

Next week is the Full Moon in Scorpio. I’ll have more later this week, so check back.

Much love and courage to all,

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

New Moon in Aries, April 14, 2010

New Moon, a sea change. © Algol/Dreamstime.com

Although the astrological year officially begins with the Sun’s entrance into Aries, the New Moon in Aries on April 14 is in many ways a much more powerful new beginning.

Just as the Full Moon on March 29 marked the midpoint between lunar eclipses, this New Moon marks the halfway point between the solar eclipse in Capricorn on January 14 and the upcoming solar eclipse in Cancer on July 11. What’s more, we’re now halfway through the Capricorn-Cancer eclipse series, and that means we’re beginning to see real signs of change in one or more areas of our lives. If you’re in doubt how these eclipses are playing out for you, you’ll know for sure as of this New Moon.

At 24°27″ Aries, the Sun and Moon are at the base of a Yod with Saturn at the apex. Neptune and Chiron conjunct in Aquarius form the other leg of the base. Saturn is retrograde and recently returned to Virgo. One possible effect of this configuration that comes immediately to mind is that the new healthcare program in the United States will be under intense scrutiny as the country struggles to make the required changes. There will be more political fallout for the Obama administration and the Democrats, too.

In our individual lives, healing processes that we’ve been going through for the past couple of years with Neptune conjunct Chiron finally are producing some practical results. For many of us, the healing has been internal, and this has had a significant, long-term impact on our external reality. It’s not just thoughts that become things. Feelings do, too. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a completely new reality within the next couple of weeks.

The base of the Yod is bisected by Jupiter and Uranus, which are approaching conjunction just as the planet of surprises and rebellion is about to make another opposition to Saturn. Jupiter does everything big, so you can pretty much count on a change that is sudden, totally out of the blue, and huge. It likely will be a big wham rather than arriving gradually, in a series of smaller developments. If there is political rebellion in this country or, for that matter, anywhere in the world, it will be explosive.

Mars, ruler of this New Moon, is in a wide, out-of-sign trine with Uranus, fueling rebellion and individual freedom. However, he’s inconjunct Pluto, suggesting an eventual backlash against any populist or rebel movements that crop up now.

Pluto also is at the apex of a T-square with Saturn and Uranus, but it’s no longer the cardinal T-square we’ve been reading so much about, and Pluto is retrograde for the next several months. For the moment, competing world powers are stepping apart from direct conflict and thinking about how to plan their next move. In our personal lives, we should get some temporary relief from any pressures corresponding to the Saturn-Pluto square. Again, what those are depends on your individual birth chart.

Ceres, meanwhile, is moving toward conjunction with Pluto, which I think is going to turn out to be a big deal. Remember, in mythology, Demeter (the Greek version of Roman Ceres) was one of the only gods who was able to change the rules of the underworld. She did this by using her own power, which was the capacity to destroy the planet if Hades and Zeus didn’t do her bidding. They had to take her seriously, or they wouldn’t have had a kingdom to rule. Something may happen very soon that sends a clear message that our economic structure will have to change, or we risk completely destroying our planetary ecosystems.

The Sabian Symbol** for the Sun and Moon at 24°27′ Aries is a double promise, with the keyword SENSIBILITY. I love this symbol, because it embodies what I’ve been writing all along about what it means to be spiritual. We are gaining conscious awareness of how the unseen energies in our universe flow through us. Our lives are the expression of these higher forces. We are their “works of art.”

The next step will be learning how to use these energies appropriately, for the benefit of all of humanity and the planet itself. The “double promise” is expanded consciousness plus the new ways of being that will be possible as a result.

These are wildly changing times. Do your best to keep your nerve.

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

UPDATE: You can read more about the New Moon in this week’s forecast.

** From The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, by Dr. Marc Edmond Jones. The author, an astrologer, channeled this work in the early 1920s. There’s one symbol one for each degree of the zodiac, and we can use them to gain insight into charts.

Weekly Forecast February 1: Jupiter Inconjunct Saturn, Sextile Pluto

Photo by Dmitry Lovetsky for The Associated PressThis week is the Celtic cross-quarter day of Imbolc. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are noticeably longer, trees are budding, and there are early signs of spring.

It’s been a hard winter for many, and so the return of the light is a welcome relief. We’ll get a bit of a breather this week, too, with the Moon in Libra on Tuesday and Wednesday. One of her first contacts is with Saturn and Pluto, which some of you may feel as a brief period of melancholy or alienation, but it won’t last long, and it’s also a chance to reflect on committed relationships, an ongoing theme with Saturn in the sign of balanced give-and-take. And once that’s over, the Moon trines the Sun and Venus in Aquarius, a nice aspect for seizing the moment and enjoying a small surprise.

On Friday, Jupiter forms an inconjunct with Saturn. Inconjuncts are inherently uncomfortable, and something that happens later this week could make you squirm. Just remember that discomfort doesn’t always have a “real” external source. Sometimes it’s our beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world at large that get us in trouble and hold us back.

Speaking of beliefs, it’s generally accepted in astrology that Jupiter is the Santa Claus of the solar system and that Saturn is the party pooper. Diane has written a lot about her experience with Jupiter as an amplifier, for better or for worse, and she appreciates the discipline embodied in Saturn.

We could argue that it’s Saturn who’s actually the Santa Claus. Saturn is the lord of time and the material universe and therefore has a role in everything that manifests into our lives. Saturn was revered by the Romans as a harvest deity, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Moerover, there are connections between the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia and customs associated with Christmas, including the exchange of gifts.

This is a good week to examine the process of how we can turn thoughts into reality. On Saturday, Jupiter sextiles Pluto, an aspect that contains powerful potential for wealth and abundance. For some of you, the result could be material, while others may feel it on an emotional level. Maybe you’ll experience both. I’ve often found that intense feelings attract people and material things into my life.

Also on Saturday, Mercury sextiles Uranus. The Messenger leaves the post-retrograde shadow period on Thursday, so he’ll be free to meet the planet of innovation and surprises in a new frame of mind. If the ideas seem to come in rapid-fire succession, grab a notebook or write on the back of an envelope — whatever you’ve got handy. Something you couldn’t get to work properly during the winter holidays should go smoothly now. This is especially true for electronic gadgets and anything to do with computers or the Internet. I’ve finally got the fan problem in my laptop resolved and will take another crack at video content soon. I’m also working on a short post on Nibiru (thanks again to Rossa for posing the question).

On Sunday, Venus conjoins Chiron and Neptune (next Monday in most parts of the world), paving the way for the New Moon on February 13. We’re approaching another extraordinary gateway for healing energies to enter our energy field, individually and collectively. I’m feeling it in positive ways and hope you are, too.

Much love and many blessings,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: God of Ice. It’s clearly not spring yet in St. Petersburg, Russia. I’d love to know who this figure is, but it sure looks like Saturn or Neptune. Photo by Dmitry Lovetsky for The Associated Press.