Tag Archives: Uranus-Pluto square

Weekly Forecast June 10: Saturn Trines Neptune, Venus Opposes Pluto

The Boston Massacre. Detail of an engraving by Paul Revere, March 1770.

In my down state, I’ve been watching a lot of movies, borrowed from our terrific local library. Last week, I found the seven-part miniseries John Adams, which first aired on HBO in March 2008.

Despite historical inaccuracies typical in Hollywood productions, the miniseries is a decidedly unromanticized version of history and rightly won several awards. Based on the biography by David McCullough, it’s an excellent portrayal of the conflicts among colonial leaders, not all of whom were ready to take up arms and fight for their rights. There were those who strongly preferred negotiations to war and who feared that uprisings in Massachusetts would subject all of the colonies to a deadly crackdown by the British.

The first episode begins with the Boston Massacre, in which a crowd agitated by the growing tyranny of England provokes British soldiers into opening fire. The soldiers are charged with murder, and the only lawyer who will defend them is John Adams, who goes against his countrymen on the principle that everyone deserves the right to a fair trial.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know where I’m going with this, yes?

The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, with Pluto in Capricorn. The Uranus-Pluto square had occurred more than a decade earlier, in late Pisces and Sagittarius. Incidentally, the square in March 1758 occurred with Pluto conjunct the Galactic Center – just a bit of interesting astro-trivia there. I mentioned the Boston incident in a post in August 2011 that actually was about a Michael Lutin presentation at the National Press Club in 2008. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

The HBO miniseries was broadcast less than two months after Pluto’s entry into Capricorn in January 2008. Talk about synchronicities. Michael Lutin’s Press Club speech (which you can watch in my August 2011 post) followed an article he wrote for Vanity Fair magazine about the implications for the United States of Pluto in Capricorn. What I remember most from his speech – which has reverberated in my mind many times over – were his words, “You’re all under surveillance.”

Well, well, well.

Mikey predicted it would all go down in 2011. He was off by a couple of years, but so what? His predictions ring uncannily true, including his opinion that it didn’t matter who won the White House in 2008. Of course, we already were under heavy surveillance when he gave that presentation, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist or even an astrologer to know it. The bomb dropped by The Guardian on Wednesday, followed by even bigger ones, wasn’t really news to anyone who’s been paying attention.

As I type, the whistleblower has come forward. Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old employee of a contractor for the National Security Agency, is inevitably being compared to Private Bradley Manning, who is on trial for leaking classified information on the war in Iraq. Rather than being hanged for treason – the punishment of choice in colonial America – Manning has been imprisoned for three years awaiting trial and, by all accounts, tortured by cruel and inhuman means. We have, after all, progressed toward a more civilized society, especially here in the United States, land of the free and home of the brave.

Back to John Adams, he eventually became the new nation’s first vice president and second president, although history sort of seems to have forgotten him in favor of more classic heroes such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and even his own cousin, Samuel Adams. John Adams was by all measures conservative. Yet, he called a spade a spade, and he was one of the most vociferous supporters of fighting for independence, once it became apparent that negotiating with the British would solve nothing – and he figured that out early on. That, I believe, is the critical lesson for us now.

In an interview with The Guardian, Snowden said he would have gone to the media sooner, but he was waiting to see whether President Obama would curb some of the abuses of the NSA. When he not only failed to do so but expanded the program, Snowden made his move. To an astrologer, it’s no coincidence that the revelation came with Uranus in a close square to Pluto. The big question now is how the American public will react. Very clearly, this isn’t an abuse that can be remedied by voting out one political party in favor of another – a point, by the way, that I made several years ago and for which I was soundly flamed by Obama supporters.

I don’t know precisely where this is all going to lead, but I do know that we have more explosive times ahead. As I’ve remarked before, the influence of the Uranus-Pluto square will last for another five years at least. After that, we’ll march steadily toward the Pluto return of the United States in 2022. In the meantime, we’ll also experience a conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in 2020, and in 2026, Saturn and Neptune conjoin in Aries. I have extensive thoughts on what these transits will entail, but I’ll save them for another time.

Surveillance of the citizenry is very definitely a signature for Pluto in Capricorn, and it’s interesting to note that publication of the extent of the abuse occurred with Mercury in opposition to Pluto and square Uranus. Also, warrior Mars in Gemini made a square to Neptune, planet of fog and deception. Note, too, that Mercury was approaching conjunction with the United States Sun, and the Uranus-Pluto square isn’t far from making contact with the U.S. Sun (exact in April 2014). From an astrological perspective, it makes perfect sense that the news broke last week. I confess that I couldn’t have predicted it exactly (especially in my current condition), but I did note in last week’s forecast that we’d likely have some shocking headlines:

Collectively, I think we’ll see more jarring headlines – not that anything could shock us anymore, but the extent to which we’ve been deceived and lied to could be a revelation to many.

Looking at the week ahead, Venus follows on the heels of Mercury by opposing Pluto (Tuesday) and squaring Uranus (Wednesday). Venus in Cancer is a soft influence, and yet in a T-square with Pluto, she can’t be expected to do much to soften the recent blow. If anything, the powers responsible for this gross invasion of privacy may try to further defend the program on the grounds of national security: “We’re keeping you safe from terrorists,” etc. Internet companies such as Google and Facebook also may try to reassure their users. We’ll see how many people buy it, and how well the government will be able to persuade its citizenry to fight among themselves instead of aiming their anger where it rightly belongs.

The other big aspect of this week is the trine of Saturn and Neptune, second of a three-part transit. The first occurred in October 2012, and the third and final pass will fall on July 19 as part of the grand trine with Jupiter. Trines in general are highly favorable, and grand trines even more so. My only worry is that storms involving precipitation and flooding could be exaggerated; after all, nature doesn’t share our subjective notions of “good” and “bad.” An unimpeded path for us also can be an unimpeded path for a hurricane. But do make what you can of it, starting now. Don’t wait until July to decide how you want to use this rare gift of cosmic energy.

Speaking of energy, mine is still low, but the good news is that I feel like I finally bottomed out this past week. It’s been a very hard place to be, and I don’t feel like I’m out of the woods yet. The demons are following me out of hell and nipping at my heels. Short walks, doing little tasks in my apartment, and lying on the couch watching movies have been my best strategies. Chocolate is nice, too, but unfortunately, all this lying around has exacerbated my weight and blood pressure – issues I’ll need to address once I have the strength to get out more. If you recently ordered a report and have not heard from me, expect an e-mail in the next day or two. My deepest apologies, and my heartfelt appreciation for those of you who have been so patient, understanding, and concerned for my well-being.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast June 3: Neptune Retrograde, New Moon in Gemini

Collapsed bridge on the Skagit River, Washington. Photo courtesy Washington Department of Transportation.

It seems it’s human nature to believe the latest disaster is the worst ever and that more catastrophes than ever before are befalling the planet. I’m not sure this is true, but it’s safe to say that we’re living in unprecedented times.

Skeptics would say we simply have more reporting than ever before, that being connected to the Internet 24/7 results in a barrage of disaster stories from around the world. Still, given the headlines, one might reasonably conclude we’re in the middle of the Apocalypse, even though that was supposed to have come and gone in 2012.

