Celestial Weather

18 September 2005 – 24 September 2005

Week of September 18th, 2005

Week as a Whole:

As the week begins on Sunday we feel contradictory energies, as we will all week. Venus, the planet that symbolizes our feelings and interpersonal reactions, pulls us back into ourselves and makes us hesitate more than we should. A few hours later, Venus is liberated by an equally powerful link with Uranus, and we’re feeling frisky. So if you find yourself uptight one minute and then wild and crazy the next, you’re right in tune. It’s sort of like a cosmic Hokey-Pokey: you put your right foot in, your put your right foot out, you put your right foot in and wiggle all about…

Equally contradictory but far less amusing and far greater in duration is the Mars – Pluto angle that is dominating the skies. Mars is slowing to enter his semi-annual retrograde period on October 1^st. This is a routine frustration for Aries people, and it’s normally a good time to dust off an old project and restart it. This still applies in some cases, but Mars makes his change of motion in exact angle with Pluto, his partner in the destructive-creative forces of our world. These reinforcing energies, which many of us are likely to feel need no reinforcement these days, are coming from zodiac signs that don’t harmonize: Mars in Taurus and Pluto in Sagittarius. Taurus is quite happy to stay put and tough things out. He’s the prototypical immovable object, solid and steady, even stubborn. Sagittarius can’t stand to stay put; he craves motion and new horizons. He operates “on high” whether it’s the upper strata of society, corporate, religious, or political life, or just socially climbing in his/her milieu. So we’re entering a period when we’re inclined (especially if our natal horoscope connects with these two agitators) to aggressively resist change and strike back from inside the walls of our emotional and ideological fortress/prisons. Meanwhile, Pluto is tunneling under our walls and exploding out in the cultural value wars we’ve suffered with for several years. This combination of forces that is simultaneously terrified of change and committed to extreme retribution can push people over the edge. The appeal of a stick of dynamite may be hard to resist, be it actual dynamite or merely an emotional reaction.

When Mercury enters Libra on Tuesday, it may help us be more objective in these stressful times and situations. Here Mercury can articulate and perceive other points of view and talk his way through to a diplomatic solution. And courtesy can go a long way to diffuse a tense situation. In 1962 Cuba, I was in a room full of drunken men with loaded guns. I never saw such courtesy and understood then the courtly behavior of the Middle Ages when conflict led directly to mortal combat.

The Autumnal Equinox on occurs at 3:24pm/6:24pm on Thursday with Pluto exactly overhead in the U.S. capitol. This indicates continued pressure on our leaders to manage crisis and change. Also connected with Mars (who’s at 7 o’clock) is Jupiter in Libra. Jupiter and Pluto form the Y pattern that’s been discussed several times previously in these reports. Jupiter is the home planet for Sagittarius and thus puts additional and similarly expansive, over the border pressure on Mars who is determined to resist. (A different but excellent example of the societal grace of Jupiter in Libra is the performance of John Roberts before the U.S. Senate.)

Since the Equinox comes at sunset for the U.S., the sun is setting and indicates the focus for this fall will continue on relationships (wars and treaties are both relationships) with other nations. In the 9 and 10 o’clock positions are Uranus and Neptune. This is an area of the horoscope called the “House of Karma.” It symbolizes matters that operate on us from an unseen place, or matters in which we behave unconsciously and often to our own detriment. Uranus and Neptune have been and will be sending resonating energy back and forth for several years. The sense we have that no one’s in charge and/or no one knows what’s happening is a fair expression of this. William Butler Yeats said it best 1920:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

He’s speaking of the end of an age and at the fearsome approach of a new one. I write this not to raise fears but to put current and coming events into perspective. The rate of change has been accelerating since the beginning of the 20^th century. The diffusion of technology (Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Aquarius) catalyzes this radical re-shaping of human society. Currently we lack the institutional tools to deal with this new world. We’re here at the birth moments of a new form of civilization, and if you’ve ever been present at a birth you know it’s often accompanied by pain and suffering…almost always followed by great joy.

We have two eclipses coming up, October 3^rd and 17^th. Eclipses lift all the ambient energy to high levels. Some of us soar and some crash and burn. Some systems can’t handle the high current flow and smoke into failure. These are times to remember to take breaks, treasure the small joys of daily life and friendships, and to treat each other with utmost kindness, not only for its virtue, but also for its survival benefits.

On Saturday Venus makes a square with Neptune. She does this twice a year and puts a bright shine on people creating magical special moments in our lives. The trick is to enjoy these moments without clinging to them. Amidst the glamour and mist, it’s easy to be confused or to project what is desired onto what is. And therein lies the source of much disappointment. This is not a time to sign a contract, but it is a time to set goals with the full knowledge that even partial progress toward them is healthy. A wise philosopher once said, “You can wish in one hand and “poop” in the other and see which fills up first.”

Notice for Los Angeles area readers:

Ongoing Classes:

1:00pm – The astrology of relationships. We’ll explore what astrology tells us about how we meet and match with each other in partnership and in families. The class is open to people who know the basics of astrology.

3:00pm – Beginner’s Class. There are no prerequisites except an open mind and curiosity. This begins with the signs, planets, and houses and develops their manifold relationships and interweaving. Unlike the last sentence, the class will be in plain English. Call the New Age Bible and Philosophy Center, 1139 Lincoln Boulevard, 310-395-4346 or me, 818-316-0702, for details.

Long Range Forecast:

On the website: A look at the high energy dates for 2005.

September 22 – The Fall Equinox: Mars is slowing for his retrograde period and making a sharp and extended contact with Pluto and Jupiter. This can symbolize out of control situations (Pluto and Mars) in which people are trying to be fair (Jupiter in Libra). Saturn in Leo gets a shock from Uranus in Pisces at the same time deflating ego balloons. The harmony between Sun, Mercury, and the Moon supports fluid and clear communication as a remedy. This fall has zigs and zags. See also the Solar Eclipse below.

October 3rd - Five planets (Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Pluto and a stationary Mars) form a Y pattern called the "finger of God" - guess which finger. The eclipsing Sun and Moon are part of another "finger of God" pattern with Saturn and Uranus. This is one of the corners in time when we're faced with unavoidable choices. All planets, except for Neptune, are involved in these patterns. Even if this wasn't an eclipse, this is a remarkably intense configuration. The planets re-focus in ten days when the Sun enters the Mars pattern, and Mercury and Venus connect with Saturn and Uranus.

Daily Forecasts

Sunday 18 September 2005

The Aries Moon increases the “twitchy” factor today when we’re likely to hesitate, second-guess, and then plunge. By mid-afternoon we regain our sanity.

Monday 19 September 2005

The challenge of long-range issues call us today until the Moon goes Void at 3:36pm/6:36pm. Before then plan your future.

Tuesday 20 September 2005

Hard work pushing against resistance starts today after the Moon enters Taurus at 4:47am/7:47am. Expect the struggle to take an unexpected turn around 6:30pm/9:30pm when the Moon connects with Saturn and then Uranus in quick succession.

Wednesday 21 September 2005

Take a lesson from your dreams that may linger as vivid memories through the day. Use care in motion in the evening when the Moon aligns with the nearly stationary Mars and touches Pluto. Go to the gym or take a long walk to let your body channel this into health.

Thursday 22 September 2005

The afternoon Equinox shifts the Sun from Virgo earth to Libra air, shortly after the Moon shifts from Taurus earth to Gemini air in the morning and then connects with Mercury recently in Libra. This is a big shift into a more spacious POV compressed into a five-hour period. Expect to able to step back by dinnertime.

Friday 23 September 2005

If you feel you’re not alone in your head, it’s probably the Venus – Neptune square beginning to take effect. It’s an evening for romance, music, and the arts. Let yourself go in safe venues. Count your change.

Saturday 24 September 2005

The Moon is Void from 5:57am/8:57am until 7:10pm/10:10pm when she enters Cancer. It’s time to leave off the thinking machine and feel for a change. Live your life below your neck. Be with the closest ones.

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