Tag Archives: Uranus in Aries

Weekly Forecast October 19: Sun Enters Scorpio, Venus Conjunct Jupiter

The Esperanza Diamond, by Gretchen Friedrich. ©2015.

Yet another shift occurs this week when the Sun enters Scorpio. From the cool, rational territory of Libra, we descend into the depths of emotional undercurrents and primal instincts.

This also is the time of year when the veil between the worlds lifts, allowing to us to sense other dimensions of reality. Messages can come through intuition, dreams, or synchronicity.

At the same time, we’re in an intense period of revisiting the Uranus-Pluto square via transits by faster-moving inner planets. The aspect was exact from 2012 to March 2015. However, Uranus and Pluto are moving back Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast January 19: New Moon in Aquarius, Mercury Retrograde

This week brings three major astrological events and a couple of lesser ones. There are bright spots and inspiring moments, but also a vague feeling of “ickiness” that we can’t identify, let alone figure out what to do with.

The ick factor comes on early in the week, with a conjunction of Mars and Neptune in Pisces on Monday. On Tuesday, the Sun enters Aquarius, less than four hours before the New Moon. On Wednesday, Mercury turns retrograde and will be in “reverse” until February 11.

For many people in the United States, Monday is a work holiday, in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Astrologically, it’s not a bad day for commemorating Dr. King’s commitment to non-violent civil disobedience. Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast August 25: New Moon in Virgo, Mars Conjunct Saturn

Late Summer Sun. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2014.

This week starts right out with the New Moon in Virgo, establishing a new cycle of diligence and discernment.

It couldn’t come at a better time. The brazenness of the propaganda coming out of Washington and its European allies these days is truly astounding, although not any more shocking than the depths to which mainstream journalism has sunk. Finding an objective source of news is nearly impossible, and thoughtful readers are hungry for Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast July 14: Jupiter Enters Leo, Saturn Direct

No man’s land in Jerusalem between Israel and Jordan. Photo taken c. 1964 by Etan J. Tal.

There’s a whole lotta shiftin’ going on in the sky this week, with Jupiter entering a new sign and two outer planets stationed, one turning direct and the other about to go retrograde.

On Wednesday, Jupiter leaves tender, cautious Cancer and heads into dramatic, exuberant Leo. In principle, that sounds good, and I think it will be. We could use a good dose of optimism. At the same time, Saturn is stationed at 16 degrees Scorpio, in preparation to return direct on Sunday (July 20), while Uranus is stationed at 16 degrees Aries and will turn retrograde the following day.

Maybe I’ll feel different once Jupiter changes signs Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast March 31: Sun Opposite Uranus, Sun Square Jupiter and Pluto

Tuesday is April Fool’s Day, and while this week is anything but funny, the role of the iconic fool is curiously appropriate for the epic planetary alignment of our time and the concurrent madness here on Earth.

In a Tarot reading a few days ago, I drew The Fool. The usual interpretation of The Fool involves having faith that if you’re on the right path, the universe will support you. Knowing that gives one the courage to take risks and move forward despite uncertainty.

That’s not a bad image for this week’s tumultuous aspects. The winds are picking up as we head straight into the storm, and playing it safe isn’t an option. We’re being forced into new territory where few have gone before. The world is changing – socially, culturally, technologically, and politically – and we’re all explorers and pioneers.
Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast April 15: Mercury Enters Aries, New Moon in Taurus

Music to travel by. © Pat Paquette, 2012.

Get ready to hit the ground running this week, because life is suddenly moving again.

Mars, the action planet, went direct on Friday. Although I anticipated some major shifting last week, I also knew that certain activities might come to a grinding halt until early this week, when Mercury enters Aries, the sign Mars rules. For me, however, the bombs began dropping Tuesday night, and by Friday, life was taking a turn that, while not entirely unexpected (there are advantages to being an astrologer), was surprising nonetheless.