I’ve written a lot about breakdowns, both collective and individual, and in an attempt to present the positive with the negative, I’ve also broached the subject of rebuilding. Otherwise, all this talk of breaking down gets depressing, especially when plans for rebuilding keep falling through or changing without warning.

However, the truth is that we can’t start rebuilding until the breakdown is complete. That, I believe, is the message of Pluto in Capricorn in mutual reception with Saturn in Scorpio. Saturn, remember, is the planet of structure and careful, step-by-step progress. But Pluto is about breaking down and transforming. You might think of it as trying to rebuild a house on a worm-eaten foundation. The only way to ensure the integrity of the structure is to pull out everything and rebuild from the bottom up. In societal terms, we’ve got a patch job on top of a patch job on top of another patch job. It’s no wonder that the whole thing is crumbling.

Saturn and Pluto remain in mutual reception until December 2014. During that time, Uranus continues to form a square with Pluto. The last exact alignment will occur in March 2015, but we’ll continue to feel this far-reaching aspect for another two or three years after that. Uranian energy is volatile, explosive, and unpredictable. When you combine these energies, you get … well, exactly what we’ve got.

In addition to the deadly tornadoes, fires, and floods, recent protests around the world have turned violent, with the police backlash that is the hallmark of the square between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. Uranus rules Aquarius, the sign of equality, and many of the protests have their roots in inequality and injustice. In fact, this isn’t the first time we’ve had a society based on such vast disparity. I’m constantly reminded of medieval Europe, when the nobility taxed the peasants and took food off their plates to support wars in the Holy Land – the Middle East. It really does make you wonder if the energies of the universe are in an endless spin cycle, manifesting the same patterns over and over again.

There are some significant differences this time around, though, which is why I say we’re in unprecedented times. At the end of the Crusades, world population was about 6 percent of what it is today. News traveled by messengers on foot and horseback, if it traveled at all. With our instant connections, news now reaches large portions of the world’s 7 billion people instantaneously. Our polluted environment also is unprecedented. Although cities in the Middle Ages were crowded, filthy, and disease-ridden, there was always somewhere else to go where the air and water were clean. We’re running out of somewhere elses and are now talking about terraforming Mars.

How could anyone not be anxious, tense, and depressed? As far as I’m concerned, stress is an appropriate, healthy response to what’s happening in our societies. You have my permission to be anxious and stressed out.

I know that I’m not the only one experiencing a physical or mental breakdown, and I have to believe that this is all part of the cosmic pattern. The collective is made up of individuals, and so unfortunately, we have to break down along with the social structures. As I’ve mentioned in the past, this process is not unknown. Alchemists, shamans, and healers have known for millennia about this mysterious subconscious phenomenon. In some cases, it can be induced through ritual and artificial means, but that’s the exception rather than the rule. Normally, this process takes place over time, and there’s no way to force it, speed it up, or otherwise control it. It’s Plutonic, and that means you have to give in and let it have its way. Trying to hold on just prolongs unnecessary suffering. There are times when we need to hang in there, but other times when it would be better to just give up.

We have an excellent opportunity to look back at the lessons of human history when Neptune turns retrograde this week. As I write, he’s stationed at 5 degrees Pisces, preparing to shift motion on Friday. Among other things, Neptune rules dreams and the deep psyche. This is also where past-life memories live. Destructive patterns often keep repeating themselves until we become aware of them and take active measures to change. Yet, sometimes the underlying source is so deeply ingrained that only a Plutonic transformation can crack it. Either way, I’m optimistic that we can make deep changes in the coming two months, given the positions of the outer planets. Neptune turns retrograde in a trine with Saturn by exact degree, which I think will help us identify and work with the old, outdated patterns that keep us stuck.

On Monday, Mercury trines both Neptune and Saturn. Mercury is in Cancer, which is a water sign and more intuitive. We like to think that our thoughts are rational and objective, but they more often than not are driven by feelings and fundamental needs. The mind can rationalize anything, but truth lies in the heart and soul. One of the ways we can be more authentic and true to ourselves is by allowing our true feelings to surface. Mastering your emotions emphatically does not mean stuffing them down, but allowing them to surface in a safe place so you can be aware of your motivations and adjust your actions accordingly.

Click on image to enlarge

The rest of the week’s major aspects are reflected in the chart for Saturday’s New Moon in Gemini, so let’s have a look. The first thing you see is the big blue triangle. That’s a grand trine, with Venus, Neptune, and Saturn. The bigger grand trine will happen in mid-July, when Jupiter will occupy the position of Venus. But this week’s grand trine with Venus will be quite lovely, too. Even though there’s a lot more breaking down to come, and even though it may not be time yet to rebuild, we can start laying the groundwork. What do you really want? Are your thoughts, actions, and behavior consistent with what you most want? If not, what can you do to align them more closely? I make it sound easy, but it’s not. This is the work of a lifetime and probably more than one. The problem is that many of us think we know what we want, but when we get it, we discover it doesn’t make us as happy as we thought we’d be or that we really wanted something else.

The Uranus-Pluto square is still very active, and it becomes a cardinal T-square with Mercury in a close square with Uranus and opposition to Pluto. Venus is a few degrees shy of Mercury, but will form the same T-square next week. Throughout the week, try to be mindful of what you want out of your closest relationships. If you don’t feel supported, why not? If you could have an ideal family, team, or tribe, what would it look like and why? Would getting it require a few adjustments, or do you need an overhaul?

Collectively, I think we’ll see more jarring headlines – not that anything could shock us anymore, but the extent to which we’ve been deceived and lied to could be a revelation to many. I think we’ll see more protests, too, especially over women’s issues.

Mars squares Neptune in this chart as well, with the exact aspect occurring on Friday. In mundane astrology, Mars rules war, terrorism, and fires. However, with a trine from peacemaker Venus to Neptune, I think it’s possible that we’ll be able to avoid some of the most negative manifestations of this worrisome square. In any case, there’s so much going on in this chart that it will be difficult to associate events with a particular aspect. I’m not one to argue this point, because there’s simply no way to prove it.

The Sun and Moon in Gemini are otherwise unaspected, and even though Mars and Jupiter are in Gemini, the overall feel of this New Moon could be more like Cancer than Gemini. What we read, what we hear, and what we think is less important now than what we feel and our sense of belonging. Ethnicity, patriotism, and family values trump facts and figures. We’re all out of our comfort zone in a big way these days, and as much as I recommend accepting that reality, I can’t argue against taking comfort where you can find it.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast May 27: Mercury and Venus Conjunct Jupiter

Raindrops in the Sun. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

The astrological waters are still a little choppy, but we’ve pulled through the eclipse season, and this week we have some important shifts, along with a fortunate conjunction of Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter.

Venus and Jupiter are the “luckiest” planets in astrology, and while they conjoin every year, a triple conjunction with Mercury is rare. The conjunction occurs in Gemini, which is ruled by Mercury, so the areas that receive the most benefit are likely to be in the realms of finance, business, ideas, knowledge, and communications. Indeed, you might get too much of a good thing.

Mercury conjoins Jupiter on Monday, which is Memorial Day in the United States. Most business will be closed, and if you have to work, you’ll likely have a quiet day. Tuesday could more than make up for it, though, when Venus takes her turn with the Big Guy. The aftereffects will last into Wednesday and perhaps even Thursday.

With Venus in the picture, I think most of the news will be favorable. However, the eclipses could take a month or more to play out, and we’re still well within the hit zone of the Uranus-Pluto square. I truly hope that the Venus-Jupiter conjunction will bring a ray of hope to places in the world that have been ravaged with disasters, both natural and manmade.

Speaking of which, the bridge that collapsed was north of Seattle, so of course I’ve been following that story. Our Department of Transportation is notorious for passing the buck on just about everything, and it appears they’re trying to worm their way out of responsibility by declaring the accident a fluke and blaming it on the driver. The department is on the record as saying the bridge was safe, despite its rating as structurally deficient and functionally obsolete – a rating shared by more than 11 percent of bridges in the United States. Incidentally, the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis in 2007 also was rated structurally deficient. No cause for concern whatsoever. According to the Federal Highway Administration, it would take until 2028 to repair aging U.S. bridges, at a cost of more than $20 billion annually. We’re not spending anything close to that, and while there’s been some talk that the Skagit River bridge collapse might generate a necessary discussion, I’m not holding my breath. Catastrophes are happening at such a frightening rate these days that we quickly forget the last one and move on to the next.

In January 2008, when Pluto moved into Capricorn, I wrote about the implications for the nation’s infrastructure (you can read in my archive). Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, is about structure, and one of Pluto’s functions is to destroy the rotten and outdated. With Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio, we’ve got a double dose of destruction – all with the purpose of transforming, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Uranus, meanwhile, is a volatile, explosive energy, and he also rules wind storms.

With Uranus in Mars-ruled Aries, it’s important to keep track of Mars. As it so happens, the planet of action and aggression enters Gemini this Friday. Gemini is an air sign, so I think high winds will continue to make headlines. On Saturday, the Sun in Gemini forms a lively sextile with Uranus, which should be mostly positive. This is a signature for still more bright ideas, flashes of inspiration, spontaneous self-expression, and random acts of creativity.

After Mercury and Venus conjoin Jupiter, they both enter Cancer – Mercury on Friday and Venus on Sunday. Cancer is far more touchy-feely than Gemini, which often confuses talking about feelings with the feelings themselves. Mercury in Cancer has the advantage of talking very effectively about feelings, and with Venus in Cancer, too, authentic feelings will surface. This is a nice combination for caring and kind words. You can never have too much of that. As they progress through the early degrees of Cancer, Mercury and Venus will form a grand trine with Saturn and Neptune (exact next week). The big trine comes in mid-July, when Jupiter forms a grand trine with Saturn and Neptune by exact degree, but in the meantime, we’ll get a mini version, and perhaps we’ll even get a taste of things to come. My take is that we’re about to have a wide window of opportunity to turn our big ideas into reality and maybe even make some dreams come true. All this breaking down has to clear the way for something new, right? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start thinking about what you want in place of what you don’t want. I have been. It’s a discussion that should be taking place now.

In general, this week’s transition might feel something like my day. This morning, I awoke to the sound of rain hitting the leaves outside my window. It remained dreary until a little after noon, when the sun emerged from behind the clouds. Suddenly, it was if it had rained diamonds. And I’ve never heard such hysterically happy birds. I wish I could record them for you. I’m still in a dark place, moving slowly, with a mind that feels like it’s got a few loose wires. But it’s impossible not to respond to raindrops sparkling in the sunlight, birdsong, and the depth of the green after a storm. It’s not for nothing that Seattle is nicknamed the Emerald City. The sunshine didn’t last long (we call these quick appearances “sun breaks”), but it was just long enough for me to snap a photo. Raindrops in sunshine, such an incongruous image. But that may be the way it is for a while.

I leave you with this NASA video of the triple conjunction. If the sky is clear where you are, step outside at sunset and enjoy the show.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast May 20: Uranus Square Pluto, Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius

This week is one of the most astrologically active of 2013, with an exact square of Uranus and Pluto and a lunar eclipse at the Full Moon, which also is the Buddhist festival of Wesak.

I can’t say that the rubber is going to meet the road, because we’re well past that point. For many of us, it feels like we’re spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. Others have been driving and driving, only to arrive at a dead end in the wilderness, wondering whether we’ll have enough fuel to get us back to the main road and moving in the right direction.

Not that dead ends are bad. We often need to go all the way down the “wrong” road in order to learn something, recover a lot piece of ourselves, or just explore and experiment. In the great cosmic lab, as in real-life labs, not all experiments are successful. Indeed, most of them fail. But in failing, we learn what doesn’t work, thereby putting us a step closer to what will.

As I wrote in last week’s forecast, the Uranus-Pluto square is exact on Monday. This will be the third of seven exact alignments between 2012 and 2015. The last one occurred on September 19, 2012, and the next will fall on November 1, 2013. The November square also will be near an eclipse and likely more intense than this week’s. Still, we’re in turbulent waters, and even those who love a wild ride may be getting more than they bargained for. We’re being forced to accept fast and continual change, and it seems that once we embrace it, circumstances come along that force us to accept still more changes. It’s hard for me to give advice these days about how to cope, except recommend doing whatever works best for you in the moment. If balance isn’t possible, do your best to remain standing. If that doesn’t work, crawl on all fours. Or just stay down.

I’m surprised by how people I know (myself included) have gone into a shutdown phase. As bad as that sounds, it may be a good thing. At least in my own experience, I’ve realized that shutting down may be necessary for internal changes to take place. Really, it’s not much different than metamorphosis. The caterpillar has to be entirely shut down for the magical changes to take place. Some don’t make it through, but die in the process. In the alchemy of the soul, this process is called solve et coagula – dissolve and congeal. The idea is to identify the parts of ourselves that need changing and then to “dissolve” them – a process that often involves entirely breaking down. During the breakdown phase, we’re in an extremely vulnerable and even dangerous place. It’s the classic “dark night of the soul,” where fear, hopelessness, and despair can get the best of us. But once the breakdown is complete, we can start to rebuild, with greater strength, clarity, and wisdom. Those of you who have been through this process know what I’m talking about. If you’re going through it now for the first time, try to have some faith that there is a purpose to your struggle.

Breaking down is a big part of the Uranus-Pluto square. Uranus in Aries is a disruptive force that blasts structures apart, often literally. Pluto also is a destructive force, but the point is to release bound-up energies in order to create something new. This concept also was part of alchemy. It takes energy to stay stuck in old patterns. When we break out of those patterns, we release the energy to create something new and stronger. This is true for individuals as well as for organizations and societies.

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The chart for this Saturday’s lunar eclipse (late Friday in Western time zones) powerfully reflects this process. The Sun and Moon are in a close square with Neptune, the planet of dissolution. This also happens to be the last eclipse in the Sagittarius-Gemini series, which began at the solstice in December 2010. The last eclipse in a series represents a close to a chapter, a final outcome. Since this is a lunar eclipse, it does suggest dissolution and endings. However, dissolution is not really the end. It’s just the end of one event, situation, relationship, or phase of life, and in all likelihood, the ending is necessary in order to free up energy for to create something new.

