Tag Archives: Uranus square Pluto

Weekly Forecast January 2: Mercury Enters Capricorn

Astrologically speaking, this is a quiet week – perfect for easing back into your daily routine, be it work, school, or life in general. Still, something seems to have changed, perhaps due to a collective expectation that, somehow, 2012 is different.

It’s true that the past two years have been exceptional, and the astrological configuration that corresponded to dramatic events in 2010 and 2011 has dissolved. I’m talking about the cardinal T-square, of course, which reached its peak in July and August of 2010 and then repeated on and off through last spring. Many of us completely changed direction in our lives, and we’re still rocking in the wake of these events passing through.

Top news stories of 2011 ranged from toppled governments in the Middle East and a record earthquake that caused a nuclear meltdown, to courtroom drama, a gala royal wedding, and death of an entrepreneurial icon – all while unemployment scaled new heights and a popular protest movement was born. The unifying factor in all of these events was that everything that happened, happened big. It was not a year of incremental steps toward change, but wholesale revolution.

In looking forward to 2012, it’s helpful to examine two time periods in recent history with similar planetary alignments. First, there was a cardinal build-up in the early 1930s, the beginning of the Great Depression. The configuration began dissipating in 1932, but just like our current planetary alignment, one aspect of the T-square remained: the square between Uranus and Pluto.

The second period is the turbulent mid-60s, when Uranus and Pluto and were conjunct in Virgo. Although the conjunction was exact in 1965 and 1966, it wasn’t until 1968 that the revolution changed civilization as we know it. No aspect of society was untouched. The square that that occurs from 2012-2015 is the first major milestone and test of that conjunction.

Uranus is the planet of rebellion and sudden change, and in the impulsive sign of Aries, you can expect a lot of fire bombs being thrown by individuals fighting for freedom. Conversely, Pluto is the planet of ultimate power and control. In Capricorn, he represents the ruthless power of the empire – the Darth Vader of the zodiac. You don’t need to be an astrologer to do the math. The harder the protesters fight, the greater the backlash will be. And we haven’t even experienced the peak of the Uranus-Pluto square yet. That will start this year, on June 24, and continue through 2015.

Two other major astrological events occur in 2012, both of which we’ve already had a taste. First, Neptune re-enters Pisces after briefly dipping his foot in his own sign for a few months in 2011. Then he turned retrograde and went back into Aquarius. Once Neptune enters Pisces on February 3, he’ll remain there through 2026. If you’d like to know, I highly recommend an article in the current issue of The Mountain Astrologer. You can order a single copy for $7.

The second defining astrological event of 2012 is the Venus transit on June 5, the day after a lunar eclipse. I’ll write a lot more on this subject as the date approaches. Both Neptune in Pisces and the Venus transit hold the promise of a vibrational shift in human consciousness.

Not coincidentally, the biggest story for astrology in 2011 was the “revelation” of a 13th sign. I wrote a long piece about it for TMA, which is in the same edition with the article on Neptune in Pisces (so it’s a great buy). Although the story that flew around the world via social networks turned out to be flat-out wrong, there is strong symbolism in the collective desire to change the cosmic order. Our ancient ancestors saw sea changes in civilization as a clash between the gods themselves. Just as the old gods overthrew cosmic forces – bringing order out of chaos – their children challenged them. Now they, too, have become corrupt and rotten, and the next generation has sounded the cry for revolution.

As for this week, there are no major planetary aspects until Saturday, when Mercury in the final degrees of Sagittarius sextiles Saturn and Neptune. Now, this could end up producing a revolution of sorts, in that Mercury will be just past conjunction with the Galactic Center. We know little about this mysterious point in space, except that there appears to be a black hole there, and it emits powerful radio waves. Pay attention to unusual thoughts on Friday and Saturday. They may contain flashes of genius. Changing your thoughts can change your whole life.

On Sunday (late Saturday on the West Coast of the United States), Mercury enters studious Capricorn and makes contacts with Jupiter and Uranus, briefly reminding us of the changes we have been making and the work we have yet to do. The following day, January 9, is the Full Moon in Cancer. So for the rest of this week, we’re still processing the energy of the New Moon on Christmas Eve as we approach culmination and resolution. Good things are coming in, but you may have to change your perspective to see them as blessings.

Wishing you all much love, joy, and prosperity in 2012,
Pat

P.S. I return to classes this week, so please keep in mind when you order reports and forecasts that it may take me 4-7 days to complete your order. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Weekly Forecast April 25: Venus Opposite Saturn, Mars Conjunct Jupiter

Stargazer lily. © Pat Paquette 2011

What a week it has been! Everyone I know was going through some kind of crisis, many of them relationship-oriented. Here’s an excerpt of an e-mail I received from a client on Friday:

“My plan for Easter brunch has turned into HELL!! SOS! My sister and her partner have been fighting like rabid dogs. She’s been saying for months that she’s leaving him but is STILL living there! She hurt his feelings by not inviting him to service on Friday or Sunday brunch … he’s never even been interested in church or God, he’s simply grasping at straws, at this point. I told them, that given the situation, I was uncomfortable with him coming down for Easter … that I wouldn’t sacrifice my family for his ‘hurt’ feelings. Harsh, but necessary. It looks like my husband and I will just take his mother out to brunch.”

The expensive ham she bought for the occasion is sitting in the refrigerator. I reassured her that things are going to calm down this week, and she can throw a party next weekend.

Amazon and Sony had a rough week, too. Both corporate giants had computer network crashes that affected millions of customers worldwide. Sony said its PlayStation Network was attacked by hackers. Mercury’s station certainly didn’t help. As I’ve noted many times in these pages, some of the worst problems happen when Mercury is at a standstill. I was at an information session on Wednesday that got a late start because the instructor’s assistant hadn’t shown up and there was no one to staff his office. Turns out she had a flat tire on her way to work. And on and on …

Violence in the Middle East is on the rise. What initially seemed like a sweeping revolution has turned into a bloody suppression. In an excellent article on CounterPunch, award-winning journalist Patrick Cockburn writes, “From Libya to Bahrain and Syria to Yemen, leaders are clinging on to power despite intense pressure from pro-democracy protesters.”

The increase in violence is hardly surprising, with Mars dominating the sky. The bigger trend is the approaching square of Uranus to Pluto. Many astrologers, myself included, have predicted rebellion and authoritarian crackdowns. The situation in the Mideast is just the beginning.

Before I get into this week’s forecast, I’d like to note that two greats left us last week, both as a result of multiple organ failure. Internationally renowned guru Sai Baba, whose followers include many celebrities, was 85. The man who invented CDs, former Sony president Norio Ohga, died at 81.

Overall, this week will be less frustrating, and relationships should fare a little better, too. The Sun in placid Taurus will help decrease the noise level, and Mercury’s return direct will go a long way toward repairing misunderstandings. That said, some relationships that ended in the past two weeks are over for good. If this is your situation, you likely are better off, even if it’s too soon to recognize it.

There’s not much going on in the sky on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, Venus squares Pluto. The usual warning with these two in hard aspect is that power struggles can erupt in relationships, especially regarding sex. Using sex as a means of control over another person is a no-no, and it likely will backfire. What goes around comes around. Depending on where Venus and Pluto are transiting your chart, you also may have to be mindful not to get dragged into jealousy and possessiveness.

Working with this aspect should be a little easier, thanks to an easy trine later in the day between the Sun and Pluto. You can express yourself directly and tell the other person what you want and need, rather than resorting to underhanded tactics. The challenge, of course, is that first you have to be honest with yourself. If you’re willing to do that, you’ll have cosmic support.

The only aspect on Friday is a conjunction between the Moon and Uranus in Aries, which might generate some emotional fireworks, but in general lunar transits are mild and fleeting. Good thing, because this is the day that Prince William and Kate Middleton will be married. Even if you’re not into all the hoopla, do check out Helene’s series on the royal couple. I found it surprisingly refreshing.

Another relationship will be in the spotlight on Friday. Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman who was shot in the head in Arizona in January, plans to attend the launch of the space shuttle in Florida. Her husband, Mark Kelly, is one of six astronauts who will be on the flight. The presence of Giffords surely will eclipse the event itself, although it’s doubtful she’ll appear in public.

On Saturday, Venus opposes Saturn. Usually this isn’t a happy aspect for love relationships, but it is stabilizing, especially with Saturn in Venus-ruled Libra. Of course, both also are square Pluto, and while the angle is fairly wide, it nevertheless counts as a potent cardinal T-square. You may need to insist on your boundaries, as my client had to do with her sister’s partner. Although it will be difficult, try to do it with love and kindness.

Sunday is exuberant, with a three-way conjunction between the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter. Get out and play! Throw a party. Take a long walk or bike ride in a beautiful natural setting. Taurus is the sign of beauty, including the beauty of nature.

Speaking of the beauty of nature, I leave you with this amazing video by Norwegian photographer Terje Sorgjerd. To me, there is nothing more breathtaking than the night sky. (For a larger version, click on the link below the image.)

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Ask Real Astrologers: Is It Time to Address Soul-Less Sex?

This week’s question comes from Osk in Loveland, Colorado:

I’m a Libra, with Libra Rising and Mercury in Libra, too, and I’m loving having Saturn traveling through Libra. I feel now it’s my time to tell people to stop being irresponsible about their soul-less sexual behavior.

Being born in a time of sexual exploration, I am wondering if people are ready to hear, not from a religious point of view, but from an energetic point of view, what really is going on. I just feel like the whole Western world is in bottomless, hellish pit regarding sex. Now, when people are starting to see their dysfunctional money behavior, how about sex? Both are eighth house issues, right? I want to make a website about this.

P.S. I’m a girl. :-)

Osk, I about fell off my chair when I read your question. I love it! And you’re so right on! My short answer to you is a resounding “yes, absolutely!” Create that website and let’s get this show on the road.

I totally agree with you about the abuse of sex in our society. It goes hand-in-hand with the lingering inequality between men and women, which ultimately has its roots in the imbalance between masculine and feminine energies on the planet. This imbalance has persisted for millennia and has had many other pernicious side effects. So many of our Western myths and legends revolve around this separation, including the stories of the Holy Grail.

I believe we are in a period of correcting that imbalance, so your idea for a website on the topic is timely indeed.

I also believe there’s a connection between material greed and sex. This theme is repeated throughout the Grail legends. As you’ll recall, only the knight with the pure heart was able to find the sacred vessel. For centuries, men regarded women as possessions. This did start to change in the 1960s, when we had an incredible stellium of planets in Aquarius, followed a few years later by a conjunction between Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, and Pluto, modern ruler of Scorpio. It’s no coincidence that the subject is coming up again, with Uranus in a tight square with Pluto for the next few years. Saturn in Libra also has been square Pluto, so perhaps the balance we’re seeking is temporarily in conflict with pervasive lust and greed.

We’ve still got a lot of correcting to do, so a website devoted to the topic would be a true service to humanity. A quick look at your chart tells me that you are ideally suited to take on this important task. By the way, among your credentials, you forgot to list Venus in Scorpio.

You just had a lovely New Moon in your tenth house of career and public life, which normally would be a great time for a new project like this. However, Mercury is about to go retrograde and will be in retreat until September 12. You wouldn’t want to launch any Mercury ruled activity during this period. It would be great time to write some sample posts, research your topic, experiment with site design, and so forth. Then you can prepare to launch after Mercury turns direct. If you wanted to wait a bit longer, there will be a New Moon in Libra exactly conjunct your Ascendant on October 7. That date gets my vote! How wonderfully symbolic it would be.

Send us a note when you’re up and running so that we can check out your new venture.

Wishing you much love, courage, and the best of luck, Osk! And thanks again for sending this great question.

Pat

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact me, or I won’t get your question. I do read all of your questions, although I am sorry that I can’t answer them all. If you need immediate guidance or in-depth advice, please contact me for a private consultation. THANKS!

Weekly Forecast May 24: Uranus Enters Aries, Full Moon in Sagittarius

Lewis and Clark on the Lower Columbia, by Charles Marion Russell, 1905.

The preparation phase is over. As of this week, the wagons are loaded, and we begin our journey to somewhere else. We’ve heard about it and read about it, but until we actually make our way to this new and mysterious place, we won’t know what’s in store for us.

Uranus enters pioneering Aries just after the Full Moon on Wednesday. This is a major milestone in the building cardinal T-square. Jupiter enters Aries next week, and the two will form a conjunction on June 8.

We can imagine our pioneering ancestors leaving the comfort of the familiar and venturing into the unknown, lured by a better life, wide-open spaces, land of their own, and the bounty of nature. Some of them just wanted adventure or were called by a primal human need to go beyond the limits of the known world. Those who survived the hardship of the journey paved the way for others behind them, as explorers and immigrants have been doing since time immemorial.

For this week’s image, I chose a painting of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by Charles Marion Russell. Not only does this historical event represent the spirit of Uranus in Aries, but it also took place during a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Jupiter, Uranus, and Mars all were conjunct in Libra when the party left Pittsburg on August 31, 1803 — which, incidentally, was a rare six-eclipse year. Lewis and Clark were dispatched by President Thomas Jefferson to cross the Louisiana Purchase, which had been acquired from France earlier that year, effectively doubling the size of U.S. territory.

Expansion, of course, is the realm of Jupiter. Although the Big Guy currently is conjunct wild, unpredictable Uranus, which might lead to explosive growth in all things, he’s also opposed to Saturn, which limits and constrains. Jupiter opposed Saturn yesterday (May 23), in the first of three oppositions between now and the end of the March 2011.

All activities this week are very much still under the power of this influence, which I wrote about in last week’s forecast. From Monday to Wednesday, we can expect a lot of financial developments, including news of regulatory bills before the U.S. Congress. The legislation ostensibly is aimed at preventing another banking crisis like the one that occurred in 2008. However, it’s hard to believe much is going to be fixed. The astrological signature of that meltdown, the Saturn-Uranus opposition, isn’t over yet and is about to be complicated by a tight square to Pluto in late July. Moreover, the square between Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries will continue into mid-2015.

On Thursday, we have the Full Moon in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius, briefly emphasizing mutable rather than cardinal energies. Although a lot of change can happen during mutable periods, mutable signs also are adaptable, so this could present us with a short window to adjust to recent shifts before more change comes piling on.

And so it will, with Uranus entering action-oriented Aries less than three hours after the Full Moon. I’ll have more on Uranus in Aries in a post later this week.

Neither Uranus nor Jupiter will remain in Aries for very long. Both turn retrograde this summer and return to Pisces until next year. But they will be in Aries in late July and early August, when the cardinal T-square will be at peak power.

While these noisy transits are occurring, Saturn quietly returns direct in Virgo on Sunday. His first order of business is to put severe obstacles in the path of Jupiter and Uranus, who would leap into anything without so much as a cursory look. This will apply to everything from natural disasters to political unrest and financial activities. We actually may thank our lucky stars that Saturn is such a stick in the mud, as it may be he, in the end, who prevents all hell from breaking loose.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Saturday Extra: The Cardinal T-Square and Immigration Law

Riot police at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix. Photo by Ross D. Franklin for The Associated Press.

Arizona’s new illegal-immigration law and the protests it unleashed stand out as an early indicator of how events will unfold during the cardinal T-square of 2010 and 2011.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law on April 23, just as Saturn and Uranus were approaching exact opposition in Virgo and Pisces, the fourth contact since November 2008. It is scheduled to go into effect in late July or early August, right around the fifth and last opposition of Saturn and Uranus on July 26.

By that time, both planets will be in early cardinal signs, in a tight square with Pluto. We can expect more protests, possibly more violent, and the federal government likely will intervene as well.

Of course, Mercury also was retrograde at the signing, and that makes it more likely that there will be changes, if the law isn’t repealed altogether. But even if it is, powerful forces have been set in motion that will continue to play out until 2012 and beyond.

The new law makes it a punishable crime to be in the United States illegally and gives police in Arizona the power to stop and question people they suspect of being illegal immigrants. The backlash was swift and severe. According to news reports, protestors stormed the state capitol and drew comparisons with Nazi Germany.

Gov. Brewer, a Republican in a historically conservative state, said the law was needed because the federal government wasn’t doing enough to fight illegal immigration and lawlessness along the border with Mexico. Other states are considering similar measures.

The Obama administration reportedly is considering a legal challenge. Many civil rights groups also are threatening to sue, saying that the law will lead to racial profiling and harassment of Hispanics and anyone who looks like one. From there, it’s only one step to legal authority to stop anyone, for any reason or no reason at all. If it seems like we’re on a slippery slope toward a police state (many people argue that we’re already there), it’s not just paranoia.

Once Saturn and Uranus move into action-oriented cardinal signs this summer and form a close square with Pluto, the playing field will expand. It’s likely that the federal government will intervene at that time. In a T-square, the planet at the apex takes the “heat.” Pluto will be squared not just by Saturn and Uranus, but simultaneously by Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Immigration and legal issues fall under the provenance of Jupiter, which was approaching conjunction with Uranus when the law was signed.

But what does Pluto in Capricorn represent? The “conventional” interpretation is that it’s about Big Government and Big Business. If so, the situation in Arizona — as well as other protests breaking out around the world — may be an early test of this power.

That said, we must take care in connecting the various astrological players in this unfolding celestial drama to earthly counterparts. For example, it’s tempting to assign Uranus to the Democrats and Saturn to the Republicans, but that would be an error in our thinking. The planets in signs represent forces of nature, which express themselves through humans and through the Earth herself.

Here’s something else to think about: As long as Pluto is checked by Saturn in Libra and Uranus in Aries, we may be under surveillance but not under totalitarian control. That could well change in 2012, when Saturn enters Scorpio and begins to “cooperate” with Pluto, through both a friendly sextile and mutual reception.

At that point, the people may be on their own to battle the combined forces of business and government, and our definitions of “conservative” and “liberal” may become totally meaningless.

Pat

The Cardinal T-Square of 2010 and 2011, Part II

With the coming astrological shift into the cardinal signs, we can expect dramatic developments in the world. But what, exactly, is going to happen? Is there any way to know in advance or at least to make some educated guesses?

In Part I of this article, I explained what a cardinal T-square is and gave some examples of world events in years when cardinal energy was activated. In this post, we’ll explore the cardinal alignment in 2011 and how it differs from this year’s configuration.

This summer, the action takes place primarily in the earliest degrees of the cardinal signs, which are the most volatile, and we’ll be in the midst of an eclipse pair in cardinal signs Capricorn and Cancer. This is the highest-risk period for extreme disruption, be it natural or manmade.

By summer of 2011, Jupiter will have advanced to Taurus, Saturn will be out of range of a square with Pluto, and the eclipses will start shifting into Sagittarius and Gemini. The last eclipse of the Capricorn-Cancer series is a partial solar eclipse at 9 degrees Cancer on July 1, 2011. With Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto in a T-square, the addition of the eclipse forms a grand cross. This configuration is more like a dog chasing its own tail — a lot of activity, but it may tire itself out before any real damage is done.

After that eclipse, Saturn moves past the mid degrees of Libra. While technically still in a cardinal sign, he’s at too wide an angle from Uranus and Pluto to bring heated conflict.

However, Pluto will remain in a tight square with Uranus in Aries, and this is where we’ll see continued upheaval. The square between Uranus and Pluto won’t be exact until 2012, but it will be close enough next year for us to feel its effects.

The last time Pluto and Uranus met was a conjunction at 16-17 degrees Virgo in 1965 and 1966. In September 1965, toward the Full Moon with the Sun, Pluto, and Uranus in a tight conjunction opposite Saturn in Pisces, Hurricane Betsy made landfall twice on the southern coast of the United States and was the first tropical storm to cause more than a billion dollars in damage.

Other developments around that time were the racially motivated Watts riots in Los Angeles, the eruption of the Taal volcano near Manila, a sweeping regime change in Indonesia, and the escalation of demonstrations against the Vietnam War. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan were at war, with China stepping in on the side of Pakistan.

As I wrote in my last article, past events linked to the cardinal T-square and to Uranus-Pluto aspects are so broad that it’s hard to know whether the coming alignment signifies natural catastrophes, war, social upheaval, environmental disasters, or other crises. Further, whenever Uranus is involved in an aspect, the outcome is wildly unpredictable. Still, I think it’s a safe bet that “all of the above” will happen again in the next two years.

One of the biggest threats, in my opinion, is war between India and China as they compete for resources to fuel their rapid growth and development. The entire region is already destabilized, a powder keg just waiting for a cosmic spark to ignite a third world war. The Pacific Rim of Fire also appears to be vulnerable. If history is any indication, hot spots will intensify during these astrologically volatile periods.

I’ll keep you informed in my weekly forecasts and other posts along the way. Meanwhile, if you see news stories that indicate which way the cosmic wind is blowing, please leave a comment with a URL.

Pat

RealAstrologers

The astrology of world affairs, human evolution, the future, and the state of the universe.