Developments this week could turn us on our heads yet again. It feels like the ground beneath our feet is swaying back and forth, and remaining steady is difficult, if not impossible. At least, that’s what it looks like from where I’m standing.

We start off on Monday with Mercury blasting into Aries. Mercury has been in squishy Pisces, where logic dissolves and you never quite know whether you’re tapped into extraordinary intuition or are wandering in the mists of la-la land. We’ll have more clarity with Mercury in Aries, and fortunately, Mars direct in Virgo ought to help control the impulse to do something, anything, as long as you feel like you’re moving. The urge will only get stronger as the Moon enters Aries on Wednesday, and Mercury conjoins Uranus on Sunday. By the way, this is the third and final conjunction with Uranus in this cycle, and it likely will play out as events related to the big shift that began for you in the summer of 2010.

All of the above notwithstanding, we should all feel more grounded once the Sun enters earthy Taurus on Thursday, followed quickly by the New Moon on Saturday. Venus, the ruler of this New Moon, is close to the degree at which she’ll transit the Sun on June 5, and she’s at the exact degree of the lunar eclipse a day earlier. I have to think we’ll notice a significant shift in the two weeks following this New Moon. Indeed, life already seems to be rearranging itself in preparation for what’s to come. Still, Venus is unaspected in this New Moon chart, so we’re not entirely ready yet for what’s ahead.

The Sun and Moon do make a lovely sextile/trine with Neptune and Mars. The latter is especially powerful, given that Mars has just turned direct. It’s as though he’s being urged to get up and get moving! The Sun and Moon also are conjunct Ceres, who gets my vote as co-ruler of Virgo. Some astrologers think her symbolism is closer to Taurus. I have to disagree, but there’s no doubt that her earthiness is compatible with Taurus, the most solidly manifested of all the earth signs (thus the stubbornness we often encounter in our Taurus friends).

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Even the conflicting aspects in this New Moon chart have something conciliatory about them. Vesta in Aries is directly opposite retrograde Saturn in Libra. The ancients associated Vesta the Capricorn, which is Saturn’s home sign. The conflicts we have with others usually have something to do with our conflicts within ourselves. And it’s impossible not to be conflicted about something. Humans are complex organisms, and not every part of us wants what the other parts want. The best example is the constant battle between heart and head.

The inconjunct from Mercury to Mars is mitigated by their mutual reception. The inconjunct represents no common ground, and yet in these signs, this pair has everything in common. I say use this energy to the max to plough through problems that seem to have no solution. Communicate, brainstorm, and seek the areas of mutual interest. They are there.

Lastly, of course, we have Mars in Virgo opposite Neptune in Pisces – the harsh and accurate critic who analyzes every detail versus the vast, unknowable unconscious. Even this apparently irreconcilable opposition has a solution, represented by the New Moon itself. What we see with our eyes is an expression of the invisible energies underlying the material universe. This is a great time for any kind of energetic medicine such as acupuncture, homeopathy, Reiki, and so forth.

Before I end, I want to share the story of the photo. On Friday, I was headed into the city for an important meeting. Rather than sitting in the stuffy passenger cabin on the ferry, I went to the covered seating area. Even when it’s chilly, I prefer it to the interior. I can sit there in solitude, contemplating the sun on the water.

Just as I was settling in, a young man with a guitar case came out. “There goes my quiet meditation,” I thought. Before he sat down, he asked whether it would be OK with me if he played. “Well, that depends,” I said. “Do you play well?” He laughed, opened his case, tuned his instrument, and began strumming. The sunlight was hitting the space just right, creating a perfect photo op. So there was my choice: I could be annoyed that my solitude was disrupted, or I could take pictures. I asked his permission and joked that it was a fair trade. As it turned out, he played exceptionally well, and he chose a song with the perfect rhythm for traveling – whether physically moving over water or spiritually moving over waves of energy.

Sometimes we are blessed in spite of ourselves.

Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast March 19: Spring Equinox, New Moon in Aries

Strap yourself in and prepare for lift-off! The Sun enters Aries this week, closely followed by the New Moon and a dynamite conjunction with Uranus.

According to astrological convention, we’d predict stunning new beginnings, doors flying open with explosive force, and unexpected new developments of all kinds. That may indeed happen, but we need to keep in mind first and foremost that Mars, planetary ruler of Aries, is retrograde. Moreover, he’s in Virgo, and Mercury, the ruler of Virgo, is in Aries and also retrograde.

We might read that as an indication that any new developments will be delayed until mid-April, when Mercury and Mars both will have returned direct. I have no doubt that many of you will experience the New Moon this way. But I’d like to offer you an additional, alternative interpretation.

I believe it’s possible that the new beginnings and unexpected events will involve starting over with a project, relationship, or situation that began many years ago, but that you weren’t able to complete for one reason or another. Maybe you were missing a key piece of information. Or, you may have lacked the skills to make it work. Perhaps you just weren’t mature enough to deal with the situation.

I don’t mean to suggest that you should drop everything and contact the man or woman who broke your heart five years ago. In fact, I wouldn’t advise it. However, if that person contacts you, take it as a sign that you are being given a chance to do something differently this time in order to succeed. The same advice applies if you’re contacted by a former employer or someone else from your past.

Whatever transpires this week, it’s key to moving forward on your life’s path. Not only is the New Moon near the 0 Aries point, but it’s at a degree that factored heavily in the cardinal T-square in the summer of 2010. Most of us remember that as a turbulent, frustrating period. So much has happened since then that it seems like a different eon. And maybe it was …

The Aries ingress occurs on Tuesday. Since 1993, the vernal equinox has been celebrated as International Astrology Day. In celebration of this special day, I’m publishing the first of a series of images by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie, who is working on an inspired and inspiring series of paintings incorporating astrological symbols with goddesses from different cultures. Please take a moment to check out her website (her prints are very reasonably priced and make great gifts). She’s currently working on Leo, perfectly represented by Egyptian goddess Sekhmet.

On Wednesday, the Sun conjoins retrograde Mercury, with the Moon void-of-course all day. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t felt much of a difference since Mercury changed motion a week ago. Maybe that’s because it has felt like one long Mercury retrograde period ever since Mars went into reverse in Virgo in late January. However, I do think we’ll notice the retrograde effect starting on Tuesday, and we may feel it even more when Mercury goes back into Pisces on Friday.

Click on image to enlarge

The Moon enters Aries early Thursday in the United States, conjoins Mercury, and then a few hours later conjoins the Sun – otherwise known as the New Moon. The Moon aligns with Uranus a few hours later. Although the Sun-Uranus conjunction won’t be exact until Friday, you might start experiencing corresponding events immediately. How will you know if it’s a “New Moon-Uranus event?” Well, if it’s shocking, out of the blue, explosive, or otherwise totally disrupts your life, then it’s related to Uranus.

Remember, even positive changes can throw you for a loop. And I do believe that many of the changes that occur this week will be wonderfully positive. I say this because the grand trine involving Pluto, Jupiter, and Mars in earth signs is still active, and the Moon in Taurus will amplify the trine over the weekend. This is a great time to visualize what you want … and make sure you act on your intentions. A friend reminded me last week that when you take one step forward on your destined path, the universe will take five steps to meet you.

Wishing you infinite love and courage,
Pat

P.S. To everyone who has written and asked about the StarGuide Spring Forecast, I’m working on it now and will post a notice when it’s ready to order, in a day or two.

Weekly Forecast January 23: New Moon in Aquarius, Mars Retrograde

Pip said it all in her comment on last week’s post. Just about everyone I know started having major computer problems a couple of days ago — myself included.

The Internet connectivity on my computer stopped working at 1 a.m. Saturday. After nearly six hours on the phone with tech support reps in various parts of the world, I took it into a local repair shop, where it remains in a long queue. Why was I not surprised upon hearing that several other people had brought their computers in earlier on the same day? Fortunately, I have a backup, but it’s a poor old lemon that is tortured by the increasing demands for speed and memory of Internet use. I’m trying to be as nice to it as I can so that it will live until I get my regular machine back.

So there you have the essence of Mars stationing to go retrograde in Virgo. Circumstances should improve somewhat once he gets moving again, even in reverse. It beats being stopped entirely.

That said, there are several unknowns in this scenario. Uranus, which also is associated with electronics, Internet, and so forth, is currently in Aries, the sign ruled by Mars. In our lifetime, we haven’t experienced this pairing, and so we don’t know how they behave. Theoretically, they are two bad boys out to see what kind of mischief they can make. They’ll get a third gang member when Mercury enters Aquarius on Friday and contacts Uranus by sextile on Saturday. Uranus is said to be a higher octave of Mercury, so these two have a natural affinity, and together with Mars, they will make up an energy triangle. For those into the mechanics: Mercury in Aquarius deposits to Uranus, ruler of Aquarius; Uranus in Aries deposits to Mars, ruler of Arie; and Mars in Virgo deposits to Mercury, ruler of Virgo.

That’s the bad news. There’s also plenty of good news this week, so let’s turn to that now.

Click on image to enlarge

Monday starts right off with the New Moon in forward-looking Aquarius, in a close sextile with Uranus, the modern ruler of Aquarius. Of course, he’s in Mars, and we just discussed the possible implications. Still, I’m optimistic. Although unexpected events are likely, I think they will be mostly positive, given that the sextile is a positive angle and quite dynamic.

The New Moon also makes a close contact with Jupiter, and while the angle is a square, normally indicating conflict, the Moon and Jupiter are compatible energies. “Conflict” is relative, and in this case it could simply mean a moral dilemma between your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and the double fudge caramel sundae staring at you from the special dessert menu. Or, you may find yourself feeling overly generous and making a promise you can’t keep. Mercury squares Jupiter on Saturday, which also can be a positive. The downside is that you may overlook important details, especially with Mars retrograde. If you have an important project on Saturday, plan ahead carefully, and have someone you trust go over your work. Also, make a mental note to be open to the ideas of others. Aquarius and Taurus are both fixed signs, given to stubbornness.

Two additional reasons for optimism are that this New Moon chart has a couple of hidden fairies. Ceres may function here as a sort of fairy godmother, in that Ceres and Uranus are in perfect conjunction. At his worst, Uranus stirs the pot and conjures up chaos, but there’s usually a reason for it, and that reason has to with changing what’s broken and not working. At his best, Uranus is the Magician and Awakener. Ceres, meanwhile, is the wise earth mother, dedicated to the health and well-being of life on the planet. It will be interesting to watch the news headlines for environmental developments this week.

Ceres also has a natural association with Virgo, so in a way, she may be a temporary “chaperone” for Uranus and company. That said, they might also do her service by shaking up humanity’s planetary life-support system. You might say that the human race has a dysfunctional relationship with its mother, and something needs to change radically to restore the balance.

The second fairy is Venus, who in Pisces is the Fairy Queen. Although Uranus and Mars are the tough guys in the leading roles, they are inextricably linked to the planet of love and desire, in the sign of compassion and the collective unconscious. Venus is said to be exalted in Pisces, where her love and desire nature are at their highest. It is a state of grace.

The final word is that whatever happens this week, no matter how strange, unexpected, or upsetting, try to understand how it fits into an intricate whole. How do these new and surprising developments carry you forward toward fulfilling your life’s highest purpose?

Much love and courage to all!
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 26: New Moon in Libra

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

Welcome to this week!

