Recently in Planetary cycles Category

Back by popular demand!  The most important events in the sky this week:

Saturn and Uranus are now within two degrees of their exact opposition which culminates on September 15.  As you probably now, Saturn represents conservative thinking and conventional behavior, and Uranus represents that which is new and innovative.  

Perhaps this wasn't the best time to roll out healthcare reform in the United States, since oppositional defiance is occurring not only between the Democrats and Republicans, but in splinter groups within the parties as well.  The desire to be in opposition to SOMETHING is fostered by the opposition from Saturn to Uranus, and if this planetary combination is transiting something in our own chart that urge to rebel against oneself can be quite complicated.  

The opposition of Saturn to Uranus has been tightly aspecting Mars in President Obama's chart, with Saturn conjunct Mars and Uranus in opposition.  A transit of Saturn to Mars in our own chart is very like trying to drive with the brakes on.  However, Saturn has now moved off Obama's Mars which should begin to make things a little easier for him.  When a planet in the sky is opposite a planet in our chart (a transit of opposition) we often meet the transiting planet in our outer world.  

Jupiter is retrograding back over Obama's Ascendant (the first hit was back in late March of this year) and transiting Saturn will form a harmonious sextile to Saturn in his natal chart, helping him to get things done and giving him the confidence to make it happen.  However, between October and December transiting Uranus will make the last opposition to Mars in Obama's chart and it's quite possible that we will see further amplification of the radical (Uranus) behavior surrounding everything he attempts to do (Mars).  This is already approaching the height of ridiculousness as conservatives complain about Obama's plan to speak to students to inspire them to work hard and stay in school.    

The divisiveness and politicization caused by the opposition from Saturn to Uranus (remember the first exact hit occurred on the US Election Day) has penetrated every aspect of American society.  I suppose that this really began back in 2000 with the election of George W Bush, but the "angry left" as Rush Limbaugh called it was nothing compared to the rage and potential for violence that we are seeing in the angry right.  

Meanwhile members of the Democratic party are engaging in bitter battles themselves over how much compromise is possible in the healthcare debate.  Democrats tend to be more Uranian in nature - they are progressive, embrace change and free thought.  Consequently, they are less likely to agree on anything.  Republicans on the other hand, being more conservative in nature and therefore more Saturnian, find it easier to follow a leader and adhere to the party line. 

The shift from left to right and right to left has been evident in elections in other parts of the world as well.  Elections in Afghanistan and the attempt to bring in a new government (Uranus) with no ties to the old regime (Saturn) have resulted in widespread accusations of election fraud.  And in Japan, voters last week elected to overturn their current government (Saturn) in favor of a more liberal one (Uranus).  

And finally, in Samoa the government has decreed that on September 7 its citizens will begin driving on the left inside of on the right as they have done before, resulting in a revolution among citizens who dislike this radical change (Uranus) and want things to remain the same (Saturn).  

We are only in the third phase of this cycle - we will have two more over the next year.  There is no doubt that this is a time of evaluating what to take from the best as we move forward, and what to leave behind. 

Mars will enter Cancer this afternoon (Eastern time), at which time it will be exactly opposite Pluto in the sky.  An opposition is a stressful aspect of 180 degrees in which the two planets are polar opposites, each one struggling to prevail.  Ideally, in oppositions we try to balance the two ends of the tug-of-war but until then there is an adjustment period.

Mars represents warfare and the need of the individual to defend his or herself.  Pluto represents death, transformation, and nuclear warfare.  In a battle between Mars and Pluto, there is a struggle for dominance and power.  Pluto is at 0 degrees Capricorn and Mars will be at 0 degrees Cancer.  With both signs at the 0 degree point on a cardinal axis, this is a powerful planetary formation that is likely to pack a big punch for a few days.

Mars will be in the sign of Cancer into October and until then our drive, desires, and ability to manifest our personal will, all of which Mars motivates, will be colored by our emotional sensitivities.  Mars is said to be in its fall in Cancer because Cancer is emotionally reactive; it is more difficult to be clear about our motivations and the true desires.  Cancer is the sign of nurturing and caring for others, and there is the potential for codependent behavior because of the focus on the needs of other people in an effort to care for oneself.  

Issues that are likely to come up over the next few days may center around balancing our own needs with those of the people around us, and power imbalances in our relationships and at the workplace.  Conflicts that arise are likely to be tinged with hurt feelings and emotional sensitivities so it is important to try to dig down beneath the surface to see what real issues lie at the root of the issue.  

For more details you may want to listen to the archived version of last Sunday's radio show. The Mars/Pluto discussion is about 10 minutes into the show.

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