The “something new” is represented by Saturn, the planet of form and structure. As you can see in the chart, Neptune and Saturn are in a very close trine, a positive aspect representing a non-resistant path along with energy can flow. This tells me that whatever breaks down will quickly be able to reform. Moreover, Saturn is in mutual reception with Pluto, so even though there is no apparent “outlet” for the Uranus-Pluto square in this chart, there is an invisible and very powerful one. The difficulty, though, is as I stated earlier: new forms come into being and may quickly disintegrate, keeping us in a constant state of anxiety.

The ruler of this Full Moon is Jupiter, who is close to finishing his year-long tour through Gemini. Jupiter is in detriment in Gemini but next month will enter Cancer, the sign of his exaltation. Moreover, he’ll form a grand trine with Saturn and Neptune, so we’ll have even more opportunities to create what we most want and need, especially in terms of what connects us with each other and sustains us emotionally.

Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, is in his own sign, and he’s conjunct Venus and approaching conjunction with Jupiter at the eclipse. This is a vibrant configuration that favors intellectual creativity of all kinds, but especially writing. It’s also a good opportunity to examine the stories we tell ourselves about our lives. With an eclipse squaring Neptune, this is a great time to release illusions and delusions. Whether you’re underestimating yourself or misjudging your limitations, now would be a good time for a reality check.

Wesak occurs at the Full Moon in sidereal Scorpio. Sometimes this is the same as in the tropical system, which is the form of astrology most of us in the Western world use. This year, however, the dates are different. You can read more about sidereal and tropical astrology in a recent Q&A post. Wesak is a major “download” time, when a portal opens to higher consciousness and enlightenment. It’s my belief that a big part of the turbulence happening in the world now is related to awakening consciousness in large groups of people. Just as giving birth is painful, waking up can be painful, too. When we understand how connected we are, depending on how we’ve structured our lives, we might suddenly realize that we need a complete overhaul. Humans are hard-wired to maintain the status quo, so being in a constant state of flux can rock us to our very foundations.

Personally, I’m going through a difficult process that in hindsight began well before I got sick last week. As many of you know from reading my blog, I experienced adrenal fatigue last summer as a result of a grueling academic schedule. I never fully recovered, and it appears I’ve had a relapse. I saw my doctor last week, and we’ve formulated a plan, but healing is going to take many months, especially since I’m not able to eliminate the worst causes of stress in my life. All I can do is give in to the process and have faith that, as in past situations, I’ll come out of it stronger and wiser. After all, it was through similar circumstances in 2001 that I became an astrologer. We’ll just have to wait and see what’s next. In the meantime, I offer my sincerest apologies to those of you who have written e-mails and ordered reports and who haven’t received a response from me. For the past two weeks, I’ve spent most of my time sleeping or lying down. I don’t know how long this will last. In the meantime, my mind is working very slow, and it takes me all day to write what I used to be able to do in an hour or two. It’s humbling, to say the least.

Next week is going to look a lot better on many levels, so hang in there with me, all of you.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast May 13: Mercury Enters Gemini

Apalachicola Bridge. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2013.

It has been a tough week here. I started coming down with something about a week ago, and it flattened me. Surely it was no coincidence that last week’s eclipse was in my sixth house, with Mars in conjunction. It’s not uncommon for sixth-house Mars transits to correspond to colds, flu, and viral infections.

It appears that I’ll live this time, but I’ve been drowsy and mentally very slow. Or was that just Mercury in Taurus? We’ll find out this Wednesday, when the Messenger enters his own speedy sign of Gemini. Isn’t it just grand being a guinea pig in the great cosmic lab?

I’ll get to Mercury in a bit, but the bigger news this week is the approach of the Uranus-Pluto square on Monday, May 20. As I write, the square is half a degree from exact – as they say, “close enough for government work.” Actually, we’ve been feeling this influence for months already, as events associated with outer planetary transits happen over time, and they often are part of unfolding trends. If we look back to the Uranus-Pluto conjunction in the mid-60s, we find that events continued to unfold for two or three years following the last exact alignment in July 1966. Indeed, the year from that era we most remember for changing civilization as we knew it was 1968.

So, this is both good news and bad news. The good news is that we don’t have to fear that the world is going to blow up in the next couple of weeks due to the exact square of Uranus and Pluto. The bad news is that some idiot could blow it up independent of Uranus and Pluto. OK, just kidding. The bad news is that we’ve still got two more years of exact alignments of the square, followed by another couple of years of aftershocks. In other words, the turbulence we’re going through now is going to remain a major trend for a long time. Of course, that doesn’t mean that life is going to suck for each and every one of us. Many will find new opportunities and prosper. And many will face challenges that are reflected in their individual charts and that have nothing to do with the Uranus-Pluto square.

There are two messages from this square that I try to keep in mind at all times. First, recent events are reminding us that we are all connected, not just with each other in this incarnation, but with the collective unconscious throughout all time. When a garment factory goes up in flames in Bangladesh, we’re connected to those workers, whether or not we just bought a bargain T-shirt at H&M that was made in Bangladesh. When I lived in France, I was constantly impressed by how well the family I lived with knew where everything on their table came from. I used to joke with them that they knew the name of the goat that gave the milk for the cheese they were eating.

And that brings me to the second message. We’re not going to be able to fight “big bad government” the way it was done in the 60s – not that they had much success, either, but we’re definitely at a point where protesting is deadly. Some causes are worth fighting and dying for, but many are not, and getting together for an afternoon to smoke a joint, carry a sign, march topless, or dress as a vagina isn’t going to do much except get your photo in the news, which should not be mistaken for “doing something” about the problem. Saturn in Scorpio in mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorn favors big government, corporate domination, and wannabe tyrants, but it also favors coming up with practical solutions to build a more sustainable future. The thing is, each of us needs to decide whether we’re going to continue buying into the current paradigm, or whether we’re going to opt out. If we choose the latter, what does that look like?

We can’t wait for our leaders (sic) to do the work for us. They’ve screwed up the economy beyond recognition, so what makes us think they have the ability or the will to fix it – or, at least, to fix it in a way that benefits anyone but themselves? We’re going to have to make up our own economy, based primarily on used goods and local services. To do that, we need to shift our value system. What’s more important, having the latest fashion (dictated by someone else) for your friend’s birthday party, or looking fabulous in a dress you’ve worn several times and received many compliments on already? I know, that’s kind of a trivial example, and perhaps not anything I need to preach to readers of RealAstrologers, highly aware bunch that you are. But you get my point. I minored in economics in college and have been thinking about this a lot lately.

Of course, where we get our news is a big consideration, too. Joe and I have had an ongoing e-mail exchange about news sources. The corporate media in the United States have devolved into little but mouthpieces for government and can’t be relied upon to do any serious independent investigation. The alternative media typically have an agenda and are biased. And you have to be very careful about some of the so-called “news” sites on the Internet. Anyone can call himself a journalist. Believe it or not, being a good reporter really does require training and experience. I recently read a terrific article on the nature of journalism in America by Ron Unz. Ironically, he’s the publisher of a conservative journal co-founded by Pat Buchanan. Go figure. But he hit the nail right on the head. It just goes to show that neither political party has a monopoly on the truth.

And what better segue to get us back to astrology than news, which falls within the domain of Mercury, ruler of Gemini. Gemini likes a little information on a lot of subjects, and it wants it fast! When I think Mercury in Gemini, I think of The Huffington Post, which crams everything from breaking news to the latest congressional hypocrisy and celebrity cleavage onto one page. It puts me in overwhelm mode to the point of nausea. But my Mercury is in Capricorn, so there you go. Gemini people no doubt eat it up like popcorn.

Venus also is in Gemini this week, tracking slightly ahead of Mercury. They both square Neptune – she on Monday and he on Saturday. Normally, we think of Venus-Neptune squares as ripe for delusions about love and attraction, and that may well be true. However, there may not be much discernible difference between Venus in Gemini squaring Neptune and Mercury in Gemini squaring Neptune this week. In both cases, illusions or delusions – be they about love, picking winning lottery numbers, or selling your screenplay to Spielberg – will come and go so fast you may not remember them long enough to do yourself any real damage. News headlines may be confusing, and “facts” could change from one minute to the next. As Lou Reed sings in “Last Great American Whale,” Don’t believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear.

Also on Saturday, Venus sextiles Uranus. This is also a fairly fast and fleeting aspect, but it’s definitely more cheerful. Have a latte or a drink with a friend. This is a good shopping aspect, too, so do something different (Uranus) and visit a local consignment or thrift shop. One of my former classmates in film school got her entire wardrobe at Value Village. I’m not sure what I’d call her style, but it definitely was all her own.

Since I’ve made so much of the Uranus-Pluto square and all the seriousness it entails, I’d also like to remind you that we’ve have a rare and special grand trine coming up in July that will provide some temporary relief from all this depressing stuff. I mentioned it in my 2013 video, but I’ll have more about it in future columns. In the meantime, Ray Merriman had some interesting comments in his weekly forecast about how it might correlate to developments in U.S. politics and finance.

In case anyone missed the Thursday Q&A, I was too out of it to write this past week (I also am behind on reports and e-mails, so if you haven’t heard back from me, please be patient). I’ll have a new Q&A post this week … well, unless some idiot channeling Uranus and Pluto blows up the world.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast May 6: New Moon Solar Eclipse in Taurus

This week, we have the second of three eclipses in a row and the only solar eclipse among them, which is about new beginnings and, in some cases, dramatic and final endings.

The eclipse occurs on Thursday, with the Sun and Moon at 19°33′ Taurus. Mercury and Mars also are in Taurus, along with asteroid Pallas, which is conjunct the Sun and Moon by exact degree. Venus, the Bull’s ruling planet, leaves Taurus for Gemini earlier in the day, which means that Venus and Mercury will be in mutual reception. OK, that’s a head full of astro-babble, so let’s break it down.

Taurus is the most materialistic of all the signs. Of the three earth signs (the other two are Virgo and Capricorn), it is the most rock-solid, the most in the here-and-now, the most present on the plane of existence we call “reality.” People with strong Taurus in their charts often are materially successful, precisely because they place so much value on material possessions. While they have a well-deserved reputation for being slow and stubborn, they’re also patient and reliable – the kind of person you want around you in a crisis.

As I explained in the Thursday Q&A, eclipses occur when a New Moon or Full Moon falls near the lunar nodes. This eclipse falls very close to the transiting South Node at about 17 degrees Taurus, with the North Node at 17 degrees Scorpio. The South Node reminds of where we’ve been. Civilization as we know it arose during the Age of Taurus in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). It’s no coincidence that winged bulls were potent symbols during that time and often associated with the king.

I don’t think it’s any coincidence, either, that we’ve managed to bomb Iraq back into the Stone Age. When the United States invaded Iraq, I immediately had the sense that civilization “as we know it” was coming to an end. Not that it was an original thought. Many of us have realized that our societal structures aren’t sustainable, and there’s no amount of fixing, adjusting, or voting out the scoundrels that will save it. No, it’s broken beyond repair, and we’re in uncharted waters, trying to figure out what to do next.

That’s where Scorpio comes in, with its modern ruler, Pluto. Among other attributes, Scorpio breaks down what is rotten and useless. But before that can happen, there needs to be some recognition of the problem. That’s also Scorpio’s territory. With laser vision, Scorpio can see beneath the layers of “reality” to the source of the problem.

I’ve written a lot about the social upheaval manifesting from the Uranus-Pluto square, which is approaching another exact alignment on May 20. I’ve also written about how the mutual reception between Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto in Capricorn is working in synergy with the Uranus-Pluto square to hasten the breakdown phase to clear the way for new, sustainable structures. I haven’t written much, though, about what that new way of living and being is going to look like or how we’re going to get there. Spiritual awakening is all fine and good, and “living spiritually” is a worthy goal, but what does that mean? The fact is, on this plane of existence, we have material bodies that have material needs. Indeed, it’s precisely in meeting these needs over many millennia that we’ve managed to screw up the planet and become, in the words of cultural critic Daniel Quinn “enraged, rebellious, desperate, stressed-out borderline psychotics being torn apart by crime, hatred, and violence.”

I like Quinn’s allegories and metaphors. For example, he writes that if the plane you’re on is in trouble, you won’t save yourself by shooting the pilot. You need to strap on your parachute and jump. “Parachute” isn’t the first image that comes to my mind when I think of Taurus, but there needs to be some place to jump to, and it is the job of Taurus to create new realities. Rather than continuing to complain about how bad the current reality sucks, we need to start doing some serious hands-on building. (I know that many of you already are, and I’d like to hear from you.)

Speaking for myself, I have to say that I long ago got tired of alternative news sites that day after day sound the alarm about corrupt leaders, bailouts for bankers, injustice for whistleblowers, the rise of the police state, etcetera ad nauseam. First off, I was a reporter in Washington, D.C., in the late 80s and early 90s and saw it for myself, so this isn’t news to me. Beyond that, I wonder how much of this stuff we have to read to be “convinced.” When I read these articles, I want to scream, “OK, OK! I get it!” Are we going to just keep sharing links in the social media and clucking our tongues about those horrible awful people leading us down a path of certain destruction, or are we going to start doing something differently?

Click on image to enlarge

Of course, it’s legitimate to talk about it first, and that’s where I see the Mercury-Venus mutual reception coming in. Just keep in mind that Mercury and Mars conjoin on Tuesday, which is a recipe for arguments. Taurus is conflict averse, but unfortunately tends to stonewall to avoid it. Sometimes remaining silent is wise, but eventually real disagreements must be addressed. Venus in Gemini can help with that. Mercury is the planet of communication, and Taurus is, among other things, the builder of new worlds. As ruler of Taurus, Venus is about artful living. Having more, more-expensive toys doesn’t make us happier. How we communicate, how we share with each other, and how we co-create new worlds together is the message this pair brings.