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

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

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

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

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

Click on image to enlarge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast March 21: Sun Conjunct Uranus, Venus Enters Pisces

Grand Coulee Dam. The first concrete was poured on Dec. 6, 1935, with Saturn (structure) in Pisces (water), and Uranus square Mars and Pluto. © Pat Paquette 2011.

This promises to be an exciting week, starting right out with an electrifying conjunction of the Sun and Uranus in Aries. I just hope my circuits can stand it.

If I had to describe this transit in one word, it would be “revolution.” Not that you need astrology to tell you that movements around the world for freedom from oppression will continue to build. I am somewhat concerned about what will happen next week, when Mars enters Aries and Mercury turns retrograde. Mars is the planet of war and conflict, and he’ll be on the side of the revolutionaries. Eventually – by the second week in April – they’ll provoke authoritarian governments and their corporate backers to take extreme action against them. It will be very interesting to see which side the United States supports in individual countries in the Middle East.

In our individual lives, the Sun-Uranus conjunction brings surprises and a break from our normal routine. At its best, it can help us blast through blocks that are holding us back. That’s the good side of this transit. The danger is that you may feel an urge to do extreme things like telling your boss to go to hell, without considering the consequences. For an idea of how this might manifest in your life, look at where Uranus currently is transiting your chart. Most of you have enough of an understanding of astrology that you probably know this already. If you’re in your early 20s or early 40s, be extra mindful not to act on selfish impulse.

There are no other major planetary aspects until Saturday, when Venus conjoins Neptune at 29 degrees Aquarius. The following day, she enters Pisces, sign of her exaltation. Venus is a lower vibration of Neptune, so her entrance into Pisces right after their conjunction should provide us with some early insight into what will happen when Neptune himself enters Pisces on April 4. Neptune’s counterpart in ancient Greece was Poseidon, who ruled over the sea, fresh water and earthquakes.

Venus is happy in Pisces, the sign of mystical union and merging into the underlying source of all things. She doesn’t seek love for physical gratification, adoration or financial rewards, but to merge into oneness with her partner.

Speaking of which, Mars remains in Pisces until April 1, and he’s being “fed” by planets in Aries, the sign he rules. Although Mars in Pisces can be a warrior for the poor and underprivileged, he also will fight on the behalf of religious beliefs. Let’s hope his energy is channeled into helping the thousands left homeless by the earthquake in Japan and not fanning the flames of religious conflict in the Middle East.

Overall, we’re a step farther into Aries territory and a Brave New World. However, with Mars still in Pisces, one foot remains in the past. This week, we continue to evaluate our past and decide what to keep and what to leave behind. It’s never too late to throw unneeded baggage overboard, especially if it has been weighing you down and preventing you from moving forward.

There is one other interesting astrological event this week that I’d like to discuss, and that’s the conjunction of the lunar North Node and the Galactic Center. Indeed, this may be the most important transit of the week, if not the entire month, as it portends the opening of a portal into higher consciousness. The conjunction isn’t exact until March 31, but the North Node is now at the same degree as the Galactic Center at 27 degrees Sagittarius and will remain there until the end of the month.

What’s really intriguing is that the North Node turns direct for a few hours on Friday, March 25. The lunar nodes normally are retrograde in motion, but every now and then, they turn direct. It’s like the opening of a doorway, and when this occurs in conjunction with the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy – the source of powerful radio waves – it’s hugely significant.

As if that’s not enough, the Moon conjoins the North Node a few minutes after it turns direct! Keep a notebook with you on Friday, and write down any dreams you have Friday night. The nodes are direct from 1:57 p.m. PDT on Friday to 5:30 a.m. PDT on Saturday.

Finally, I’d like to remind everyone that there’s just one more week to go before Mercury turns retrograde. Even though Mercury is in pre-retrograde shadow, he’s not officially retrograde yet, so there’s still time to sign papers, close accounts, and take care of anything else of that nature. Wrap up as much business as you can this week.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat