Pluto in Capricorn/Penn State Scandal; Uranus in Aries/Leave Your Bank Day

I circulate through four main news sites (Google News, Yahoo Finance, Alternet, and Al-Jazeera) and receive financial commentary from Patrick.net, John Mauldin, and Graham Summers.  Today, I read an article from a man my age who is a Penn State grad who said he "had lost all faith in the leadership of my parent's generation."  I can relate.  I have written and spoken about the fact that my generation (born in the midst of the Civil Rights movement) does not have any Elders to guide us; our society has turned our would be Elders into second life teenagers, telling them to forgo responsibility to family and society in favor or vacations and extravagant consumption whenever possible.  Many people I talk to who are within 10 years of me (33 to 53) feel lost or unguided at this time in their lives.  Predictably this period coincides with a Saturn square, opposition, and second square; Pluto squaring Pluto, Neptune squaring Neptune, and Uranus opposing Uranus.  These transits all represent transitions from adulthood to Elderhood and can prove devastating without guidance or enlightening with support.

The Penn State scandal is probably the model we astrologers could use to precisely show how Pluto transiting Capricorn transforms large institutions by revealing the "deep secrets" in such a way that we understand how the very institution is complicit in the secret and the crime.  The tendrils of the situation are just beginning to spread outward and have already consumed individuals who probably thought they were the highest of the high, living without a worry about their safety or security.  The most venerated and successful (Capricornian) coach in college football history was fired just days after the story broke and it was clear that the structure designed to help protect young people (through chain of command reporting and assumed action), supported the powerful and "loved" member of the football team coaching staff over the children abused.  Other similar blow back has happened in other arenas, politics especially.  The Occupy Wall Street movement is rather similar to the Civil Rights movement with all the same tropes and themes that were used at the start of that movement to discredit the protesters.  Keep in mind that Pluto is still in the first decan (the first 10 degrees of the sign).  When it squares with Uranus next year and starts moving into the second decan, watch for the European Union debt can to find the end of the road, no more kicking available.

Once you say something is too big to fail, Pluto says ... "really?"

Uranus in Aries will represent "Awakening to Survival and Independence."  The "Leave Your Bank Day" proved dramatically effective as people leveraged the real vote left in our pseudo-capitalist society ... taking their money elsewhere.  Corporations may have bought and sold our government, but banks are not the only game in town ... at least, not yet.  Each sign interacts with each energy point in different ways, sometimes enhancing, sometimes neutral, and sometimes diminishing.  Believe me when I say that Uranus in Aries is like putting a booster pack on lightening.  The previous Uranian journey through Pisces was about the Awakening of Spirit and Spirituality, largely taking shape through rapid communication technology and the maturation of the Internet.  Social Networking emerged while Uranus was in Pisces.  Keep in mind that Pisces is probably the most fluid and ambiguous sign, especially since it reflects dreams and the mass consciousness (one giant Amoeba).  Aries is the Warrior image, so imagine Zeus hurling thunderbolts and you have some idea of what Uranus will be like moving through Aries.  The journey has just begun and the peak, several years out, will likely see the mass consciousness realize that voting as it currently stands is a choice between a pile of dog crap and a pile of cat crap ... and no REAL choice at all.

Monumental change is on the horizon and likely to emerge and explode between 2012 and 2015.  2012 is not only an ending, but also a beginning.  And like all beginnings involving a movement from the status quo to a new status quo, the transition will be chaotic at times, but Pluto is moving through the sign ruled by Saturn to force transformation from the old ways into new ways.  That will be done by unveiling the systemic corruption present in government and corporate business, by design ... but not before the current players go all in.  Make no mistake that the wealthy will destroy themselves before they give up any of their possessions ... and they will eat their own, just ask Lehman Brothers employees.

The easy to miss and forget transit is Neptune in Pisces; it is watery, ambiguous, delusional, dreamy, and spiritual ... and entering its own sign while Pluto and Uranus do their work.  I think we can expect to see issues with liquids, the two most important being water and oil, constantly entangled with one another as more deep sea drilling must be done to locate new sources of oil and millions of gallons of water must be used to separate oil from the "miracle" tar sands in North Dakota.  And lastly, expect more gas in the water system as Fracking continues to develop with minimal regulation and maximum greed for alternative energy that is just like or just as good as oil.

The Transitioning of America (Part 2) - Neptune

Neptune has moved back into Aquarius, where it will stay until February of 2012. Once out of Aquarius next year, Neptune will remain in Pisces. While retrograde Neptune will almost reach back and touch the US Moon (less than 2 degrees) and is moving back and forth over the very bottom, most private part of the US chart. Neptune is about surrender, dissolving (washing away), and spirituality. As we enter a prolonged period of economic contraction, more and more individuals will find spirituality through scarcity, as well as potential bonding with our fellow human beings.

Click on Image to Enlarge

Neptune will stay at the bottom of the US chart for the entire duration of 2012.  Coupled with the Uranus/Pluto square and the Saturn Return, we should expect 2012 to be what is generally predicted, a time of tremendous change.  Setting aside doomsday theories, we will likely see one of the most volatile years in America due to the upcoming Presidential election and the ongoing debt crisis in Europe, the US, and pretty much around the world.  As I posted in an early entry, we could also see, throughout the duration of Neptune's transit through Pisces, limits and problems involving all liquids, the two most important being water and oil.

Moving forward beyond 2012, Neptune in the movement through the US 4th House will reawaken spiritual feelings about family and culture.  If another recession or a depression (publicly named) manifest in 2012, we can expect a long duration of adjustment, peaking or bottoming out (depending on the metaphor you prefer) around 2015, when the last Uranus/Pluto square takes place (there will be 7 times the energy points square over the period of 2012 to 2015).  Neptune, rather appropriately, is returning "home" (to its own sign) and doing so in the US chart 4th House (of the Family).  We will all be encouraged to see and engage our family and even address wounds (Chiron in the 4th at the same time).

Regress, Progress, and Ingress

In my previous entry I talked about some big decisions coming up in the US this week, possible Black Swans. The NFL labor contract was set to expire last night at midnight and the US Federal Government was set to shut down two days ago. Both situations reached the "11th" hour because two opposing groups could not agree. So what has been decided; in both instances the groups have agreed to allow themselves more time to disagree in the hopes that one side will eventually give up or give in and the other side will get what it wants. In the meantime nothing actually changes. Welcome to the "not" results of energy points ingressing. An energy point is in a state of ingress when it moves from one sign to the next. Pluto completed its ingress in Capricorn at the beginning of 2009. Neptune and Uranus are set to ingress this year into Pisces and Aries respectively. This blog entry is about the behavior we are likely to experience during these transitions.

Below is the US Chart for 3/4/2011, which is the chart I was looking at while recording this entry. Click on the chart to open it in a new tab or window and see it enlarged.

Knowing Really Is Only Half the Battle

This morning I had a very important chance encounter with my Astrology mentor and instructor Randy Wasserstram.  I am gradually working my way into colleague status and certainly felt a great thankfulness to have the chance to talk to him today.  The conversation ranged, but a large portion of it dealt with my Spiritual Awakening, which I am still deep in the middle of and, on some days, like today, just trying to survive.  Randy knows my chart and he knows what it means when I say I have a good road of hoeing still in front of me thanks to tPluto squaring the Stellium of nEnergy Points in Aries while tUranus opposes nUranus and prepares to conjunct the very same Stellium during the same duration of time.  Mercilessly tSaturn is 5d approaching nSaturn in opposition, which means, it, too, is lighting up my Aries Stellium.  And last and certainly not least, tNeptune and tChiron (Aquarius) both square my nNeptune in an exact (0d separating) aspect.  Oh, and just for shits and giggles, they are both Retrograde, which means they will form an exact square with Neptune yet again before moving on to form an exact square with my Ascendant!  There are no atheists in foxholes!

Thanks to Retrograde motion, my Uranus opposition is also in a tight approaching degree (less than 2).  Approaching and separating energy are very important and an element in beginning astrology often ignored.  When you have aspects approaching, energy is building, and when you have aspects separating the energy is releasing.  Retrograde motion can make certain transits particularly wearing because you get a 3/3 experience, 3 approaches and 3 separations, a really good "driving the point home" experience.  I want to share my story because we all get some dose of what I'm getting.  Hopefully most of you will not have the kinds of transits I'm having, but if you happened to have been born in 1968, then the outer planet to outer planet aspects are something we're all getting (such as the Uranus opposition along with the Neptune square and the Saturn opposition).  How much it affects you depends on other Energy Points in your chart.  I happen to have Neptune 2d separating from my Ascendant, so any aspect to my nNeptune have a profound effect on my Ascendant (my presentation of self and the perception people have of me).  To say both are going through tremendous change would be putting things lightly!

So what happens when you look into your chart or a client's chart and you can see years of turmoil and struggle?  Lots of choices abound and most of mine involve metaphors about "treading water", "holding on by my fingernails", and "battening down my hatches."  You may be feeling some of those same feelings as well if you were born between 1967 and 1969.  The lesson here, I believe, is perseverance and a deep appreciation for the mundane.  My breakfast this morning, both company wise, food wise, and location wise was wonderful and deeply valued.  I am happy to make it through another day, knowing that eventually the pressure from Neptune, Chiron, and Saturn will relent even if Pluto and Uranus have plenty in store for me for a while yet.  2012, when the first exact square between these two occurs, will mean my Stellium gets the double whammy.  By then Jupiter will be helping me out and I should get some positive energy by conjunction.  

In truth, Astrology has helped me immensely.  Without it and the narrative it provides for the energy I am feeling day in and day out, I'm not sure I would be able to manifest a positive response.  I am also thankful for the support I have in my life from my partner, Betsy, my parents, our new family living with us, and my wonderful friends and professional colleagues.  Knowing is half the battle, the other half is the doing and learning.  Hopefully as I write about the doing and learning, I will be helpful to others.

Tarot Meditation Card for Today - Osho Zen Fire to the East - Playfulness

Here's a card I really need to get into my soul these days.  For some reason I'm having a hard time feeling the energy down to my toes, but it keeps reoccurring, trying its best to get me to feel the feelings shown in the image.  For me, at the moment, the card is one of contrast; what I want but am having a hard time finding.  Trust me when I say, having Neptune in Scorpio conjunct my Ascendant at 28 degrees of the sign really lays a heavy energy over my chart.  Sensitivity is very high and the dark energy of Scorpio's connection to death, the Underworld, and transformation can really worm its way into my days.  Add to the fact that Neptune is currently performing an ingress from Aquarius to Pisces (at this time Retrograde in Aquarius until 12/6/2010 and not permanently into Pisces until after 2/2/2012, with another Retrograde period from 6/2011 to 12/2011) and we all get some emotional turmoil as Neptune dissolves ideals and community structures (think of all the services being cut from state and federal budgets, with deeper ones likely to come in the second Retrograde period).  It can be hard to find playfulness in these times.

In many ways, however, that is the very reason this card is important and revelatory during these times.  In the book that comes with the deck, the description says, "The serious man had made the world, the serious man made all the religions.  He has created all the philosophies, all the cultures, all the moralities; everything that exists around you is a creation of the serous man."  In response, "Zen has dropped out of the serious world.  It has created a world of its own which is very playful, full of laughter, where even great masters behave like children."  I am no great master, but I think I could use a visit to the claw machine today or the park to play.  I find myself very easily caught up in the serious world; I worked very hard at one time in my life to become a serious man (re: my PhD in English).

My daughter knows how to play and I am trying to learn her lessons, though today doesn't feel like a day I will "earn a good, serious grade."  That thought almost makes me chuckle.  I need a good belly laugh today.  Maybe Youtube will have one.

If you are feeling the seriousness of the world, try to find some play today.  And if you succeed, please share your story.

Cycles and Patterns in Astrology

Astrology is filled with cycles and patterns.  Every energy point makes its way around the circle of the horoscope.  A birth chart, whether a person's birth or the birth of an event (the day you got married, opened your business, the US declared its independence), marks a starting point in the infinite cycles of the universe.  When I was born, my Sun began its journey at 23 degrees of the sign of Aries.  And every year, though not exactly at the same time on the same day (the universe is circular, but not precise), the Sun will return to 23 degrees Aries and I will have experienced one solar cycle.  At the time of this writing, I have experienced 42 solar cycles.  Other energy points move more slowly.  Saturn, for example, does not completely cycle from my birth until 28 to 30 and I will not live to see my Pluto cycle (247ish years).  The US, on the other hand, will and in fact, right now, is experience its first Pluto cycle, referred to in astrological terms as a Return.  Every energy point Returns to its original degree and restarts the cycle anew.   My Solar Return occurred last year (April 12, 2009) on the same day as my birth (April 12) at 8:48PM (pretty close to my birth time of 9:39PM).  My first Saturn Return (hopefully I'll live past 60 and have two Saturn Returns in my life) occurred in May of 1997 when I was 29.

Returns are very important because they represent "renewal with knowledge."  Every year of my Solar Return I add new knowledge and experience, which, hopefully, I convert to wisdom.  Each energy point is a source of certain kinds of wisdom.  The Sun is the energy of our Life Path and it make sense for this energy to re-cycle yearly while the rest of the energies of the chart take longer.  Saturn teaches us about restrictions and limitations and the first Return often requires us to evaluate our lives to see if all the key elements are on track or not (work, relationship, health, and so on).  Saturn likes to follow the conservative path; so in the first cycle we can often find ourselves living lives handed down by our family and our culture instead of ones we chose from our inner guidance.  If those two "realities" clash, we will either begin the unwinding process (divorce if a marriage is involved, moving if living in the wrong place is involved, a change of career if we're doing the wrong work) or we will do our best to keep the square peg going into the round hole, but we will now forever know that the peg and the hole do not match.  If you want to get a good measure of Astrology and its usefulness for yourself, then consider getting or casting your charts ahead of the cycles of your energy points:

• Sun - Yearly
• Moon (if you want to keep a Moon journal) - approximately every 28 days (13 times a year)
• Mercury - Yearly (more or less; it has an erratic orbit)
• Venus - Yearly
• Mars - every 2 years
• Jupiter - 12 years
• Saturn - 29 1/2 years
• Chiron - 50 years
• Uranus - 84 years
• Neptune - 166 years
• Pluto - 247 years

Not everyone will make it to a Uranus Return and no one will see their Neptune or Pluto Returns.  It is, however, well worth it to cast charts looking back (if certain returns have already past, say a couple of Jupiter Returns) or forward to key Returns.  If you want to delve deeper into your chart, you can look at key angular relationships that occur between the start and conclusion of a Return - 2 squares and 1 opposition.  These angular relationships are important markers in the journey of the Return, when the energy point conjuncts itself and Returns to its origin degree.  In the case of my Saturn, the Return or 0 point of the 360 degree cycle is 16 degrees Aries.  Along the way around, Saturn will be at 90 degrees, then 180 degrees, then 270 degrees from the 0 point and exert serious energy on itself at those times.  In our life times that means roughly 7 to 8 years old, 14 to 15 years old, and 21 to 22 years old.  See any significant pattern in your own life with those times in terms of your personal and our cultural development?  How about 3, 6, and 9 (the square, opposition, square of Jupiter)?  Chiron ignites itself at 12 to 13, 24 to 25, and 35 to 36?

For each of us, these returns and other connects are significant and for many of us certain of these energy returns and connections are extremely important depending on the configuration of the energies in our charts.  Saturn is a massive player in my chart because it is right next to my North Node which is right next to my Sun and (on the other side) right next to my Mercury which is right next to my Venus.  As you can imagine any time Saturn squares, opposes, and squares again I get a big energetic hit on my chart.  My next super infusion of energy from Saturn will occur in September of 2011 when it will oppose from Libra at 16 degrees.  The meaning of that energetic relationship will be defined by the nature of a opposition, which is to find balance, and its placement by Sign (Libra) and House (12th - Spirituality).  I will be working to balance my Spiritual (12th House) affairs with my Work and Service (6th House) affairs using the energy of Analysis and Decision-Making (Libra) and my birth energy of Action (Aries).  When squares occur, you face energy of challenge and disruption from the energy point.  Your Jupiter challenges itself at the ages of 3 and 9, 15 and 21.  And so on with the energy points that Return throughout your life time.

Since Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto have such large cycles and you may not (Uranus) and will not (Neptune/Pluto) experience the Returns, the squares and oppositions become important.  As you begin to get a feel for the 1st Square, Opposition, 2nd Square, Return pattern, you will also begin to see overlap at key times.  Take the age of 21 for example.  You get both the 2nd Saturn Square and 2nd 2nd Jupiter Square (that's not a typo ... Jupiter is in its second Return cycle so the 2nd Square of that 2nd cycle falls in the same year as the 1st 2nd Square of your Saturn cycle).  For this reason, certain ages in our lives are "amplified" astrologically speaking.  With Uranus, you get your 1st Square at, yes, 21.  21 one is a big deal!!  The Opposition occurs at 40 to 42 and the 2nd Square at 61 to 63 (just on the heels of your 2nd Saturn Return).  Your 1st Neptune Square is around 42 ... yes, look out for 42, its a barn burner! and the Opposition occurs in the mid-80s of life.  The one major Pluto on Pluto relationship is the 1st Square somewhere between 47 and 55 (a wide range because of its elongated orbit).  It will fall for some right at the same time as your Chiron Return; make sure your seat belt is fastened if that's the case.

Astrology is a tool for use and reuse in  your life.  If you want to understand your story, looking back if you are well into life (say past 35) or looking forward (perhaps a teenager who has found astrology or a parent looking in on your child), then there are predictable key times to have charts cast (or cast forward for those times).  Below is the timing list worth casting (approximate time ranges 1 to 2 years around the time listed):

• 12 years old (1st Jupiter Return, 1st Chiron Square)
• 14/15 years old (2nd 1st Jupiter Square, Saturn Opposition)
• 21 years old (2nd Saturn Square, 1st Uranus Square, 2nd 2nd Jupiter Square)
• 25 (Chiron Opposition)
• 28/29 (Saturn Return)
• 35/36 (2nd 1st Saturn Square, 3rd Jupiter Return)
• 37/38 (2nd Chiron Square)
• 41/42 (Uranus Opposition, 1st Neptune Square, 3rd 1st Jupiter Square)
• 48 (4th Jupiter Return)
• 50 (Chiron Return, 1st Pluto Square)
• 60 (2nd Saturn Return, 5th Jupiter Return)
• 62/63 (2nd Uranus Square)

A professional Astrologer can look at your birth chart and identify other key hot spots in the story of your life as well as tell you which energy points play the more significant role.  For some of us, it may be Saturn is at the top of the list, for others it may be Neptune.  Some people may have charts where several energy points vie for positions of dominance.  Astrology really is your personal story unfolding.

Big Shifts - Ingress of Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto

While the news media and the politicians are desperately trying to tell us we are returning to normal or will return to normal, most people, I think, feel a fundamental shift has taken place and even more dramatic change is in our not so distance future.  In astrology, individuals will feel significant change when an energy point ingresses from one sign to another.  The first ingress we felt was Pluto leaving Sagittarius at the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008 and entering Capricorn.  Not surprisingly the financial meltdown occurred during that ingress.  When an ingress occurs it is not a one and done cross over; the ingressing energy point will pass over the ingress point at least 3 times thanks to retrograde motion.  Pluto in Sagittarius was all about the transformation of religions, higher learning, and authority mainly through expansion, which, when the bill came due and Pluto entered Capricorn we learned that the entire world (except for China) overextended and expanded not through savings, but debt.  The 8.5 million jobs lost in America and the deflation (instead of inflation) of wages and property values reflect false or fake employment and expansion.  The jobs and homes were built on the debt supercycle and Pluto entering Capricorn forced the pendulum swing back and will continue to do so for the next 15 years!

It is not that we're "not out of the woods yet," it's that we're not fully into the woods yet.  Now this one ingress is enough to gut punch us, but right now, today, Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, and Neptune are ingressing; all of the outer planets!  Saturn is dancing over Virgo/Libra.  Chiron and Neptune, which are conjunct, are crossing back and forth over Aquarius/Pisces, and Uranus is dancing over Pisces/Aries.  Saturn is currently opposing Uranus and squaring Pluto (by orb ... or "allowed range"; the square between Uranus and Pluto will be exact for the first time June 2012).  This configuration of Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto creates what is known as a T-Square (or 90 degree triangle), with the "missing" point over in Cancer (the family).  With Saturn entering Libra there will be a desire to hold onto the rules and use the same judgments (old ways of thinking will persist).  Think of Einstein's comment: “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”  Which is what Saturn in Libra will encourage, hence weak Health Care and Financial Reform legislation in this country and Financial Reform worldwide.  Uranus is leaving the dreamy innovation for pioneering Aries, where getting it done will be part of the drive.  But Aries is also warlike, so revolution is part and parcel of its energy.  Small snippets have appeared in the form of one man bulldozing his house before the bank could repossess it and another man flying a plane into and IRS building.


At the personal level, you need to have your chart in front of you to know where this ingress energy is affecting you.  Neptune and Chiron are moving from idealistic Aquarius into dreamy Pisces (and the ruling sign for Neptune).  Demetra George has suggested on Find an Astrologer .com that we can expect scarcity around liquids (read oil and fresh water).  Couple that with Chiron's role as our energetic wound and we will likely see more disillusionment and safety recalls (Toyota, Johnson and Johnson, Kelloggs).   This energy will likely play out in beliefs, especially spiritual ones (Catholic church scandal).  Wherever Aquarius/Pisces is in your chart, you can expect illusion/wounding to energize you to see more clearly.  We're in a hell of a cosmic storm and the full impacts of these ingresses will not be felt until we are well into 2011.