I want to explore this theme more in future posts and very much would like to hear what readers think. I have clients who have left untenable jobs in the past couple of years for situations that paid less but were more gratifying in other ways. Although this has been a nationwide trend for the better part of the past decade, I sense that many of you are moving beyond that into new ways of thinking about the world and your place in it. It seems like we’re all trying to find our tribe.

On that note, I’d like to express my deepest thank you to those of you who responded to my call last week for some show of support. Although in terms of numbers, only a small percentage of readers sent donations, those who did were incredibly generous, not just with donations and report orders but with notes of encouragement. It was gratifying and yet humbling at the same time to read how many of you rely on my weekly forecast to help you make sense of the turbulent times we’re in. It’s not overly dramatic to say that the human species faces life-or-death decisions. Because we are all connected, every decision we make in our individual lives ripples out into the collective and either hastens our demise or builds the equivalent of new “neural pathways.”

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

P.S. For a cool graphic showing the path of Thursday’s eclipse, check out Wikipedia.

Weekly Forecast April 29: Mars Opposite Saturn, Trine Pluto

Then the Awful Fight Began, illustration of Ragnarök by George Wright, 1908.

As we begin this week, we’re well into the destabilized zone between eclipses, with Uranus moving toward an exact square with Pluto in May. Many of us are feeling unsettled, shaken, irritated, and anxious, with that “other shoe about to drop” feeling.

We can’t help but feel unsettled in a rapidly changing world – or, perhaps to be more precise, a rapidly disintegrating world. This is an important part of the rebirth process, and unfortunately, it doesn’t happen fast enough to suit the expectation of instant gratification that’s ingrained in industrialized societies. It takes place over time – many years, in fact – and if we hold our breath waiting for the other shoe, we’ll turn blue and faint. Which, come to think of it, might not be such a bad idea. A little consciousness can be dangerous, as one is tempted to think he knows what’s best for the world.

From where I sit, it looks as though events are unfolding in perfect harmony with planetary movements, which themselves are in perfect harmony with the rhythm of the Universe. We just happen to be in a turbulent, breakdown phase that feels anything but harmonious. Could we just get this over with and get on with rebirth? In a word … no. Just as individuals go through periodic breakdown and rebirth (some more than others), society as a whole goes through these cycles as well. It takes as long as it takes, and that can feel very threatening, especially when our survival is at stake.

In astrology, upheaval is most closely associated with Uranus, while Pluto is the planet of death, transformation, and rebirth. (For more on the approaching Uranus-Pluto square, I highly recommend the latest article by Barbara Hand Clow.) The Full Moon eclipse in Scorpio brought these difficult themes to the fore. Personally, I’ve had to confront serious issues in the past week that could change my course. I’ll share them with you in a moment, but first let’s look at this week’s aspects.

Throughout the week, the Sun and Mars remain in conjunction in Taurus by less than 5 degrees, and both oppose Saturn and trine Pluto. Saturn and Pluto are in sextile and also in a special relationship called mutual reception. Before Saturn entered Scorpio last October, these two hadn’t been in mutual reception since the American Revolution. With Uranus and Pluto also in aspect, the energy for radical change and upheaval is multiplied by orders of magnitude. By the time this is over two years from now, political boundaries likely will have changed, and the world will look different. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The Sun and Mars both represent the individual – our personal identities, desires, ego boundaries, and self-expression. The most materialist of all the signs, Taurus tends to be placid and non-confrontational but also has a well-deserved reputation for stubborn resistance. Taurus doesn’t win by outright aggression but by outlasting everyone else in the fight. Long after others throw their hands up in frustration, Taurus is still plodding along, holding out, holed up, and prepared to hang in there until the very end. However, Saturn in Scorpio takes no prisoners and smokes out the resistance, and Saturn and Pluto are working in tandem, so there’s no refuge. If you’re still living for material goals and judge success – your own and others’ – by how much stuff you’ve got, you may be forced to rethink your position. As an example, there seems to be a feeling of entitlement (in this country, at least) to more stuff for less money. For some people, it’s their main goal, which is how we got Wal-Mart – a bargain with the devil, if ever there was one.

But there is a way out, and that’s through Neptune and the collective unconscious. Neptune dissolves ego boundaries. We spend so much time trying to figure out who we are and what makes us special that we tend to forget we’re supposed to be working together. The point of finding your true purpose in life isn’t to make you more competitive and marketable, but to give your special gift to the world and thus make the world a better place for everyone, yourself included. There’s a difference between selfishness and enlightened self-interest. At 12 degrees Pisces, Chiron also is in the mix, reinforcing the idea that healing will come through compassion, empathy, and seeing beyond material reality. Even those who are waking up to the energetic underpinnings of physical reality (my definition of “spiritual”) tend to think of the material world as more important and “real,” and the spiritual world as an afterthought. In fact, the reverse is true.

Mars opposes Saturn and the Sun trines Pluto on Wednesday. On the same day, Mercury enters Taurus, which may slow us down and help us focus on practical matters. Mercury sextiles Neptune on Saturday and opposes Saturn on Sunday, and he’ll trine Pluto next week. So the foregoing themes are going to remain in play right up until the New Moon solar eclipse on May 9.

As for my own eclipse experience, I’m being forced to confront two harsh realities. The first is my own mortality. Shortly after my birthday in February, my older sister died. We were estranged, so I’d already done the bulk of my grieving years before, and I bore her no ill will, not even for her fundamentalist viewpoint that I was practicing witchcraft. A few days before she died, I sent her a heart-felt note wishing her love, deep peace, and serenity. What hit me hardest was that all of my older siblings were gone, and of seven children, I’m now the oldest living. In other words, “I’m next.” Given the ages of mortality of my immediate family, I have another six or seven years – maybe ten, if I clean up my diet and start a sound fitness routine. Then, maybe not. My father’s doctor recommended that he walk more. He had a heart attack on an evening walk to the corner store and was dead before he hit the ground. I’m not afraid to die – provided, of course, that it’s quick and efficient. Dropping dead on my daily walk would be OK, second to going peacefully in my sleep. A protracted illness is quite another matter, especially since I have no health coverage.

The second harsh reality is more immediate (unless, of course, I drop dead on my daily walk this afternoon). As much as I value spiritual concerns, one does need to pay for food, shelter, Internet, eye care, and an occasional visit to the dentist. When I first began RealAstrologers, I had a five-year plan to create something resembling what Christopher Witecki has done with SoulGarden. Going to film school was part of my strategy. In the meantime, I’d hoped to grow the business with my unique “hybrid” reports, plus telephone consultations. I live very simply, and yet I’ve not been able to make it work. A few years back, I tried getting a day job to help support the site, but as many of you know, I suffered a serious back injury that makes it impossible for me to go that route again. And because of my age and the economy, it’s not likely I’d even find some menial office work.

This reality was hit home in a post on Willow’s Web (thanks to the reader who sent me the link) in which she responded to a reader’s comment that her blog wasn’t worth a donation equivalent to $2.50 a month. I’m sorry to have to say this, but most people come to my site for the free content and leave, perhaps to go to other free sites. As Willow wrote, if you continually come here and take what I offer without giving anything back, you are acting as an energy drain. Until now, that has been my choice, but I have a hard decision to make, and it will depend on your response. If you’ve recently ordered a report or sent a donation, please ignore what I’m about to say. For those who have not, I ask you to please use the donation button in the sidebar or click here. If you are blessed with relative plenty right now, please leave a little extra, because there are readers who truly cannot afford to pay (and not because they just remodeled the kitchen).

I know from the e-mails I receive that many of you love what I do and rely on my forecasts to help you make sense of these turbulent, unsettling times. But if there aren’t enough of you – or not enough who are willing and able to help me sustain the site – then I’m going to be forced to stop blogging. Sharing what I know is important to me, not because I have some deep-seated desire for followers or groupies but because it feels like a calling. However, if I see that not that many people value my work enough to pay for it, then I’ll have to face the harsh truth. Better to know now, while I’ve still got a few years left to do something else.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast April 15: Sun, Venus and Mars Enter Taurus

Early signs of spring. © James A. Weythman.

We’re now officially heading into “eclipse season,” with Uranus and Pluto moving closer to an exact square. Breakdowns are occurring more frequently, clearing the way for breakthroughs.

The breakdown energy is manifesting for me personally, so I am totally with you on this and know firsthand how confusing, upsetting, and scary the process can be. Trying to stay grounded is almost impossible and in fact may defeat the purpose. Losing one’s mind is not necessarily a bad thing. Ancient rituals were designed precisely for that purpose. The thing is, they had certain procedures and safeguards – that’s the whole idea of a ritual – whereas we’re flying by the seat of our pants, often alone, without a strong support network of people who have been through it themselves and know how to provide a safety net.

Fortunately, we’ll get some good grounding energy this week when Venus, the Sun, and Mars move into solid-as-a-rock Taurus. Venus rules Taurus, so she’ll be “at home” in her own sign starting on Monday. She has been in her detriment in Aries and closely conjunct Mars – in other words, she has been in his territory, under his control. The tables turn on Saturday, when Mars enters Taurus. Now it’s her turn to set the tone and make the rules. The Sun enters Taurus on Friday. If nothing else the hectic pace should slow down so that we get a little space to breathe and reflect as we undergo a collective metamorphosis. Venus in Taurus likes to take her time, smell the flowers, appreciate art and beauty, and enjoy a gourmet meal with a glass of good wine.

Before all that happens, though, we have a conjunction of the Sun and Mars in late Aries on Wednesday, so for most of this week, we’ll continue to feel the immediate, impulsive, spontaneous energy of Aries. Remember, too, that Uranus in Aries takes his cue from Mars. I have a feeling that all the saber-rattling in North Korea will subside while Mars is in peace-loving Taurus. After that, who knows?

The two bigger trends, as I mentioned, are the upcoming eclipses and the first of two exact squares of Uranus and Pluto in 2013. In a normal year, there are four eclipses, but occasionally there are five or six. In 2013, we have five eclipses, three of which will occur in April and May. The first is the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Scorpio on April 25, followed by the New Moon solar eclipse in Taurus on May 9 and then the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on May 25. Typically, eclipses occur in pairs, and we have a two-week period between them that feels unsettled and chaotic, with the ground shifting beneath our feet. Since we have three eclipses in a row, we’ll get a whole month of that, although I’d say we’re already in it and will feel it until the end of May.

It’s also interesting to note that Wesak 2013 will fall on an eclipse – either on April 25 or May 25/26, depending on whether you use tropical or sidereal astrology. The Eastern countries, where Wesak is celebrated as the Buddha’s birthday (as well as his enlightenment and death), tend to use sidereal astrology. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but essentially Western tropical astrology is a sign ahead, so on April 25, the Full Moon is in Scorpio according to tropical calculations but still in Libra according to sidereal calculations. I say there’s no reason we can’t celebrate Wesak twice.

Last year, Wesak was on May 5 according to both branches of astrology. I did my usual ritual of putting a bowl of water outside and letting it “absorb” the rays of the Full Moon, then drank it later and went into a deep meditation. I was jolted out of it by a shocking past-life memory that burst into my vision so forcefully that I started crying and cried for three days. The information changed my whole outlook on a difficult relationship I’d been in. I’d suspected, given our charts, that there were strong karmic connections, but I didn’t know exactly what they were until that memory surfaced.

Scorpio and its modern ruler, Pluto, are associated with the ability to see into other dimensions of reality, what some call “past lives” but which I prefer to call “other lives” in recognition that the human concept of time is an illusion. Pluto went retrograde last week, and suddenly we’re tapping into those other lifetimes again, especially in terms of karmic relationships. I think we’re going to experience more of this in the next six weeks, and there’s a good chance that difficult karmic connections finally will get “resolved,” to the extent possible. Major breakthroughs could occur as we get closer to the Uranus-Pluto square, which is exact on May 20, right before the eclipse on May 25. Incidentally, that eclipse is the last in a series in Gemini and Sagittarius (according to tropical astrology), which began on the solstice on December 21, 2010. As such, it represents the closing of a chapter and final resolution.

Uranus adds an element of unpredictability into the picture, and while it’s nearly impossible to foresee events when Uranus is involved in an aspect, we might get some hints this Saturday and Sunday when Mercury squares Uranus and Pluto. Mercury is the Messenger and often “brings” advance news. Moreover, with Mercury square Pluto, we can get deep insight into situations that normally wouldn’t be available to us.

The only other aspect this week is an easy sextile between Venus and Neptune. Venus in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces are a beautiful combination of physical, sensual pleasure and higher love. This is soul mate material. Normally I wouldn’t give it much significance on its own, but given other aspects, it could provide an additional piece of information if you think you’ve found The One.

Before I go, I’d like to announce that I’m bringing back the Q&A. I’m aiming to launch it on Thursday, depending on my schedule. If you have a quick question, please send it using this form. I won’t be able to answer all questions and will select which ones to answer based on whether other readers would be interested. I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to answer questions like, “My whole sucks, what do I do?”

Second, the StarGuide Spring forecast is now on sale for 25 percent off, and there’s still plenty of spring left – including three eclipses!

Wishing you all infinite love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast April 8: New Moon in Aries, Pluto Retrograde

Back in the mid-90s, a friend of mine was becoming an aunt for the second time at the birth of her brother’s baby. An image is ingrained in my memory of the baby lying on the countertop in my friend’s kitchen.

It’s a strange image. On one hand, I cringe when I think about the baby lying so open and vulnerable, not wrapped in a blanket, not being held, more or less “on display” for the entertainment of others. On the other hand, it was eerily fascinating to watch the baby’s slow movements, to be in an empathic link with a being suddenly transported from one environment to a completely different one, like an alien suddenly forced to breathe air instead of water and to feel physical sensations so confusing that its little heart might race in fear and panic and give out before it had scarcely drawn its first breath.

There is a certain violence in being born, and once it’s over, it takes a while to recuperate and adjust to the new reality. Many of us have been going through a slow and painful transformation, not unlike physical birth. It’s painful, violent, scary and, at times, confusing. I sometimes wonder whether lack of immediate conscious awareness is a built-in survival mechanism in human babies.

Being able to sleep temporarily while we transform certainly is a merciful gift. Otherwise, the pain can be unbearable. The “sleep” part happened in February and March with the build-up of planets in Pisces. That’s over now, and it’s time to wake up. Even with the current planetary lineup in action-oriented Aries, you may need additional time to stretch and adjust – not easy, because events do seem to be happening at an accelerated pace, and not all of them are positive. At the same time, you may still be feeling raw, open, vulnerable, and not very fast on your feet. Of course, it depends on the quality of your experience, and how events are manifesting for you depends on where the planets are transiting your natal chart.*

This week’s New Moon in Aries is almost like the “real” equinox. The first day of spring (apologies to my readers south of the equator) is a powerful symbol of rebirth, but then right away, we had a Full Moon in Libra, which is more about endings. At this week’s New Moon, we have the Sun, Moon, and three planets in Aries. Mercury is still finishing up his tour through sleepy Pisces, but he enters Aries this Saturday. If you’ve experienced difficulty focusing, you should get some relief soon.

Click on image to enlarge

The New Moon is on Wednesday, in close conjunction with Mars and fairly close to Venus. The so-called “love planets” conjoined early this morning (Sunday) and remain in alignment throughout this week. The Sun and Moon, Mars and Venus all so close to each other is a signature for soul mates. If you’ve just met someone or are in a budding relationship, pay very close attention to what happens this week. Likewise, if you’re in a relationship that you know isn’t right for you, do your best to suspend judgment and just observe. Watch for synchronicities, and listen to your intuition.

The big undercurrent to this New Moon is the approaching square between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. The aspect isn’t exact until May 25, but it is making itself felt, especially in world events, which may take an even darker turn with Pluto’s station retrograde on Friday. Planets are especially powerful when they are stationed. Pluto is named for the Roman god of the underworld, a shadowy figure that reminds us all of our shadow side.

Pluto and Saturn remain in a fairly close sextile and in mutual reception, a marker for fast destruction of what isn’t working. At the New Moon, Uranus is in a near-exact inconjunct (technically called a quincunx) with Saturn, so this puts Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn all in an edgy relationship that suggests rebellion and counter-rebellion, ineffectual efforts to bring necessary change by conventional means, and general chaos. There is no way to preserve the system we have, and that probably applies to your personal life as well. Hanging onto the familiar and comfortable is getting more and more impossible.

After this New Moon, we’ll be heading into a long eclipse period, starting with a Full Moon lunar eclipse on April 25 and ending with another lunar eclipse on May 25. Between the two, on May 9, is a solar eclipse in Taurus. You may not feel “ready” to head into more turbulence – I know I don’t – but we’re going to have to do the best we can. Aries has a reputation for being independent and somewhat selfish, but the Ram is also fearless. We’re not going to have the luxury of long, careful thought in order to avoid mistakes, but will have to jump into the unknown and “just do it.”

Wishing you all infinite love and courage,
Pat

* It’s not to late to order your StarGuide Spring forecast. If you order right away, I should be able to get it to you before Wednesday. In each report, I give you some ideas about how the New and Full Moon might manifest for you personally.

Weekly Forecast March 25: Full Moon in Libra

Swinging Bridge near Oark, Arkansas. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2013.

We’re heading into a wild and crazy week, with an active Full Moon that triggers volatile planetary energies set in motion in the summer of 2010.

You remember that one, right? The infamous cardinal T-square that marked new directions and the start of turbulent journeys for so many of us, myself included. Now, before you get your panties in a twist, let me say right off that I don’t think we’re going to have a repeat of those events. In fact, I think there’s a good possibility that we might make rapid advances that seemed far away and nearly impossible back then – the operative word being rapid.

It’s the old “feast or famine” metaphor. Events may occur that aren’t crises in themselves, but when piled together, are more than we can deal with, or at least, deal with and stay sane. My best advice is to take a lot of deep breaths and keep going. It’s OK to be afraid. Just don’t let fear stop you.

I should also say that there’s a good possibility the most noticeable manifestations of this Full Moon will be on a collective level rather than an individual level. We’re already seeing some of it. Ray Merriman has a great column this week talking about global finances and the crisis in Cyprus. As he points out, these developments most certainly correlate to the cardinal T-square and, more precisely, to the square between Uranus and Pluto, which will continue for another three years.

Individually, it’s more likely that you’ll experience a sudden jump in activity related to the houses where the Full Moon is located in your chart. If you don’t know how you read your own chart, I spell out possible scenarios for you in my StarGuide monthly and seasonal forecasts. If you order right away (like now), there is a chance I might be able to get your report to you by Wednesday. As usual, I have a backlog of 2-3 days, so please keep that in mind. I do each of these reports by hand and have to cast transit charts for you for each New and Full Moon.

Click on image to enlarge

Speaking of which, let’s have a look. As you can see, the Sun and Venus are in conjunction by exact degree opposite the Moon, with Mars and Uranus only a few degrees away. All five bodies are in a square with Pluto – Mars by exact degree. I’d plan to be hiding under my bed if it weren’t for the sextiles and trines (the blues lines) providing outlets for the this highly charged energy. Imagine, if you will, a raging torrent hurdling through a canyon, about to slam into a dam. With no outlet, the force of all that water hitting the dam would smash it to bits. But what if, right before the dam, there are a bunch of little canyons leading off in various directions? And what if some of those pathways led to areas much in need of water? Further, what if you had a boat just sitting there on dry ground, waiting for the water to rise so that you could sail out to sea? I think you get my drift…

The only scary part is that we don’t have a lot of control here but can only go with the flow and hope that the work we’ve done over the past three years has put us in a position to benefit from this powerful energy surge. That said, even though we’re in the wake of the Full Moon already, I think there’s still time to get your boat in working order and point it in the right direction, if it isn’t already.

I don’t know that it would be all that helpful to discuss individual aspects in this chart, since there are so many of them and they are all interdependent. The important points are that Uranus and Pluto signify revolution and breakdown, and events around this Full Moon could feed into that process. The outlets feed into Saturn, Mercury, and Jupiter. Saturn is about structure, discipline, and commitment, essential ingredients for advancing our goals. Mercury in Pisces represents thinking intuitively and tapping into buried memories, perhaps even of other lifetimes. We’re in the post-retrograde shadow period, still working out issues that arose in early February, especially regarding communications and gadgets that connect us. Mercury remains in mutual reception with Jupiter in Gemini, great if you’re working on big writing or publishing projects. Pluto and Saturn form a Yod with Jupiter (the green dotted lines), but I’m ignoring it, not only because I’m on the fence regarding the significance of Yods, but because there are too many major aspects in this chart to either worry about a Yod or to be able to link it to any particular outcome. For that matter, it will be near impossible to link any aspect this week with a particular event, because there’s no way to isolate them.

Ray Merriman, incidentally, mentioned in his column that he’s got a two-way transit of Jupiter and the North Node, just as he’s reaching a pinnacle of his life’s work. So, you see, just because this Full Moon packs frightening power, it doesn’t automatically translate to a major catastrophe in your life.

I would love to hear from all of you about your experiences this week. You do have to register (unfortunately, it’s necessary to prevent abuse), but it’s fast and easy.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat