Tag Archives: Saturn-Uranus opposition

Saturday Extra: Living in Uncertain Times

Keeping an eye on the sky gods Many of us are feeling jittery these days and wonder what we may be picking up. A lot of people are asking me to look at charts to see if I can figure out what’s going to happen.

It’s understandable that in times of great uncertainty, people want to know the future. Those who think astrology is a bunch of bunk turn to economic indicators, global political forecasts, and other “expert” advice. I have a feeling, though, that many of those same people are secretly taking a peek at what reputable astrologers are saying.

I’ve heard from several people over the past week that they feel like something big is about to go down, to the point that planning for the future is almost futile. We have to plan; we can’t just sit around doing nothing, waiting for fate to take over. But we also know that these plans may be meaningless.

I’m encouraging those of you with highly evolved intuition to listen carefully to the messages you’re receiving. These messages will be more accurate if you can move out of fear. We’re in a heightened state of collective fear, and it’s not hard to get sucked into it. If you do, the messages coming in to you will be distorted. For the good of everyone, we need to stay calm in our center.

There is no doubt that 2009 is going to be a landmark year. Astrologically, we’re in a tumultuous period, with six eclipses, a tense Saturn-Uranus opposition, and a Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction. Venus is retrograde, and she’ll conjoin Mars twice more after a conjunction in Libra in September. Three Venus-Mars conjunctions in less than a year is extremely rare.

I’m collecting charts for these events, starting with the Aries ingress chart for next week, and will let you know what I see. This has got to be a collective effort, however, as it’s far too much for one person to do alone. Please let me know if you find interesting charts for particular dates, and feel free to offer your interpretation. Each one is a piece of the puzzle.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: No, this isn’t a mushroom cloud! It’s a supercell over Amarillo, Texas, last year that meteorologists were watching as a possible tornado. Photo by Gene Blevins for REUTERS.

Ask Real Astrologers: Economic Worries

We received two questions recently about jobs, both from readers named Lisa:

I was laid off November 21, 2008. When will I have a job?
Lisa, Tallahassee

This year’s big aspect, the Saturn-Uranus opposition, is conjunct my MC (Uranus) and IC (Saturn). Consequently, I quit my job last year and have only just found something better, but I’m wondering if Uranus/Saturn has not quite finished with me yet and if I should be ready to move jobs again during the year.
Lisa, London, England

Neith’s response:

Lisa in Tallahassee, Jupiter is currently making his way through your sixth house along with Neptune, Chiron and Mars. It is possible as Jupiter moves closer to your Part of Fortune, conjoining it the second week in April, you will feel more positive about finding a position that suits you.

Neptune is no longer squaring your Moon, as it was for most of January and February, creating confusion between your dreams and reality. Take advantage of feeling increasingly clear about your goals to make plans for moving ahead.

I realize that Saturn transiting your first house is not the most upbeat transit, but you can effectively present yourself as a reliable person. This might really work in your favor in today’s tight job market, where competence and reliability are going to play well.

Good luck and do your best to stay positive, Lisa.

To Lisa in London, with your Aries stellium in the tenth house, you are very well suited to life as a professional mover and shaker. If you feel a little let down at the moment, it’s probably because Venus up and turned retrograde just before she made it to your Mars, Venus and Sun. However, after Venus turns direct on April 17, she will be back to sweeten your life by mid-May.

Currently, Uranus and the Sun are conjunct your Midheaven, and Saturn has moved back into your third house. When Saturn finally crosses your Nadir in August, just before the third exact opposition of Saturn and Uranus, I am willing to bet you will be very relieved. Saturn in Virgo pretty much demands we pay attention to the details, and in the third house, it’s all about finding the right words to get our point across.

If you do change jobs, it will likely be your choice and because you find a situation that offers you more creative options.

Hey, enjoy Venus extending her stay in Aries and in your tenth house. With your Saturn return coming next year, life is bound to get a bit more serious, as Saturn will be anchoring and grounding your Aries stellium even more than usual. No bad thing with Uranus electrifying your tenth house for quite some time to come!

Pat’s response:

With the economy the way it is, it’s hardly surprising that we’re seeing an increased number of questions concerning job security.

To Lisa in Tallahassee, you were laid off in an astrologically tumultuous period. This was right after the Full Moon in Taurus/Scorpio, which marked a halfway point between eclipses in February 2008 and January 2009 and also fell close to your natal Moon in Scorpio.

This eclipse series is strongly affecting your sixth house, the area of the chart that rules your job (although not necessarily your career; that’s a tenth-house issue). Throughout this eclipse series, we’ve had Neptune and Chiron closely conjunct in Aquarius, just as you are going through your Chiron return, which happens to everyone around your age.

I see a great opportunity here for you to get a job that is more in line with who you are and the direction you wish to go in life. If you are in the healing professions, so much the better, but if not, you may find the experience to be very healing.

Currently, Jupiter is moving through your sixth house, and this typically is a good time to find a new or better job. You’ll have the benefit of this favorable transit well into next year, and at the same time, the eclipse series I mentioned above ends in early August 2008. That’s the latest date I see for you to find a new position, but we have every reason to be optimistic that it will happen before that.

Lisa in London, I don’t think Saturn-Uranus is “done” with you – not by a long shot – and I’m very excited for you!

When Saturn approaches the IC, we are “bottomed” out, so to speak, in our career. The good news is that once you hit bottom, there’s no place to go but up. You are entering a 14-year phase in which you will be climbing steadily toward the pinnacle of your career.

At the same time, for the next several years, you will have Uranus in your tenth house, the area of the chart that rules your career. Uranus is known for surprises and sudden change, so I think we can expect many more, and all toward the end of furthering your career.

What I see as most challenging for you right now is to be sure that you are on the path you wish to be on, because whatever you put your energy into, that’s what you’re going to get. Saturn will make sure you pay attention to the details and don’t overlook important factors in your drive to get ahead.

To both Lisas, I’d like to thank you for including all of your data, including your current location. We’re getting a lot of questions these days and, although we’re sorry to say so, we’ll have to start skipping those with missing data.

To everyone who is being rocked by hard economic times, we’re there with you, so hang in there!

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. Reminder: Please include your chart data, with MONTH SPELLED OUT, and tell us where you’re currently located!

Weekly Forecast March 9: Full Moon in Virgo, Mars Enters Pisces

Photo by Carl de Souza for Agence France-Presse.

I found this photo some time ago in the news headlines and immediately thought, "Mars in Pisces!" I've been saving it, just for you. The man in this photo is walking by a poster in London's financial district — an optical illusion, specialty of Neptune, ruler of Pisces. Photo by Carl de Souza for Agence France-Presse.

Push comes to shove this week as the Full Moon activates the opposition between play-by-the-rules Saturn and freedom-at-all costs Uranus.

We begin the week with Mercury newly in Pisces and Venus retrograde in Aries. Whereas Mercury in Aquarius may have brought flashes of inspiration at lightning speed, Mercury in Pisces connects to the group subconscious and broadcasts information that may not make immediate sense to you. Alternatively, you may tap into a source of knowledge that is so vast that it’s too much to contemplate all at once. Pay attention to your dreams and visions, especially on Tuesday, when Mercury sextiles Pluto and opposes Ceres.

Retrograde Venus is turning up in various forms in my life and the lives of my friends. A check arrived for far less than expected, while a bill arrived for more than expected and earlier than anticipated. One friend got a disheartening letter of rejection but then received a glowing and totally unexpected acceptance letter from a different organization. Still, I think that in the weeks to come, the most noticeable effects will be on our close relationships. Please keep us posted on activities you think may be related to retrograde Venus. (Thanks to our readers who left comments on Neith’s Venus retrograde post on Wednesday.)

The Full Moon is on Tuesday, but if you’re like me, you’re already feeling it. The stage was set on Sunday, when the Sun opposed Saturn. Events will continue to unfold until Thursday, when the Sun conjoins Uranus. If you haven’t read Neith’s Full Moon report, check it out.

Those of us with strong Uranus in our charts bristle at the thought of restrictions and limits, which are the hallmarks of Saturn. We’d love to go off on our eccentric research marathons, investigating the secrets of the universe and searching for the thread that connects all the seemingly unrelated events in our lives.

However, at this Full Moon, we’re going to have to think of the collective good first. Most of us would love to be in circumstances that allow us truly to be ourselves and express our creativity to its fullest, but what we would like to contribute to the world may not be what the world wants or needs at this time. Moreover, Saturn in Virgo says we have to think about the bills that are piling up, the car that needs to be taken to the shop, and the project at work we’ve been putting off.

Work diligently, one step at a time, until your obligations are met. The fun will have to come later, but it will come.

Mars, the planet of action, is in Aquarius for this Full Moon, feeding the need for rebellion. However, he moves on into Pisces on Friday, which will help reduce the feeling of having one foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brakes. That said, Mars in Pisces has an icky side, as his ego nature is repressed. Direct confrontation isn’t always the right strategy, but avoiding it out of fear is rarely a solution.

Speaking of Mars, next week is the Spring Equinox, when the Sun enters Aries. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Love and blessings to all …
Pat

Weekly Forecast February 23: The Curious Case of Comet Lulin

As the stars came out for the Oscars last night, another “star” was making a rare debut.

Reports are trickling in of naked-eye sightings of Comet Lulin, which until last week was visible only with binoculars or a telescope. Now that we can see it, more people are paying attention, and I’ve been asked several times whether Lulin has any astrological significance.

The answer is, “I don’t know.” Throughout history, astrologers have interpreted comets as omens — and not usually good ones. That’s about all we know, but predicting disaster has fallen out of favor these days. We’re in the New Age, where being spiritual means thinking positive and collectively envisioning the new paradigm.

I say that tongue-in-cheek, of course. Those of you who regularly read my columns know that I have a unique take on being “spiritual,” which I define as being able to see the energy patterns underlying material manifestation. And by “seeing,” I don’t mean with the eye but with a different kind of vision. This concept may be one of the messages that this strange visitor is relaying to us.

What else is it saying? We might find some clues in the uncanny coincidences surrounding Lulin’s appearance this week as it makes its closest approach to Earth.

For starters, Lulin is coming out of hiding at the New Moon, and not in just any sign, but in Pisces, the sign most associated with seeing beyond material existence into other realms. (For more on this subtle but extremely powerful New Moon, read Neith’s report on RealAstrologers.com.) As if that’s not enough, on Tuesday Lulin conjoins Saturn, lord of time and the material universe, which currently is locked in opposition with Uranus, planet of electrical energy, technological innovation, and radical change.

Although Lulin was just discovered in July 2007, it has been inside our inner solar system since the mid-1990s. Throughout that time, it remained in the sign of Pisces, and from an astrological perspective, we might say that Lulin came from Pisces. On September 11, 2001, it was very close to the degree of Pisces that Uranus is now occupying in its opposition to Saturn. Lulin moved into Aquarius in August 2007 and remained there for about a year before gathering speed in its trajectory around the Sun.

The most curious thing about Lulin is that it is moving backwards, unlike any comet observed in human history. It also is displaying two tails. Past and future, meeting in the present?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, nominated for 13 Oscars, is about a man who lives his life in reverse. A defining moment in the story is the “conjunction” of the hero and his love interest as their ages converge, he moving backwards and she moving forward. The trailer includes the tagline, “Life can only be understood backward; it must be lived forward.” Coincidence?

It is not too far-fetched to believe that Comet Lulin will force conventional science to reexamine its limited view of material reality. Indeed, there is a new theory that comets aren’t balls of rock and ice, but bodies of pure energy with powerful electromagnetic fields. Lulin’s appearance also may herald a change in how we view time. We’re told that time isn’t linear, and while we understand that concept intellectually, most of us haven’t assimilated the greater truth of time.

And so, dear ones, that is what I see as the biggest news in the sky this week, although its meaning is beyond the scope of astrology and takes us into new territory that may take years to fully explore and comprehend.

Looking at this week’s planetary movements, Mercury is out of his post-retrograde shadow period and also is entering unfamiliar territory, a land of innovative ideas and new possibilities. On Monday, the Messenger conjoins Jupiter, perhaps aiding in the dissemination of Lulin’s gift of knowledge. He sextiles Venus on Wednesday, facilitating the communication of love and friendship. Get it while you can, because the conjunction of Mercury and Mars on Sunday threatens to unleash quite different sentiments. Make a commitment beforehand to speak from the heart. If the truth hurts, so be it, but don’t say anything deliberately hurtful.

The only other aspects worth noting this week are Tuesday’s New Moon, followed by the Moon’s opposition to Saturn and conjunction with Uranus on Wednesday. Do pay attention to what comes up on this day, as it will provide you with hints of what to expect at the Full Moon on March 10. Neith and I will have more about that soon.

Wishing you all much love and courage …
Pat

Image: Comet Lulin on Feb. 21, 2009. Photo by Conrad Pope of Kelly, NC.

Weekly Forecast February 2: Saturn-Uranus Opposition, Part II

Mountain Sounds by Ellen Hill Happy Groundhog’s Day! The days are getting noticeably longer in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring is right around the corner.

The groundhog ritual dates back to pagan cultures, which rejoiced at the increasing light. The ancient Celts marked this day as Imbolc, one of the cross-quarter days halfway between the solstices and equinoxes. According to some scholars, the feast day was so named because the longer days triggered lactation in ewes, an important milestone in the year of an agrarian people. The Christian Church adopted the occasion as Candlemas. In modern-day France, a Catholic country with wonderfully pagan Celtic roots, they eat crèpes. Trust the French to find an excuse to eat. Works for me!

Many of you know that this is also my birthday. I’ve been hibernating due to a back injury, but today I’m going to go out and look for my shadow.

Speaking of shadow, Mercury returned direct on Sunday but will remain in the post-retrograde shadow period until February 21. Still, I anticipate a big week, as activities that have been stalled since mid-January begin moving again. Events may move in fits and starts, and there may be a lot of confusion. But there will be movement.

The Messenger was in Aquarius when he went into reverse on January 11 but moved back into Capricorn. This will temporarily favor maintaining the status quo or bowing to authorities, but not for long. Once he re-enters Aquarius on February 14 and even more so when he leaves the shadow phase, it’s going to be a brand new day. Those of you who have asked for news of a better job, take heart. Aquarius is the sign of individual freedom and creative bursts. Liberation is at hand.

Of course the biggest news this week is Thursday’s opposition between Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces. This is the second peak in an unusually long, two-year transit that we’ve been feeling for several months already and that we’ll continue to grapple with until the middle of next year. It’s not likely that you will get slammed by an event out of the blue, since the energy of long-term transits such as this typically don’t release all at once. That’s the good news. The bad news is that many of us are in the middle of serious situations, and there could be developments this week that require our immediate attention and tough decisions.

Venus and Mars change signs this week, and both have special significance. On Monday, Venus enters Aries, where she’ll stay for nearly four months, as she’ll be retrograde from March 6 to April 17. I have to tell you that I’m not very optimistic about this passage. Venus is in her detriment in me-first Aries, and she can behave very badly when she’s retrograde. The Mayans were wary of retrograde Venus, which a Mayan enthusiast friend of mine calls “Venus with fangs.” It’s OK to be assertive in relationships, but do make an effort to be considerate of others.

On Wednesday, Mars enters Aquarius, where he’ll join the Sun, Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune, all just in time for the lunar eclipse on February 9. There’s going to be a lot of rebelliousness in the air, and we can expect global hotspots of rebellion to get even more active. Mars is going to give a big boost to going against the grain, and Mars in Aquarius is ready to put up a fight for the exploited and oppressed.

Venus squares Pluto on Thursday, increasing the risk of sexual power struggles. Venus in Aries will not hesitate to use her sexuality as a weapon or as bait to get what she wants, while Pluto in Capricorn will overpower by any means, some of which can be ruthless. You don’t need to be an astrologer to predict the outcome of that scenario. Conscious awareness and knowing yourself are the best antidotes. Know what you want and need, and make no apologies. But leave it up to the other person to give in a way that feels right to him or her.

The Moon enters Leo late Saturday (Sunday in the Eastern Hemisphere), and we’ll be within the gravitational pull of Monday’s lunar eclipse. Eclipses are wildcards, and on top of that we’ve got a comet zinging around backwards that is about to conjoin Saturn just as it reaches its closest point to Earth. I’ll have more on Comet Lulin in a few days. Meanwhile, there is simply no way to predict what’s going to happen as a result of these erratic energies (which is why I chose this abstract painting by Ellen Hill to illustrate this week’s forecast. So much of what we’re experiencing these days defies rational analysis).

Much love and courage to all!
Pat

Image: Mountain Sounds, by Ellen Hill, whom many of you know as Tseka. To see more of Ellen’s phenomenal work, including her new line of talisman jewelry, visit her site, Tseka – One Dance.

Ask Real Astrologers: A Double Dose of Saturn and Uranus

This week’s question comes from Grace in North Carolina:

Saturn and Uranus are both in the first house at 29 degrees Sagittarius. What does this mean with the direct opposition occurring currently? It seems to be rather positive… just super pregnant with ideas.

Neith’s response:

Grace, from the looks of it, the ongoing Saturn-Uranus opposition in Virgo and Pisces will be making itself felt in your chart and life for roughly the next year or so. The next exact pass on February 5, 2009, finds Saturn conjunct your Midheaven and Uranus on your Nadir, so welcome to the continuing struggle of balancing career and home demands.

Your Moon-Mars conjunction in your first house will serve as the apex of a T-square with the Saturn-Uranus opposition over the course of the summer until the third exact pass on September 19, 2009. Moon-Mars conjunctions are prone to volatility, and for Sagittarius, the thought is the deed, so my sense is the coming months are going to find you counting to ten frequently when Saturn blocks plans and Uranus disrupts them.

As for your natal Saturn-Uranus conjunction, that will be most affected by the fourth exact pass of the Saturn-Uranus opposition on April 26, 2010. This transit is part of the “coming of age” cycle for you and others in your peer group who also have Saturn and Uranus conjunct in Sagittarius. In a way, you are experiencing up close and personal what everyone on the planet has to handle: how to clear away and replace old ways of thinking and being without destroying the framework in the process.

For you, the challenges can come in the form of attempting to launch a career in a shrinking economy and job market. This may lead to moving to another location (Uranus on the Nadir) in order to land a job. Because the Saturn-Uranus opposition squares your first house planets, spending time working on how you present yourself to the world is going to be part of this process.

Good luck, and be prepared to exercise your patience right up to the limit!

Pat’s response:

Well, Grace, your chart is certainly buzzing with activity right now! Neith covered all of the basics, and I don’t have much to add. Saturn and Uranus crossing key chart angles (Midheaven and IC) is going to be felt, more so than if they simply were in your tenth and fourth houses. I believe major changes are going to be triggered in the next few months, and likely along the lines Neith outlined.

All of that notwithstanding, I think the “pregnant with ideas” feeling is coming from Neptune conjoining your Sun. On the positive side, the Neptune-Sun conjunction can increase your creativity and connect you to higher realms of consciousness. Incidentally, not everyone experiences this transit in a lifetime, since Neptune’s orbit around the Sun is longer than the human lifespan.

The downside to this transit is that you may feel tired, and you could be prone to pie-in-the-sky schemes that will be counterproductive in the long run. Should you encounter anyone offering you a deal that seems too good to be true, be highly skeptical. If that person presses you for an immediate response, then step way back.

In general, we may well find that the Saturn-Uranus opposition ultimately helps us find solid, practical ways to be our more authentic selves. For you, this is even more true, given where this aspect is positioned in your chart.

There’s nothing Sagittarius likes better than a good, fast ride. You’re definitely going to get one, so hang on and enjoy it!

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. Reminder: Please tell us where you’re currently located!

Ask Our Readers: Fallout From the Eclipse To Report?

The New Moon eclipse at 6 degrees Aquarius is behind us now but like a stone dropped in a pond, the affects are starting to cause ripples for many of us. Where it fell in your chart and what, if any, natal planets and aspect patterns were triggered are places to start looking for results.

Keep in mind we are also juggling the incoming Saturn-Uranus opposition at 20 degrees Virgo-Pisces exact in about a week, so for some of us it’s been more of a cascade than a single event. The eclipse conjoined the cusp of my third house and the web cam I ordered arrived and immediately turned into a huge distraction. At the same time, I had to drop all that and follow my Aries spouse to town to get his pickup truck worked (another in a series of interruptions courtesy of having Uranus in Pisces in the fourth). Between needing to devote time to my astrology work and the challenge of attempting to do that working at home, I’m beginning to feel like a darn tennis ball being slammed from one side of the court to the other.

Pat, who had the eclipse take place in her first house, wrenched her back on her day job attempting to move something too heavy and awkward, so she is moving very gingerly right now.

Anyone else have a tale to tell about their trials and tribulations of juggling the eclipse and Saturn-Uranus? By the way, today and tomorrow the Moon is in Pisces and will conjoin Uranus and oppose Saturn, so expect more little surprises!

posted by Neith . . .

Weekly Forecast January 26: Solar Eclipse in Aquarius, Mercury Direct

Photo by Aaron Favila for the AP As you know from reading last week’s forecast and Neith’s New Moon report, this week starts right out on a high-energy note, with an annular eclipse of the Sun in close conjunction with Jupiter.

If you’ve got key planets and chart points in early Aquarius, you’re going to feel this event in ways that are hard to imagine right now. Other fixed-sign planets in your chart will be activated as well. Two weeks from now, there will be a Full Moon lunar eclipse in Leo. My experience is that the period between eclipses is always tumultuous. That is likely to be even more true right now, with Mercury coming out of retrograde mode between the solar and lunar eclipses.

For anyone who’s interested, I wrote a companion post on my personal blog, The Pisces Chronicles, about how I’m experiencing this weird, chaotic energy.
I’m an Aquarius with Aquarius Rising, so I’m being doubly smacked. Not all of you will be, and this is a great illustration of how planetary transits work. Each of us has an energy imprint that I liken to a radio frequency. When a transit is broadcasting to a certain frequency, those who are tuned in pick it up, and others don’t, or they pick it up faintly or just feel a bunch of static.

Just to liven things up a little more, retrograde Mercury conjoins Mars in Capricorn on Tuesday, increasing the risk of serious arguments. They may be due to misunderstandings, but it’s just as likely that they will emerge from unresolved issues. When we don’t confront problems head on, they pile up and eventually overwhelm us. Given Mercury’s retrograde motion, it’s not likely that reasoning is going to work too well. It may be best to just blow off steam, or let the other party do so, if necessary. Then wait a week or so, until Mercury returns direct, to see if you can find some common ground. By then, you may wonder what you were arguing about in the first place.

As always, remember my caveat: Otherwise intelligent people say and do stupid things while Mercury is retrograde. It’s probably not anyone’s fault, so let it go this time, forgive, and move on.

Later on Tuesday, the Moon enters Pisces, where she’ll conjoin Uranus and oppose Saturn on Thursday. As the opposition between Saturn and Uranus creeps closer to exact, lunar transits may act as a trigger to set off events manifesting out of these energies. Just have your antennae up on Thursday and take note of any unusual situations.

Mercury goes direct on Sunday (Saturday night on the West Coast of the United States and points west). Typically, everything stops up while Mercury is stationed, so don’t expect to see any sudden effects. That will start happening next week as the Messenger gains speed. Have your seat belts fastened and hang on!

Much love and courage to all!
Pat

Image: This incredible photo of the eclipse was taken at Manila, Philippines, by Aaron Favila for The Associated Press.

Weekly Forecast January 19: Sun Enters Aquarius, Mercury Retrograde

Water Cube in Beijing This is going to be a big week for many of us and the beginning of a journey over the next several weeks that will lead us to some surprising places. Do expect some turbulence, though. For some of us, there could be quite a lot of it.

As major aspects play out this week, we’re moving closer to the second pass of the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which is exact on February 5, and this tug-of-war remains an active force in all of our lives. We want to change; we know we need it and that it will be good for us. But humans don’t give up the status quo easily. We are wired to stay on familiar ground, even if we’re not getting everything we need there. Forging ahead into unexplored territory is scary and takes a supreme act of will.

Or, more often than not, it takes a crisis or event out of the blue over which we have no control to drag us kicking and screaming.

That is likely to happen in the days and weeks ahead, with two eclipses that are bound to bring sweeping changes. If you have key planets or chart points in the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius), you will feel these eclipses more than others.

I have to tell you, I am on pins and needles, with Sun and Ascendant both in Aquarius, opposite a fixed T-square. And being an astrologer doesn’t help. Aquarius and its ruler, Uranus, are so unpredictable and full of surprises that there’s no point in even trying to guess what might happen. Besides, planetary energies are so complex and intertwined right now that it’s too much for a lowly human brain to try to figure out the nearly unlimited ways they could manifest. For me, it likely will have something to do with my income or love life, but that’s an awfully broad statement.

On a day-to-day basis, here’s how our week stacks up:

On Monday, the Sun enters Aquarius, fueling the forces of change and favoring the collective. This happens just as a new president takes office in the United States — not that this is unusual; Inauguration Day always takes place with the Sun in Aquarius, and since the event is traditionally scheduled for noon, the Ascendant will always be Taurus. It is interesting to note, however, that our new leader is a Rising Aquarius, and he is evoking the words and spirit of another Aquarius, Abraham Lincoln, as he prepares to take office.

Mercury conjoins the Sun on Tuesday and then retrogrades back into Capricorn. We may experience a flurry of new ideas, only to take a step back and dismiss these flashes of inspiration as impractical, not doable, etc. Or it may be a case of cold feet. These are mixed messages we’re sending to ourselves, but the good news is that it will help you refine your concept of who you are and what you want.

On Thursday, Mars forms a harmonious sextile to Uranus, which forms an exact conjunction with Venus later in the day. Mars and Venus are both in the signs of their exaltation, so the energy they feed into the planet of change is going to be powerful, and I’m betting that we will get something we’ve needed desperately, whether it’s material object or one of those great intangibles. Start thinking now about what you need and visual that need met. If you regularly do manifestation meditations, you know that it’s best to concentrate on the need and not on the specific outcome. There are many ways to have a need met, so stay open to receiving in a way you can’t even imagine right now.

The Sun conjoins Jupiter on Friday, adding still more fuel to creative change. Ancient astrologers considered Jupiter a lucky influence, and my experience is that he usually is. However, the caveat is that you have to do something to get the most out of this energy. It will not deliver the goods to you on a silver platter. And yes, sometimes Jupiter acts as an amplifier, bringing too much of a good thing. Looking at the chart for this aspect, though, I think it reflects a largely positive influence.

On Saturday, Mars is trine Saturn and Venus is in opposition. Part of the difficulty making changes is that we need to leave people and places behind. When we love those people, it’s that much harder. But sometimes we resist leaving even when these attachments are not all that good for us. If you are in such a situation or relationship, be prepared for a disruption, and keep in mind that it will be better for you in the long run.

The Moon conjoins Mercury on Sunday right before entering Aquarius, and we’re well in the wake of the solar eclipse by this time. Eclipse-related events can take place a few days before or after the eclipse and sometimes are delayed by weeks or a few months. With Mercury retrograde, it’s possible we may have to wait until the Full Moon to see any real action, but given what else is going on in the sky this week, that traditional interpretation may get blown to bits. The eclipse takes place just before midnight Sunday here on the West Coast of the United States, but it will be Monday by then in most places in the world. As usual, Neith will have a full report. I can’t wait to read her interpretation, and I’m sure you can’t, either, so stay tuned!

Wishing you much love and courage…
Pat

Image: The National Aquatics Center in Beijing, also known as the Water Cube. Although Aquarius is an air sign, I thought this was a fitting image because of the futuristic look of the building and also because Uranus, planetary ruler of Aquarius, currently is in Pisces. Photo by Frederic J. Brown for Agence France-Presse.

Weekly Forecast January 12: Mercury Retrograde

Janus, Roman god of doorways This should be a relatively quiet week, although there are undercurrents that may leave the more sensitive among us feeling prickly.

Our work week begins with Mercury retrograde. He just went into reverse (what it looks like from down here) on Sunday, so he’s barely moving on Monday morning. This is usually a recipe for traffic jams, missed connections, late arrivals, and general mix-ups — not exactly getting off on the right foot.

As the week progresses, expect communications to get more difficult. You may think you said what you said, but someone else heard it entirely differently. This is one of the more fascinating phenomena of retrograde Mercury. How two people can hear something entirely different and both be right can be a real eye-opener, and you might even get a good laugh if you keep an open mind.

Neith is always fond of encouraging forgiveness, and that is my usual refrain for Mercury retrograde as well. Otherwise intelligent people say and do stupid things, and none of us is immune. Admit your mistakes, forgive them in others, forget it, and move on.

Because Aquarius is the sign associated with technology, we’ll likely experience more computer-related screw-ups than usual, too. Back up your files, and try not to get frustrated if you can’t reach tech support. Chances are, they’re overloaded.

Now, those are all the predictable negative events associated with Mercury retrograde. There are some positive things, and that will be all the more true for this one, given the positions of the other planets. The way I see things shaping up, we are in a period of sweeping change, largely as a result of Jupiter’s entry into Aquarius last week. There is a continuing tug-of-war, however, between the forces desperately clinging to the status quo and the winds of change. This applies both to the world at large and within our individual hearts and souls.

As you know if you’re a regular reader of my weekly forecasts, the astrological influence behind this push for change is the opposition between Saturn and Uranus. Even when the aspect isn’t that close, we still feel it, particularly when other planets act as a trigger. That happens on Wednesday of this week, when the Moon in Virgo opposes Uranus and conjoins Saturn. If you get a little jolt, pay attention.

In fact, “pay attention” is my primary advice to you this week. As Mercury makes his retrograde path through Aquarius and back into Capricorn, we all will have a chance to think through where we need to make changes and what we need to let go of in order for the new reality to manifest. Recognition is 90 percent of success. This is normally way easier said than done, but now we’ve got an edge, so put these energies to work for you. Take time to stare out the window, and write down the thoughts that come to you. If you keep a journal, record your observations there. Even the back of an envelope will work in a pinch.

As the week begins, we’re still in the wake of Saturday’s Full Moon in Cancer, which packed a powerful punch. But that means we’re also heading into the eclipses, the first of which is a solar eclipse in Aquarius on January 25. Even with Mercury retrograde, you may start getting hints this week and next of what’s to come … or not. Some of us may experience a turnaround so surprising that we can’t even imagine it right now.

Wishing you all much love,
Pat

Image: Bust of the Roman god Janus, for whom the month of January was named, in the Vatican Museum. Janus was the god of gates, doorways, beginnings, and endings, and according to some sources was paired with Jana (Diana), together symbolizing Sun and Moon.