16 April 2006 – 22 April 2006
Astrologers characterize the angular relationships formed by the planets in their motion as hard and soft aspects. Those formed by dividing the circle by four or two ( 90 degree angles or 180 degree angles ) are considered “hard”, and those formed by dividing the circle by three or six ( 60 degree angles or 120 degree angles ) are said to be “soft”. Hard angles imply stress, tensions, and conflict. Soft angles, called sextiles or trines respectively, represent energies cooperating, flowing, and release. When planets align ( 0 degrees ) the contact is considered neutral and is easy or hard depending on the nature of the planets involved. Astrologers make a farewell greeting of “Sextiles and Trines” to each other implying good fortune and harmony. Realistically, we need all the angular types to live a full and productive life, and this week presents us a Whitman's sampler of aspects between planets.
On Sunday the Sun forms a harmonious trine with Pluto. We've had more than enough Pluto, for most of us, these past weeks. This is a chance to heal and begin the rebuilding process that comes in Pluto's aftermath. The Aries Sun inspires us to own the changes and step forward into a new version of our lives. For most of us, this will be incremental – cleaning out the closets, tilling a new section of the garden – but for some it may feel like coming out of the proverbial tunnel of darkness. As always it depends on how your horoscope connects to the planets in their current positions. The Sun forms hard and soft angles with Pluto as he makes his circle around the zodiac each year. The hard angles disrupt the status quo, and the soft angles support personal evolution.
Also on Sunday, Mercury leaves dreamy Pisces and enters sparky Aries. Mercury in Aries can fairly burst with ideas, sometimes too many to handle. In a subtle sense our minds are on fire. Mercury will be moving into a square angle with Mars in Cancer on Tuesday, and we will be challenged to control the “fire” that can cause damage when allowed to burn free. Here the square angle suggests that we may respond emotionally with heated language, especially when we feel threatened. But that's if we're unconscious of this possibility and forget to “count to 10” before reacting. This square challenges us to find creative and healthy outlets for our anger.
Also on Tuesday, Venus aligns with Uranus, an annual event. If you find yourself suddenly stepping outside of a long-term relationship and looking at it from a new point of view, you're experiencing Venus – Uranus. You may just as suddenly leap into a relationship with a stranger who feels like an old friend. The street people may reveal wisdom scrawled on bus stops or in murmured words as you pass. Taken together with the Mercury – Mars energy, there is a brief period, early this week, when our social interactions may seem “wild and crazy”. This “wild and crazy” energy creates space for us to break old habits and see each other in new ways.
But after this somewhat unstable beginning to the week, Mercury forms a calming “trine” angle with Saturn on Wednesday. And this is a chance to give form and structure to some of the many ideas that bubbled up earlier. Saturn and Mercury work well together, organizing, considering effects, and above all timing. On Wednesday, the Sun enters Taurus - another stabilizing factor. Also on Wednesday the Sun enters earthy Taurus...we haven't had any long-term earth energy since early March when Venus left Capricorn. Without earth as ballast, people and situations can more easily inflate or escalate, and we find it hard to really put our plans into motion. Things seem insubstantial; money matters are slippery; resources may seem hard to come by. As the Sun, followed by Mercury and then Venus, pass through Taurus we will find ourselves more often on solid ground. This steady earth condition lasts until the Summer Solstice except for a two week earthless period in late May.
And if our relationships are feeling a bit bruised and sore, on Thursday Venus makes the harmonious trine angle with Jupiter. This will make it easier to see our long-term needs for each other and to express these feelings of connectedness. We will not feel so isolated and afraid to share our inner feelings.
Meanwhile in the world of politics and strife, there's little chance for consciousness to channel the tensions, and the media has little interest in reporting news of harmony and healing. That's a sad fact of 21st century life. Crime is down but fear is up brought to you by “breaking news”. But if each of us creates a personal universe of peace and hope, these islands of sanity will radiate out into the lives of those around us.
Daily Forecasts:
Great Balls of Fire as the Sagittarius Moon makes a fire triangle today with first Mercury, and then Saturn. The Sun makes another fire connection with Pluto. Shine a light into a place that needs it. Start something healthy. Expect to see a new way to get what you want.
We can feel restless and even claustrophobic early today as the Moon makes square angles with Venus and Uranus. Later we're looking into the future we hope to share. Talk about this tonight, but don't mistake harshness for realism. Walk the fine verbal line between clarity and consideration.
A restless night may have passed with Uranus aligned with Venus and Mercury squared to Mars in the 14 minutes between 2:42am/5:42am and 2:56am/5:56am. Early commuters take the roads with extra courtesy and caution. The flow improves all morning until the Moon goes Void at 11:41am/2:41pm. The Void period ends and the energy shifts at 2:13pm/5:13pm when the Moon enters Capricorn bringing an early taste of the earth energy coming tomorrow.
We're calmer and more focused with Mercury smoothly connected with Saturn and the Capricorn Moon favoring restraint and respect. Look for support and approval late in the day as the Moon connects with Venus and Jupiter before going Void at 6:15pm/9:15pm. Hope returns as Venus moves into alignment with Jupiter. The Sun enters Taurus late this evening. The period from 6:15pm/9:15pm until 10:25pm/1:25am is “super-Void” with both Sun and Moon in neutral.
We feel solid in our emotions and open to people, but the Moon remains Void until 6:56pm/9:56pm this evening when she enters Aquarius. Go with the flow of warm water.
Early this morning and tomorrow morning look to the east for the Lyrids meteor showers. The Moon will have set and the dark sky should improve visibility. The Aquarius Moon favors our inner nerd.
Earth Day finds us thinking on an appropriately grand scale as the Aquarius Moon connects early with Neptune and then goes Void in harmony with Pluto at 4:03pm/7:03pm. She enters Pisces later at 9:43pm/12:43am and the “big boat” viewpoint continues.
Long Range Forecast:
May 4th - Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus form a high-energy water triangle as the Sun opposes Jupiter. Emotions are hair-triggered and can easily escalate out of control. And control or commitment may be an issue that provokes an emotional response.
Long-Long Range Forecast:
April 14, 2009 – August 21, 2010 - Saturn makes a series of squares to Pluto newly in Capricorn. The end of business-as-usual politics. The nationalistic dinosaurs will enter their twilight times. The transition to organic regional government will not be smooth…the result may be some corporate feudal mixture.
June 24, 2012 – April 17, 2015 - Uranus in Aries forms his first major hard aspect to Pluto, a square angle, since they were aligned in the second half of the 1960’s. Hippie dreams may come true when the ecology and/or petroleum-based economies fail. Plan to live where there is food and water and you don’t need a car. Plan to live where you’ll know your neighbors…maybe even love them. What a thought! We may have to choose between eating grain on a commune or growing very thin in the city.
Notices for Los Angeles area readers:
Ongoing Classes:
There will be no classes on the two Saturdays April 15th and 22nd. Classes will resume April 29th and continue through May.
1:00pm – Intermediate Class in Predictions. Using the charts of well-known people, the effects of progressions, transits, and solar returns will be taught and explored. The class is open to people who know the basics of astrology.
3:00pm – Beginner’s Class. All are welcome. There are no prerequisites except an open mind and curiosity. This class will cover the signs, planets, and houses and show how to interpret these symbols and analyze birth chart patterns. Call the New Age Bible and Philosophy Center, 1139 Lincoln Boulevard, 310-395-4346 or me, 818-316-0702, for details.
Visit the Celestial Weather Web Site at http://www.celestialweather.com
Copyright 2006 Rich Humbert